star trek series popularity

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Every star trek tv series, ranked by popularity.

Star Trek has had a wide range of critical and commercial success. But what's considered to be the best Star Trek series, and which is most popular?

With the release of the new series, Strange New Worlds , fans are beginning to once again question what the best Star Trek   series ever is. Star Trek  has garnered universal acclaim over its more than five decades of existence, but some TV series within the franchise are more popular than others. Star Trek began in 1966 and is still generating content to this day with no signs of stopping. To date, the franchise has spawned 9 TV shows, 13 movies, and a whole host of other media such as books, podcasts, and video games. Television, however, is what makes up the backbone of the franchise, and the critical and commercial success of Star Trek's TV shows tells a fascinating story of how the property has continually appealed to fans since its inception.

The recent advent of streaming services has kicked the  Star Trek franchise into overdrive, and all series are available to stream on various platforms. This makes it important to take into account all factors that make up the overall popularity of every Star Trek series including viewership numbers (when available), critic and fan reviews, and how the popularity of the series may have evolved over time due to things like syndication.

Updated on May 9th, 2022 by Tanner Fox:  Older than almost any other television series relevant in popular culture today, Star Trek is a phenomenon that sparked a perpetual fascination with science fiction in avid TV viewers. It's gone through many changes over its half-century-long run, and not every project bearing the Star Trek tag has been successful. Still, most television outings related to the property tend to be well-received.

The continued competition between major streaming services has ushered in a new era for Star Trek, and, while shows like Below Decks may not have captivated audiences as the original animated series has, there's still every chance that the franchise continues to grow in popularity in the foreseeable future.

Star Trek: Prodigy

Star Trek: Prodigy isn't necessarily going to get set in stone as the least-popular outing for the sci-fi property, but it's definitely an unconventional one that's tough to compare to the more established series. Intended for younger audiences, Star Trek: Prodigy debuted on Nickelodeon in 2021 and sees a cast of characters learn the virtues of teamwork as they commandeer the abandoned U.S.S. Protostar in order to escape the Delta Quadrant.

RELATED:  Which Character From Star Trek: Prodigy Are You, Based On Your Zodiac?

Thus far, the series seems to have garnered positive responses from fans, but it's tough to gauge the show's overall popularity given how new it is and the fact that it was intended to target a totally new audience who may not be familiar with Star Trek .

Star Trek: Lower Decks

Star Trek: Lower Decks is part of the recent Star Trek renaissance. Season 1 of Lower Decks premiered in August 2020, and the second was released in October 2021. Lower Decks is available on Paramount+ , the streaming service from ViacomCBS that was rebranded from CBS All Access earlier in 2021. It is one of the only animated shows in the franchise, and its writing and comedic style have earned both praise and criticism from fans.

It is also one of the lowest-rated  Star Trek shows to date, earning a scant 67% at Rotten Tomatoes. Likewise, although not much data is available, Star Trek: Lower Decks did not break any streaming records for CBS All Access during its first season unlike its sister shows  Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard . Despite a relatively lukewarm response, fans of the show have praised its humor and references to the wider Star Trek universe.

Star Trek: The Animated Series

Star Trek: The Animated Series  aired between 1973 and 1975. It was a direct sequel to Star Trek: The Original Series and a response to the popularity TOS had gained in syndication. Most of the regular cast from TOS returned to reprise their roles in The Animated Series .

Although the show is often overlooked by fans and has a questionable place in the canon, it was actually quite popular when it aired, and it continues to be relatively well-reviewed today by those who remember it. In fact, TAS had the opposite problem that The Original Series did while it was airing; ratings for the show were high, but it did not appeal to a younger audience, the demographic it was marketed to. Despite its apparent popularity,  Star Trek: The Animated Series is not nearly as well-reviewed or well-remembered as most other Star Trek series.

Star Trek: Enterprise

Star Trek: Enterprise ran from 2001 to 2005 and was broadcast on UPN. Enterprise was a prequel to the franchise up until that point and was set in the 22nd century, chronicling the adventures of Captain Jonathan Archer and his crew on the very first Starship Enterprise . The premiere episode was watched by 12.5 million viewers, and ratings for the show continued to be good for a little while before beginning to decline at the end of the 1st season.

RELATED: Star Trek's 10 Best Vulcan Episodes

In an effort to bring them back, the third and fourth seasons featured more serialized storylines, but  Star Trek: Enterprise  continued to see a steady decline in ratings, which ultimately got the show canceled after 4 seasons. This has been attributed to both the storylines and the fact that UPN was flagging as a network. The show continues to have a small but devoted following in the fandom, but with only a 57% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 7.5/10 on IMDb, it seems that modern reviewers don't hold it in very high regard.

Star Trek: Voyager

Star Trek: Voyager was the series that came before Enterprise , airing from 1995 to 2002 on UPN. Voyager is best remembered as being the show with Star Trek's first female captain and for its overall diversity of cast members, including the most female leads of any Star Trek  series up until that point.

Unlike Enterprise , Voyager always maintained above a 3.0 on the Nielsen rating scale, something that a show needs to do to be considered generally successful. However,  Voyager never came close to achieving the same ratings that shows like  Star Trek: Deep Space Nine or Star Trek: The Next Generation  did. Like Enterprise , Voyager continues to maintain a devoted following , and modern fan ratings are much better than Enterprise's, as well. The show maintains a respectable 76% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 7.8 on IMDb.

Star Trek: Discovery

Premiering in 2017,  Star Trek: Discovery   served as a prequel to The Original Series until a time jump to the 32nd century in season 3. Discovery has almost exclusively been available on streaming but is the only modern Star Trek  series to also have some more traditional data about viewership; the first episode and the first season were broadcast on CBS in 2017 and 2020 respectively. The 2020 full first season release saw a disappointing 1.7 million viewers tuning in, but this was likely because the show had already been viewed by many on streaming.

Discovery also set a subscription record for CBS All Access when the first season premiered, bringing in the largest number of subscriptions for a whole month after its release. Fan ratings place Discovery quite highly, with an average of 84% on Rotten Tomatoes for all 3 seasons. This percentage was helped significantly by the recent 3rd season which garnered high praise from all sides.

Star Trek: Picard

Star Trek: Picard is the most recent of the three modern Star Trek show that has aired on streaming services. Picard premiered in January of 2020, and both its fan and critical reviews are better on average than Discovery's . After two seasons,  Picard has an 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and most critics praised actor Patrick Stewart's performance in his return as the iconic Captain Jean-Luc Picard from Star Trek: The Next Generation .

RELATED: 10 Best Sci-Fi Shows Of All Time, According To Ranker

In addition to this, Star Trek: Picard set the record for the second most subscriptions to CBS All Access, and it actually beat Discovery's streaming record with 115% more total streams. That said, the audience response to the series hasn't been quite as positive as the critical response, though it remains one of the most highly-acclaimed  Star Trek projects in quite some time.

Star Trek: The Original Series

Although it is true that Star Trek: The Original Series was canceled in 1969 mostly due to low ratings, several factors contribute to it being higher in popularity than its cancelation would suggest. One of the main reasons is that, even though ratings declined over the course of TOS's 3 seasons, the audience demographics for the show helped keep it alive. TOS has always had an extremely loyal and ardent fanbase which is perhaps best illustrated by the famous letter-writing campaign that fans put together after the second season amid rumors about the show's cancelation.

The third season was unfortunately not enough to save TOS from being canceled, although its cancelation has mostly been attributed to budget cuts and bad time slot decisions from the network. After TOS was canceled, however, it became immensely popular in syndication in the 1970s, gaining the status of a cult classic and reaching an even bigger audience than it had when it was on the air. Today, of course, TOS is celebrated as the show that launched the entire Star Trek franchise.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ran from 1993 to 1999 and achieved a high degree of both critical and commercial success. The show was a departure from traditional Star Trek up until that point both in terms of its setting and the darker themes incorporated into its plotlines. This did not hinder Deep Space Nine's popularity, however.

Although Deep Space Nine was the first in the string of Star Trek shows that saw ratings steadily decrease over the course of its 7 seasons, it always maintained ratings well within the margin of what it needed to be considered a success. In 1999, it was reported that Deep Space Nine was the number 1 syndicated show for adults ages 18-54, and it was consistently rated better than Star Trek: Voyager even though the two ran concurrently. Additionally, with a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8/10 on IMDb, fan consensus proves that  Star Trek: Deep Space Nine  is still held in high regard .

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Out of every show in the franchise, Star Trek: The Next Generation is universally the most popular . TNG aired from 1987 to 1994, and, although the first season is usually not thought of highly by fans, the show hit its stride quickly. Unlike The Original Series , TNG achieved wide mainstream success during its run, mostly due to the fact that it was created for syndication.  TNG consistently maintained high ratings, often ranking in the top 10 of hour-long dramas, and is one of the few Star Trek shows that actually ended its run with higher ratings than when it began. Today,  TNG  has a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, but places just slightly higher than Deep Space Nine on IMDb with an 8.6/10

Star Trek: The Next Generation and many of the other best shows in the franchise ended well over a decade ago, but the endeavors of that era continue to be the most highly-rated. That said,  Star Trek has nearly limitless potential, and it may not be long until a series garners acclaim equal to or greater than that of  TNG.

NEXT: The 10 Greatest Redemptions On Star Trek, Ranked

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The best Star Trek series, ranked

Ready to settle in and watch some Star Trek episodes? Since there are so many, we’ve ranked all of the different series to help you get started on your quest.

Star Trek is one of the greatest franchises ever created. If you're new to the world of transporters and holodecks, you have so much wonderful content to catch up on — of course, some would say too much content.

Since there are over 850 episodes and counting (all of which you can stream on Paramount+ ), watching all of Star Trek can be more difficult than fighting a Gorn in the desert. To make things easier for you to get started, we've ranked every series (besides the short-form series Short Treks ) of this long-running franchise. Some of these choices were a bit daunting to play favorites with, but, like Jim Kirk, there's no belief in the no-win scenario.

Without further ado, here's our list of every Star Trek series ranked from worst to best.

11. Star Trek: Picard (2020–2023)

Star Trek: Picard was meant to be like comfort food to fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation . And whether fans were turned off by the changes in franchise direction with shows like Discovery or just wanted to see Patrick Stewart back in action, Paramount clearly thought this show would be almost universally beloved.

That didn't happen . The warm and fuzzy feeling of seeing a few familiar faces in the first season evaporated because of an often-confusing plot about androids. The second season continued this confusion with a time-travel story that often bordered on incoherence. While many Star Trek shows take a few seasons to hit their stride, it was shocking that so much of this relatively short series was seemingly created with "make it so-so" in mind.

10. Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973–1974)

If you're in the right mood (or you've been sipping on some Saurian brandy), Star Trek: The Animated Series has some wacky entertainment value. Any given episode had the writers throwing in stories like a giant version of a beloved character. And the animators threw some fun curveballs, including making the embodiment of evil into a shirtless hottie that would make even shirtless Kirk jealous.

However, this animated show was often caught between two very different worlds. It wasn't fully a return to the (relatively) grounded exploration of space, science, and morality of The Original Series . And it didn't fully lean into the chaotic possibilities of a cartoon world (something Lower Decks would later handle much better). So, while more and more elements of The Animated Series have become canonical thanks to shows like Discovery , and it's fun to hear the voice acting of the Original Series cast, this cartoon is one that all but the most hardcore fans can skip.

9. Star Trek: Enterprise (2001–2005)

Despite what you might have heard, Star Trek: Enterprise is not a bad show. It just didn't start as a very good show. The series was tragically canceled after the fourth season, which was arguably when it had just begun to hit its stride (thanks in part to longer story arcs and a really fun glimpse into Trek 's popular Mirror Universe).

At the end of the day, Enterprise is a show best enjoyed by Star Trek fans that like to pore over the Memory Alpha wiki and familiarize themselves with Trek minutiae. As a prequel show, it laid the groundwork for everything from Starfleet policy to alien interactions that other shows explore in more detail. If you don't have a shot at winning any Star Trek trivia contests at your local bar, it's still worth watching how captivating Scott Bakula can be in the captain's seat.

8. Star Trek: Prodigy (2021–present)

Star Trek: Prodigy was very difficult to rank. Unlike the other two Trek cartoons, this series was explicitly designed for younger audiences. Paramount clearly wants to use this show as a gateway for these younger fans to explore the wider world of Star Trek , but there are enough elements (most notably the return of Kate Mulgrew , reprising her role as Captain Janeway via a holographic form) to keep veteran franchise fans invested.

Ultimately, your enjoyment of this series will be largely dependent on how much you enjoy animated/YA entertainment. If nothing else, you should check out the first two episodes of this show to see just how beautiful the CGI animation can get.

7. Star Trek: Discovery (2017–present)

If Enterprise is the Star Trek show cut off too soon, Discovery may very well be the first Star Trek show to outlive its welcome, though it will end after its fifth season . There are many things the show gets right, from nifty effects to quirky characters to amazing casting (seriously, Sonequa Martin-Green is electrifying whenever she is on screen).

The show veers from a disjointed-but-interesting first season to a mesmerizing second season, which gets a real shot in the arm by introducing Captain Pike (played by the inimitably charming Anson Mount ) and Spock (played as a perfect homage to Leonard Nimoy by Ethan Peck). Later seasons, however, prove that the series can't get away from galactic-level threats, and character drama begins overriding plot development enough that we want to slingshot around the sun and return this series to its earlier roots.

6. Star Trek: Voyager (1995–2001)

Like many Trek series, Star Trek: Voyager had a rocky beginning, and it was often overshadowed by the excellent Deep Space Nine . Ironically, Voyager dramatically improved with what could be a cynical casting stunt: adding the alluring Jeri Ryan (constantly wearing a catsuit, no less).

Though it really looked like a desperate ratings stunt, Ryan turned the reformed Borg Seven of Nine into the most interesting character on the show. And, despite their alleged clashes behind the scenes, the actress helped to elevate every scene she shared with Kate Mulgrew. Between the new cast member, improved writing, and Mulgrew being nothing short of a damned icon, Voyager soon became appointment television, and it's definitely worth binge-watching for modern audiences.

5. Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020–present)

Lower Decks is an impressive show for many reasons, including the fact that its execution elevates its initial premise, which focuses on the lives of the lower-level staffers aboard the starship. Because showrunner Mike McMahan previously wrote for Rick and Morty and the animation takes its cues from the cartoon adventures of Rick Sanchez, many fans may have assumed Lower Decks would simply be " Star Trek meets Rick and Morty ."

Thankfully, that's not the case. Aside from animation similarities, the main element these two cartoons have in common is a breakneck, borderline chaotic pace. But as entertaining as it can be, Rick and Morty is an often nihilistic show with gags revolving around how nothing really matters. Lower Decks , however, is a lighthearted series that serves as the cure to modern Trek . If you've dismissed other contemporary series such as Discovery and Picard because they are grim, violent, and serious, Lower Decks is a wonderfully lighthearted alternative that is never afraid to poke fun at its own franchise.

4. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022–present)

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is a truly pleasant surprise to fans of the franchise. Set years before Captain Kirk sat in that famous chair, we see Capt. Christopher Pike (Anson Mount reprising the role) lead the U.S.S. Enterprise into bizarre adventures alongside some familiar characters (Ethan Peck returning as Spock, for example) and a few new ones.

Part of what helps this show shine is that it marks a return to episodic Trek in that every installment is a self-contained adventure as opposed to other newer series like Discovery and Picard , which build entire seasons around a single plot. The characters all ooze with the same swashbuckling charm of The Original Series characters, and we can't wait to see more of their adventures. We also can't wait to see more of Anson Mount's amazing hair (arguably the most awesome practical effect in the franchise).

3. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994)

Star Trek: The Next Generation has the dubious honor of being the first Trek show where veteran fans warn against new fans starting at the very beginning. Early episodes ranged from stupidly horny (planetary inhabitants in the episode "Justice" were barely wearing scraps of clothing) to ridiculously racist ("Code of Honor" may very well be the worst Star Trek episode ever made). Many of these problems stemmed from the fact that despite being called "The Next Generation," the show was trying to recreate The Original Series (right down to using some of the same writers and shamelessly reusing scripts from the scrapped Star Trek: Phase II series).

As fans like to joke, the show got better as Commander Riker's beard got longer. Season 2 was a major improvement, which was then usurped by season 3, which brought in new uniforms, new sets, and Michael Piller to head up the writing team. Just like that, TNG embraced its differences from its famous forerunner (Picard was cerebral whereas Kirk was impulsive, Data yearned for emotion whereas Spock detested it, and so on). At last, the gamble paid off, and the next generation of this franchise ushered in the next generation of Star Trek fans.

2. Star Trek: The Original Series (1966–1969)

What can we say about The Original Series that hasn't been said already? Gene Roddenberry successfully fused science fiction with American pioneer spirit to create his vision of this " Wagon Train to the stars." The episodes were both fun and thought-provoking in equal measure, and William Shatner as Kirk and Leonard Nimoy as Spock, among many others, turned in performances that seared themselves into our collective pop culture consciousness.

The Original Series offered social commentary about racism, imperialism, and (often to Spock's annoyance) the human condition. And the blend of big acting, ambitious sets, and poignant plots helped this show become something truly transcendent. The OG Star Trek shaped not only the future of the franchise but television itself, and it's not hard to see why it continues to win over new generations of fans year after year.

1. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999)

Placing Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in the top spot is perhaps a contentious decision. However, this series did more than measure up to the quality of The Next Generation (a lofty feat in and of itself). The show also made a number of storytelling and production choices that have helped DS9 seem more relevant in recent years than ever before, including tackling issues about race, religious fundamentalism, and war on a regular basis.

Perhaps the main way DS9 feels so pertinent is that the show broke the longstanding Trek rule of making only standalone episodes. As the powers that be focused more on creating their next show, Voyager , DS9 showrunner Ira Steven Behr was able to get away with creating long story arcs and frequent episode callbacks. The end result of this is that Deep Space Nine is the first of the pre-streaming era Trek shows that is perfect for binge-watching.

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Boldly go: Every 'Star Trek' series, ranked

The Final Frontier is full of some amazing television.

With over 800 episodes of space-based adventure logged, Star Trek is the sci-fi TV franchise to beat.

For more than 50 years, whether fans have followed the voyages of the Starship Enterprise or the animated antics of the Lower Decks  and Prodigy  crews, Star Trek has proven that it is endlessly imaginative and consistently inspiring. The franchise takes its Vulcan mantra of “Infinite Diversity, Infinite Combinations” to heart, offering series led by an ensemble of complex and supportive characters that act as guides and companions on trips to the strange new worlds that Star Trek helps audiences escape to on a weekly basis. From Captain Kirk’s original five-year mission (which unfortunately was curtailed after just three), to Patrick Stewart's return in  Picard , there’s something for everyone in the Final Frontier.

In honor of Star Trek: Discovery return to Paramount+ to finish off its fourth season this week, we have beamed down our definitive ranking of every Trek series. So replicate yourself a cup of tea, Earl Grey, hot, and see if your favorite made (ahem) Number One. 

11. Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973-1975)

Credit: CBS via Getty Images

Unbound by live-action TV budget limitations, Star Trek: The Animated Series makes up for its low-fi animation and sometimes stiff pacing issues with an impressive execution of big sci-fi premises. From giant Spocks to flying plant dragons, TAS features truly out-there storylines that push the boundaries of what one would expect to find in Trek’s take on outer space. In the '60s. The Animated Series may not have the same respect or importance as other Trek shows, both animated and live-action, but TAS at least deserves some praise for its ambition and for trying to keep the franchise alive during its fallow period. 

Featuring most of the original cast returning to voice their iconic characters, along with several key writers from The Original Series , the Enterprise's brief run of animated adventures delivers a nostalgic, kid-friendly continuation of the voyages fans fell in love with in the '60s.

10. Star Trek: Short Treks (2018-2020)

Credit: Michael Gibson/CBS

An inventive and (mostly) satisfying mix of live-action and animated tales, Star Trek: Short Trek s acted as a bridge between releases of full seasons of Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard, with side stories centered on key characters and aspects of the then-CBS All Access era of the franchise. The shorts, with run times between ten to 20 minutes, feature storylines that cater largely to Discovery fans, with appearances from fan-favorites Ensign Tilly (Mary Wiseman) and Captain Pike (Anson Mount) providing audiences with a peek at what happens in the periphery of the flagship series. These side missions allow the franchise to take one of its most unique and creative swings in its entire history; think Star Trek ’s version of Marvel’s “One-Shot” shorts. 

While not every installment feels necessary or particularly engaging — the Saru-centric “The Brightest Star” struggles to find a compelling pace that works well with its heartfelt glimpse into the alien’s homeworld — Short Treks does provide impressive visuals and interesting bits of connective tissue to make the experience of watching future Discovery episodes more whole. The highlights of this brief run of shorts include the distant future-set “Calypso,” with a teleplay by Picard Season 1 showrunner and author Michael Chabon, and the zany animated tale “Ephraim and Dot,” which director Michael Giacchino injects with a strong dose of Tom and Jerry -esque antics as his film pinballs between certain iconic events from Trek ’s extensive history on both the big and small screens. 

9. Star Trek: Picard (2020-Present)

Credit: Trae Patton/CBS

After a 26-year absence, Patrick Stewart and his iconic character of Jean-Luc Picard returned to the small screen in Star Trek: Picard . The highly anticipated, big-budget nostalgia play was a mixed bag of creative choices that fell somewhere between thrilling fan service and noble misfire. 

Picard finds the former Enterprise-E captain struggling to enjoy life on his family vineyard after a mission to save Romulan refugees forced him into early retirement. But, when an android-human hybrid shows up at his home, hunted by ninja-like Romulan assassins, Picard must boldly go once again into space to find out who this woman is, what she has to do with the late Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner), and how all of this ties together with the Federation’s work in helping former Borg drones re-enter civilian life. The elevator pitch for the first season is basically Star Trek: Blade Runner , starring one of the most beloved Trek characters in the Rick Deckard role. However,  Picard doesn’t bring much new to this premise, which sci-fi has more than adequately covered by now — and that’s unfortunate, because the last thing a Star Trek show should make one feel is a near-constant sense of “been there, done that.”

As fun as it is to see Picard, Data, and Jeri Ryan’s badass Seven of Nine back in action, it comes at the cost of some baffling and frustrating character choices, namely with Picard. For the first third of the series, we see a Picard who behaves in emotionally dishonest and unlikable ways. (For example, after the former Captain has a falling out with a dear friend and fellow officer, he never once checks in with her until years later — when he needs something.) To present a formerly selfless hero as someone who is now more selfish than ever before results in a profound narrative flaw at the core of this series, which progresses to a confounding finale where Star Trek cures death and no one bothers to even think about pointing that fact out. The limited success Picard does find, outside of impressive visual spectacles, are in the brief but rewarding scenes where our hero reunites with past Next Generation crew members or revisits certain dark areas of his traumatic past with the Borg. Here’s hoping Picard Season 2 packs more resonance with fans by affording the character more to do than just travel through other sci-fi’s great story ideas in search of his own. 

8. Star Trek: Enterprise (2001-2005)

Credit: CBS

UPN's attempts in 2001 to use Star Trek: Enterprise as a way to revitalize the franchise and make it more appealing to non- Trek audiences was, at the time, a risk that made creative sense. One that even occasionally paid off episodically. But the arrival of this prequel series arguably did more harm than good. (Remember those ads featuring The Calling's "Wherever You Will Go?" Woof.) 

By the time Enterprise premiered, executive producer Rick Berman had already created three other shows during his time as the franchise’s overseer, and his tenure with Star Trek at this point had a very “assembly line” feel to it. On paper, the idea of exploring the early days of Starfleet from the bridge of a pre-Kirk Enterprise seemed like the shot in the arm that Trek needed, one ripe with possibility. But in execution, the series struggled to find its identity or connect with audiences in the way previous shows or their significantly more compelling and likable ensemble casts did. Enterprise ’s first two seasons never quite lived up to the marketing’s promise of a more rough-around-the-edges, action-packed Trek . Most of their episodes could have existed on any other Trek series, which didn’t help Enterprise stand out among its trailblazing predecessors. 

The voyages of Captain Archer (Scott Bakula) and his intrepid crew really hit their stride in Seasons 3 and 4, however, especially in the latter. The show’s final season finally let Enterprise embrace its Trek- ness with callbacks to Original Series canon. (Mirror Universe FTW!) But, by then, it was too late. And that’s too bad, as Bakula brought a ‘90s-esque, Harrison Ford action hero vibe to the franchise as a Captain struggling to do what’s right and best for the galaxy’s future at a time when he is a vital figure in shaping it.

While we're here, let's give a special mention to the show's most underrated asset, Chief Engineer Trip Tucker (Conner Trinneer). He's basically McCoy and Scotty rolled into one.

7. Star Trek: Discovery (2017-Present)

Literally going where no Trek TV series has gone before, in both scale and tone, Discovery is the most diverse and progressive Trek  so far, which is why it has, in part,  such a passionate fanbase. The series is a thematically-driven, character-first, action-packed depiction of a Starfleet charged with test driving their Utopian ideals in the middle of a war with the Klingons — all on the bleeding edge of the Final Frontier. 

