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A Beginner’s Guide to the Star Trek Universe

Star Trek is a behemoth of a franchise. Running over 50 years, it has had five live-action series, one animated series, several films, comics, novelizations, and an extremely obsessive fandom I’ve counted myself a part of since childhood. I understand how Star Trek can seem labyrinthine, too dense for new fans to find their way in. But it’s very well worth it. This guide is a window into the Star Trek franchise, meant to introduce it those who have scant knowledge of its intricacies. At its best, Star Trek is a potently political, unabashedly philosophical, powerfully diverse, empathetic, and supremely well-crafted series that uses its hard science-fiction trappings to speak to our times. With Star Trek: Discovery bringing the franchise back to television after a 12-year absence, now is the best time to see why Star Trek has endured since The Original Series first aired in 1966.

There are a few major concepts to understand before venturing into the realm of Star Trek :

1. How Star Trek imagines the future of humanity and Earth itself. To understand the allure of Star Trek, it’s necessary to understand the ways its creator Gene Roddenberry and later writers conceived of humanity’s future. While Earth is, for all intents and purposes, a utopia during the time of the various Star Trek series, it took a long, bloody road to get there. 21st-century Earth was embroiled in many conflicts, including what would become known as World War III (2024–2053), which was sparked by a litany of issues, including anger over genetic manipulation and the Eugenics Wars. Governments fell. Major cities were destroyed. The loss of life hovered around 600 million. Ten years after the end of the war, First Contact was made with the Vulcans (a rigid, highly logical species that count fan-favorite character Spock as a member), thanks to humanity building the first warp drive that allowed for space travel faster than the speed of light (this event is dramatized in the 1996 film Star Trek: First Contact ). The discovery of intelligent alien races forced humanity to get its act together. After further chaos and attempts to establish order, eventually the United Earth Government was established in 2150. By the early 22nd century, humanity was able to eliminate most, if not all, of the poverty, disease, hunger, and cruelty that has plagued us since our beginnings. Racism, sexism, and even money was a thing of the past. Humanity’s drive became a philosophy of betterment and exploration.

2. The Federation Founded in San Francisco in 2161 by four different species, including humanity and the Vulcans. To put it simply, the Federation is a republic composed of various planetary governments who have agreed to live semiautonomously under a central body that guides their primary goals: a grand sense of intellectual curiosity and peaceful exploration.

3. Starfleet Starfleet is the defense and deep-exploration service maintained by the Federation. They ferry ambassadors, participate in away missions, protect the peace, and establish new relations with various worlds when necessary. In essence, they’re the heart and soul of the Federation. They continue, to quote Captain James T. Kirk, the “dream that became reality and spread throughout the stars.”

Now let’s get to the fun stuff!

The Original Series (1966-1969)

Where to Watch: Hulu , Netflix , CBS All Access

Beginning in the 23rd Century, Star Trek: The Original Series adeptly blends sci-fi, adventure, philosophy, and a fierce dedication to diversity in order to tell the stories of the legendary crew of the USS Enterprise . I can’t say it better than Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) does in the opening credits: “Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise . Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.”

Important Cast Members

Star Trek at its heart is an ensemble with several important key members. There’s, of course, the adventurous, boldly physical, ladies man Captain James T. Kirk , whose swagger often masks his sincerity. My favorite by far is First Officer/Lieutenant Comander Spock (Leonard Nimoy), a half-Vulcan, half-human dedicated to logic and fond of the arts, battling his issues with being in the liminal space between two worlds. His friendship with Kirk is not only the backbone of The Original Series and its cinematic counterparts, but one of the definitive relationships of the entire franchise . There’s also the hilariously blunt Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley), the congenial chief engineer Scotty (James Doohan), and the revolutionary characters Uhura (Nichelle Nichols, who could count Martin Luther King Jr. as a fan), and dashing science officer Lieutenant Sulu (George Takei).

Gateway Episodes

Season 1, Episode 3, “Where No Man Has Gone Before” Despite being billed as the third episode of the series, it’s actually more of a pilot episode. (Well, technically the second pilot after the first one failed to convince execs of Star Trek ’s potential.) “Where No Man Has Gone Before” follows two crew members who develop godlike psychic abilities after the Enterprise attempts a mission at the edge of the galaxy. It’s full of action and towering emotional stakes, and it capably sketches the main characters.

Season 1, Episode 15, “Balance of Terror” Watching “Balance of Terror” demonstrates the depth and craft of Star Trek: The Original Series. It’s a taut and complex Cold War allegory that introduces the Romulans, the warlike cousins of the more scientifically minded Vulcans. After they arrive, Spock faces virulent bigotry from his peers on the Enterprise , who begin to see him as a threat. It’s a bracing and emotionally astute episode that sharpens the dynamics between its characters to create a provocative tale about the way prejudice blooms and corrupts.

Best Episodes

Season 1, Episode 22, “Space Seed” “Space Seed” introduces the ills from humanity’s past when the Enterprise stumbles upon an ancient ship that escaped 20th-century Earth during the Eugenics War. The passengers are genetically engineered humans who have been asleep for 200 years, but they awake still assured of their own superiority. The episode is notable for introducing Khan Noonien Singh (a decadently malevolent Ricardo Montalban), one of the definitive villains from the franchise, and science-fiction history.

Season 2, Episode 4, “Mirror, Mirror” Star Trek loves traversing to the mirror universe, where the characters turn into their darker, sometimes outright evil, counterparts. This is a gleeful, bracing episode that stands out for its use of Spock and finally giving Uhura a more active role.

Season 2, Episode 15, “The Trouble With Tribbles” If you’re in the mood for a more comedic episode, you can do no better than this unabashedly bonkers one.

What to Skip

Season one and season two are definitely The Original Series at its best (a few episodes, like “Mudd’s Women” and “Assignment: Earth”, deserve to be skipped.) Season three saw the television series get budget cuts, which definitely shows. But even at its worst, The Original Series has something to admire, whether it be the acting or a kernel of the plot.

TOS is a blissful, adventurous, and often exhilarating series. It broke new ground on subjects that other shows rarely ever delved into deeply — war, racism, the issues with eugenics. It’s also a beautiful portrait of the power of sci-fi when it is willing to display humanity reaching toward utopian ideals.

The Next Generation (1987–1994)

In the 24th century, nearly a century after the adventures of Kirk and Spock, a new crew boldly travels on the Enterprise , taking on even more harrowing journeys: exploring the galaxy, interacting with new cultures, and carrying out diplomatic missions that challenge their understanding of the universe and themselves. TNG also reinvents and fleshes out Klingon and Romulan culture, which provides some of the most bracing narratives of the series. Star Trek: The Next Generation is the platonic ideal of the Star Trek ethos — ensemble cast, proudly sincere, steadfastly philosophical, episodic in nature — perfecting what Roddenberry started in 1966. It’s also the best cast chemistry the franchise has ever seen, along with an excellent sense of pacing and action that is predicated on a superb use of suspense.

The minds behind TNG, including showrunner Rick Berman and Roddenberry himself, were wise not to just slightly update the archetypes that TOS created. Captain Jean-Luc Picard (a magnificent Patrick Stewart) is the ultimately European-inflected gentleman — stately, stiff posture, loving, blisteringly intelligent, concerned with the arts, steadfastly dedicated to upholding the tenets of the Federation. First Officer/Commander William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes, who has directed countless Star Trek episodes and even a few of the films) is dashing, wry, a bit cocky, and undoubtedly has the most intense romantic history of anyone on the crew. Lieutenant Commander Data (Brent Spiner) is an android whose quest to become more human furthers Star Trek ’s interest in what it means to be a human, and the nature of family. Other important characters include: Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), a half-Betazoid, half-human counselor with telepathic abilities and an obsession with chocolate; Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton), the chief engineer whose friendship with Data is one of my favorite aspects of the series; and Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), the chief medical officer, who has a history with Picard and a warmth I’ve always admired. (I don’t hold it against her that she just so happens to be the mother of the most annoying character in the series.)

Season 2, Episode 9, “The Measure of a Man” This is one of many heartbreaking episodes that involve Data’s quest to be seen as human, despite being an android. Picard must prove Data is legally a sentient being with all the freedoms and rights that entails, otherwise Data will be disassembled for study since he is the only one of his kind that his creator made (at least as far as Starfleet knows). Making the legal proceedings all the more impactful on an emotional level is the fact that Riker is forced to work on the opposing counsel. The pleasures of this show are truly endless, and Data’s arc provides Star Trek with one of its most moving portraits of what it means to be human.

Season 4, episode 5, “Remember Me” To best understand why TNG is the platonic ideal of Star Trek , all you have to do is experience the warmth and tenaciously protective bonds between the characters. “Remember Me” displays that superbly. This is also a great example of how TNG excelled at high-concept episodes that unfurl into something different, and stranger, as revelations come to light. This episode follows Dr. Beverly Crusher as she struggles with her fear over losing loved ones. This fear is magnified when beloved colleagues start disappearing on the ship, and only Beverly retains any memory of them.

Season 5, Episode 2, “Darmok” If you’re looking for an entry that showcases TNG ’s interest in the cerebral, look no further than “Darmok,” in which Captain Picard is stuck on a planet with an alien whose language he’s unable to discern. The chasm between them allows TNG to consider the power of language and connection.

Season 6, Episode 4, “Relics” This may be the best episode for viewers who are dipping into TNG after falling in love with TOS. Star Trek ’s canon is always in conversation with itself. Characters from older series make appearances elsewhere, shining a light on the surprising familial quality of the franchise. “Relics” is one of the best examples of this, with Scotty from TOS finding himself entangled with the crew of Picard’s Enterprise . “Relics” is a beautiful meditation on what happens to older generations when the universe has passed them by. Writer Ronald D. Moore (who has gone on to spearhead shows like Battlestar Galactica and Outlander ) uses the premise of Scotty’s surprising reemergence to celebrate the heart of the series, while also charting the differences between TNG and its predecessor.

Season 3, Episode 26, and Season 4, Episode 1, “Best of Both Worlds Part I and II” I won’t say much about “Best of Both Worlds Part I and II” since the twists these episodes take are simply astounding and quite an emotional gut punch. The episode furthers the characterization of Riker, whose decision to remain first officer rather than captain his own ship gets scrutinized when a young upstart is brought aboard to aid in the Borg crisis. The Borg, introduced in TNG, become one of the definitive villains of Star Trek and they are at their best here, when their hive-mind nature and ability to assimilate other species takes on terrifying new dimensions.

Season 4, Episode 21, “The Drumhead” Star Trek ’s political intrigue is at its best when it subverts our expectations of what heroism and villainy looks like. Perhaps this is why “The Drumhead” is by far one of my favorite episodes. It follows a potential conspiracy that is uncovered on the Enterprise when a Klingon exchange officer is found to have given important schematics of the Enterprise to the warlike Romulans. What starts out as a simple investigation gives way to bigotry and paranoia when Admiral Norah Satie (played with steely grace by classic Hollywood actress Jean Simmons) is brought aboard by Starfleet top brass to investigate.

Season 4, Episode 24, “Mind’s Eye” “Mind’s Eye” is an exhilarating tale of mind control and covert operations that develops Geordi and shows just how dastardly the Romulans can be.

Season 5, episode 25, “The Inner Light” An iconic and beautifully rendered portrait of community and loss that requires little knowledge of the series to be moved by.

Season 7, Episode 11, “Parallels” “Parallels” grants Worf some development and focus (finally!) in a fun episode in which he notices changes in his friends and other crew members he can’t quite explain. There are just so many great TNG episodes. Dive into it and enjoy the ride.

The Next Generation has a notoriously uneven first season. But don’t skip the pilot episode or episode 22, “Skin of Evil,” which has a pivotal character loss that reverberates through the rest of the series. TNG hits its stride in season three and remains consistent until the very end of its seven-season run, perfecting both its episodic structure, stand-alone episodes, and the franchise’s love of a good two-parter whose cliffhangers hit like a sucker punch. It also undoubtedly has the best series finale in the franchise, “All Good Things.”

The Next Generation does not get the love it deserves despite being the most successful Star Trek series during its airing. It’s easy to look upon its episodic nature and lack of bold visual stylistic qualities (at least by today’s standards) and see it as a relic from a simpler time in TV. But that would be a mistake. TNG has a cast that exhibits the emotional qualities of Star Trek better than any of the other series. There’s a camaraderie between them that makes these people easy to love and admire. A 2015 Wired article explains why former president Barack Obama considers himself as a Trekkie : “As Obama sees it, approaching the unknown with resourcefulness and discipline and optimism is what made Star Trek so good.” These qualities are more true of TNG than any other series.

Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is my favorite series from the franchise . It’s also the antithesis of The Next Generation. If TNG represents the glory of utopia and Starfleet’s upper class, DS9 depicts the high price of attaining peace and the fraught nature of taking an assignment no one else wants. Star Trek ’s first black lead, Benjamin Sisko (an intense and commanding Avery Brooks), who becomes a captain in season three, is assigned to command DS9 and aid the Bajorans — a people who are finally free of brutal Cardassian control after a 50-year occupation — in joining the Federation. DS9, which takes place in the 24th century, during the same time period as TNG , disregards a few pivotal aspects of other series: There’s no main starship — the setting is actually a space station near a wormhole; while Roddenberry gave his blessing for the series shortly before he died, showrunners Ira Steven Behr and Michael Piller (who was on until 1995) disregarded his mandate that crew members couldn’t have long-standing conflicts. It’s also the first time Star Trek has larger arcs instead of an episodic nature.

Benjamin Sisko is a grieving widow and single father whose wife was killed in the Battle of Wolf 359, making him openly antagonistic toward Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart, whose appearance in DS9 ’s pilot is meant to bridge TNG with DS9 ) of the USS Enterprise during the only time they meet in the premiere. (For novices coming in with no knowledge of Star Trek , I don’t want to spoil the particulars, but Picard had a hand in the events that led to Sisko’s wife’s death.) It’s fascinating to chart the difference between the morally grey, bombastic, yet emotionally raw Sisko and the gentlemanly Picard. Sisko has a down-home, almost-working-class sensibility. He loves cooking (his father is a New Orleans chef) and baseball. He’s a man who wears his emotions on his sleeve and has an extremely close relationship with his crew. There’s a tenderness to Sisko, which is rendered in his relationship with his son, Jake (Cirroc Lofton). Sisko’s closest friend is Jadzia Dax (a wondrous Terry Farrell), a science officer and member of the Trill , which means she is host to a long-living symbiont that has had seven previous lives. She is symbiotically joined with this creature, giving her the memories and experiences of these seven different lives. Next to Jadzia, one of the most important relationships Sisko has is with his first officer, the Bajoran Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor). To put it simply, Kira is a badass. Characters like Jadzia and Kira prove DS9 has the best-written female characters from the franchise.

The chief of security, Odo (René Auberjonois), is a shape-shifter who assumes the figure of a humanoid male and desperately yearns to find out about his origins. Quark (Armin Shimerman), a Ferengi bar owner, at first glance seems like merely a greedy and underhanded figure. But he shows a moral code on occasion and brings the show a lot of its humor (and moral complexity). The ever-dashing Alexander Siddig plays chief medical officer Julian Bashir . A bit tactless and self-obsessed, Julian actually proves to add a great emotional dimension to the series. TNG cast members Miles O’Brien (Colm Meaney) as the chief engineer officer and Worf (Michael Dorn), as strategic operations officer, join the cast as well, getting far more development than they had previously. DS9 makes great use of its supporting cast, with highlights being: Garak (a powerhouse Andrew J. Robinson) a former Cardassian spy who is on the station to avoid prosecution masquerading as a tailor; Dukat (Marc Alaimo), a brutal and seasoned Cardassian military leader whose villainy is terrifying, thanks to his treatment of the Bajorans.

DS9 is a purely serialized show. Its arc and characters grow richer as the seasons continue. But it makes it difficult to suggest stand-alone episodes since they rely on an understanding on the interpersonal dynamics of the characters. The extended pilot episode, “Emissary Part I and Part II,” is definitely the best place to start. I’d also recommend the season-four premiere, “The Way of the Warrior.” It’s a two-part episode that introduces Worf joining the crew as Klingon antagonism accelerates. It may seem a bit too complex for those coming into the series for the first time, but Worf acts as a bridge between TNG and DS9 for those watching the series in order and looking for something to hold on to.

Season 4, Episode 3, “The Visitor” “The Visitor” centers on the relationship between Sisko and his son, Jake, in the wake of an accident that seemingly kills the captain. But Jake holds on to hope, dedicating his life to bringing his father back. With moving performances by Brooks and Tony Todd as an adult Jake, “The Visitor” cements DS9 as one of the most impactful portraits of black fatherhood in the history of TV.

Season 5, Episode 3, “Looking for par’Mach in All the Wrong Places” This episode turns the curious pairing of Quark and Worf into a hilarious and strangely romantic episode about their separate romantic foibles.

