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The Ultimate Chronological Star Trek Viewing Guide

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Last Updated: April 23, 2024

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Newly added: Discovery Season 5!

Newly added: Lower Decks Season 2!

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Abbreviation Guide

The 21st Century

The 22nd century, the 23rd century.

    (DIS,SNW,TOS,TAS)

The 24th Century

    (TNG,DS9,VOY,LDS,PRO,PIC)

The 25th Century

The 31st century, the 32nd century, introduction.

This Star Trek viewing guide will assist you through watching the entire franchise, based not on production dates, but on in-universe story order, all the way from the 21st to the 32nd centuries.  As it is a viewing guide and not a rigid chronology, some episodes are shifted to keep things as clear and fun as possible. The site is updated regularly to stay current. 

There is now a print-friendly version without the graphics as well.

To avoid spoilers, I’ve moved discussion of the thinking behind some less clear-cut decisions to a separate “methodology” page . Opinions and feedback are welcome!

Series Overview and Abbreviation Guide

Past Shows:

    TOS —> Star Trek - The Original Series (1964, 1966-1969)

    TAS —> Star Trek - The Animated Series    (1973-1974)

    TNG —> Star Trek - The Next Generation    (1987-1994)

    DS9 —> Star Trek - Deep Space Nine     (1993-1999)

    VOY —> Star Trek - Voyager (1995-2001)

    ENT —> Star Trek - Enterprise (2001-2005)

    SHO —> Star Trek - Short Treks (2018-2020)

    PIC —> Star Trek - Picard (2020-2023)

    MOV —> Theatrical Movies (1979-1991, 1994-2002, 2009-2016)

Current Shows:

    DIS —> Star Trek - Discovery (2017-2024)

    LDS —> Star Trek - Lower Decks (2020-)

    PRO —> Star Trek - Prodigy (2021-)

    SNW —> Star Trek - Strange New Worlds (2022-)

April 5th, 2063:

Star Trek essentially begins on this date, when Zefram Cochrane creates faster-than-light travel (“warp drive”) allowing humans to meet extraterrestrial life, the Vulcans, for the first time. We will see this event later in the viewing order, but for now it’s just backstory.

We start with Star Trek: Enterprise (technically just titled Enterprise until season three). While the first in the timeline, this show was actually the sixth Star Trek series made, and includes many fun hints of future events.  We will mostly follow the release order, but will skip some episodes in Seasons two and four until later in the viewing order.

• ENT    Season 1, episode 1    -    Broken Bow, Part 1
• ENT    Season 1, episode 2    -    Broken Bow, Part 2
• ENT    Season 1, episode 3    -    Fight or Flight
• ENT    Season 1, episode 4    -    Strange New World
• ENT    Season 1, episode 5    -    Unexpected
• ENT    Season 1, episode 6    -    Terra Nova
• ENT    Season 1, episode 7    -    The Andorian Incident
• ENT    Season 1, episode 8    -    Breaking the Ice
• ENT    Season 1, episode 9    -    Civilization
• ENT    Season 1, episode 10    -    Fortunate Son
• ENT    Season 1, episode 11    -    Cold Front
• ENT    Season 1, episode 12    -    Silent Enemy
• ENT    Season 1, episode 13    -    Dear Doctor
• ENT    Season 1, episode 14    -    Sleeping Dogs
• ENT    Season 1, episode 15    -    Shadows of P'Jem
• ENT    Season 1, episode 16    -    Shuttlepod One
• ENT    Season 1, episode 17    -    Fusion
• ENT    Season 1, episode 18    -    Rogue Planet
• ENT    Season 1, episode 19    -    Acquisition

• ENT      Season 1, episode 20      -      Oasis
• ENT      Season 1, episode 21      -      Detained
• ENT      Season 1, episode 22      -      Vox Sola
• ENT      Season 1, episode 23      -      Fallen Hero
• ENT      Season 1, episode 24      -      Desert Crossing
• ENT      Season 1, episode 25      -      Two Days and Two Nights
• ENT      Season 1, episode 26      -      Shockwave, Part I
• ENT      Season 2, episode 1      -      Shockwave, Part II
• ENT      Season 2, episode 2      -      Carbon Creek
• ENT      Season 2, episode 3      -      Minefield
• ENT      Season 2, episode 4      -      Dead Stop
• ENT      Season 2, episode 5      -      A Night in Sickbay
• ENT      Season 2, episode 6      -      Marauders
• ENT    Season 2, episode 7    -    The Seventh
• ENT    Season 2, episode 8    -    The Communicator
• ENT    Season 2, episode 9    -    Singularity
• ENT    Season 2, episode 10    -    Vanishing Point
• ENT    Season 2, episode 11    -    Precious Cargo
• ENT    Season 2, episode 12    -    The Catwalk
• ENT    Season 2, episode 13    -    Dawn
• ENT    Season 2, episode 14    -    Stigma
• ENT    Season 2, episode 15    -    Cease Fire
• ENT    Season 2, episode 16    -    Future Tense
• ENT    Season 2, episode 17    -    Canamar
• ENT    Season 2, episode 18    -    The Crossing
• ENT    Season 2, episode 19    -    Judgment

• ENT    Season 2, episode 20    -    Horizon
• ENT    Season 2, episode 21    -    The Breach
• ENT    Season 2, episode 22    -    Cogenitor

We are skipping episode 23 (“Regeneration”) for now, but will return to it later.

• ENT    Season 2, episode 24    -    First Flight
• ENT    Season 2, episode 25    -    Bounty
• ENT    Season 2, episode 26    -    The Expanse
• ENT    Season 3, episode 1    -    The Xindi
• ENT    Season 3, episode 2    -    Anomaly
• ENT    Season 3, episode 3    -    Extinction
• ENT    Season 3, episode 4    -    Rajiin
• ENT    Season 3, episode 5    -    Impulse
• ENT    Season 3, episode 6    -    Exile
• ENT    Season 3, episode 7    -    The Shipment
• ENT    Season 3, episode 8    -    Twilight
• ENT    Season 3, episode 9    -    North Star
• ENT    Season 3, episode 10    -    Similitude
• ENT    Season 3, episode 11    -    Carpenter Street
• ENT    Season 3, episode 12    -    Chosen Realm
• ENT    Season 3, episode 13    -    Proving Ground
• ENT    Season 3, episode 14    -    Stratagem
• ENT    Season 3, episode 15    -    Harbinger

• ENT    Season 3, episode 16    -    Doctor's Orders 
• ENT    Season 3, episode 17    -    Hatchery
• ENT    Season 3, episode 18    -    Azati Prime 
• ENT    Season 3, episode 19    -    Damage 
• ENT    Season 3, episode 20    -    The Forgotten 
• ENT    Season 3, episode 21    -    E² 
• ENT    Season 3, episode 22    -    The Council
• ENT    Season 3, episode 23    -    Countdown 
• ENT    Season 3, episode 24    -    Zero Hour 

In its fourth and final season, Enterprise, under the guidance of a new showrunner, really takes advantage of its ability to foreshadow events in later chronologically-placed stories. Please pay attention to the episode numbers as we skip episodes 18, 19, and 22 for now and watch them later.

• ENT    Season 4, episode 1    -    Storm Front, Part 1
• ENT    Season 4, episode 2    -    Storm Front, Part 2
• ENT    Season 4, episode 3    -    Home
• ENT    Season 4, episode 4    -    Borderland
• ENT    Season 4, episode 5    -    Cold Station 12
• ENT    Season 4, episode 6    -    The Augments
• ENT    Season 4, episode 7    -    The Forge
• ENT    Season 4, episode 8    -    Awakening
• ENT    Season 4, episode 9    -    Kir'Shara
• ENT    Season 4, episode 10    -    Daedalus
• ENT    Season 4, episode 11    -    Observer Effect
• ENT    Season 4, episode 12    -    Babel One
• ENT    Season 4, episode 13    -    United
• ENT    Season 4, episode 14    -    The Aenar
• ENT    Season 4, episode 15    -    Affliction
• ENT    Season 4, episode 16    -    Divergence
• ENT    Season 4, episode 17    -    Bound 

• ENT    Season 4, episode 20    -    Demons 
• ENT    Season 4, episode 21    -    Terra Prime 

Although we will be moving on from Enterprise for now, we will return to watch the skipped episodes and the series finale later. Even so, the two-parter above is near-universally considered a better end-point for this point in the story.

The Earth-Romulan War, which was first mentioned in the original 1960s series, occurs here. Enterprise intended to cover this starting in the fifth season, but was unfortunately cancelled after Season Four. While we don't get to see the conflict on screen, its impact is felt throughout Enterprise and beyond. During the war, Humans, Vulcans, Andorians, and Tellarites form a loosely structured Coalition of Planets which manages to push back the Romulans. This Coalition leads directly to…

…the formation of the United Federation of Planets, the primary political setting of the Star Trek franchise.

From this point on, Star Trek focuses on the Federation, depicting its periods of peace, war, expansion, and decline, which will set the agenda for much of the franchise.

Early 2230s

An adaptation of an (actual) ancient African legend, told to a young girl we will meet again later as an adult, this is our first “Short Treks” episode. These mini-episodes are not tied to any specific time or place in the Star Trek franchise and will appear occasionally throughout this list.

• SHO    Season 2, episode 5    -    The Girl Who Made the Stars 

2233 - A sidenote about universes/timelines:

There are two main “universes” in the Star Trek franchise: the Kelvin timeline (consisting of three feature films) and the Prime timeline (covering everything else). This year, 2233, is when events occur which split the universe into the Kelvin and Prime timelines. For now, we will stay with the Prime timeline in this viewing order, but keep in mind the Kelvin timeline for later. Note that there is a third universe, the "Mirror" universe, and occasional alternate timelines. However, for simplicity, our visits there will not be separated from the Prime episodes.

2233 (Prime)

The USS Kelvin flies through space, exploring strange new worlds. 

Nothing happens. 

All is well.

• SHO    Season 1, episode 3    -    The Brightest Star

After a quick Short Trek in which we meet a young ensign reporting to his new ship, we reach the very first Star Trek episode produced: The Cage, dating from 1964-65. Rejected by NBC for being "too cerebral," studio owner Lucille Ball convinced the network to give the show another chance at a pilot. While much of The Cage’s footage is reused in a later episode, "The Menagerie," we recommend that you don't skip either one. The character of Captain Pike becomes highly significant shortly, and both episodes offer valuable insights into him and Spock.

Viewing notes: When referring to the original 1960s "Star Trek," this guide uses the abbreviation TOS (The Original Series). TOS is available in two versions: the classic 1960s version and a CGI- enhanced remastered version made from 2006-08. The remastered versions do not alter the stories in any way making the version you choose a matter of personal preference.  

• SHO    Season 2, episode 1    -    Q&A 
• TOS    Season 0, episode 1    -    The Cage 

We now begin Star Trek: Discovery, which is the seventh Star Trek series produced, but only the second series chronologically. It also is the first series to significantly revamp the visual designs, departing from the previous assumption that the 23rd century looked the same as it did in the original 1960s series. Discovery updates the designs, and we are trusted to accept that they have "always" looked this way, affecting uniforms, ships, alien makeup, and more. The Klingons, in particular, received a dramatic redesign, though it was significantly backtracked after the first season. These are not continuity issues, and should not be viewed as such, though we could certainly nitpick details if we chose to. 

• DIS    Season 1, episode 1    -    The Vulcan Hello
• DIS    Season 1, episode 2    -    Battle at the Binary Stars
• DIS    Season 1, episode 3    -    Context is for Kings
• DIS    Season 1, episode 4    -    The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry
• DIS    Season 1, episode 5    -    Choose Your Pain
• DIS    Season 1, episode 6    -    Lethe
• DIS    Season 1, episode 7    -    Magic to Make the Sanest Man go Mad

• DIS    Season 1, episode 8    -    Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum
• DIS    Season 1, episode 9    -    Into the Forest I Go

Watching Trek in this order presents a quirk in episode 10, where the USS Defiant is, to avoid spoilers, somewhere it shouldn't be. The show assumes that we know the explanation, but don't worry about it. We will learn why when we reach 2268, but in the meantime, it is entirely unimportant to how the story in Discovery unfolds.

• DIS    Season 1, episode 10    -    Despite Yourself
• DIS    Season 1, episode 11    -    The Wolf Inside
• DIS    Season 1, episode 12    -    Vaulting Ambition
• DIS    Season 1, episode 13    -    What's Past is Prologue
• DIS    Season 1, episode 14    -    The War Without, The War Within
• DIS    Season 1, episode 15    -    Will You Take My Hand?
• SHO    Season 1, episode 1    -    Runaway
• SHO    Season 1, episode 4    -    Escape Artist
• DIS    Season 2, episode 1    -    Brother
• DIS    Season 2, episode 2    -    New Eden
• DIS    Season 2, episode 3    -    Point of Light
• DIS    Season 2, episode 4    -    An Obol for Charon
• DIS    Season 2, episode 5    -    Saints of Imperfection
• DIS    Season 2, episode 6    -    The Sound of Thunder
• DIS    Season 2, episode 7    -    Light and Shadows
• DIS    Season 2, episode 8    -    If Memory Serves
• DIS    Season 2, episode 9    -    Project Daedalus
• DIS    Season 2, episode 10    -    The Red Angel
• DIS    Season 2, episode 11    -    Perpetual Infinity
• DIS    Season 2, episode 12    -    Through the Valley of Shadows
• DIS    Season 2, episode 13    -    Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 1
• DIS    Season 2, episode 14    -    Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2

I will avoid spoilers, but after watching the episode listed just above, it will be clear why we are pausing our viewing of Discovery, even though there are more episodes left to watch. We will come back to the series at the appropriate time to continue the series.

• SHO    Season 2, episode 2    -    The Trouble with Edward
• SHO    Season 2, episode 3    -    Ask Not

We now move away from the Discovery crew to follow Capt. Pike, back in command of the Enterprise, for an absolutely delightful series that deliberately throws back to 1960s Trek in many ways, including the first appearances of some characters we will continue to see for many years to come.

• SNW    Season 1, episode 1    -    Strange New Worlds
• SNW    Season 1, episode 2    -    Children of the Comet
• SNW    Season 1, episode 3    -    Ghosts of Illyria
• SNW    Season 1, episode 4    -    Memento Mori
• SNW    Season 1, episode 5    -    Spock Amok
• SNW    Season 1, episode 6    -    Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach
• SNW    Season 1, episode 7    -    The Serene Squall
• SNW    Season 1, episode 8    -    The Elysian Kingdom
• SNW    Season 1, episode 9    -    All Those Who Wander
• SNW    Season 1, episode 10    -    A Quality of Mercy
• SNW    Season 2 episode 1    -    The Broken Circle
• SNW    Season 2, episode 2    -    Ad Astra per Aspera
• SNW    Season 2, episode 3    -    Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow
• SNW    Season 2, episode 4    -    Among the Lotus Eaters
• SNW    Season 2, episode 5    -    Charades
• SNW    Season 2, episode 6    -    Lost in Translation

Skipping Episode 7 for later…

Pay attention to the possible future laid out in this next episode; we see how the timeline actually plays out later in this chronology.

• SNW    Season 2, episode 8    -    Under the Cloak of War
• SNW    Season 2, episode 9    -    Subspace Rhapsody
• SNW    Season 2, episode 10    -    Hegemony

Here’s that second Original Series pilot Lucille Ball fought for, now with (most) of the classic 1960’s Star Trek crew. Still no Dr. McCoy, Uhura, or Chekov, Kirk has a different middle initial, the uniforms and sets still aren’t quite right… but we are for the first time recognizably in the world of the show that started it all.

• TOS    Season 1, episode 3    -    Where No Man Has Gone Before

2266-Notes on The Original Series

Just to clarify - the original Star Trek will appear less advanced in terms of its designs and aesthetic compared to the other Star Trek shows we have watched so far, but this is only due to the limitations of television production at the time. This is not “true” in story terms - the technology and society in TOS should be read as on par with Discovery and Strange New Worlds, which all take place at roughly this point in the timeline, and the Enterprise, despite looking different, should be accepted as the exact same ship Pike commanded in Strange New Worlds.

As for the actual viewing order, to fully appreciate the development of the show, it's recommended to watch TOS in production order instead of by air date.  In general, don’t get too hung up on continuity with the rest of the franchise in these early days - they take quite a while to pin some stuff down that the rest of the franchise takes for granted.

The Menagerie is largely reedited from The Cage, which we watched a while back, but don’t skip it - after spending so much time with Spock and Pike since, this episode is absolutely essential.

• TOS    Season 1, episode 10    -    The Corbomite Maneuver 
• TOS    Season 1, episode 6    -    Mudd's Women
• TOS    Season 1, episode 5    -    The Enemy Within
• TOS    Season 1, episode 1    -    The Man Trap
• TOS    Season 1, episode 4    -    The Naked Time
• TOS    Season 1, episode 2    -    Charlie X

Next we revisit SNW’s season 1 finale, “A Quality of Mercy”, and see how differently events play out with Kirk in command of the Enterprise.

• TOS    Season 1, episode 14    -    Balance of Terror
• TOS    Season 1, episode 7    -    What Are Little Girls Made of?
• TOS    Season 1, episode 9    -    Dagger of the Mind
• TOS    Season 1, episode 8    -    Miri
• TOS    Season 1, episode 13    -    The Conscience of the King
• TOS    Season 1, episode 16    -    The Galileo Seven
• TOS    Season 1, episode 20    -    Court Martial
• TOS    Season 1, episode 11    -    The Menagerie (Part I)
• TOS    Season 1, episode 12    -    The Menagerie (Part II)
• TOS    Season 1, episode 15    -    Shore Leave
• TOS    Season 1, episode 17    -    The Squire of Gothos
• TOS    Season 1, episode 18    -    Arena
• TOS    Season 1, episode 27    -    The Alternative Factor
• TOS    Season 1, episode 19    -    Tomorrow is Yesterday
• TOS    Season 1, episode 21    -    The Return of the Archons
• TOS    Season 1, episode 23    -    A Taste of Armageddon
• TOS    Season 1, episode 22    -    Space Seed
• TOS    Season 1, episode 24    -    This Side of Paradise
• TOS    Season 1, episode 25    -    Devil in the Dark
• TOS    Season 1, episode 26    -    Errand of Mercy
• TOS    Season 1, episode 28    -    The City on the Edge of Forever
• TOS    Season 1, episode 29    -    Operation: Annihilate!

• TOS    Season 2, episode 7    -    Catspaw
• TOS    Season 2, episode 9    -    Metamorphosis
• TOS    Season 2, episode 11    -    Friday's Child
• TOS    Season 2, episode 2    -    Who Mourns for Adonais?
• TOS    Season 2, episode 1    -    Amok Time
• TOS    Season 2, episode 6    -    The Doomsday Machine
• TOS    Season 2, episode 14    -    Wolf in the Fold
• TOS    Season 2, episode 3    -    The Changeling
• TOS    Season 2, episode 5    -    The Apple
• TOS    Season 2, episode 4    -    Mirror, Mirror
• TOS    Season 2, episode 12    -    The Deadly Years
• TOS    Season 2, episode 8    -    I, Mudd
• TOS    Season 2, episode 15    -    The Trouble with Tribbles
• TOS    Season 2, episode 25    -    Bread and Circuses
• TOS    Season 2, episode 10    -    Journey to Babel
• TOS    Season 2, episode 19    -    A Private Little War
• TOS    Season 2, episode 16    -    The Gamesters of Triskelion
• TOS    Season 2, episode 13    -    Obsession
• TOS    Season 2, episode 18    -    The Immunity Syndrome
• TOS    Season 2, episode 17    -    A Piece of the Action
• TOS    Season 2, episode 22    -    By Any Other Name
• TOS    Season 2, episode 20    -    Return to Tomorrow
• TOS    Season 2, episode 21    -    Patterns of Force
• TOS    Season 2, episode 24    -    The Ultimate Computer
• TOS    Season 2, episode 23    -    The Omega Glory
• TOS    Season 2, episode 26    -    Assignment: Earth

While Mirror, Mirror is the episode that first introduces the Mirror universe, we’ve already been there on Discovery. Enterprise had a two-part episode there too, actually, but that’s one of the ones we skipped for later viewing and will be arriving at shortly.

• TOS    Season 3, episode 6    -    Spectre of the Gun
• TOS    Season 3, episode 13    -    Elaan of Troyius
• TOS    Season 3, episode 3    -    The Paradise Syndrome
• TOS    Season 3, episode 2    -    The Enterprise Incident
• TOS    Season 3, episode 4    -    And the Children Shall Lead
• TOS    Season 3, episode 1    -    Spock's Brain
• TOS    Season 3, episode 5    -    Is There in Truth No Beauty?
• TOS    Season 3, episode 12    -    The Empath
• TOS    Season 3, episode 8    -    For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky
• TOS    Season 3, episode 7    -    Day of the Dove
• TOS    Season 3, episode 10    -    Plato's Stepchildren
• TOS    Season 3, episode 11    -    Wink of An Eye
• TOS    Season 3, episode 17    -    That Which Survives
• TOS    Season 3, episode 15    -    Let That Be Your Last Battlefield
• TOS    Season 3, episode 14    -    Whom Gods Destroy
• TOS    Season 3, episode 16    -    The Mark of Gideon
• TOS    Season 3, episode 18    -    The Lights of Zetar
• TOS    Season 3, episode 21    -    The Cloud Minders
• TOS    Season 3, episode 20    -    The Way to Eden
• TOS    Season 3, episode 19    -    Requiem for Methuselah
• TOS    Season 3, episode 22    -    The Savage Curtain
• TOS    Season 3, episode 23    -    All Our Yesterdays
• TOS    Season 3, episode 24    -    Turnabout Intruder

In one of the more fun examples of the shows tying together, the next three episodes we watch have a TOS episode leading into two of the Enterprise episodes we skipped, PLUS they finally explain why the Discovery detected the USS Defiant in the Mirror Universe.

• TOS    Season 3, episode 9    -    The Tholian Web
• ENT    Season 4, episode 18    -    In a Mirror, Darkly, Part I
• ENT    Season 4, episode 19    -    In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II

We finish Kirk's Five-Year Mission with Star Trek: The Animated Series. Is TAS in continuity? Debatable. In later years, Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry liked to say it was not, but later works in the franchise certainly seemed to disagree, with Enterprise’s Vulcan arc as well as the first of the Kelvin films borrowing heavily from Yesteryear, Robert April appearing in Strange New Worlds, numerous references in Lower Decks, etc.,  so I see no reason not to consider it as canon as everything else. Besides, “La mort de l'auteur” means we don’t have to listen to Gene.