While hardcore fans initially bumped against the show's darker elements, crying, "This isn't Star Trek, " after four seasons, those naysayers have seemingly come around to embracing Discovery ’s big-budget attempt to mix the current trend of “grounded and gritty” television with what makes Trek , well, Trek . After a bumpy first season launch, Discovery eventually found how to make that mixture work with its effortlessly entertaining Season 2, which brought the U.S.S. Enterprise from Captain Pike’s day into Discovery ’s prequel storyline. Combining the two crews and their histories allowed for a very entertaining season of fan-service highs, one that afforded Discovery to showcase one of Trek ’s strongest suits: Great characters. 

The dynamic established by Discovery’ s diverse and endearing ensemble allows the series to tell stories that do what all great sci-fi does — use a future setting to hold up a mirror to our very present reality. In doing so, Discovery delivered one of the franchise’s most fully-formed and likable heroes ever, starting with Sonequa Martin-Green's conflicted Michael Burnham. (We are also big fans of Season 1’s duplicitous, and fortune cookie-loving, Captain Lorca, played by Jason Issacs.) And while the first season’s Klingon War arc comes off half-baked and under-serviced, in favor of a season-arc involving the Mirror Universe, that detour is totally worth it for a late-Season 1 phaser battle that is among the best action scenes Trek has ever produced.

6. Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020-Present)

This first animated Trek show since the ’70s, Lower Decks is also the first outright sitcom in Trek history. 

Centered on the very junior, and very funny, crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos, Lower Decks premiered in 2020 on Paramount+ to quickly become one of the most talked-about and entertaining Trek series ever. From creator and showrunner Mike McMahan ( Rick and Morty ), Lower Decks is often a perfect mix of funny and Trek -level pathos. The show finds a unique and comical way to spin the mundane tasks of day-to-day life as a member of this plucky and endearing crew that embraces the best of Trek . This is a show featuring characters we laugh with but never at as they deal with the rewarding dirty work that Kirk and Picard’s crews never had time for. In doing so, Lower Decks manages to add a much-needed sense of levity by using memorable tropes and moments from Trek’s past to push the franchise and the overall story forward. 

5. Star Trek: Voyager (1995-2001)

Star Trek: Voyager made TV history by being the first Trek series with a female captain when it premiered 26 years ago. That long-overdue and inspired choice was one of the few things that held Voyager together as it, like most Trek series post- TNG , got off to a rocky start during its early seasons. Voyager arguably had one of the bumpiest of beginnings in Trek history, as the UPN series struggled from the jump to fully deliver on its great premise: Federation officers and their freedom fighter counterparts are lost in space, 70,000 light-years from Earth, struggling to get back home. What was intended to be a showcase for what happens when you have no starbases to repair battle damage or replenish supplies turned into Next Gen Lite ; only a handful of episodes in the back half of the series’ run truly achieved best-of status or came close to fulfilling the series’ core concept. Most of Voyager ’s run feels like each new ep is almost re-piloting the series, which makes Voyager feel like a show ironically searching for its own path just as its characters try to find theirs back to Earth. 

But what makes Voyager so consistently compelling to this day, aside from some of the series’ show-stopping space battles and a very likable cast, is Kate Mulgrew’s iconic Captain Janeway. Mulgrew invested Janeway with a fierce intelligence and endearing charm as she was both captain and “mother” to this crew, someone determined to get all of them home despite how many of the Delta Quadrant’s vast network of alien threats stood in her way. (Why she would sometimes prolong this mandate with exploratory detours that would risk depleting the ship’s already-low resources is debatable.) The introduction of former Borg Seven of Nine gave Voyager the shot in the arm it sorely needed. 

Seven’s addition to the cast inspired a Kirk-Spock dynamic between her and Janeway, giving the show a strong dose of conflict and humanity as the two characters butted heads just as often as they worked together to save this family from castaway status. It is too bad Voyager all but flatlined with a big, lackluster series finale that shows Voyager returning to Earth after seven seasons without giving its crew — or the fans — a dramatically satisfying homecoming. The series finale concludes with the baffling choice to relegate Voyager's arrival at Earth to the episode’s final scene, and stopping the show there. This momentous occasion plays like it were just another planet that the starship visited. Both the characters and the fans deserved a better final episode.

4. Star Trek: Prodigy (2021-Present)

It’s fitting that Star Trek: Prodigy is a pseudo-sequel series to Star Trek: Voyager . Not just because the former features the latter’s iconic Captain Janeway in hologram form, but because Prodigy is another series about untested but likable heroes forging a found family in one of the most distant corners of the galaxy, the Delta Quadrant. And, in doing so, they give fans some of the most thematically well-told, character-driven stories in recent Trek history.

All the popular and expected Trek tropes are there — along with the appearance of legacy Trek characters. But Prodigy is the first show to tackle them through the welcomed POV of non-Starfleet characters. Our young heroes, led by the cocky-but-capable Dal, aren’t even trained or really know what a starship like theirs, the experimental Protostar, is. By having the characters serve as a surrogate for the audience, to put us at ground level with them as they have some very intense on-the-job training in the world of Star Trek , makes it so that every panicked breath they take or victory they earn feel like one of our own. That creative choice yields some truly resonate storylines (and feature film-worthy dramatic and comedic beats) that elevate Prodigy to being not just an excellent animated show for kids, but also just overall a great television series.

3. Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-1969)

Featuring the best first two seasons of any Star Trek series, the original adventures of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are classic television for a reason. 

Aside from the uneven third season, plagued by budget cuts and behind-the-scenes creative issues, Star Trek ’s original voyages succeed largely by grounding their fantastic sci-fi concepts on the backs of characters you couldn’t help but root for. The show was one of the first series to have something to say, as creator Gene Roddenberry and producer/writer Gene Coon used the Enterprise and her crew to service themes and subject matter that were especially relevant to 1960s culture. In doing so, Star Trek created icons out of Kirk and the rest of his intrepid crew. It also set the standard for telling sci-fi stories on television in relatable and resonant ways that would inspire and fuel every subsequent Trek series. The first two seasons’ worth of storylines warp out of the gate with episodes centered on eugenics, the moral fog (and ethical cost) of war, what it means to be a captain when your best friend becomes your enemy, and, of course, the Mirror Universe. Never before or since has a Trek series premiered as close to fully-formed as this one does, with the Kirk-Spock-McCoy triumvirate headlining one of the most memorable and engaging casts in television history. Star Trek broke racial barriers with Nichelle Nichols as Lt. Uhura, and it used science fiction — and the way the Enterprise crew explored the vastness of space — as a way to give its very human audiences an opportunity to look inward and find what makes such exploration still worth taking. 

2. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)

Credit: CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images

Pound for pound, you won't find a more consistent or entertaining run of Star Trek episodes than The Next Generation ’s third and fourth seasons. That's when this classic syndicated series found its narrative footing, after two very uneven seasons burdened with epic behind-the-scenes clashes among creatives. The show that emerged from all of that turmoil gave us Sir Patrick Stewart, the Borg, Star Trek ’s first cliffhanger ("The Best of Both Worlds, Part 1"), and several stone-cold sci-fi classics such as "Yesterday's Enterprise," "The Inner Light," "Cause and Effect," and the all-timer series finale "All Good Things". 

While TNG petered out creatively during its last two seasons, it managed to change the genre and the franchise in a way that still resonates today. The core characters (especially the meme-friendly likes of Jonathan Frakes’ Riker and LeVar Burton’s Geordi LaForge) are arguably more popular now than they were when the series premiered in 1987. We can credit that continuing popularity to the new (pun intended) generations of fans finding the show via streaming and helping ensure the legacy of this iconic Enterprise crew. 

Star Trek: The Next Generation is perfect TV comfort food at a time when we really could use it. Unlike The Original Series, TNG had the time and budget to flex its full potential and find unique opportunities for sci-fi drama that only the Final Frontier affords. In doing so, Next Gen made nothing short of TV history. 

01. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)

Credit: Paramount Television /Courtesy Everett Collection

One of the first pre-Peak TV series to embrace long-form, serialized storytelling, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was and still is the bastard, rule-breaking stepchild of the Trek universe. And it is all the better for it. 

DS9 never found the ratings that its predecessor The Next Generation did, but it did find a deeper and more complex vein of sci-fi storytelling to tap into — one that has allowed the series to prove even more rewarding on subsequent rewatches. Released at a time when serialized television was often frowned upon, DS9 was more concerned with telling stories worth audiences’ time than complying with the times. The epic Seasons 3 through 7 embrace the diversity and heady themes that Trek is known for, by finding inventive — and, at times, harrowing — ways to bring intergalactic action and big emotional stakes to an anchored space station instead of to a flying starship. 

Prejudice, racism, PTSD, and humanity’s often tenuous grip on morality are the rich thematic tent poles that the series frequently thread its gripping characters and their addictive story arcs through — to much success. And while adding Michael Dorn’s Worf from TNG was an attempt to boost ratings in the space battle-heavy fourth season, it also brought a surprisingly effective jolt of tension and character growth to the core ensemble’s dynamic, as they faced a growing, casualty-heavy battle with The Dominion. The riveting dramatic possibilities provided by DS9 ’s unique mix of aliens and humans, friends and foes, helped elevate this underrated Trek installment to become the franchise's crowning achievement.

Watch Resident Alien Now!

• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
• Star Trek: Discovery
• Star Trek: Lower Decks
• Star Trek: Picard
• Star Trek: The Next Generation
• Star Trek: The Original Series
• Star Trek: Voyager

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Every Star Trek Series Ranked According To IMDb

Before 1987 there were just two series in the "Star Trek" franchise: the original live-action "Star Trek" starring William Shatner, and the short-lived, little-seen children's animated series from the mid-1970s. By 2001 though, that number had tripled with "The Next Generation," "Deep Space Nine," "Voyager," and that year's debut of "Enterprise." Today it's nearly doubled that number, as "Star Trek" is more popular than ever with no fewer than four series currently airing, mostly produced exclusively for the Paramount+ streaming service.

A true cultural phenomenon, the many "Star Trek" series have ranged from upbeat adventures to dark somber stories to wacky adult cartoons. Many shows in the franchise have included characters that have become imbedded in popular culture, and in its nearly 60-year history, "Star Trek" has become perhaps the most well-known science fiction franchise ever created. It's influenced everything from "Star Wars" to the MCU , and with a new series, "Strange New Worlds," debuting in May, there's no end in sight. But how do the rest of the "Star Trek" series rate? A few have gone on to become legendary, a few forgotten, but all of them rate fairly highly. Think you know which one is the best of them all? Think again, because the number one-ranked series may just surprise you.

11. Star Trek: Prodigy

The latest in the pantheon of "Star Trek" series, the animated "Star Trek: Prodigy"  is produced by Nickelodeon, and premiered on Paramount+ in September 2021. Centered around a ragtag group of alien teens who escape from a slave colony in the Delta Quadrant after stumbling across a highly advanced and experimental derelict Starfleet ship — the U.S.S. Protostar — the series also sees the return of actress Kate Mulgrew to the franchise. Appearing here as the voice of "Hologram Janeway," a computerized ship's assistant modeled after "Star Trek: Voyager"  Captain Kathryn Janeway , she helps guide the young crew of the Protostar as they venture out into space attempting to escape the villainous Diviner, all while hoping to find the United Federation of Planets. 

A mix of action, adventure, and time-tested "Star Trek" ideals of exploration and discovery, the series has proven to be just as enjoyable for adult viewers as it has been for kids. Full of hard science, classic "Trek" tropes, moral dilemmas, an optimistic tone, and surprises for casual and diehard fans alike, it also features many unexpected connections to the wider "Star Trek" universe with heroes and villains that longtime Trekkies have been hoping to see return. Though it has the lowest score on this list for now, we suspect this one may just jump up a few spots if it continues to impress as much as the first half-season has.

10. Star Trek: Short Treks

Launched in October 2018 to help tide fans over during the prolonged gap between seasons 1 and 2 of "Star Trek: Discovery" — which lasted nearly a full year — the first season of "Short Treks" was added to CBS All Access monthly in the lead-up to the second season of "Discovery." A series of short episodes ranging anywhere from eight to 19 minutes in length, they often told self-contained vignettes for individual members of the crew. In a few instances, such as "The Brightest Star," that focused on Discovery's Kelpian first officer Saru, the short gave added context to an upcoming episode of its sister series and helped flesh out the larger storyline.

The second season of "Short Treks" streamed sporadically in the fall and winter of 2019 and into January 2020, just before the first season of "Star Trek: Picard" launched. With more varied stories, the second batch of shorts included a prequel to "Picard" that gave important backstory, plus a pair of possible teases for the upcoming "Strange New Worlds" series set aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise and featuring Captain Pike , Mr. Spock, and Number One. There was also something new for "Trek": a fully CGI-animated episode about a little girl who dreams of a legendary folk tale. Ultimately the quality of the episodes varied and it had a spotty release schedule, so while the episodes were generally well received, the series may have frustrated some viewers due to its lack of consistency. 

9. Star Trek: Discovery

The first new "Star Trek" series in 12 years, "Star Trek: Discovery" was created by Bryan Fuller (a producer on "Star Trek: Voyager" in the 1990s who had since gone on to create several hit shows, including "Hannibal"), and launched later than expected in fall 2017 after a turbulent production ( via The Verge ). Produced by Bad Robot and Alex Kurtzman, the series starred Sonequa Martin-Green as Michael Burnham, a troubled Starfleet officer who is found guilty of mutiny, but saved from life in prison when she is re-assigned to an experimental new starship that needs her expertise, the U.S.S. Discovery. 

Powered by an advanced new engine that allows it to jump anywhere in the galaxy instantaneously, the Discovery finds itself fighting on the front lines of the Klingon war just 10 years prior to the original "Star Trek" series. Though a lavishly produced series with a stellar cast (that included Jason Isaac, Anthony Rapp, Wilson Cruz, and Michelle Yeoh), the series proved divisive right from the start, visually reimagining many of the franchise's most iconic elements, and telling darker, more mature stories than fans were used to. A change in direction in the second season ended the Klingon war storyline that had kicked off the series and saw the introduction of the U.S.S. Enterprise, along with Captain Pike (here played by "Hell on Wheels" star Anson Mount), and Mr. Spock (Ethan Peck). For its third season, the show was entirely retooled, sending the ship a thousand years into the future where the Federation is a shadow of its former self. 

8. Star Trek: Lower Decks

After the franchise successfully returned to episodic television with "Star Trek: Discovery," Paramount switched gears and produced a second series to air on Paramount+ (then called CBS All Access). This new show, "Star Trek: Lower Decks," was an animated comedy aimed at adults from the mind of Mike McMahan, a writer for the hit animated sci-fi comedy "Rick & Morty." Its title an homage to an episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" that focused on lower-ranked officers, "Lower Decks" likewise centers on a group of ensigns aboard the U.S.S. Cerritos, a run-of-the-mill Federation starship that doesn't get the choice missions, and rarely sees action.

The wacky character-based comedy introduced Trekkies to Ensign Boimler and his best friend Ensign Mariner, whose mother was the captain of the ship. Along with Ensigns Rutherford and Tendi, the series follows their many misadventures aboard the Cerritos. The series has also seen the return of now-Captain Riker, aboard the U.S.S. Titan, as well as appearances from Counselor Troi, the immortal trickster Q, "Voyager" helmsman Tom Paris, and many other longtime Trek favorites.

Set in the original "Star Trek" universe, "Lower Decks" is packed with Easter eggs, gags, and plenty of references to classic episodes and even behind-the-scenes in-jokes. Though it has been criticized by some fans for both its juvenile and its very adult sense of humor, it's now heading into its third season as a big success and has been met with good reviews for its offbeat style and loving respect for the franchise.

7. Star Trek: The Animated Series

Produced by cartoon studio Filmation from 1973 to 1974, "Star Trek: The Animated Series" wasn't what fans of the original "Star Trek" had been hoping for when they'd heard rumors of a possible revival  of the iconic '60s science fiction series, but it did scratch a certain itch. Running for 22 episodes, it was primarily aimed at kids and produced using Filmation's low-budget style of animation that featured limited movement and stock sequences. Though the animation was substandard, the art itself was faithful to the live-action series, and it featured nearly the entire cast reprising their roles (actor Walter Koenig, who played Chekov, was notable for his absence).

The studio didn't skimp on the writing talent, with episodes written by "Original Series" scribes D.C. Fontana and David Gerrold, as well as sci-fi luminary Larry Niven. As a consolation for not being included in the cast, Koenig also contributed a script, the rather silly episode "The Infinite Vulcan," that featured sentient plant people and a 25-foot-tall clone of Mr. Spock.

A testament to the times, "The Animated Series" was full of odd stories and bizarre characters that could only have played in animation. Though heavily mocked by some , Trekkies have found a soft spot for it over the years, and while it's still debated whether it's truly canon, many key elements from the series have made their way into live action, including Spock's pet sehlat, Kirk's middle name, the character of Robert April , and others referenced on its animated successor, "Lower Decks."

6. Star Trek: Enterprise

Attempting to distinguish itself from previous "Trek" series, "Enterprise" launched in fall 2001 and ditched the "Star Trek" in its title for its first two years. Thanks also to a pop ballad theme song, and the series being set more than 100 years before "Star Trek: The Original Series," fan reaction was not overwhelmingly positive initially. Set aboard an experimental starship called Enterprise capable of traveling at an unheard-of Warp Five, newly minted Captain Archer and his stalwart crew — along with Vulcan advisor T'Pol — ventured out into uncharted space years before the United Federation of Planets existed, in a time when Earth was new to the realm of galactic affairs.

Without much of the advanced technology that "Star Trek" fans took for granted, and no Federation to support them, "Enterprise" was truly set on the frontier. By Season 3, the series added back the "Star Trek" moniker and began a fully serialized season-long story arch that was very much a product of the post-9/11 era, as a new villainous race struck Earth with an unprovoked terrorist attack. While it reinvigorated the series creatively, ratings continued to sag throughout its run (via Trek Today ). "24" producer Manny Coto would take over as showrunner in its fourth and final season, overseeing a series of multi-episode arcs that added a much needed sense of drama and deep connections to "Trek" lore, including a memorable two-parter set in the Mirror Universe. Though underrated and is better than many remember it being at the time, "Enterprise" was sadly never able to reach its full potential due to impatient viewership.

5. Star Trek: Picard

While actor Patrick Stewart had never quite closed the door on reprising his iconic role as Captain Picard more than a decade after his last appearance, he never did seem quite keen on the possibility ( via IGN ). But thanks to a strong pitch from Alex Kurtzman and Michael Chabon, the actor would indeed step back into role he made famous on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" in the 2020 series "Star Trek: Picard." Released to much fanfare, it showed an aging, withered Jean-Luc Picard deep in retirement, consumed by regret and still mourning the death of the android Data. With a bold, unexpected new direction for the character, it threw off many fans who had wanted to see the Captain on the bridge of a starship confidently exploring strange new worlds as he had decades before.

Instead, sparked by the discovery of Data's previously unknown "daughter" Soji, Picard discovers that there may be others like her. Abandoned by Starfleet, Picard assembles a crew of capable misfits — including renegade starship captain Rios, ex-Starfleet officer Raffi, a Romulan outcast named Elnor, and the ex-Borg Seven Of Nine — to unravel the mystery of Data's children. The series was controversial for making major changes to a beloved character, but it still managed to satisfy the fandom with appearances from a number of old favorites. Packed with plenty of surprises and some genuinely heartfelt moments, it was strong enough to earn a second and third season, which was announced to be the entirety of its limited run .

4. Star Trek: Voyager

Following "Deep Space Nine," which was set on a space station, and after "The Next Generation" had migrated to feature films, "Star Trek: Voyager" returned the series to its space exploration roots. Kathryn Janeway — the first woman to lead a series and sit in the captain's chair in the franchise's history — commands the U.S.S. Voyager on a mission to capture a group of Maquis terrorists. But when both ships find themselves catapulted into the far-off Delta Quadrant, more than 75 years away from Earth at maximum warp, they're forced to merge their crews and embark together on the long journey home.

The ship's diverse cast of characters includes a half-Klingon engineer, a Vulcan security chief, and a holographic doctor. Alone and far from the Federation, Janeway and Voyager explore strange new worlds, make allies where they can, and meet dangerous new adversaries like the Kazon, the Hirogen, and the Vidiians. Although some initially knocked it as  "TNG-Lite,"  that proved a short-lived criticism, with the show finding success as a rousing adventure with its own flavor. It was praised by fans for its strong characters, particularly its captain, a trailblazing female who  inspired an entire generation of young women .

Of course, "Star Trek: Voyager" introduced a new cast member in its fourth season, the former Borg drone Seven Of Nine. Although Seven was added by studio mandate for needless sex appeal, actress Jeri Ryan and the show's writers embraced the challenge and turned her into one of the most complex, beloved characters in "Star Trek" history. Her enduring popularity would prompt her return in "Star Trek: Picard."

3. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

A departure from the"Star Trek" formula, "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" is set aboard a space station orbiting a backwater planet called Bajor and commanded by a disgruntled officer named Benjamin Sisko. Not the ideal captain many expected, Sisko arrives with his son after the death of his wife, ready to resign from Starfleet. But before he can, he is given the impossible task of preparing the Bajorans — whose devastated world has just overcome occupation by the Cardassians — for admittance into the Federation. Matters are complicated when Sisko discovers a wormhole that leads to the Gamma Quadrant, home to the religious prophets that the Bajorans worship. The prophets anoint Sisko their emissary, forcing him into the reluctant role of religious figure.

A very different series than "TNG," "Deep Space Nine" featured an eclectic group of personalities, including an unscrupulous Ferengi bartender, an embittered Bajoran soldier, a grumpy shapeshifting sheriff, and a bright-eyed, centuries-old Trill scientist. Darker and more serious than the upbeat series that it ran alongside, the show explored complex stories with a more grim outlook, culminating in a years-long storyline that saw the Federation at war with an interstellar empire in the Gamma Quadrant.

Exploring themes like terrorism, religion, and the horrors of war, it also featured a number of comedic episodes. While it took a while for many fans to warm up to the series, it's since found renewed love thanks to streaming, and has been voted by some fans who appreciate its gloomier tone and offbeat stories as the best in the franchise . 

2. Star Trek: The Original Series

Originally designed to be a Western-type TV series set in outer space, this groundbreaking prime-time science fiction adventure series took to the stars with the U.S.S. Enterprise and its intrepid crew. Together they explored strange new worlds and sought out new life in a series that was like nothing audiences had seen before. Starring William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy as Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock, it turned nearly every member of its cast into a bona fide celebrity. Although now considered a TV classic, it was actually canceled after its second season, with only a fan-led letter-writing campaign saving it from the chopping block for a third and final season.

A landmark series for its diverse crew, it featured an Asian helmsman (Mr. Sulu), a Scottish engineer (Scotty), an African-American com officer (Uhura) and a Russian navigator (Chekov). It was the first television series to feature an interracial kiss, and a number of celebrities and political figures counted themselves as fans, including Martin Luther King Jr. , Isaac Asimov , and even the Dalai Lama . 

One of the most iconic shows in the history of television, its impact cannot be underestimated, as a number of characters, phrases, and images from the series have become an indelible part of American culture. From "Beam me up, Scotty" (never actually uttered on the show) to "Live long and prosper," the series' legacy is unparalleled. That it has spawned 13 feature films along with 10 spin-off television series (and counting) is a testament to its enduring achievement. 

1. Star Trek: The Next Generation

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" was not without controversy when it launched in the late '80s. The first "Star Trek" series not to feature Kirk and Spock, many fans felt that it wasn't "real Star Trek." While it may not be quite the cultural icon that the original "Star Trek" was, it's not without a massive influence on pop culture. Despite an uneven start, it quickly became a hit in syndication, and many characters and elements from "TNG" have become as etched into popular culture as its predecessor.

Following the crew of a new starship Enterprise more than 75 years after Captain Kirk's command, it featured a bold new look, an even more unique cast of characters, and saw Captain Jean-Luc Picard guiding his crew from one mission to another. Full of topical stories that explored complex themes, some of its best episodes  like "Darmok" and "The Inner Light" have transcended science fiction. The Season 3 finale "The Best Of Both Worlds" is ranked among the best season cliffhangers in television, and its finale "All Good Things" is often cited as one of the best series cappers ever produced. 

Running for seven strong seasons, "TNG" immediately transitioned to feature films after it concluded, and has returned in the form of "Star Trek: Picard" some 30 years later. While the original "Star Trek" has the honor of being the father of all that came after it, it was "The Next Generation" that turned it into a true franchise by expanding it beyond a single crew. Its sparkling production, fine cast, and brilliant stories earn it its place as the best "Star Trek" series ever. 