Season 5, Episode 6, “Trials and Tribble-ations” DS9 has a weight to it that can make it seem rather heartbreaking, but the writers weren’t afraid to have fun. The best example of this is undoubtedly “Trials and Tribble-ations,” which has the DS9 crew travel back in time to protect the timeline landing them on the Kirk-era USS Enterprise . It is a joyful ride watching DS9 go colorful and marvel at the legendary crew of TOS.

Season 5, Episode 22 “Children of Time” This is one of the episodes I’ve watched so much, I’ve nearly memorized it. The crew is heading home when Jadzia convinces Sisko to examine curious readings on a planet. Unfortunately, the ship crashes and the crew is faced with curious people on the planet — their own descendants. The episodes reaches a heartbreaking crescendo as it develops how far Odo would go for his unrequited love, Kira. (If you find this pairing as great as I do, season four’s “Crossfire” is also stellar.)

Season 6, Episode 13, “Far Beyond Our Stars” In this episode, Sisko has a vision from the Prophets that splits the episode in two parts — Sisko as captain on Deep Space Nine, and his visions of being a sci-fi writer in 1950s America who is writing a story about a captain on a space station named Benjamin Sisko. The pleasures of this episode are endless: getting to see the actors without their usual alien designs playing wildly different people; its exploration of race; the deftly layered narrative; and most important, the masterful acting by Avery Brooks, who also directs the hell out of the episode. It is by far one of the best episodes in all of Star Trek .

Season 6, Episode 19, “In the Pale Moonlight” No best-of- DS9 list would be complete without “In the Pale Moonlight.” The Federation is losing its war with the Dominion. In order to convince the Romulans to join their cause, Sisko enlists Garak, leading to harrowing consequences and an intense portrayal of just how far Sisko is willing to go in order to protect the Federation and those he loves.

Like TNG, DS9 is an immensely consistent series once it finds its balance. The first season is definitely a bit uneven, but given that DS9 has several dense arcs introduced in its first season, don’t skip “The Emissary” (pilot episode), “Battle Lines,” and “Duet.” DS9 can be binged from seasons two through six. Its final season lacks the typically fine-tuned narrative elegance of the previous seasons, but it is definitely worth the watch with episodes like “Chimera,” “Take Me Out to the Holo-Suite,” and “Extreme Measures” being highlights.

DS9 had an odd reputation while it aired for foregoing so much of what made Star Trek what it was. But DS9 proves how potent Star Trek can be today with its assured handling of grand arcs and stand-alone episodes, great acting and moving themes. It was a series unafraid to ask tough questions and provide tougher answers.

Voyager (1995-2001)

Star Trek: Voyager has all the makings of an amazing series that pushes the franchise in even more audacious territory in the wake of DS9, and also grants the franchise several new, radically different female characters in its most diverse outing . The USS Voyager crew, headed by the flinty-eyed Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), is flung 70,000 light years into the unexplored Delta Quadrant along with a vessel of Maquis terrorists. With 75 years of travel between them and home, and a hostile environment in which the Federation has no foothold, the Starfleet members are forced to join forces with the Maquis. Despite this stellar premise, Voyager is unfortunately weighed down by a reliance on cosmic reset buttons and poor characterization.

My greatest issue with Voyager is its characterizations. At first blush, Captain Kathryn Janeway seems to be a steely, by-the-book, scientifically minded leader. Unfortunately, she can come across as hypocritical — her characterization shifts depending on the needs of the plot. There’s her first officer, Chakotay (Robert Beltran), a former Maquis member, who becomes a loyal and cherished friend. B’Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson), a half-Klingon, half-human, who proves to be a highly capable engineer battling the warring sides of her identity. In an interesting twist, the USS Voyager ’s chief medical officer, the Doctor (Robert Picardo), is a hologram after the medical staff is killed in the first episode. He’s a bit full of himself, extremely talkative, but a valued member who gains his own sense of identity as time goes on. But by far the most important character beyond the captain herself is Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan), a Borg drone who joins the ship in season four and slowly reclaims her humanity.

Suggesting gateway episodes from Voyager is a bit tricky. The best episodes, while brilliant, don’t represent the series well due to its profoundly uneven writing. The best gateway into the series is its pilot, “The Caretaker,” which, despite a few nagging issues, otherwise wonderfully sets up what I believe to be one of the most fascinating beginnings in Star Trek history.

Season 4, Episodes 8 and 9, “Year in Hell Part I and II” These episodes depict the hellish, fraught, and harrowing dynamics you’d expect from Voyager ’s premise, pushing its characters to the brink. The timeline is altered by a man hoping to bring his wife back to life, with people and even whole planets being wiped from existence.

Season 4, Episode 23, “Living Witness” This episode depicts the Doctor brought back online after 700 years and looks at how the legend of USS Voyager ’s crew proves to be very different than the reality we’ve come to know.

Season 5, Episode 6, “Timeless” “Timeless” makes good use of Harry Kim (Garrett Wang), a Starfleet operations officer who typically was more of an annoyance. Harry makes a fatal miscalculation when the ship is testing out slipstream travel in hopes of getting home to Earth. With only Harry and Chakotay as survivors, they spend years trying to right this wrong.

Season 5, Episode 10, “Counterpoint” “Counterpoint” grants Captain Janeway a worthy adversary, as the crew navigates a sector with a militaristic, xenophobic culture that hates telepaths.

As I noted earlier, Voyager is very uneven with smatterings of great episodes nestled between frustrating ones that rely on too many leaps of logic. Seasons three through six definitely have highlights, so I’d recommend checking out the best episodes that I listed above and deciding if you like the characters enough to binge.

Voyager has become a beloved series thanks to its legion of female characters. But it demonstrates what happens when Star Trek skews a bit too conservative (narratively speaking), afraid to take the risks necessary to challenge our conception of its characters. Its uneven handling of tone, character, and narrative undercuts what could have been a truly bold series.

Enterprise (2001–2005)

Enterprise begins the unfortunate trend Star Trek has continued since, of looking backward instead of pushing the series forward in its timeline. It takes place roughly a century before TOS. This is the first crew of deep-space explorers on the Enterprise , headed by Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula of Quantum Leap fame), whose father designed the engine, as the narrative fleshes out corners of Starfleet’s early years.

Enterprise has three primary characters: the roguish and down-to-earth Captain Archer ; Vulcan High Command science officer T’Pol (Jolene Blalock) who forms a close bond with Archer; and chief engineer Charles “Trip” Tucker III (Connor Trinneer), who grows more assured as the series continues.

Season 1, Episode 1, “Broken Bow Part I and II” This is a good entry into understanding the modus operandi of Enterprise, although it does reflect how uneven the early seasons proved to be.

Season 1, Episode 7, “The Andorian Incident” By this point, as much as I find Vulcans fascinating, the franchise is a wee bit too obsessed with them. But “The Andorian Incident” shows how brutal and xenophobic they can be.

Season 3, Episode 10, “Similitude” Cloning is one of the themes in science fiction that can easily turn frightening and unsettling. “Similitude” questions the ethical problems with cloning as Trip nearly dies and a clone is created for the sole purpose of saving his life. The clone’s life span is only 15 days, causing an uneasiness among the crew that raises a good question: How far would you go to save a friend and colleague integral to your life?

Season 4, Episode 4, “Borderland” “Borderland” brings back Brent Spiner (who memorably played Data) as Dr. Arik Soong (the grandfather of the man who created Data), and turns its gaze to the Eugenics Wars. The following two episodes provide one of the best arcs in Enterprise. These episodes center around the mad-scientist archetype, leaning into the pulpy nature of Star Trek and providing a worthwhile window into the Eugenics Wars from a different angle.

Season 4, Episodes 18 and 19, “In a Mirror, Darkly Part I and Part II” These episodes hit a sweet spot for me. Exploring the mirror universe allows the writers and actors to have a lot of fun playing with the credits and canon. Enterprise twists humanity’s history in the mirror universe, revealing that we lean into our baser, more selfish instincts than create the utopian world that Star Trek represents in its main universe. So, basically the timeline we’re actually living in.

Enterprise takes a while to find its footing, which unfortunately doesn’t happen until its final season. I’d recommend watching the pilot and skipping to the fourth season, which is undeniably its best.

Star Trek: Enterprise is by far the most loathed series by long-term fans. It definitely has a lot of faults, including an odd relationship to canon, sometimes relying too heavily on winking toward TOS instead of being its own thing. But I don’t think it’s as terrible as people have been led to believe. Enterprise ’s failures — both narratively and in terms of gaining a foothold in the larger cultural imagination — represent not just its artistic issues, but how science fiction has changed so dramatically in recent decades. The potent philosophical and political interests of Star Trek — a series that finds pleasure in verbal dexterity and intellectual curiosity rather than the obviously beautiful, so-called cinematic trappings of modern TV’s Golden Age — means it doesn’t exactly fit into our times.

But so much can be learned from the entire Star Trek franchise . In my mind, Star Trek represents the beauty of science fiction when it asks us to better ourselves, to question our prejudices, to dream. It represents sci-fi at its most humane and powerful.

If you want further and more in-depth information this Star Trek wiki is very useful.

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Star Trek: The Original Series episode guides - All TOS episodes rated, reviewed

In those days before the Federation had continuity, there was Star Trek: The Original Series. Watch the TOS stories in any other you wish; it rarely matters, as essentially every single episode in TOS is a bottle episode. Ultimately, however, many TOS episodes are retconned into prequel stories (e.g. “The Menagerie”, “Space Seed”, “City on the Edge of Forever”), sequels (e.g. “Mirror Mirror”) or even crossovers (“The Trouble with Tribbles”) for the other series and movies.

Star Trek: The Original Series – the seaons, the key episodes

Season 1 – In the 1960s, TV was a different beast. Serialization (and thus continuity) was essentially non-existent. Each story plays out over a single episode only (with one exception in three years of Star Trek), thereby not allowing for much character development each season of Star Trek’s original run is really barely indistinguishable from another – but at lest that means that season 1 isn’t filled with the “growing pains” every other ST series goes through. The biggest highlights in Star Trek’s first year has got to be “The Menagerie” (episode #s 11 and 12), an eerie story of Captain Kirk’s doomed mentor Captain Pike, and “City on the Edge of Forever” (#29), a neat twist on the traditional “preserve the past” time travel tale. Also of note: “Space Seed” (#22), the introduction of Star Trek II baddie Khan.

Season 2 – Ensign Chekov joins the bridge crew for season 2, which manages to have some fun in the explicitly comic “Trouble with Tribbles” (#15) and the absolutely bananas “Assignment: Earth” (#26). And Spock fans dig on “Amok Time” (#1) and Journey to Babel (#10) for the info doled on that wacky Vulcan culture.

Season 3 – As mentioned above, a fan campaign saved Star Trek for a third series, but NBC executives were not enthused about supporting the marginally successful series and cut the show’s operating budget in half. However, Star Trek Guide must say that tripling the budget could not save scripts like those for “Spock’s Brain” (Can all Vulcans live without a brain or just Spock?), “Specter of the Gun” (Scotty’s dead because he *thinks* he’s dead?) and “The Savage Curtain” (Kirk, Spock, Vulcan hero Surak and Abe Lincoln vs. Genghis Khan, Klingon Empire founder Kahless, 21st-century Earth dictator Mr. Green – who did it in the kitchen with a revolver – and fuzzy chick Zora?) Dude.

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Star Trek, explained for non-Trekkies

Celebrate the legendary sci-fi series’ 50th anniversary with these 25 essential episodes.

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There are few pop culture franchises more intimidating to the uninitiated than Star Trek. While "Beam me up, Scotty" and the Vulcan hand salute have worked their way into the mainstream lexicon, it can feel virtually impossible to find a way into the expansive franchise, which spans five live-action TV shows, one lesser-known animated series, and 13 feature films, including the three rebooted films starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto .

It’s a lot to wrap your head around in writing, much less onscreen. So just in time for the TV show’s 50th anniversary, we’ve rounded up 25 possible entry points to help Star Trek newbies boldly go where many have gone before.

These aren’t necessarily the 25 best Star Trek episodes (although some definitely qualify), but they demonstrate the depth and breadth of what the iconic franchise has to offer. And, most importantly, they should play well for complete novices.

A quick overview of Star Trek ’s 50-year journey through space

Dreamed up by writer and former Air Force pilot Gene Roddenberry , Star Trek began life as a humanistic science fiction TV show on September 8, 1966. Though The Original Series , as it was later dubbed, was canceled after only three seasons, it would turn out to have unprecedented cultural influence.

Thanks to Star Trek ’s success in syndication during the 1970s, the original cast reunited for six feature films. The success of that film franchise then inspired four spinoff TV shows in the ’80s, ’90s, and early 2000s. The Next Generation , Deep Space Nine , Voyager , and Enterprise each focus on a new captain and his or her loyal crew. Four movies starring The Next Generation cast round out the Star Trek canon.

Except for the recent Pine/Quinto films, which establish an alternate timeline, all of this Star Trek material is set in the same universe. That means the more you watch, the more you’ll come to understand Star Trek . But each of the TV shows and movies are (mostly) designed to function independently as well. So each one can serve as a potential entry point to the larger franchise.

Star Trek: The Original Series

The basics: Ran for three seasons (79 episodes) from 1966 to 1969

Nickname: TOS

The premise: A five-year mission of space exploration in the 23rd century

The first Star Trek series is still the most iconic in the eyes of many fans, and its characters will be familiar to anyone who has seen the rebooted Trek films. With roguish Captain James T. Kirk ( William Shatner ) in command, the crew of the starship Enterprise completes a five-year mission of scientific exploration and intergalactic diplomacy. They operate as part of a pseudo-militaristic organization called Starfleet, which itself is part of a larger diplomatic organization called the United Federation of Planets (or just "the Federation").

The Original Series establishes the two most crucial elements of the Star Trek ethos: The show is set in a utopian future in which divides based on race, gender, and nationality are a thing of the past (reflected in the unprecedented diversity of the main cast), and it uses the lens of alien cultures to comment on contemporary issues. So while humanity may have ended bigotry, the half-black, half-white aliens of the planet Cheron are still torn apart by prejudice. That allows Star Trek to both imagine a better world and comment on the harsher realities of our real one.

Though the rubber alien suits, foam rocks, and slower pacing can feel dated to modern eyes, there’s still a remarkable relevance to the boundary-pushing Original Series . (The show broadcast one of the first interracial kisses on TV .)

Best for: Those who want to watch the most iconic aspects of Star Trek; fans of older TV shows; those who enjoy the characters from the rebooted films

Recommended viewing order: There’s no serialization, so you can either start from the beginning or hop around to episodes that interest you. The first two seasons are the strongest, while the third — which Roddenberry was less involved in — features a significant drop in quality.

"The Devil in the Dark" ( s eason one , e pisode 25)

Star Trek could occasionally overreach in its attempts at direct political allegories, and the show was often stronger when it dealt with broader themes of tolerance instead. In this episode, the Enterprise is called to help a mining colony deal with a subterranean monster threatening its operation. But during their investigation, Kirk and his crew begin to realize the creature might not be quite as monstrous as it appears.

"The City on the Edge of Forever" ( s eason one , e pisode 28)

Widely considered the best episode of The Original Series and one of the best Star Trek episodes of all time, "The City on the Edge of Forever" combines sci-fi concepts, fish-out-of-water comedy, and human drama in a standout hour of television. When Kirk, Spock ( Leonard Nimoy ), and Dr. Leonard McCoy ( DeForest Kelley ‎) pass through a mysterious "doorway to the past," they wind up stranded in 1930s New York City. Desperate to fix a broken timeline, they must decide what they’re willing to sacrifice in order to return the universe to its proper order.

"Journey to Babel" ( s eason two , e pisode 10)

Vulcan First Officer Spock remains one of Star Trek ’s most iconic characters thanks in no small part to Nimoy’s pitch-perfect performance as a logical alien devoid of emotion. Spock also established an archetype Star Trek would return to in all of its future franchises: the outsider struggling with identity. "Journey To Babel" puts Spock front and center as he receives a visit from his Vulcan father and human mother. Though the episode perhaps bites off more than it can chew — there’s also a subplot about a Federation peace conference — that makes it a good example of the breadth TOS has to offer.

"The Trouble With Tribbles" ( s eason two , e pisode 15)

While Star Trek was never intentionally campy in the vein of Adam West’s Batman, it could still be a profoundly silly show. And "The Trouble With Tribbles" stands as one of the most successful comedic entries in Star Trek history. A tense standoff with the Klingons — a warlike enemy of the Federation — gives way to an even bigger crisis when the Enterprise is overrun by adorable fuzzy creatures known as tribbles.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

The general rule of thumb for the six Original Series movies is that the odd-numbered ones are bad while the even-numbered ones are good. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (in which the crew travels back in time to the 1980s to save a couple of whales) is the most purely enjoyable film, while Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is a fitting sendoff for the original crew.

