Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin claimed that one of his earliest inspirations was a sci-fi show from the ‘50s, which he called the precursor to Star Trek. The show, Rocky Jones, Space Ranger, was aired in 1951 and followed the adventures of a group of intergalactic police patrol led by Rocky Jones, who enforced the law on different planets.
In a panel discussion at TIFF, Martin named several shows of the past as his inspiration, including Space Cadet and Captain Video. However, he named Rocky Jones, Space Ranger as one of his other favorites. He said,
I was very young when Captain Video was on, and a little later, Rocky Jones Space Ranger, which had a huge impact on me, a very cool show, [and a] sort of precursor to Star Trek, if you actually kind of look at it.
Martin has often cited prominent sci-fi shows and stories as his foundations, though he often dabbles in fantasy. He has written for The Twilight Zone and the horror show The Hitchhiker. He reportedly even applied to be a writer on The Next Generation, but was rejected by a producer at the time. However, he still seems to have deep respect for the franchise.
George R.R. Martin Called His Favorite Sci-Fi Show From the ‘50s a Precursor to Star Trek
A still from Star Trek | Credits: Paramount
George R.R. Martin may be one of the most famous fantasy writers with his A Song of Ice and Fire series, but he has dabbled in various genres throughout his writing career. He spoke about his early inspirations, which included shows from the ‘40s and the ‘50s. He revealed that he loved the shows Space Cadet and Rocky Jones, Space Ranger.
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The latter was a sci-fi show from the ‘50s, which saw a group of space policemen who patrolled the cosmos. Led by Rocky Jones, the space rangers, as they were called, travelled the galaxy representing the United Worlds of the Solar System and enforced law at places where they were not being followed. They travelled stars, constellations, planets, and more.
A still from Rocky Jones, Space Ranger | Credits: Roland Reed TV Productions
With the basic plot of Rocky Jones, Space Ranger, it is obvious why Martin called it a precursor to Star Trek. The latter show also features the Starfleet, a militaristic organization of the United Federation of Planets, who travel the cosmos to explore new life forms and then defends them when these planets are under attack from the Borg, the Gorn, or others.
The parallels are obvious. Rocky Jones, Space Ranger also had pacifist undertones, with the space rangers usually resolving conflicts with fistfights. Star Trek’s pacifism was more nuanced than that, but it still had a similar ideology. Despite being a revolutionary sci-fi show, Star Trek was far from the first of its kind and had several other inspirations.
George R.R. Martin’s Relationship With Star Trek Goes Beyond Just Being a Fan
George R.R. Martin | Credits: WTTW News
George R.R. Martin has never shied away from naming his inspirations, and they have mostly been genre pieces, sometimes leaning towards the pulp. He has been an ardent fan of Star Trek and has a relationship with the franchise beyond just being an admirer. He reportedly once interviewed to be on the writing staff of TNG.
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Martin mentioned that when Star Trek was being revived, he interviewed with a producer, whom many have speculated to be Maurice Hurley. The producer reportedly asked him for his credentials. He said (via Slash Film),
I said, ‘I am just coming off ‘Twilight Zone’ where I worked for a while, but before that, I wrote novels and short stories. I am primarily a science fiction writer.’ And he said, ‘Oh really, well ‘Star Trek’ is not a science-fiction show, it is a people show.’ I was fooled by the photon torpedoes and starships.
Martin also reportedly pushed his friend and TNG writer Melinda Snodgrass to go ahead with a storyline that commented on the Dred Scott decision, which reportedly denied a Black man American citizenship. The Game of Thrones author reportedly encouraged her to go ahead with it, and thus, we got ‘The Measure of Man’.
Star Trek is now available to stream on Paramount+.
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