Every Star Trek Series Ranked From Worst To Best

"Star Trek" is one of science fiction's big historical landmarks. It's the franchise that's inspired generations of scientists and engineers and gave Black girls and young Asian kids someone to look up to. It's a franchise about the courage it takes to explore the unknown, guided by a hopeful heart. The original series rarely shied away from tackling tough social issues, and it set about telling these stories with a ferocity that reminded us that we can always be better as a species. "Star Trek" reminds us that the bravery inside us isn't fiction and reaching out to explore will always be our brightest calling.

Since "Star Trek" premiered in 1966, there have been 13 films across multiple generations and timelines. More is on the way, with another J.J. Abrams-led film in preproduction , but for many fans, it's about the many TV series. They have the room to embody that spirit of hope and exploration — with 11 spinoffs to date. Little of "Trek" is objectively bad, but it can be divisive. This ranking is based on how the shows present the ideals of "Trek" and how well they accomplish some of the best things about the franchise.

11. Star Trek: Enterprise

"Enterprise" premiered in September 2001, four months after the USS Voyager and Trekkers were ready to return to the Alpha Quadrant. Captain Jonathan Archer, played by science fiction veteran Scott Bakula, was to helm the first Enterprise, NX-01, with its maiden launch pegged to 2151. Its two-part premiere, "Broken Bow," was set to be as mysterious and intriguing as "Encounter at Farpoint," introducing the Klingons in the canon chronology.

The trouble started as we were blown backward in our seats by the first "Star Trek" theme to have lyrics, "Faith of the Heart," a corny power ballad rebuilt from a Rod Stewart weepie that featured in one of Robin Williams' few bad films . The first season then limped its way through a mystery box time travel plot. Later seasons faced hurdles ranging from executive shakeup s to the abrupt introduction of the Xindi , a new threat that tried to refocus the show but just made things muddier. Canceled as production on Season 4 was wrapping up, the unkindest cut was a limp finale that trudges out William Riker in a desperate bid to appease the fans. The spirit of "Star Trek" lived in the "Enterprise" cast, but the execution did not do them justice.

10. Star Trek: Discovery

"Discovery" returns to the pre-Kirk era, with the crew of the USS Discovery beginning its mission of exploration in 2256. Originally helmed by Bryan Fuller , the diverse cast is a welcome sight, and their passion for exploring "Trek" isn't in doubt. The first couple of seasons are sometimes a grim slog, and for long-time fans desperate to explore new worlds, it may be tiresome to watch Spock's legacy get trotted out over and over again. Equally frustrating is the revelation that ties Spock (Ethan Peck) and Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) together.

As time goes by, "Discovery" developed a rhythm of its own. It's hard to knock a series that's evolved as strongly as this one and has brought legendary director David Cronenberg on board as a recurring guest. Its newer story arcs put the crew of the Discovery in a distant, ruined future with mysteries that pay off. Further, the earlier interpersonal bumps receive enough explanation to satisfy our initial misgivings. Best of all for the future of "Trek" was the introduction of a new Christopher Pike. Anson Mount went on to rebuild this small but important character into someone sturdy enough to helm one of the most promising new "Treks" in decades.

9. Star Trek: Picard

It personally hurts me to place "Picard" this low on the list, but two things weigh it down. The first is the reminder of the way this series is a hot potato among some "Trek" fans, with the show's subreddit often engaging in heated debate after new episodes. The other is that "Picard" isn't so much a "Star Trek" series as it is a rich exploration of a single fan-favorite character. The galaxy is on standby as we travel alongside the sort-of retired Jean-Luc Picard as he explores the consequences of Starfleet's past actions and his own.

The first season allows a fresh look at the Romulans, giving them some of the same treatment Klingons earned under Captain Picard in the '90s. Whatever one may think of the Borg-heavy plot, that exploration is a definite highlight. The second season is a tough look at mortality and the cycle of abuse , guided by the welcome presence of John de Lancie as Q. It's rugged and sometimes messy storytelling, but the emotional journey is worth it. Nonetheless, it's not the strongest "Trek" entry based on the merits of Starfleet's ideals, and we have to accept that.

8. Star Trek: The Animated Series

Remarkable for the time with its kid-friendly but serious storytelling, "The Animated Series" is functionally a fourth season of the original "Star Trek." The animated medium allows for some new characters and fascinating new species to take the fore, with the Caitian M'Ress joining the command deck. Though the animation is sometimes flat with noticeably recycled elements, the scripts retain their quality under "Star Trek" veteran and executive producer D.C. Fontana. The results were good enough to win an Emmy in 1975 .

With the majority of the original cast returning, save for Walter Koenig despite Leonard Nimoy's best efforts , there's a lot of good "Trek" to be found under the hoary silliness. Some of these goofier storylines provide fodder for the teasing new series, "Lower Decks," especially the Walter Koenig-penned "The Infinite Vulcan" with its giant clone of Spock. It's not a bad story, but it is a wild ride to the edges of the franchise's believability. Nonetheless, the series is often an unexplored trove for classic fans who miss the old crew. Give this show a chance. It may surprise you.

7. Star Trek: Prodigy

We're only halfway through the first season of this delightful new show, and it's already a winner . With vibrant CGI animation showcasing its almost entirely alien cast of characters, it's a kid's show that understands that kids are way smarter, tougher, and more curious about the universe around us than we often realize. The return of Captain Janeway as an emergency guidance hologram doesn't overpower its cast of overwhelmed kids but instead provides the kind of support I wish all kids could have.

"Prodigy" mixes in a handful of anthological-style stories with a plot about a prison planet and its mysterious tyrant, the Vau N'Akat Diviner (John Noble). The planet's not above putting child slaves to hard labor, and they're overseen by Drednok (Jimmi Simpson), a robotic nightmare that reminds me that I watched "RoboCop" when I was way too young. The midway point leaves us nervous about the kids' first real encounter with Starfleet, but with the series already renewed , we can be assured there are going to be lots of new things for them to experience.

6. Star Trek: Lower Decks

We can make the case for "Lower Decks" as some of the very best new "Trek" the franchise has to offer. At the same time, the more "Trek" that you know and love, the better this show gets. This means that in terms of this list, it's a central pillar of the franchise, a sturdy construct that showcases so many of the things fans both love and sometimes find funny about "Star Trek." 

With a tightly-paced 22-minute format that speed-runs the best of the "Next Generation" storytelling style, the lower decks of the USS Cerritos are a good place to ease new fans in. The Cerritos is a utility ship, meaning it's not glamorous enough to do the cool things flagships like the Enterprise do. Instead, we get a funny and often touching look at what it's like to just be some dude in Starfleet. As it turns out, that's far more important to Starfleet than we realize. The character dynamics are top-notch, and most important of all, "Lower Decks" is willing to take a look at the consequences of Starfleet's occasionally too-passive approach to new worlds and new civilizations.

5. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

While the explorative angle of "Star Trek" is often pushed to the side by the immobile nature of the former Cardassian space station in orbit around Bajor, hope remains a feature of "Deep Space Nine," one of the oddest "Treks" to date. A little divisive at the time due to the major change of setting and its often somber nature, "Deep Space Nine" is a show that's aging better than that one Botox-loving relative you have to see every holiday.

"DS9" features a rock-solid cast willing and ready to explore the dark side of Starfleet's sunny utopia. The Bajoran star system feels like it's a universe away from the lush comforts of Risa and Betazed. A still-fragile world wears fresh scars under its new freedom, and even their faith is being undermined. Cardassians, the lizardlike species that nearly broke Captain Picard , remain a threat. As the series moves into longer story arcs with the rise of the Dominion, "Deep Space Nine" ensured it would forever be like no other "Trek." But that hope always lingers in the mysterious work of the Prophets, Chief O'Brien's unstoppable competency, and Kira Nerys' efforts to help uplift her people.

4. Star Trek: Voyager

Captain Kathryn Janeway was ahead of her time, embodying all the over-reviled toughness of Doctor Pulaski (Diana Muldaur) and adding a ferocious loyalty to her hodgepodge crew of Starfleet and Maquis exiles. The USS Voyager is flung deep into the Delta Quadrant, a virtually unknown region of space where just about every planet is a first contact world. Unfortunately, it also has the Borg. And sometimes Q shows up.

"Voyager" lays a lot of new ground for "Trek," allowing a larger exploration of the assimilation-lovin' cyborgs via Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan). Though Seven gets a bit of the Troi effect, in that her initial bodysuit was some particular fan service, she comes into her own as one of "Trek's" best characters. Yes, the first couple of seasons are a little much. Pixie Kes is sometimes too twee, and then there's Neelix, who evokes the same exhaustion as an overabundance of Joe Pesci in "Lethal Weapon," but the evolving holographic Doctor, the wild freedom of untouched new worlds to explore, and the stubborn durability of the USS Voyager makes this a great show to revisit.

3. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

There's some hubris in putting a brand new show this high on the list, but there's also a sense of relief around this series. From a command deck that reflects decades of new and updated special effects yet feels as rugged and simple as Kirk's old chair, to an opening theme that's the good ol' Alexander Courage theme buffed up a bit by composer Jeff Russo, this show is already proving itself to be the comfort food Trekkies need.

Anson Mount's casting as Christopher Pike may be one of the best things to come out of "Discovery," and he gives Pike both humanity and a heavy dignity. The premiere is talky — like Picard beaming down and scolding the hell out of everybody talky — with a reminder that "Trek," at its best, is always a mirror of the times we live in. A few personalities seem affronted that "Star Trek" is, once again, so forward thinking, so "liberal." They're missing the point. Pike is ready to lead his crew forward into the unknown to prove we can always be better. It's a true voyage home .

2. Star Trek: The Original Series

Without our grandpappy, none of us happy nerds would be here. Captain James T. Kirk, Science Officer Spock, Dr. McCoy, Uhuru, Chekov, Sulu, Scotty, and a host of allies and ever-disposable redshirts pioneered the exploration of strange new worlds and new civilizations. They boldly went where no one had gone before, and we've been following along for more than half a century.

From its premiere episode and throughout some tough times ("Spock's Brain" was a hell of a backhanded reward for a successful campaign to save the series ), the original "Star Trek" was the light of science fiction, guiding the way for more stories, more experimental sci-fi, and a legion of diverse fans inspired by the bravery the crew of the USS Enterprise demonstrated in the face of an unknown galaxy. It's incomparable in some ways because it's the first, but age and social growth mean it's no longer No. 1. The franchise has looked back on its ancestor and demanded of itself to become even better.

1. Star Trek: The Next Generation

It's hard to do better than Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the Enterprise-D, but the franchise should never stop trying. "The Next Generation" delivered exactly that, a generation of Starfleet captains now centuries out from Kirk's original mission but still dedicated to the promotion of diplomacy and peace across the galaxy. Unafraid to rely on complex dialogue when it counted yet full of the charm, humor, and nail-biting action of the original, the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" came into its own by the end of the second season. Even the first season is merely rugged in places. The intent to create something special was already plain.

It's a series that mixes thoughtfulness with an optimism that is never mindless. "It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose," says Picard in "Peak Performance," a second season episode. "That is no weakness. That is life." 

Like its ancestor, there's often an ageless quality to its episodes. The footage goes grainy and the props look like styrofoam on today's high-def screens, but the stories still matter. With "Star Trek," the stories have always mattered. They're reflections on the hopes Gene Roddenberry had for humanity.

Every Star Trek Series, Ranked

Some Star Trek shows are better received than others, but they all boldly push the franchise forward in some way.

The first series, simply titled Star Trek , launched a massive multimedia franchise with twelve shows and counting. Some shows were better received than others, but they all boldly pushed the franchise forward in some way. More importantly, Star Trek has become one of the most influential sci-fi franchises in television history, not to mention garnering billions of dollars over the last six decades.

Since the release of Star Trek: Discovery in 2017, the franchise has experienced a new golden age with five new shows currently on the air. Now it's been announced that the upcoming fifth season of Star Trek: Discovery will be the final one, ending a pretty respectable run for a streaming show. That said, fans can still rewatch any of the twelve Star Trek series on various streaming platforms.

Updated on January 18, 2024, by Robert Vaux: The announcement of a new series in the ever-developing Star Trek franchise has excited fans of the successful new wave of series. The upcoming Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is sure to entice fans with its promise of an all-new cast of characters. As such, we've updated this list with some more information and adjusted the rankings slightly. In addition, the formatting has been updated in keeping with current CBR guidelines.

12 Star Trek: Short Treks Delivered Trek in Bite-Sized Form

Did star trek (2009) incorporate a story from a canceled original series movie.

Looking for ways to expand the franchise, CBS developed Star Trek: Short Treks . This series ran for only two seasons and comprised a number of shorts centered around side characters in Star Trek: Discovery . The second season of Short Treks also helped set up Star Trek: Picard .

Fans generally considered the second season to be better because it expanded to include new characters like Strange New Worlds' Captain Pike. Short Treks even featured two standout animated episodes. The show might have improved more if it had progressed further, but the quality of the existing shorts was a little uneven.

11 Star Trek: The Animated Series Continued the Five-Year Mission

Several years after the original series went off the air, Star Trek: The Animated Series continued the adventures of Captain Kirk and his crew. The animated series followed the same formula as the live-action show. However, it also introduced new elements like Robert April, the first captain of the Enterprise.

There's also a certain amount of nostalgia for the wacky science fiction stories of the '70s. Unfortunately, it was considered a poor follow-up to the original at the time, which led to its non-canon status. The animation can be rough, but there's a certain charm about Star Trek: The Animated Series that recaptured the playfulness of the original.

10 Star Trek: Prodigy Was Aimed at Family Viewers

Star trek: prodigy.

A group of enslaved teenagers steal a derelict Starfleet vessel to escape and explore the galaxy.

After Star Trek: Discovery, the 32nd Century Should Be the Franchise's New Frontier

The third animated show to enter the Star Trek franchise was Star Trek: Prodigy , which returned the franchise to the Delta Quadrant and introduced new alien characters. Here, the new kids found an experimental starship and used it to escape slavery. With the help of the ship's hologram (Capt. Janeway), they set the course for the Federation and the hopes of a better life.

Star Trek: Prodigy quickly grew into a fan-favorite series. It was developed by fans of the franchise and will serve as a good entry point for kids looking to get into Star Trek . There's still a chance for the show to find a bigger audience when the second season streams, although it won't be on Paramount+ .

9 Star Trek: Picard Was a Beloved Character's Curtain Call

Star trek: picard.

Initially set in the final year of the 24th century, Star Trek: Picard sees the former Captain of the Enterprise called to action once again to unveil a Romulan plot to destroy all synthetic life forms. The second season started a new story that brought Q back to give Picard one final gift before he died.

Star Trek: Picard has had a rocky start with fans, and the first and second seasons were not always well-liked. The third and final season of Picard brought back the original cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation , allowing the series to go out on a high note with a few familiar faces.

8 Star Trek: Enterprise Showed The Early Days of The Final Frontier

Star trek: enterprise.

A century before Captain Kirk's five-year mission, Jonathan Archer captains the United Earth ship Enterprise during the early years of Starfleet, leading up to the Earth-Romulan War and the formation of the Federation.

Why Star Trek: Enterprise Used Shuttles Instead of Transporters

Star Trek: Enterprise was the first prequel series developed in the franchise, though it wouldn't be the last. This show was set 10 years before the founding of the Federation and took place on the first starship capable of Warp 5. Commanded by Captain Jonathan Archer, the ship would explore the furthest reaches of known space.

Star Trek: Enterprise didn't find its footing until season three, but it also came at a time when fans were getting tired of Star Trek . It's better remembered today thanks to its solid third and fourth seasons, but it never quite reached the heights of its predecessors.

7 Star Trek: Voyager Sent Its Crew to The Delta Quadrant

Star trek voyager.

Pulled to the far side of the galaxy, where the Federation is seventy-five years away at maximum warp speed, a Starfleet ship must cooperate with Maquis rebels to find a way home.

Star Trek: Voyager takes the franchise to the far-off Delta Quadrant of the galaxy. The crew of the USS Voyager becomes stranded 70 years away from home. Captain Janeway tried to keep her crew together while also finding a safe way to bring them home. Star Trek: Voyager introduced a lot of fan-favorite characters, like Seven of Nine .

They faced new foes while the looming threat of the Borg became more and more persistent. Captain Janeway may have gone too far at times, but she stands tall as one of the best captains in the franchise. Some of the best Borg-themed episodes of the entire franchise come from Voyager .

6 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Rediscovers a Forgotten Crew

Star trek: strange new worlds, gene roddenberry created star trek, but who is the woman behind the franchise.

​​​​​​ Star Trek: Strange New Worlds returned to the Enterprise, but well before James T. Kirk took command. Under the leadership of Captain Pike, the Enterprise sought out strange new worlds and boldly went where no one had gone before. After many shows that tried different things with the franchise, fans were eager for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

The show brought the franchise back to the Planet of the Week formula and executed it almost as well as the original series. The show is still very much a work in progress, but with compelling characters on new exciting adventures, Strange New Worlds is the show fans have been waiting to see for years.

5 Star Trek: Lower Decks Pokes Affectionate Fun at the Franchise

Star trek: lower decks.

The support crew serving on one of Starfleet's least important ships, the U.S.S. Cerritos, have to keep up with their duties, often while the ship is being rocked by a multitude of sci-fi anomalies.

CBS developed Star Trek: Lower Decks to capitalize on the rising popularity of adult animated shows . Lower Decks followed four officers who served on an unimportant ship in Starfleet called the Cerritos . The support crew members don't always take their jobs seriously, which only adds to the humor. Lower Decks is the first Star Trek series specifically created to be a comedy, which initially divided fans.

Some appreciated its referential humor and have grown to love the new characters, but others found the adult humor to be out of line with the franchise. But Star Trek: Lower Decks has a great voice cast and likable characters who continue to make new fans, and as time has gone on, it's become increasingly indispensable, not only as a Star Trek parody, but as great Star Trek in and of itself.

4 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Looked at the Dark Side of The Final Frontier

Star trek: deep space nine.

In the vicinity of the liberated planet of Bajor, the Federation space station Deep Space Nine guards the opening of a stable wormhole to the far side of the galaxy.

Why Paramount Stopped Making Star Trek Movies, Twice

Taking a radical departure from the franchise, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was set on a space station rather than a starship. The series revolved around a special wormhole that allowed passage to an unknown region of space called the Gamma Quadrant.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was often more political than its counterparts. Like most Star Trek shows, it had a rocky first few seasons but really got going when the Dominion War broke out. The series stands as one of the best in the franchise, and fans excitedly celebrated the 30th anniversary of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

3 Star Trek: Discovery Sparked a Franchise Renaissance

Star trek: discovery.

Star Trek: Discovery was a drastic departure from the rest of the franchise. Instead of the typical Planet of the Week format, Discovery was much more serialized. Discovery primarily followed Michael Burnham as she served on the USS Discovery, eventually finding herself at the center of a few conspiracies within the Federation. Star Trek: Discovery ushered in a new era of Star Trek , but it's received a certain amount of vitriol from fans.

Many didn't appreciate the drastic tone shift the show took and often complained about its sometimes sketchy place in the canon. The complaints were similar to the kind that greeted earlier Star Trek series such as Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. However, Discovery pushed through the early flack, taking the franchise's signature progressiveness to exciting new levels and launching the current franchise renaissance in the process.

2 Star Trek: The Original Series Was the Start of It All

Star trek: the original series.

In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets.

Star Trek Movie Announced With Andor Director, Star Trek 4 Gets an Update

Star Trek introduced the world to a utopian future where humanity was exploring the stars. The original series followed the exploits of Captain Kirk , Spock, and the rest of the Enterprise crew. Each week, Kirk and the crew went to a new planet or explored something different in space, leading to fresh trouble and adventures.

While Star Trek's original series featured controversial episodes, it still stands tall among the rest of the franchise. In other words, the show that started it all is often considered the best. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are the most iconic characters to ever grace the franchise and their exploits are legendary.

1 Star Trek: The Next Generation Moved the Franchise Beyond a Single Crew

Star trek: the next generation.

Set almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before.

Set more than 80 years after the original series, Star Trek: The Next Generation introduced fans to the 24th century and a brand new Enterprise. Captain Picard commanded the Enterprise-D as it explored new planets and experienced new adventures.

For most fans, TNG was Star Trek perfected. While it didn't have a strong start, the series kept improving and delivered some of the most popular stories and adventures in the entire franchise. Fans fell head-over-heels for this new crew, as well as some of the deadliest enemies on Star Trek: The Next Generation .

The Star Trek universe encompasses multiple series, each offering a unique lens through which to experience the wonders and perils of space travel. Join Captain Kirk and his crew on the Original Series' voyages of discovery, encounter the utopian vision of the Federation in The Next Generation, or delve into the darker corners of galactic politics in Deep Space Nine. No matter your preference, there's a Star Trek adventure waiting to ignite your imagination.

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‘star trek’: 20 greatest episodes from the original series.

Whether you’re a long-time fan or looking for a starting point, let this top 20 episodes list from the original series of ‘Star Trek’ be your guide to the stars.

By Aaron Couch , Graeme McMillan September 20, 2016 6:00am

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In honor of Star Trek 's 50th anniversary this month, The Hollywood Reporter counted down the top 100 episodes of Star Trek — ranking them across all six TV series with help from the stars and writers who made them so beloved.

Now we're going to break it down even further — this time organizing the episodes by era. Every day through Friday, we'll be releasing a new list specific to each series, with the order is based on our original list of 100. 

Here, we look at the best of the original series, which ran from 1966-69 saw Gene Roddenberry's vision brought to life by actors William Shatner (Spock), Leonard Nimoy (Spock), DeForest Kelley (Bones), Nichelle Nichols ( Uhura ), Walter Koenig ( Chekov ), George Takei ( Sulu ), and James Doohan (Scotty).

Below you'll find Shatner and Koenig reveal their favorite episodes, as well as hear from  Star Trek Beyond director Justin Lin, two iconic Trek writers and many more. 

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"We had bee spending too much money by the network's reckoning, so we had less to spend on this particular episode," recalls Walter Koenig of the hour, which saw an away team forced to battle in an Old West-style gunfight. "It gave my character some interesting work. He got the girl, he died and came back to life. I loved the whole concept." 

'Star Trek': Walter Koenig on Lean Years After Cancellation and How Writing Ultimately Saved Him

"the galileo seven".

Not only does this episode give us the first appearance of a shuttlecraft in Trek lore, it introduces a version of the concept that would become key to the franchise decades later — that there is a push and pull between the needs of the many and the needs of the few. The Enterprise is on a mission to deliver relief supplies to a colony. Meanwhile, seven  crewmembers  — including Spock and Bones — crash land on a hostile planet, and Kirk must grapple with holding out hope for them and delivering the relief supplies. 

"A Taste of Armageddon"

"This was the first Original Series episode I ever saw and it still blows my mind," says Jordan Hoffman, U.S. Film Critic for The Guardian and host of ENGAGE: The Official Star Trek Podcast . "Kirk is escorting a diplomat to a system of planets that have been in conflict for centuries. However, to protect their society’s infrastructure and maintain their culture, they don’t fight with weapons. Computers determine where phantom missiles hit and if your number comes up, you are ordered into a disintegration chamber. It is up to the Enterprise to intervene (which they totally aren’t supposed to do) and stop this insanity. It’s a rich concept with thrills, action, great speeches and even some humor. (Indeed, Spock takes the time to make a solid joke before sending someone crumpled to the floor with his Vulcan nerve pinch.)"

"The Doomsday Machine"

If Star Trek had shown Starfleet at its best until now, audiences got to see the flipside in this episode, in which Commodore Matt Decker (William Windom ) turns into an outer space Ahab chasing the cosmic Moby Dick of the episode's title: a "planet killer" that had nearly destroyed his own ship and killed everyone on board except for him. For an episode with such stakes, it's a surprisingly subtle story: While we should be worried about whether the planet killer can be stopped, the real tension comes from watching Decker struggle to deal with his trauma. 

"The Corbomite Maneuver"

The first episode to be filmed after the two different pilots for the series, " Corbomite " manages to sum up everything that makes the original series so special, with a tense yet optimistic take on the idea of first contact between the Enterprise and an alien race that shows how fearless, compassionate and sneaky Captain James T. Kirk can be when pressed, and a Twilight Zone -esque last-second twist. As if that wasn't enough to make this episode worthwhile, it features the first times that DeForest Kelley and Nichelle Nichols played McCoy and Uhura — although by the time the episode aired, they were well-established characters to the loyal audience.

"Journey to Babel"

"I've always loved 'Journey to Babel,' by Dorothy Fontana," says writer David Gerrold when asked about his favorite Star Trek episode. "Because it reveals so much about Spock, and his past, and his parents." That's putting it mildly; before this episode, it's unlikely that anyone would have given much thought about the parents of any of the crew, but the introduction of Spock's estranged parents — one of whom was human, the other suspected of murdering a fellow diplomat on board the Enterprise — changed the way audiences looked at the characters forever: suddenly, they were more than just their jobs, and had inner lives and struggles that everyone could relate to. And all because the most alien of all of the crew had proven himself to be just as human as the rest of us.