But The Wrath Of Khan remains the cinematic jewel in Star Trek ’s crown. Returning to a thread from a TOS episode called " Space Seed ," Kirk reencounters a group of super soldiers from his past. Fans of Star Trek Into Darkness will discover plenty of familiar building blocks assembled in an even more engaging manner.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

The basics: Ran for seven seasons (178 episodes) from 1987 to 1994

Nickname: TNG or " Next Gen "

The set up: A continuing mission of space exploration in the 24th century

To open up new storytelling possibilities, the first Star Trek spinoff series takes place a century after Kirk’s original five-year mission. Onboard an updated version of the USS Enterprise , Captain Jean-Luc Picard ( Patrick Stewart ) commands a brand new crew on an ongoing mission of exploration. With a more intellectual captain at its helm, The Next Generation added even more philosophical depth and cerebral storytelling to the original Star Trek model. Together, The Original Series and TNG stand as the two pillars of Star Trek and the series Trek fans are most likely to be familiar with.

Best for: Fans of smart sci-fi with a healthy dose of allegory; those who want to see the most iconic aspects of Star Trek

Recommended viewing order: The first season is virtually unwatchable, while the second is fairly uneven as well. To get the best of what TNG has to offer, watch the odd but intriguing pilot "Encounter at Farpoint," the great second season episodes "The Measure of a Man" and "Q Who," and then start with the show’s third season. There’s very little serialization, so it’s easy to jump around to whatever episodes intrigue you.

(Note: Star Trek: First Contact is the TNG feature film most worth seeking out. Generations and Insurrection are uneven but have their moments. And Nemesis is best left unseen.)

" The Measure of a Man" ( s eason two , e pisode nine)

Building on the outsider archetype established by Spock, Data ( Brent Spiner ) is an android who lives and works among the Enterprise crew. But when a cyberneticist expert requests permission to deconstruct and study his positronic brain, Data’s right to exist is put on trial. " The Measure of A Man" is a tense courtroom drama that raises questions about the very nature of humanity. Plus, it’s an early example of the Shakespearean gravitas Patrick Stewart regularly brought to TNG.

"The Hunted" ( s eason three , e pisode 11)

This isn’t necessarily an iconic episode , but it’s a solid example of a TNG allegorical outing. Charged with investigating a planet requesting entry to the Federation, Picard and his crew cross paths with a highly trained escaped prisoner. The episode functions as a broad commentary on PTSD and veteran care while highlighting the thoughtful way in which the crew deals with the political problems of other cultures.

"Clues" (season four, episode 14)

Proof that not every episode of Star Trek strives for philosophical depth, "Clues" is a purely enjoyable sci-fi mystery episode that utilizes the entire TNG ensemble. While investigating a mysterious isolated planet, the crew is knocked unconscious for only a few seconds. But as they start to notice oddities around them, they begin to wonder if something more insidious is at work.

"Darmok" ( s eason five , e pisode two )

One of the most celebrated episodes of TNG explores the role language and culture play in diplomacy. While struggling to make first contact with a new alien species, Picard is transported to a deserted planet alongside the alien captain. To survive, the two must work together despite barely being able to communicate. "Darmok" is a powerful example of TNG ’s ability to use sci-fi trappings to tell humanistic stories.

"Parallels" (season seven, episode 11)

After returning from a trip, Klingon chief of security Worf ( Michael Dorn ) begins to notice strange inconsistencies around him. It soon becomes clear that he’s leaping through alternate versions of his life, and to return things to normal, he must enlist the help of his crewmates — despite the fact that his relationship with them keeps shifting. Like "Clues," this is an enjoyable mystery, but it also showcases TNG ’s ability to blend conceptual sci-fi storytelling with thoughtful character drama.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

The basics: Ran for seven seasons (176 episodes) from 1993 to 1999

Nickname: DS9

The set up: A space station on the edge of civilization in the 24th century

Rather than take place on a traveling ship, the next Star Trek spinoff series is set on a space station called Deep Space Nine, a stationary hub located on the edge of Federation space. Pragmatic Commander Benjamin Sisko ( Avery Brooks ) — the first black lead of a Star Trek series — quickly learns to bend Starfleet code in order to keep his ragtag station running, all while raising his son Jake ( Cirroc Lofton ).

With its racially diverse cast, strong female characters, and serialized storytelling, Deep Space Nine pushed Star Trek to greater heights than ever before. For viewers who prefer the feel and pace of contemporary genre TV, it’s by far the best Star Trek series to start with.

Best for: Fans of darker sci-fi, complicated politics, and serialized storytelling; anyone hesitant about getting into Star Trek

Recommended viewing order: Deep Space Nine is the most consistent Star Trek series, and it benefits greatly from being watched in its entirety. While the first two seasons are somewhat uneven, they help establish the show’s characters and conflicts. The show starts to find its feet in the third season, and kicks into high gear with the start of the Dominion War arc at the end of season five, at which point DS9 becomes more heavily serialized.

"Emissary" (season one, episode one)

Star Trek isn’t known for strong pilots, but "Emissary" introduces the world of DS9 with remarkable finesse. As the only Trek series set in a static location, DS9 could tell ongoing stories about war, politics, and religion without feeling the need to wrap things up at the end of each episode. "Emissary" establishes many threads the show would follow for years to come, including the political struggles of the newly liberated planet Bajor, the emergence of an intergalactic wormhole housing godlike aliens, and Sisko's complicated relationship to Starfleet.

"Duet" (season one, episode 19)

This all-time great DS9 episode centers on Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor), one of the series’ strongest characters. A former Bajoran freedom fighter, Kira spent her life fighting against brutal Cardassian occupiers. This episode explores the horrors of that occupation via a small-scale character drama that puts Kira face to face with a man who may have been responsible for murdering thousands of her people.

"Civil Defense" (season three, episode seven)

"Civil Defense" is an entertaining disaster-movie romp that shows off the entire DS9 ensemble, including its talented supporting cast . When an old Cardassian security program is accidentally activated, Deep Space Nine goes on lockdown. What starts as a minor inconvenience quickly turns into a major threat, as the crew must scramble to stop the station from killing them.

"The Way of the Warrior"

While the cast of Deep Space Nine never made a feature film, this extra-long season four premiere basically functions as one. Thanks to a growing threat from the Dominion — an intergalactic military superpower controlled by a group of shape shifters — a massive war seems imminent. With the Klingon Empire (a 24th-century ally of the Federation) growing paranoid about Dominion spies, Sisko enlists the help of TNG ’s Klingon security chief, Worf, to calm the tension.

While the full nuances of this episode’s politics will likely be lost on new viewers, it’s nevertheless a great example of the political complexities and military conflicts that would come to dominate DS9 ’s later seasons.

"Take Me Out to the Holosuite" ( s eason seven , e pisode four )

Deep Space Nine is by far the darkest Star Trek series, featuring the kind of interpersonal conflicts its predecessors shied away from . Some Trek fans accused the show of losing the spirit of Roddenberry’s vision, but DS9 is still recognizably Trek . Take, for instance, this joyously cheesy riff on The Bad News Bears. When an old Vulcan rival challenges Sisko to a baseball game — a defunct 21st-century sport that just happens to be his favorite — Sisko must transform his motley crew into a functioning baseball team in only two weeks.

Star Trek: Voyager

The basics: Ran for seven seasons (172 episodes) from 1995 to 2001

Nickname: VOY

The set up: A lone 24th-century ship stranded 70,000 light-years from Earth

The final two Star Trek series are remembered mostly for the ways they failed to live up to their potential, and both have been blamed for "killing" the franchise . Yet if Voyager and Enterprise never quite reach the heights of their predecessors, there are still pleasures to be had in both.

Voyager kicked off with a "lost in space" concept that seemed to promise more of the complex serialized storytelling that had come to define Deep Space Nine. Instead, the show pulled from the episodic Next Generation model: A mostly amiable group of explorers spend their time meeting new alien cultures and dealing with space phenomena.

Many Trek fans dislike that the show "hits the reset button" at the end of each episode, so that the ship is never too badly damaged nor too low on supplies. But Voyager has its strengths, too, including a lighter tone and an emphasis on conceptual sci-fi storytelling. And with Kate Mulgrew ’s Captain Kathryn Janeway at the helm, Voyager is by far the most explicitly woman-centric Trek series of all time (another possible reason why it’s so reviled by certain Trek fans).

Best for: Parents introducing their kids to Star Trek for the first time; those who enjoy cheesy but cerebral genre shows (think the lighter episodes of Buffy The Vampire Slayer ); fans of woman-centric storytelling

Recommended viewing order: Voyager has little serialization in terms of plot, but some strong character arcs and relationships develop across its run. It’s never unwatchable, but for a streamlined viewing experience, watch a handful of episodes from the first three seasons for flavor, then pick up with the third season finale "Scorpion, Part 1."

"Eye of the Needle" ( s eason one , e pisode seven )

On its very first mission, Voyager winds up tossed 70,000 light-years from Earth into the uncharted Delta Quadrant — a distance that requires a 75-year journey home. Forced to team up with a similarly stranded group of Federation freedom fighters called the Maquis, Voyager’s newly mixed crew sets out on their long journey home.

Though the show didn’t always take advantage of its premise, "Eye of the Needle" shines a spotlight on the crew’s difficult situation when they discover a wormhole that may lead back to their Alpha Quadrant home. Meanwhile, the ship’s Emergency Medical Hologram ( Robert Picardo ) begins to grapple with his role on Voyager , establishing him as the show’s resident "outsider" character.

"Deadlock" ( s eason two , e pisode 21 )

There’s a line in "Deadlock" that perfectly sums up Voyager ’s ethos. "We’re Starfleet officers," Janeway explains. "Weird is part of the job." More than any other Star Trek series, Voyager enjoyed playing around with bizarre sci-fi concepts. After traveling through a dense nebula, Voyager discovers it’s been "quantum duplicated" into two ships. The two crews — and, most importantly, the two Janeways — must figure out a way to re-merge their vessels, or at least ensure that one survives.

"Someone to Watch Over Me" (season five, episode 22)

Voyager improves dramatically from its fourth season on with the introduction of Seven of Nine ( Jeri Ryan ), a Borg drone turned human who reluctantly joins the crew after her connection to the Borg hive mind is severed. Though clearly styled for her sex appeal, Seven quickly developed into one of the most interesting characters in Star Trek history. Alongside the holographic Doctor, she fulfilled the show’s "outsider" role, and in "Someone to Watch Over Me," the Doctor gives Seven a crash course in dating, providing a lovely showcase for two of Voyager ’s strongest performers.

"Blink of an Eye" ( s eason six , e pisode 12)

Captain Janeway is first and foremost a scientist, and a palpable enthusiasm for science runs through Voyager. That’s especially true in "Blink of an Eye," which unfolds like a short story celebrating human ingenuity. Voyager finds itself trapped above a planet on which time works differently; while minutes pass for the crew, years pass on the surface. As Voyager struggles to break free, the planet’s inhabitants develop a scientific culture inspired by the "sky ship" that has long hovered above them.

"The Void" ( s eason seven , e pisode 15)

With its lighter tone, chipper banter, and action-adventure focus, the Trek series Voyager most calls to mind is The Original Series . And "The Void" is perhaps Star Trek ’s greatest tribute to Roddenberry’s Federation ideals. After being sucked into an empty "void" in space, Voyager discovers a dog-eat-dog ecosystem in which trapped ships raid one another to survive. When Voyager’s own supplies are stolen, Janeway must decide whether to compromise her principles to keep her crew alive.

Star Trek: Enterprise

The basics: Ran for four seasons (98 episodes) from 2001 to 2005

Nickname: ENT

The set up: A prequel set in the 22nd century

Enterprise is the second Star Trek series to squander its interesting premise. Set roughly 100 years before Kirk’s original five-year mission, this prequel takes place on the original Enterprise, Earth’s first Warp 5–capable ship. Rugged Captain Jonathan Archer ( Scott Bakula ) leads humanity’s first major exploration outside the solar system.

Unfortunately, Enterprise struggled to establish much of a personality for itself, and was hampered by bland characters (not to mention an embarrassing lack of diversity). Yet the show earned praise for its willingness to embrace serialized storytelling and long-term consequences. Like Voyager , it’s best enjoyed with lowered expectations (particularly for its horrifically cheesy soft-rock opening theme song).

Best for: Those who enjoy action-centric sci-fi; Star Trek completists; Scott Bakula fans

Recommended viewing order: Enterprise is never unwatchable, but it starts to find its feet in the third season (which tells one season-long story) and the fourth (which is broken into two- to four-episode "mini arcs"). For those who don’t want to tackle the whole thing, watch a handful of episodes from seasons one and two for flavor, and then jump ahead to the second season finale, "The Expanse."

"Dear Doctor" ( s eason one , e pisode 13)

While hardcore Trek fans have some problems with the ethics of its ending, "Dear Doctor" succeeds as an hour of drama and a great showcase for Dr. Phlox ( John Billingsley ), one of Enterprise ’s strongest and most underused players. This episode explores Phlox’s unique position as one of the only aliens serving aboard the ship. It also highlights the difficult diplomatic decisions the Enterprise crew must make long before Starfleet had the Federation to guide it.

"Detained" (season one, episode 21)

Though designed as a Star Trek origin story, Enterprise frequently became distracted by attempts to comment on the war on terror in the way The Original Series commented on Vietnam and the Cold War. That was especially true of the show’s third season, where a 9/11-esque attack on Earth kicked off a season-long arc about retaliation.

"Detained" is an early example of Enterprise ’s interest in political allegory: When Archer finds himself in an internment camp for an alien race called the Suliban, he learns that the violent "Suliban Cabal " he had previously encountered don’t represent the views of the entire species.

"The Catwalk" (season two, episode 12)

One of the most intriguing things about Enterprise is that the crew doesn’t have access to all the technological advances that are commonplace on the other Star Trek series. Though the show didn’t always take advantage of its prequel status, "The Catwalk" is a fun look at the rough-and-tumble early days of Starfleet. Unable to travel fast enough to outrun a deadly neutronic wavefront, the crew must seal themselves in the heavily shielded catwalks in order to survive.

"Cogenitor" (season two, episode 22)

On the whole, Enterprise favored bland, action-heavy sequences over the kind of thoughtful sci-fi storytelling that had initially defined Star Trek. But Enterprise could be introspective when it wanted to be. In "Cogenitor," the crew befriends a sociable alien race with a similar mission of exploration. But the way in which they treat their "cogenitors" — a third gender crucial to their reproduction — raises questions about intervening in other cultures.

"Similitude" (season three, episode 10)

Enterprise ’s third and fourth seasons are by far its strongest, but because of their serialized nature, those episodes don’t always work out of context. "Similitude," however, is a mostly standalone story that illustrates Enterprise ’s growing competency. When chief engineer Charles "Trip" Tucker III ( Connor Trinneer ) falls into a life-threatening coma, Archer okays a controversial plan to create a fast-growing clone and harvest its organs to save Trip.

While the episode can be read as a commentary on stem cell research, cloning, and "savior siblings," it’s mostly a moving rumination of life, death, and what it means to be human.

Remember: It’s okay to just dabble in Star Trek

There’s no "right" way to get into Star Trek . Fans have fallen in love with the franchise through all sorts of different channels, and where to jump in mostly comes down to personal preference. (The one exception is Enterprise. Although it’s chronologically the "first" Star Trek series, it’s actually best enjoyed by viewers who have a working knowledge of the franchise.)

All five of the TV shows and several of the movies are currently streaming on Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, and CBS All Access. And more so than most contemporary genre TV shows, Star Trek is designed to be watched out of order in syndication. So don’t feel the need to be a Star Trek completest — even plenty of hardcore Trekkies aren’t.

But do be sure to venture beyond just the movies. The best of what Star Trek has to offer has always existed on TV.

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“Star Trek” as a concept has voyaged far beyond science fiction and into the safe waters of space opera, but that doesn’t amaze me. The Gene Roddenberry years, when stories might play with questions of science, ideals or philosophy, have been replaced by stories reduced to loud and colorful action. Like so many franchises, it’s more concerned with repeating a successful formula than going boldly where no “Star Trek” has gone before.

The 2009 “Star Trek” film goes back eagerly to where “Star Trek” began, using time travel to explain a cast of mostly the same characters, only at a younger point in their lives, sailing the Starship Enterprise. As a story idea, this is sort of brilliant and saves on invention, because young Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Uhura, Scotty and the rest channel their later selves. The child is father to the man, or the Vulcan, and all that.

Don’t get me wrong. This is fun. And when Leonard Nimoy himself returns as the aged Spock, encountering another Spock ( Zachary Quinto ) as a young man, I was kind of delighted, although as is customary in many sci-fi films, nobody is as astonished as they should be. Holy moly! Time travel exists, and this may be me! It’s more like a little ambiguous dialogue is exchanged, and they’re off to battle the evil Romulan Capt. Nero ( Eric Bana ).

Time travel as we all know, is impossible in the sense it happens here, but many things are possible in this film. Anyone with the slightest notion of what a black hole is, or how it behaves, will find the black holes in “Star Trek” hilarious. The logic is also a little puzzling when Scotty can beam people into another ship in outer space, but they have to physically parachute to land on a platform in the air from which the Romulans are drilling a hole to the Earth’s core. After they land there, they fight with two Romulan guards, using ... fists and swords? The platform is suspended from Arthur C. Clark’s “space elevator,” but instead of fullerenes, the cable is made of metallic chunks the size of refrigerators.

