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