[_qulr]

> If things like Star Trek were canceled season three, it'd never have reached such masses

This comment strikes me as very strange. I guess you're talking about TNG? But the Original Series was canceled after the third season. Nonetheless, Star Trek reached the masses. The reruns in syndication became more popular than the original airings, and countless films and spinoffs resulted.

[brewdad]

I recently listened to a podcast interview with George Takei. One of the things he mentioned is that because ratings for TOS were so low, it became a cheap filler 5 nights a week in syndication. THAT'S when the show really took off and became a phenomenon.

[_qulr]

> because ratings for TOS were so low, it became a cheap filler 5 nights a week in syndication

It also lacked the standard # of episodes required for syndication: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100_episodes

[dcbadacd]

Well one thing is a "pause" in production, another one is total and final cancellation. Has any of the NF titles been resurrected yet?

[_qulr]

> Well one thing is a "pause" in production

I'm confused, what are you referring to here?

The Original Series ended in 1969. It was truly dead. But the fans kept it "alive" for a decade. Its popularity rose through reruns, conventions, etc. The Motion Picture was released in 1979, followed by The Wrath of Khan in 1982. The Next Generation started in 1987. These weren't pauses in production. The films never would have gotten made if not for the rabid fan base, and TNG would never have gotten made if not for the popularity of the films.