"All Our Yesterdays"

While the final episode of the original series — "Turnabout Intruder" — is generally considered to be a low point for the show, the second last episode throws Spock, McCoy and Kirk back in time and puts them all out of their comfort zones as a result, with McCoy having to be the practical one, Spock becoming overwhelmed by emotions and Kirk on his own against the authorities. Yes, the title sounds like a soap opera (It's actually from Shakespeare, specifically Macbeth ), but this is a particularly strong Star Trek episode through and through. 

"The Enterprise Incident"

Justin Lin, who directed this summer's Star Trek Beyond , picks this tale of intrigue as his favorite. 

"A good old-fashioned spy thriller set in the Neutral Zone. What’s not to love?" Lin asks. "We get to see my favorite version of Kirk: the tactician. His ruse is brilliant and daring, but it’s Spock who steals the show in his interaction with the female Romulan commander. We see him in rare form, opening up his human and—dare I say—sexual side. Of course, Kirk’s ploy succeeds and the cloaking device is stolen, but Spock derides the fleeting nature of such military victories and says to the female commander something emblematic of everything great about Star Trek : 'I hope that you and I have exchanged something more permanent.' "

The episode was loosely inspired by a real-life incident where the USS Pueblo was attacked by North Korean forces after being accused of sailing into its territory in January 1968.

"The Menagerie"

Mr. Spock commits mutiny on the Enterprise in order to get Christopher Pike, his former commander, back to the forbiden planet  Talos IV.  We eventually learn that years earlier, Pike and Spock visited the planet, where Pike was horribly mutated — and Spock is trying to get his former commander there to be healed. 

"It is a story of Spock’s loyalty to his former commander as well as to Captain Kirk and of Spock’s bravery as he risks his own career and reputation," recalls Adam  Nimoy , son of Leonard  Nimoy  ad director of For The Love of Spock , which hits theaters Sept. 9. "Although he refuses to admit to it, Spock sets aside logic to do the right thing, and I just loved it."

How Nearly Refusing 'Star Trek III' Reinvigorated Leonard Nimoy's Career

"amok time".

For fans who'd spent the show's first year swooning over Leonard Nimoy's pointy-eared alter-ego, second season opener "Amok Time" was everything they could've hoped for and more: Not only did they get to go back to Spock's home planet, they also got to see two things they'd dreamt of but never expected: Spock in the throes of passion — apparently, Vulcans are very like dogs in heat every seven years — and Spock fighting Kirk to the death … or, at least, that's what it seemed like at the time. Written by noted sci-fi author Theodore Sturgeon, this episode showed that Trek 's second year would be, if anything, even bolder than its first.

"The Devil In The Dark"

"The Horta has a funny story," says original series story editor D.C. Fontana of the episode's alien. " Stuntman , actor, creature creator Janos Prohaska  did creature work for us. [Writer] Gene Coon, Gene Roddenberry and I were in the office and Janos came in and said, 'Come outside, I want to show you guys something.' So we went outside, and here's this a lump of what looked like foamy bubbles. He said, 'Just watch,' and laid a rubber chicken out on the street, and crawls into this rubber bubble suit and crawls towards the rubber chicken and the chicken disappears and a trail of bones comes out the back. Roddenberry , Coon and I were laughing our heads off, and Gene Coon said, 'I've got to do something with that.' "

That something turned out to be the Horta , an alien threat who isn't so sinister after all. 

"You think it's a monster killing the miners, and you find out it's a mother protecting its young!" says Fontana. "That was the first time we did the Vulcan mind meld, and that turned out well, but we also found that this alien isn't what you think it is. There's a human aspect that we can understand and begin to work with this thing."

"The Naked Time"

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M58aP5DtNqY]

A swashbuckling (and shirtless) Sulu is perhaps the single most enduring image from the original series, with the officer infected with a virus provoking him to act out his inner most desires. George  Takei  had just three weeks of "frantic fencing lessons" to prepare for his scenes, he recalled in his 1994 autobiography, To The Stars . Days before shooting, director Marc Daniels dropped another surprise: he would be performing the scenes shirtless. "Straightaway, I got down horizontally on the floor, put my feet on the couch, and began pumping out push-ups to build up a photogenic chest," Takei  recalled in his book.

"Where No Man Has Gone Before"

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT4fm0f2lZY]

After the first Star Trek pilot failed to catch fire, Roddenberry enlisted Gary Lockwood, who was about to shoot  2001: A Space Odyssey  and had worked with the Star Trek creator on  The Lieutenant. Trek producers believed Lockwood's involvement could help seal the deal — and they also brought on a new captain (Kirk) as well as Mr. Scott and  Sulu . In the story, Kirk must grapple with the value of human life after an old friend and shipmate Gary Mitchell (Lockwood) gains dangerous (and growing) power from the edge of the galaxy. 

"The pilot sells, and 20 years later Roddenberry said to me that Gary Mitchell was the character that got Star Trek on television," says Lockwood. 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SK0cUNMnMM]

On the surface, it's an episode about Kirk fighting a giant lizard man, but it's about so much more. Namely: humanity, ingenuity and ultimately, mercy. After being forced to fight to the death, Kirk spares the life of the  Gorn . Those impressive Gorn sounds were courtesy of Ted Cassidy, best known as Lurch on another ' 60s classic,  The Addams Family . The image of Kirk fighting the Gorn is so indelible that even if you don't know the alien's species, you know his green skin.

"The Trouble With Tribbles"

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2T1QX7BEyg]

Writer David Gerrold credits his interest in ecology with the origins of this classic episode. "I'd heard about rabbits getting out of control in Australia," he remembers, " and I thought, this is a very weird, very funny effect of introducing an invasive species into an environment without an appropriate predator. So, I was thinking for Star Trek , not all the aliens we meet are going to be scary or ugly — some of them are going to be cute and friendly and we're not going to recognize what kind of danger they are until it's too late." The teleplay was Gerrold's first professional credit, and he worked hard to make it the best that he could. "I had studied the Star Trek structure very carefully and put every scene on a 3 by 5 card until each scene demanded that the next scene followed," he says. "As funny as the script turned out, I was proudest of the structure of the episode. You could take all the jokes out, and it would still work as an adventure."

"Let That Be Your Last Battlefield"

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STQNi7ArRl8]

It's understandably challenging for William Shatner to pin down a favorite episode among all the greats, but when pressed, he chooses this one. The hour sees guest star Frank Gorshin play an alien, whose face is half black and half white and who hates those of his species with the colors reversed. 

"That beautiful concept, without shaking a finger, illustrated the ridiculousness of race hatred, and it was very entertaining as well. The magnificence of the idea is obvious," says Shatner . The actor says part of the brilliance of Trek is its ability to entertain without preaching.

"We use to say, 'You send a message by telegram. Make [your show] entertaining," says Shatner . "But when you can combine both, like that idea, it becomes both dramatic and obvious. And you become aware. Those were the best of the Star Trek episodes."

"Mirror, Mirror"

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oOqQ38XLv8]If Star Trek gave anything to the world, it's the idea that evil versions of characters have goatees, an idea ironically put forward by the Spock of the Mirror Universe — who isn't actually evil , per se. That's a good thing, because if he had been, it's possible that Kirk, Bones, Scotty and Uhura might have been trapped in the morally-flipped alternate timeline for good, having to deal with the stomach-bearing outfits for women, the workplace harassment nightmare that is the Agonizer and George Takei's wonderfully over-the-top Evil Sulu for the rest of their fictional lives. A fun look at the roads not taken (including a more military-focused Starfleet), this episode would go on to inspire sequels in both Deep Space Nine and Enterprise . 

"Space Seed"

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_c1Odol9xw]

No Star Trek episode has paid off quite like this one. Ricardo Montaban's single appearance on the original series as the 1990s  warlord Khan Noonien Singh set the stage for the undisputed greatest  Star Trek film ever, The Wrath of Khan , set 15 years after Kirk and the Enterprise stumbled upon the Botany Bay. "Space Seed" sees Kirk fight his intellectual and physical superior — and win despite the long odds. Nothing is more Kirk than that. 

"Balance of Terror"

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGn948_PXTU]

The acclaimed episode was inspired by submarine warfare and introduces the Romulans , with whom the Enterprise engages in a claustrophobic game of cat and mouse. The episode tackles themes such as the futility of war and xenophobia, with Mr. Spock facing discrimination from his own crew when it is revealed that Romulans and Vulcans not only look similar, but also share a common heritage. 

"City on the Edge of Forever"

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFqD7s-A6VU]

Never mind the behind-the-scenes controversy. Credited writer Harlan Ellison was heavily rewritten by  Roddenberry , D.C. Fontana and others before the episode was shot, and decades later sued CBS for a share of profits from the episode. Just enjoy one of the true classic hours of science fiction TV as a dazed and confused McCoy travels back in time and accidentally rewrites history, forcing Kirk and Spock to follow and learn firsthand how hard it is to do the right thing for the greater good.

"I knew this episode was going to be special, not because I’m prescient, but because a couple of months earlier, I had interviewed series creator Gene  Roddenberry  for the  Daily Sundial , the campus newspaper at San Fernando Valley State College," recalls journalist Fred Bronson, who would go on to form a friendship  Roddenberry . "Aside from telling me that the purpose of television was to sell toothpaste,  Roddenberry  talked about an episode that had been recently filmed that he said was good enough to be a motion picture — and long enough as well, as they had to delete a lot of footage in order to make it fit the hour-long slot."

For fans of unexpected celebrity appearances, the love interest in this episode? None other than Joan Collins

"The best episodes of Star Trek (or any series) were always the ones where you absolutely believed everything that was happening was real and that you were not being manipulated by the writer," says Bronson. " 'The City on the Edge of Forever' felt authentic from the opening scene on the bridge of the Enterprise to the heartbreaking ending, when Capt . Kirk must allow the love of his life, social worker Edith Keeler , to die in a traffic accident. For years, I couldn’t watch reruns of that final scene without bursting into tears. From Spock’s declaration that trying to create a mnemonic circuit in the America of the 1930s was working with 'equipment…hardly very far ahead of stone knives and bear claws' to Kirk’s explanation to a police officer that Spock’s ears were the result of a childhood accident involving a 'mechanical rice-picker,' the dialogue of this classic episode is etched in my brain as the story that will live forever as Star Trek ’s finest hour."

'Star Trek' Oral History: When Captain Kirk Fought Jesus

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The Top 57 Episodes of ‘Star Trek,’ Ranked From Great to Perfect

First, let’s be clear: Ranking the best “Star Trek” episodes is a silly thing to do. To date, the longest-running American TV franchise has aired a gargantuan 890 episodes and counting, starting with the original series in 1966. Since then, at least one “Star Trek” TV show has aired (or streamed) every decade, totaling 11 so far (with more on the way ). Choosing the best episodes within such a boundless, occasionally contradictory storytelling galaxy seems about as wise as cheating when playing poker with a Klingon.

On the other hand, there may be no more time-honored tradition among “Star Trek” fans than a vigorous debate over what constitutes the best of the franchise. (Best series ? Best captains ? Best starships ? Best aliens ? Best uniforms ? They’ve all been ranked multiple times !)

In that spirit — and to commemorate the 57th anniversary of “Star Trek” on Sept. 8 —  Variety ’s resident “Trek” geeks have ranked the top 57 episodes of all time, across the franchise.

Creating our list required some deep-dish nerdiness in its own right: We compiled a long list of episodes from each series that we felt deserved to be on the final ranking. Then we created our own individual rankings — and promptly realized our taste was quite divergent. To reconcile our lists, we adopted the approach of the great movie ranking podcast, Screen Drafts : We took alternating turns placing a pick from 57 to 1, and we each had two opportunities to veto the other’s pick (which in every case was to ensure it was placed higher on the list).

Other than the short-lived “Star Trek: The Animated Series” (1973-1974), this list reflects every other iteration of “Trek” on TV: “Star Trek: The Original Series” (1966-1969); “Star Trek: The Next Generation” (1987-1994); “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” (1993-1999); “Star Trek: Voyager” (1995-2001); “Star Trek: Enterprise” (2001-2005); “Star Trek: Discovery” (2017-2024); “Star Trek: Picard” (2020-2023); “Star Trek: Prodigy” (2021-2022); and the ongoing “Star Trek: Lower Decks” (2020-present) and “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” (2022-present).

The Way to Eden

“The Original Series” — Season 3, Episode 20

Look, this episode gets a lot of hate. But the fact is “TOS” is known (by today’s standards) for being very campy, and there is no episode campier than this one. A group of space hippies board the Enterprise on their journey to a mythical planet called Eden, where they can live happily forever. The episode memorably features Charles Napier (who would go on to a long career playing tough guys, villains, cops and the like) breaking out into song a bunch of times, including a jam session with Spock (Leonard Nimoy). —Joe Otterson Original airdate: Feb. 21, 1969

Terra Prime

“Enterprise” — Season 4, Episode 21 More than any other episode of “Enterprise,” “Terra Prime” made the most of the show’s mission to dramatize the beginnings of Starfleet, 100 years before the events of “TOS.” Just as a newfound coalition of planets begins to form on Earth (a precursor to the Federation), Captain Archer (Scott Bakula) and his crew must stop a xenophobic terrorist (played to the hilt by future “Star Trek Into Darkness” villain Peter Weller) bent on forcing all aliens to leave Earth. Subtle, it ain’t, but the story feels more relevant today than it did 20 years ago, and everyone in the cast gets a moment to shine. Alas, it came too late: “Enterprise” had been canceled before this episode even went into production. —Adam B. Vary Original airdate: May 13, 2005

“Prodigy” — Season 1, Episode 6

The animated “Prodigy” was the first “Star Trek” series geared toward kids, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t things for older “Trek” fans to enjoy. In particular, “Kobayashi” perfectly embodies what makes this show a worthy entry in “Trek” canon. Dal (Brett Gray) and Jankom Pog (Jason Mantzoukas) discover the holodeck aboard the Protostar, where they decide to go through the Kobayashi Maru, a.k.a. the “no-win scenario” that Capt. Kirk successfully beat during his time at the Academy. He gets help along the way from legendary characters like Spock, Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) and Odo (René Auberjonois). —J.O.

Original airdate: Jan. 6, 2022

Stormy Weather

“Discovery” — Season 4, Episode 6

On a mission to discover the origins of a cataclysmic gravitational anomaly, the U.S.S. Discovery enters a subspace rift and finds itself trapped inside a lethal black void that threatens to collapse in on the ship. The result is a classic race-against-time thriller (directed by “Trek” mainstay Jonathan Frakes), but what makes “Stormy Weather” stand out amid the heavily serialized episodes of “Discovery” is its emotionally resonant use of the ship’s sentient A.I. computer, Zora (Annabelle Wallis), who has to learn how to calm her mind from overwhelming stimuli in order to guide the ship out of danger. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Dec. 23, 2021

Seventeen Seconds

“Picard” — Season 3, Episode 3

“Picard” didn’t find itself until Season 3, which reunited the core cast of “The Next Generation” — and it was really Episode 3 that sealed the deal. Riker (Frakes) is forced to take command of the Titan as Vadic (Amanda Plummer) and the Shrike hunt them. Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Dr. Crusher get an all-time great scene together as she reveals why she never told him about their son, Jack (Ed Speleers). Worf (Michael Dorn) makes his big return. We learn the Changelings are still intent on attacking the Federation. Riker and Picard end up at odds in a way we’ve never seen before. In short, epic. —J.O.

Original airdate: March 2, 2023

The Enemy Within

“The Original Series” — Season 1, Episode 5

The transporter — the cause of, and solution to, so many “Star Trek” problems — accidentally splits Capt. Kirk (William Shatner) into two people: Good Kirk, who is wracked with indecision, and evil Kirk, who is a histrionic asshole. Come for a meditation on the darkness that lies tucked inside everyone’s psyche, stay for some of William Shatner’s most deliciously hammy acting — and this was just the fifth episode of the series! —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Oct. 6, 1966

Family Business

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 3, Episode 23

The Ferengi episodes of “DS9” are always great comic relief, with this episode giving fans their first view of the home planet of Ferenginar and Ferengi culture in general. Quark (Armin Shimerman) and Rom (Max Grodénchik) must return home when their mother, Ishka (Andrea Martin), is accused of acquiring profit (gasp!), something Ferengi females are forbidden to do. Shimerman and Martin shine as they play out Quark and Ishka’s relationship, while Grodénchik really gets to put his comedic chops on display. This episode is also notable as the first appearance of Brunt (Jeffrey Combs) from the Ferengi Commerce Authority, as well as Kasidy Yates (Penny Johnson Jerald), frequent love interest of Cmdr. Sisko (Avery Brooks). —J.O.

Original airdate: May 15, 1995

Blink of an Eye

“Voyager” — Season 6, Episode 12

The Voyager gets stuck in orbit around a planet where time passes far more rapidly than in the rest of space, as the episode alternates between the bemused curiosity of Capt. Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and her crew and the awestruck preoccupation of the expeditiously progressing populace on the planet below, for whom Voyager is a sparkling, fixed constant in the night sky. At one point, the Doctor (Robert Picard) beams down to the planet to investigate, and a delay of only a few minutes on Voyager means he spends three years on its surface. He even adopts a son! One of the great, wild what if? episodes of “Star Trek.” —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Jan. 19, 2000

“The Next Generation” — Season 3, Episode 23

Mark Lenard absolutely crushed the role of Spock’s father, Sarek, in multiple episodes across multiple “Star Trek” series and movies, but this episode is perhaps his finest performance as the character. Sarek comes to the Enterprise-D on what is meant to be his final mission, only for the crew to learn he is suffering from Bendii Syndrome. The condition leaves him prone to uncharacteristic emotional outbursts while also causing him to telepathically influence the emotions of those around him. Picard saves the day by mind melding with Sarek, allowing him to finish his mission with dignity — and provide Stewart with the chance for some powerhouse acting as he channels Sarek’s volcanic emotions. —J.O.

Original airdate: May 14, 1990

“Enterprise” — Season 3, Episode 10

“Trek” loves a moral dilemma, and this one’s a doozy: After Cmdr. Tucker (Connor Trinneer) is critically injured while the Enterprise is on a deep space mission, Dr. Phlox (John Billingsley) suggests growing a “mimetic symbiote” of Trip — effectively, a clone with a built-in two-week lifespan — in order to create the brain tissue needed to save Trip’s life. But that means the Enterprise crew must endure watching Trip’s clone rapidly age from a precocious kid to an adult man (played by Trinneer with eerie self-possession), who then pleads for his own right to live. Creepy and heartbreaking in equal measure. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Nov. 19, 2003

Trials and Tribble-ations

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 5, Episode 6

This episode is a love letter to the original series, with the Defiant’s crew transported back in time to the events of “The Trouble With Tribbles.” A Klingon agent is planning to use a booby-trapped tribble to assassinate James T. Kirk. Thanks to digital editing, the crew is able to interact with the original Enterprise crew and keep the timeline intact. —J.O.

Original airdate: Nov. 4, 1996

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 2, Episode 23

Mirror universe episodes of “Star Trek” are (almost) always fun, if ultimately a little silly. But this one — in which Kira (Nana Visitor) and Dr. Bashir (Alexander Siddig) find themselves in an alternate reality in which Bajor, Cardassians and Klingons subjugate humans as slaves — comes closest to matching the spark of discovery in the original “TOS” episode. It’s especially fun to watch Visitor devour the role of Kira’s deliciously wicked mirror counterpart, the Intendant. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: May 16, 1994

Memento Mori

“Strange New Worlds” — Season 1, Episode 4

This episode proved “Strange New Worlds” — the newest “Star Trek” series — could be as action-packed as the very best of “Star Trek.” The Enterprise crew find themselves on the run from the Gorn, a savage enemy (first introduced on “TOS” and largely ignored in “Trek” canon) about which they know virtually nothing. They are forced to use every resource at their disposal to outwit and outrun the Gorn, including tapping into the subconscious of La’an (Christina Chong), the only crew member who has encountered the aliens and survived. —J.O.

Original airdate: May 26, 2022

Counterpoint

“Voyager” — Season 5, Episode 10

The main story is a tense, WWII allegory: Capt. Janeway and her crew hide telepathic refugees while passing through the space of the Devore, who have outlawed telepaths. But the real story is the relationship Janeway forms with the lead Devore inspector, Kashyk (Mark Harelik), who suddenly shows up alone and announces he’s defecting. As Kashyk aids Janeway in finding safe harbor for the refugees, she realizes how much he’s her intellectual equal, and she finds herself drawn to him — in spite of (or perhaps spurred on by) her continued suspicion of his motives. A great, subtle performance by Mulgrew captures both Janeway’s steely wits and her private yearning. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Dec. 16, 1998

The Drumhead

“The Next Generation” — Season 4, Episode 21

“Star Trek” has done a number of courtroom episodes, and this is one of the best. Rear admiral Norah Satie (Jean Simmons) is sent to investigate suspected sabotage aboard the Enterprise. The investigation quickly spirals into paranoia and accusations of treachery against a crew member who is revealed to have Romulan lineage. It is an excellent reminder of what can happen when persecution is dressed up as an attempt at greater security, with Picard using Satie’s father’s teachings to bring about her downfall. —J.O.

Original airdate: April 29, 1991

“The Next Generation” — Season 7, Episode 8

More thwarted romance! The seasons-long will-they/won’t-they between Picard and Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) gets its best showcase, when the pair are captured by isolationist aliens and given implants that allow them to read each other’s thoughts. You get the feeling Stewart and especially McFadden had been dying to play out this dynamic on the show, so they both bring years of sublimated longing to the episode. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Nov. 8, 1993

In the Hands of the Prophets

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 1, Episode 20

Louise Fletcher’s performance as Vedek Winn (later Kai Winn) ranks among the best “Star Trek” villains of all time. Deeply religious to the point of fanaticism, Winn protests Keiko O’Brien (Rosalind Chao) teaching children on Deep Space Nine that the wormhole aliens are not deities, as many Bajorans believe. Winn’s words whip Bajorans on the station into a frenzy; Keiko’s school is bombed. But what Winn really desires is power, to the point she tries to get one of her followers to kill a fellow Vedek she sees as a threat. The episode sets up Winn’s role as a major antagonist throughout the series to great effect. —J.O.

Original airdate: June 21, 1993

The Trouble With Tribbles

“The Original Series” — Season 2, Episode 15

If you’ve seen any episode of “TOS,” chances are it’s this one. While on shore leave at a space station, the Enterprise comes upon an adorably furry alien creature called a tribble, which are born pregnant, multiply exponentially, consume enormous quantities of food and react with alarm when in the presence of a Klingon. Fizzy and funny and, to this day, one of the best-known episodes of “Trek” ever. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Dec. 29, 1967

Balance of Terror

“The Original Series” — Season 1, Episode 14

Introducing the Romulans alone makes this episode worthy of being on the list. But it’s also an epic cat-and-mouse game between Kirk and a Romulan commander played by none other than Mark Lenard, who would go on to play Sarek starting in Season 2. Kirk successfully lures the Romulan ship into a trap, leading to Lenard delivering the iconic line, “You and I are of a kind. In a different reality, I could have called you friend.” —J.O.

Original airdate: Dec. 15, 1966

“The Next Generation” — Season 4, Episode 20

John de Lancie never disappoints when he plays Q, but this episode offered a wonderful twist on his usual appearances. Following the events of “Deja Q,” Q returns to the Enterprise saying he owes Picard a debt. Picard repeatedly tells Q he wants nothing from him, but Q notices Picard has eyes for Vash (Jennifer Hetrick), the mercenary archeologist Picard first met on Risa. Being Q, he naturally transports Picard, Vash, and the bridge crew to a Robin Hood fantasy in which Picard must rescue Vash from the evil Sir Guy of Gisbourne (Clive Frevill). Added bonus: Worf, in scarlet tights, exclaiming in protest, “I am not a merry man!” —J.O.

Original airdate: April 22, 1991

“The Original Series” — Season 1, Episode 18

The classic “trial by combat” episode that pitted Kirk against a Gorn captain on a barren, rocky planet (i.e. the storied filming location Vasquez Rocks ). Few images from “Star Trek” have become more iconic than the original Gorn costume, which was essentially an actor dressed as a large lizard. The ending is also an all-timer, with Kirk choosing to spare the Gorn, proving to the all-powerful Metrons that set up the trial by combat that humans are capable of more than just random violence. —J.O.

Original airdate: Jan. 19, 1967

A Mathematically Perfect Redemption

“Lower Decks” — Season 3, Episode 7

“Star Trek’s” first pure comedy (and second animated series) often plays as a twisted love letter to the entire “Trek” franchise — like when Peanut Hamper (Kether Donohue), one of the sentient Exocomp robots first introduced on “The Next Generation,” abandons the crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos in a time of need. This episode tracks Peanut Hamper’s journey to redemption afterwards, which involves her encountering a seemingly primitive species called the Areore. To say anything more would spoil the fun; suffice it to say, “Trek” has rarely provoked gasps of deep laughter like this episode does. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Oct. 6, 2022

Bar Association

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 4, Episode 15

What better episode of “Star Trek” to talk about after Hollywood’s hot labor summer? Fed up with the unfair conditions at Quark’s bar, Rom talks the other workers into forming a union and going on strike. Max Grodénchik truly shines in this episode as the would-be union leader. Once Rom successfully gets Quark to agree to all the workers’ demands, he outright quits and goes to work as a repair technician for the station, setting up some of Rom’s best moments in the episodes to come. —J.O.

