Star Trek snubbed by EW in their list of Top 25 Cult Shows

[patlandness]

Entertainment Weekly has recently released an article on their picks of The Top 25 Cult Shows of All Time. You can read it here:

Notice a certain 1960s sci fi series missing?

This is crap.

Star Trek was the quintessential cult show. It was the Firefly of the 1960s--only 1000 times bigger--and its cult fandom and the show's creative staff helped turn a failed TV series into a venerable entertainment juggernaut. It was an unheard of phenomenon back then--especially when there was no internet and no digital media.

Star Trek is going to be 50 in 4 years, and its being shafted. Come on, Entertainment Weekly, what's the deal?

 

[Skywalker]

I am literally angry with rage!

 

[patlandness]

I am literally angry with rage!

Futurama reference. Nice.

 

[brian577]

Cult following are ususally considered niche. There is nothing niche about Star Trek

 

[Sumghai]

These guys have got to be kidding, right?

With over 500 hours of TOS, TNG, DS9, VOY and ENT, as well as popularity at major conventions, that's one very big pair of barn doors to miss.

 

[patlandness]

Cult following are ususally considered niche. There is nothing niche about Star Trek

Star Trek was a failed TV series that was resurrected by a niche audience and kept alive by a niche audience. It may have been a big mainstream hit in the 90s, but back in the 60s, it was as niche as a TV show could get.

Also, why is "Lost" and "The X-Files" on this list? Those were mainstream hits in their original run. The criteria of what constitutes a cult hit is not clear.

 

[Gojira]

Star Trek used to have a cult following but now it is a multi-billion dollar industry and that no longer fits the definition of what cult status is.

 

[Valin]

Star Trek used to have a cult following but now it is a multi-billion dollar industry and that no longer fits the definition of what cult status is.

Right. A cult TV show would really be one that a relatively few people are aware of and are addicted to. Star Trek (and Dr. Who for that matter) are far too big and well known to be considered cult shows.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Cult following are ususally considered niche. There is nothing niche about Star Trek

Yeah - I wouldn't call a franchise that recently included a blockbuster movie that ranked in the top ten as "cult."

I also wouldn't call The Wire cult. It may not have been high rated but that's because high quality stuff isn't for everyone, not because it catered to some overly specific interest. By that definition, Mad Men is cult, too.

Also, why is "Lost" and "The X-Files" on this list? Those were mainstream hits in their original run. The criteria of what constitutes a cult hit is not clear.

The simplest explanation: it's a stupid article.

 

[Orac]

Star Trek has enough followers that it isn't a cult anymore, it's an organised religion.

 

[Skywalker]

Star Trek has enough followers that it isn't a cult anymore, it's an organised religion.

All power to the engines!

 

[Udat]

Star Trek has enough followers that it isn't a cult anymore, it's an organised religion.

All power to the engines!

lol I am a believer still..

 

[wissaboo]

Trek is like christianity. Started out as a cult but is now mainstream.

 

[Skellington]

The title does refer to "Cult TV Shows", so I can't see why TOS isn't included. It's kind of bizarre considering that at least three shows in the top ten have been heavily Trek-influenced and the show sitting pretty at the top has lately gone from strength to strength by pointedly not being a cult show. I also concur about The X-Files, which was a breakout hit that you could discuss at work.

 

[StalwartUK]

I don't know about America, but here in the UK I wouldn't exactly call Doctor Who a cult show considering the ratings it gets and the fact you can find some form of Doctor Who merchandise in just about every shop.

Then again I'm used to this sort of thing these days. It's now cool to bash Star Trek.

 

[bbailey861]

Then again I'm used to this sort of thing these days. It's now cool to bash Star Trek.

"...cool to bash Star Trek."?!? Why man, that's just crazy talk.

IMO, Star Trek no longer falls into the 'cult' category - but it sure did when I was younger and all we had was TOS.

 

[MacLeod]

I don't know about America, but here in the UK I wouldn't exactly call Doctor Who a cult show considering the ratings it gets and the fact you can find some form of Doctor Who merchandise in just about every shop.

Then again I'm used to this sort of thing these days. It's now cool to bash Star Trek.

Agreed, if ST isn't classed as a cult show, neither can DW. Though it depends on what criteria they are using.

 

[BillJ]

Since I haven't bought Entertainment Weekly in about fifteen years, I really don't care about what they think of Trek.

 

[sonak]

TOS would have been considered "cult" once upon a time, but not these days. But if "X-Files" and "Lost" are on there, the author doesn't know what cult means in the context of TV.


So yeah, stupid article.

 

[Robert D. Robot]

No way can "Doctor Who" be considered a cult show in Great Britain (where it is a pop culture institution!), but I believe that EW is only considering an American television audience, which might explain why they can get away with including DW on the list. On the other hand, I think it is becoming more mainstream in the US, as more and more people are tuning in to the most recent Doctors stateside on BBC America.

On the other hand, I agree with other posters that think the author of this article must be unfamiliar with the definition of a cult TV show. Everybody I know was watching & talking about "Lost" (even those I know who turn their nose up at anything science fiction) and "X-Files" was quite a popular show after a season or so.

The article claims that the "X-Files" is a cult because "Few shows in the history of television have inspired so much obsessive cultish behavior". If that is the yardstick that they are using, I guess EW should have included Televised American Football on their list!

No matter WHAT Trek has become over the decades, TOS was a cult show when it was on the air in the late 1960s. I think that not including it on the list was a weird, misguided decision.