Television


 * For information on companies that produce Star Trek, see production companies.

Television or TV was a colloquial term for a form of entertainment medium consisting of live action two-dimensional visual images with sound, to be watched by the viewer via a display module which translated broadcast signals into viewable images known as video. Most information was broadcast by way of a format known as "shows" or "broadcasts". Television shows were typically supported or subsidized by commercials. 

20th century
On Earth, the first television signals were transmitted during the first half of the 20th century, and it became a popular form of entertainment during the 1950s, especially for its news broadcasts. 

When a Vulcan survey vessel was stranded on Earth in 1957 and 1958, Mestral became enthralled in the technology, and a form of cuisine that was associated with television, known as TV dinners. 

When the USS Voyager traveled back in time to 1996, Neelix and Kes enjoyed watching Earth television shows, particularly soap operas. When Harry Kim expressed that he couldn't imagine a non-interactive (holodeck) story, Kes responded by saying that humanity had been spoiled by interactive stories. Voyager itself was also accidentally broadcast on a Los Angeles-based news report after entering a low-orbit to make use of their emergency transporters. 

21st century
During the 2020s, the multi-function Interface slowly began to replace the television, as it combined broadcast television, e-mail and access to the Net. This trend would have started in the late 20th century with the introduction of the internet. 

Television as a form of entertainment did not last long after 2040. 

22nd through 24th centuries
In 2152, Trip Tucker was familiar with The Twilight Zone, a 20th Century television program. 

Captain Christopher Pike had a television set in his quarters in 2254, during his time as captain of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701). 

By the 23rd century television was referred to as an antiquated form of entertainment. Communications officer Uhura was somewhat familiar with the form, however mistakenly referred to it as 'video', when the crew of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) encountered the form on planet 892-IV in 2268. 

During the 24th century the term was mostly unknown, except to those who enjoyed 20th century nostalgia.

William T. Riker was unfamiliar with the slang term "boob tube" when L.Q. Clemonds wanted to watch a baseball game on a replicator, which he had mistaken for a television screen. 

In 2372, Neelix began his own television-style broadcast aboard the USS Voyager, which featured news, educational material and entertainment. 

The 2372 holosuite program, Julian Bashir, Secret Agent featured many artifacts of 1960s Earth nostalgia, including the television. As did the 2374 holosuite program Bashir 62. 

While living in the holodeck recreation of 1962 in Bashir's latter program, following the loss of his leg in 2375, Nog spent many hours watching television, including several movies, in the hotel room of Vic Fontaine. 

In 2376, B'Elanna Torres gave Tom Paris a television as a gift, including a remote control. Tom often enjoyed watching cartoons and hockey on it. 

TV shows

 * A Briefing with Neelix (also known as: Good Morning, Voyager)
 * Hints for Healthful Living
 * I Love Lucy
 * Mission: Impossible
 * Name the Winner
 * The Untouchables
 * The Three Stooges (technically never a TV series, but their films were widely shown on TV from the 1950s onward)
 * The Twilight Zone