Original airdate: Feb. 19, 1996

“Voyager” — Season 5, Episode 26 & Season 6, Episode 1

The Voyager swoops to the rescue of the Equinox, another Federation starship stranded in the Gamma Quadrant — only this one, led by Capt. Ransom (John Savage), is a smaller ship not meant for deep space travel. With their crew whittled down to just 12 people, Ransom has resorted to murdering alien creatures to use their bio-matter to boost the Equinox’s engines — a horrific violation of everything Starfleet stands for. The discovery pushes Janeway to her own limits, as she obsessively pursues the Equinox despite the cost to her own crew and her morality. The two-parter is one of the darkest episodes of “Star Trek,” a chilling reminder of how easily good people can find themselves slipping into disgrace. —A.B.V.

Original airdates: May 26, 1999 & Sept. 22, 1999

Who Mourns for Morn?

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 6, Episode 12

Morn (Mark Allen Shepherd) was a “Deep Space Nine” fixture, always at Quark’s bar, but never actually speaking onscreen. But in this episode, with Morn apparently dead in an accident, everyone reveals the offscreen times they spent with him, including the revelation that he “never shuts up.” Quark inherits all of Morn’s property, which Odo relishes revealing is ultimately nothing. But as it turns out, Morn had a much more adventurous life before his time on “DS9” than anyone knew, leading his former comrades to seek him out to get a hold of the money they believed he still possessed. —J.O.

Original airdate: Feb. 4, 1998

Species Ten-C

“Discovery” — Season 4, Episode 12

Other than the Gorn, almost all of the aliens on “Star Trek” are, essentially, humans with slightly different forehead ridges. But in its most recent season, “Discovery” embraced “Trek’s” prime directive (seeking out new life, bolding going where no one’s gone, etc.) by crafting a species that is truly alien: the Ten-C. Throughout the season, the Ten-C are presented as both a total mystery and an existential threat; when Capt. Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the crew of the Discovery finally reach them — outside the barrier of the Milky Way galaxy — they are unlike anything the show has ever encountered. Rarely has “Trek” applied more intellectual and emotional rigor to what it might actually be like to attempt first contact with extra-terrestrials, and rarely has it been this compelling. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: March 10, 2022

A Man Alone

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 1, Episode 4

Odo is one of the best characters in “DS9” — and in the “Star Trek” universe — in general, and this is the first episode to really establish him as a standout . A known criminal returns to the station only to die shortly after, and Odo is accused of his murder. Odo’s status as an outsider, but ultimately someone to be respected, is made crystal clear in this episode, with even his archenemy Quark acknowledging that Odo is not the type to murder someone in cold blood. —J.O.

Original airdate: Jan. 17, 1993

Mirror, Mirror

“The Original Series” — Season 2, Episode 4

The transporter strikes again, this time accidentally zapping Kirk, Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Scotty (James Doohan) and Bones (DeForest Kelley) from their reality into a parallel universe in which the benevolent Federation has been replaced by the bloodthirsty Terran Empire, governed by brute force and fascistic exploitation — and Spock has a goatee! More silly than serious (and no less fun for it), the episode effectively spawned an entire sub-genre of parallel universe episodes of TV (from “Supernatural” to “Friends”) and gave generations of actors a chance to play wildly against type. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Oct. 6, 1967

“The Next Generation” — Season 4, Episode 2

People rave about “The Best of Both Worlds” and Picard’s assimilation by the Borg, but fewer remember this incredible follow-up episode. Picard returns to his family vineyard to put the Borg incident behind him, even briefly thinking that he will leave Starfleet. Jeremy Kemp crushes it as Picard’s brother Robert, with the two sharing a memorable (and muddy) scene in which Picard breaks down and admits how much his assimilation has shaken him. The episode is also memorable for the appearance of Worf’s adoptive parents, who come to the Enterprise to be with him following his discommendation. —J.O.

Original airdate: Oct. 1, 1990

Living Witness

“Voyager” — Season 4, Episode 23

For several minutes, “Living Witness” seems like a mirror universe episode, as a ruthless Janeway, captain of the “warship” Voyager, agrees to aid the Vaskans against the insurgent Kyrians by unleashing a biological weapon upon millions and executing the Kyrian leader. But then we realize that we’ve just witnessed a recreation at a Kyrian museum 700 years in the future, at which point a copy of the Doctor enters the story and learns, to his horror, how much the Kyrians have gotten wrong. What could have been a Rashomon-style caper instead becomes fascinating meditation on how the telling of history can be weaponized, even inadvertently, to maintain old wounds rather than heal them. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: April 29, 1998

Unification

“The Next Generation” — Season 5, Episode 7 & 8

Spock appeared on “The Next Generation” a month before the release of 1991’s “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country” — but this time, at least, crass cross-promotion prompted some sublimely entertaining TV, as Picard and Data (Brent Spiner) aid Spock in his effort to reunify the Romulan and Vulcan peoples. [Stefon voice]: This two-parter has everything : Klingon warbirds, rude Ferengis, Tasha’s evil Romulan daughter Sela (Denise Crosby), Data and Spock philosophizing on their twin pursuits of logic and emotion, the death of Sarek, Worf singing Klingon opera with a four-armed bar pianist, and Picard and Spock mind-melding! —A.B.V.

Original airdates: Nov. 4 & 11, 1991

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 7, Episode 9

Gul Dukat is the best villain in “Star Trek.” Yes, you read that right. The writers and actor Marc Alaimo created an incredibly nuanced character that goes through a remarkable arc over the course of the series. This episode, near the end of “DS9’s” run, reminds fans that Dukat sees himself as a savior, but is ultimately a force for evil. He establishes a cult dedicated to the Pah wraiths on Empok Nor, luring a number of Bajorans to his side. But of course, he also sleeps with his female followers and tries to trick them into a mass suicide. Amazing stuff. —J.O.

Original airdate: Nov. 23, 1998

The Last Generation

“Picard” — Season 3, Episode 10

The cast of “TNG” infamously never got their swan song, after 2002’s “Star Trek: Nemesis” bombed in theaters, so this series finale serves as a gift both to them and to “TNG” fans. Every character gets their spotlight, including the resurrected Enterprise-D, as Picard, Riker, Dr. Crusher, Data, Worf, LaForge (LeVar Burton) and Troi (Marina Sirtis) all help to take down the Borg once and for all. The final scene — everyone sitting around a poker table, laughing and reminiscing — is as pure and satisfying an expression of fan service as anything “Trek” has ever done. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: April 20, 2023

“The Next Generation” — Season 3, Episode 13

Until this episode, Q was an enjoyably malevolent force within “TNG,” an omnipotent being who’d gleefully pop up now and again to play with the lives of the Enterprise-D crew. But here, when Q suddenly appears on the bridge, he’s been stripped of all his powers (and all of his clothes) and begs Picard for safe harbor. At first, no one believes him — even after Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) stabs him with a fork — which only fuels John de Lancie’s sparkling performance, as Q confronts life as ( shudder ) a mortal human. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Feb. 3, 1990

An Embarrassment of Dooplers

“Lower Decks” — Season 2, Episode 5

The title refers to an alien called a Doopler, who duplicate themselves whenever they get embarrassed — which, naturally, becomes an issue the moment one steps foot on the Cerritos. But really, this episode is one of those deeply enjoyable “Trek” episodes that is less about story than it is about the vibes , as the characters spend their downtime winningly contending with the central premise of the show: The bittersweet contentment of life at the bottom of the ladder. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Sept. 9, 2021

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 2, Episode 19    

The lives of the past hosts of the Dax symbiont are a recurring plot device on “DS9,” and no episode does it better than this one. A group of Klingons who knew Curzon Dax arrive at the station and enlist Jadzia’s (Terry Ferrell) help in killing their sworn enemy, a criminal known as The Albino who killed the three Klingons’ first-born sons. Jadzia ultimately honors the blood oath, as the episode explores the meaning of honor and solidarity. —J.O.

Original airdate: March 28, 1994

Where No Man Has Gone Before

“The Original Series” — Season 1, Episode 3

The famed second pilot episode of “Star Trek” (which introduced William Shatner as Capt. Kirk) is a strange artifact today: Bones and Uhura aren’t aboard yet, Sulu (George Takei) isn’t at the helm, the Enterprise has a psychiatrist (played by Sally Kellerman), and the uniforms and sets look a bit off. But the central story — Kirk’s best friend, Gary Mitchell (Gary Lockwood), is zapped by an energy blast at the edge of the galaxy, and begins to exhibit extraordinary psychokinetic powers — is vintage “Trek”: Brainy, brawny, and just the right side of uncanny. And it’s fascinating now to see how well-established Kirk and Spock’s dynamic of emotion vs. logic was from the very start. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Sept. 22, 1966

The Measure of a Man

“The Next Generation” — Season 2, Episode 9

Data’s quest for humanity is at the very core of “TNG,” and this stirring episode literally puts that quest on trial — and establishes the show’s voice for the rest of its run. A Starfleet scientist wants to dismantle Data in order to create more androids, but Data refuses, setting up an intense courtroom drama — is Data merely a machine and the property of Starfleet? — with Picard representing Data while Riker is forced to represent the scientist. —J.O.

Original airdate: Feb. 13, 1989

“The Next Generation” — Season 4, Episode 26 & Season 5, Episode 1

The Klingons started on “Trek” as a not-that-thinly-veiled metaphor for the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War, but over the decades, they’ve developed their own richly detailed mythology. This two-parter (which aired just before the fall of the USSR) depicts a civil war within the Klingon Empire that leads to Worf’s decision to leave the Enterprise and join the fight. For a series that was episodic by design, this is the closest “TNG” ever got to serialized storytelling, incorporating events from several previous episodes — including the shocking introduction of Tasha’s Romulan daughter, Sela. —A.B.V.

Original airdates: June 17, 1991 & Sept. 23, 1991

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 1, Episode 11

It is endlessly entertaining to see Quark get what he wants as he then  learns that it’s way more trouble than he realized. This episode sums that idea up nicely, while also featuring the first of many wonderful appearances by Wallace Shawn as Ferengi leader Grand Nagus Zek. Zek unexpectedly names Quark his successor, only for Zek to die shortly after. Quark is thrilled at first, before he realizes being the Nagus puts a massive target on his back. This episode also helps build the friendship between Nog (Aron Eisenbeg) and Jake (Cirroc Lofton), with Jake secretly teaching Nog how to read. —J.O.

Original airdate: March 22, 1993

Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy

“Voyager” — Season 6, Episode 4

Yearning to grow past his programming, the Doctor allows himself the ability to daydream, in one of the flat-out funniest episodes of “Trek” ever. It opens with Robert Picardo singing opera as Tuvok (Tim Russ) undergoes pon farr (i.e. the madness to mate that consumes Vulcan males) and just gets wilder from there, up to the moment when the Doctor, who’d fantasized about taking over command of Voyager in an emergency, does it for real. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Oct. 13, 1999

“The Original Series” — Season 2, Episode 1

Speaking of pon farr, this is the “TOS” episode that first establishes it — as well as the planet Vulcan, several Vulcan customs and traditions, and the now legendary Vulcan salute (honorable mention: Spock actually smiles!). Wracked with pon farr, Spock asks for leave back on his home planet, and eventually reveals that he must meet his betrothed, T’Pring (Arlene Martel). Naturally, Kirk and Spock end up in a fight to the death in one of the most iconic battles in “Star Trek” history. —J.O.

Original airdate: Sept. 15, 1967

Year of Hell

“Voyager” — Season 4, Episode 8 & 9

The most lasting criticism of “Voyager” is that every week, no matter what happened in the previous episode, the ship and crew emerged unscathed and ready for a new adventure. As if in response, this two-parter tracks a year in which the Voyager is ravaged to the point of near ruin by repeated encounters with an aggressive alien species called the Krenim. Unbeknownst to the crew, they’re actually the victims of a Krenim scientist, Annorax (Kurtwood Smith), who developed a technology to alter the fabric of time by erasing entire species from ever existing. This is as harrowing and merciless as “Trek’s” ever been, but it’s not quite the best episode of “Voyager” due to the irony of its ending: Janeway crashes the husk of the Voyager into Annorax’s timeship — which resets the timeline completely, as if nothing that we’d seen had ever happened. —A.B.V.

Original airdates: Nov. 5 & 12, 1997

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 3, Episodes 11 & 12

“Star Trek” often addresses timely societal issues, but this episode put them firmly in a 21st century context. Sisko, Bashir, and Dax accidentally wind up in San Francisco circa 2024, where poverty and oppression of the disadvantaged are running rampant (crazy how that remains timely, huh?). When a man meant to serve an important purpose in an historic riot is accidentally killed too soon, Sisko is forced to take his place. —J.O.

Original airdate: Jan. 2, 1995 & Jan. 9, 1995

Those Old Scientists

“Strange New Worlds” — Season 2, Episode 7

In one of the rare “Trek” crossover episodes, Ens. Boimler (Jack Quaid) and Ens. Mariner (Tawny Newsome) from “Lower Decks” find themselves zapped back to the era when Capt. Pike (Anson Mount) captained the Enterprise. Marshalled by Jonathan Frakes’ steady hand as a director , the disparate tones of “Lower Decks” and “Strange New World” somehow mesh perfectly, and hilariously, together. Packed with guffaw-worthy laughs, “Those Old Scientists” also becomes a deeply poignant expression of the impact “Trek” has had on generations of fans. Maybe it’s controversial to place one of the most recent “Trek” episodes so high on this list, but this one more than earns its spot. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: July 22, 2023

The Best of Both Worlds

“The Next Generation” — Season 3, Episode 26 & Season 4, Episode 1

This two-parter is frequently cited as the best “Next Generation” storyline of all time, mostly because it features one of the most iconic cliffhangers in all of television. The Borg attack the Federation, leading to a showdown with the Enterprise. Picard is captured and assimilated, revealing himself to his crew as Locutus of Borg. If we’re splitting Borg nano-probes, the second half doesn’t quite live up to the first, which is why, for us, it doesn’t quite rank into the Top 10. Special shoutout to this episode for setting up the incredible “Star Trek” film “First Contact.” —J.O.

Original airdate: June 18, 1990 & Sept. 24, 1990

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 1, Episode 19

When a Cardassian named Marritza (Harris Yulin) arrives on Deep Space Nine, Kira realizes he must have worked at one of the most notorious labor camps during Cardassia’s occupation of Bajor, and she arrests him as a war criminal. What follows is effectively a two-hander, as Kira’s interrogation of Marritza leads to a series of revelations that unmoor her hard-won fury at the atrocities inflicted upon her people. The conventional wisdom is that “DS9” didn’t get cooking until the Dominion War, but this early episode proves that this show was providing great, searing drama from the start. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: June 14, 1993

“The Original Series” — Season 1, Episode 22

Ricardo Montalbán makes his debut as Khan Noonien Singh, a genetically superior dictator from Earth’s Eugenics Wars. Khan and his people have been in suspended animation for 200 years and are looking to dominate humanity once again. Naturally, Kirk is able to beat Khan in a riveting confrontation, but rather than send him and his people to a penal colony, he agrees to let them settle on the wild planet, Ceti Alpha V. The episode proved to be so good, it led to the 1982 film “Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan,” arguably the best “Trek” movie of all time. —J.O.

Original airdate: Feb. 16, 1967

“Voyager” — Season 5, Episode 6

There’s something about time travel — and the twisty narrative paradoxes it can cause — that has engendered some of the best episodes of “Trek” ever made. That certainly includes this stunning “Voyager” episode, which opens with Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) and Chakotay (Robert Beltran), 15 years in the future, discovering the frozen husk of the Voyager buried inside a glacier on a barren ice planet. It turns out Kim made a critical mistake that caused the catastrophic accident, from which only he and Chakotay survived. Their unyielding fixation to right that wrong — and erase the previous 15 years from history — makes for a gripping nail-biter about regret and devotion. Not only did LeVar Burton direct, but he cameos as Capt. Geordi La Forge! —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Nov. 18, 1998

The Defector

“The Next Generation” — Season 3, Episode 10

Did a Romulan admiral really defect to the Federation, or are the Romulans perpetrating an elaborate hoax on Picard and the Enterprise crew? This wonderful episode sees the admiral in question (played by James Sloyan) claiming the Romulans are building a secret base within the Neutral Zone, forcing Picard to consider whether or not he should investigate and thus risk starting a war. It also features the excellent opening in which Picard tries to teach Data about humanity by having him act out scenes from Shakespeare’s “Henry V.” —J.O.

Original airdate: Jan. 1, 1990

Chain of Command

“The Next Generation” — Season 6, Episode 10 & 11

Lured into Cardassian territory under false pretenses, Picard is captured and systematically tortured by a ruthless interrogator, Gul Madred, in a chilling performance by David Warner. Their disturbing tête-à-tête — Picard is stripped naked and nearly broken by the end — would be enough for one of the all-time best “Trek” episodes. But this two-parter also boasts Ronny Cox as Capt. Jellico, Picard’s replacement on the Enterprise, whose prickly and demanding leadership style creates all kinds of thrilling friction among the crew. —A.B.V.

Original airdates: Dec. 14 & 21, 1992

In the Pale Moonlight

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 6, Episode 19

In this fantastic episode, Sisko grapples with the ethics of doing whatever it takes to get the Romulans to join the Dominion War on the Federation-Klingon side. This includes falsifying evidence and freeing a known criminal from Klingon prison with the help of master spy Garak (played by the always wonderful Andrew Robinson). Sisko (while recording a personal log) delivers a series of powerful monologues direct to camera about why he did what he did, ultimately deciding it was worth it in the end. —J.O.

Original airdate: April 13, 1998

The City on the Edge of Forever

“The Original Series” — Season 1, Episode 28

Accidentally hopped up on stimulants, a crazed Bones leaps through a time portal on an alien planet and winds up changing history so drastically that the Enterprise disappears. Kirk and Spock travel back to stop him, and land in New York City during the Great Depression, where they learn that Bones saved the life of Sister Edith Keeler (Joan Collins), a pacifist whose message resonates so strongly that the U.S. stays out of WWII, allowing the Nazis to conquer Europe. Alas, Kirk falls deeply in love with Keeler, establishing a classic “Trek” moral dilemma: How does one suppress their most profound personal feelings for the greater good? An all-timer that still resonates today. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: April 6, 1967

Far Beyond the Stars

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 6, Episode 13

In this Avery Brooks-directed episode, Sisko envisions himself as a Black science fiction writer in 1950s New York named Benny Russell. Russell dreams up a story about the crew of a space station led by a Black captain, but his publisher refuses to run it. This episode is memorable for many reasons, the biggest of which being its handling of racism, but it also allows the show’s main cast gets to appear without any prosthetics or makeup, as completely different characters, to great effect. —J.O.

Original airdate: Feb. 9, 1998

Yesterday’s Enterprise

“The Next Generation” — Season 3, Episode 15

The Enterprise-C, believed to have been destroyed over 20 years earlier, emerges from a temporal anomaly and resets history into a decades-long war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. Tasha — killed off in Season 1 (after Denise Crosby wanted to leave the show) — is brought back to life, and falls for the Enterprise-C’s helmsman (Christopher McDonald), while Guinan implores Picard that something is desperately wrong with history and he must send the Enterprise-C back to certain doom. Somehow, this episode crams a movie’s worth of story into a nimble and rousing 44 minutes. Not a second is wasted. Outrageously great. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Feb. 19, 1990

The Inner Light

“The Next Generation” — Season 5, Episode 25

When the Enterprise comes upon a mysterious probe, Picard is suddenly hit with a signal that plunges him into a different man’s life on a dying planet. There, Picard experiences half a lifetime, with a wife, children and grandchildren, all in the space of 25 minutes. When Picard realizes this was all meant as a time capsule — a way to preserve the stories of the people of the planet, which was destroyed 1,000 years earlier by an exploding star — the revelation that he lived the life he’d long forsaken as a Starfleet captain, only to have it ripped away, is almost more than he can bear. But hoo boy, does it make for stunning, deeply moving television. In fact, almost no episode of “Trek” is better. Almost. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: June 1, 1992

The Visitor

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 4, Episode 2

Don’t watch this one without tissues handy. This emotionally devastating episode gets right to the heart of what made “DS9” so special — the relationship between Sisko and his son, Jake. Told in flashbacks by an elderly Jake (Tony Todd), the episode recounts how Sisko became unstuck in time, briefly revisiting Jake over the course of his life, and how Jake is determined to bring him back. In brief, fleeting moments, Sisko tells Jake not to worry about him and to live his life to the fullest. But Jake cannot bear the thought of losing his father forever, ultimately sacrificing his own life to restore the normal flow of time. —J.O.

Original airdate: Oct. 9, 1995

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In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets. In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets. In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets.

• Gene Roddenberry
• William Shatner
• Leonard Nimoy
• DeForest Kelley
• 276 User reviews
• 99 Critic reviews
• 16 wins & 31 nominations total

Episodes 80

Photos 1999

• Captain James Tiberius 'Jim' Kirk …

• Mister Spock …

• Lieutenant Leslie …

• Nurse Chapel …

• Ensign Freeman …

• Yeoman Rand …

• Announcer …

• Beta 5 Computer …
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• Trivia In the hallways of the Enterprise there are tubes marked "GNDN." These initials stand for "goes nowhere does nothing."
• Goofs The deck locations for Kirk's Quarters, Sickbay and Transporter Room vary (usually between decks 4-7) throughout the series.

Dr. McCoy : "He's dead, Jim."

• Crazy credits On some episodes, the closing credits show a still that is actually from the Star Trek blooper reel. It is a close-up of stunt man Bill Blackburn who played an android in Return to Tomorrow (1968) , removing his latex make up. In the reel, He is shown taking it off, while an off-screen voice says "You wanted show business, you got it!"
• Alternate versions In 2006, CBS went back to the archives and created HD prints of every episode of the show. In addition to the new video transfer, they re-did all of the model shots and some matte paintings using CGI effects, and re-recorded the original theme song to clean it up. These "Enhanced" versions of the episodes aired on syndication and have been released on DVD and Blu-Ray.
• Connections Edited into Ben 10: Secrets (2006)
• Soundtracks Star Trek Music by Alexander Courage

User reviews 276

• Nov 25, 2003

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• What does "TOS" mean?
• September 8, 1966 (United States)
• United States
• Star Trek: The Original Series
• Backlot, Culver Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
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‘Star Trek’: All 39 Classic TV Main Characters Ranked, From Spock to Wesley (Photos)

A look back at the TV franchise’s many memorable classic characters before the explosion of streaming shows like “Discovery”…and its handful of duds

In its half-century history, “Star Trek” has challenged us to boldly go where no one has gone before. The best characters have often encouraged vigorous debate among Trekkies, as they are compared by their rank and species and evaluated for differences in their flaws and virtues. The worst — we’re looking at you, “Voyager” and “Enterprise” — leave fans wondering if there’s a point to their existence. 

A quick note, to keep the list manageable, we’re restricting the list to the main cast of the five “Trek” TV shows before the recent explosion of streaming series like “Discovery” and “Lower Decks.” That means you won’t be seeing movie villains like Khan or recurring characters like Q. But let it be said that if we did include him, Q would top the list by several light years.

39. Wesley Crusher (The Next Generation) By far the most hated character in “Trek” history. A super-genius kid who would on more than one occasion save the Enterprise while others with infinitely more experience struggled. Even the man who played him, Wil Wheaton , hated him.

38. Travis Mayweather (Enterprise) No backstory, no fears, no desires. No “Trek” crew member was more pointless and two-dimensional than Mayweather, except perhaps for …

37. Hoshi Sato (Enterprise)   … a poor man’s Uhura whose sole purpose was to serve as a translator for the crew since the technology for the Universal Translator hadn’t been invented yet. Like many of the characters at the bottom of this list, Rick Berman and Brannon Braga were unable to flesh Sato out beyond her basic premise.

36. Neelix (Voyager) And now for the “Voyager” portion of our list, starting with the ship’s mohawked chef. He never fit into the show’s plots, leaving him to spout dumb food jokes and platitudes of optimism to the weary crew.

35. B’Elanna Torres (Voyager) Next we have the Human/Klingon hybrid lieutenant, whose entire personality too often boiled down to her being a hothead. In truth, she seemed to be designed as a mix of Worf and Tasha, but failed to even come close to being as memorable as either of them.

34. Chakotay (Voyager) Another character that the writers ran out of material for. At best, Captain Janeway’s right hand man was a dull character. At worst, the attempts to honor Gene Roddenberry ‘s dedication to diversity by delving into Chakotay’s Native American background came off as too stereotypical.