• TAS    Season 1, episode 5    -    More Tribbles, More Troubles
• TAS    Season 1, episode 6    -    The Survivor
• TAS    Season 1, episode 7    -    The Infinite Vulcan
• TAS    Season 1, episode 8    -    The Magicks of Megas-tu
• TAS    Season 1, episode 9    -    Once Upon a Planet
• TAS    Season 1, episode 10    -    Mudd's Passion
• TAS    Season 1, episode 11    -    The Terratin Incident
• TAS    Season 1, episode 12    -    The Time Trap
• TAS    Season 1, episode 13    -    The Ambergris Element
• TAS    Season 1, episode 14    -    The Slaver Weapon
• TAS    Season 1, episode 15    -    The Eye of the Beholder
• TAS    Season 1, episode 16    -    The Jihad
• TAS    Season 2, episode 1    -    The Pirates of Orion
• TAS    Season 2, episode 2    -    Bem
• TAS    Season 2, episode 3    -    The Practical Joker
• TAS    Season 2, episode 4    -    Albatross
• TAS    Season 2, episode 5    -    How Sharper than a Serpent's Tooth
• TAS    Season 2, episode 6    -    The Counter-Clock Incident
• TAS    Season 1, episode 1    -    Beyond the Farthest Star
• TAS    Season 1, episode 2    -    Yesteryear
• TAS    Season 1, episode 3    -    One of Our Planets is Missing
• TAS    Season 1, episode 4    -    The Lorelei Signal

Movie time! Some background here. Paramount was planning on making a new network, and intended a new Star Trek series, "Star Trek Phase II", to anchor it. Scripts were written, sets were built, and actors cast. When network plans fell through, and Star Wars became a hit, they decided to take one of those scripts and streeeeeeeeeetch it out into a movie.

So…. Is it way too long for the amount of plot it has? Yes, though it has its charms. And isn’t it basically a retread of Nomad from the episode "The Changeling" anyway? It is. And hey, isn’t that the pedophile Dad from 7th Heaven? mm-hmm. Anyway, if you have access to it I recommend the Director’s Cut, in which pacing is much improved and some particularly flawed effects are redone, but either version works story-wise.

• MOV    Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Following The Motion Picture, the franchise underwent a significant transformation with the release of the next film, adopting a different style and tone that many, including the author, believe resulted in the best Star Trek movie to date.

• MOV    Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
• MOV    Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Ephraim and Dot ’s continuity really makes no sense anywhere, but it’s cute so who cares. Anyway, this seemed the BEST place to put it.

• SHO    Season 2, episode 4    -    Ephraim and Dot

• MOV    Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

Or, to use the all-but-official secondary title, “The One With The Whales”

• MOV    Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

A criminally underrated film.

• MOV    Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

Sidenote: The opening sequence of the film. Star Trek: Generations takes place this year, a few months after The Undiscovered Country. I very much do not expect people to watch things in pieces, but as there IS a clear delineation in the film, you can, optionally, watch the beginning of Generations and stop when the “78 years later” caption comes up. Or you can just not worry about it, and watch the whole film in one sitting when we reach 2371. 

We now jump forward 70-odd years to see a far more established Federation, and perhaps the most popular and beloved Star Trek series of all, Star Trek - The Next Generation. That said, it is extremely rough at the outset, so you’ll need to give it some time. I promise you, the series gets a lot better later on and absolutely earns the affection it still receives to this day. 

• TNG    Season 1, episode 9    -    The Battle
• TNG    Season 1, episode 10    -    Hide and Q
• TNG    Season 1, episode 11    -    Haven
• TNG    Season 1, episode 12    -    The Big Goodbye
• TNG    Season 1, episode 13    -    Datalore
• TNG    Season 1, episode 14    -    Angel One
• TNG    Season 1, episode 15    -    11001001
• TNG    Season 1, episode 16    -    Too Short a Season
• TNG    Season 1, episode 17    -    When the Bough Breaks
• TNG    Season 1, episode 18    -    Home Soil
• TNG    Season 1, episode 19    -    Coming of Age
• TNG    Season 1, episode 20    -    Heart of Glory
• TNG    Season 1, episode 21    -    The Arsenal of Freedom
• TNG    Season 1, episode 22    -    Symbiosis
• TNG    Season 1, episode 23    -    Skin of Evil
• TNG    Season 1, episode 24    -    We'll Always Have Paris
• TNG    Season 1, episode 25    -    Conspiracy
• TNG    Season 1, episode 26    -    The Neutral Zone
• TNG    Season 1, episode 1    -    Encounter at Farpoint, Part 1
• TNG    Season 1, episode 2    -    Encounter at Farpoint, Part 2
• TNG    Season 1, episode 3    -    The Naked Now
• TNG    Season 1, episode 4    -    Code of Honor
• TNG    Season 1, episode 5    -    The Last Outpost
• TNG    Season 1, episode 6    -    Where No One Has Gone Before
• TNG    Season 1, episode 7    -    Lonely Among Us
• TNG    Season 1, episode 8    -    Justice

This season introduces the most popular and iconic character of the entire Star Trek franchise: Riker’s Beard. More seriously, due to a writers strike this year the producers had to dip into episodes written for the early 70’s Phase II series that was never made. Will Riker and Troi were ALWAYS a revamp of the original plans for Will Decker and Ilia, but the season opener was literally written in the 70s with Ilia in the place of Troi.

The series doesn’t truly find its footing until Season 3, but “The Measure of a Man” is widely considered TNG’s first “great” episode, a sign of many more to come. 

• TNG    Season 2, episode 9    -    The Measure of a Man
• TNG    Season 2, episode 10    -    The Dauphin
• TNG    Season 2, episode 11    -    Contagion
• TNG    Season 2, episode 12    -    The Royale
• TNG    Season 2, episode 13    -    Time Squared
• TNG    Season 2, episode 14    -    The Icarus Factor
• TNG    Season 2, episode 15    -    Pen Pals
• TNG    Season 2, episode 16    -    Q Who?
• TNG    Season 2, episode 17    -    The Samaritan Snare
• TNG    Season 2, episode 18    -    Up the Long Ladder
• TNG    Season 2, episode 19    -    Manhunt
• TNG    Season 2, episode 20    -    The Emissary
• TNG    Season 2, episode 21    -    Peak Performance
• TNG    Season 2, episode 22    -    Shades of Gray
• TNG    Season 2, episode 1    -    The Child
• TNG    Season 2, episode 2    -    Where Silence Has Lease
• TNG    Season 2, episode 3    -    Elementary, Dear Data
• TNG    Season 2, episode 4    -    The Outrageous Okona
• TNG    Season 2, episode 5    -    Loud as a Whisper
• TNG    Season 2, episode 6    -    The Schizoid Man
• TNG    Season 2, episode 7    -    Unnatural Selection
• TNG    Season 2, episode 8    -    A Matter of Honor

• TNG    Season 3, episode 1    -    Evolution
• TNG    Season 3, episode 2    -    The Ensigns of Command
• TNG    Season 3, episode 3    -    The Survivors
• TNG    Season 3, episode 4    -    Who Watches the Watchers?
• TNG    Season 3, episode 5    -    The Bonding
• TNG    Season 3, episode 6    -    Booby Trap
• TNG    Season 3, episode 7    -    The Enemy
• TNG    Season 3, episode 8    -    The Price
• TNG    Season 3, episode 9    -    The Vengeance Factor
• TNG    Season 3, episode 10    -    The Defector
• TNG    Season 3, episode 11    -    The Hunted
• TNG    Season 3, episode 12    -    A Matter of Perspective
• TNG    Season 3, episode 13    -    The High Ground
• TNG    Season 3, episode 14    -    Deja Q
• TNG    Season 3, episode 15    -    Yesterday's Enterprise
• TNG    Season 3, episode 16    -    The Offspring
• TNG    Season 3, episode 17    -    Sins of the Father
• TNG    Season 3, episode 18    -    Allegiance
• TNG    Season 3, episode 19    -    Captain's Holiday
• TNG    Season 3, episode 20    -    Tin Man
• TNG    Season 3, episode 21    -    Hollow Pursuits
• TNG    Season 3, episode 22    -    The Most Toys
• TNG    Season 3, episode 23    -    Sarek
• TNG    Season 3, episode 24    -    Ménage à Troi
• TNG    Season 3, episode 25    -    Transfigurations
• TNG    Season 3, episode 26    -    The Best of Both Worlds, Part 1

• TNG    Season 4, episode 1    -    The Best of Both Worlds, Part 2
• TNG    Season 4, episode 2    -    Family
• TNG    Season 4, episode 3    -    Brothers
• TNG    Season 4, episode 4    -    Suddenly Human
• TNG    Season 4, episode 5    -    Remember Me
• TNG    Season 4, episode 6    -    Legacy
• TNG    Season 4, episode 7    -    Reunion
• TNG    Season 4, episode 8    -    Future Imperfect
• TNG    Season 4, episode 9    -    Final Mission
• TNG    Season 4, episode 10    -    The Loss
• TNG    Season 4, episode 11    -    Data's Day
• TNG    Season 4, episode 12    -    The Wounded
• TNG    Season 4, episode 13    -    Clues
• TNG    Season 4, episode 14    -    Devil's Due
• TNG    Season 4, episode 15    -    First Contact
• TNG    Season 4, episode 16    -    Galaxy's Child
• TNG    Season 4, episode 17    -    Night Terrors
• TNG    Season 4, episode 18    -    Identity Crisis
• TNG    Season 4, episode 19    -    The Nth Degree
• TNG    Season 4, episode 20    -    Qpid
• TNG    Season 4, episode 21    -    The Drumhead
• TNG    Season 4, episode 22    -    Half a Life
• TNG    Season 4, episode 23    -    The Host
• TNG    Season 4, episode 24    -    The Mind's Eye
• TNG    Season 4, episode 25    -    In Theory
• TNG    Season 4, episode 26    -    Redemption, Part 1

• TNG    Season 5, episode 1    -    Redemption, Part 2
• TNG    Season 5, episode 2    -    Darmok
• TNG    Season 5, episode 3    -    Ensign Ro
• TNG    Season 5, episode 4    -    Silicon Avatar
• TNG    Season 5, episode 5    -    Disaster
• TNG    Season 5, episode 6    -    The Game
• TNG    Season 5, episode 7    -    Unification I
• TNG    Season 5, episode 8    -    Unification II
• TNG    Season 5, episode 9    -    A Matter of Time
• TNG    Season 5, episode 10    -    New Ground
• TNG    Season 5, episode 11    -    Hero Worship
• TNG    Season 5, episode 12    -    Violations
• TNG    Season 5, episode 13    -    The Masterpiece Society
• TNG    Season 5, episode 14    -    Conundrum
• TNG    Season 5, episode 15    -    Power Play
• TNG    Season 5, episode 16    -    Ethics
• TNG    Season 5, episode 17    -    The Outcast
• TNG    Season 5, episode 18    -    Cause and Effect
• TNG    Season 5, episode 19    -    The First Duty
• TNG    Season 5, episode 20    -    Cost of Living
• TNG    Season 5, episode 21    -    The Perfect Mate
• TNG    Season 5, episode 22    -    Imaginary Friend
• TNG    Season 5, episode 23    -    I, Borg
• TNG    Season 5, episode 24    -    The Next Phase
• TNG    Season 5, episode 25    -    The Inner Light
• TNG    Season 5, episode 26    -    Time's Arrow, Part 1

2369, Part 1

We now reach my personal favorite series: Star Trek - Deep Space Nine, which will eventually feature Star Trek’s first significant attempt at serialized storytelling. Like other shows in the franchise, it has a slow start, but once it gets going it’s a real joy. To stay in the correct chronological order, we’ll be bouncing between TNG and DS9, and later DS9 and Voyager, with occasional minor tweaks to avoid interrupting story arcs in progress. 

• TNG    Season 6, episode 1    -    Time's Arrow, Part 2
• TNG    Season 6, episode 2    -    Realm of Fear
• TNG    Season 6, episode 3    -    Man of the People
• TNG    Season 6, episode 4    -    Relics
• TNG    Season 6, episode 5    -    Schisms
• TNG    Season 6, episode 6    -    True-Q
• TNG    Season 6, episode 7    -    Rascals
• TNG    Season 6, episode 8    -    A Fistful of Datas
• TNG    Season 6, episode 9    -    The Quality of Life
• TNG    Season 6, episode 10    -    Chain of Command, Part 1
• TNG    Season 6, episode 11    -    Chain of Command, Part 2
• DS9    Season 1, episode 1    -    Emissary, Part 1
• DS9    Season 1, episode 2    -    Emissary, Part 2
• DS9    Season 1, episode 3    -    Past Prologue
• DS9    Season 1, episode 4    -    A Man Alone
• DS9    Season 1, episode 5    -    Babel
• TNG    Season 6, episode 12    -    Ship in a Bottle
• TNG    Season 6, episode 13    -    Aquiel

2369, Part 2

Pay attention to this next episode - it will be important (much, much) later.

• DS9    Season 1, episode 6    -    Captive Pursuit
• DS9    Season 1, episode 7    -    Q-Less
• TNG    Season 6, episode 14    -    Face of the Enemy
• DS9    Season 1, episode 8    -    Dax
• TNG    Season 6, episode 15    -    Tapestry
• DS9    Season 1, episode 9    -    The Passenger
• TNG    Season 6, episode 16    -    Birthright, Part 1
• TNG    Season 6, episode 17    -    Birthright, Part 2
• DS9    Season 1, episode 10    -    Move Along Home
• DS9    Season 1, episode 11    -    The Nagus
• TNG    Season 6, episode 18    -    Starship Mine
• TNG    Season 6, episode 19    -    Lessons
• DS9    Season 1, episode 12    -    Vortex
• DS9    Season 1, episode 13    -    Battle Lines
• DS9    Season 1, episode 14    -    The Storyteller
• TNG    Season 6, episode 20    -    The Chase
• TNG    Season 6, episode 21    -    Frame of Mind
• TNG    Season 6, episode 22    -    Suspicions
• DS9    Season 1, episode 15    -    Progress
• TNG    Season 6, episode 23    -    Rightful Heir
• DS9    Season 1, episode 16    -    If Wishes Were Horses
• TNG    Season 6, episode 24    -    Second Chances
• DS9    Season 1, episode 17    -    Dramatis Personae
• DS9    Season 1, episode 18    -    The Forsaken
• DS9    Season 1, episode 19    -    Duet
• TNG    Season 6, episode 25    -    Timescape
• DS9    Season 1, episode 20    -    In the Hands of the Prophets
• TNG    Season 6, episode 26    -    Descent, Part 1

2370, Part 1

By the end of this year we’ll have bid farewell to The Next Generation with the fantastic series finale “All Good Things,” we’ll have finally watched Enterprise’s far less popular finale “These are the Voyages…”, and we will have been introduced to The Dominion, the major story driver for most of Deep Space Nine. 

• TNG    Season 7, episode 5    -    Interface
• TNG    Season 7, episode 6    -    Phantasms
• DS9    Season 2, episode 6    -    Melora
• TNG    Season 7, episode 7    -    Dark Page
• DS9    Season 2, episode 7    -    Rules of Acquisition
• DS9    Season 2, episode 8    -    Necessary Evil
• TNG    Season 7, episode 8    -    Attached
• TNG    Season 7, episode 9    -    Force of Nature
• DS9    Season 2, episode 9    -    Second Sight
• DS9    Season 2, episode 10    -    Sanctuary
• TNG    Season 7, episode 10    -    Parallels
• DS9    Season 2, episode 11    -    Rivals
• DS9    Season 2, episode 12    -    The Alternate
• TNG    Season 7, episode 11    -    Inheritance
• TNG    Season 7, episode 12    -    Homeward
• TNG    Season 7, episode 13    -    The Pegasus
• ENT    Season 4, episode 22    -    These Are the Voyages...
• TNG    Season 7, episode 1    -    Descent, Part 2
• DS9    Season 2, episode 1    -    The Homecoming
• DS9    Season 2, episode 2    -    The Circle
• DS9    Season 2, episode 3    -    The Siege
• TNG    Season 7, episode 2    -    Liaisons
• TNG    Season 7, episode 3    -    Gambit, Part 1
• TNG    Season 7, episode 4    -    Gambit, Part 2
• DS9    Season 2, episode 4    -    Cardassians
• DS9    Season 2, episode 5    -    Invasive Procedures

2370, Part 2

• DS9    Season 2, episode 13    -    Armageddon Game
• TNG    Season 7, episode 14    -    Sub Rosa
• TNG    Season 7, episode 15    -    Lower Decks
• DS9    Season 2, episode 14    -    Paradise
• DS9    Season 2, episode 15    -    Whispers
• DS9    Season 2, episode 16    -    Shadowplay
• TNG    Season 7, episode 16    -    Thine Own Self
• TNG    Season 7, episode 17    -    Masks
• DS9    Season 2, episode 17    -    Playing God
• TNG    Season 7, episode 18    -    Eye of the Beholder
• DS9    Season 2, episode 18    -    Profit and Loss
• TNG    Season 7, episode 19    -    Genesis
• DS9    Season 2, episode 19    -    Blood Oath
• TNG    Season 7, episode 20    -    Journey's End
• DS9    Season 2, episode 20    -    The Maquis, Part 1
• DS9    Season 2, episode 21    -    The Maquis, Part 2
• TNG    Season 7, episode 21    -    Firstborn
• TNG    Season 7, episode 22    -    Bloodlines
• DS9    Season 2, episode 22    -    The Wire
• TNG    Season 7, episode 23    -    Emergence
• DS9    Season 2, episode 23    -    Crossover
• TNG    Season 7, episode 24    -    Preemptive Strike
• DS9    Season 2, episode 24    -    The Collaborator
• DS9    Season 2, episode 25    -    Tribunal
• DS9    Season 2, episode 26    -    The Jem’Hadar
• TNG    Season 7, episode 25    -    All Good Things, Part 1
• TNG    Season 7, episode 26    -    All Good Things, Part 2

2371, Part 1

Like Phase II was intended to do, and Discovery does again a few decades later, Star Trek Voyager is launched as the centerpiece of a new network: the short-lived UPN, home of Shasta McNasty and The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfieffer. Note that Voyager episode orders, particularly in season two, jump around a bit due to some production weirdness.

• DS9    Season 3, episode 8    -    Meridian
• VOY    Season 1, episode 3    -    Parallax
• MOV    Star Trek: Generations
• DS9    Season 3, episode 9    -    Defiant
• DS9    Season 3, episode 10    -    Fascination
• DS9    Season 3, episode 11    -    Past Tense, Part 1
• DS9    Season 3, episode 12    -    Past Tense, Part 2
• VOY    Season 1, episode 4    -    Time and Again
• DS9    Season 3, episode 13    -    Life Support
• DS9    Season 3, episode 14    -    Heart of Stone
• VOY    Season 1, episode 5    -    Phage
• DS9    Season 3, episode 15    -    Destiny
• VOY    Season 1, episode 6    -    The Cloud
• DS9    Season 3, episode 16    -    Prophet Motive
• VOY    Season 1, episode 7    -    Eye of the Needle
• DS9    Season 3, episode 17    -    Visionary
• VOY    Season 1, episode 8    -    Ex Post Facto
• DS9    Season 3, episode 1    -    The Search, Part 1
• DS9    Season 3, episode 2    -    The Search, Part 2
• DS9    Season 3, episode 3    -    The House of Quark
• DS9    Season 3, episode 4    -    Equilibrium
• DS9    Season 3, episode 5    -    Second Skin
• DS9    Season 3, episode 6    -    The Abandoned
• DS9    Season 3, episode 7    -    Civil Defense
• VOY    Season 1, episode 1    -    Caretaker, Part 1
• VOY    Season 1, episode 2    -    Caretaker, Part 2

2371, Part 2

• VOY    Season 1, episode 9    -    Emanations
• VOY    Season 1, episode 10    -    Prime Factors
• DS9    Season 3, episode 18    -    Distant Voices
• VOY    Season 1, episode 11    -    State of Flux
• DS9    Season 3, episode 19    -    Through the Looking Glass
• VOY    Season 1, episode 12    -    Heroes and Demons
• DS9    Season 3, episode 20    -    Improbable Cause
• DS9    Season 3, episode 21    -    The Die is Cast
• VOY    Season 1, episode 13    -    Cathexis
• DS9    Season 3, episode 22    -    Explorers
• VOY    Season 1, episode 14    -    Faces
• DS9    Season 3, episode 23    -    Family Business
• VOY    Season 1, episode 15    -    Jetrel
• DS9    Season 3, episode 24    -    Shakaar
• VOY    Season 1, episode 16    -    Learning Curve
• VOY    Season 2, episode 3    -    Projections
• VOY    Season 2, episode 4    -    Elogium
• DS9    Season 3, episode 25    -    Facets
• DS9    Season 3, episode 26    -    The Adversary
• VOY    Season 2, episode 6    -    Twisted
• VOY    Season 2, episode 1    -    The 37’s

2372, Part 1

• VOY    Season 2, episode 2    -    Initiations
• VOY    Season 2, episode 5    -    Non Sequitur
• DS9    Season 4, episode 1    -    The Way of the Warrior, Part 1
• DS9    Season 4, episode 2    -    The Way of the Warrior, Part 2
• DS9    Season 4, episode 3    -    The Visitor
• DS9    Season 4, episode 4    -    Hippocratic Oath
• VOY    Season 2, episode 7    -    Parturition
• DS9    Season 4, episode 5    -    Indiscretion
• VOY    Season 2, episode 8    -    Persistence of Vision
• VOY    Season 2, episode 9    -    Tattoo
• VOY    Season 2, episode 10    -    Cold Fire
• DS9    Season 4, episode 6    -    Rejoined
• VOY    Season 2, episode 11    -    Maneuvers
• DS9    Season 4, episode 7    -    Starship Down
• DS9    Season 4, episode 8    -    Little Green Men
• DS9    Season 4, episode 9    -    The Sword of Kahless
• VOY    Season 2, episode 12    -    Resistance
• DS9    Season 4, episode 10    -    Our Man Bashir
• DS9    Season 4, episode 11    -    Homefront
• DS9    Season 4, episode 12    -    Paradise Lost
• VOY    Season 2, episode 13    -    Prototype
• VOY    Season 2, episode 18    -    Death Wish
• VOY    Season 2, episode 14    -    Alliances
• DS9    Season 4, episode 13    -    Crossfire
• VOY    Season 2, episode 15    -    Threshold
• DS9    Season 4, episode 14    -    Return to Grace

2372, Part 2

• VOY    Season 2, episode 16    -    Meld
• VOY    Season 2, episode 17    -    Dreadnought
• VOY    Season 2, episode 19    -    Lifesigns
• VOY    Season 2, episode 20    -    Investigations
• VOY    Season 2, episode 21    -    Deadlock
• DS9    Season 4, episode 15    -    Sons of Mogh
• DS9    Season 4, episode 16    -    Bar Association
• DS9    Season 4, episode 17    -    Accession
• VOY    Season 2, episode 22    -    Innocence
• DS9    Season 4, episode 18    -    Rules of Engagement
• DS9    Season 4, episode 19    -    Hard Time
• DS9    Season 4, episode 20    -    Shattered Mirror
• VOY    Season 2, episode 23    -    The Thaw
• DS9    Season 4, episode 21    -    The Muse
• VOY    Season 2, episode 24    -    Tuvix
• DS9    Season 4, episode 22    -    For the Cause
• VOY    Season 2, episode 25    -    Resolutions
• DS9    Season 4, episode 23    -    To the Death
• DS9    Season 4, episode 24    -    The Quickening
• DS9    Season 4, episode 25    -    Body Parts
• DS9    Season 4, episode 26    -    Broken Link
• VOY    Season 2, episode 26    -    Basics, Part 1

2373, Part 1

• VOY    Season 3, episode 8    -    Future's End, Part 1
• VOY    Season 3, episode 9    -    Future's End, Part 2
• DS9    Season 5, episode 7    -    Let He Who is Without Sin
• DS9    Season 5, episode 8    -    Things Past
• VOY    Season 3, episode 10    -    Warlord
• MOV    Star Trek: First Contact
• VOY    Season 3, episode 1    -    Basics, Part 2
• DS9    Season 5, episode 1    -    Apocalypse Rising
• DS9    Season 5, episode 2    -    The Ship
• VOY    Season 3, episode 7    -    Sacred Ground
• VOY    Season 3, episode 5    -    False Profits
• VOY    Season 3, episode 2    -    Flashback
• VOY    Season 3, episode 3    -    The Chute
• VOY    Season 3, episode 6    -    Remember
• VOY    Season 3, episode 4    -    The Swarm
• DS9    Season 5, episode 3    -    Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places
• DS9    Season 5, episode 4    -    Nor the Battle to the Strong
• DS9    Season 5, episode 5    -    The Assignment
• DS9    Season 5, episode 6    -    Trials and Tribble-ations

Only took 222 years, but after this next episode, we’ll have completed all of Star Trek Enterprise.

