‘Saturday Night Live’ #TBT: Live Long and Prosper, ‘Star Trek’

Star Trek has been part of pop culture for so long that it feels like a permanent fixture. It’s gone through several iterations on film (with the new Star Trek Beyond opening this weekend) and television (a new series is in the works on CBS All-Access).

But there was a time when Star Trek wasn’t the beloved franchise that it is now. Back in 1969, NBC canceled the original series starring William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and DeForrest Kelley. It caused a major outcry among fans, and sparked one of Saturday Night Live’s most iconic sketches.

Related: Why the ‘Star Trek Beyond’ Cast Thinks the Series Is More Relevant Than Ever

Kids, we dug deep into the vault to pull out this 1976 gem. John Belushi plays Captain Kirk, Chevy Chase gets logical as Spock, and Dan Aykroyd is Dr. McCoy. The sketch begins with the Enterprise encountering an alien lifeform — a Chrysler Imperial. Soon the ship is boarded by aliens… who turn out to be network executives intent on dismantling the set.

Related: ‘For The Love of Spock’ Trailer: Remembering the Original Spock, Leonard Nimoy

The sketch featured one of Belushi’s best performances, and was a sharp critique of NBC and its adherence to ratings. It became an instant hit with Star Trek fans and its actors. Who would’ve thought, watching this sketch at the time, that Star Trek would go on to become one of the dominant franchises in popular culture?

Saturday Night Live returns for its 42nd season this fall.