33. Tom Paris (Voyager) A slightly better character who had more defined relationships with other crew members, but many of the episodes that focused on him were just variations on him being the stereotypical hotshot pilot looking for a thrill.

32. Harry Kim (Voyager) His friendship with Paris and awkward conversations with Seven-of-Nine were enjoyable to watch, but other than that he tended to be just a stiff ensign who spouted technobabble.

31. Malcolm Reed (Enterprise) The inventor of the “red alert” system. Unlike Sato and Mayweather, Reed had a bit of a character arc as he spent his time on the Enterprise coming out of his shell, but this didn’t result in Reed becoming much more than a generally affable but nondescript character.

30. Deanna Troi (TNG) Take a shot every time this Betazoid started a sentence with the words “I sense …” Troi spent several seasons in low-neckline outfits, serving as a counselor on a ship that rarely had any real conflict. Eventually, she was given a uniform like the others and allowed to play a role in missions, but only at a very late point in the series.

29. Jonathan Archer (Enterprise) When “Enterprise” started, Archer was an interesting captain. As Starfleet’s first man in charge, he was bound to make mistakes, and viewers enjoying seeing how he got out of them. Unfortunately, the struggle got stale quick, as he became the “prototype” captain instead of developing into a leader in his own right.

28. T’Pol (Enterprise) Though Jolene Blalock’s acting could sometimes be as ridiculous as her fanservice outfits, the first Vulcan Starfleet officer’s slow embrace of her illogical humans was interesting to watch, as was her struggle to cope with a disease that dissolved control over her emotions. 

27. Phlox (Enterprise) Armed with a massive grin and years of medical experience, NX-01’s Denobulan doctor is what Neelix could have been, providing both regular humor and the basis for episodes that explored his values and relationship with a human race still getting used to interacting with aliens. 

26. Jadzia Dax (Deep Space Nine) An interesting blend of previous personalities. Over the course of six seasons, Dax showed Worf’s intensity, Kirk’s swagger, and Spock’s curiosity. Part of this is due to the fact that she’s bonded with a symbiont that has the memories of countless past lives. It’s also due to inconsistent writing, particularly after she hooked up with Worf in Season 4.

25. Quark (DS9) The Ferengi started as the Alpha Quadrant’s amoral mafia, but DS9 began to show their capacity for courage and compassion, though they would be loath to admit it. In spite of his insistence that he’s nothing but a cowardly smuggler — and he can be that — Quark proves to be a valuable ally to Sisko when the chips are down.

24. Tasha Yar (TNG) Oh, where to start with Tasha. She was a rather polarizing figure, with some people appreciating her status as a more involved woman on the bridge, while others thought she was rather obnoxious. She was killed off near the end of season 1, but was brought back in the episode “Yesterday’s Enterprise,” which was praised for showing Tasha’s true potential as a character while giving her a better send-off.

23. Tuvok (Voyager) This is where the characters really get good, starting with the Voyager’s resident Vulcan. Tim Russ proved to be a worthy successor to Leonard Nimoy , portraying Tuvok as a loyal friend to Janeway and a Vulcan with a dark side beneath all the discipline and repressed emotions.

22. Doctor (Voyager) Easily the most popular character in the “Voyager” cast, this sarcastic, overworked medical hologram won fans over with his exasperated jokes and quest for respect from the rest of the Voyager crew. His non-organic status also allowed him to bond with Seven-of-Nine

21. Pavel Chekov (Star Trek) Several members of the original Enterprise crew were not fleshed out on paper, but became beloved thanks to brilliant acting and natural chemistry between the cast. Take Chekov, who became a fan favorite because of his loyalty to Mother Russia as well as the blood samples he was constantly asked to provide.

20. Nyota Uhura (Trek) Though she was vastly underutilized, Uhura’s presence on the Enterprise was a big step forward for African-American women in television. After being skipped on the chain of command for years, Uhura finally got to take charge of the Enterprise during a rescue mission in the animated series.

19. Hikaru Sulu (Trek) Like Chekhov’s Walt Koenig and Uhura’s Nichelle Nichols, the two-dimensional Sulu became legendary thanks to George Takei . For a long time, Sulu was known for being a cultured gentleman and a bare-chested fencer , but he got his big moment in the movie “Star Trek VI” as captain of the Excelsior.

18. Seven of Nine (Voyager)   Like Uhura, Troi, and T’Pol, Seven of Nine was the fanservice character of her series, but her introduction to “Voyager” is an episode for the ages. As a former Borg unit brought to Janeway’s side, Seven continued the tradition of rounding out alien races that were once bitter Federation enemies by showing just why someone would want to be assimilated.

17. Miles O’Brien (TNG/DS9) Midway through “TNG,” the writers realized there was value in fleshing out the Chekovs in their cast. Miles started as a seen-but-rarely-heard recurring character who eventually became a star on “DS9” thanks to episodes that transformed him into Starfleet’s quintessential everyman.

16.  Charles “Trip” Tucker III (Enterprise) Perhaps Trip’s ranked too high, but let’s throw “Enterprise” a bone. He was the most interesting character on the show, serving as a right hand man to Archer, a lover to T’Pol, a fighter, a scholar, and ultimately, a martyr to the Federation.

15. Julian Bashir (DS9) One of the more strongly-defined character arcs in the “Trek” canon. Bashir started the series as a cocky but inexperienced crew member who eventually developed into a mature member of the crew as the Dominion War raged on.

14. Beverly Crusher (TNG) Unlike her son, Dr. Crusher was a popular “TNG” cast member. Not only was she a compassionate medic, she was a capable fighter and leader who even got to take command of the bridge on a couple of occasions.

13. Kathryn Janeway (Voyager) The Voyager’s captain has become the basis for much debate among Trekkies. In addition to her character swinging from mother figure to ruthless general depending on the writer, Janeway threw away the Federation rulebook in ways that even Kirk would be shocked by as she tried to guide the Voyager back home. Say what you will, but Janeway is an interesting figure in the “Trek” canon, which is why she’s ranked so high. 

12. Montgomery “Scotty” Scott (Trek) The miracle worker of the Enterprise treated his ship like a beloved daughter. Whether it was attacked by Romulans or Tribbles, Scotty would always make sure that his beloved ship would make it out in one piece. Unfortunately, as the new movie “Star Trek Beyond” shows, Scotty’s counterpart in the reboot universe can’t say the same about his Enterprise.

11. Geordi La Forge (TNG) The Enterprise-D’s sweet engineer would often insist that some engineering marvel that would save the day is impossible, only to do it in minutes when pressed. His finest moments as a character came when he helped Data learn how to be more human, often to mixed results.

10. Kira Nerys (DS9) While “Trek” tackled many philosophical topics, religion was not one of them for a long time. Kira changed that, along with many other things. A firm believer in the Prophets and in terror tactics, Kira’s tough past on Bajor caused her to lock horns with the lofty ideals of the Federation members she had to work with on DS9.

9. Worf (TNG/DS9) The Klingon lieutenant started the trend of turning enemies from past series into complex characters who became vital Starfleet crew members despite cultural differences. Worf has had more appearances and story arcs than almost any other “Trek” character, including rising through Starfleet’s ranks, joining the DS9 crew, becoming a father, and preventing a civil war on his homeworld.

8. Odo (DS9) One of the most powerful twists for any “Trek” character came in “DS9,” when Odo discovered that he was a member of the race that leads the Dominion. Sisko’s number one was forced to choose a side: his race or the people they wished to exterminate. In the end, there’s only one reason he stays with the Federation: his deep love for Kira.

7. Benjamin Sisko (DS9) Commander of Deep Space Nine, Captain of the Defiant, and one of the most conflicted characters in “Trek” history. Sisko proved to be a truly fearsome captain, but gained that reputation through brutal actions that compromised his ideals. His internal conflict was a driving component behind DS9’s deconstruction of Gene Roddenberry ‘s utopia through war and racial conflict.

6. Leonard “Bones” McCoy (Trek) While he wasn’t as fleshed out as Kirk or Spock, Bones didn’t need to be. DeForest Kelley’s sardonic delivery worked perfectly with both the Captain and the Vulcan, as he served as the voice of reason to keep them both level.

5. William Riker (TNG) Number One started out as a rehash of Kirk, right down to the cocky smirk. Then came the beard, and with it a fierce sense of duty and undying loyalty to Picard. Both were put to the ultimate test in “Best of Both Worlds,” when he uttered the words that became one of the most famous cliffhangers in TV history: “Mr. Worf … FIRE.”

4. Data (TNG) The funniest and most thought-provoking supporting crew member ever. Data’s overly analytical approach to human minutae made him a charming android, and his status as a sentient A.I. gave birth to “Measure of a Man,” one of the franchise’s most important contributions to sci-fi.

3. James T. Kirk (Trek) The original captain, whose appeal hasn’t waned in the slightest over the past five decades. Kirk is the perfect mix of geek and space cowboy, serving as a sort of John Wayne figure for the sci-fi crowd. 

2. Spock (Trek) “Trek” has built its legacy on alien outsiders making observations about the human race. That began with Spock, whose Vulcan blood put him outside of our species while his human blood kept him tethered to it. From his pointy ears came endless ruminations on the nature of humanity and whether we will overcome our differences and reach the stars together.

1. Jean-Luc Picard (“TNG”) Yep, we’re planting our flag firmly in the Frenchman’s territory when it comes to the “Best Captain” debate. If Spock began the “Trek” philosophizing, Picard perfected it. He is a diplomat and a scholar, and remains so despite suffering torture and countless near-death situations. He is the embodiment of the intellect-over-brutality ideal that “Star Trek” built its legacy on.

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Original ‘Star Trek’ Enterprise Model Is Found After Being Missing for Decades

The 33-inch model surfaced on eBay after disappearing around 1979. An auction house is giving it to the son of Gene Roddenberry, the creator of “Star Trek.”

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By Emily Schmall

The first model of the U.S.S. Enterprise, the starship that appeared in the opening credits of the original “Star Trek” television series , has been returned to Eugene Roddenberry Jr., the son of the creator of the series, decades after it went missing.

“After a long journey, she’s home,” Mr. Roddenberry wrote on social media on Thursday.

For die-hard Trekkies, the model’s disappearance had become the subject of folklore, so an eBay listing last fall, with a starting bid of $1,000, didn’t go unnoticed.

“Red alert,” someone in an online costume and prop-making forum wrote, linking to the listing.

Mr. Roddenberry’s father, Gene Roddenberry, created the television series, which first aired in 1966 and ran for three seasons. It spawned numerous spinoffs, several films and a franchise that has included conventions and legions of devoted fans with an avid interest in memorabilia.

The seller of the model was bombarded with inquiries and quickly took the listing down.

The seller contacted Heritage Auctions to authenticate it, the auction house’s executive vice president, Joe Maddalena, said on Saturday. As soon as the seller, who said he had found it in a storage unit, brought it to the auction house’s office in Beverly Hills, Calif., Mr. Maddalena said he knew it was real.

“That’s when I reached out to Rod to say, ‘We’ve got this. This is it,’” he said, adding that the model was being transferred to Mr. Roddenberry.

Mr. Roddenberry, who is known as Rod, said on Saturday that he would restore the model and seek to have it displayed in a museum or other institution. He said reclaiming the item had only piqued his interest in the circumstances about its disappearance.

“Whoever borrowed it or misplaced it or lost it, something happened somewhere,” he said. “Where’s it been?”

It was unclear how the model ended up in the storage unit and who had it before its discovery.

The original U.S.S. Enterprise, a 33-inch model, was mostly made of solid wood by Richard C. Datin, a model maker for the Howard Anderson Company, a special-effects company that created the opening credits for some of the 20th century’s biggest TV shows .

An enlarged 11-foot model was used in subsequent “Star Trek” television episodes, and is now part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum , where it was donated by Paramount Studios in 1974.

Mr. Roddenberry, who said he gave the seller a “reward” for its recovery but did not disclose the terms, assembled a group of “Star Trek” production veterans, model makers and restoration specialists in Beverly Hills to authenticate the find.

The group included a “Star Trek” art supervisor, Michael Okuda, and his wife, Denise, an artist on “Star Trek” television series and films, and Gary Kerr, a “Trek x-pert” who served as technical consultant for the Smithsonian during a 2016 restoration of the 11-foot model.

“We spent at least an hour photographing it, inspecting the paint, inspecting the dirt, looking under the base, the patina on the stem, the grain in the wood,” Mr. Roddenberry said.

“It was a unanimous ‘This is 100 percent the one,’” he said.

Gene Roddenberry, who died in 1991 , kept the original model, which appeared in the show’s opening credits and pilot episode, on his desk.

Mr. Kerr compared the model to 1960s photos he had of the model on Mr. Roddenberry’s desk.

“The wood grain matched exactly, so that was it,” he said on Saturday.

The model went missing after Mr. Roddenberry lent it to the makers of “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” which was released in 1979, Mr. Maddalena said.

“This is a major discovery,” he said, likening the model to the ruby slippers from “The Wizard of Oz,” a prop that was stolen in 2005 and recovered by the F.B.I. in 2018, and that Heritage Auctions is selling.

While the slippers represent hope, he said, the starship Enterprise model “represents dreams.”

“It’s a portal to what could be,” he said.

Emily Schmall covers breaking news and feature stories and is based in Chicago. More about Emily Schmall

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• April 29, 2024 | Preview ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Episode 506 With New Images. Trailer And Clip From “Whistlespeak”
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Recap/Review: ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Reflects On Its Choices In “Mirrors”

| April 25, 2024 | By: Anthony Pascale 119 comments so far

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 5 – Debuted Thursday, April 25, 2024 Written by Johanna Lee & Carlos Cisco Directed by Jen McGowan

A solid episode with plenty of lore and character development gets weighed down with a bit too much exposition.

No, I didn’t kiss you in the past last week, what makes you say that?

WARNING: Spoilers below!

“Maybe we’re not so different.”

As the crew regroups following the time bug incident that lost them 6 hours, they try to trace the trail of their main rivals in the search for the Progenitor tech. Book takes this time to reflect on the choices he has made in life and how it isn’t too late for Moll; perhaps he can redeem the daughter of his mentor and namesake Cleveland Booker. Stamets and Tilly figure out the trail didn’t disappear into nowhere: Moll and L’ak went through a wormhole. The aperture isn’t big enough for the Disco, so the captain assigns herself to shuttle duty—over the objections of her new XO, who is still struggling a bit. After a little bonding over old Kellerun poetry, she leaves him with “I know you can lead this crew” and heads off with her ex. Returning to their old banter, including some teasing about what happened during her time tour last episode, Book and Michael head through the wormhole. Things get really choppy as they fly through exotic matter “deaf and blind,” losing comms with the Disco, and dodging debris. Skilled piloting and good ol’ Starfleet engineering saves them, but things aren’t so hot for Moll and L’ak, whose ship is spotted cut in half. Their only hope for survival is another relatively intact ship that looks familiar. A 24 th -century scientist hiding a clue in this pocket dimension on a shipwreck from another universe makes as much sense as anything.  It’s the ISS Enterprise—and that’s no typo. If the “Mirrors” title wasn’t clue enough, the ISS does it: Things are about to get Terran, again.

After docking, Michael and Book make their way through the mess of a ship to the bridge with more playful banter. The warp drive has been bricked and all shuttles and escape pods are gone, very out of character for ruthless Terrans. They track three quantum signatures in sickbay, but start with a trace in the transporter room, which looks more like a makeshift refugee camp. A chronicle reveals the crew mutinied after the Terran High Chancellor (aka Mirror Spock) was killed for making reforms. A certain Kelpien rebel leader (aka Mirror Action Saru) led refugees to the Prime Universe, where they abandoned ship. While Book expositions, Michael puts a piece of her badge (and its important Prime Universe quantum signature) in a locket she finds. Pay attention BTW, or you will be confused later. In sickbay, they find Moll and L’ak, Moll and L’ak, and Moll and L’ak—until they take out the holo-emitters so the four former couriers can face off for real. Book tries the “I knew your father” gambit and is immediately rebuffed by Moll’s serious daddy issues. The baddies figure they have the clue so they have all the leverage, but Michael uses that locket as a bluff, claiming she has the real clue. Still, no deal with the Federation is good enough because they need the Progenitor tech to get rid of an Erigah… a Breen blood bounty. That’s right, L’ak is Breen. Holy refrigeration helmet , Batman.

Mirror McCoy was a bit of an evil pack rat.

“You both still have choices .”

Cut to a series of Burn-era flashbacks when Moll was delivering dilithium to the Breen Imperium. The “bucket heads”  are not amused by the wisecracking courier who gets into a fight with one of them, but she turns the tables, revealing she knows he’s a disgraced member of the royal family—and she even knows his name. It’s L’ak, of course. He is intrigued by her plan to skim more latinum, getting payback for being humiliated for this cargo duty demotion. Soon enough, this unlikely pair is hooking up between cargo containers and he even takes off his helmet to show her his face, as well as his “other face.” It turns out the Breen have two: the one we have been seeing with L’ak and a glowing eyed translucent one.  Later, the star-crossed romance is threatened when Moll is drawn to the lure of even more latinum by delivering to the Emerald Chain. Before they can sort out if he should join her, Uncle A-hole shows up, not happy about his nephew’s little interspecies exchange program. He’s also not cool with L’ak using that old face and not the “evolved” glowy face. L’ak is given one chance at redemption: Kill Moll. He picks door number 2, killing some guards but sparing Primarch Ruhn, who declares the Erigah. L’ak knows this means they will never stop hunting him, but Moll is all-in on being a fugitive, so they escape together. Ah, true love.

Back on Mirror Enterprise, the standoff devolves into another quick firefight as the Breen/Human duo chooses not to take the offered off-ramp before going too far down the bad guy road. Moll and Book end up outside force fields that pop up around sickbay, so she reluctantly agrees to a ceasefire. The current Cleveland Booker tries again to connect, but Moll only has bad memories of a brutal childhood of abandonment after her Cleveland left her on her own at age 14. L’ak is all she has. L’ak feels the same about Moll, telling Michael that he would die before being separated, but seems open to the idea of them sharing a cell in the Federation pen. On the bridge, Book pivots to use his relationship with Michael to connect, but Moll’s need to get back to L’ak means no waiting for computer hacking, so she starts yanking out wires. The resulting short does lower the forcefield, but now the ship is out of control. Their shuttle is flung off with the jolt and there’s only eight minutes until the Big E is squished in the little wormhole. Book takes his final shot, handing over his phaser and telling Moll she is the only family he has left. She finally relents and they head to sickbay, where Michael and L’ak have resumed fighting. The captain gets the upper hand and ends up with the clue L’ak was holding and the Breen is left with a knife in his side, but impressed by the locket bluff. Moll arrives and is super pissed, so the Disco duo makes a quick exit before things escalate into yet another phaser fight. This former courier couple’s double date is over.

Uh, can you go back to the other face now?

“Maybe we can shape our own futures too.”

As Moll tries to patch up her boyfriend, Michael and Book work through the problem on the bridge, deciding that the tractor beam as their only hope. Over on the Disco, they detect an oscillating pattern, 3-4-1-4, which means something to Rayner. He now wants the nerds to figure out how to open the wormhole aperture big enough for a ship, offering kegs of Kellerun booze for the best idea. Adira sparks a team effort and Rayner rallies around the crowdsourced solution involving a hexagon of photon torpedoes. “We are only going to get one shot at this. I trust you will all make it count, red alert.” That’s the stuff. With what may be the last seconds of her life, Michael lets Book know she shared a “happy” moment with his past self during the whole time bug incident. Discovery fires the torpedoes and the crew is surprised to see the ISS Enterprise emerge at the last minute from the permanently collapsing wormhole. Everyone releases their tension as the captain informs her crew they saved her… but why is the Enterprise about to fire? A warp pod is launched! It’s Moll and L’ak. Before you can say “plot armor,” they escape to another episode. The captain returns to the Disco to tell Rayner she’s impressed with how he handled the crew during her time away, and he tells her how impressed he was with her subtle “3-4-1-4” message using the Kellerun “Ballad of Krull.” Alien poetry FTW!

In the background of the episode, Tilly has been noticing that Dr. Culber seems out of sorts. Everyone else leans on him, so she offers to be a friendly ear. As things wrap, Hugh takes her up on her offer over drinks at Red’s, admitting that ever since he was possessed by a Trill a few episodes back, he has been feeling a bit off, and he’s beening having some trouble coming to grips with the quest they are on with questions “so big and impossible to grasp.” He is not sure his matter-of-fact husband will understand what Tilly points out is a sort of spiritual awakening. This thread is left unresolved, unlike Adira’s mini-crisis of confidence: They were losing their science mojo due to guilt over the time bug, but got it back through Rayner’s tough love and being the one to come up with the hexagon of torpedoes solution. Things wrap up with Michael and Book looking over their prize, the latest piece of the map and a mysterious vial of liquid hidden inside, ready to set up the next episode once Stamets unlocks its secret. Burnham is starting to see a pattern with these clues and how the scientists who left them were trying to teach lessons along the way to the successful questers. The clue hidden in the ISS Enterprise came from Dr. Cho, a former Terran junior officer who later became a Starfleet Admiral. This happy ending for her and the others from Saru’s band of Mirror refugees fills them with hope as they can’t wait to find out what they will learn when they put the map together. There are just 2 more map pieces and 5 more episodes to go.

I think I have a thing for being possessed—no judgment.

Love stories

This halfway point episode is a bit of a mixed bag. Strong performances were a highlight, bringing extra life to welcome character development for both heroes and villains. But valiant attempts to expand upon franchise lore got weighed down in overly complicated exposition. And for an episode with a strong (and yes, often repeated) theme about choices, some of the directorial choices just didn’t work, potentially leaving some audience members confused or requiring a second viewing to follow the narrative. On the other hand, the episode carried on the season’s reflection on Discovery’s own lore and the evolution of its characters. David Ajala stands out as the episode MVP as he shows Book’s struggle to navigate the emotional complexities of his own choices and those of Moll while desperately trying to forge a new family connection. While some of the action scenes in this episode felt a bit perfunctory, the show is still getting better (for the most part) in finding moments for those character sidebars to talk about their emotional journeys and relationships. That was especially important in this episode, which took a closer look at how the events of the season are impacting some of the key romantic pairings of Book and Michael, Paul and Hugh, and Moll and L’ak.

Eve Harlow—and especially Elias Toufexis—stepped up to add layers and nuance to Moll and L’ak, with Discovery finally embracing how fleshing out adversaries and their motivations goes a long way towards making your plot hold together. The nicely drawn-out reflection of their love story with the rekindling one between Michael and Book adds another layer to the more obvious meaning behind the episode title “Mirrors.” Moll’s single-minded anger and L’ak’s desire for safety now all make sense, as does their unshakable bond. The episode also did a good job weaving in a handful of substories, including Rayner’s growing connection with the crew, with a nice sprinkling of Kellerun lore-building — adding some color to his character. Callum Keith Rennie continues to be a stand-out addition for the season, although Doug Jones is sorely missed, presumably not appearing in two episodes in a row for some scheduling reasons. Culber’s spiritual journey also gets just enough time, as it and these other substories all feel like they are heading somewhere without distracting or spinning their wheels, something that often weighed down mid-season Discovery episodes in past seasons.

Okay, let’s just agree we both have daddy issues.

Under the mask

The reveal that L’ak is a Breen was a surprise, but also nicely teased through the previous episodes. Fans of Deep Space Nine should relish finally getting some answers about this enigmatic race and finally having a first look under those helmets. “Mirrors” picked up on many elements from DS9, including the Breen language, refrigeration suits, neural truncheons, and the position of Thot , while adding lots to the lore, including some worldbuilding behind this new Breen Imperium and its “faction wars.”

Setting the Breen up as what appears to be the real big bads for the season involved a lot of data dump exposition here, surely keeping the editors of Memory Alpha busy for the next week. The notion that Breen have two forms with their signature suits and helmets allowing them to hold the more “evolved” form and face makes sense. If one were to get nitpicky, the Breen aren’t supposed to bleed, but perhaps that was a function of his suit; fill in your own headcanon. L’ak’s desire to hold the other, less evolved form making him a pariah in Breen society has echoes of allegorical episodes such as TNG’s “The Outcast.” That being said, the nuances are still not entirely clear, and fans who like the lore shouldn’t have to rewatch scenes to pick up the details. It feels like some details were cut, perhaps because this episode was already trying to cram in too much exposition with the Breen, Kelleruns (they boil cakes?), and the Mirror Universe.

Like the previous time travel adventure, this was a mid-season bottle show, this time using the conveniently located Strange New Worlds sets. Bringing back the ISS Enterprise was clever and fun, with the twist of how this time the Mirror Universe came to us. If you follow closely, “Mirrors” did a nice job of filling in some lore gaps and tying together the MU storylines from the first visit in “Mirror, Mirror” to follow-ups in Deep Space Nine , Enterprise , and Discovery . There is now a nice throughline from Emperor Georgiou saving Mirror Saru through to Mirror Spock, killed for the reforms he instituted after being inspired by Kirk. However, the redress of the Enterprise sets was not very inspired, with only a smattering of Terran wall sconces and some repainting, instead of demonstrating the brutality of the Empire with elements like agony booths. But what was even more missed was the promise of any character crossovers. There was a lot of talk about Mirror characters like Spock, Saru, Dr. Cho, and others, but we don’t get to see any, one of the many examples of how this episode broke the golden rule to show not tell. There were plenty of opportunities for a flashback or holo recording. Burnham longingly gazing at her brother’s science station is no substitute for Ethan Peck with a goatee.