But stop me before I get started. I mention these details only to demonstrate that the movie raises its yo-yo finger to the science, while embracing the fiction. Apart from details from the youths of the characters and the Spock reunion, it consists mostly of encounters between the Enterprise and the incomparably larger and much better armed Romulan spaceship from the future. It’s encouraging to learn that not even explosions and fires can quickly damage a starship. Also that lifeboats can save the crew, despite the vast distance from home base.

That would be because of warp speed, which for present purposes consists of looking through an unnecessary window at bright lights zapping past. This method of transportation prevents any sense of wonder at the immensity of outer space and is a convenience not only for the starship but also for the screenwriters, who can push a button and zap to the next scene. The concept of using warp speed to escape the clutches of a black hole seems like a recycling of the ancient dilemma of the rock and the hard place.

But there are affecting character moments. Young Spock is deliberately taunted in hopes he will, as a Vulcan, betray emotion. Because Zachary Quinto plays him as a bit of a self-righteous prig, it’s satisfying to see him lose it. Does poor young Spock realize he faces a lifetime of people trying to get a rise out of him? Nimoy, as the elderly Spock, must have benefitted, because he is the most human character in the film.

Chris Pine , as James Tiberius Kirk, appears first as a hot-rodding rebel who has found a Corvette in the 23rd century and drives it into the Grand Canyon. A few years after he’s put on suspension by the Academy and smuggled on board the Enterprise by Bones McCoy ( Karl Urban ), he becomes the ship’s captain. There are times when the command deck looks like Bring Your Child to School Day, with the kid sitting in daddy’s chair.

Uhura ( Zoe Saldana ) seems to have traveled through time to the pre-feminist 1960s, where she found her miniskirt and go-go boots. She seems wise and gentle and unsuited to her costume. Scotty ( Simon Pegg ) seems to have begun life as a character in a Scots sitcom. Eric Bana’s Nero destroys whole planets on the basis of faulty intelligence, but the character is played straight and is effective.

The special effects are slam-bam. Spatial relationships between spaceships are unclear because the Romulan ship and the Enterprise have such widely unmatched scales. Battles consist primarily of jump-suited crew members running down corridors in advance of smoke, sparks and flames. Lots of verbal commands seem implausibly slow. Consider, at light warp speeds, how imprecise it would be to say “At my command ... 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...” Between “2” and “1,” you could jump a million galaxies.

I thought about these things during “Star Trek” because I could not help myself. I understand the Star Trek science has never been intended as plausible. I understand this is not science fiction but an Ark movie using a starship. I understand that the character types are as familiar as your favorite slippers. But the franchise has become much of a muchness. The new movie essentially intends to reboot the franchise with younger characters and carry on as before. The movie deals with narrative housekeeping. Perhaps the next one will engage these characters in a more challenging and devious story, one more about testing their personalities than re-establishing them. In the meantime, you want space opera, you got it.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Star Trek (2009)

Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action and violence, and brief sexual content

127 minutes

Anton Yelchin as Chekov

Chris Hemsworth as George Kirk

Eric Bana as Capt. Nero

John Cho as Sulu

Ben Cross as Sarek

Chris Pine as James Tiberius Kirk

Leonard Nimoy as Spock Prime

Jennifer Morrison as Winona Kirk

Bruce Greenwood as Capt. Christopher Pike

Winona Ryder as Amanda Grayson

Zachary Quinto as Spock

Zoe Saldana as Uhura

Directed by

• J. J. Abrams

Screenplay by

• Roberto Orci
• Alex Kurtzman

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The Entire Star Trek: Discovery Timeline Explained

For a series ostensibly about exploring the galaxy and meeting new lifeforms in the hopes of sharing knowledge and resources, there sure is a lot of time travel in "Star Trek." It's been present from the very beginning, as even Kirk and crew visited the past multiple times . Two of those adventures resulted in the iconic episode "The City on the Edge of Forever" and "Star Trek 4: The Adventure Home."

Modern "Star Trek" adventures have embraced this aspect of the universe, as time travel was also the direct cause of the Kelvin Timeline featured in the 2009 "Star Trek" film and its sequels. When the Romulan Nero traveled back in time and destroyed the USS Kelvin, killing James Kirk's father, he accidentally contributed to the creation of a new universe running parallel to the prime timeline. Ultimately, time travel has become every bit as important to "Star Trek" as exploration.

"Star Trek: Discovery" is no exception to this. Initially a prequel series set ten years before the original series, it soon became a sequel set further into the future than any other "Star Trek" installment. Time travel tends to muddy the narrative progression of a story, so we will be looking at where "Star Trek: Discovery" started to shed some light on where it ended up. Here is the entire "Star Trek: Discovery" timeline explained.

A visit to Talos

"Star Trek: Discovery" is set ten years before what is now referred to as "Star Trek: The Original Series." However, one episode of "The Original Series" actually occurs before "Discovery." In many ways, it is the beginning of the entire "Star Trek" franchise. While most viewers back in the late '60s probably remember it as the story told in the exciting two-parter "The Menagerie," which reuses the footage captured for the original "Star Trek" pilot called "The Cage."

We have to begin here because these events play a crucial role in "Star Trek: Discovery" Season 2. "The Cage" sees the Enterprise crew, led by Captain Christopher Pike, visiting Talos IV, encountering a strange alien race. These are the Talosians, telepaths who experience life by manipulating beings they keep in their menagerie. By forcing Captain Pike to endure multiple illusions of their creations, they hope to understand love, anger, fear, excitement, and other emotions they forfeited by choosing to further develop their mental abilities.

Years later, after Captain Pike temporarily assumes command of the USS Discovery, he is forced to revisit Talos IV to cure Spock of his current mental disorder. Not only is it a chance to save Spock's life, but it also allows Pike to seek out closure regarding his past experiences on the planet.

The Battle at the Binary Stars

"Star Trek: Discovery" officially begins with a huge two-part story called "The Vulcan Hello" and "The Battle at the Binary Stars." This is where we meet the star of the show, Commander Michael Burnham, the first officer of the USS Shenzhou. While most "Star Trek" shows tend to be ensemble pieces, "Discovery" belongs to Burnham and it is her arc that we follow.

This opening episode sees Starfleet encountering Klingons for the first time in about a century. An extremist group of Klingons led by the xenophobic T'Kuvma engaged in a devastating battle with the USS Shenzhou after an altercation with Burnham resulted in the death of one of their own. This opening battle becomes a war between the Federation and the Klingons, the effects of which are still being felt during "The Original Series" and the six original "Star Trek" movies .

Following this battle, Michael Burnham is stripped of her rank and sentenced to life in prison — which leads to the true beginning of the show.

Six months later

Following Michael's sentencing, the show jumps ahead six months. While being transferred to a new prison, there's an emergency and the Discovery arrives to save her. While on the ship she meets its captain, a dark and elusive man named Gabriel Lorca, and its crew. She also reunites with her old friend from the Shenzhou, Commander Saru. Healing their relationship following her mutiny is a major part of the first two seasons of "Star Trek: Discovery." 

Lorca believes that Michael's knowledge and experience could be of some use to them on the Discovery, so he invites her to unofficially join them as a specialist. The reasons behind Lorca's decision to go out of his way to save her, and why he wants her working with him on the Discovery, is another major element to the first season. His character comes off as a little strange right away, as Starfleet captains tend to be fairly approachable and diplomatic. However, Lorca is intimidating, conniving, and a little too adept at war to fit the typical captain archetype.

Taking Control

To correctly understand the timeline of "Star Trek: Discovery," we next need to dive into some events that are revealed during Season 2 but take place in Season 1. 

Section 31 is the secret Black Ops division of the United Federation of Planets . They operate in the shadows, carrying out missions the Federation doesn't want to be made public. They feature heavily in "Star Trek: Discovery" and its second season. Following the events of "The Battle at the Binary Stars," Section 31 starts using a threat assessment artificial intelligence called Control in the hopes of preventing wars.

The idea is the Federation would give Control information regarding potential threats, and Control would then provide suggestions on how to proceed. As often happens in science fiction when artificial intelligence is involved, things go haywire when Control decides it no longer needs human beings to implement its suggestions. Instead, it assumes "control" of human beings to enact its agenda. This leads to the massive time jump the USS Discovery would take into the future during the end of Season 2.

Into the Mirror Universe

The USS Discovery has an experimental new system called a spore drive. It allows the Discovery to travel along a microscopic network spread throughout the universe, effectively making instant travel possible. It's an incredibly complex system, one that Forbes notes was inspired by a real-life mycologist, which can be used to break the barriers between realities.

The idea is proposed to astromycologist Commander Paul Stamets by Captain Gabriel Lorca. Stamets is considering leaving Starfleet, but Lorca convinces him to stay on to try one final experiment to see if it truly is possible to visit alternate realities. The experiment works, and the entire crew of the USS Discovery is transported into the classic evil dimension of the "Star Trek" universe — the Mirror Universe .

In the "Star Trek" Mirror Universe the heroes are villains and the villains are heroes, and it is soon revealed that this is where Lorca is from. He arrived in the prime timeline, took over the original Gabriel Lorca's life, and orchestrated events to unite with Michael Burnham — who was his lover in the mirror universe — and use the spore drive to return to his universe and overthrow Emperor Georgiou.

While the time the crew spends in the mirror universe might seem brief, it turns out that nine months pass during that time. 

Nine months later

When Gabriel Lorca dies in the mirror universe, the crew of the USS Discovery returns to their native universe — but they've brought the emperor with them. 

One of Michael Burnham's defining character traits is parental issues. She lost her human parents at a very young age. She was then adopted by the Vulcan Sarek and his human wife, Amanda. They raised her on Vulcan with their son Spock, effectively making her Spock's human step-sister .

Although she tried to live like a Vulcan, her human emotions were far too powerful. As a result, when she joined Starfleet and was assigned to serve on the USS Shenzhou, she gravitated to its human captain Phillipa Georgiou, seeing her as a maternal figure. Tragically, Georgiou died in the Battle of the Binary Stars, and the guilt of her loss has tortured Burnham ever since. Upon arriving in the mirror universe and finding another Georgiou, she can't help but try and bring her back to the prime timeline, hoping to correct her biggest regret.

Back in the prime timeline, they discover that nine months have passed and the war has not been going well. Discovery is boarded by Sarek and Admiral Cornwell, who informs the recently-returned crew that the Klingons have almost won the war.

The mystery of the Red Angel

By the end of Season One, the Klingon War is over, and there is an uneasy peace between the two sides. However, the crew of the Discovery doesn't have long to reflect on these events, as they soon encounter the Enterprise and are boarded by Captain Christopher Pike. Pike has been directed to temporarily assume command of the Discovery to research red burst anomalies that have been popping up all over the galaxy.

The red bursts are caused by an entity referred to as the Red Angel. The identity of this entity and the reasons for its actions are complex but intimately related to Michael. It turns out that there are two Red Angels — one is Michael Burnham's mother, Gabrielle, and the other is Michael herself. The form of the angel is actually a suit capable of traveling through time developed by Michael's parents as a project for Section 31.

At some point, Gabrielle decides to use the suit to escape an attack from Klingons but winds up in the distant future. She sees that the AI system Control has taken over the galaxy, so she uses her suit to jump around in time in the hopes of preventing Control from evolving and spreading across the galaxy. Michael then uses the suit to send signals that appear as red bursts for the crew of the Discovery to follow, defeat Control, and travel to the future.

The all-knowing Sphere

Season 2 of "Star Trek: Discovery" is full of big, wild ideas that could serve as the basis for a film or an entire series. The first, of course, is the threat of Control. The second is the Red Angel. The third is a sentient, planet-sized lifeform called the Sphere.

This Sphere has spent hundreds of thousands of years exploring the galaxy, collecting information and experiences. It has existed for such a long time that it is now dying. With such a wealth of knowledge and experience, it doesn't want to be forgotten, so it transfers its memory to the Discovery's computers.

As wonderful a find as this is, it is also incredibly dangerous. When Airiam, a cybernetic member of the Discovery crew, is infected by a future version of Control, she is directed to transfer all the sphere data on artificial intelligence to the current form of Control. With that information, Control will be able to gain full sentience and take over the galaxy — just as seen in Spock's vision from the Red Angel.

Defeating Control

For any "Star Trek" fans upset that "Star Trek: Discovery"  takes place 10 years before "The Original Series" but the technology is significantly more advanced — or that Spock never mentioned having a human step-sister — their fears were partially quelled when the ship made the jump ahead almost one thousand years.

By the end of Season 2, Control was defeated, the mystery of the Red Angel was solved, and the need to get the sphere data to a safer time period arose. With the data merging to Discovery's computers, the decision was made not to try and delete the data but take it into the future. Using the Red Angel suit, Michael Burnham drags the USS Discovery into a time in a future not yet explored by the "Star Trek" franchise .

Once Discovery is gone, the Federation decides to clear the ship's existence from all Starfleet records and never speak of it, the crew, or its mission again. Thus, Michael Burnham is never mentioned, nor is the Discovery or its experimental spore drive. 

The future of Starfleet and the Federation

The jump to the future is successful, but Michael arrives there alone. Since she was towing the ship, not riding in it, the trip was different for her. Immediately upon arriving, she rams into a ship piloted by Cleveland Booker before being pulled in by a nearby planet's gravity, regaining control of the Red Angel suit only seconds before splattering on its surface.

At first, she is panicked that Discovery won't answer her call but is soon thrilled by the knowledge that there is life on this planet. She eventually meets Cleveland Booker and discovers that the Federation barely exists anymore. The reason for its diminished size and influence was something called the Burn. In the 31st century, nearly every warp core installed in Federation ships exploded, wiping out swaths of life and nearly destroying the Federation. Exactly what caused this "burn" is the central mystery of Season 3. 

One year later

In this new world, where dilithium is more precious than ever, Michael travels the galaxy, trading it for goods and services. She spends an entire year recording her experiences and searching for any sign of the Discovery. Finally, her search efforts pay off, and she is reunited with her crew. In a completely new headspace, Michael isn't sure about serving on the Discovery any longer. True, she earned back her respect and rank but is she is more interested in solving the mystery of the Burn and restoring the Federation rather than limiting herself to a single ship.

By the end of Season 3, the mystery surrounding the Burn is solved, the Federation is in the early stages of reconnecting with its lost members, and Michael joins the crew of the Discovery again. This time, however, she isn't a specialist or a first officer — she is the captain. 

Season 4 is still set in the 32nd century and Michael is now known as Captain Michael Burnham. Her arc mirrors the real-life arc of the show. She started as a first officer who lost everything and worked her way back to a command position, while "Star Trek: Discovery" began life as a prequel with a dubious connection to canon and became a sequel that takes the franchise to brand new heights.

Star Trek movies in order: Chronological and release

Untangle the different timelines and get the popcorn: Here are the Star Trek movies in order — both chronological and release.

• Chronological order
• Prime Timeline

The Original Series movies

The next generation movies.

• Kelvin Timeline
• Release order

Upcoming Star Trek movies

We've got a guide to watching the Star Trek movies in order, decloaking off our starboard side!

So long as movies stick numbers on the ends of their titles, it’s easy to watch them in order. Once they start branching out, however, things can get a little muddled, especially when reboots come along and start the whole process over from scratch. 

You may have heard that the even-numbered ones are good and the odd-numbered ones are not. That’s spot on for the films starring the cast of The Original Series (aka Kirk and friends) falls apart once you reach the tenth entry in the series. It would probably be worth your while to have this list of the Star Trek movies, ranked worst to best around to steer clear of the clunkers. Look, we’re not going to pretend everything here is worth two hours of your day, we’re just letting you know which came out after which.

Should your Trek appetite remain unsatiated after your movie watchathon, feel free to pull from either our list of the best Star Trek: The Original series episode s or best Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes . Either one will set you up for a weekend jam-packed with great Trek moments. Consult our Star Trek streaming guide for all the details on where to watch the movies and shows online 

Star Trek movies: Chronological order

Below is the quick version of our list if you just need to check something to win an argument, but it comes with a lot of in-universe time travel-related caveats that we'll explain below.

• Star Trek: The Motion Picture
• Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
• Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
• Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
• Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
• Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
• Star Trek: Generations
• Star Trek: First Contact
• Star Trek: Insurrection
• Star Trek: Nemesis
• Star Trek Into Darkness
• Star Trek Beyond

Star Trek: Prime Timeline

The first thing you need to know about the Star Trek films is that while they travel back and forth in time, they also diverge into two (for now) different timelines. The films of the original crew (well, the first iteration of them, anyway – more on that later) are all in what is known as the Prime Timeline. 

Within the Prime Timeline, the movies are then split between The Original Series movies and The Next Generation movies.

1. Star Trek: The Motion Picture

• Release date: December 8, 1979
• Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley

This is the film that brought the voyages of the U.S.S. Enterprise to the big screen. An energy cloud is making its way toward Earth, destroying everything in its path. Kirk and crew intercept it and discover an ancient NASA probe at the heart of the cloud. Voyager – known as V’ger now – encountered a planet of living machines, learned all it could, and returned home to report its findings, only to find no one who knew how to answer. It’s a slow-paced film, and the costumes are about as 70s as they come, but there’s classic Star Trek at the heart of this film.

2. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

• Release date: June 4, 1982
• Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Ricardo Montalban

Ask a Star Trek fan what the best Star Trek movie is and more often than not, you’ll get Khan as your answer. A sequel to the events of the “Space Seed” episode of The Original Series, Khan is a retelling of Moby Dick with Khan throwing reason to the wind as he hunts his nemesis, James T. Kirk. Montalban delivers a pitch-perfect performance, giving us a Khan with charisma and obsession in equal parts.

3. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

• Release date: June 1, 1984

Spock might have died in The Wrath of Khan, but this third entry set up the premise for his return, with the creation of the Genesis planet. Essentially a heist movie in reverse, Search for Spock has the crew defying orders from Starfleet in an attempt to reunite Spock’s consciousness with his newly-rejuvenated body. It’s not a great movie, but it does include two very important events: the rebirth of Spock and the death of Kirk’s son at the hands of the Klingons. That’ll be important a few flicks from now.   

4. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

• Release date: November 26, 1986
• Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Catherine Hicks

If Star Trek fans don’t say Khan is the best Star Trek movie, odds are very high they say Voyage Home is. It’s a funny film where the mission isn’t destruction, but creation – or more accurately, repairing the devastating effects of humankind’s ecological short-sightedness. 

A probe arrives at Earth, knocking out the power of everything in its path as it looks for someone to respond to its message (yeah, it happens a lot). This time, however, the intended recipient is the long-extinct blue whale. To save Earth, Kirk and co. go back in time to 1980s San Francisco to snag some blue whales. The eco-messaging isn’t exactly subtle, but it doesn’t get in the way of a highly enjoyable movie.

5. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

• Release date: June 9, 1989

A writers’ strike and Shatner’s directorial skills (or lack thereof) doomed this film before a single scene was shot. The core plot is actually pretty good: Spock’s half-brother hijacks the Enterprise so that he can meet God, which he believes to be… himself. Some Star Trek fans have an odd fondness for this movie, as it showcases the camaraderie of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy when they’re off-duty.

6. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

• Release date: December 6, 1991
• Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Christopher Plummer

Right, so if that Star Trek fan you’ve been talking to doesn’t choose either Khan or Voyage Home as the best Star Trek movie ever, they almost certainly name Undiscovered Country (and if they don’t, they have highly questionable taste, frankly). The Klingon moon of Praxis explodes, putting the entire Klingon race at risk. The Enterprise hosts a diplomatic entourage of Klingons, much to Kirk’s discomfort. 

Remember how Klingons murdered Kirk’s son? Well, he certainly hasn’t forgotten. Kirk’s lingering rage makes him the perfect patsy for the murder of the Klingon Chancellor, sending him and McCoy to a prison planet and setting the stage for war. Christopher Plummer is perfection as a Shakespeare-quoting Klingon general with no taste for peace.

7. Star Trek: Generations

• Release date: November 18, 1994
• Cast: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner

And thus the torch is passed from the crew of The Original Series to that of The Next Generation. It’s a bit of a fumble, to be honest, but they all did their best to get Kirk and Picard into the same film and have it make sense. Malcolm McDowell plays Soran, a scientist who will stop at nothing to control the Nexus, a giant space rainbow that exists outside of space-time. 

Soran lost his family when his home world was destroyed and he wants to re-join them (or at least an illusion of them) in the Nexus. He’s not so much a villain as a tragic figure, but the Nexus makes a meeting between Kirk and Picard possible. Not all that sensible, but possible.

8. Star Trek: First Contact

• Release date: November 22, 1996
• Cast: Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, Alice Krige

Okay, no, for real, if your Star Trek pal didn’t pick Khan or Voyage Home or… oh, nevermind. Cueing off the iconic two-part episode “Best of Both Worlds,” in which Picard is assimilated by the Borg, First Contact sees the collective traveling back in time in order to disrupt First Contact, the day Earth’s first foray into space attracted the attention of the Vulcans, kicking off the events that would eventually lead to Starfleet’s victory over the Borg. The Borg Queen torments Picard with visions of the past and tempts Data with humanity, going so far as to give him some human skin. 

The fight with the Borg aboard the Enterprise is thrilling, and the work on the surface to get first contact back on track is fun. Plus, there’s just nothing like Patrick Stewart turning it up to 11 as he lashes out at the enemy that haunts his dreams.

9. Star Trek: Insurrection

• Release date: December 11, 1998
• Cast: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, F. Murray Abraham

Essentially an episode inflated for the big screen, Insurrection is about the Federation conspiring to displace a planet’s population in order to harvest the planet’s unique resource – super healing metaphasic particles. In addition to the rejuvenating natural resource, the Ba’ku also have access to exceptional technology, which they shun in favor of a more simple lifestyle. 

Data malfunctions, the villains are Federation allies (and former Ba’ku!), Picard gets to knock boots with a local – Insurrection is the very definition of “fine.” Chronologically, Insurrection is relevant for rekindling the romance between Riker and Troi, but not much else.

10. Star Trek: Nemesis

• Release date: December 13, 2002
• Cast: Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, Tom Hardy

Before he mumbled his way into our hearts as Bane, Tom Hardy was Shinzon, a clone of Picard the Romulans created in an eventually abandoned attempt to infiltrate Starfleet. Shinzon is dying, and all that will save him is a transfusion of Picard’s blood. Unfortunately, Shinzon also happens to be a megalomaniac who happens to want to destroy all life on Earth and maybe a few other planets, too, if he’s feeling saucy. 

Nemesis is notable mostly for killing Data with a noble sacrifice, only to resurrect him moments later in a duplicate body found earlier by the Enterprise crew.

Star Trek: Kelvin Timeline

The last of the Prime Timeline movies failed to impress at the box office, so it was a few years before anyone tried to bring the Enterprise back to the big screen. Rather than lean on any of the TV crews, this new slate of movies would serve as a reboot, welcoming new audiences while honoring long-time fans. Welcome to the Kelvin Timeline. (For all the ins and outs, check out our Star Trek: Kelvin Timeline explained article).

11. Star Trek

• Release date: May 8, 2009
• Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban

Back to the beginning! Star Trek introduces us to James T. Kirk, Spock, and “Bones” McCoy as they meet and join the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Though the plot is a relatively straightforward affair of a Romulan named Nero trying to destroy the Earth. His anger borne out of grief, what matters most is how it all came to be. In the future, Spock – the Prime Timeline version – tries to save Romulus from being destroyed by a supernova, but fails. Both his ship and Nero’s are kicked back in time, setting off a chain of events that diverge from the original, “true” timeline. 

The name “Kelvin” refers to the U.S.S. Kelvin, the ship heroically captained by Kirk’s father, which is destroyed in the opening moments of the movie.

12. Star Trek Into Darkness

• Release date: May 16, 2013
• Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Benedict Cumberbatch

The benefit of the Kelvin Timeline is that it not only allows Star Trek to explore canon material – such as Khan (he of the Wrath) – but to do something completely new with it. Khan features heavily in Into Darkness, but he has no beef with Kirk. Instead, a Starfleet Admiral is threatening the lives of Khan’s crew, forcing them to craft weapons of mass destruction. 

Khan inevitably eludes captivity and strikes out against Starfleet, killing Captain Pike (and a bunch of others) in the process. Kirk and company eventually take Khan down, but not before Kirk sacrifices himself to save his crew. Don’t worry, these things don’t last in either Star Trek timeline, as Kirk gets better moments later thanks to *checks notes* Khan's super blood.

13. Star Trek Beyond

• Release date: July 22, 2016
• Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Idris Elba

Beyond leans into the camaraderie of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy now that they’ve had some time together, much to the movie’s benefit. The Enterprise is lured to Altamid under false pretenses, leading to much of the crew being marooned on the planet. The architect of the deception was Krall, who wants an opportunity to return to a galaxy where war is the order of the day. 

Beyond is a significant point in the timeline for two reasons. First, it sadly marked the death of Spock Prime due to the passing of Leonard Nimoy. Second, it culminates in the Enterprise embarking on the five-year-mission that started everything back in 1966.

Star Trek movies: Release order

If you can't be bothered remembering two different orders for the Star Trek movies then we've got good news for you — the release order is identical to the chronological order that we've shown above (accounting for the Kelvin timeline as it's own entity anyway).

The full run of Star Trek films currently tops out at 13 entries; the fate of the 14th was hidden within a nebula of conflicting information. “Star Trek 4” was slated for December 22, 2023, but given that filming had yet to begin as of July 2022, it seems inevitable that date will change. Back in February 2022, Paramount that the principal cast would be returning for the fourth installment of the Kelvin timeline, a claim quickly disputed by the agents of those selfsame actors. Awkward.

Soon after, however, Chris Pine eventually signed on the dotted line, and his shipmates reached their own agreements. As of right now, Kirk (Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), McCoy (Karl Urban, assuming he can make it work around filming of The Boys), Scotty (Simon Pegg), Uhura (Zoe Saldaña), and Sulu (John Cho) are all ready to beam up and get filming. Sadly, this will be the first of the Kelvin films to not feature Anton Yelchin as Pavel Chekov. Yelchin died in an accident at his home in 2016. It’s currently unclear if Chekov will be recast or if a different character will take his place on the bridge of the Enterprise.

Though the Kelvin timeline is often referred to as “J.J. Abrams Trek,” he won’t be directing Star Trek 4; Matt Shakman will take on that responsibility, leaving Abrams to produce. As for what it will be about, that’s anyone’s guess, but Chris Pine told Deadline he hopes this one tells a smaller story that appeals to the core Trek audience. “Let’s make the movie for the people that love this group of people, that love this story, that love Star Trek,” he said. “Let’s make it for them and then, if people want to come to the party, great.” It’s a strategy that makes sense; the disappointment with recent Trek films hasn’t been their content so much as their box office. A Trek film with a smaller scope (and budget) would almost certainly have a very healthy profit margin while also resonating with the fanbase.   

With no new announcements coming from San Diego Comic-Con 2022, it seems that we’ll have to wait for any more insight into the next Star Trek film. Sill, recent comments from Paramount CEO Brian Robbins have us cautiously optimistic: “We’re deep into [Star Trek 4] with J.J. Abrams, and it feels like we’re getting close to the starting line and excited about where we’re going creatively,” he told Variety . 

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Susan Arendt is a freelance writer, editor, and consultant living in Burleson, TX. She's a huge sci-fi TV and movie buff, and will talk your Vulcan ears off about Star Trek. You can find more of her work at Wired, IGN, Polygon, or look for her on Twitter: @SusanArendt. Be prepared to see too many pictures of her dogs.

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Star Trek: Discovery

• View history

Star Trek: Discovery is the seventh series set in the Star Trek universe. Created by Bryan Fuller and Alex Kurtzman , Discovery was originally set roughly a decade before Star Trek: The Original Series , set primarily aboard the starship USS Discovery , before jumping from the 23rd century to the 32nd century .

The series was announced by StarTrek.com on 2 November 2015 . According to the press release, " The brand-new Star Trek will introduce new characters seeking imaginative new worlds and new civilizations, while exploring the dramatic contemporary themes that have been a signature of the franchise since its inception in 1966 . " [1]

It is produced by CBS Studios and Secret Hideout ; the executive producers are Fuller, Kurtzman, and Heather Kadin .

The first series to be developed for the CBS All Access subscription platform, it began airing on 24 September 2017 , with a preview broadcast of the premiere episode, " The Vulcan Hello ", on the CBS network ; the second episode being released on All Access on the same day. In the US, subsequent episodes were released exclusive to CBS All Access. The first season ran for a complete fifteen episodes, being released on successive Sundays, finishing on 11 February 2018 , with a mid-season break between November and January. [2] [3] The second season ran for fourteen episodes, between 17 January 2019 and 18 April 2019 , again released via CBS All Access, this time on successive Thursdays. The third season ran for thirteen episodes, also on Thursdays, from 15 October 2020 to 7 January 2021 .

Outside the US, the series was available on Netflix from 25 September 2017 and ending on 16 November 2021 , except in Canada, where Space and Z carry the series in English and French, respectively. The series was slated to begin a global rollout on Paramount+ in 2022. [4] However, on 24 November 2021 , it was announced that the program would instead release beginning on 26 November 2021 with the first two episodes in all markets where Paramount+ is currently available, with new episodes releasing weekly. In those markets still without the service, it will be made available on the free ad-supported streaming service Pluto TV on the same timetable. [5]

CBS aired the first season of Discovery on terrestrial broadcast, beginning on 24 September 2020 , exactly three years after " The Vulcan Hello " first aired. [6]

Discovery was the first official Star Trek live-action production the former franchise owner, Paramount Pictures , neither owned nor was involved with on any level (although since Viacom and CBS re-merged to form ViacomCBS in 2019 , Star Trek television is once again under the same corporate umbrella as Paramount – a distinction made even less significant after ViacomCBS rebranded itself as Paramount Global in February 2022 ).

On 2 March 2023 , it was announced that the series' fifth season would be Discovery 's last and will air in 2024 . [7] [8]

• 1.1 Special guest star
• 1.2.1 32nd century
• 1.2.2 23rd century
• 2.1 Season 1
• 2.2 Season 2
• 2.3 Season 3
• 2.4 Season 4
• 2.5 Season 5
• 3.1 Writing
• 3.4 Casting
• 3.5 Participation interest
• 3.6.1 Tie-ins
• 3.6.2 Products
• 4 Reactions
• 5 Related topics
• 7 External links
• Sonequa Martin-Green as Michael Burnham
• Doug Jones as Saru
• Anthony Rapp as Paul Stamets
• Mary Wiseman as Sylvia Tilly
• Wilson Cruz as Hugh Culber (2019–)
• Shazad Latif as Ash Tyler (2017–2019)
• Rachael Ancheril as D. Nhan (2020)
• Blu del Barrio as Adira Tal (2021–2024)
• Tig Notaro as Jett Reno (2021–2024)
• Callum Keith Rennie as Rayner (2024)
• Jason Isaacs as Gabriel Lorca (2017–2018)
• Anson Mount as Christopher Pike (2019)
• David Ajala as Cleveland Booker (2020–2024)

Special guest star

• Michelle Yeoh as Philippa Georgiou / Philippa Georgiou (mirror) (2017–2020)

Recurring characters

32nd century.

• Ian Alexander as Gray Tal
• Andreas Apergis as Xi
• Noah Averbach-Katz as Ryn
• Avaah Blackwell as Ina
• David Cronenberg as Kovich
• Orville Cummings as Christopher
• Luca Doulgeris as Leto
• Shawn Doyle as Ruon Tarka
• Oded Fehr as Charles Vance
• Rothaford Gray as Tareckx
• Eve Harlow as Moll
• Ache Hernandez as Kyheem
• Chelah Horsdal as Laira Rillak
• Vanessa Jackson as Audrey Willa
• Hiro Kanagawa as Dr. Hirai
• Janet Kidder as Osyraa
• Ian Lake as Tolor
• Alex McCooeye as Lee'U
• Linford Mark Robinson as L'Teis Kardashev
• Seamus Patterson as Harral
• Katherine Trowell as Bandra
• Tara Rosling as T'Rina
• Phumzile Sitole as Diatta Ndoye
• Giovanni Spina as Sta'Kiar
• Elias Toufexis as L'ak
• Jake Weber as Zareh
• Annabelle Wallis as Zora
• Adrian Walters as Taahz Gorev

23rd century

• Jayne Brook as Katrina Cornwell
• Mary Chieffo as L'Rell
• Conrad Coates as Terral
• Emily Coutts as Keyla Detmer
• Raven Dauda as Tracy Pollard
• James Frain as Sarek
• Riley Gilchrist as Shukar (mirror) / Shukar
• Harry Judge as Gorch (mirror) / Gorch
• Mia Kirshner as Amanda Grayson
• Patrick Kwok-Choon as Gen Rhys
• Clare McConnell as Dennas
• Kenneth Mitchell as Kol , Aurellio
• Sara Mitich and Hannah Cheesman as Airiam
• Sara Mitich as Nilsson
• Ali Momen as Kamran Gant
• Chris Obi as T'Kuvma
• Oyin Oladejo as Joann Owosekun
• Ethan Peck as Spock
• Rebecca Romijn as Una Chin-Riley
• Ronnie Rowe, Jr. as R.A. Bryce
• Christopher Russell as Milton Richter
• Damon Runyan as Ujilli
• Sonja Sohn as Gabrielle Burnham
• Hannah Spear as Siranna
• Alan van Sprang as Leland
• Terry Serpico as Brett Anderson
• Rekha Sharma as Ellen Landry / Ellen Landry (mirror)
• David Benjamin Tomlinson as Linus
• Sam Vartholomeos as Danby Connor
• Chris Violette as Britch Weeton
• Romaine Waite as Troy Januzzi
• Bahia Watson as May Ahearn
• Rainn Wilson as Harry Mudd

Episode list

DIS Season 1 , 15 episodes:

DIS Season 2 , 14 episodes:

DIS Season 3 , 13 episodes

DIS Season 4 , 13 episodes

DIS Season 5 , 10 episodes [9]

Development

William Shatner claimed that a " 3 movie deal and then a new series [has] been in the cards since 2007 - 2008 . " [10] After the release of the Star Trek reboot in 2009 , Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci pitched an animated series to CBS, similar to their series Transformers: Prime for The Hub (now Discovery Family). [11] However, Orci said the success of the first film did not indicate whether a new show would be viable, explaining, " One movie doesn't make a trend. Two movies starts to indicate that there is a trend and it's viable. It will become more real as the year goes on. " [12]

By 2009, Bryan Fuller desired to produce a new live-action Star Trek series. " I told my agent and told the people of J.J. Abrams ' team I want to create another Star Trek series and have an idea that I'm kicking around, " he explained.