• ENT    Season 2, episode 23    -    Regeneration
• DS9    Season 5, episode 9    -    The Ascent
• VOY    Season 3, episode 11    -    The Q and the Grey
• DS9    Season 5, episode 10    -    Rapture
• DS9    Season 5, episode 11    -    The Darkness and the Light
• VOY    Season 3, episode 12    -    Macrocosm
• VOY    Season 3, episode 13    -    Fair Trade

2373, Part 2

• VOY    Season 3, episode 14    -    Alter Ego
• DS9    Season 5, episode 12    -    The Begotten
• DS9    Season 5, episode 13    -    For the Uniform
• VOY    Season 3, episode 15    -    Coda
• VOY    Season 3, episode 16    -    Blood Fever
• DS9    Season 5, episode 14    -    In Purgatory's Shadow
• DS9    Season 5, episode 15    -    By Inferno's Light
• VOY    Season 3, episode 17    -    Unity
• VOY    Season 3, episode 18    -    Darkling
• DS9    Season 5, episode 16    -    Doctor Bashir, I Presume
• VOY    Season 3, episode 19    -    Rise
• DS9    Season 5, episode 17    -    A Simple Investigation
• DS9    Season 5, episode 18    -    Business as Usual
• DS9    Season 5, episode 19    -    Ties of Blood and Water
• VOY    Season 3, episode 20    -    Favorite Son
• DS9    Season 5, episode 20    -    Ferengi Love Songs
• DS9    Season 5, episode 21    -    Soldiers of the Empire
• DS9    Season 5, episode 22    -    Children of Time
• VOY    Season 3, episode 21    -    Before and After
• VOY    Season 3, episode 22    -    Real Life
• VOY    Season 3, episode 23    -    Distant Origin
• VOY    Season 3, episode 24    -    Displaced
• DS9    Season 5, episode 23    -    Blaze of Glory
• VOY    Season 3, episode 25    -    Worst Case Scenario
• DS9    Season 5, episode 24    -    Empok Nor
• DS9    Season 5, episode 25    -    In the Cards
• DS9    Season 5, episode 26    -    Call to Arms
• VOY    Season 3, episode 26    -    Scorpion, Part 1

2374, Part 1

Voyager gets a much needed shot in the arm with the introduction of Seven of Nine, and Deep Space Nine delivers a great season as the Dominion War arc reaches full swing. 

• DS9    Season 6, episode 6    -    Sacrifice of Angels
• VOY    Season 4, episode 6    -    The Raven
• VOY    Season 4, episode 7    -    Scientific Method
• DS9    Season 6, episode 7    -    You are Cordially Invited
• VOY    Season 4, episode 8    -    Year of Hell, Part 1
• VOY    Season 4, episode 9    -    Year of Hell, Part 2
• DS9    Season 6, episode 8    -    Resurrection
• VOY    Season 4, episode 10    -    Random Thoughts
• DS9    Season 6, episode 9    -    Statistical Probabilities
• VOY    Season 4, episode 11    -    Concerning Flight
• DS9    Season 6, episode 10    -    The Magnificent Ferengi
• DS9    Season 6, episode 11    -    Waltz
• VOY    Season 4, episode 12    -    Mortal Coil
• VOY    Season 4, episode 14    -    Message in a Bottle
• VOY    Season 4, episode 1    -    Scorpion, Part 2
• VOY    Season 4, episode 2    -    The Gift
• VOY    Season 4, episode 3    -    Day of Honor
• VOY    Season 4, episode 4    -    Nemesis
• VOY    Season 4, episode 5    -    Revulsion
• DS9    Season 6, episode 1    -    A Time to Stand
• DS9    Season 6, episode 2    -    Rocks and Shoals
• DS9    Season 6, episode 3    -    Sons and Daughters
• DS9    Season 6, episode 4    -    Behind the Lines
• DS9    Season 6, episode 5    -    Favor the Bold

2374, Part 2

• VOY    Season 4, episode 13    -    Waking Moments
• DS9    Season 6, episode 12    -    Who Mourns for Morn?
• DS9    Season 6, episode 13    -    Far Beyond the Stars
• DS9    Season 6, episode 14    -    One Little Ship
• VOY    Season 4, episode 15    -    Hunters
• DS9    Season 6, episode 15    -    Honor Among Thieves
• DS9    Season 6, episode 16    -    Change of Heart
• VOY    Season 4, episode 16    -    Prey
• VOY    Season 4, episode 17    -    Retrospect
• VOY    Season 4, episode 18    -    The Killing Game, Part 1
• VOY    Season 4, episode 19    -    The Killing Game, Part 2
• DS9    Season 6, episode 17    -    Wrongs Darker than Death or Night
• DS9    Season 6, episode 18    -    Inquisition
• DS9    Season 6, episode 19    -    In the Pale Moonlight
• VOY    Season 4, episode 20    -    Vis À Vis
• VOY    Season 4, episode 21    -    The Omega Directive
• DS9    Season 6, episode 20    -    His Way
• VOY    Season 4, episode 22    -    Unforgettable
• DS9    Season 6, episode 21    -    The Reckoning
• DS9    Season 6, episode 22    -    Valiant

We are skipping Voyager episode 23 (“Living Witness”) for now, and will be watching it later.

• VOY    Season 4, episode 24    -    Demon
• DS9    Season 6, episode 23    -    Profit and Lace
• VOY    Season 4, episode 25    -    One
• DS9    Season 6, episode 24    -    Time's Orphan
• VOY    Season 4, episode 26    -    Hope and Fear
• DS9    Season 6, episode 25    -    The Sound of her Voice
• DS9    Season 6, episode 26    -    Tears of the Prophets

2375, Part 1

• VOY    Season 5, episode 1    -    Night
• VOY    Season 5, episode 2    -    Drone
• VOY    Season 5, episode 3    -    Extreme Risk
• VOY    Season 5, episode 4    -    In the Flesh
• VOY    Season 5, episode 5    -    Once Upon a Time
• VOY    Season 5, episode 8    -    Nothing Human
• VOY    Season 5, episode 6    -    Timeless
• DS9    Season 7, episode 1    -    Image in the Sand
• DS9    Season 7, episode 2    -    Shadows and Symbols
• DS9    Season 7, episode 3    -    Afterimage
• DS9    Season 7, episode 4    -    Take Me Out to the Holosuite
• DS9    Season 7, episode 5    -    Chrysalis
• DS9    Season 7, episode 6    -    Treachery, Faith, and the Great River
• DS9    Season 7, episode 7    -    Once More Unto the Breach
• DS9    Season 7, episode 8    -    The Siege of AR-558
• VOY    Season 5, episode 9    -    Thirty Days
• DS9    Season 7, episode 9    -    Covenant
• VOY    Season 5, episode 7    -    Infinite Regress
• VOY    Season 5, episode 10    -    Counterpoint
• DS9    Season 7, episode 10    -    It's Only a Paper Moon

There’s no place where Insurrection’s references to the Dominion War and the presence of Worf really make perfect sense, but this is probably the closest to working. I’m not going to go too nuts about it.

• MOV    Star Trek: Insurrection
• DS9    Season 7, episode 11    -    Prodigal Daughter
• VOY    Season 5, episode 11    -    Latent Image
• VOY    Season 5, episode 12    -    Bride of Chaotica
• DS9    Season 7, episode 12    -    The Emperor's New Cloak
• VOY    Season 5, episode 13    -    Gravity
• DS9    Season 7, episode 13    -    Field of Fire
• VOY    Season 5, episode 14    -    Bliss
• DS9    Season 7, episode 14    -    Chimera
• VOY    Season 5, episode 17    -    The Disease
• DS9    Season 7, episode 15    -    Badda-Bing Badda-Bang
• DS9    Season 7, episode 16    -    Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges

2375, Part 2

• VOY    Season 5, episode 18    -    Course: Oblivion
• VOY    Season 5, episode 15    -    Dark Frontier, Part 1
• VOY    Season 5, episode 16    -    Dark Frontier, Part 2
• VOY    Season 5, episode 19    -    The Fight
• VOY    Season 5, episode 20    -    Think Tank
• DS9    Season 7, episode 17    -    Penumbra
• DS9    Season 7, episode 18    -    'Til Death Do Us Part
• DS9    Season 7, episode 19    -    Strange Bedfellows
• DS9    Season 7, episode 20    -    The Changing Face of Evil
• DS9    Season 7, episode 21    -    When it Rains
• DS9    Season 7, episode 22    -    Tacking into the Wind
• DS9    Season 7, episode 23    -    Extreme Measures
• DS9    Season 7, episode 24    -    The Dogs of War

Farewell, DS9. I’ll always love you best. 

• DS9    Season 7, episode 25    -    What You Leave Behind, Part 1
• DS9    Season 7, episode 26    -    What You Leave Behind, Part 2
• VOY    Season 5, episode 21    -    Juggernaut
• VOY    Season 5, episode 22    -    Someone to Watch Over Me
• VOY    Season 5, episode 23    -    11:59
• VOY    Season 5, episode 24    -    Relativity
• VOY    Season 5, episode 25    -    Warhead
• VOY    Season 5, episode 26    -    Equinox, Part 1

• VOY    Season 6, episode 1    -    Equinox, Part 2
• VOY    Season 6, episode 2    -    Survival Instinct
• VOY    Season 6, episode 3    -    Barge of the Dead
• VOY    Season 6, episode 4    -    Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy
• VOY    Season 6, episode 7    -    Dragon's Teeth
• VOY    Season 6, episode 5    -    Alice
• VOY    Season 6, episode 6    -    Riddles
• VOY    Season 6, episode 8    -    One Small Step
• VOY    Season 6, episode 9    -    The Voyager Conspiracy
• VOY    Season 6, episode 10    -    Pathfinder
• VOY    Season 6, episode 11    -    Fair Haven
• VOY    Season 6, episode 15    -    Tsunkatse
• VOY    Season 6, episode 12    -    Blink of an Eye
• VOY    Season 6, episode 13    -    Virtuoso
• VOY    Season 6, episode 16    -    Collective
• VOY    Season 6, episode 14    -    Memorial
• VOY    Season 6, episode 17    -    Spirit Folk
• VOY    Season 6, episode 18    -    Ashes to Ashes
• VOY    Season 6, episode 19    -    Child's Play
• VOY    Season 6, episode 20    -    Good Shepherd
• VOY    Season 6, episode 23    -    Fury
• VOY    Season 6, episode 21    -    Live Fast and Prosper
• VOY    Season 6, episode 24    -    Life Line
• VOY    Season 6, episode 22    -    Muse
• VOY    Season 6, episode 25    -    The Haunting of Deck Twelve
• VOY    Season 6, episode 26    -    Unimatrix Zero, Part 1

• VOY    Season 7, episode 1    -    Unimatrix Zero, Part 2
• VOY    Season 7, episode 3    -    Drive
• VOY    Season 7, episode 4    -    Repression
• VOY    Season 7, episode 2    -    Imperfection
• VOY    Season 7, episode 5    -    Critical Care
• VOY    Season 7, episode 6    -    Inside Man
• VOY    Season 7, episode 7    -    Body and Soul
• VOY    Season 7, episode 8    -    Nightingale
• VOY    Season 7, episode 9    -    Flesh and Blood, Part 1
• VOY    Season 7, episode 10    -    Flesh and Blood, Part 2
• VOY    Season 7, episode 11    -    Shattered
• VOY    Season 7, episode 12    -    Lineage
• VOY    Season 7, episode 13    -    Repentance
• VOY    Season 7, episode 14    -    Prophecy
• VOY    Season 7, episode 15    -    The Void
• VOY    Season 7, episode 16    -    Workforce, Part 1
• VOY    Season 7, episode 17    -    Workforce, Part 2

• VOY    Season 7, episode 18    -    Human Error
• VOY    Season 7, episode 19    -    Q2
• VOY    Season 7, episode 20    -    Author, Author
• VOY    Season 7, episode 21    -    Friendship One
• VOY    Season 7, episode 22    -    Natural Law
• VOY    Season 7, episode 23    -    Homestead
• VOY    Season 7, episode 24    -    Renaissance Man
• VOY    Season 7, episode 25    -    Endgame, Part 1
• VOY    Season 7, episode 26    -    Endgame, Part 2

• MOV    -    Star Trek: Nemesis

Star Trek returns to animation with its ninth series, and first all-out comedy, Star Trek: Lower Decks, aimed towards a more adult audience than The Animated Series or Prodigy.

• LDS    Season 1, episode 1    -    Second Contact
• LDS    Season 1, episode 2    -    Envoys
• LDS    Season 1, episode 3    -    Temporal Edict
• LDS    Season 1, episode 4    -    Moist Vessel
• LDS    Season 1, episode 5    -    Cupid’s Errant Arrow
• LDS    Season 1, episode 6    -    Terminal Provocations
• LDS    Season 1, episode 7    -    Much Ado About Boimler
• LDS    Season 1, episode 8    -    Veritas
• LDS    Season 1, episode 9    -    Crisis Point
• LDS    Season 1, episode 10    -    No Small Parts

2381, Part 1

• LDS    Season 3, episode 3    -    Mining The Mind's Mines
• LDS    Season 3, episode 4    -    Room for Growth
• LDS    Season 3, episode 5    -    Reflections
• LDS    Season 3, episode 6    -    Hear All, Trust Nothing
• LDS    Season 2, episode 1    -    Strange Energies
• LDS    Season 2, episode 2    -    Kayshon, His Eyes Open
• LDS    Season 2, episode 3    -    We’ll Always Have Tom Paris
• LDS    Season 2, episode 4    -    Mugato, Gumato
• LDS    Season 2, episode 5    -    An Embarrassment of Dooplers
• LDS    Season 2, episode 6    -    The Spy Humongous
• LDS    Season 2, episode 7    -    Where Pleasant Fountains Lie
• LDS    Season 2, episode 8    -    I, Excretus
• LDS    Season 2, episode 9    -    wej Duj
• LDS    Season 2, episode 10    -    First First Contact
• LDS    Season 3, episode 1    -    Grounded
• LDS    Season 3, episode 2    -    The Least Dangerous Game

We now travel back for our last Strange New Worlds episode, which is ABSOLUTELY a delight.

• SNW    Season 2, episode 7    -    Those Old Scientists
• LDS    Season 3, episode 7    -    A Mathematically Perfect Redemption
• LDS    Season 3, episode 8    -    Crisis Point 2: Paradoxus
• LDS    Season 3, episode 9    -    Trusted Sources
• LDS    Season 3, episode 10    -    The Stars at Night

2381, Part 2

• LDS    Season 4, episode 1    -    Twovix
• LDS    Season 4, episode 2    -    I Have No Bones Yet I Must Flee
• LDS    Season 4, episode 3    -    In the Cradle of Vexilon
• LDS    Season 4, episode 4    -    Something Borrowed, Something Green
• LDS    Season 4, episode 5    -    Empathological Fallacies
• LDS    Season 4, episode 6    -    Parth Ferengi’s Heart Place
• LDS    Season 4, episode 7    -    A Few Badgeys More
• LDS    Season 4, episode 8    -    Caves
• LDS    Season 4, episode 9    -    The Inner Fight
• LDS    Season 4, episode 10    -    Old Friends, New Planets

The first Star Trek since The Animated Series to be geared explicitly for kids, Star Trek: Prodigy takes place on the border of the Delta Quadrant last seen in Voyager, and features the return of several characters from that series. Don’t dismiss this as “just a kids show” though — it’s quite complex, quite good, and quite Star Trek.

• PRO    Season 1, episode 1    -    Lost & Found, Part 1
• PRO    Season 1, episode 2    -    Lost & Found, Part 2
• PRO    Season 1, episode 3    -    Starstruck
• PRO    Season 1, episode 4    -    Dream Catcher
• PRO    Season 1, episode 5    -    Terror Firma
• PRO    Season 1, episode 6    -    Kobayashi
• PRO    Season 1, episode 7    -    First Con-tact
• PRO    Season 1, episode 8    -    Time Amok
• PRO    Season 1, episode 9    -    A Moral Star
• PRO    Season 1, episode 10    -    A Moral Star, Part Two
• PRO    Season 1, episode 11    -    Asylum
• PRO    Season 1, episode 12    -    Let Sleeping Borg Lie
• PRO    Season 1, episode 13    -    All the World’s a Stage
• PRO    Season 1, episode 14    -   Crossroads
• PRO    Season 1, episode 15    -    Masquerade
• PRO    Season 1, episode 16    -    Preludes
• PRO    Season 1, episode 17    -    Ghost in the Machine
• PRO    Season 1, episode 18    -    Mindwalk
• PRO    Season 1, episode 19    -    Supernova, Part 1
• PRO    Season 1, episode 20    -    Supernova, Part 2

As of this update, no episodes of this season have aired in a language I speak. It is possible that when they are viewed, I will wish to update their placement in this list. The below is tentative.

Also note, the listed titles are derived from their French-language titles, and their eventual English titles may vary.

• PRO    Season 2, episode 7    -    The Race
• PRO    Season 2, episode 8    -    Veritas?
• PRO    Season 2, episode 9    -    The Time Devouring Scavengers, Part 1
• PRO    Season 2, episode 10    -    The Time Devouring Scavengers, Part 2
• PRO    Season 2, episode 11    -    The Last Flight of the Protostar, Part 1
• PRO    Season 2, episode 12    -    The Last Flight of the Protostar, Part 2
• PRO    Season 2, episode 13    -    A Tribble Called Bridule
• PRO    Season 2, episode 14    -   The Mirror Universe
• PRO    Season 2, episode 15    -    The Ascent, Part 1
• PRO    Season 2, episode 16    -    The Ascent, Part 2
• PRO    Season 2, episode 17    -    On the Brink
• PRO    Season 2, episode 18    -    Behind Enemy Lines
• PRO    Season 2, episode 19    -    Ouroboros, Part 1
• PRO    Season 2, episode 20    -     Ouroboros , Part 2
• PRO    Season 2, episode 1    -    Into the Breach, Part 1
• PRO    Season 2, episode 2    -    Into the Breach, Part 2
• PRO    Season 2, episode 3    -    Who Saves the Saviors?
• PRO    Season 2, episode 4    -    Temporal Mechanics 101
• PRO    Season 2, episode 5    -    The Mystery Spiral
• PRO    Season 2, episode 6    -    Imposter Syndrome

The events of this Short Trek set the events of Star Trek - Picard, which we’ll be coming to shortly, in motion.

• SHO    Season 2, episode 6    -    Children of Mars

Okay. Deep breath. In 2387 the Romulan sun goes supernova, devastating the Romulan empire. A failed attempt by Starfleet to help stop this accidentally sends the Romulan mining vessel Narada back to 2233, creating an alternate reality  known as the “Kelvin Universe” or “Kelvinverse.” We'll be watching the three movies set in this universe next. It's essential to note that this new timeline DOES NOT replace the original “Prime” timeline, which still exists as it always has and to which we will be returning shortly.

2233 - (Kelvinverse)

The USS Kelvin is destroyed by the Narada, newly arrived from the Prime Universe 2387. This begins the divergence from the Prime timeline.

2258 - (Kelvinverse)

Too action-oriented for some, and plot-holes galore, 2009’s “Star Trek” is not what I would want Star Trek to be all the time, but is a quite fun alternate take on the original series, with some great acting and effects. Don’t overthink the chronology and details of this batch of movies though, or you’ll start seeing all kinds of things that make no sense.

• MOV    Star Trek (2009)

2259 - (Kelvinverse)

• MOV    Star Trek Into Darkness

2263 - (Kelvinverse)

• MOV    Star Trek Beyond

This film, while a solid improvement on Into Darkness, did not perform to expectations, meaning that the long-promised fourth film has been in-and-out of production for years, and I cannot say if we’ll ever see the Kelvin timeline again.

Therefore, we now return to the Prime timeline, already in progress.

• PIC    Season 1, episode 1    -    Remembrance
• PIC    Season 1, episode 2    -    Maps and Legends
• PIC    Season 1, episode 3    -    The End is the Beginning
• PIC    Season 1, episode 4    -    Absolute Candor
• PIC    Season 1, episode 5    -    Stardust City Rag
• PIC    Season 1, episode 6    -    The Impossible Box
• PIC    Season 1, episode 7    -    Nepenthe
• PIC    Season 1, episode 8    -    Broken Pieces
• PIC    Season 1, episode 9    -    Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 1
• PIC    Season 1, episode 10    -    Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2

I gotta say, I strongly feel the Picard seasons all would make much more sense if you assume A LOT more time takes place between them than what the official sources say, but it is what it is.

• PIC    Season 2, episode 1    -    The Star Gazer
• PIC    Season 2, episode 2    -    Penance
• PIC    Season 2, episode 3    -    Assimilation
• PIC    Season 2, episode 4    -    Watcher
• PIC    Season 2, episode 5    -    Fly Me to the Moon
• PIC    Season 2, episode 6    -    Two of One
• PIC    Season 2, episode 7    -    Monsters
• PIC    Season 2, episode 8    -    Mercy
• PIC    Season 2, episode 9    -    Hide and Seek
• PIC    Season 2, episode 10    -    Farewell
• PIC    Season 3, episode 1    -    The Next Generation
• PIC    Season 3, episode 2    -    Disengage
• PIC    Season 3, episode 3    -    Seventeen Seconds
• PIC    Season 3, episode 4    -    No Win Scenario 
• PIC    Season 3, episode 5    -    Imposters
• PIC    Season 3, episode 6    -    The Bounty
• PIC    Season 3, episode 7    -    Dominion
• PIC    Season 3, episode 8    -    Surrender
• PIC    Season 3, episode 9    -    Võx
• PIC    Season 3, episode 10    -    The Last Generation

As you watch this you’ll see why the exact placement can be debatable, but 3074ish seemed best. With this episode, we finish Star Trek: Voyager. Keep in mind that this episode takes place entirely in the Delta quadrant, far away from most of the events of the franchise.