We’re back!

Final thoughts

“Mirrors” is a decent episode, but it could have been much better with a few tweaks here and there. While not falling into the pointless plate-spinning trap of past mid-season Disco outings, it still dragged a bit for something so jam-packed with lore and revelations. Still, it provided a nice hour of entertainment, and possibly more with rewatches to catch up on the little details. The episode also continues the season’s welcome trend of weaving in the show’s own past, which makes it work better as a final season, even if they didn’t know that when they crafted it. Season 5 hits the halfway mark, and it’s still the best season yet, and hopefully the second half of the season will nail the landing.

Wait, we’re in this episode too? Anyone remember their lines?

• Like the previous episode, “Mirrors” began with a warning for flashing images.
• The episode is dedicated “to the loving memory of our friend Allan ‘Red’ Marceta ,” the lead set dresser who died in a motorcycle accident in 2022.  Presumably the USS Discovery bar “Red’s” was named in his honor.
• This is the first episode where Book’s personal log starts it off.
• Stardate: 866280.9
• Booker examined wanted notices for Moll from the Federation, Orion/Emerald Chain (who have a new logo), and the Andorian Empire.
• Tilly was able to reveal the wormhole by compensating for the “Lorentzian Coefficient,” referencing the real Lorentz Factor used in special relativity equations.
• A new ensign on the Discovery keeps a Cardassian vole as a pet.
• The ISS Enterprise was built at Tartarus Base, possibly referencing Tartarus Prime , from the TOS novel The Rings of Time .
• Moll refers to Breens as “bucketheads” (just as Reno did to Emerald Chain Regulators last episode). This could be a nod to the use of “ bucketheads ” in Star Wars as a derogatory term for stormtroopers.
• Moll’s mother died on Callor V in a mine for Rubindium , a substance first mentioned in TOS “Patterns of Force.”
• Linus can play the piano.
• Breen Primarchs may be a nod to the genetically engineered Primarchs from Warhammer 40,000 .
• How does Book know that Pike’s catchphrase is “Hit it”?
• This is the third (of five) season 5 episodes in which Oyin Oladejo and Emily Coutts do not appear, but their characters, Detmer and Owosekun, are mentioned when they get the honor of escorting the ISS Enterprise back to Starfleet HQ.
• Even though we didn’t see it warp away, presumably the missing intermix chamber was replaced, otherwise Owo and Detmer’s trip is going to take a very long time.
• Tilly says her long day makes her feel like she has been through a Gormangander’s digestive tract.

Remember when Mudd hid inside a Gormagander? Gross.

More to come

Every Friday, the TrekMovie.com All Access Star Trek Podcast  covers the latest news in the Star Trek Universe and discusses the latest episode. The podcast is available on Apple Podcasts ,  Spotify ,  Pocket Casts ,  Stitcher and is part of the TrekMovie Podcast Network.

The fifth and final season of  Discovery debuted with two episodes on Thursday, April 4 exclusively on Paramount+  in the U.S., the UK, Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, and Austria.  Discovery  will also premiere on April 4 on Paramount+ in Canada and will be broadcast on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel in Canada. The rest of the 10-episode final season will be available to stream weekly on Thursdays. Season 5 debuts on SkyShowtime in select European countries on April 5.

Keep up with news about the  Star Trek Universe at TrekMovie.com .

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waste of ISS Enterprise

While I enjoyed the episode overall, the ISS Enterprise was a huge letdown and not even worth being an easter egg with what little they did with it. They should have just made it a generic constitution class ship from the mirror universe.

It felt like it was nothing more than a budget saver. Use existing sets from the other show. Which is weird because one of the arguments in favor of mini seasons is it allows more money to be spent.

That’s exactly what it felt like. Along with the missing, yet again, Detmer and Owosekun.

There must have been some deep budget cuts for the season.

Detmer and Owosekun were replaced by other characters so I don’t think they are missing for budget reasons. It’s more likely that the actresses were unavailable.

I get the budget issues considering what’s going on with the studio. But the end result was it showed that there isn’t much difference at all in the 900 years between the SNW Enterprise and the aesthetic of Star Trek Discovery. They both look as if they were set in the exact same era.

And there really shouldn’t be much. Discovery is from the same era, as the Enterprise. While the ship gets a technological upgrade, why would it get an interior design makeover?

Since it was deemed important (Stamets certainly makes since) that the crew stay on the Discovery, I would certainly think that psychologically having its design aesthetics stay similar to what it was would help give the crew a little bit of their past to hold on to, versus having all physical interactions be with a timeline that they aren’t native to.

Now where we should see it is in native places in this time. And we have seen some differences in design from standard Starfleet settings, versus Starfleet settings on this time (I actually wish we got more).

I did wish for a little more of self reflection from Burnham’s point of view as the ISS Enterprise should of course remind her of Spock (the Enterprise tie in), but also Georgiou (the ISS tie in). We get a small brief nod to Spock, but nothing to Georgiou (and while I still question the use of the character, there is no question that Burnham did have a connection with her, even if its primarily transference from her former Captain, not the mirror Universe Empress.

It’s not just the ship. It’s everything. Everything else looks like it matches the ship’s aesthetic. As if 900 year old retro is the current fad in design.

That’s always been my issue with Discovery.

To me that is part of the downfall of going so very far into the future. What aesthetic you make should be radically different. Not just shinier.

This is a VERY common trope in Trek, historically. Using redressed older sets, even ones from distant eras, to save money. It’s just downright foolish to think that a big budget series with fewer episodes to get better production value would simply have no limits at all. Discovery is one of the most expensive-looking sci-fi shows out there for a reason: a lot of money is being spent. On sets, effects, and even the cast. Oded Feherer, Callum Kieth Rennie, Michelle Yeoh, Jason Isaacs, Sonequa, David Cronenberg, Tig Notaro, and plenty of others during its run — its cast is broad and extremely strong, with well-known, talented actors, not to mention some of the best TV directors, set decorators, costumers, etc in the business.

Now, sure I think it’s fair to be let down by a budget-saving measure, particularly because of how much money IS being spent, so I get the logic here, but it’s sorely misplaced. The fact is, Trek has done this for decades, and often not nearly as well. Let it go — just try to enjoy the show and not worry about that kind of thing. But that’s the thing I struggle with, with you on this board: you seem to be looking for reasons NOT to like this show because you find more enjoyment in watching and hating it than anything else. Go watch a show you actually like, it’s been five years and it’s ending now. It’s time to let it go, my good friend.

Agreed. The last two episodes just felt very budgeted and basically bottle episodes. And this just felt like a twofer, a way to use an existing set and add a little fan service but that’s all it was. I thought the Enterprise itself was going to be a viral part of not just the episode but the story overall.

Instead it was just a backdrop. And yeah it’s obvious they cut the budget for this season but all the live action shows have felt this way starting with Picard season 3 and SNW season 2. That all felt pretty bare a lot of the times. I guess this was all during Paramount+ belt tightening and probably not a shock why the show was cancelled.

And maybe the I.S.S. Enterprise should have been the refit or maybe the Phase II Enterprise? That would have been a lot of fun but combine a lack of vision with a reduced budget and this is what you get.

Looking back on “In a Mirror: Darkly”, season 4 of Enterprise was dealing with a reduced budget but managed to recreate sets from TOS, introduced a few new set pieces and did a lot of great effects work.

This was a missed opportunity.

Which was added by stretching that story over two episodes, so that they had the budget to recreate the sets they used. Having half the episode count, doesn’t really help avail yourself to planning out a two parter for a way to save costs.

If Picard could pull off recreating the bridge of the Enterprise D for three days of shooting with barely half the budget of Discovery season 5, they could have done something equally as fun for Discovery on the cheap without actually having to building anything new and using the Enterprise as a crutch. They could have come across Deep Space Station K-7, where the exterior would have been immediately familiar and with interiors served by redressed sets from virtually anything available from Discovery or SNW.

I thought Discovery is basically the PII Enterprise?

The Phase II Enterprise looks like a slickly modified version of the Enterprise from TOS, falling squarely between the Enterprise from TOS and the refit. The “Star Trek: Phase II” fan series did a great job bringing it to screen.

No, Discovery resembles the Enterprise concept for the Planet of the Titans movie.

I don’t get that. I never assumed that the Enterprise (or its mIrror Universe history) was going to feature in significant manner (certainly the producers and promotional department didn’t make a significant deal about it). Perhaps it’s the time difference. But I literally assumed it would be as significant as the Defiant going in and out of phase like TOS “Tholian Web” the time difference. And that was primarily set dressing. That’s not a bad thing. I mean Tholian Web is considered one of the better third season episodes.

And the only reason I assumed it was the Enterprise versus another Connie, is simple to give Burnham a moment to reflect on Spock. Now I do freely admit that I wish this was a slightly larger moment. But I never expected it to be anything but a small moment. Roughly my preconceived notion would be something like Spock’s Mind Meld scene with La’an in SNW where she is able to get a peak into Spock thinking about his sister and the emotion that comes with it. It’s a very brief scene, but I thought SNW did a good job in conveying the emotional aspect, especially from a half Vulcan/ Half Human.

Ok fair enough. This is probably more my hang up and to be fair since they never really promoted the the Enterprise being back then clearly they weren’t trying to make it that big of a deal.

But same time a lot of people do feel there could’ve been more done. The main problem is it just feels like a ridiculous stretch this ship itself is even there. It’s a ship from 900 years ago from a DIFFERENT UNIVERSE that conveniently happens to be the ship that gives them their next clue. I know it’s Star Trek so whatever lol. But when you go through the effort to present it I think it would’ve nice to build a bigger story around it. It could’ve just been any ship.

Exactly! The ship could have been any ship. The fact that with such an enormous universe(s) they would happen to find the next clue on a Mirror Universe ship and the ISS Enterprise no less–it’s such “Small Universe Syndrome”.

When you feel like the Mirror Universe has been nothing but a let down after the initial TOS episode, It’s really not a surprise. There’s really nowhere to go with it, but I did find that the fulfilling of the promise that Prime Kirk spoke to Mirror Spock about from the original TOS episode quite satisfying. The ship’s inhabitants embraced the benevolence of the prime universe, and I thought that was great.

I felt the idea that the MU people just easily adapted was pretty ridiculous. But then, they admitted SNW was an alternate timeline. It’s not a stretch that alternate extends to all the Secret Hideout productions.

I’m not sure I would feel the same about Picard given it depicts the Prime events of ST:2009. The others tho yeah I think of it that way too. Although The Chase does make that harder to swallow about DISCO

I liked the MU in DS9. It was fun to revisit and a great reminder of the Prime Directive. But… after that it got tiresome.

It was pretty benign there, but the problem with it, is finding it plausible. It was a fun idea in the 1960’s, and it had a good message. After that, it an indulgence. The notion that that the same people would even exist in the same fundamental places, and that the same ships would exist with virtually the same crew just seems like too much of a stretch even for modern Star Trek.

That’s my only complaint about this episode. Seeing the tantalus field show up would have been really cool. When Michael talked about how she was sure that Mirror Spock was a savage just like the other Terrans, I was sure that we would see a recording or something of Ethan Peck in a goatee to prove her wrong. Or flashbacks with Ethan Peck and Paul Wesley as their mirror counterparts would have also been cool.

All the stuff with the Breen and Mol and Lak was really cool though.

“ waste of ISS Enterprise” should be the official episode description.

waste of series

They ate Mirror Saru in season one…

Was that Saru or another Kelpian? It’s been a while since I watched Season 1, but I recall Mirror Saru saving Burnham from Tyler just as Voq’s personality re-emerged. I know Mirror Georgiou served Burnham some Kelpian, I just didn’t remember it being Mirror Saru.

Mirror Saru saved Michael from Tyler in The Wolf Inside, which was the episode that preceded the one in which they ate the food made from a Kelpien (Vaulting Ambition).

Looking at Memory Alpha now, it says that the chosen Kelpien ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVQSipQlJR8 ) was played by someone other than Doug Jones, but they look so much alike that I thought for sure she had chosen Mirror Saru.

As per Memory Alpha, we never saw him again after The Wolf Inside until season three, but that was in the alternate timeline Carl sent Georgiu to, so it wasn’t the same Mirror Saru.

Nope, that was another Kelpien.

“They ate Mirror Saru in season one…”

They didn’t.

Wasn’t Mirror Saru established as having survived in Season 3 (can’t remember the episode name).

A s per Memory Alpha, we never saw Mirror Saru again after The Wolf Inside until season three, but that was in the alternate timeline Carl sent Georgiu to, so it wasn’t the same Mirror Saru.

Loved this episode. I liked seeing the I.S.S Enterprise though i would of loved to of seen maybe a video log of Mirror Spock.

As a big fan of DS9 I’m glad we finally get to see what a breen looks like and the 32nd century breen outfits look great.

I enjoyed seeing Book/Burnham trying to get through to Moll/L’ak and i hope they can eventually get through to them. With this season about connections and 2nd chances i can see Book and Burnham talking both of them down before they do something that they can’t come back from.

The shot of the I.S.S Enterprise coming out of the ‘wormhole’ is probably one of my favorite CGI scene in all of Trek.

I’m glad they didn’t. I think the conceit of using the I.S.S. Enterprise was not much more than a budgetary decision to be able to use the sets. Could have made it a different constitution class, but then they don’t get to tell the story of the crew’s transformation into our society. Just don’t think about it too much.. because that universe is just pushing out its own doppelgängers into our universe.. which seems problematic. lol.

As a big fan of DS9 I’m glad we finally get to see what a breen looks like and the 32nd century breen outfits look great.

Any kind of big reveal was bound to be disappointing, I suppose. Still, the idea that they were just another latex alien was a letdown. I had always hoped that the Breen were gaseous or plasma creatures.

Ethan Peck with a goatee would have been EPIC

“This is the way.” 😉

But seriously that was a pretty good episode. I’d like to see a 31st century restored Terran empire that never went through “the burn.”

“ The reveal that L’ak is a Breen was a surprise ”

It really wasn’t, though. That was many viewers’ guess since the beginning of the season, and it’s been a common discussion on many websites. The surprise would have been if he HADN’T been a Breen.

I am on a lot of other sites and I haven’t heard anyone thinking he was Breen. And I don’t believe anyone voiced that in Trekmovie either.

LOL. It’s been a common theory.

Obviously not THAT common. LOL

I’ve seen the theory mentioned in the comments here on TrekMovie.

Yes, quite common from what I’ve been reading. I just commented on this very site a couple weeks back that I liked the idea, when somebody else theorized it (forget who it was)!

I guess it’s just where you go for these discussions but yeah the first YouTube review of episode one I saw theorized Lak was a Breen in the first scene he was in when he took off his helmet. And this was obviously before the species was mentioned on the show.

So yeah some people caught on the first episode the way others theorized Tyler was Voq the first time he showed up. Others needed more convincing.

I never saw it but I certainly don’t read the majority of comments. And almost never watch video reviews. Now Voq, was something I remember seeing in many places. Though in fairness, the amount of conjecture done about any Trek series for its Pilot and early couple episodes has been in my experience far more than what you see for most regular episodes. So that shouldn’t;t surprise me.

It was a surprise to me.

The Breen being so ordinary looking was a bit of a surprise.

Well, one of their forms are. It explains the frozen wasteland/tropical paradise. Their “evovled” form needs cryo suits, their “normal form” doesn’t

Was a surprise to me. Then again, I don’t run around the internet and over analyze the show.

This season started out so well. What happened? It’s falling apart.

I hate to a agree. But its once again a long slow burn (pardon the bun) that I fear is going to lead to another whimper of a conclusion. I feel like the season could have been a movie instead. Where is Chapel?!

Wrong show. Chapel is on SNW. The ending was rewritten and new scenes were shot to make it a series finale. They had already started shooting when they got the word that it was ending after season 5.

presumably on Her show, SNW?

“pardon the bun” …🍔⁉️

What’d that poor bun do for it to be in need of a pardon? 😋

This is what happens in every single season of Discovery. Two lovers who want to destroy the galaxy so they can get to paradise was the plot of season four, and now they are recycling the exact same plot for this season.

Did you watch the show. In no seasons has two lovers wanted to destroy the galaxy….Period. L’ak and Moll want to pay off their bounty. Nothing about what they are doing is about wanting to destroy the galaxy.

Outside of the destruction caused by the aliens referred to as 10-C, did any character want to destroy the galaxy let alone a couple. The only couple we had, was one person wanting peaceful means of communication to prevent destruction, while the other wanted to use force to ensure the destruction doesn’t occur. In no case does that equal people wanting to destroy a galaxy.

I can understand not liking the show, but to have such a misconstrued concept of the plot of the seasons shows a shocking lack of basic understanding of what the plot and motivations of the characters are.

I mean the show has plenty that one can find legitimate issues with. Thats not one of them.

They want to pay their bounty by giving a weapon of potential mass destruction to the Breen, thus destroying the galaxy, as seen in the time jumps last episode. They want to do that so they can escape to the Gamma Quadrant while the Breen take apart the Alpha Quadrant.

Last season the scientist wanted to let the 10-C species bulldoze the Alpha Quadrant so he could get across the galactic barrier to meet his lover in paradise, without caring what happened to trillions of other lives.

It is the same basic plot point. Your analysis is incorrect, Wood.

I think you’re overreacting a little. As always.

This episode was disappointing and fell flat. The return of the ISS Enterprise from the mirror universe was of no interest. I had hoped to possibility see a video log from Kirk, Spock, or another familiar character. Why not explore other Constitution Class Starships like the ISS Lexington, Hood, or Potemkin? Enterprise, Enterprise, Enterprise. (Sigh)

Maybe cause the enterprise is the trek ship pretty much everyone knows even if they are a new trek fan or a casual trek fan or not even a trek fan it is so engrained and intertwined with the name Star Trek that is why they chose to make it the iss enterprise instead of one of the others you mentioned

Because exploring a random ship isn’t the plot of the episode. It’s basically set dressing. Having it be the Enterprise versus a different Connie, gives it a tie to the lead character and part of her family she left behind. That it sorry wise. Another ship wouldn’t have any emotion aspect to the characters. Now production wise its to save a ton of money, as creating a random ship with multiple settings to take use of takes money (if your trying to give it the same level of production that you see for the primary ship). Now of course they could have just created a redress of an existing set to be random alien ship of the week. Those usually aren’t done to the same level of using the existing bridge set of another show. So it serves a small story purpose (ie a setting), it serves a small character purpose *reflection for Burnham, and it serves a production purpose (having high quality set pieces without having to build or do a serious redress and thus saving some money).

Seems rather obvious, to me.

I’m annoyed by what they seem to be doing with Owosekun and Detmer this season. I assume that the actors are absent because Paramount wanted to pay them less, and that’s poor treatment for characters who have been around since practically the beginning of the series.

“ I’m annoyed by what they seem to be doing with Owosekun and Detmer this season. ”

…as opposed to the previous four seasons, when all they did was sit in chairs and look meaningfully at each other?

Which is all Sulu and Chekov do in the average TOS episode. So yes, it’s aggravating for them to be replaced by other actors who are doing the same thing.

I doubt they are paid exorbitantly as recurring guests. It could be similar to what happened in season 4 and Bryce Ronnie Rowe Jr’s absences – he had another gig.

I have a theory that before it was decided that Disco would be cancelled, they were going to replace some of the characters. I think Owosekun and Detmer were going to be replaced, and also that Rayner would become captain and Burnham would go away to do something else. But then that didn’t work out, and so to us it just makes no sense why those two main characters are suddenly missing.

You might be right — I hadn’t considered that revamps due to cancellation might be involved.

Well… It is what it is . This was easily the worst episode of the 5. Tropes galore and really bad plot contrivances.

It feels like the reshoots for when they got the cancelation news are getting dropped in throughout the season. A lot of scenes appear grossly out of place. It feels like they just aren’t even trying anymore to be honest. As flawed as the show has been one thing that never came across among the other problems was a lack of trying.

I am loving the addition of Rayner and the professional Starfleet officer energy he is bringing to the ship. I also liked when he told Burnham the mission was too dangerous for the captain to go on. He is turning out to be a nice counterbalance to the unusual way Discovery has been run as a Starfleet ship after season 2.

I hope he doesn’t get killed off.

Sorry but this was another big fat ‘meh’ for me. This was very very disappointing. Nothing of consequence happened. We learn Mol and Lak backstory basically and it is cool we learn that Lak is a Breen which has been the leading theory since he showed up but it just felt sooo bare overall. Like another Discovery infamous spinning wheel episode where they do the bare minimum to move the plot along but just through a lot of action scenes and inconsequential dialogue to feel like we were getting any real development.

And the biggest elephant in the room (or dimensional wormhole) was the ISS Enterprise. Such a let down. It almost felt like a gimmick or just shoehorned fan service. There was no real reason it needed to be there other than HEY THE ENTERPRISE IS BACK!

Again one of the problems with this show, no real development just there for another connection. Think about what they did with In a Mirror Darkly on Enterprise. They brought in the Defiant as obvious fan service from TOS but the ship had a very vital part to the story. It helped changed the dynamics of the MU. It wasn’t there just for show like this was. And Anthony made a great point the redress felt like a joke. It just felt like an excuse to use the set but little else.

Here it was nothing more than just a backdrop and a really forced one at that. And the whole Saru thing just felt very contrived.

I did like all the Breen stuff though and hopefully they will be the big bad the rest of the season. I still think they should’ve used the Breen as the main villain for SNW instead of the Gorn but I digress.

But yeah this is probably the weakest one for me which is disappointing since last week is my favorite so far. I’m getting a little nervous now. It’s usually the second half of the season this show begins to falls apart but still open minded. Still enjoying it overall but please don’t end up a tedious bore like last season felt once it got to its mid season.

You have one last chance Discovery, make it count!

I never considered the Breen in SNW before, but that’s a cool idea. Yeah, I would’ve liked that much more than the Gorn.

For me it was literally the first Gorn episode I thought the Breen would’ve been a better idea. You get the same type of stories and it doesn’t feel like it’s breaking any canon like the Gorn obviously does. I ranted enough about it but nothing about their appearance on SNW feels remotely canon anymore.

But the Breen could’ve been a great substitute if they wanted a known species not named Klingons and zero canon issues.

Agreed. I always enjoyed the mysterious quality of the Breen. Seems ripe for exploration.

This season is largely working for me. Not as good as last week, but the chase is enjoyable. I have a little trouble buying that Mol and L’ak fell in love so fast. I would have liked to have seen that handled better.. but the slow burn of the plot works because of what they do to sustain individual episodes. Only episode I thought was kind of wasteful was the one on Trill.

That is a big part of the problem, yes. The characters have little chemistry.

The flashbacks took [place over an extended period of time, it wasnt THAT fast

They both felt like outcasts in their family/society, fusing them together like lightning. I had no problem with that as it gave me a Bonnie & Clyde-vibe which is historical.

It’s fine, but the romance piece just isn’t clicking for me.

Tarka was a similar situation last season with the reveal of his motivation not really moving me, but I’m also not the biggest fan of waiting several episodes to fill in a lot of backstory in a flashback. It’s not easy to pull off, and Discovery hasn’t really perfected it.

It’s a wonder I stuck with Lost as long as I did, now that I think about it.

“ it’s still the best season yet ”

Well, it was for the first two episodes, but the three since then have been a downward spiral. Seasons one and two were much better than this week’s episode and last week’s.

I’ve enjoyed it all except for the Trill episode. I think it’s been fun with a faster pace.. which has helped with a lot of issues that haven’t gone away. Raynor has been a very welcome addition to the cast.

Overall, very entertaining!

For complaints: any other constitution ship would be cool – but I also feel like we don’t know what happens next – there could be some Prime Mirror Universe people out there. & the “hit it!” joke felt like Dad was in the writer’s room.

Otherwise, I the pairings felt very TOS. Rayner is a little bit Serious Scotty when performing a captain’s role. And he took pride in rescuing her – which is feels good.

For me, this season has been 5/5.

Personal Log. Stardate: Today.

Week 4 of not-watching Discovery continues without incident. Opinions gleaned from critics on the latest episode seem to confirm that ‘mid-season malaise’ has been reached right on schedule.

Based on the collective opinion of commentators, there have been a grand total of one episode out of five that qualifies as “actually good”.

In conclusion, it appears the decision to not-watch until the penultimate episode has been vindicated. The plot points I am privy to following the one episode I watched are:

– There is a chase (or ‘The Chase 2.0’) for the Holy Grail / the technological marvel Salmone Jens left behind.

– The Cylon is now the First Officer.

