The science-fiction TV series first aired in 1966 and follows the crew of the starship Enterprise is "Star Trek," specifically its original series. Created by Gene Roddenberry, it follows Captain James T. Kirk and his crew as they explore space on behalf of the United Federation of Planets.
The original series premiered on NBC on September 8, 1966, after an earlier Canadian broadcast. William Shatner played Kirk, Leonard Nimoy played the half-human, half-Vulcan science officer Spock, and DeForest Kelley played Dr. Leonard McCoy. Their contrasting personalities became one of the show's defining features.
The series ran for three seasons and 79 episodes, ending in 1969. Although it was initially cancelled after its third season, reruns attracted a devoted audience and helped create a large franchise of films, television series, novels, and other media. "Doctor Who," "Lost in Space," and "The Outer Limits" are also science-fiction programs, but they do not match this Enterprise-centered description.