• VOY    Season 4, episode 23    -    Living Witness

Several hundred years later, we rejoin Star Trek: Discovery, already in progress, to discover what has happened in the interim.

• DIS    Season 3, episode 1    -    That Hope is You, Part 1

• DIS    Season 3, episode 2    -    Far From Home
• DIS    Season 3, episode 3    -    People of Earth
• DIS    Season 3, episode 4    -    Forget Me Not
• DIS    Season 3, episode 5    -    Die Trying
• DIS    Season 3, episode 6    -    Scavengers
• DIS    Season 3, episode 7    -    Unification III
• DIS    Season 3, episode 8    -    The Sanctuary
• DIS    Season 3, episode 9    -    Terra Firma, Part 1
• DIS    Season 3, episode 10    -    Terra Firma, Part 2
• DIS    Season 3, episode 11    -    Su’Kal
• DIS    Season 3, episode 12    -    There is a Tide…
• DIS    Season 3, episode 13    -    That Hope is You, Part 2

• DIS    Season 4, episode 1    -    Kobayashi Maru
• DIS    Season 4, episode 2    -    Anomaly
• DIS    Season 4, episode 3    -    Choose to Live
• DIS    Season 4, episode 4    -    All is Possible
• DIS    Season 4, episode 5    -    The Examples
• DIS    Season 4, episode 6    -    Stormy Weather
• DIS    Season 4, episode 7    -    …But to Connect
• DIS    Season 4, episode 8    -    All In
• DIS    Season 4, episode 9    -    Rubicon
• DIS    Season 4, episode 10    -    The Galactic Barrier
• DIS    Season 4, episode 11    -    Rosetta
• DIS    Season 4, episode 12    -    Species Ten-C
• DIS    Season 4, episode 13    -    Coming Home

As of this update, only four episodes of this season have aired. It is possible that when they are viewed, I will wish to update their placement in this list. The below is tentative.

• DIS    Season 5, episode 1    -    Red Directive
• DIS    Season 5, episode 2    -    Under the Twin Moons
• DIS    Season 5, episode 3    -    Jinaal
• DIS    Season 5, episode 4    -    Face the Strange
• DIS    Season 5, episode 5    -    Mirrors
• DIS    Season 5, episode 6    -    Whistlespeak
• DIS    Season 5, episode 7    -    Erigah
• DIS    Season 5, episode 8    -    Labyrinths
• DIS    Season 5, episode 9    -    Lagrange Point
• DIS    Season 5, episode 10    -    Life, Itself

Far Future:

Calypso is intentionally somewhat mysterious, and we have yet to learn exactly how it fits into the Star Trek timeline, but for now it seems to be the final part of our Star Trek Viewing Guide. There are still questions here. I expect Disco to answer them in Season 5, which will be the final season.

• SHO    Season 1, episode 2    -    Calypso

Click here to read about my methodology and intentions with this list.

If you use or have an opinion on this viewing order, I would LOVE to hear your thoughts!

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How to Watch Every Star Trek Series (and Movie) in the Right Order

Ready for a rewatch but not sure where to start? We’ve got you covered.

Have you ever wondered what the best way is to stream Star Trek from start to finish? Look no further.

Approaching the chronological watch of a franchise that’s been on over fifty years can be daunting. Especially with a science-fiction universe that has time travel, multiple universes, concurrent shows and entirely new timelines.

Fear not, as we have created a handy binge-watch guide using the Stardate of each series and film. Here is our guide on how to watch every Star Trek series and movie in the right order.

Pocket-lint

How to watch the star trek movies and tv shows in order.

The universe is composed of 13 films and eight TV shows. Here's how to watch them all.

Key Takeaways

• Explore the Star Trek universe by watching the franchise in chronological order, based on stardates.
• The original Star Trek timeline includes the TV show Enterprise and the first two seasons of Discovery.
• The original series, The Animated Series, and the first Star Trek movie are important parts of the franchise's origins.

With the Star Trek franchise rapidly expanding on Paramount+ , now is the perfect time to boldly go explore the Star Trek Universe.

The universe is composed of 13 films and nine TV shows. Now, it'd be easy enough to watch them all in the order they premiered, but if you prefer to watch everything chronologically (when the events take place), we've compiled an ultimate viewing guide for you. Below, you'll find the entire franchise organized by stardates. It starts with the oldest event in the original Star Trek timeline.

Speaking of timelines, there are two in Star Trek: The original, which includes nearly all the films and TV shows; and Kelvin, an alternative timeline that kicked off with the latest three reboot films. To better understand what we're talking about, please read the guide below. Those of you who want to proceed spoiler-free, however, can scroll all the way to the bottom for the list version of this guide.

Also at the bottom, we've included another spoiler-free list. It's structured by order of release - or when each film and TV show premiered.

How to watch every Marvel movie and TV show in chronological order

The original star trek timeline.

The thing to remember about this order is that it is chronological - based entirely on the stardate time system in the Star Trek franchise. Think of stardates as years. In that case, the order below starts with the oldest events in the Star Trek Universe - but it excludes the Kelvin timeline films.

There are spoilers below.

1 Star Trek: E nterprise

The first to boldly go where no man has gone before, star trek: enterprise.

Stardate: 2151 to 2156

Enterprise follows the adventures of one of the first starships to explore deep space in the Star Trek Universe.

Set right before the founding of the Federation of Planets (and about 100 years before the original Star Trek series), Star Trek: Enterprise is a TV show that follows the adventures of Captain Jack Archer, played by Scott Bakula, and the Starship Enterprise crew. This ship is the first Federation vessel to have Warp 5 capabilities, allowing its crew to be among the first deep-space explorers.

The series introduces many of the different alien species important to the Star Trek Universe, such as the Vulcans and Klingons. It also begins to lay the groundwork for the Federation of Planets, in the fourth and final season.

2 Star Trek: Discovery seasons 1 and 2

Discover a new type of starship, set ten years before the original series, star trek: discovery.

Stardate: 2256

The first two seasons of Discovery is set ten years before the original series as the crew of the titular ship tests an impressive new warp drive.

Star Trek: Discovery follows Michael Burnham, played by Sonequa Martin-Green, the first officer aboard the USS Shenzhou before she is found guilty of mutineering. However, with the Federation at war with the Klingons, the captain of the new Discovery ship, Gabriel Lorca, played by Jason Isaacs, enlists Burnham to help get the ship’s experimental warp drive properly working.

Discovery's early setting in the Star Trek universe was changed with a leap through time at the end of season two, which is why we're placing the recently released third season elsewhere on our list.

3 Star Trek: Strange New World

A direct prequel to the original series., star trek: strange new worlds.

Stardate: 2258

Strange New Worlds follows the early adventures of the Starship Enterprise, before Kirk became its captain.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds stars Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike.

Pike will be a familiar name to Star Trek fans, as Pike is the man who commanded the starship Enterprise before Captain Kirk. The series follows Pike doing just that, in his final five-year mission as captain of the Enterprise before he becomes Fleet Captain and hands the reigns to Captain Kirk.

This being a prequel to the original Star Trek series, there are also other recognizable names, with Ethan Peck playing Spock and Celia Rose-Gooding as Uhara. A third season is currently in production.

4 Star Trek: The Original Series

Where it all began, star trek: the original series.

Stardate: 2266 to 2269

The original Star Trek series follows Captain Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the crew as they boldly go where no man has gone before.

This is the original Star Trek TV show. It began airing in 1966 and primarily follows the crew of the USS Enterprise, starting with them embarking on a 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”.

The series introduces William Shatner’s Captain James T Kirk and Leonard Nimoy’s Spock, too.

It also gives us the basis for the universe that makes Star Trek so successful, from introducing numerous alien species like the Vulcans and Klingons to showing us the inner workings of the Federation of Planets. The origins of the Star Trek Universe wouldn’t exist without it.

5 *Optional* Star Trek: The Animated Series

Continue the journey with the original crew, star trek: animated.

Stardate: 2269 to 2270

Continue the adventures of the original series in this animated version that sees most of the cast return to voice their characters.

After The Original Series ended, it quickly became a cult classic. Creator Gene Roddenberry then began work on an animated series that saw most of the original cast provide voice work for the animated versions of their characters. The show essentially functions as the fourth season of the original series, with the original characters navigating unexplored sections of space.

However, it was eliminated from canon by Roddenberry himself, when the rights were renegotiated following the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation. So, if you want to consume every drop of Star Trek content, add this to your list.

6 Star Trek: The Motion Picture

The first star trek movie, star trek: the motion picture.

Stardate: 2273

Captain Kirk, his crew, and a newly remodeled Enterprise head out to investigate an alien entity known as V'ger.

This is the first feature film in the Star Trek Universe. It sees Captain James T Kirk retake the helm of a renovated USS Enterprise to investigate a mysterious cloud of energy that is moving toward Earth. The energy cloud destroys a Federation monitoring station, as well as three Klingon ships, but before Kirk is able to engage it, he must learn to operate an unfamiliar USS Enterprise.

7 Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

Star trek: the wrath of khan.

Stardate: 2285

The crew of the Enterprise faces off against it's most fearsome adversary, Khan.

The second Star Trek movie is perhaps the most successful entry in the franchise. It sees Captain James T Kirk taking command of a USS Enterprise staffed with untested trainees in order to track down the adversary Khan Noonien Singh and his genetically engineered super soldiers.

In the process of escaping a planet that Kirk trapped him on, Khan learns of a secret device known as Genesis, capable of re-organizing matter to terraform (make them habitable) planets. Khan tries to steal the device, but, of course, Kirk will do all he can to stop him.

8 Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

The crew of the enterprise try to resurrect spock, star trek iii: the search for spock.

Captain Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise set out on a mission to recover Spock's body and bring him back to life.

Following their battle with Khan, the crew of the USS Enterprise returns home to Earth in this third feature film.

Once there, Leonard H “Bones” McCoy, played by DeForest Kelley, begins to act strangely, leading to him being detained. Captain James T Kirk, with the help of Spock’s father, Sarek, played by Mark Lenard, then learns that Spock transferred his Katra into McCoy before dying.

If nothing is done, McCoy will die from carrying Spock’s Katra. So, the crew of the USS Enterprise go back to the site of their battle with Khan - in the hopes of retrieving Spock’s body. To top it all off, they must battle with the Klingon Kruge, played by Christopher Lloyd, over control of the Genesis Device. The Search for Spock is also directed by Spock himself, Leonard Nimoy.

9 Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

Earth is in danger and the only hope is humpback whales, star trek iv: the voyage home.

Stardate: 2286

The Enterprise travels back in time to 1986 and has to untangle a mystery involving humpback whales and an alien probe.

In this film, a mysterious ship begins orbiting Earth and destroys the planet's power grid. It emits strange noises, too, and the newly resurrected Spock realizes the sound is similar to the now-extinct humpback whale. Believing the strange ship is expecting to hear back the song of humpback whales, the crew goes around the Sun and travels back in time to 1986 to get a humpback whale.

Nimoy returned to direct this film, as well.

10 Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

The enterprise crew must face off with spock's brother, sybok, star trek v: the final frontier.

Stardate: 2287

The Enterprise heads out on a mission to rescue hostages from the planet Nimbus 3.

After finishing a mission, Kirk, Spock, and Bones are enjoying a camping trip in Yosemite in this film when they are ordered to rescue hostages on the planet Nimbus III. But, once arriving on the planet, the crew realizes Spock’s half-brother, Sybok, is responsible for taking the hostages in order to lure a starship, with the hopes of reaching the mythical planet Sha Ka Ree and meeting a God.

Sybok realizes he’ll need Kirk’s expertise to navigate through the barrier at the centre of the Milky Way that leads to this mythical planet. Along the way, the Klingon Kraa decides to hunt Kirk. The Final Frontier is also the only Star Trek film directed by William Shatner.

11 Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

The final film starring the original series cast, star trek vi: the undiscovered country.

Stardate: 2293

After being framed for a political assassination, Kirk and the rest of the crew of the Enterprise must unravel the conspiracy to avoid war with the Klingon Empire.

In the final film of this series, we see the Klingon homeworld nearly destroyed, leading the hostile empire to engage in peace talks with the Federation. Captain James T Kirk is assigned to escort the Klingon ambassador, but is instead blamed when assassins beam aboard the Ambassador’s ship and kill him. The Klingons then sentence Kirk and McCoy to life imprisonment on a frozen asteroid.

At that point, Spock and the rest of the crew must find the true culprits behind the attack of the Klingon ship and rescue Kirk and Bones.

12 Star Trek: The Next Generation

The next generation takes over the uss enterprise, star trek: the next generation.

Stardate: 2364 to 2370

A new crew takes over the Enterprise and heads out on a five-year mission to explore the unknown.

Set 71 years after the USS Enterprise’s last mission with Captain James T Kirk at the helm, The Next Generation introduces us to a new USS Enterprise staffed with the next generation of Starfleet officers, led by Captain Jean Luc Picard (played by Patrick Stewart).

This TV series also shows us new species of aliens, the Cardassians and the Borgs, which replace the now-friendlier Klingons as the Federation’s primary adversaries.

The Next Generation ran for seven seasons and featured a couple of cameos from The Original Series, like Spock and Bones, among others.

13 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Everyday life in the deepest reaches of space, star trek: deep space nine.

Stardate: 2369 to 2375

Set on a stationary space station instead of an exploring starship, Deep Space Nine explores what life in space is like after the exploring part is done.

This TV show overlaps with the end of Star Trek: The Next Generation. It focuses on the former Cardassian space station, a backwood outpost that the Federation now controls and has ordered a Starfleet crew to run, with Avery Brook’s Benjamin Sisko as the commanding officer.

It's not about a starship exploring the unknown, but rather the trade disputes and political manoeuvring surrounding a crucial military hub.

14 Star Trek Generations

The two enterprise crews unite to take on a force with the power to destroy stars, star trek: generations.

Stardate: 2371

The first Star Trek film to feature the Next Generation crew also brought back the Enterprise crew from the original series.

Star Trek Generations is the first film to feature the crew of The Next Generation while also starring some of The Original Series cast.

The plot primarily centres around an El-Aurian, named Dr Tolian Soran (played by Malcolm McDowell), as well as an energy ribbon known as the Nexus.

You see, in 2293, Soran is rescued from the Energy Ribbon by a retired Captain James T Kirk, who is attending a maiden voyage of a new USS Enterprise. Then, in 2371, while answering a distress call, Captain Jean Luc Picard finds Soran - and he has a weapon capable of destroying stars.

15 Star Trek: Voyager

A federation starship stranded in uncharted space, star trek voyager.

Stardate: 2371 to 2378

Follow a Captain Janeway and her crew of the USS Voyager as they attempt to find their way home after being stranded in space.

After leaving Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in search of a group of Maquis rebels, the Starship Voyager, led by Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), is captured by an energy wave that sends it - and a ship of Maquis rebels - into the middle of the unexplored Delta Quadrant. With both ships damaged and far from home, the crews agree to join forces and begin a 75-year journey back to Earth.

16 Star Trek: First Contact

The crew of the enterprise travels back before the first warp drive was used, star trek: first contact.

Stardate: 2373

The Enterprise must travel back in time to prevent a Borg ship from assimilating all of Earth.

In this film, the USS Enterprise tries to help defeat a Borg Cube attacking Earth, with Captain Jean Luc Picard assuming command of a fleet of starships. However, just before the Cube is destroyed, it releases a smaller ship that enters a temporal vortex. The USS Enterprise gives chase through the vortex, but in the process, realizes the Borg traveled back in time and assimilated the entire planet.

And once through the Vortex, the crew arrives in 2063. More specifically, they arrive one day before Zefram Cochrane (played by James Cromwell) uses the first warp drive system, which draws the attention of the Vulcans, leading to humanity's first contact with an alien race.

17 Star Trek: Insurrection

The enterprise must uncover the mystery around a nearly immortal group of people, star trek: insurrection.

Stardate: 2375

The crew of the USS Enterprise uncovers a conspiracy involving the forced relocation of a peaceful alien race.

The action now centres around a planet with a type of unique radiation that rejuvenates its people, known as the Ba’ku. The effects of the radiation make the Ba’ku nearly immortal.

In this film, Brent Spinner’s Data is sent undercover to monitor the Ba’ku people and soon begins to malfunction, which causes Captain Jean Luc Picard and the crew of the USS Enterprise to investigate.

They uncover a conspiracy between a species, which is hostile to the Ba’ku, and Admiral Mathew Doherty, a Starfleet officer played by Anthony Zerbe. The crew of the Enterprise must stop them both in order to save the Ba’ku from being forcibly removed from their home planet.

18 Star Trek: Nemesis

Picard vs picard, star trek: nemesis.

Stardate: 2379

Captain Picard and the crew face a new, dangerous enemy in the form of a clone of Picard himself.

Captain Jean Luc Picard and the USS Enterprise crew are sent on a mission to meet with the leader of the Romulans, Shinzon, played by a super young Tom Hardy. Once there, they learn that Shinzon is actually a clone of Picard, created in the hopes that he would one day be able to infiltrate the Federation. The Romulans had abandoned the plan and sent Shinzon into slavery.

He led a rebellion, however, and created his own starship, the Scimitar. Soon, the Enterprise learns Shinzon’s true plan is to use a form of radiation poisonous to all life in order to attack the Federation and destroy Earth.

19 Star Trek: Picard

Picard's forced out of retirement one more time

Star Trek: Picard

Stardate: 2399

Captain Picard's retirement is about as full of adventure as his career on the Enterprise.

One of the most popular starship captains in the Star Trek Universe, Jean Luc Picard had retired to a life of wine-making, but a new mission set 20 years after the events of Nemesis sees Captain Jean Luc Picard return to space along with many of his old friends. The first season sees Picard struggling with the events that led to his retirement from Starfleet -- when he's forced into a conflict that sees him thrust into a captain's chair again.

The second season sees Picard transported to an alternate timeline by the interdimensional being known as Q (John De Lancie), who originally appeared in The Next Generation. The third and final season of Picard recently got a teaser and is slated to premiere in spring 2023.

20 Star Trek: Discovery seasons 3 and beyond

The discovery's journey picks up later than any other star trek content.

Stardate: 3188

Catch up with the rest of Discovery after a timejump shifts the story to the end of the Star Trek timeline.

Burnham and the crew of the Discovery make a jump through time that lands them further in the future than we've ever seen in the Star Trek Universe.

There, Burnham is separated from the rest of the crew of Discovery.

While trying to locate the ship, she learns that the United Federation of Planets has fallen following the event known as The Burn, which saw ships simultaneously explode throughout the entire galaxy. The fuel for Star Trek's ships, Dilithium, has also become extremely rare, which makes travel across wide distances of space much harder. In the fourth season, Burnham and the crew of the Discovery begin the process of rebuilding the Federation of Planets. A fifth season of Star Trek Discovery is slated to premiere in 2024.

Kelvin timeline: The alternate Star Trek timeline

These films kick off JJ Abrams' alternate Star Trek timeline. Officially called the Kelvin timeline, it's named after the USS Kelvin. If you want to watch them, you can do so either before or after Star Trek: The Original Series. We prefer you watch it after - in fact, watch it after you've finished the original Star Trek timeline, because it literally takes place in a different timeline.

How to watch Star Trek in order

Whether you're wanting to check out the Original Series or Discovery, figuring out how to watch Star Trek in order is a breeze with this easy guide!

Is it just us or is figuring out how to watch Star Trek in order getting more and more complex with each passing year? The prospect of watching Star Trek in order would be daunting for even the most decorated of starship captains with multiple series being brought to life on both the big and small screens. But fear not Trekkies - we've got you covered!

If you've ever tried to watch the Marvel movies in order , you'd be forgiven for thinking that was the most complicated franchise on the planet, but we kid you not - it has nothing on Star Trek. The 55-year-old sci-fi franchise includes nine (soon to be 11) TV shows and 13 movies and it spans 1000 years, making for one super complicated and vast timeline.

So, what is the best way to watch Star Trek in order? Well, that depends. For you purists out there, you might like to opt for viewing this franchise by release date, just like all the original Trekkie fans did back in the day. This will allow you to follow along as they did and get a similar experience. While the timeline does jump around, ( Star Trek: Discovery , for example, is set at the end of the 32nd century but was released before Star Trek: Picard , which is set in the 24th century), it gives you a more complete picture. 

Because the Star Trek franchise involves movies and TV series that take place at different times, another option is to watch everything in chronological order. This means you get to start with something a little bit more modern, but the one problem with this is that references will often be made to films you've not yet seen, which could make certain elements difficult to follow. 

To be honest, just like we recommend in our guide to how to watch the Star Wars movies in order , it really is a matter of personal preference. As long as you have one of the best TVs , you'll find you enjoy this franchise no matter what order you decide to watch it in.

So, without further ado, here's how to watch Star Trek in order - based on release date and in-universe continuity...

Star Trek TV shows and movies in chronological order

This is probably the list you're looking for if you're trying to figure out how to watch Star Trek in order. It's where things get really interesting, as Star Trek movies and TV shows have a habit of jumping around the franchise's chronology with sequels, prequels and bits in between. There are even two distinct timelines – but don't worry, we'll explain all that.

The original ‘Prime’ timeline was started by the Original Series, the Next Generation-era TV shows, and the first ten movies, The alternative ‘Kelvin’ timeline, meanwhile, was created in JJ Abrams’ first Star Trek (2009) to allow the familiar Enterprise crew of Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty, Sulu, Uhura and Chekov to have new adventures without contradicting canon . To avoid confusion, we've defined the two timelines as separate entities below.

This list doesn't, however, include all of the brief Short Treks – short stories which are mostly set around the Star Trek: Discovery era – and adventures where Starfleet crews time-travelled to the eras before any of the shows/movies are set (eg visits to 1986 in The Voyage Home and 2063 in First Contact). We've also left out upcoming Discovery spin-off Star Trek: Section 31 , since it's not yet in production. (Also, we're not entirely sure exactly when it'll be set.)

Let's start with everything in one big list. 