– The Trill and the Robot are no longer together.

All in all, I remain confident that the recap at the beginning of the penultimate episode should be sufficient to fill in all the key points required.

Again, my thanks go out to the resolute souls who manage to endure what I could not.

these threads are for people to talk about the episodes they have seen. CLOSED.

Am I wrong or did the DS9 episode Through the Looking Glass make a reference to the Mirror Spock being on Romulus? Also given all the DS9 cross overs with the Mirror Universe you would think Burnham would have known something more about her brother’s counterpart.

Spock was not mentioned in Through the Looking Glass. We know between Crossover and the new dedication plaque of the ISS Enterprise that he reformed the Terran Empire and was killed for it. Burnham has clearly boned up on a lot of info since coming to this century, but easy to assume the future history of the mirror universe wasn’t part of that. Also, that info could have been lost or been classified.

Wow! The Breen. From CGI to burn victim.

Does anybody think the Commander Rainer is gonna become the Commandant of Starfleet Academy?

Everything involving Book is incredibly tedious. They brought back the ISS Enterprise as a way to resurrect the OG Enterprise in continuity. Perhaps it ends up as the Enterprise Q or whatever, if Saru is in command then ok. Burnham insisting on going on the away mission is diametrically opposed to how TNG dealt with this – e.g., when Riker as captain insisted on boarding the Borg cube in Best of Both Worlds, and his senior officers reminded him his place was on the bridge. I guess everyone got much dumber in the 32nd century, but “dumber” is Discovery’s whole concept.

This post missed an important Easter egg towards the end: Morn was at the bar “Red’s” just like he did on Quark’s on DS9.

We don’t call out or find every little egg, but when the bar was introduced last season we noted the Lurian (Morn’s species), who has been there ever since. We don’t usually do repeated easter egg bits for each episode

Yay! Good seeing the Breen again and their evolved design in the 32nd Century is great.

Boo! Pretty much everything else except Rayner who is the best character in the show.

Imagine they used the Star Trek: Tour set in Trekonderoga for the ISS Enterprise? What a cool surprise that would have been. But nope, we got the generic canon-breaking Discoprise. Not surprised.

I swear if they make the new Enterprise in the 3190s a refitted Constitution, I will facepalm. Just a stupid idea, when you have far superior tech and designs in the future time period. Please don’t, Disco-writers. Bad enough they did it with the Ent-G (one of my few criticisms of the great PIC S3).

here are 6 points for a reply to each of your issues with snw and dsc as a whole and this episode in particular

1.there is already a constitution class in the 32nd century it’s design was also used pre burn in the late 31st century so i dought they would refit iss enterprise like they did with the discovery plus they did say the ship was being taken to a federation storage facility

2.as for why they used the snw sets and cg assets well two reasons for one location/budget convenience as snw is shot in toronto at the same studio as dsc is and two they have said from the start they visually updated the 23rd century to fit visually better between ent era and tmp era mainly star trek 5/6

3.and there is nothing canon breaking about any of the new shows as they give explanations that tie back to enteprise and first contact since enterprise tied into that movie for the reasons of in unverse changes to the prime timeline universe and that is time travel to fix the past either on it’s own or part of the temporal cold war

4.and the temporal Cold War which later turned into the temporal wars is the reason the discovery was refited and givin the -A at the end of the registry is to hide the fact the ship and crew time traveled and broke the law agaisnt any form of time travel that was put into place after the temporal wars and a smaller part to protect starfleets butt

5.and if you have to don’t look at seasons 1 and 2 of dsc and snw as prequels to tos but as sequels to ent and then veiw ent as a sequal to first contact as i hear it makes it easier for some tos fans to enjoy these trek shows

6.or use the in universe reasons for the changes mentioned above in point 3 to be able to enjoy watching new trek shows mentioned above in point 5

Would it have been too much if Dr. Cho was instead Marlena Moreau? Just saying. Kind of like Dax in Jinaal… I feel like they are making all of these deep cuts, why not make them count a bit more to the overall lore, instead of just throwing the ISS Enterprise in with no good reason. Making these deep cuts actually count towards the overall lore might make the obvious (potential) budget cuts, set reuses, etc. be a bit more forgiving. Giving loved characters some finality that affect the course of this in our face galactic scale quest… might make it hit harder? Maybe I’m wrong, I’m sure someone here will think so lol

Overall the episode was okay. I do understand using the ISS Enterprise since this is supposed to be the final season of Discovery it was a nostalgia play and kind of wrap up the history of that ship in regards to the series. But overall it just seems kind of mashed together. Have to see how it ties in with the rest of the season.

I would say this episode along with the one before it were definitely the weakest of the season. They started out with a bang on the first few, and while I know that they tend to slow down in the middle of the season before ramping up the action for the final few, this episode dragged. There were also a few things with the Breen and the Enterprise that seemed a bit confusing:

– The Breen have 2 faces…great! Awesome twist to the species and fantastic to finally be able to see them after all the mystery around them in DS9. If the second face is supposed to be the more evolved one though, why do they need the masks and the suits? Can the more evolved face not breathe in a standard atmosphere? When L’ak and his uncle opened up their masks, they seemed fine, so there’s still quite a bit we don’t know about why they use that whole setup, especially when they’re around their own people

– Does the more evolved form extend past the face?

ISS Enterprise

– The stardate on the commemorative plaque is 32336.6. Popping that number into a couple of online stardate calculators puts that around mid-2355, which would be a few years before the prime universe Enterprise-D was commissioned in 2363. They mentioned that Dr. Cho came back to the Enterprise to hide the clue, so the assumption is that she also placed the plaque there at the same time. The timing doesn’t quite add up though because The Chase took place in 2369. Nobody would have known about The Progenitors or their technology before that, so they were at least 14 years off with the plaque

– If this Enterprise has been caught in extradimensional space since at least 2355, that means it’s been there for over 800 years by the time it’s discovered. How does it still have power?

– It’s been discussed by the Disco production team that the Discovery-era Enterprise was designed so that it could eventually be refit into the TOS Enterprise. The ISS Enterprise was contemporary with Kirk’s version and was seen on screen in TOS in that configuration. Why is the version in this episode the Discovery one? I know the real-world explanation is that it was easier to just re-use that model to align with the sets, but we saw a TOS-era Constitution class USS New Jersey at the Fleet Museum in Picard, so they had that model available to use. Just a bit sloppy

– How did Stamets immediately know that the ship exiting the wormhole was the ISS Enterprise and not a different prime Constitution class ship?

Photon Torpedo

– The solution to hold the wormhole open for the Enterprise to escape was to remove the payload from the torpedoes and replace them with antimatter. Photon torpedoes are matter/antimatter weapons, so this is a little confusing. Are they taking out the matter and just loading them with more antimatter?

I don’t know that it’s been there for 855 years.. not sure if it’s kind of like the Nexus or the black hole in Trek 09, where time does things differently. My guess is, that’s how the people on board were able to integrate into society. Their doppelgängers were long deceased.

Here’s the other thing… if the idea of revolution started with Mirror Spock, and the crew of the Enterprise more or less went along with him.. this is a way of explaining how they didn’t spread the idea to teh rest of the Empire.. they were lost in space and didn’t have much, if any, influence off of their own ship.

But they did spread the idea enough to weaken the empire to the point where it could be conquered.

Yeah I was wondering that also. It’s possible since it was extradimensional space that it didn’t put them in exactly the same time that they left. Also odd that they said Dr. Cho went BACK to the Enterprise to hide the clue. That’s a pretty risky trip unless the wormhole was more stable back in the 24th century.

It is strongly implied, if not explicitly stated, that the wormhole’s instability was caused by the Burn. So, it had to be more stable in the 24th century.

they never said that the ship would be refited into the tos version as they said those 60’s sets and ship model design would not look good or belivable as from our future with modern filming cameras they said from the start they visually updated the mid 23rd century to fit better visually between ent era designs and tmp era designs mainly using Star Trek 5/6 as the basis for the tmp era side of the designs

as for the new jersey that was just a pandering memberberry easter egg for the fans that hate the visual updates and even blass has said he objected to using the 60’s design for the ship and pointed out that it should have used the snw model for it and that it was all on terry who was more interested in filling episodes with those easter eggs and memberberries like all the stuff on daystrom station and for having data come back instead of having a brand new soong type android that was exactly as alton soong designed it to be a amalgamation of data lore lal and himself

I feel like I’m seeing the same episode over and over, what a waste this series is became.

Great episode! This season has really been fantastic so far. The writing has been consistent, the acting of the principals is fantastic, and the pacing has been great.

I really loved the scenes with Rayner in command. That worked so well!

Loved getting the backstory about Moll and L’ak – it really did add layers to their characters and their story. And the reveal that L’ak was a Breen! I never saw that coming! Was great to know more about the most underdeveloped and mysterious alien race in Trek history.

Seeing the ISS Entreprise was a treat! I am guessing it was lost quite some time after mirror Spock took over from mirror Kirk. Nice Easter Egg… better than having some unknown ship in there.

Looking forward to the remaining episodes.

Did anyone else see “Morn” (or one of his species) sitting at the bar in Red’s?

Yes, I did catch that. It was a fun detail.

Seriously, an episode doesn’t go by without at least one eye roll over the touchy feely huggy share my feeling vibe that is shoe-horned into worst places. I wonder what this series would be like if Bryan Fuller had stayed on…

It would had been .. a Star Trek show, not this happy sad feeling sharing at all costs every single time somebody speaks.

I have a question because I’m really confused:

So discovery originally was set less than a decade before ToS. (And then they ended up far in the future)

The ISS enterprise is a reference to the ToS episode about the mirror universe. So that means the ISS enterprise is a contemporary with ToS and the USS enterprise, which means Dr Cho (who was expressly stated to be Terran) was about back in Kirk’s day.

However the progenitor technology and science in general was only discovered in TNG under Picard and i think it was expressly stated that the scientists that hid this research were originally asked to research it after the discovery by Picard in the first place.

TNG is set in the 24th century but ToS is set in the 23rd century – theirs about a hundred years between them.

So I’m trying to understand the timeline here because at the moment, from what I understand, it’s a human from the 23rd century somehow became a scientist on a study in the late 24th century and then stole the research and helped hide it with her 4 pals.

No the iss enterprise entered that anomaly in the mid 24th century sometime after 2355 going by the stardate on that plaque and the ship got unstuck in time via the anomaly and the refugees and survivors of mirror Saru’s revolt ended up in the late 31st century prime verse timeline sometime prior to the burn happening and then doctor Cho who was one of those survivors returned later to the ship to hide the clue there before leaving again and never returning and wiping all references to the ship from records so that it would not easily be found

I thought for sure the Real Captain Lorca would be found in the transporters.

What a waste of an episode… filler and feelings…. Rinse and repeat

What an empty, disappointing episode. Discovery feels smaller and smaller every season.

the basic idea of the episode was already good. and it would have been really great to connect the MU and the 32nd century. in the end, however, the solution and especially the writing was weak. there could have been so much more …

what really annoys me is how owo and bryce are said goodbye with a side sentence, “so long …” and so on. the way DISCO treats secondary characters is really sad at times. there should have been much more space for a bridge member like owo … sad. again and again we are given hints of interesting background stories, but then nothing else happens. that’s really lousy. compare that to the way supporting characters in earlier series were built up into really multi-faceted carriers of stories …!!

This episode was the perfect opportunity for the series to bring back Prime Universe Lorca.

Instead of having Mirror Saru be the one that brings the ISS Enterprise from the Mirror Universe to the Prime Universe, it should have been Lorca that does it.

Additionally, they could have revealed that Lorca was STILL onboard the ship, trapped in the transporter buffer like Scotty was in Relics.

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Long-lost first model of the USS Enterprise from ‘Star Trek’ boldly goes home after twisting voyage

The first model of the USS Enterprise is displayed at Heritage Auctions in Los Angeles, April 13, 2024. The model — used in the original “Star Trek” television series — has been returned to Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, the son of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, decades after it went missing in the 1970s. (Josh David Jordan/Heritage Auctions via AP)

Joe Maddalena, executive vice president of Heritage Auctions, left, and Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, the son of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, shake hands over the recently recovered first model of the USS Enterprise at the Heritage Auctions in Los Angeles, April 13, 2024. The model — used in the original “Star Trek” television series — has been returned to Eugene, decades after it went missing in the 1970s. (Josh David Jordan/Heritage Auctions via AP)

Joe Maddalena, executive vice president of Heritage Auctions, left, and Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, the son of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, view the recently recovered first model of the USS Enterprise at Heritage Auctions in Los Angeles, April 13, 2024. The model — used in the original “Star Trek” television series — has been returned to Eugene, decades after it went missing in the 1970s. (Josh David Jordan/Heritage Auctions via AP)

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DALLAS (AP) — The first model of the USS Enterprise — used in the opening credits of the original “Star Trek” television series — has boldly gone back home, returning to creator Gene Roddenberry’s son decades after it went missing.

The model’s disappearance sometime in the 1970s had become the subject of lore, so it caused a stir when it popped up on eBay last fall. The sellers quickly took it down, and then contacted Dallas-based Heritage Auctions to authenticate it. Last weekend, the auction house facilitated the model’s return.

Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, CEO of Roddenberry Entertainment, said he’s thrilled to have the model that had graced the desk of his father, who died in 1991 at age 70.

“This is not going home to adorn my shelves,” Roddenberry said. “This is going to get restored and we’re working on ways to get it out so the public can see it and my hope is that it will land in a museum somewhere.”

AP AUDIO: Long-lost first model of the USS Enterprise from ‘Star Trek’ boldly goes home after twisting voyage.

AP correspondent Margie Szaroleta reports on the return of the original model of the USS Enterprise from the TV show “Star Trek.”

Heritage’s executive vice president, Joe Maddalena, said the auction house was contacted by people who said they’d discovered it a storage unit, and when it was brought into their Beverly Hills office, he and a colleague “instantly knew that it was the real thing.”

They reached out to Roddenberry, who said he appreciates that everyone involved agreed returning the model was the right thing to do. He wouldn’t go into details on the agreement reached but said “I felt it important to reward that and show appreciation for that.”

Maddalena said the model vanished in the 1970s after Gene Roddenberry loaned it to makers of “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” which was released in 1979.

“No one knew what happened to it,” Rod Roddenberry said.

The 3-foot (0.91-meter) model of the USS Enterprise was used in the show’s original pilot episode as well as the opening credits of the resulting TV series, and was the prototype for the 11-foot (3-meter) version featured in the series’ episodes. The larger model is on display at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

The original “Star Trek” television series, which aired in the late 1960s, kicked off an ever-expanding multiverse of cultural phenomena, with TV and movie spinoffs and conventions where a fanbase of zealous and devoted Trekkies can’t get enough of memorabilia.

This USS Enterprise model would easily sell for more than $1 million at auction, but really “it’s priceless,” Maddalena said.

“It could sell for any amount and I wouldn’t be surprised because of what it is,” he said. “It is truly a cultural icon.”

Roddenberry, who was just a young boy when the model went missing, said he has spotty memories of it, “almost a deja vu.” He said it wasn’t something he’d thought much about until people began contacting him after it appeared on eBay.

“I don’t think I really, fully comprehended at first that this was the first Enterprise ever created,” he said.

He said he has no idea if there was something nefarious behind the disappearance all those decades ago or if it was just mistakenly lost, but it would be interesting to find out more about what happened.

“This piece is incredibly important and it has its own story and this would be a great piece of the story,” Roddenberry said.

Thankfully, he said, the discovery has cleared up one rumor: That it was destroyed because as a young boy, he’d thrown it into a pool.

“Finally I’m vindicated after all these years,” he said with a laugh.

Star Trek: Discovery Just Brought A Legendary Original Series Episode Back Into The Mix

Let's fly ... away from spoilers . Read no further if you haven't watched the latest episode of "Star Trek: Discovery."

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the strangest of them all? In "Star Trek," that title goes to one of the zaniest concepts ever introduced into the canon: The Mirror Universe. The idea of our alternate selves living completely different lives somewhere out there is no longer the sole domain of perhaps the nerdiest franchise in all of sci-fi (although shows like "For All Mankind," "Foundation," and "3 Body Problem" are creating some stiff competition), the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or the best episode of "Community" ever made . Fans might be surprised to find out that many in the scientific community believe the theory is worth discussion these days . But "Trek" put its own unmistakable fingerprints on the multiverse by emphasizing one in particular that stands at odds with the usual Prime Universe -- one that poses a fundamentally moral dilemma between the paragons of Starfleet we know and love, and the absolute worst versions of themselves.

It doesn't come as a huge surprise that "Star Trek: Discovery" would use its final season to travel full circle and return to the Mirror Universe that played such a significant role back in season 1 (even if, ironically, there might be a parallel universe out there where we were able to see  former showrunner Bryan Fuller's more complex and nuanced take on it ). But what's sure to shock and delight longtime fans in episode 5, aptly titled "Mirrors," is a deep-cut reference to arguably one of the most influential hours of "Trek" ever made, and the one that introduced the Mirror Universe in the first place.

Read more: Every Star Trek Show And Movie In Chronological Order

A Different Kind Of Black Mirror

There might not be any sinister goatees or chest-baring V-necks in sight throughout this episode of "Discovery," but the lasting effects of "The Original Series" episode "Mirror, Mirror" are plain to see. Upon entering the wormhole that took scavengers Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis) into multidimensional space, Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Book (David Ajala) discover the wrecked remains of their ship ... alongside the still-functioning husk of a familiar-looking Starfleet vessel, emblazoned with the name, "ISS Enterprise." For those who haven't brushed up on their 1967 "Trek" lore (and, quite frankly, shame on you if that's the case), Burnham helpfully points out that this isn't exactly the same starship captained by the fabled James T. Kirk thousands of years ago. It's one that has somehow found its way from the depths of the Mirror Universe (the exact specifics are oddly brushed aside) and remained stranded ever since.

But then "Discovery" goes a step further and hearkens back to "Mirror, Mirror" more thematically. While exploring the derelict ship, Burnham and Book stumble upon information about the previous occupants of the ISS Enterprise and specifically that of a certain Kelpian who rose from a slave to a leader in his own right. That, of course, refers to none other than the Mirror version of Saru (Doug Jones) seen in season 3, whom Emperor Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) saved from certain death and pointed towards his proper path. Where the ending of "Mirror, Mirror" suggests that Mirror Spock is still "a man of integrity" despite the ruthlessness of the Empire he serves, "Discovery" reconfirms that even the comically rampant evil of the Mirror Universe is no match for the stubborn idealism of "Trek."

New episodes of "Star Trek: Discovery" stream on Paramount+ every Thursday.

Read the original article on SlashFilm

Star Trek Discovery’s L’ak Actor Told Us About Learning His Character's Most Exciting Details At A Point When He Couldn't Immediately Freak Out

I would be losing my mind too.

Warning! The following contains SPOILERS for the Star Trek: Discovery episode "Mirrors." Watch the episode with a Paramount+ subscription before hopping in!

Star Trek: Discovery snuck in a significant reveal in its latest episode, and it answered a question that many fans have wondered for decades. We finally know what the Breen look like, and it turns out we've been looking at one almost the entire season. L'ak has the honor of being the first Breen face for fans to see, and actor Elias Toufexis had a great story of geeking out when he first learned about it.

For those who follow him on X , Toufexis is a massive Star Trek fan, but he didn't find out how significant his role as L'ak in the final season was until he was in a spot where, understandably, wild reactions and jerky movements are discouraged. The actor shared the details of when he first found out he was going to be a Breen and how he felt about it:

When I went to the makeup test I had, I had to go put on the whole plaster where you sit there for 20 minutes and try not to pass out, try not to freak out. But I said, ‘Can I look at what I'm going to look like?’ And they showed me some concept art and I said, ‘What is he?’ And they said, ‘Oh, he's, he's gonna be a Breen.’ And I was like, ‘Breen don't take their helmets off.’ That was the first thing I said, that's a much of a nerd I am. And I'm like, ‘Are you telling me I'm gonna be the first Breen that takes his helmet off?’ …The makeup guys are geeks too. So it's like, ‘Yeah, it's gonna be cool. It's gonna be the first time in Star Trek!’ And so that really got me excited.

I can't express how much I love it when a big fan of Star Trek finds themselves in a role for the franchise. Being the first unmasked Breen may not mean a ton to every actor who would get the honor, but I know Elias Toufexis was as enthusiastic as he stated in the quote above. At the same time, what awful timing to figure it out when you're in the makeup chair and have to contain your excitement physically for a set period of time!

The Breen were first mentioned Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1990, and then six years later, the species would make its debut in the Deep Space Nine episode "Indiscretion" but remained unseen until just recently. According to a quote from showrunner Ira Steven Behr from the Deep Space Nine Companion , Breen were originally fully covered up because he "wasn't in the mood" to design a new alien race.

Fast forward to now, we've seen an unmasked Breen on the run from his species with his lover, Moll (who is nothing like Ahsoka 's Shin Hati ). The couriers are searching for the Progenitors' device in hopes they can exchange it with the Breen for freedom and no longer have to live as fugitives.

I'm getting really excited about this.

Michael Burnham, being the inspiring captain that she is , offered to protect L'ak and Moll from the Breen, but her offer was rejected. The two made their escape, are off to continue to search for more clues and, hopefully, evade the Breen capture.

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It is cool to see Star Trek still surprising fans with reveals decades later, and I wonder if we'll see more unmasked Breen in upcoming Star Trek projects going forward. Perhaps whatever comes out of this conflict with the Breen will play a part in the story of the upcoming Starfleet Academy series , which is also set in the 32nd century. I can imagine we'll see at least one or two members of the Discovery cast there, though Mary Wiseman wouldn't spill the beans when I asked. Hey, you can't blame a guy for trying!

Star Trek: Discovery streams new episodes on Paramount+ on Thursdays. We're officially at the midpoint in the final season, so now would be a good time to remember what we've learned so far and gear up for the final episodes.

Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He's great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.

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'Picard's Michelle Hurd Reveals Who She Wants To See Raffi Team Up With in a 'Star Trek: Legacy' Spin-Off

Fans haven't given up hope for 'Star Trek: Legacy' and Hurd shared some exciting potential team-ups at Calgary Expo this weekend.

The Big Picture

• Fans are still hopeful for a Star Trek: Legacy spin-off series after the successful final season of Picard on Paramount+.
• Actress Michelle Hurd expresses excitement for the potential spin-off and a desire to work with more Next Generation alums.
• Hurd mentions wanting Raffi to meet Guinan; recently Whoopi Goldberg hinted at a possible return to the franchise.

While there's been no official news of a spin-off in the year since Star Trek: Picard Season 3 became one of Paramount+'s most-watched Star Trek seasons, fans are still holding out hope for Star Trek: Legacy . Despite still waiting for a green light from the studio herself, actress Michelle Hurd spoke hopefully about the potential spin-off series during a panel hosted by Collider's Maggie Lovitt at Calgary Expo this weekend. When Lovitt asked what it means to Hurd to know so many people want to see her come back to play Raffi again, she said, "It's an unbelievable honor and one that I absolutely cherish and understand the responsibility of."

As the panel went on, Hurd accepted several Star Trek questions from the attendees in the crowd. When one hopeful fan opened with plans to " assume Star Trek: Legacy is a go " Hurd wholeheartedly agreed saying, "Shall we? I like that, I like where you're going." The fan would go on to ask which other "legacy" characters from the long-running franchise she'd like to see Raffi team up with on the spin-off.

Hurd noted that "Raffi didn't get to interact with everybody that came back." As much as she loved working with Michael Dorn as Worf for most of the season, Hurd had a few other Next Generation alums from Picard Season 3 that she'd love to share the screen with. She went on to say:

"I mean, Levar Burton , Kunta Kinte, I mean can I just— I had one line, I think, with Marina [Sirtis] on the second season. I didn't really get to work other than shooting with Gates [McFadden] . So, of that, I would love to actually experience those guys. And then, you know, what I love is that Terry Matalas is such an OG that he, I mean, he had to like, you know, force some of our cameos on the show because…how do I say [this]? But some people, maybe the studio didn't really get it. They were like, ‘Oh, why would we bring this character on? Nobody knows him.’ And it was like, ‘No, everybody— YOU don't know, but everybody knows them.’ So I honestly, I think that he would, he would do an amazing job pulling in people. "

Michelle Hurd Wants to See Raffi Meet Guinan If 'Star Trek: Legacy' Happens

Hurd had one more major player from Next Generation and Picard that she would love to see Raffi team up with, saying "selfishly, Guinan would be nice to play with, I’m just saying." And it's possible she could get her wish. A few weeks ago Whoopi Goldberg — who played Guinan across six of Next Generation 's seven seasons — played coy when her The View co-host Joy Behar appeared to spill the beans about Goldberg potentially returning to the franchise again.

While we wait to see if Paramount+ will boldly go with Star Trek: Legacy , you can watch both Picard and Next Generation in their entirety on the streamer.

Star Trek: Picard

Follow-up series to Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) that centers on Jean-Luc Picard in the next chapter of his life.

Watch on Paramount+