" I would love to return to the spirit of the old series with the colours and attitude [...] [of] the '60s fun and I would love to take it back to its origin [...] Star Trek has to recreate itself. Otherwise, all the characters start to feel the same. You always have a captain, a doctor, a security officer, and you have the same arguments based on those perspectives. It starts to feel too familiar. So all those paradigms where it takes place on a starship have to be shaken up. " [13]

In 2013 , after the release of Star Trek Into Darkness , a CBS Broadcasting representative reiterated interest in reviving Star Trek for television, in response to a comment from Abrams that he had heard the studio was not interested. [14] On 19 January 2014 , Fuller stated he "would drop everything" in order to become the showrunner for a Star Trek television series, commenting,

" I think it's finding a philosophy about it [that would be important], and I think there is such an interesting philosophy happening now with our identity as a planet and taking responsibility for what's happening on the planet, and I think I would make it about identity, in a specific way. " [15]

Meanwhile, however, Brannon Braga mentioned "the word on the street" was that " they probably won't do one until the movies have run their course, " while Rod Roddenberry concurred with this by saying he believed there would not be another series until after the conclusion of the films. [16] [17] In an October 2015 interview, comics writer Mike Johnson suggested the Tholians might "cause major trouble for the Federation" in the next Star Trek television series. ("Top 50 Alien Species!", Star Trek: Ongoing issue #50, " Live Evil, Part 1 ") Another idea for a new live-action Star Trek series, conceived by Worf actor Michael Dorn , would have focused on Worf as a captain . As early as 7 November 2015 , Dorn confirmed the newly announced series will not be the concept he had wanted. [18]

Netflix , Amazon , and Hulu all offered money to distribute the show, [19] but CBS Corporation President and CEO Leslie Moonves opted to develop the series as CBS All Access' first piece of original content, anticipating that millions would subscribe to watch the show. He also revealed,

" Our international distribution guy is going crazy; he can't wait to get out to the marketplace and sell [it]. Right away, we're more than halfway home on the cost of the show from international alone. The risk is small in seeing the track record. " [20]

Robert Hewitt Wolfe speculated the decision also " allows for good budgets so it makes sense for Star Trek." [21]

On 9 February 2016 , it was officially announced that Bryan Fuller would serve as showrunner on the new Star Trek series. David Stapf, President of CBS Television Studios, explained,

" When we began discussions about the series returning to television, we immediately knew that Bryan Fuller would be the ideal person to work alongside Alex Kurtzman to create a fresh and authentic take on this classic and timeless series. Bryan is not only an extremely gifted writer, but a genuine fan of Star Trek . Having someone at the helm with his gravitas who also understands and appreciates the significance of the franchise and the worldwide fan base was essential to us. "

Fuller himself said, " It is without exaggeration a dream come true to be crafting a brand new iteration of Star Trek with fellow franchise alum Alex Kurtzman and boldly going where no Star Trek series has gone before. " Added Kurtzman,

" Bringing Star Trek back to television means returning it to its roots, and for years those roots flourished under Bryan's devoted care. His encyclopedic knowledge of Trek canon is surpassed only by his love for Gene Roddenberry 's optimistic future, a vision that continues to guide us as we explore strange new worlds. " [22]

On 26 February 2016 , it was announced that Nicholas Meyer would be joining the show as a consulting writer and producer. [23] In an interview conducted the next day , Meyer expressed hope in getting to write some episodes, but was not yet sure how big the writing staff would be. Still to begin work on the show, Meyer said he was waiting to be notified when to do so. He did, however, have some ideas about what the new show would entail. Meyer elaborated,

" I think it's going to be a different Star Trek . It will go in a different direction. And I think that is probably good. Because the thing that mainly troubles me about Star Trek is the fear of it being maybe re-treads of itself [....] And I think that Bryan [Fuller] – who is a very clever fellow – has ideas – some of which I’ve heard – that are innovative and different. Different is what got me interested. "

Meyer also said Fuller considered Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country to be his touchstone for the new series. [24]

On 3 March 2016 , it was announced that Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth would be joining the show as executive producers. [25]

On 17 March 2016 , two photographs apparently showing behind-the-scenes test shots surfaced, but were later proven to be from an unrelated project. [26]

On 22 April 2016 , Pop Goes The News reported that it would be filmed in Toronto, Canada, saying CBS had booked studio space back in September 2015. [27] According to CBS' VP of communications Kristen Hall, however, CBS hadn't yet confirmed the shooting location by this point. [28]

Also in April 2016, Mark Worthington was confirmed as the series' production designer. Worthington's resume, in addition to confirming his own involvement, also revealed that Alex Kurtzman would direct the pilot episode. [29]

On 30 April 2016 , it was reported that the show would be filmed at Toronto's Pinewood Toronto Studios . [30] On 2 May 2016 , the Toronto location was confirmed in a tweet by CBS. [31] This marked the second time (after Star Trek Beyond ) that a Star Trek live-action iteration was not to be produced physically in Hollywood, [32] in itself a further indication of the diminishing relevance of Hollywood as a motion picture production hub, a trend that had set in in the early 2000s. [33] [34]

On 3 May 2016 , it was reported that the show would be available in weekly installments rather than a whole season all at once. Its premiere would simultaneously air on CBS' TV network and All Access, with subsequent episodes exclusive to All Access (for US viewers). [35]

On 18 May 2016 , the first teaser trailer, along with the logo for the show, was released, simply naming the series as " Star Trek ". [36]

On 6 June 2016 , it was reported that the project's code name might be "Green Harvest". [37] The Canadian industry union IATSE 873 confirmed the working title as "Green Harvest" and dated the filming between 26 September 2016 and 15 March 2017 . [38]

In a red carpet interview at the Saturn Awards on 22 June 2016 , Fuller revealed that the first season would be comprised of a thirteen-episode story arc. Filming was scheduled to take place from September 2016 to March 2017 . [39] This was to be the second season-long story arc in Star Trek history, the first having been in season 3 of Enterprise .

Fuller noted, " We are not subject to broadcast standards and practices. So we can have profanity if we choose – not that I want to see a Star Trek with lots of profanity. But we can certainly be more graphic than you would on broadcast network television. " [40] That also meant episodes could be longer than a typical broadcast show. [41]

On 18 July 2016 , Netflix was announced as the international broadcaster for the series in countries where it is available outside the US and Canada. In Canada, the series would air on Space in English and on Z in French. [42]

On 1 August 2016 , Bryan Fuller suggested that the series would be set prior to The Original Series , stating that the registry number of the Discovery was a clue as to the placement of the series in the timeline. He also stated that it would be possible to read a connection, "or not", to Section 31 in some aspect of the first season. [43]

On 8 August 2016 , Bryan Fuller tweeted a picture on Twitter for a makeup test for Discovery which was possibly a hint for the inclusion of an Andorian . [44]

On 10 August 2016 , Bryan Fuller announced that the series would take place in 2255 . [45] According to Fuller, the basis for the first season would incorporate "an incident in the history of Starfleet that had been talked about but never fully explored." [46]

In a radio interview on 27 August 2016 , Fuller revealed more details. The female lead would be the first officer of the Discovery and referred to as " Number one ", honoring Majel Barrett-Roddenberry 's character from TOS : " The Cage ". [47]

On 9 September 2016 , Fuller tweeted that the events of TOS : " Balance of Terror " would provide the "touchstone" for the series' story arc. [48]

On 14 September 2016 , Fuller announced that the series premiere would be delayed until May 2017, in order to ensure the quality of the show was not compromised. CBS agreed with the move. [49]

Variety reported, on 26 October 2016 , that Bryan Fuller would no longer oversee day-to-day operations on the show, but would remain executive producer. He was to remain involved in breaking stories and providing support for showrunners Gretchen J. Berg and Aaron Harberts . Sources indicated that CBS, while satisfied with the materials he had created, was concerned that Fuller had too much on his plate with his involvement in other work. This included Starz's then-upcoming drama American Gods . [50] Akiva Goldsman joined the show to provide additional support. [51] Fuller later clarified with Newsweek , on 2 December 2016 , that he was no longer involved with the production. [52]

According to issue #1 of the 2017 Emmy Magazine (p. 21), Star Trek: Discovery has a reported budget of US$6 to US$7 million per episode. [53]

At the CBS upfront presentation on 17 May 2017 , it was announced the first season had been extended to fifteen episodes. Talking Trek (now After Trek ), a post-episode discussion show, was also announced. [54]

The premiere date for the series was announced on 19 June 2017 , when it was revealed that the first season would be split into two airing blocks. [55]

On 23 October 2017 , it was announced that the series had been renewed for a second season, which began filming in April of 2018. [56] [57]

On 27 February 2019 , it was announced that the series had been renewed for a third season, with Michelle Paradise becoming co-showrunner with Alex Kurtzman . [58]

The renewal for the series' fourth season was announced on 16 October 2020 ; the renewal for the fifth season was announced on 18 January 2022 . [59] [60]

Aaron Harberts and Gretchen Berg have said the characters will be more conflicted and not as perfect as characters from previous Star Trek series. Harberts said they would hold true to Gene Roddenberry's idealised view of future Humans with " how we solve those conflicts. So we do have our characters in conflict, we do have them struggling with each other, but it's about how they find a solution and work through their problems. " [61]

Having the female protagonist be given the traditionally male name of Michael is one of Fuller's signature motifs: other examples include Chuck in Pushing Daises and Jaye on Wonderfalls . [62]

In contrast to previous shows, the writers are ready to kill off characters even if their actors aren't planning to leave the series. [63]

Due to Gene Roddenberry 's belief religion would die out by the 23rd century , writer Kirsten Beyer felt references to God should be avoided, quipping to Jason Isaacs when he ad-libbed on set "for God's sakes", that "for f–'s sake" would be more likely. [64] Gretchen Berg later clarified, " I don't necessarily agree with [Isaacs'] quote. On a show about diversity and with different points of view, I feel like you have to accept that some people believe in God, some people want to worship a potato, and some people don't want to believe in anything. I think there is room for that on Star Trek . " [65] Harberts later confirmed that the incident had been taken out of context and was specific to Lorca at that juncture, not the show in general. He also expressed interest in exploring the issue of faith or lack of it in later episodes. [66]

Even when the series was yet to begin airing, a second season had already been mapped out, with a third season beginning to be mapped out. [67]

The writers regularly consult Memory Alpha. According to Harberts, the series' writing team are themselves "fanatical" about fact-checking the information they discover on the wiki. For example, they sometimes rewatch, or ask researcher Anthony Maranville to rewatch, an entire episode based on a single detail from one of Memory Alpha's many entries. [68]

Writing for Season 2 began in January of 2018. [69]

In August 2020 Kurtzman said that writing for Discovery had continued during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the writers' room meeting via Zoom. [70] On 16 October 2020 Season 4 was officially announced.

The teaser title card for Discovery

Bryan Fuller was adamant the Klingon make-up be updated for the show. Aaron Harberts noted, " In the different versions of Trek , the Klingons have never been completely consistent. We will introduce several different houses with different styles. " [71] According to Neville Page , who also designed the Klingons for Star Trek – though the Klingon scenes were cut from that film as released – and Star Trek Into Darkness , Fuller mandated most of them should be bald. [72] Page, and fellow lead designer, Glenn Hetrick  continued to identify the baldness as an enduring part of Fuller's intentions for the Klingons, allowing them to reveal what was on their heads (such as in AT : " Lethe ").

The lead costume designer is Gersha Phillips . The Starfleet uniforms were originally similar to those in the original series. [73]

The teaser clip presented at the San Diego Comic-Con on 23 July 2016 was scored by Fil Eisler as an audition for the show. At the following year's panel, Jeff Russo was announced as the series' composer, and it was revealed that he had already completed work on the Discovery theme. [74] Russo recorded the theme, along with the score for the first episode, with a sixty-piece orchestra in Los Angeles on 27 July 2017 . [75]

Russo returned for Season 2. [76]

The show was announced to have a female lead. [77] The first cast member, Michelle Yeoh , was revealed by Nicholas Meyer in an interview on 22 November 2016 . [78] Anthony Rapp and Doug Jones were confirmed the following week. [79]

Bryan Fuller commented that the cast should be diverse. "Star Trek is a show of firsts. And in researching the characters for this new iteration of Star Trek , I've been talking to Mae Jemison , who's the first black woman in space, and who saw Star Trek in the '60s and who saw Nichelle Nichols on the bridge of a ship and said, 'I see myself in space.' So there's something wonderful about the legacy that Nichelle Nichols represents as giving a gift to people who weren't previously able to see themselves in the future. We are going to be continuing that tradition of progressive casting and progressive character work to be an inclusive world. " He also said "eventually, eventually" there will be appearances from previously established characters. [80]

On 24 May 2016 , it was reported that some fans wished to see Castle and Firefly alumnus Nathan Fillion in the series. [81] It was even suggested that this was why Fillion ended his commitment to Castle . [82] Bryan Fuller ideally wanted Angela Bassett and Rosario Dawson ; Bassett declined due to prior obligations, and there is no evidence Dawson was ever approached for consideration. [83]

Star Trek alumnus Tony Todd also expressed interest in working on the new series and even confirmed he is on a casting list of the studio. [84] [85]

In late October, it was reported the cast would feature, in addition to the female lead, an openly-gay male lead, a female and a male admiral , a male Klingon captain, and a British male doctor. [86]

Early news stories of Sonequa Martin-Green's casting in December 2016 identified her character as "Lieutenant Commander Rainsford"; [87] CBS' official announcement on 3 April 2017 changed the name to "Burnham".

On 28 April 2017 , it was announced that Shazad Latif had been re-cast as Lt. Tyler, being replaced in the role of Kol by Kenneth Mitchell. Three other cast members were also added: Rekha Sharma as Commander Landry, Clare McConnell as Dennas, and Damon Runyan as Ujilli. [88]

Wilson Cruz's casting as Dr. Culber was revealed at the San Diego Comic-Con panel on 22 July 2017 .

Participation interest

Marina Sirtis has expressed interest in reprising her role as Deanna Troi in a phone interview with MZNOW , saying, " I loved playing her... It would be interesting to me to go back now, twenty years later and kind of go 'who did she become? Who is she now?' I would find that very interesting, and I would love to do that. " [89]

Both Kate Mulgrew and Jeri Ryan have expressed interest in reprising their roles as Kathryn Janeway and Seven of Nine respectively. In an interview with the TODAY show, Mulgrew said, " I want to be the admiral and I want to boss them around. " Ryan, in an interview with Digital Spy , said, " My understanding is that it's in a very different world from any of the previous shows – but never say never. It'd be fun to just drop in and revisit her – not that I want to revisit her all the time! " [90]

Scott Bakula , Jonathan Frakes , and Nichelle Nichols have also expressed interest in appearing on the series. [91] [92] [93]

In an interview with "Variety", Martin-Green's Walking Dead co-star Andrew Lincoln expressed his desire to appear on the show, possibly with alien make-up on. [94]

According to Michael Dorn 's publicist, brief discussions were held between Discovery producers and Dorn about a possible role on the show, but that there are no plans for him to appear on it at this time. An Orlando Sentinel writer expanded on the publicist's statement by stating that Dorn was offered less than one percent of what he had been paid for his last appearance as Worf. [95]

Robert Duncan McNeill has stated that he had to turn down the chance to direct an episode of Discovery due to being unavailable but that he would "love to do it". [96]

The show's title was revealed by Bryan Fuller at the San Diego Comic-Con on 23 July 2016 with a clip of the title ship, the USS Discovery (NCC-1031). [97] [98] The promo was produced in three weeks and scored by Fil Eisler as an audition for the show. It greatly resembled the Ralph McQuarrie concept art for the canceled film Star Trek: Planet of the Titans , which the staff could not confirm at the time for legal reasons. [99]

Fuller also announced, at a press junket immediately thereafter, the show would be set in the prime timeline, though Fuller declined to say exactly when in that timeline it would be set.

↑ John Van Citters has chosen "DSC" as the series' official abbreviation. [100] This is consistent with the studio's use of "VGR" for Star Trek: Voyager , but MA will use the abbreviation "DIS" for Discovery , for consistency with using "VOY" for Voyager .