• Star Trek: Enterprise (seasons 1-4)
• ‘The Cage’
• Star Trek: Discovery (seasons 1-2)
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
• Star Trek: The Original Series  (seasons 1-3)
• Star Trek: The Animated Series 
• Star Trek: The Motion Picture 
• Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan 
• Star Trek 3: The Search for Spock 
• Star Trek 4: The Voyage Home 
• Star Trek 5: The Final Frontier 
• Star Trek 6: The Undiscovered Country 
• Star Trek: Generations (opening sequence)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation (seasons 1-5)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation (seasons 6-7), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (seasons 1-2)
• Star Trek: Generations
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (seasons 3-4), Star Trek: Voyager (seasons 1-2)
• Star Trek: First Contact 
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (seasons 5-6), Star Trek: Voyager (seasons 3-4)
• Star Trek: Insurrection 
• S tar Trek: Deep Space Nine (season 7), Star Trek: Voyager (season 5)
• Star Trek: Voyager (seasons 6-7)
• Star Trek: Nemesis 
• Star Trek: Lower Decks
• Star Trek: Prodigy
• Star Trek (2009) – Prime timeline sequences
• Star Trek: Picard
• Star Trek: Discovery (season 3-)
• Short Treks: 'Calypso'

If you watch in the order given above, you'll get a continuous ‘history’ of the 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 32nd centuries according to the Star Trek timeline. That said, you will notice some odd discrepancies – thanks to the time in which respective shows were made, the technology in prequel show Star Trek: Discovery is significantly more advanced than what Kirk and Spock used in the Original Series.

Below, we'll explain how the different eras of the shows and movies break down for context. 

Note that Gene Roddenberry's original pre-Kirk Star Trek pilot, 'The Cage', is counted as an instalment of the Original Series. You'll usually find it listed as a bonus episode as part of season one when you're watching it on streaming services.

Star Trek: Enterprise era (22nd century) Begins and ends with: Star Trek Enterprise seasons 1-4

About a century before James T Kirk and his crew embark on their famous five-year mission in Star Trek: The Original Series, Captain Jonathan Archer leads Earth's first steps into the wider universe.

Star Trek: The Original Series era (23rd century) Begins with: 'The Cage' Ends with: Star Trek: Generations (opening sequence)

For many this is the most familiar era of Star Trek, since it involves Kirk, Spock and the classic Enterprise crew.  

This section of the Trek timeline kicks off with the original unaired Star Trek pilot, 'The Cage' . Next up in franchise chronology are the first two seasons of Star Trek: Discovery , which work as a prequel to the Original Series (they even feature a younger version of Spock), but it's all change in season 3 – the events of the season 2 finale send the crew into the distant future of the 32nd century. More on that later...

Upcoming spin-off Strange New Worlds will follow the adventures of Captain Pike, Number One and Spock on the Enterprise after the USS Discovery travelled to the future. And at some point after that, Captain James T Kirk will take command of Starfleet's most famous ship – a role he filled throughout The Original Series , The Animated Series and the first six Star Trek movies ( Star Trek: The Motion Picture , The Wrath of Khan , The Search for Spock , The Voyage Home , The Final Frontier and The Undiscovered Country ).

The latest point we've seen (so far) in the 23rd century era is James T Kirk being taken away by the Nexus ribbon in the prologue of Star Trek: Generations . This is the event that allows Kirk to meet Picard when the Next Generation crew take on the mantle of headlining the big screen franchise.

Star Trek: The Next Generation era (24th century) Begins with: Star Trek: The Next Generation Ends with: Star Trek (2009) – Prime timeline sequences

The richest, most complicated period in Star Trek chronology. During The Next Generation era, Star Trek was experimenting with the idea of a shared universe years before Marvel got in on the act, with three TV shows (TNG, Deep Space Nine and Voyager ) and four movies ( Generations , First Contact , Insurrection and Nemesis ) interweaving through the same timeline – Voyager's Captain Kathryn Janeway even shows up in Star Trek: Nemesis as a newly promoted admiral.

New animated comedy spin-off Lower Decks is set a year after Picard and the Next Generation crew's final mission in Star Trek: Nemesis, while Nickelodeon kids' cartoon Star Trek: Prodigy will see Kate Mulgrew reprising her role as Voyager's captain, Kathryn Janeway. That suggests it will presumably be set at a similar point in the Star Trek timeline.

In JJ Abrams' first Star Trek movie (2009), the destruction of Romulus and Spock Prime's accidental trip back to the pre-Original Series era (in the Kelvin timeline) also take place after the events of Nemesis.

In the list above, we've shown how the movies (roughly) fit into the chronology of The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager. 

Picard era (turn of the 25th century) Begins with: Picard Ends with: ???

Aside from glimpses of the destruction of Romulus in JJ Abrams’ Star Trek (2009), Star Trek: Picard gives us our first post-Star Trek: Nemesis look at what the United Federation of Planets has become. 

Since we last saw Jean-Luc Picard, he's retired to his vineyard in France, an android uprising on Mars has led to a ban on all synthetic life, and a disabled Borg Cube (known simply as the 'Artifact') is being mined for technology.

Distant future (32nd century) Begins with : Star Trek: Discovery season 2 (finale) Ends with: ???

In order to save the galaxy, the brave crew of the USS Discovery set off on a one-way mission 900 years into the future in Star Trek: Discovery 's season 2 finale. Their 32nd century destination is new territory for Star Trek – thanks to the mysterious 'Burn', most of the dilithium in the galaxy has been destroyed, making warp travel impossible. As a result, the Federation is a shadow of its former self – even Earth has decided to go it alone.

This isn't, however, the furthest Star Trek has ventured into the future – Short Trek ' Calypso ' is set on the Discovery in a distant future where the ship's computer has become sentient.

Star Trek's alternate 'Kelvin' timeline explained

In 2009's Star Trek movie directed by JJ Abrams, Spock Prime tries to save Romulus from a supernova, inadvertently creates a black hole while doing so, and gets pulled into the past, along with Romulan mining vessel the Narada. Once there, the Narada attacks the USS Kelvin on the day James T Kirk is born. The ship is destroyed as Kirk's father, George, sacrifices himself to save the rest of the crew. 

When all that happens, the alternative ‘Kelvin’ timeline is created, with events unfolding in parallel (but with remarkable similarity) to the original Prime timeline.

Got all that? There are just three movies set in the Kelvin timeline:

• Star Trek (2009)
• Star Trek into Darkness
• Star Trek Beyond

Star Trek TV shows and movies in release date order

• Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-1969)
• Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973-1974)
• Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
• Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
• Star Trek 3: The Search for Spock (1984)
• Star Trek 4: The Voyage Home (1986)
• ‘The Cage’ (previously unavailable Star Trek pilot from 1965, given VHS release in 1986)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)
• Star Trek 5: The Final Frontier (1989)
• Star Trek 6: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)
• Star Trek: Generations (1994)
• Star Trek: Voyager (1995-2001) 
• Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
• Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
• Star Trek: Enterprise (2001-2005)
• Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
• Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
• Star Trek Beyond (2016)
• Star Trek: Discovery (2017-)
• Short Treks (2018-2020)
• Star Trek: Picard (2020-)
• Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020-)
• Star Trek: Prodigy (2021, TBC)
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (TBC)

Considering The Original Series was cancelled after just three seasons in 1969, it's remarkable that Star Trek is still around half a century later. But as the show's popularity grew in syndication on US TV, Trek fandom became a big enough force for the five-year mission to resume via Star Trek: The Animated Series in 1973. Most of the original cast – with the notable exception of Walter Koenig (Chekov) – were enticed back to voice their characters. 

Then, helped by Star Wars turning sci-fi into the hottest genre in Hollywood, Star Trek beamed onto the big screen with 1979's The Motion Picture . The original crew headed up five more movies ( The Wrath of Khan , The Search for Spock , The Voyage Home , The Final Frontier and The Undiscovered Country ) before bowing out in 1991. The ’80s also gave the world a hint of the Star Trek that never was when 'The Cage' , the original unaired pilot, was released on VHS in 1986 (it appeared on TV two years later). Of the pilot crew, only Leonard Nimoy's Spock went on to reprise his role in the TV show, though footage from 'The Cage' was used extensively in the Original Series’ only two-parter, 'The Menagerie'. 

While the Enterprise was making it big in cinemas, the franchise returned to its TV roots in 1987 with The Next Generation . Set over 70 years after Kirk and Spock's final mission, it featured a new crew – led by Captain Jean-Luc Picard – on board a new starship Enterprise. The Next Generation was arguably even more successful than the Original Series, spawning two spin-off series: Deep Space Nine (which began in 1993) played with the Trek format by focusing on a space station, while Voyager (1995) dumped its crew on the other side of the galaxy, hundreds of light years from home. 

The Next Generation crew also fronted four movies of their own ( Generations , First Contact , Insurrection and Nemesis ) between 1995 and 2002.

After Voyager came to an end in 2001, Star Trek left the Next Generation era behind, and went in a completely different direction – Star Trek: Enterprise was a prequel set a century before Kirk and Spock's adventures. Enterprise lasted only four seasons, however (The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager all made it to seven), and was canceled in 2005.

These were also dark times for the movie branch of the Trek franchise, as the disappointing box office performance of Nemesis had put the film saga on hiatus – it wasn't until 2009 that Star Trek warped back onto the big screen. 

Future Star Wars: The Force Awakens director JJ Abrams (already hot property as director of Mission: Impossible 3 and co-creator of Lost) gave the franchise an action blockbuster makeover, recasting Kirk, Spock and the rest of the original crew as rookies on their first mission. The reboot, simply titled Star Trek , made more than twice as much at the box office as any of its predecessors, and two sequels ( Star Trek into Darkness , Star Trek Beyond ) followed. 

Star Trek belatedly returned to TV in 2017 with Star Trek: Discovery . Set a decade before the Original Series, it was a darker, more serialized Trek than we’d seen before – more in tune with the prestige shows of the so-called Golden Age of TV. As it’s turned out, it was just the beginning of Star Trek's renewed assault on TV...

A series of brief Short Treks appeared online ahead of Discovery's second season, while The Next Generation follow-up Star Trek: Picard left spacedock in January 2020. Animated series Lower Decks followed in August 2020, and Discovery spin-off Strange New Worlds – featuring Anson Mount's Captain Pike, Rebecca Romijn's Number One and Ethan Peck's Spock on the pre-Kirk Enterprise – is now in production. 

There's also another cartoon offering heading for the Alpha Quadrant, in the form of animated kids show Star Trek: Prodigy.

And there's potentially even more to come, as the much-talked about Michelle Yeoh vehicle Section 31 is still in development. But with Paramount Plus programming boss Julie McNamara telling Variety that the streaming service's current aim is to debut "a new Trek every quarter", we may have to wait for Discovery, Picard, Lower Decks and/or Strange New Worlds to stand aside before we get a new TV iteration of Trek.

To keep things simple, all the shows above are listed by the date their first episode aired. While the chronology does jump around if you watch Star Trek in order of release date, there are some benefits. For example, the prequel shows assume a fair bit of knowledge of earlier series, like the Borg's appearance in Star Trek: Enterprise episode 'Regeneration', or Star Trek: Discovery's revelations about the ultimate fate of Christopher Pike (the Enterprise captain in 'The Cage', who later shows up in 'The Menagerie'). Moments like that undoubtedly make more sense in the context of later events in the Star Trek timeline. 

How to stream Star Trek TV shows and movies

If you just want to know how to stream the 13 Star Trek movies and eight TV shows in the US and the UK, we've laid it out below. 

In the US, the newly rebranded Paramount Plus (formerly CBS All Access) is definitely the place to go, with every TV show available to watch. In the UK, Netflix hosts all the Star Trek series except for Picard and Lower Decks.

Watching the 13 Trek movies is a rather more complex affair, with the films spread across numerous streaming services in the US and UK – and some of them you'll have to pay to rent/buy.

The TV shows

• Star Trek: The Original Series ( US: Paramount Plus, Amazon Prime Video UK: Netflix)
• Star Trek: The Animated Series ( US: Paramount Plus UK: Netflix)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation ( US: Paramount Plus, Amazon Prime Video UK: Netflix)
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ( US: Paramount Plus, Amazon Prime Video UK: Netflix)
• Star Trek: Voyager ( US: Paramount Plus, Amazon Prime Video UK: Netflix)
• Star Trek: Enterprise ( US: Paramount Plus, Amazon Prime Video UK: Netflix)
• Star Trek: Discovery ( US: Paramount Plus UK: Netflix)
• Star Trek: Picard ( US: Paramount Plus UK: Amazon Prime Video)
• Star Trek: Lower Decks (US: Paramount Plus US: Amazon Prime Video)
• Star Trek: The Motion Picture ( US: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu UK: Only available to rent/buy)
• Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan ( US: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu UK: Sky Cinema/Now TV)
• Star Trek 3: The Search for Spock ( US: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu UK: Sky Cinema/Now TV)
• Star Trek 4: The Voyage Home ( US: Paramount Plus, Amazon Prime Video UK: Sky Cinema/Now TV)
• Star Trek 5: The Final Frontier ( US: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu UK: Only available to rent/buy)
• Star Trek 6: The Undiscovered Country ( US: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu UK: Only available to rent/buy)
• Star Trek: Generations ( US: Paramount Plus, Amazon Prime Video UK: Sky Cinema/Now TV)
• Star Trek: First Contact ( US: Paramount Plus UK: Only available to rent/buy)
• Star Trek: Insurrection ( US: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu UK: Only available to rent/buy)
• Star Trek: Nemesis ( US: Paramount Plus, Amazon Prime Video UK: Only available to rent/buy)
• Star Trek 2009 ( US: DirectTV UK: Sky Cinema/Now TV)
• Star Trek Into Darkness ( US : FX Now UK: Amazon Prime Video)
• Star Trek Beyond ( US: Amazon Prime, Hulu UK: Amazon Prime Video)

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Richard is a freelance journalist specialising in movies and TV, primarily of the sci-fi and fantasy variety. An early encounter with a certain galaxy far, far away started a lifelong love affair with outer space, and these days Richard's happiest geeking out about Star Wars, Star Trek, Marvel and other long-running pop culture franchises. In a previous life he was editor of legendary sci-fi and fantasy magazine SFX, where he got to interview many of the biggest names in the business – though he'll always have a soft spot for Jeff Goldblum who (somewhat bizarrely) thought Richard's name was Winter.

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How to watch every star trek series & movie in the right order.

Whether a Trekker wants to watch by release order or by in-universe continuity, here's how to watch every Star Trek movie and series the right way.

In a choice between whether to watch the Star Trek TV series and movies in the order of release or watching the saga unfold throughout its in-universe continuity, here's how a Trekker can do either. When  Star Trek: The Original Series premiered in 1966, no one dreamed it would launch a franchise that would last 55 years, and Star Trek  is still going strong . Star Trek now encompasses 9 TV series, with two more, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and the animated Star Trek: Prodigy in development for 2022, as well as 13 feature films, with the 14th Star Trek movie earmarked for June 2023.

Star Trek has also grown into a massive canon that spans a thousand years of the future. Much of the franchise is focused on the Captain and crews of the various starships named Enterprise and most of the saga is divided between the optimistic future of the 23rd century's The Original Series ( TOS ) era and Star Trek: The Next Generation 's ( TNG ) 24th-century era, which also spans the spinoffs Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Lower Decks, and Star Trek: Picard . But in the last 20 years, Star Trek has also relied heavily on prequels, with Star Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek: Discovery seasons 1 and 2, and J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movie trilogy all set before TOS . Complicating matters, Abrams' films are also set in their own alternate canon, the Kelvin timeline. Star Trek: Discovery season 3 (and all future seasons) take place in the 32nd century, which is the farthest in the future the franchise has explored.

Related: Star Trek: Every Captain of The Enterprise

Star Trek  utilizes Stardates in-universe but it's easier to track the timeline based on the Greco-Roman calendar years each TV series and movie is set in. Of course, as a sci-fi franchise renowned for its innovative storytelling, Star Trek has told plenty of time travel tales . Nearly every TV series and several of the films have time travel adventures set that have sent the Starfleet heroes into the present day or even let them cross over and meet crews from different eras. There is really no wrong way to watch Star Trek but if a new fan is making the choice between release date order or the order of continuity, here is a handy guide to both options.

Star Trek TV Shows & Movies In Order Of Release

Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-1969)

Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973-1974)

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

Star Trek III: The Search For Spock ( 1984)

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)

Star Trek Generations (1994)

Star Trek: Voyager (1995-2001)

Star Trek Insurrection (1998)

Star Trek: Enterprise (2001-2005)

Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)

Star Trek (2009)

Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

Star Trek Beyond (2016)

Star Trek: Discovery (2017-present)

Star Trek: Picard (2020-present)

Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020-present)

Related: Star Trek: When The Kelvin Timeline Takes Place

Star Trek TV Shows & Movies In Chronological Order

Star Trek: Enterprise (2151-2155)

Star Trek (2009) (2255 in the Kelvin timeline) Star Trek also contains flashbacks to 2233, the 2240s, and 2252 and a flashforward to 2387 in the Prime timeline.

Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1 & 2 (2256-2258) The USS Discovery permanently time travels to the 32nd century at the end of season 2.

Star Trek Into Darkness (2259 in the Kelvin timeline)

Star Trek Beyond (2263 in the Kelvin timeline)

Star Trek: The Original Series (2266-2269)

Star Trek: The Animated Series (2269-2270)

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (2270s)

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (2285)

Star Trek IV:  The Voyage Home (2286 and 1986)

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (2287)

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (2293)

Star Trek: The Next Generation (2364-2370)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (2369-2375)

Star Trek Generations (2371) Generations takes place before DS9 season 4 when Worf (Michael Dorn) joins the space station crew.

Star Trek: Voyager (2371-2378) Voyager 's first four seasons take place concurrently with DS9 seasons 4-7.

Star Trek: First Contact (2373 and 2063) First Contact takes place during DS9 season 5 and Voyager season 3. Most of the film takes place in 2063, 90 years before the events of Star Trek: Enterprise .

Star Trek Insurrection (2375) Insurrection takes place during DS9 season 7 and Voyager season 5.

Star Trek: Nemesis (2379)

Star Trek: Lower Decks (2380 onward)

Star Trek: Picard (2389 onward) Picard also has flashbacks set in 2385.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 3 (3188-3189)

Next: Why Every Star Trek Series Ended

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The Best Order to Watch All of Star Trek

Whether you’ve overlooked Star Trek for the past 60 years, looking to finally catch up, or are a die-hard fan setting out on a new binge, this list is here help you figure out the best order to watch everything the long-running sci-fi series has to offer.

There are really three ways to approach a binge of this size and complexity: chronologically, by release, or the mythical “best.” Here we’ll provide you with the full list of how to do each one and you can choose for yourself from there.

How to Watch All of Star Trek in Release Order

Watching by release date is probably the easiest way to do this, though it might not deliver the best overall experience. Considering this is how much of the fanbase got hooked, however, it’s a perfectly valid way to get into Trek . It also helps with the times when later shows reference earlier ones, ensuring you’ve seen everything that’s being referenced. It should be noted here that many series and films — especially the current Paramount+ ones — overlap. For these moments, which are noted below when shows/movies were on at the same time, it might be wise to stagger your viewing of the seasons as there may be overlap in their storylines.

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• Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-1969)
• Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973-1974) — (Note: Maybe not canon but maybe also is.)
• Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
• Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
• Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)
• Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)
• Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
• Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999) — (Note: some characters overlap with TNG )
• Star Trek: Generations (1994) — (Note: Overlap with TNG )
• Star Trek: Voyager (1995-2001) — (Note: While rare, some characters overlap with DS9 )
• Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
• Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
• Star Trek: Enterprise (2001-2005)
• Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
• Star Trek (2009)
• Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
• Star Trek Beyond (2016)
• Star Trek: Discovery (2017-2024)
• Star Trek: Short Treks (2018-2020) — (Note: Bridges gaps between Discovery seasons)
• Star Trek: Picard (2020-2023)
• Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020-Present) (Note: Overlaps with SNW )
• Star Trek: Prodigy (2021-Present)
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022-Present) — (Note: Overlaps with Discovery and Lower Decks )
• Star Trek: Very Short Treks (2023) — (Note: Not canon)

How to Watch All of Star Trek in Chronological Order

Watching a franchise with as many entries as Star Trek in chronological order can be pretty tricky since some newer shows and films take place in the earlier in the timeline while older shows take place later. There’s also the films starring Chris Pine that take place on a different timeline entirely (the Kelvin timeline). That’s not to mention that time travel is an accepted and heavily regulated science in-universe and a popular plot mechanic, so almost every crew has, at some point, done it. That raises the question of where to put films like The Voyage Home , which has the TOS crew traveling back to the 1980s, or something like Discovery , which starts in the TOS era, spends half its first season in a parallel dimension, and then jumps millennia forward. Let’s not even get started on the ending of Enterprise . The point being is that chronological order is a terrible way to watch this franchise. If you must, though, here is the correct order, based on what time period each crew called “home” originally.

• Star Trek: Enterprise (Stardates: 2151-2156)
• Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Short Treks (First two seasons: 2256-2258, Final three seasons: 3188-?)
• Star Trek (2258-2259 Kelvin Timeline)
• Star Trek Into Darkness (2259-2260 Kelvin Timeline)
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2259-??)
• Star Trek Beyond (2263 Kelvin Timeline)
• Star Trek: The Original Series (2265-2269)
• Star Trek: The Animated Series (2269-2270)
• Star Trek: The Motion Picture (2273)
• Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (2285)
• Star Trek: The Search for Spock (2285)
• Star Trek: The Voyage Home (2286)
• Star Trek: The Final Frontier (2287)
• Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country (2293)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation (2364-2370)
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (2369-2375)
• Star Trek: Voyager (2371-2378)
• Star Trek: Generations (2371)
• Star Trek: First Contact (2373)
• Star Trek: Insurrection (2375)
• Star Trek: Nemesis (2379)
• Star Trek: Lower Decks (2380-??)
• Star Trek: Prodigy (2383-??)
• Star Trek: Picard (2399-2402)
• Star Trek: Very Short Treks — (Not canon)

How to Watch All of Star Trek in the Best Order

As you can tell from the two very long lists above, there is a lot of Star Trek to watch. Those lists don’t even do it justice considering that even without all the new streaming shows and movies, there are 709 episodes. That is a lot of time to dedicate to one franchise (and it is totally worth it), but if you’re going to do it, you’ll want an order that gets you hooked. Release date order may work for some, but it’s not the best way to get into great Trek right away. Instead use the method below to enjoy your journey through Star Trek to its fullest.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Start with what is easily the most accessible series and, for many, still the best. The first two seasons can be a little rocky, but they build the foundations for basically all Trek to come. The majority of Star Trek’s greatest episodes reside within this series, making it easy to get into and stick with. The episodic nature also makes it a good series to binge in free time to get your addiction kicked off without paying 100% attention. Yes, there are references and cameos from TOS , Voyager , and DS9 but not enough to not recommend simply watching TNG on its own straight through.

Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek movies I-VI

Now that you’re hooked, go back to the start. TOS may be a bit dated and wonky, but it’s all Trek , and it’s incredibly ahead of its time. The contrast between Kirk and Picard as Captains will also play off each other by watching these series back-to-back. Once you’re done, jump into the TOS films, which will keep things chronological for a good while as none of these films cross over with the TV shows in any way.

Star Trek Kelvin Timeline Films

Honestly, it doesn’t really matter where you watch Star Trek , Star Trek Into Darkness , or Star Trek Beyond as long as you’ve watched TOS and its films already. The movies are heavily connected to that series but kick off an entirely different timeline from every other show and film. Since they’re separate, you can really watch these at any point post- TOS , but watching it right after will give you the best experience of Star Trek ‘s “What if…?” storylines.

Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and TNG Films

Here’s where things get a little mushy. You can quite easily binge these three completely separately as they have minimal impact on each other. However, the best experience is probably to watch these as audiences of the time would. That means binging Deep Space Nine for two seasons, then alternating between episodes with Voyager while watching the TNG films during the seasons they came out before capping it all off with Star Trek: Nemesis . This order should give a good variety through a very long stretch of what can be some fantastic television and film. Fair warning, however, that the groundbreaking, serialized, final season of DS9 is going to be very hard to pause for even one episode of Voyager .

Star Trek: Prodigy

Star Trek: Prodigy , having recently been renewed by Netflix , pops up in a weird place in the watch order because it’s just hard to place. Geared towards engaging younger viewers in Trek , it’s absolutely fantastic. Honestly, if you’re watching with a child, it could even be a perfect way to start your viewing. However, the Voyager cast play a large role in the first season, so watching it after Voyager is really helpful if you care about plotlines and canon like any well-respected adult should. Can you watch it any time after your Voyager binge? Sure, but why not dive into something really good before you start Discovery ?

Star Trek: Discovery , Star Trek: Short Treks , and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

You have to watch Discovery to get to SNW , which is the only reason this list doesn’t have SNW higher. The second season of Discovery functions as a backdoor pilot to SNW while also being the best season of Discovery . Once the latter show jumps to the far future, they’re entirely separate so there’s no need to alternate viewing between the two if you feel like binging all of Discovery before moving onto SNW . You’ll need to watch Short Treks between the Discovery seasons they debuted before as they have some plot points in them you would miss otherwise.

Star Trek: Enterprise

Look, there’s very obviously a lot of not-so-great Trek to get through at the end of this list, but the goal is to be such a fan by this time that you’ll watch it anyway. Enterprise isn’t as bad as you may have heard, but it isn’t good either. Get through it. Enjoy the weird season set almost entirely in a hidden portion of the universe known as The Expanse, and then get just as angry as everyone else at its idiotic conclusion. At least you’ll be able to complain with the best of them once you’re done.

Star Trek: Lower Decks

We’re going to break up the suck with some of the best Trek on TV right now. Lower Decks is a Star Trek parody made by Star Trek . As such, you can’t really appreciate it until you’ve watched everything else. In fact, thanks to binging the rest, you may appreciate it more than most as you pick out deep cuts and references that those who watched the shows as they aired might miss. It’s a great reminder why you’re watching all of this before having to suffer through the final show.

Star Trek: Picard

One might expect that you’d just keep the good times rolling by watching Picard right after TNG . The show is, after all, a continuation of that series built on nostalgia and some unfinished plotlines. However, the first two seasons of Picard are so terrible that doing so would be like eating filet mignon and then instantly washing it down with some moonshine. Plus, the third and only decent season, is a massive nostalgia trip that can only be fully appreciated if you’ve spent the hours and hours and hours it takes to get through all of Trek . It’s the perfect victory lap for what you’ve just accomplished.

Bonus: Star Trek: The Animated Series and Star Trek: Very Short Treks

Is it canon? Is it not? Who cares. TAS is weird, dumb, poorly animated, and kind of hard to watch — but there’s some great episodes in there. You can avoid it entirely and be totally fine or slot it into any watch order you want post- TOS . Very Short Treks are just some fun YouTube shorts released in the style of TAS . Watch them whenever too.

How to watch Star Trek in order – both release and chronological orders

From The Original Series to Strange New Worlds, here's how to watch the entire Star Trek canon in order.

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It's a hugely exciting time to be a Star Trek fan, especially after the news that we'll be getting a new prequel movie from the director of Andor!

The Star Trek franchise has enjoyed a dramatic revitalisation in recent years, returning to its original home on the small screen to launch a sprawling shared universe of exciting shows.

Coming up next in the world of Star Trek, we've got Star Trek: Discovery season 5 to look forward to, as well as Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 after the series was saved by Netflix – and more! Meanwhile, Star Trek: Picard wrapped up with a third and final season, while we got renewals for shows like Lower Decks .

With all these interconnecting stories, it's not surprising that newcomers to the franchise want to ensure they are watching in the correct order. Fortunately, we can help with that.

Below, we've compiled how to watch Star Trek in release and chronological order, while we also weigh in on the pros and cons of each method. Once you have all the information you need, venture forth into the final frontier.

More like this

How to watch star trek in release order.

Arguably, the most faithful way of watching Star Trek is in the order each series was made, allowing you to follow the franchise from its inception and explore its universe as the original fans did decades ago.

It makes sense to do it this way as while the shows do jump around in terms of time period, they still find ways to build on what came before in order of release.

In that sense, you're likely to get a slightly more complete picture of Star Trek by watching in this order, instead of piecing the shows together in a chronological timeline.

Star Trek release order (films listed in italics )

• Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS)
• Star Trek: The Animated Series (TAS)
• The first six Star Trek films (The Motion Picture up to Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG)
• Star Trek: Generations
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9)
• Star Trek: Voyager (VOY)
• Star Trek films 8-10 (First Contact, Insurrection, Nemesis)
• Star Trek: Enterprise (ENT)
• Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into Darkness, Star Trek Beyond
• Star Trek: Discovery (DSC)
• Star Trek: Short Treks*
• Star Trek: Picard (PIC)
• Star Trek: Lower Decks (LOW)
• Star Trek: Prodigy (PRO)
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (SNW)
• Untitled Toby Haynes Star Trek prequel film

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* Star Trek: Short Treks premiered after Discovery, hence the listing here. However, Short Treks season 2 sets up some plot threads picked up in Discovery season 2 and beyond, so it's best to alternate between them if you can.

Some people who watch in this order choose to skip over the first three steps and begin with Star Trek: The Next Generation. There is a belief among certain Trekkies that TNG has aged better than The Original Series, making it an easier entry point for newcomers to the franchise.

It would be worth watching the first few episodes of TOS to see what you think of it, but if William Shatner's Captain Kirk doesn't quite cut it for you, feel free to move on to the dulcet tones of Patrick Stewart's Jean-Luc Picard. The two shows have relatively few connections, so you don't need to worry about feeling lost (although they do eventually cross over in a major way in the Star Trek: Generations movie).

How to watch Star Trek in chronological order

As previously stated, the various shows in the Star Trek universe take place at different points in a sprawling timeline, so an alternative method is to watch in chronological order.

This comes with pros and cons: on the one hand, it allows you to begin with a modern show, which may be preferable to some people. But on the other hand, some of the references contained in more recent episodes may not land with you in the way they were intended.

Star Trek chronological order (films listed in italics )

• Star Trek: Enterprise (Year: 2151-2161)
• Short Trek: The Girl Who Made the Stars (Year: 2230s)
• Short Trek: The Brightest Star (Year: 2239)
• Star Trek: The Cage – The Original Series one-off pilot episode (Year: 2254)
• Short Trek: The Escape Artist (Year: 2250s)
• Short Trek: Q&A (Year: 2253)
• Star Trek: Discovery season 1 (Year: 2256)
• Short Trek: Runaway (Year: 2257)
• Star Trek: Discovery season 2 (Year: 2258)
• Short Trek: The Trouble with Edward (Year: 2250s)
• Short Trek: Ask Not (Year: 2250s)
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Year: 2259)
• Star Trek: The Original Series (Year: 2265-2269)
• Short Trek: Ephraim and Dot (Year: 2267-2285)
• Star Trek: The Animated Series (Year: 2269-2270)
• The first six Star Trek films (Year: 2273-2293)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation (Year: 2364-2370)
• Star Trek films 7-10: Generations up to Nemesis (Year: 2293-2379)
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Year: 2369-2375)
• Star Trek: Voyager (Year: 2371-2378)
• Star Trek: Lower Decks (2380)
• Star Trek: Prodigy (Year: 2383)
• Short Trek: Children of Mars (Year: 2385)
• Star Trek: Picard seasons 1-3 (Year: 2399-2402)
• Star Trek: Discovery seasons 3-4 (32nd Century)
• Short Trek: Calypso (far future, year unknown)

Note – Star Trek: Short Treks was a two-season anthology series, which visits various periods on the franchise timeline. Anything listed as a Short Trek is a single episode of this show (with a runtime between 8 and 18 minutes).

It's not currently confirmed where precisely Toby Haynes' film will sit in the chronology but we do know it'll be a prequel film, taking place "decades" before Star Trek (2009).

For those wondering, the recent trilogy of Star Trek movies directed by JJ Abrams and Justin Lin – Star Trek, Into Darkness and Beyond – are set in an alternate universe, meaning they do not connect to a chronological order of the series.

They do, however, contain references to The Original Series – most notably the return of Leonard Nimoy as Spock – but can be watched at any point as standalone stories.

Star Trek: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Voyager and Deep Space Nine are available to stream on Netflix .

Star Trek: Picard is exclusive to Prime Video. Sign up for a 30-day free trial of Prime Video and pay £8.99 a month after that.

Star Trek: Discovery and Strange New Worlds can be found on Paramount Plus. Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on tonight.

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How to watch the Star Trek movies & TV shows in order

Star Trek has one of the most sprawling universes out there, with numerous TV shows, animated series and blockbuster films dating back by nearly eighty years, and dotted across numerous timelines within the narrative. Therefore, easing yourself into the Trekkie fandom is no easy feat.

There’s numerous ways to catch up on everything within the Star Trek universe – but which is the best method? We’ve collated the most popular orders for you to check out. Keep in mind that if you watch everything on this list, you’ll have nearly 600 hours worth of screen time, which means it will take you around a year to get through all of these, even if you’re watching on a regular basis. You’ve been warned.

If Star Trek isn’t quite your bag but you’re looking for something else to binge, then we also have articles on how to watch the MCU and Star Wars in order.

Chronological order

The Star Trek universe makes it very easy to put each of the shows and movies into narrative order, as everything has a Stardate, which is essentially a fictional date that tells you where a story is placed in the overall universe timeline.

Some of these shows are still ongoing ( Discovery will have its third season this year, and Picard has only just launched on Amazon Prime), but at the moment these Stardates still fit in with this order.

Important things to keep in mind while watching the films and TV shows chronologically is that special effects and CGI will obviously jump around a lot, something first-time viewers may find jarring. In addition, starting with Enterprise may not explain the world as thoroughly for first-time viewers as The Original Series does.

There’s also two timelines. JJ Abrams’ film trilogy deviates from the canon timeline of the original series entirely, meaning that it’s a separate entity to the rest of the franchise. We recommend watching all of the original timeline first, before moving onto the ‘Kelvin’ timeline (named after a pivotal plot point, no spoilers here though).

Here’s the chronological order:

Star Trek: Enterprise (2001 to 2005) Star Trek: Discovery (2017-) Star Trek: Short Treks (2018-) Star Trek: The Original Series (1966 to 1969) Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973 to 1974) Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987 to 1994) Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993 to 1999) Star Trek Generations (1994) Star Trek: Voyager (1995 to 2001) Star Trek: First Contact (1996) Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) Star Trek: Picard (2020-)

Kelvin timeline:

Star Trek (2009) Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) Star Trek Beyond (2016)

Release date order

If you’d prefer to see how the world of Star Trek has evolved over time, then release date order may be the better order. However, a word of caution. This is pretty complicated – considering that numerous series and films overlap with each other. To compensate for this, we’ve split up some of the TV programmes into seasons.

As we stated earlier, starting with The Original Series is quite a good place to go as it sets up the world and introduces the viewers to some of the biggest characters and recurring plot points. From a technical perspective, it’s also interesting to see how the animation and effects evolve over time.

Here’s the release date order:

Star Trek: The Original Series (1966 to 1969) Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973 to 1974) Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) Star Trek: The Next Generation – Seasons 1 to 4 (1987 to 1991) Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) Star Trek: The Next Generation – Seasons 5 to 7 (1991 to 1994) Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Seasons 1 to 3 (1993 to 1994) Star Trek Generations (1994) Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Seasons 4 to 7 (1994 to 1999) Star Trek: Voyager (1995 to 2001) Star Trek: First Contact (1996) Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) Star Trek: Enterprise – Seasons 1 to 2 (2001 to 2002) Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) Star Trek: Enterprise – Seasons 3 to 4 (2002 to 2005) Star Trek (2009) Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) Star Trek Beyond (2016) Star Trek: Discovery (2017-) Star Trek: Short Treks (2018-) Star Trek Picard (2020-)

Where to watch the Star Trek TV series and films in the UK

As these lists are so extensive, various subscriptions may be required if you wish to stream them all. Now TV has the biggest film offering, with all the movies excluding Into Darkness and Beyond. For the series, Netflix would be the best choice, with every live-action series bar Picard, which is an Amazon Prime exclusive .

The only four things that aren’t available to stream anywhere at the moment in the UK are Star Trek: The Animated Series, Star Trek: Short Treks, Star Trek Into Darkness and Star Trek Beyond. If you want to get hold of them, you’ll have to purchase them separately on the likes of Amazon Prime . Of course, not many people rate The Animated Series – so if that sounds like too much work, feel free to skip it. Short Treks is also a spin-off, and not integral to the main plot. 

Future Star Trek shows in the works

We already know that there’s more to come from Discovery, Picard and Short Treks, but these aren’t the only Star Trek shows in the works. Section 31 is a spinoff that’s actively in development, starring Michelle Yeoh as Federation Captain Philippa Georgiou, who appeared in Discover.

Overseer of the Star Trek universe Alex Kurtzman revealed in an interview with TrekCore that two other unnamed live action shows are in the works, but more details are yet to come about these.

On the animated side, we’ll also be seeing a lot more. Lower Decks is a web series that will air on CBS All Access this month ( find out how to watch it in the UK here ), and will be the second ever animated show in the Star Trek universe. Nickelodeon is also producing another animated series for younger audiences, which will likely air after 2021.

Author: Hannah Cowton , Entertainment Editor

As Tech Advisor's Entertainment Editor, Hannah is the resident expert in all things streaming, film and TV. Before joining Tech Advisor in 2019, she studied Theatre and Performance at the University of Leeds and created a website dedicated to geek culture and lifestyle. She's also reviewed a whole range of gadgets including flagship smartphones, wearables and styling tools. Outside of Foundry, she's written freelance pieces for Polygon, Metro and Den of Geek, and is proud to be a Women Techmakers Ambassador for Google.

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This Is The Correct Order In Which To Watch The Star Trek Franchise

Don't look now, but "Star Trek" is a thing again. It's been a while — after redefining television in the 1960s and enjoying a resurgence in the '80s and '90s, the final episode of ""Star Trek: Enterprise" in 2005 marked the beginning of a dark period in which there was simply no "Trek" to be had. Then, in 2017, the drought ended with the premiere of " "Star Trek: Discovery ," and when it rains, it pours. "Discovery" heralded the arrival of a whole new era of ""Star Trek," and that's just the beginning — Paramount+ will soon play host to two new "Star Trek" shows, with three more currently in development, and there's a new movie scheduled for release in 2023 . Suddenly, we are awash in "Trek," which means that if you're unfamiliar with Gene Roddenberry's universe, it's a pretty good time to jump on board. Only where do you start with a franchise this big — and more importantly, what's the proper watch order?

These are the questions we're here to answer. While it's tempting to try and watch "Star Trek" chronologically, using either the fictional timeline or release dates, we recommend an order that's a bit of a blend of both. Following this list should result in an experience that provides a complete picture of what "Star Trek" is while also remaining easy to binge. With that in mind (and with the understanding that a few spoilers are unavoidable ), it's time to boldly go where every previous "Star Trek" installment has gone before!

The Original Series

When you watch "Star Trek," you really need to begin at the beginning. Not with Enterprise, which is set earlier in the "Trek" timeline than any show, but with "Star Trek" — or as it's lovingly called these days, "The Original Series." This is the show that ran on NBC from 1966 to 1969, forever altering the television medium, the science fiction genre, and the experience of being a fan. While some viewers may find the special effects laughable or the political themes unsubtle, the most astonishing thing about "TOS" is how well it holds up, even more than 50 years later. The first two seasons, in particular, are absolutely riddled with classic episodes, and while the third season is significantly worse due to changes in the creative team, it's still fun to watch William Shatner ham it up as Captain Kirk, Leonard Nimoy raise a single Vulcan eyebrow as Mr. Spock, and the original Starship Enterprise soar through space. Most importantly, though, those first 79 episodes introduce rules, concepts, and even characters that "Star Trek" is still playing with today, from Class M planets and the Prime Directive to Khan and the Klingons.

The Animated Series

The unofficial fourth and fifth seasons of "Star Trek," "The Animated Series" aired on NBC from 1973 to 1974, after tempers had cooled somewhat between NBC and Roddenberry, who left "Star Trek" after its second season out of frustration with the network. Not only was the entire original cast back (minus Walter Koenig), but so was Roddenberry, and so was D.C. Fontana, Roddenberry's longtime assistant who had grown into one of the most celebrated "Trek" writers and had also departed after Season 2. Between the return of some of the show's original creative minds and cast, and the fact that animation allowed them to do so much more than live action special effects of the era, "TAS" is pure, undiluted "Star Trek."

It's never been made explicitly clear whether "TAS" is canon, but considering the number of "TAS" ideas re-used in later live-action shows, plus the introduction in "TAS" of canon pieces of backstory, like Kirk's middle name, it's silly at this point to believe otherwise. And it's required viewing for completists who want to see every televised adventure undertaken by the original Enterprise crew.

The first six films

"Star Trek: The Motion Picture" was released by Paramount in 1979, and while it's not an especially good film, it holds historical importance as the launching point for the "Star Trek" movie franchise. The real highlights in this part of the list, though, are the three films that followed. The Wrath of Khan, The Search for Spock, and The Voyage Home essentially form their own trilogy of movies within the larger "Trek" saga, and are some of the most popular and critically acclaimed installments in the franchise. "The Wrath of Khan," in particular, tends to show up near the top of "best science fiction films in history" lists, making the titular Khan such an iconic villain that he was recast for the J.J. Abrams reboot movies, while "The Voyage Home" is probably the most charming "Star Trek" film, as the Enterprise travels to the past to rescue the humpback whale species from extinction.

Even the most dedicated binge-watcher can safely skip the horrendous fifth movie, "The Final Frontier," but "The Undiscovered Country" is an absolute masterpiece, and taken together, these six films provide a worthy capstone to the franchise's inaugural era.

It might seem counterintuitive to follow up the oldest "Star Trek" series with one of the newest, especially given that "Star Trek: Discovery" actually takes place prior to "The Original Series." But there's a good reason to jump from the tales of Kirk and Spock to the tales of Michael Burnham and...well, and Spock, who shows up in Season 2. "The Original Series" and its accompanying animated and film extensions are foundational to "Discovery," which is set shortly after the events of the rejected "Star Trek" pilot "The Cage." And characters from "The Cage" show up in Season 2 and are also appearing in their own spinoff, "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds."

While an in-universe chronological watch order would put the first two seasons of "Discovery" before "TOS" and the third season at the very end (as the crew travels forward in time to the far future) it makes more sense to us to treat "Discovery" as its own story. The third season does occasionally reference "past" events from other shows, but that does lead nicely into the next "Trek" installment...

The Next Generation (Seasons 1-5)

For many Trekkies today, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" was their introduction to the franchise, and for good reason. If any one series beyond the original can lay a claim to being the single most iconic "Star Trek" story, it's Next Generation, which premiered in 1987 and went on to not only have seven seasons of its own, but to jumpstart a chain of interlocking "Star Trek" shows that would thoroughly dominate the 1990s. Before that, though, the first five seasons of Next Generation stood alone, and if you're trying to get somebody instantly hooked on Trek, this might actually be the place to start, despite the fact that the first couple of seasons don't hold up incredibly well.

If you're absorbing all of "Star Trek," though, "Next Generation" has to be the place to start. After all, it's the next generation of what, exactly? The answer is the Starship Enterprise, which comes with an entirely new cast and crew, introducing the world to Worf, Data, Counselor Troi, and Geordi LaForge, and permanently branding the hearts of a thousand Trekkies with the image of Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard .

The Next Generation (Season 6) / Deep Space Nine (Season 1)

Okay, this is where it gets weird. "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" debuted in January 1993, just a few months after "Next Generation" kicked off its sixth season — a season full of unmitigated classics, incidentally, from the return of Montgomery Scott in "Relics" to the legendary two-parter "Chain of Command." Picard even makes a cameo in the first episode of "DS9," which takes place aboard a space station and uses the ideas and events of earlier "Next Generation" episodes to inform characters like Commander Benjamin Sisko and Quark. It's essentially impossible to understand Sisko's backstory, for example, without first having seen the "Next Generation" episode "The Best of Both Worlds."

Despite the fact that they take place over roughly the same time period, we recommend watching the entirety of Season 6 of "Next Generation" followed by the entirety of Season 1 of "DS9," if for no other reason than the former has more episodes than the latter, making it a complicated process to intercut between them. But however you choose to do it, these two seasons really should be watched back to back.

The Next Generation (Season 7) / Deep Space Nine (Season 2)

Similarly, the second season of "DS9" coincides with the last "Next Generation" season. While it might lack the standout episodes of earlier seasons, Season 7 manages a few achievements. For one thing, it puts a bow on one of the most beloved shows in television history with a flourish, ending the program with an ambitious, timeline-jumping two-parter that ties directly into the events of the very first episode. It also inadvertently lays the groundwork for a much more modern "Trek" show with an episode about junior officers called "Lower Decks." But most importantly, it ties into and reinforces "Deep Space Nine," most notably in the penultimate episode "Preemptive Strike," which deals with concurrent "DS9" problems like the Cardassians and the Maquis.

By the end of Season 2, "DS9" has already proven capable of standing on its own, having picked up and ran with the Maquis threads from earlier "Next Generation" episodes, returned to the Mirror Universe first introduced in the original series, and introduced the Dominion and the Jem'Hadar, who will serve as the series' primary antagonists. But the stories of Picard and company were far from over...

Generations

The four feature films built around the cast of "Next Generation" are a direct continuation of the movies that came before, not least because the first one, 1994's "Generations," serves as a bridge between "TOS" and its descendant, and between Kirk and Picard, in about the most literal way you could imagine. This movie marks the final appearance of several characters from the original show, including Kirk himself (the one played by William Shatner, at any rate) which makes it a crucial piece of the "Star Trek" timeline, as does the introduction of Data's emotion chip. Of course, some might consider the movie worth it just to see Malcolm McDowell chew the scenery like he hasn't eaten in three days, and we can't say they're wrong.

"Generations" launched Picard's crew onto the big screen almost immediately after their exit from the small one, meaning they would continue to be the face of "Star Trek" for the remainder of the decade. But back in the realm of "Trek" TV, things were only heating up, as a new series prepared to take the field and challenge "DS9" for television dominance.