On 31 January 2017 , a trailer was released, showing behind-the-scenes footage of early filming. [101]

Ahead of the CBS upfront presentation on 17 May 2017 , the first official promotional image of the series was released, featuring Yeoh and Martin-Green in character on location in Jordan. [102] At the presentation, Martin-Green appeared to debut the first full trailer for the series, which was released online immediately afterward. [103] A trailer featuring the same footage recut was released by Netflix at the same time. [104]

The first official teaser poster for the series was released alongside the trailer, with a second released to accompany the announcement of the season premiere date. Two further limited edition posters were released at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2017 . At the Discovery panel on 22 July 2017 , a second full trailer debuted, featuring the first footage of Isaacs' Captain Lorca and Wilson's Harry Mudd. The trailer was released online shortly after the panel. [105] [106]

The overall first year publicity efforts of CBS Television Studios on behalf of Discovery were coordinated by its Vice President Communications Kristen Hall , [107] which earned her an industry award nomination in 2018, the ICG Publicists Award; she did not win, however. [108]

Season 3 title card

At the Mission New York convention in September 2016 , it was announced that IDW Publishing would produce comics (written by Mike Johnson ) and that Gallery Books would produce novels (the first by David Mack ) tying into the series. Both tie-in lines are coordinated with the events of the series, and are supervised by Discovery writer Kirsten Beyer. [109]

In August 2017 , it was announced that Star Trek Timelines would be updated to include characters and ships from Discovery , including Philippa Georgiou, Michael Burnham, and Saru. [110] [111] In October 2017 , more Discovery characters were added to the game including Gabriel Lorca, Ash Tyler, and Harry Mudd. [112] A month-long event, Discovery: A New Frontier , gave players the opportunity to acquire other characters and ships from the series. [113]

In September 2017 , to mark the start of the series, Perfect World made Discovery 's Starfleet uniform available to players of Star Trek Online for a limited period. [114] In January 2018 , the publisher announced that the " Discovery Lock Box" would be added to the game, giving players the chance to win ships, weapons and equipment based on those of the series, including the Crossfield -class , the Sarcophagus , and the Walker -class . [115] Starting in the autumn of 2018, Age of Discovery allows players to create a character from the Discovery era. [116] Later additions include the uniforms worn by the crew of the ISS Charon and ISS Shenzhou and several weapons used by the Emperor .

Under Eaglemoss Collections ' Hero Collector imprint, Penguin Random House published the Star Trek: Discovery Designing Starships volume of the Designing Starship reference book series on 3 September 2019 . From an in-universe perspective, a number of DIS ships are also covered in the Star Trek: Shipyards - Starfleet Ships 2151-2293 volume from the Shipyards series. Starfleet ships from the show's third season will also be covered in the second edition of the Star Trek: Shipyards - Starfleet Ships 2294 to the Future reference book . [117]

Anovos produced a phaser pistol prop replica in December 2017 [118] and released a phaser rifle late in 2018. It began to retail Starfleet uniforms (replica costumes) in the summer of 2018 [119] and markets upscale "Studio-Scale Filming Miniatures" of the USS Discovery , USS Shenzhou , and USS Enterprise ( as seen in DIS ) along with a number of Eaglemoss and QMx products. [120] [121] Rubie's Costume Company also produces DIS costumes.

In January 2018, Eaglemoss Collections ' Hero Collector brand premiered the Star Trek: Discovery The Official Starships Collection partwork , featuring starship miniatures , dedication plaques , and a figure from the series. Other ships from the series were also released as larger models within the Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection , and polyresin busts of DIS characters were featured in the company's Star Trek: The Official Busts Collection . Following the release of its 33rd (numbered) issue in 2021, the company's DIS starships will be marketed as part of the Star Trek Universe: The Official Starships Collection .

QMx debuted its magnetic DIS Starfleet insignia badges at the San Diego Comic-Con in July 2017. FanSets launched its first wave of collectible Discovery pins in August 2017. [122]

Hallmark released a Keepsake Christmas ornament depicting the USS Discovery in July 2018. Another DIS ornament that featured Commander Saru and Michael Burnham was released a year later.

Beginning in August 2018, McFarlane Toys began to retail a series of seven-inch articulated figures which will eventually feature characters from DIS. [123] [124] [125] Toy weapons and accessories for role-play were planned but the production of phaser pistol toys was halted after regulatory issues (and the ensuing retailer reticence) came to light, due to the toys' perceived resemblance to real firearms.

Titan Merchandise debuted DIS "Titans" vinyl figures at a 2018 convention and planned to put them into wide retail release during 2019. [126]

Gentle Giant released a Saru bust in the summer of 2018, followed by figurines of Michael Burnham and the Torchbearer. Its toy division, Gentle Giant Toys , announced that it planned to release Fleet Flyers "starship danglers" in the autumn of 2018 but they did not reach retail and had been placed "on hold" as of February 2019. [127] [128] [129]

Branded as Polar Lights products, Round 2 began to release plastic model kits (and display models) of DIS starships in early 2019. [130]

Ukonic/Robe Factory released a USS Discovery pizza cutter in 2021.

On 13 July 2021 , ViacomCBS Consumer Products and Playmates Toys jointly announced that the latter had acquired new licensing for " action figures, vehicles and ships, role play and other toy categories ", and slated the first of these products for retail release in 2022. Among other Star Trek series and films, this licensing encompasses Star Trek: Discovery , Star Trek: Lower Decks , Star Trek: Picard , and Star Trek: Prodigy . [131]

Rick Berman responded to the new series with cautious optimism. On his Twitter feed, he tweeted, " I wish them nothing but good luck and smooth sailing. Just hope it stays true to Gene's vision. " [132]

Brannon Braga likewise wished the new series well, commenting on his Twitter feed, "Star Trek is a vast canvass with many artists. Constantly evolving. Godspeed to Mr Kurtzman. " [133] Braga additionally remarked, " Hopefully with the new series they can get back to more meditative storytelling. " In Braga's opinion, the new series is vital to ensuring Star Trek continues for another fifty years. He stated, " It's all about making sure the next television show is really good and finds a new generation of viewers to keep it going. " ( SFX , issue 270, p. 68) He later commented, " With Discovery , I am honestly as excited to see it as any other Star Trek fan. I devour each new trailer the moment it comes out. " [134]

Robert Hewitt Wolfe admitted to not knowing anything about the new series, apart from having read about it online, and stated he is currently too busy to write for it. He also commented, " Sounds like it could be great though. " As for the way the new series will be released, he stated, " Subscription streaming is an extremely successful model & allows for good budgets so it makes sense for Star Trek." Wolfe tweeted a "congrats" message to Bryan Fuller, upon him being named as the series' showrunner, adding, " You have the conn. Do us proud. " [135] [136] [137]

David A. Goodman reacted to news of the series by saying, " Hope it's good, will watch it even if it's bad. " [138]

As for whether he and wife Denise Okuda will be involved in working on the new series, Michael Okuda remarked, " We'd love to be involved. Kurtzman already has a talented, experienced team from the last two films, but who knows? " [139] Regarding the announcement that the series will be run by Bryan Fuller, Michael Okuda stated, " Congrats, Bryan! Go boldly! " [140]

Rene Auberjonois dismissed the notion that the new series will feature himself and Nana Visitor portraying their respective Star Trek: Deep Space Nine characters of Odo and Kira Nerys . [141]

On Seth MacFarlane 's Twitter feed, he recommended, " Let's make this new Star Trek series optimistic, eh? I think we're all dystopia'd out. " [142] MacFarlane incidentally, actually put his money where his mouth was, as he is the creator/star/producer of the Star Trek: The Next Generation inspired science fiction series The Orville , adopting the former's upbeat tone and which almost simultaneously premiered with Discovery in September 2017 on FOX TV, thereby de facto becoming a competitor for the latter, as it has inevitably led up to many fans and reviewers making head-to-head comparisons between the two. The overlapping airings continued when the respective second seasons of both series started their run in January 2019.

Former Star Trek , but now- The Orville , science consultant André Bormanis has stated, " When it comes back to TV, I hope they do something more in the spirit of the original. Everybody in Hollywood who has ever had even the smallest association with Star Trek I'm sure has a 'How would you do the next Star Trek ?' answer. I would probably do something a little more like Captain Pike's adventures. Go back to that era where it was a little more rugged, a little more fifties' sci-fi sensibility. " ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 39)

Press reactions to the series' announcement pondered how Star Trek could appeal to a new generation and compete against darker, more mature shows of the 21st century, like Game of Thrones , The Walking Dead , and Ronald D. Moore 's reboot of Battlestar Galactica . [143] [144] [145] [146] National Post felt there was no need for a new series, arguing Star Trek had become a quaint retrofuture series akin to Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers . [147] The Independent was one of the few to argue the optimistic future of Star Trek would make a welcome antidote. [148]

Other articles concentrated on the decision to produce the series for streaming, with some expressing deep cynicism over the idea. [149] [150] [151] Others noted the decision was a win-win in terms of keeping the series going. [152] [153] [154] [155]

Den of Geek and io9 noted most fans would prefer the show be set after The Next Generation , Deep Space Nine , and Voyager instead of in the same timeline as the film series. [156] [157] UK magazine SFX reported that was the most wanted request for the series. Other requests, in order of most desired, included: having the new crew undertake a multi-year mission in a starship rather than having them occupy a space station; focusing on controversial social issues; retaining a sense of fun; and introducing new alien species and technology. The magazine also determined that their readers' "dream cast" for the series included Dan Stevens as the captain, Rooney Mara as the first officer, Gina Torres as the doctor, Nick Frost as the engineer, and Wil Wheaton as the Federation President . ( SFX , issue 270, pp. 36-37) USGamer expressed hope that the series' success could revive interest in Star Trek video games after the failure of the movie tie-in . [158]

During an interview given at CinemaCon (11-14 April 2016), Brent Spiner commented that "looking at such a pedigree" working for the show, he thinks it is going to be fantastic. He also remarked that J.J. Abrams allegedly just became a producer of the show. [159] In an interview with SFX magazine (issue 275, p. 67) that was published around the same time, Spiner remarked, laughing, that all the new series had to do in order to work in the 21st century was simply "to be there." He added, " And just be entertaining [....] And I think there's a good chance it'll work. There's a really great bunch of people attached to that project, really talented people. I have no doubt that's going to be a really huge success. "

A lawsuit alleging that elements of Discovery had been copied from an unreleased video game called Tardigrades was filed on 19 August 2019 , and dismissed on 20 September 2019 . The judge found that Discovery "is not substantially similar to [ Tardigrades ] as a matter of law." Memory Alpha was cited in the finding. [160] The case was appealed, but on 17 August 2020 the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed the lower court's decision. [161] [162]

In April 2021 , the third season of Discovery won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Drama Series. The show had previously been nominated in 2018 and 2019 for each of the first two seasons. [163]

As of 2021, Discovery has been nominated for ten Emmy Awards , mostly in "technical" categories such as visual effects and makeup. It has won two: "Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Limited Series, Movie or Special" and "Outstanding Special Visual Effects In A Single Episode".

Related topics

• DIS directors
• DIS performers
• DIS writers
• DIS recurring characters
• DIS studio models
• Character crossover appearances
• Performers considered for DIS roles
• Star Trek: Discovery novels
• Star Trek: Discovery comics
• Star Trek: Discovery soundtracks
• Star Trek: Discovery on DVD
• Star Trek: Discovery on Blu-ray

External links

• Star Trek: Discovery at Wikipedia
• Star Trek: Discovery at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Star Trek: Discovery at the Internet Movie Database
• Star Trek: Discovery writers at X (formerly Twitter)

Screen Rant

Star trek: discovery season 5, episode 5 ending explained.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5 contains two major reveals about the Mirror Universe and the Breen. We break down what the ending means.

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 5 - "Mirrors"

• Star Trek: Discovery's next clue is hidden aboard the Mirror Universe's ISS Enterprise trapped in interdimensional space.
• L'ak is a Breen with a blood bounty on his head, and his backstory with Moll is revealed.
• The USS Discovery crew, led by Commander Rayner, helps save Burnham and Book and bring the ISS Enterprise into the Prime Universe, but Moll and L'ak escape.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors," ends with Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the USS Discovery's crew grappling with jaw-dropping reveals about the Mirror Universe's ISS Enterprise, L'ak's (Elias Toufexis) species, and the next clue in the hunt for the Progenitors' treasure. Written by Johanna Lee and Carlos Cisco and directed by Jen McGowan, the thrilling "Mirrors" sends Burnham and Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) into interdimensional space after Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak and the third Progenitors' clue , but they found a lot more than they bargained for.

In Star Trek: Discovery s eason 5, episode 5, Captain Burnham, Cleveland Booker, Moll, and L'ak are all trapped aboard the derelict ISS Enterprise after Burnham's shuttle and L'ak's ship are destroyed by interdimensional space, a dangerous region between Star Trek 's Prime and Mirror Universes . Michael ingeniously uses the Enterprise's tractor beam to send a distress signal to the USS Discovery, where Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) and the bridge crew find a way to keep the aperture of the interdimensional space wormhole open to fly the ISS Enterprise through. However, L'ak and Moll make their escape, leaving Burnham, Book, and the Starfleet heroes to grapple with the third clue to the Progenitors' treasure, and what they learned and found in the wormhole.

The ISS Enterprise's first and only previous appearance was in Star Trek: The Original Series season 2's "Mirror, Mirror", which introduced the Mirror Universe.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Returning Cast & New Character Guide

Captain kirk's mirror universe iss enterprise now belongs to 32nd century starfleet, it's been a long road for the iss enterprise.

The Mirror Universe's ISS Enterprise becomes the property of the 32nd century's Starfleet and United Federation of Planets at the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors." Captain Burnham assigned Lt. Commanders Kayla Detmer (Emily Coutts) and Joann Owosekun (Oyin Oladejo) - who don't actually appear in the episode - to fly the ISS Enterprise back to Federation HQ to be put into "storage". However, the acquisition of a major historical find like a 23rd-century Constitution Class starship filled with Terran Empire technology from the Mirror Universe is bound to be of interest to Dr. Kovich (David Cronenberg).

After the Temporal Wars, crossing over between the Mirror Universe and Star Trek 's Prime universe is now impossible, but the ISS Enteprise was trapped in interdimensional space for centuries, which crossing over could still happen.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5's ISS Enterprise scenes were filmed on the USS Enterprise sets of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . Discovery season 5's production took place at the end of 2022, after Strange New Worlds season 2 had wrapped in June and long before Strange New Worlds season 3 filming started in December 2023. The USS Enterprise's bridge, medical bay, transporter room, and hallways were redressed to turn the starship into its Mirror Universe counterpart.

Commander Michael Burnham previously came aboard Captain Christopher Pike's (Anson Mount) USS Enterprise in Star Trek: Discovery season 2.

Star Trek: Discovery's Mirror Universe Revelations

We found out what happened to mirror spock and mirror saru.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5's ISS Enterprise appearance answered some big questions about the events of the Mirror Universe after Star Trek: The Original Series ' "Mirror, Mirror." Cleveland Booker learned from the plaque where the Enterprise's missing crew left their story behind that the Terran High Chancellor was assassinated after making reforms. This refers to the Mirror Universe's Spock (Leonard Nimoy), who was urged by the Prime Universe's Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) to make reforms to prevent the inevitable collapse of the Terran Empire, which happened anyway.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's Mirror Universe episodes revealed that the Terran Empire, weakened by Spock's reforms, was conquered by the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance.

Refugees led by a Kelpien slave-turned-rebel leader - Saru (Doug Jones) - used the ISS Enterprise to flee the Mirror Universe for the Prime Universe in the 23rd century, but the starship was trapped in interdimensional space. The Enterprise's crew eventually used the ship's shuttles and escape pods to abandon the starship in an effort to make it to the Prime Universe. Some did make it through, including the ISS Enterprise's junior science officer, Dr. Cho , who later joined Starfleet and became a branch Admiral in the 24th century.

Jinaal Bix redacted the names of the scientists who found the Progenitors' technology, including Dr. Cho.

Moll & L'ak Escaped Discovery With A Breen Bounty On Their Heads

L'ak is the nephew of the breen primarch.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5 revealed the backstory of Moll and L'ak, including the revelation that L'ak is Breen . Years before Star Trek: Discovery season 5, Moll was a courier who sold latinum to the Breen Imperium, where she met L'ak, the nephew of the Breen's Primarch Ruhn (Tony Nappo), who had fallen out of favor and was working in the shuttle bay. Moll and L'ak fell in love , and L'ak committed a crime against the Breen by consorting with "a lesser being" and removing his helmet to show Moll his true face. Confronted by his uncle, L'ak shot the Primarch and fled with Moll.

Moll and L'ak used one of the ISS Enterprise's remaining warp pods to flee capture.