Deep Space Nine (Season 3) / Voyager (Season 1)

Once again, it's time to switch between two seasons of "Star Trek," as the third season of "DS9" overlaps with the debuting "Star Trek: Voyager." The first "Trek" series to feature a woman (Kathryn Janeway) in the captain's chair, "Voyager" also had a unique and fascinating premise. Much of the "DS9" action is driven by the existence of a nearby wormhole that leads to the Gamma Quadrant, a section of space far away from the Federation's native Alpha Quadrant. This allows the titular space station and its intrepid crew to encounter any number of new and dangerous alien species. "Voyager" goes even farther, literally — a solitary ship finds itself transported to the even more distant Delta Quadrant and spends the rest of the series trying to get home.

Due to this premise, there's no reason whatsoever to jump between individual episodes of these two seasons, as the events of one show don't affect the other in any way. But jumping between shows by the season provides a fun and accurate experience of what it was like to watch the interlocking "Star Trek" programs of the 1990s.

Deep Space Nine (Season 4) / Voyager (Season 2)

Like most "Star Trek" shows, "Voyager" takes a couple of seasons to find its feet, and Season 2 in particular contains some of its most notoriously bad episodes, from the tone-deaf Native American implications of "Tattoo" to Janeway and Voyager pilot Tom Paris turning into salamanders and having salamander babies together in "Threshold" to the utter abomination that is "Tuvix." At least it has the consideration to get them all out of the way early on.

"DS9," meanwhile, was encountering its own problems in Season 4, which took a sharp turn away from the burgeoning conflict with the Dominion and instead spent most of its time dealing with the newly antagonistic Klingon Empire. Fortunately, even as the overarching plot went briefly off the rails, the writing was getting better and better, and the diversion is, if nothing else, entertaining. As a bonus, Season 4 features one of television's first lesbian kisses, and also brings in Worf, the Klingon security officer from "Next Generation" — until Picard, Michael Dorn was the only actor to star in the main casts of two different "Star Trek" shows.

First Contact

As a result of his dual roles, Worf would spend the next several years hopping back and forth between television and the movies. One reason it's important to watch Season 4 of "DS9" prior to watching "First Contact," the second film starring the "Next Generation" cast, is because in order to include Worf in the story, the latter is obligated to include a scene in which the Enterprise rescues another ship called the Defiant, introduced in "DS9" and captained by Worf himself. Future "Next Generation" movies, which decline in quality moving forward, come up with increasingly hand-wavy reasons for his presence on the Enterprise bridge.

"First Contact" itself, however, is by far the best of the "Next Generation" films and one of the best "Star Trek" films in general, as the crew travels back in time to prevent the cybernetic hive mind known as the Borg from altering history. Not only is "First Contact" a great movie (and the film directorial debut of Jonathan Frakes, who plays Commander William Riker), it also kicks off a spectacular "Star Trek" run that can stand up against any other period in franchise history.

Deep Space Nine (Season 5) / Voyager (Season 3)

With Season 5, "DS9" gets back on track after the previous outlier season, quickly focusing around a single unified threat thanks to an alliance between the show's original antagonists the Cardassians and the Dominion. The presence of the sinister Changelings adds an intrigue element to the story, as any character could potentially be a Changeling in disguise — a concept that would be used to great effect years later in the 2004 reboot of "Battlestar Galactica." The season concludes with the official start of the Dominion War, a conflict that would dominate the remainder of the show.

"Voyager," meanwhile, was also getting back on track in its third season, which generally sees an uptick in quality — particularly toward the end, with episodes like "Before and After," "Real Life," and "Worst Case Scenario." Robert Picardo, who plays Voyager's holographic doctor, also gets to make a cameo in "DS9" as the Doctor's creator, Lewis Zimmerman, in the episode "Doctor Bashir, I presume." And Season 3 ends with the first installment of "Scorpion," which catalyzed "Voyager's" official rise to greatness in part thanks to a memorable new character.

Deep Space Nine (Season 6) / Voyager (Season 4)

These two overlapping seasons, airing in late 1997 and early 1998, represent the pinnacle of "Star Trek's" '90s golden age. In "DS9," the Dominion War is in full swing, the series' much-discussed religions themes are building in prominence, the mysterious Section 31 is introduced, foreshadowing its prominent role in both "Enterprise" and "Discovery," and most memorably, the showrunners do what almost no iteration of "Star Trek" has ever dared to do: permanently kill off a member of the main cast.

Casting changes are also a major part of Season 4 of "Voyager," which jettisons the little-loved character of Kes and officially introduces Seven of Nine , a liberated Borg drone played by Jeri Ryan who quickly joins the ranks of the franchise's most widely known characters. It's an oversimplification to suggest that the overall brilliance of Season 4 is the direct result of Ryan joining the cast, but no matter how much of it you attribute to her, it's a phenomenal season of television, filled from start to finish with some of the best "Voyager" episodes (and also "Retrospect," but we don't talk about that one).

Insurrection

It's not "First Contact," but 1998's "Insurrection" is still a pretty good "Next Generation" movie, another solid offering from Jonathan Frakes. While "Insurrection" doesn't interact much with the events of "DS9" or "Voyager," watching it at this point in the "Trek" timeline provides an overall context for the state of the Federation, which has been intermittently challenged, as the movie's primary villain points out, by the Borg, the Cardassians, and the Dominion. A sense of the Federation being assailed from all sides isn't strictly necessary for the film's story of familial betrayal on a planet that confers immortality, but it does make viewing it a more interesting experience (though again, the perfunctory inclusion of Worf simply because he's expected to be in "Next Generation" movies is potentially jarring for "DS9" fans who have become invested in his character development, which "Insurrection" largely ignores).

"Insurrection" is Frakes' last "Star Trek" movie as director (though he would later direct episodes of "Discovery" and "Picard") and marks the beginning of the end of the '90s "Trek" boom. There's still plenty of great "Trek" ahead, but the curve is now pointing down.

Deep Space Nine (Season 7) / Voyager (Season 5)

The final season of "DS9" represents one of the single greatest creative accomplishments in "Star Trek" history, as no "Trek" show to date has managed to stick such an ambitious and satisfying landing. In a unique move, the last 10 episodes of the season form a single, series-ending story, and the feature-length finale, "What You Leave Behind," is considered one of the greatest "Trek" episodes of all time. "DS9" had been great for at least two seasons prior to this one, but the success of Season 7 cemented it as a foremost jewel in the crown of the "Star Trek" franchise.

"Voyager," meanwhile, continued its stellar run of episodes, capping off a three-year rehabilitation effort that saw one of the franchise's shakiest shows become one of its best. It was good timing, too, because with "DS9" wrapping up ("What You Leave Behind" aired the week after the Season 5 "Voyager" finale, "Equinox"), Captain Janeway and her crew were suddenly the only starship in the galaxy. And you, intrepid binge-watcher, can finally stop switching between two different shows.

Voyager (Seasons 6-7)

Unlike "DS9," the final seasons of "Voyager" are not its best, though admittedly, after Seasons 4 and 5, that's a high bar to clear. Season 6 comes close with a steady stream of classics, introducing both the popular Holodeck scenario Fair Haven and the "Pathfinder" storyline that sees "Next Generation" vets Reginald Barclay and Deanna Troi join up as recurring characters. By Season 7, however, the quality of "Voyager" has begun to dip noticeably — the final season contains few memorable episodes and at least one extremely ill-conceived romantic subplot. It earns some redemption, however, with the two-part series finale "Endgame," which, whether you like it or not, at least fulfills the promise of the show's premise and comes to a definitive conclusion about whether the ship and its crew are ever getting back to the Alpha Quadrant. It's a moment that would have been easy to shy away from, and "Voyager" meets it head on.

"Endgame" aired in May 2001, and in retrospect, the title didn't only apply to "Voyager." The continuous story that "Star Trek" had been telling for the past 14 years over the course of three different shows and three different movies was over. There was, however, one last (incredibly depressing) chapter to get through.

The final "Next Generation" film, released in 2002, is by far the worst of them, and the worst "Star Trek" movie in general since 1989's "The Final Frontier." It was so bad, in fact, that it notoriously killed "Star Trek" — plans for a fifth "Next Generation" movie were scrapped after "Nemesis" bombed at the box office, and creatively, it's an absolute nightmare, introducing a Romulan sister planet with the unfortunate name of Remus, blatantly attempting to restart Data's entire character arc via a literal copy with the also unfortunate name of B-4, and tying these and other unfortunate decisions together with a nonsensical plot featuring Tom Hardy as a secret clone of Picard. After "Nemesis," the scuttling of future franchise installments can honestly be seen as a mercy killing.

"Star Trek" wasn't quite dead in 2002, however. While we've now officially made it through the combined stories of "Next Generation," "DS9," and "Voyager," there's one more show, independent from the others, that now enters the viewing order. And watching it involves going back to the very beginning... and even before that.

In a chronological viewing, "Star Trek: Enterprise" would actually be the first show you watch, since it takes place a hundred years prior to "The Cage." Indirectly spinning off from the events of "First Contact," it tells the story of Earth's first warp starship, appropriately named the Enterprise and captained by Scott Bakula's Jonathan Archer, and of humanity's early relationships with alien species like the Vulcans, Klingons, Romulans, and Andorians. Despite its status as a prequel, the sheer degree to which "Enterprise" relies on its audience having knowledge of other "Star Trek" properties makes it almost impossible to recommend as an entry point. It fits much better here, as the official end of the franchise's second major era, especially given that the final episode, "These Are The Voyages...," frames itself as a holodeck simulation being watched by the Enterprise crew from "Next Generation."

"There Are The Voyages..." aired on May 13th, 2005. There wouldn't be another "Star Trek" show for more than 12 years. At this point, our watch order breaks away from order of release, but we feel strongly that it's how "Star Trek" from 1987 to 2005 should be watched.

Lower Decks

If you think 12 years is a long gap between "Star Trek" installments, that's nothing compared to the 45 years that went by between "Trek" stories told via animation. "Short Treks" was technically the first "Trek" show since "The Animated Series" to include animated episodes, and that aired in 2019, but 2020 gave us the first season of "Lower Decks," an entirely animated show about the people who don't get to hang out on the bridge.

The first franchise installment to ever concern itself primarily with characters who are not in command of a starship or space station, "Lower Decks" is the "Star Trek" equivalent of shows like HBO's "Harley Quinn" — an irreverent, adult-oriented comedy that revels in its TV-MA rating, delivering violence, sex, and swearing at warp speed frequencies. Chronologically, it's set shortly after the events of "Nemesis," but more importantly to the binge-watcher, it's the dessert following a feast — a vital dose of pure fun after absorbing almost four full decades of space drama.

The Kelvin timeline

After the box office failure of "Nemesis" brought an abrupt end to the "Next Generation" movies, there wasn't a new "Trek" film until 2009. And far from being a continuation of the existing movie franchise, this new version, simply called "Star Trek," was a reboot of "The Original Series," casting new, younger versions of Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the first Enterprise crew. Sequels to the reboot followed in 2013 and 2016.

Watching these three movies as part of a "Star Trek" binge is pretty much entirely optional, since they take place in an alternate timeline created when the USS Kelvin was destroyed in battle with time-traveling Romulan ship from the 24th century, leaving an infant James T. Kirk without a father in the process. Moreover, the trilogy is widely considered to be of uneven quality (though the third movie, "Star Trek Beyond," is considerably better than its predecessor, possibly due to the departure of director J.J. Abrams). Still, if you're going to watch them, this is the place in the viewing order to do it, as a key plot point of the first film — the Romulan sun going supernova — plays a major role in "Picard."

Short Treks

The Kelvin movies might not exert much direct influence over the larger plot of "Star Trek," but they played a major role in the future of the franchise by bringing in Alex Kurtzman. Kurtzman is the showrunner on "Discovery," and with the exception of "Lower Decks," he has been directly involved in every modern "Trek" series. In 2018, after the successful first season of "Discovery" led to a new expansion of the "Star Trek" franchise, Kurtzman and co-creator Bryan Fuller (formerly a writer on "DS9" and "Voyager") premiered "Short Treks," an anthology series of short, unrelated stories. As of this writing, there have been two seasons and 10 total episodes, some live-action, some animated.

"Short Treks" spans almost the entire "Star Trek" timeline — two episodes are set in the period of time between "Enterprise" and "The Original Series," while a third takes place in the far future. As a result, watching it requires a sense of the entire scope of the "Trek" universe. It's the penultimate entry in this watch order, however, because the Season 2 finale, "Children of Mars," leads directly into the final entry: "Picard."

"Star Trek: Picard" is the first of the modern "Trek" offerings to look forward rather than back, giving us a story set after the events of "Next Generation," "DS9," and "Voyager." Indeed, not only does the series follow up with Jean-Luc Picard 20 years after we last saw him (and 12 years after the Romulan sun went supernova) but it also brings in an older version of Seven of Nine, once again portrayed by Jeri Ryan. As mentioned, Picard also ties into the most recent installment of "Short Treks," which involves a terrorist attack by synthetic life forms that eventually leads to a ban on their creation — one of the many plot elements of "Picard" that has drawn criticism for being inconsistent with the original utopian vision of "Star Trek."

With so many new "Trek" shows on their way, this list will quickly become outdated. But all the upcoming series will reward previous "Trek" viewing, from Janeway's return on "Star Trek: Prodigy" to a show focused entirely on Section 31. So if you're going to binge all of "Star Trek," you might want to get started now!

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Star Trek Watching Order

Brushing up on some Starfleet knowledge or planning one epic galactic watch party? The Star Trek chronological order below will have you covered, with all of the TV series and movies in one timeline and the stardate of when they take place. For other orders and more background information, check out the PC Mag article How to Watch Every Star Trek Movie and TV Show in Order .

Star Trek: Enterprise (Stardate: 2151 to 2156) – TV Series View the available seasons and book adaptations .

Star Trek Discovery (Stardate: 2256) –TV Series View the available seasons and book adaptations .

Short Treks (Stardate: 2256–) TV Series

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Stardate: 2259) – TV Series

Star Trek Into Darkness  (Stardate: 2259) – Movie

Star Trek Beyond (Stardate: 2263) – Movie

Star Trek, the Original Series (Stardate: 2266–2269) – TV Series View the available seasons and book adaptations .

Star Trek: The Animated Series (Stardate: 2269 to 2270) – TV Series

Star Trek I: The Motion Picture (Stardate: 2273) – Movie

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (Stardate: 2285) – Movie

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (Stardate: 2285) – Movie

Star Trek, IV, the Voyage Home (Stardate: 2286) – Movie

Star Trek V: the Final Frontier (Stardate: 2287) – Movie

Star Trek VI: the Undiscovered Country  (Stardate: 2293) – Movie

Star Trek: the Next Generation (Stardate: 2364 – 2370) – TV Series View the available seasons and book adaptations .

Star Trek VII: Generations (Stardate: 2371) – Movie 

Star Trek: First Contact (Stardate: 2373) – Movie

Star Trek IX: Insurrection (Stardate: 2375) – Movie 

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Stardate: 2369 – 2375) – TV Series View the available seasons and book adaptations .

Star Trek: Voyager (Stardate: 2371 – 2378) – TV Series View the available seasons and book adaptations .

Star Trek X: Nemesis  (Stardate: 2379) – Movie

Star Trek Lower Decks (Stardate: 2380 – ) TV Series View the available seasons and book adaptations .

Star Trek: Prodigy (Stardate: 2383 – ) – TV Series

Star Trek: Picard ( Stardate: 2399 – 2401) – TV Series View the available seasons and book adaptations .

Star Trek Discovery  Season 3 + (3188 – 3190) – TV Series  View the available seasons and book adaptations .

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A Trekkie’s Guide To Navigating the Star Trek Timeline

With a narrative that spans seven decades and more than three times as many shows and movies, determining how to watch Star Trek might seem like a daunting prospect. Whether you’re new to the franchise or want to know how to watch the series following the in-universe chronology, this guide should help.

What is a stardate?

To avoid placing Star Trek in a specific century, the franchise has its own system of time: the stardate system. Originally inspired by the Modified Julian date system used by astronomers, writers, and producers have selected numbers using different methods over the years (some more arbitrary than others), which makes it impossible to convert all of the stardates to equivalent calendar dates.

What to know about the Star Trek timeline?

How time works in Star Trek, and how it’s impacted by Starfleet’s time travel shenanigans, is debated amongst the most devoted followers of the Church of Trek. But for casual fans, the first thing it’s necessary to know is that the Star Trek Universe consists of two timelines: the prime timeline and the Kelvin timeline. Although two timelines exist, most of the franchise’s films, shows, and tie-ins take place on the prime timeline.

The second thing to know is that Star Trek’s timelines are always subject to change. Due to the nature of time travel in the franchise, entries appearing earlier on the prime timeline can be impacted and changed (very important to remember) by events that happen later on. For example, the Star Trek: Enterprise season 2 episode “Regeneration” follows up on the events of Star Trek: First Contact .

How to watch the Star Trek prime timeline in chronological order

Here’s how to watch Star Trek ‘s prime timeline in chronological order:

Star Trek: Enterprise (stardates: 2151 – 2155)

Star Trek: The Original Series pilot “The Cage” (stardate: 2254)

Star Trek: Discovery seasons 1 and 2 (stardates: 2256 – 2258)

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (stardates: 2259 – 2260)

Star Trek: The Original Series (stardates: 2265 – 2269)

Star Trek: The Animated Series (stardates: 2269 – 2270)

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (stardate: 2272)

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (stardate: 2285)

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (stardate: 2285)

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (stardate: 2286)

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (stardate: 2287)

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (stardate: 2293)

Star Trek: The Next Generation (stardates: 2364 – 2370)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (stardates: 2369 –2375)

Star Trek Generations (stardate: 2371 and some in 2293)

Star Trek: First Contact (stardate: 2373)

Star Trek: Insurrection (stardate: 2375)

Star Trek: Voyager (stardates: 2371 –2378)

Star Trek: Nemesis (stardate: 2379)

Star Trek: Lower Decks (stardates: 2380 – 2381)

Star Trek: Prodigy (stardates: 2383 – 2384)

Star Trek: Picard (stardates: 2399 – 2402)

Star Trek: Discovery seasons 3 and 4 (stardates: 3188 – 3190)

What about the J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek movie trilogy? 

As touched on above, there are two timelines in Star Trek . The J.J. Abrams movies take place on the Kelvin timeline, a parallel timeline created when a 24th-century Romulan, Nero, travels back in time to 2233 (between Ent and Disco season 1, for those keeping track) and splits the timelines in two. 

Most of the Kelvin timeline takes place around the TOS ‘s timeframe but on an alternate timeline. Well, at least so far. 

Here’s how to watch all three movies in the Kelvin timeline in chronological order:

Star Trek (2233)

Star Trek Into Darkness (2259 – 2260)

Star Trek Beyond (2263)

(featured image: Paramount Pictures)

List of Star Trek episodes, chronological

How to Watch Star Trek in Order: The Complete Series Timeline

The full star trek timeline, explained..

Ever since 1966’s premiere of the first episode of Star Trek: The Original Series, the entertainment world has never been the same. This franchise that has boldly gone where no property has gone before has captured the hearts and minds of millions around the world and has grown into a space-faring empire of sorts filled with multiple shows, feature length films, comics, merchandise, and so much more. That being said, the amount of Star Trek out in the world can make it tough to know exactly how to watch everything it offers in either chronological or release order so you don’t miss a thing. To help make things easier for you, we’ve created this guide to break down everything you need to know about engaging with this Star Trek journey.

It used to be a bit trickier to track down all the Star Trek shows and movies you’d need to watch to catch up, but Paramount+ has made it a whole lot easier as it has become the home of nearly all the past, present and future Star Trek entries.

So, without further ado, come with us into the final frontier and learn how you can become all caught up with the adventures of Kirk, Picard, Janeway, Sisko, Spock, Pike, Archer, Burnham, and all the others that have made Star Trek so special over the past 56 years.

And, in case you're worried, everything below is a mostly spoiler-free chronological timeline that will not ruin any of any major plot points of anything further on in the timeline. So, you can use this guide as a handy way to catch up without ruining much of the surprise of what’s to come on your adventure! If you’d prefer to watch everything Star Trek as it was released, you’ll find that list below as well!

How to Watch Star Trek in Chronological Order

• How to Watch Star Trek by Release Order

1. Star Trek: Enterprise (2151-2155)

Star Trek: Enterprise is the earliest entry on our list as it takes place a hundred years before the adventures of Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the crew of Star Trek: The Original Series. The show aired from 2001 to 2005 and starred Scott Bakula as Jonathan Archer, the captain of the Enterprise NX-01. This version of the Enterprise was actually Earth’s first starship that was able to reach warp five. 

While the show had its ups and downs, it included a fascinating look at a crew without some of the advanced tech we see in other Star Trek shows, the first contact with various alien species we know and love from the Star Trek universe, and more.

2. Star Trek: Discovery: Seasons 1 and 2 (2256-2258)

This is where things get a little bit tricky, as the first two seasons of Star Trek: Discovery take place before Star Trek: The Original Series but Seasons 3 and 4 take us boldly to a place we’ve not gone before. We won’t spoil why that’s the case here, but it’s important to note if you want to watch Star Trek in order, you’ll have to do a bit of jumping around from series to movie to series. 

As for what Star Trek: Discovery is, it's set the decade before the original and stars Sonequa Martin-Green’s Michael Burnham, a Starfleet Commander who accidentally helps start a war between the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire. She gets court-martialed and stripped of her rank following these events and is reassigned to the U.S.S Discovery.

3. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2259-TBD)

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds also begins before the events of Star Trek: The Original Series and is set up by Star Trek: Discovery as its captain, Anson Mount’s Christopher Pike, makes an appearance in its second season. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Pike first appeared in the original failed pilot episode “The Cage” of Star Trek: The Original Series and would later become James T. Kirk’s predecessor after the original actor, Jefferey Hunter, backed out of the show.

Fast forward all these years later and now we get to learn more about the story of Christopher Pike and many other familiar faces from The Original Series alongside new characters. It’s made even more special as the ship the crew uses is the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701, the very same that would soon call Kirk its captain.

4. Star Trek: The Original Series (2265-2269)

The fourth Star Trek series or movie you should watch in the order is the one that started it all - Star Trek: The Original Series . Created by Gene Roddenberry, this first Star Trek entry would kick off a chain reaction that would end up creating one of the most beloved IPs of all time. However, it almost never made it to that legendary status as its low ratings led to a cancellation order after just three seasons that aired from 1966 to 1969. Luckily, it found great popularity after that and built the foundation for all the Star Trek stories we have today.

Star Trek: The Original Series starred William Shatner as James T. Kirk and Leonard Nimoy as Spock, but the rest of the crew would go on to become nearly as iconic as they were. As for what the show was about? Well, we think Kirk said it best during each episode’s 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.”

5. Star Trek: The Animated Series (2269-2270)

While Star Trek: The Original Series may have been canceled after just three seasons, its popularity only grew, especially with the help of syndication. Following this welcome development, Gene Roddenberry decided he wanted to continue the adventures of the crew of the Enterprise NCC-1701 in animated form, and he brought back many of the original characters and the actors behind them for another go.