Moll and L'ak both have an Erigah, a Breen blood bounty, on their heads, and they hope that finding the Progenitors' treasure and selling it to the Breen will buy their freedom. Neither Moll and L'ak want the Federation's help offered by Captain Burnham, and they would "rather die" than be separated in a Federation prison. L'ak was injured in a brawl with Burnham, but instead of seeking medical attention from the USS Discovery, Moll and L'ak used one of the ISS Enterprise's remaining warp pods to flee capture. However, this time, Moll and L'ak left behind a warp trail Discovery can follow.

Cleveland Booker Tries To Connect With Moll

Booker's mentor was moll's absentee father.

Cleveland Booker has personal reasons to connect with and save Moll. Moll's real name is Malinne Booker, and she is the daughter of Book's late mentor, Cleveland Booker IV . Moll's father abandoned her and her mother to become a courier and raise the funds needed to move his family to a new home in the Gamma Quadrant. However, Booker IV's dangerous life as a courier and dealings with criminal organizations like the Emerald Chain made him keep his distance from Malinne, who blamed him for leaving her behind.

Moll doesn't want Cleveland Booker in her life.

Moll became a courier like her father to do what he didn't and earn enough latinum to move to the Gamma Quadrant, but Moll's entire world shifted when she fell in love with L'ak and the Breen placed a blood bounty on their head s. Moll doesn't want Cleveland Booker in her life , but she relents when she has the chance to kill the man who took her father's name. Whether Moll will ever come to see Book as the "only family" she has left, the way Book sees her, remains to be seen.

Commander Rayner Got The Best Out Of USS Discovery's Crew

Citrus mash for everyone.

Captain Burnham left Commander Rayner at the conn of the USS Discovery while she and Book went on their away mission, despite Rayner's reservations about leading Burnham's crew. However, Rayner was impressed that Burnhum learned Kellerun literature to connect with her new First Officer. This knowledge was the key to Rayner saving Burnham from interdimensional space. Burnham used the ISS Enterprise's tractor beam to send a signal the Kellerun commander would understand.

Rayner gained a new appreciation for Discovery's crew and how to work with them as his own crew.

Commander Rayner placed his trust in the USS Discovery's crew to "science" a way to open the wormhole's aperture and pull the ISS Enterprise into the Prime Universe. Commander Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp). Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman), Ensign Adira Tal (Blu del Barrio), Lt. Commander Gen Rhys (Patrick Kwok-Choon), Lt. Christopher (Orville Cummings), Lt. Linus (David Benjamin Tomlinson), Lt. Naya (Victoria Sawal), Lt. Commander Asha (Christina Dixon), and Lt. Gallo (Natalie Liconti) all rose to the occasion and found a way to save Burnham and Book. In turn, Rayner gained a new appreciation for Discovery's crew and how to work with them as his own crew.

Dr. Culber Reaches Out To Tilly

Culber has questions science can't answer.

The USS Discovery's counselor, Dr. Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz), needs a counselor of his own. Culber continues to deal with the unimaginable experience of Trill scientist Jinaal Bix occupying his mind and body in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 3, "Jinaal." Being taken over by a Trill has left Culber with existential questions, and he hopes finding the Progenitors' technology will provide him with the answers he seeks.

Hugh finds a sympathetic ear in Lt. Sylvia Tilly.

Unfortunately for Hugh, he doesn't believe he can share his feelings with his husband, Commander Paul Stamets because Paul is a man of science, and Culber's questions are ineffable. Hugh finds a sympathetic ear in Lt. Sylvia Tilly, but the answers Dr. Culber seeks are tied to what the USS Discovery finds when they locate the Progenitors' treasure - or so Hugh hopes. Culber, who has already died and been resurrected, may find himself in a new scenario that has pivotal life-or-death decisions in Star Trek: Discovery season 5.

Dr. Hugh Culber's dilemma in Star Trek: Discovery season 5 is a rare attempt by Star Trek to address spiritual questions.

Where Star Trek: Discovery's Next Progenitors' Treasure Clue Leads

The next clue involves water.

Captain Burnham acquired the third clue from Moll and L'ak, which is a vial of water contained within a piece of the Progenitors' treasure map. Burnham is waiting for Commander Stamets to conduct a chemical analysis of the water, which will reveal where the USS Discovery must go next for the 4th clue . However, Michael told Book that Dr. Cho, the former Terran scientist who became a Starfleet Admiral, went back to the ISS Enterprise in interdimensional space and hid her clue to the Progenitors' technology there.

Michael also told Book she saw him in the past during Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 4, "Face the Strange's" time loops, and that they were happy back then.

Burnham and Book mused over the lessons attached to each clue. On Trill, finding Jinaal's clue was dependent on Burnham and Booker proving they value lifeforms other than their own. On Lyrek for the first clue, the lesson was the importance of cultural context. Michael surmised that the lesson Dr. Cho left behind with her clue on the ISS Enterprise was to have the hope to shape your own future in Star Trek: Discovery season 5 as the search for the Progenitors' treasure and the answers to life, itself, continues.

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery season 5 stream Thursdays on Paramount+

A 57-Year-Old Star Trek Mystery Has Finally Been Solved

The final season of Star Trek: Discovery just solved a franchise mystery that's been left open since a classic episode of The Original Series aired.

• Nearly 60 years ago, Star Trek: The Original Series introduced the Mirror Universe.
• Star Trek: Discovery returned to that parallel dimension in Season 1, showing audiences more of that world.
• In the final season of Star Trek: Discovery, the fate of a key vessel in the mirror universe is revealed.

The following contains spoilers from Star Trek: Discovery , Season 5, Episode 5, "Mirrors," now streaming on Paramount+ .

One of the most interesting concepts in the Star Trek mythology is its "mirror universe," a parallel dimension where almost everyone is evil. Of the universe's dozen series, only four ever explored it, and only two did so more than once. Star Trek: Discovery made the mirror universe key to its first season, and in its final one, the series revealed what happened to the ISS Enterprise 57 years after it was first introduced. When the show first debuted, some long-time fans felt the crew and the captain were not in keeping with the tenor of proper Starfleet officers. However, Season 1 revealed Captain Lorca hailed from that universe , explaining why he seemed more "evil" than the typical starship captain.

Once the USS Discovery traveled through a wormhole to the 32nd Century, Dr. Kovich told Dr. Culber that the Mirror Universe and Prime Universe were too far apart for "crossings" to occur any longer. However, while on the hunt for the clues to the location of the Progenitors' technology, Captain Burnham and Cleveland "Book" Booker find a pocket of interdimensional space housing a vessel from the Mirror Universe. However, it's not any old starship, it is the ISS Enterprise last seen in "Mirror, Mirror" when the Prime Universe's Captain Kirk told Mirror Universe Spock it only took one good man to start a revolution. Once Star Trek: Deep Space Nine reintroduced the Mirror Universe, what happened to the ship was an open question Discovery just answered.

Where the Mirror Universe and the ISS Enterprise Came From

Star trek: discovery's mary wiseman, wilson cruz and blu del barrio hype finale.

When Gene Roddenberry put together his pitch for Star Trek 60 years ago in 1964, a loose idea of the Mirror Universe concept was on an early pitch document . The full concept came from writer Jerome Bixby, based on his decade-old short story "One Way Street." The writer said "the universe [he] created was a very savage counterpart" and that "it's arguable...the universe itself might be termed a 'character,'" in The Captain's Logs Supplemental by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman.

In "Mirror, Mirror," Kirk, Doctor McCoy, Uhura and Scotty are sent via transporter accident to the Mirror Universe. The episode is mostly about them trying to survive long enough to be returned to their own universe. However, Mirror Spock figures out the captain and crew aren't from his version of reality. So, he ends up helping them recreate the accident so they can return home. Tiberius Kirk and the evil versions of the crew are also sent back, but it's strongly implied that Spock will quickly take control from him.

In Star Trek: Enterprise , a two-part episode set in the Mirror Universe brought the USS Defiant from The Original Series episode "The Tholian Web" to the past. This helps explain why the ISS Enterprise is so much like the Constitution class vessels from the prime universe. Each starship is also equipped with a Tantalus Field, a mysterious device that makes a captain's enemies vanish. Presumably, Spock used the vessel to start his revolution, and Deep Space Nine reveals how it all turned out. Yet, what happened to the ISS Enterprise remained a mystery, until "Mirrors."

The USS Discovery's Search for Clues Led Burnham to the Enterprise

Star trek: discovery's alex kurtzman & michelle paradise talk final season.

Captain Burnham and the USS Discovery crew are familiar with the USS Enterprise, though Captain Christopher Pike was her commanding officer then. After surviving the Time Bug placed on the ship by Moll, Burnham and Book take a shuttle into an "aperture" of extradimensional space to follow their ship's warp trail. When they enter it, Burnham recognizes the ship, but tells Book that during her time in the Mirror Universe in Season 1, she never saw that particular vessel. The ship has been stuck there for some time, and it's damaged. Not just from the pocket dimension it sits in, but it had been in a battle.

When Burnham and Book board the vessel, they discover something surprising. Rather than a Terran warship, they see the ISS Enterprise seemingly serving as a home to refugees . After restoring some power to the ship, they are able to locate Moll, L'ak and the clue they seek by scanning for the quantum signature of people and objects from the prime universe. A short fight breaks out, but circumstances align so that Moll and Booker have to work together to free L'ak and Michael from a security protocol.

When L'ak and Michael fight, she's able to get the clue and she, accidentally, wounds the Breen exile. Moll and L'ak escape in the shuttle Michael and Book arrived on, so they have to figure out a way to get the ISS Enterprise out of the extradimensional space it was marooned in so long ago. Naturally, they succeed with the help of quick-thinking by Commander Rayner on the USS Discovery. What's most interesting, however, is that throughout this adventure no one really wonders just how the clue from the Prime Universe ended up on the flagship of the Terran Empire.

Deep Space Nine Revealed the Fate of Spock's Terran Empire

Star trek: discovery actors doug jones & david ajala prepare for their last adventure.

The first show to return to the Mirror Universe was the first serialized Star Trek , Deep Space Nine in Season 2, Episode 23, "Crossover." Naturally, because that series was set on the space station close to the planet Bajor, this was the corner of the Mirror Universe that the episode (and its many sequels over seven seasons) explored. Rather than the jingoistic rules of the Terran Empire, however, humans were an oppressed class working the ore processing facilities on the Deep Space 9 station. It was ruled by an alliance of Klingons, Cardassians and Bajorans.

Kira Nerys met her counterpart, the leader of the station known as "the Intendant." She explained to her what happened after the real Captain Kirk transported back to his universe. Spock used the ISS Enterprise to become Chancellor of the former Empire, all the while making institutional reformations that made the society more peaceful and equitable. However, after years of being oppressed by the Terrans, the Klingon and Cardassian alliance was able to launch a successful campaign against them.

Still, Deep Space Nine left the ultimate fate of the Terran Empire -- and, more specifically, the ISS Enterprise -- an open question . In fact, Intendant Kira never really clarified when the Terran Empire fell, beyond saying that Spock's reforms began "almost a century ago." Still, knowing that the Terran Empire fell under a brutal assault by Klingons and Cardassians , a picture starts to emerge about why the ISS Enterprise would have been a home for refugees and made the perilous, impossible journey across dimensions.

A Terran Refugee Hid the Clue In the ISS Enterprise In the 24th Century

Star trek: discovery's sonequa martin-green embarks on one final voyage.

At the end of "Mirrors," Michael Burnham reveals the scientist who hid the clue on the ISS Enterprise was able to do so because she was, herself, a Terran . Some time before The Next Generation's "The Chase," she and a group of refugees fled the ISS Enterprise in shuttles and made their way into the Prime Universe. From there, many of them made homes in the Federation, and this particular scientist was the Junior Science Officer on the ISS Enterprise, Dr. Cho.

This means the Terran refugees fled the Mirror Universe sometime before the events of "The Chase." Yet, it was close enough to those events that Dr. Cho was able to make her way back to the ship that carried her and her fellow immigrant in order to hide the clue there. As Booker notes in the episode, the clues to the Progenitors' technology each come with a lesson. In this case, Dr. Cho wanted to subtly teach the searchers who followed her that things can always get better. She went from being a Terran scientist to a Branch Admiral in Starfleet. It's kind of like Starfleet's first mutineer becoming the captain of the first vessel on which she served afterward.

No matter the timeline or universe, the Enterprise is an important, historic vessel. The ISS Enterprise was a warship that brought fear and terror to whomever it visited. At least, until a man named Kirk told a man named Spock there was a better choice to make. In its final season, Star Trek: Discovery has found yet another way to tie its story into the fabric of the universe's past and the message Gene Roddenberry and all those who followed him wanted to give the audience. Things can always be better, but it takes people making the right choices to get there.

Star Trek: Discovery debuts new episodes Thursdays on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery

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Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

• Admiral Kirk and his bridge crew risk their careers stealing the decommissioned U.S.S. Enterprise to return to the restricted Genesis Planet to recover Spock's body.
• In the wake of Spock's ultimate deed of sacrifice, Admiral Kirk and the Enterprise crew return to Earth for some essential repairs to their ship. When they arrive at Spacedock, they are shocked to discover that the Enterprise is to be decommissioned. Even worse, Dr. McCoy begins acting strangely and Scotty has been reassigned to another ship. Kirk is forced to steal back the Enterprise and head across space to the Genesis Planet to save Spock and bring him to Vulcan. Unbeknownst to them, the Klingons are planning to steal the secrets of the Genesis Device for their own deadly purpose. — Colin Tinto <[email protected]>
• Admiral Kirk's defeat of Khan Noonien Singh and the creation of the Genesis Planet are empty victories. Mr. Spock is dead and Dr. McCoy is, seemingly inexplicably, being driven insane. Then an unexpected visit from Spock's father, Sarek provides a startling revelation: McCoy is harboring Spock's living essence. With one friend alive and one not, but both in pain, Kirk attempts to help his friends by stealing the Enterprise and defying Starfleet's Genesis quarantine. However, the Klingons have also learned of the Genesis Device and race to meet Kirk in a deadly rendezvous. — Robert Lynch <[email protected]>
• The Federation Starship Enterprise returns to Earth following a battle with the superhuman Khan Noonien Singh, who tried to destroy the Enterprise by detonating an experimental Terraforming device known as Genesis. The casualties of the fight include Admiral James T. Kirk's (William Shatner) Vulcan friend, Spock (Leonard Nimoy), whose casket was launched into space and eventually landed on the planet created by the Genesis Device. On arriving at Earth Space dock, Doctor Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley) begins to act strangely and is detained. Starfleet Admiral Morrow visits the Enterprise and informs the crew the ship is to be decommissioned; the crew is ordered not to speak about Genesis due to political fallout over the device. The Crew members are James Doohan, as Montgomery Scott, the chief engineer; George Takei, as Hikaru Sulu, Enterprise's helmsman; Walter Koenig, as Pavel Chekov, navigation and acting science officer; and Nichelle Nichols, as Uhura, the ship's communications officer. David Marcus (Merritt Butrick)-Kirk's son, a key scientist in Genesis's development-and Lieutenant Saavik (Robin Curtis) are investigating the Genesis planet on board the science vessel Grissom. Discovering an unexpected life form on the surface, Marcus and Saavik transport to the planet. They find that the Genesis Device has resurrected Spock in the form of a child, although his mind is not present. Marcus admits that he used unstable "proto-matter" in the development of the Genesis Device, causing Spock to age rapidly and meaning the planet will be destroyed within hours. Meanwhile, Kruge (Christopher Lloyd), the commander of a Klingon vessel, intercepts information about Genesis. Believing the device to be potentially useful as a weapon, he takes his cloaked ship to the Genesis planet, destroys the Grissom. Spock's father, Sarek (Mark Lenard), confronts Kirk about his son's death. The pair learn that before he died, Spock transferred his Katra, or living spirit, to McCoy. Spock's Katra and body are needed to lay him to rest on his home world, Vulcan, and without help, McCoy will die from carrying the Katra. Disobeying orders, Kirk and his officers spring McCoy from detention, disable the USS Excelsior, and steal the Enterprise from Space dock to return to the Genesis planet to retrieve Spock's body. On Genesis, the Klingons capture Marcus, Saavik and Spock and before Kruge can interrogate them their ship signals that the Enterprise has arrived and Kruge immediately beams back to the Bird of Prey. In orbit, the undermanned Enterprise is attacked and disabled by Kruge. In the standoff that follows, Kruge orders that one of the hostages on the surface be executed. David is killed defending Saavik and Spock. Kirk and company feign surrender and activate the Enterprise's self-destruct sequence, killing the Klingon boarding party while the Enterprise crew transports to the planet's surface. Promising the secret of Genesis, Kirk lures Kruge to the planet and has him beam his crew to the Klingon vessel. As the Genesis planet disintegrates, Kirk and Kruge engage in a fistfight; Kirk emerges victorious after kicking Kruge off a cliff into a lava flow. Kirk and his officers take control of the Klingon ship and head to Vulcan. There, Spock's Katra is reunited with his body in a dangerous procedure called Fal-Tor-Pan. The ceremony is successful, and Spock is resurrected, alive and well, though his memories are fragmented. At Kirk's prompting, Spock remembers he called Kirk "Jim" and recognizes the crew.

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