Star Trek: The Animated Series lasted for two seasons from 1973 to 1974 and told even more stories of the Enterprise and its adventures throughout the Milky Way galaxy.

6. Star Trek: The Motion Picture (2270s)

The first Star Trek film was a very big deal as it brought back the crew of Star Trek: The Original Series after the show was canceled in 1969 after just three seasons. However, even it had a rough road to theaters as Roddenberry initially failed to convince Paramount Pictures it was worth it in 1975. Luckily, the success of Close Encounters of the Third Kind and other factors helped finally convince those in power to make the movie and abandon the plans for a new television series called Star Trek: Phase II, which also would have continued the original story.

In Star Trek: The Motion Picture, James T. Kirk was now an Admiral in Starfleet, and certain events involving a mysterious alien cloud of energy called V’Ger cause him to retake control of a refitted version of the U.S.S. Enterprise with many familiar faces in tow.

7. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (2285)

Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry had a sequel to Star Trek: The Motion Picture written, but Paramount turned it down after the reception to that first film was not what the studio had hoped for. In turn, Paramount removed him from the production and brought in Harve Bennett and Jack B. Sowards to write the script and Nicholas Meyer to direct the film.

The studio’s decision proved to be a successful one as Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is considered by many, including IGN, to be the best Star Trek film. As for the story, it followed the battle between Admiral James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise vs. Ricardo Montalban’ Khan Noonien Singh. Khan is a genetically engineered superhuman and he and his people were exiled by Kirk on a remote planet in the episode ‘Space Seed’ from the original series. In this second film, after being stranded for 15 years, Khan wants revenge.

8. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (2285)

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock continues the story that began in Wrath of Khan and deals with the aftermath of Spock’s death. While many on the U.S.S. Enterprise thought that was the end for their science officer, Kirk learns that Spock’s spirit/katra is actually living inside the mind of DeForest Kelley’s Dr. McCoy, who has been acting strange ever since the death of his friend. What follows is an adventure that includes a stolen U.S.S. Enterprise, a visit from Spock’s father Sarek, a run-in with Klingons, and so much more.

9. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (2286 and 1986)

While it is undoubtedly great that Kirk and his crew saved Spock, it apparently wasn’t great enough to avoid the consequences that follow stealing and then losing the Enterprise. On their way to answer for their charges, the former crew of the Enterprise discover a threat to Earth that, without spoiling anything, causes them to go back in time to save everything they love. The Voyage Home is a big departure from the previous films as, instead of space, we spend most of our time in 1986’s San Francisco.

10. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (2287)

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier once again brings back our favorite heroes from Star Trek: The Original Series, but it’s often regarded as one of the weakest films starring Kirk, Spock, McCoy, etc. In this adventure, our crew’s shore leave gets interrupted as they are tasked with going up against the Vulcan Sybok, who himself is on the hunt for God in the middle of the galaxy. 

11. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (2293)

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is the final movie starring the entire cast of Star Trek: The Original Series, and it puts the Klingons front and center. After a mining catastrophe destroys the Klingon moon of Praxis and threatens the Klingon’s homeworld, Klingon Chancellor Gorkon is forced to abandon his species' love of war in an effort to seek peace with the Federation. What follows is an adventure that calls back to the fall of the Soviet Union and the Berlin Wall and serves as a wonderful send-off to characters we’ve come to know and love since 1966, even though some will thankfully appear in future installments.

12. Star Trek: The Next Generation (2364-2370)

After you make it through all six of the Star Trek: The Original Series movies, it’s time to start what many consider the best Star Trek series of all time - Star Trek: The Next Generation . The series, which starred Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard, ran from 1987 through 1994 with 178 episodes over seven seasons. 

There are so many iconic characters and moments in The Next Generation, including William Riker, Data, Worf, Geordi La Forge, Deanna Troi, and Dr. Beverly Crusher, and many of these beloved faces would return for Star Trek: Picard, which served as a continuation of this story.

While we are once again on the U.S.S. Enterprise in Star Trek: The Next Generation, this story takes place a century after the events of Star Trek: The Original Series. However, there may just be a few familiar faces that pop up from time to time.

13. Star Trek Generations (2293)

While Star Trek Generations is the first film featuring the Star Trek: The Next Generation crew, it also features a team-up that many had dreamed of for years and years between Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Captain James T. Kirk.

Our heroes are facing off against an El-Aurian named Dr. Tolian Soran, who will do whatever is necessary to return to an extra-dimensional realm known as the Nexus. Without spoiling anything, these events lead to a meeting with these two legendary captains and a heartfelt-at-times send-off to The Original Series, even though not every character returned that we wished could have. 

14. Star Trek: First Contact (2373)

Star Trek: First Contact was not only the second film featuring the crew from Star Trek: The Next Generation, but it also served as the motion picture directorial debut for William Riker actor Jonathan Frakes. In this film, the terrifying Borg take center stage and force our heroes to travel back in time to stop them from conquering Earth and assimilating the entire human race. 

This movie picks up on the continuing trauma caused by Jean-Luc Picard getting assimilated in the series and becoming Locutus of Borg, and we are also treated to the first warp flight in Star Trek’s history, a shout-out to Deep Space Nine, and more.

15. Star Trek: Insurrection (2375)

Star Trek: Insurrection, which unfortunately ranked last on our list of the best Star Trek movies, is the third film starring the Star Trek: The Next Generation crew and followed a story involving an alien race that lives on a planet with more-or-less makes them invincible due to its rejuvenating properties. This alien race, known as the Ba’Ku, are being threatened by not only another alien race called the Son’a, but also the Federation. Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his crew disobey Federation orders in hopes to save the peaceful Ba’Ku, and while it sounds like an interesting premise, many said it felt too much like an extended episode of the series instead of a big blockbuster film.

16. Star Trek: Nemesis (2379)

The final Star Trek: The Next Generation movie is Star Trek: Nemesis , and it also isn’t looked at as one of the best. There are bright parts in the film, including Tom Hardy’s Shinzon who is first thought to be a Romulan praetor before it’s revealed he is a clone of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, but it also features a lot of retreaded ground. There are some great moments between our favorite TNG characters, but it’s not quite the goodbye many had hoped for. Luckily, this won’t be the last we’ll see of them. 

17. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (2369-2375)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is the fourth Star Trek series and it ran from 1993 to 1999 with 176 episodes over seven seasons. Deep Space Nine was also the first Star Trek series to be created without the direct involvement of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, but instead with Rick Berman and Michael Piller. Furthermore, it was the first series to begin when another Star Trek Series - The Next Generation - was still on the air. 

The connections between The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine don’t end there, as there were a ton of callbacks to TNG in Deep Space Nine, and characters like Worf and Miles O’Brien played a big part in the series. Other TNG characters popped up from time to time, including Captain Jean-Luc Picard, and certain Deep Space Nine characters also showed their faces in TNG.

Deep Space Nine was a big departure from the Star Trek series that came before, as it not only took place mostly on a space station - the titular Deep Space Nine - but it was the first to star an African American as its central character in Avery Brooks’ Captain Benjamin Sisko. 

Deep Space Nine was located in a very interesting part of the Milky Way Galaxy as it was right next to a wormhole, and the series was also filled with conflict between the Cardassians and Bajorans, the war between the Federation and the Dominion, and much more.

18. Star Trek: Voyager (2371-2378)

Star Trek: Voyager is the fifth Star Trek series and it ran from 1995 to 2001 with 172 episodes over seven seasons. Star Trek: Voyager begins its journey at Deep Space Nine, and then it follows the tale of Kate Mulgrew’s Captain Kathryn Janeway (the first female leading character in Star Trek history!) and her crew getting lost and stranded in the faraway Delta Quadrant. 

The episodes and adventures that follow all see the team fighting for one goal: getting home. Being so far away from the Alpha Quadrant we were so used to letting Star Trek be very creative in its storytelling and give us situations and alien races we’d never encountered before. 

That doesn’t mean it was all unfamiliar, however, as the Borg became a huge threat in the later seasons. It’s a good thing too, as that led to the introduction of Jeri Ryan’s Seven of Nine, a character who would continue on to appear in Star Trek: Picard and become a fan favorite.

19. Star Trek: Lower Decks (2380-TBD)

Star Trek: Lower Decks debuted in 2020 and was the first animated series to make it to air since 1973’s Star Trek: The Animated Series. Alongside having that feather in its cap, it also sets itself apart by choosing to focus more on the lower lever crew instead of the captain and senior staff. 

This leads to many fun adventures that may not be as high stakes as the other stories, but are no less entertaining. There have already been three seasons of Star Trek: Lower Decks, and the fourth season is set to arrive later this summer. 

The series is also worth a watch as it is having a crossover with Star Trek: Strange New Worlds that will mix the worlds of live-action and animation.

20. Star Trek: Prodigy (2383-TBD)

Star Trek: Prodigy was the first fully 3D animated Star Trek series ever and told a story that began five years after the U.S.S. Voyager found its way back home to Earth. In this series, which was aimed for kids, a group of young aliens find an abandoned Starfleet ship called the U.S.S. Protostar and attempt to make it to Starfleet and the Alpha Quadrant from the Delta Quadrant.

Voyager fans will be delighted to know that Kate Mulgrew returns as Kathryn Janeway in this animated series, but not only as herself. She is also an Emergency Training Holographic Advisor that was based on the likeness of the former captain of the U.S.S. Voyager. 

The second season of Star Trek: Prodigy was set to arrive later this year, but it was not only canceled in June, but also removed from Paramount+. There is still hope this show may find a second life on another streaming service or network.

21. Star Trek: Picard (2399-2402)

Star  Trek: Picard is the… well… next generation of Star Trek: The Next Generation as it brings back not only Partick Stewart’s Jean-Luc Picard, but also many of his former crew members from the beloved series. The story is set 20 years after the events of Star Trek Nemesis and we find Picard retired from Starfleet and living at his family’s vineyard in France.

Without spoiling anything, certain events get one of our favorite captains back to work and take him on an adventure through space and time over three seasons and 30 episodes.

The show had its ups and downs, but the third season, in our opinion, stuck the landing and gave us an “emotional, exciting, and ultimately fun journey for Jean-Luc and his family - both old and new - that gives the character the send-off that he has long deserved.”

22. Star Trek: Discovery: Seasons 3 and 4 (3188-TBD)

While Star Trek: Discovery begins around 10 years before Star Trek: The Original Series, the show jumps more than 900 years into the future into the 32nd Century following the events of the second season. The Federation is not in great shape and Captain Michael Burnham and her crew work to bring it back to what it once was.

Star Trek: Discovery is set to end after the upcoming fifth season, which will debut on Paramount+ in 2024.

How to Watch Star Trek by Order of Release

• Star Trek: The Original Series (1966 - 1969)
• Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973 - 1974)
• Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
• Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
• Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)
• Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1984)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987 - 1994)
• Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
• Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993 - 1999)
• Star Trek: Generations (1994)
• Star Trek: Voyager (1995 - 2001)
• Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
• Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
• Star Trek: Enterprise (2001 - 2005)
• Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
• Star Trek (2009)
• Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
• Star Trek Beyond (2016)
• Star Trek: Discovery (2017 - Present)
• Star Trek: Picard (2020 - 2023)
• Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020 - Present)
• Star Trek: Prodigy (2021 - TBA)
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022 - Present)

For more, check out our look at the hidden meaning behind Star Trek’s great captains, why Star Trek doesn’t get credit as the first shared universe, if this may be the end of Star Trek’s golden age of streaming, and our favorite classic Star Trek episodes and movies.  

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy to Start Filming 10-Episode First Season This Summer

The 17 Best Sci-Fi Movies On Netflix (April 2024)

Hollywood Keeps Reminding Us Why We Need Physical Media More Than Ever

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I made a list of all episodes sorted by air date

Discussion in ' General Trek Discussion ' started by busfahrer , Apr 6, 2011 .

busfahrer Cadet Newbie

Hi! I'm new here, so I hope this is the right place for this: I only recently began watching Star Trek, and since I want to watch the episodes in the right order (seeing as there is a lot of overlap during TNG/DS9/Voyager), I looked for a list like this, but couldn't find one, so I made one myself A list of all the Star Trek episodes, ordered by their original air date: http://startreklist.blogspot.com/ (The page also contains a list of episodes ordered by star date, if known. Interestingly enough (if you disregard Enterprise for a moment), the episode with the oldest star date is an episode from the animated series) I hope you guys will find this useful as well! Comments and suggestions are appreciated, of course! Greetings, busfahrer edit: speeling  

Rom's Sehlat Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

Thank you! I admire good Excel work! It appears the stardate system received an overhaul just like the warp scale did.  

Rom's Sehlat said: ↑ Thank you! I admire good Excel work! Click to expand...

Chang Admiral Admiral

The stardates look correct  

KirkPicard Captain Captain

I would just add that the Star Trek '09 movie occurs on Stardate 2258.42 also all the Trek movies stated their respective Stardates I believe.  

Forbin Fleet Admiral Admiral

An amazing feat!  

busfahrer said: ↑ Rom's Sehlat said: ↑ Thank you! I admire good Excel work! Click to expand...

Tiberius Commodore Commodore

I've been looking for something much like this! A list of all the episodes and movies in watching order. If you don't mind, I'd like to take this list and do a little bit of rearanging, such as: Putting Enterprise first. Putting the Classic trek episodes in production order (as that's the way they were made, and some episodes were held for quite a while before they were aired.) Where possible, putting all parts of multi-part episodes together (to make it easier to follow the story... Do you mind if I post the finished list in this thread?  

Nobody should ever put Enterprise first.  

Arpy Vice Admiral Admiral

This, in my opinion, is how one should watch Star Trek to get the most out of it. I love you.  

RyuRoots Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

Forbin said: ↑ Nobody should ever put Enterprise first. Click to expand...

I like Star trek as a whole. I don't like to say one series is better than another one...  

HGN2001 Captain Captain

Arpy said: ↑ This, in my opinion, is how one should watch Star Trek to get the most out of it. I love you. Click to expand...

CoveTom Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

An excellent piece of work! One caveat: The air dates for TNG and DS9 are somewhat less than exact. The reason is because those two shows aired in syndication, rather than on a network. Therefore, while they were transmitted out to the stations on the same day and time each week, it was up to each individual station to decide the day and time during the week they would air them. One station might schedule TNG on Thursdays at 8 pm, while another might schedule it for Saturdays at 2 am. Therefore, the dates listed for TNG and DS9 are really an "aired the week of" date than a specific air date.  

ZapBrannigan Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

busfahrer said: ↑ I hope you guys will find this useful as well! Click to expand...

I've done something similar, except I ordered mine in chronological order in which they are set, so all the multipart episodes are together and Enterprise is first, all the Classic Trek movies come before TNG, etc. There's a link to my one in my signature.  

Gone Troppo Ensign Newbie

I had done something similar for myself. For the 40th anniversary, I watched all the episodes and movies in airdate order. Suprisingly, I managed to do it in 11.5 months.  

Gone Troppo said: ↑ I had done something similar for myself. For the 40th anniversary, I watched all the episodes and movies in airdate order. Suprisingly, I managed to do it in 11.5 months. Click to expand...

CorporalCaptain Fleet Admiral Admiral

Nice work.  

Yeah. It was really difficult when DS9 started. When it's 52 episodes in a season instead of only 26, it seemed to drag. But when I hit VOY s6, I finished up in no time. Oh, an interesting fact. The Way of the Warrior is the approximate half way point.  

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Star Trek Order: How to Watch the Movies and Series

It’s time to boldly go where no one has gone before. This post will tell you how to watch all the Star Trek movies and shows in the best way possible. Whether you’re a hardcore Trek fan who wants to know the chronological order or someone new to this franchise, I’ve got something for you.

What’s in the Star Trek Viewing Order?

Star trek movies in order, star trek series in order, star trek kelvin timeline, what order should you watch star trek, how to watch star trek in order, the complete star trek chronological order, frequently asked questions about the star trek timeline.

Trek creators only consider the episodes and films to be canonical in the Star Trek universe so we display them here in chronological order according to stardate (though stardate definitions have changed over time, so we work with what we have).

This list attempts to create a viewing order for all Star Trek television and films, but does not attempt to split up any episodes to view congruently. Instead, it focuses on an easy to follow viewing list. In the event that two works cover the exact same timeframe we first list the one published first. Additionally the placement within the timeline is often based on where the work ends rather than where it begins. There may be a few exceptions which will be pointed out in individual reviews. This timeline includes:

• The Original Series (TOS)
• The Next Generation (TNG)
• Deep Space Nine (DS9)
• Voyager (VOY)
• Enterprise (ENT)
• Short Treks
• Lower Decks

So enjoy this table version of the timeline, and continue reading for a detailed breakdown of all this information.

Believe it or not, the Star Trek movies as they were released, are already in chronological order. So I don’t have to give you two orders here. Even the films in the Kelvin timeline are best watched in this order. I’ll get more into why that is, but the short answer is that for old Spock, the Kelvin timeline is still chronologically later than all of the other films.

Here is the films order:

• Star Trek I: The Motion Picture (1979)
• Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn (1982)
• Star Trek III: Search for Spock (1984)
• Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
• Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
• Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
• Star Trek VII: Generations (1994)
• Star Trek VIII: First Contact (1996)
• Star Trek IX: Insurrection (1998)
• Star Trek X: Nemesis (2002)
• Star Trek (2009)
• Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013)
• Star Trek: Beyond (2016)

All of that said, the films are fun, but the heart of Star Trek is really in the television series. So that’s what were going to talk about next.

Giving the order of the TV series is a little trickier, because several of them came out at the same time, and covered the same era. So we’ll be sure to break down those individually by season.

The release order look something like this:

• The Original Series (1966-1969)
• The Animated Series (1973-1974)
• The Next Generation Seasons 1-5 (1987-1992)
• The Next Generation Season 6-7/Deep Space Nine Seasons 1-2 (1992-1994)
• Deep Space Nine Seasons 3-7/Voyager Seasons 1-5 (1994-1999)
• Voyager Seasons 6-7 (1999-2001)
• Enterprise (2001-2005)
• Discovery (2017-)
• Picard (2020-)
• Lower Decks (2020-)
• Prodigy (2021-)
• Strange New Worlds (2022-)

And if you want to watch all of them chronologically, this is what that would look like:

• Discovery Seasons 1-2
• Strange New Worlds
• The Original Series
• The Animated Series
• The Next Generation Seasons 1-5
• The Next Generation Season 6-7/Deep Space Nine Seasons 1-2
• Deep Space Nine Seasons 3-7/Voyager Seasons 1-5
• Voyager Seasons 6-7
• Discovery Season 3 and onward

Before we move on, let’s get into some of the details about how I place the new Star Trek movies in order.

First, let’s get one thing clear, the Kelvin universe is an alternate timeline from everything else, including Star Trek Discovery, and all of the new Star Trek TV shows.

However, there is one character from the main universe that shows up in the Kelvin universe, and that is old Spock. It’s his traveling back in time that creates this new universe.

So while this time period technically takes place before the events of the original series, I actually think a better place to watch them is where they take place chronologically, which would be after all of the main films, and after all of the series except for Picard in the later seasons of Discovery.

As of right now there are only three movies in the Kelvin timeline, and they are:

There is some debate on whether these are “good” Star Trek movies, as some say they are more like Star Wars , leaning heavily on the action. But whatever your opinion, it’s fair to say that these films are responsible for bringing in a whole new generation of Star Trek fans.

While the chronological order can be fun to do, especially for diehard Trek fans, I actually recommend going by release order if you want to watch everything.

Obviously, there is a lot to get through, so you might not want to watch everything, or if you do, you’ll want to pace yourself.

I would start with some of the films, and make your way through some of the most important episodes of The Original Series, as well as all of the shows that aired in the late 80s and 90s. That will get you caught up enough to be well-versed in Star Trek for the new shows that are coming out these days.

And I would definitely watch all of the films, because some of the most important events in Star Trek’s timeline take place in those films.

The best way to watch all of the Star Trek series and order is on Paramount+ which has pretty much everything.

However, if you don’t have Paramount+ and still want to get your Star Trek fix, there are a few other streaming services that have some of the older shows such as Star Trek: The Next Generation, though some of those streaming services are losing those shows as Paramount+ consolidates all of their Star Trek shows onto their own platform.

The other viable option is to buy them all for yourself, and there are links to do just that in the table above. This is particularly important if you want 4K versions of the films, you’re only interested in one specific type of show, or if you just don’t want to stream your Star Trek.

Personally, I would just go with Paramount+.

All right, now that we’ve outlined the release and chronological orders for Star Trek, let’s get into the full breakdown of everything together.

Enterprise (Year 2151-2161)

First, at least chronologically, we have Enterprise. This was a prequel to the original series, set at a time when humans were first sending out their warp five starships, i.e. the first starships that were able to go into deep space.

It is set during a time of uneasy alliances and contention between humans and other races, including even the Vulcans.

It also lays the groundwork for a number of key events, including the first contact with the Klingons, Romulans, Andorians, and many others.

It was canceled after four seasons, which at the time was the shortest run since the original series. It also marked the end of episodic Star Trek television for 12 years, until Star Trek Discovery appeared in 2017.

While definitely not the strongest of Star Trek shows, it still follows the basic formula, so if you like that, you will likely enjoy Star Trek Enterprise as well.

The Cage (Year 2254)

The Cage was a pilot episode to the original series that technically takes place before Star Trek Discovery. It actually takes place a number of years before the rest of the Original Series, and doesn’t even feature Capt. James T. Kirk as a character.

While some elements will be familiar to later trek fans, such as the USS Enterprise itself and Mr. Spock (played by Leonard Nimoy), this really was a test ground for the series.

Although much of the original pilot would be scrapped in favor of a different Capt., several other different characters, and the shifting premise, overall The Cage would remain an important part of Star Trek canon, with a legacy that has built to the modern day with the introduction of Strange New Worlds, which features the same characters.

Discovery, Seasons 1-2 (Year 2255)

One of the newer entries of the franchise, Star Trek Discovery starts out in the years just before the time of The Original Series.

It focuses on a starship with a unique purpose, to discover the secrets of instant travel.

But doing so has consequences, and not to get too spoilery here, but let’s just say that, starting with season 3, the rest of this show takes place in a completely different time period.

The Original Series (Year 2265-2269)

The Original Series is what started it all when it aired in 1967, right at the height of the space race. It features Captain Kirk and a host of memorable cast as they elect to boldly go where no man has gone before.

It has since become iconic, spawning several films and multiple sequels until Star Trek became the media juggernaut that it is today.

Though a bit low on budget, and a little over the top in places, The Original Series still holds up remarkably well, and is a testament to how innovative and ahead of its time it truly was.

The Animated Series (Year 2269-2270)

Many people do not know that there was actually an animated series that followed the original series by a few years. I like to think of this series as the remaining two years in the supposed five year mission, following the original series cancellation after three years.

The animation looks a lot like the Hanna-Barbera cartoons of the time, including the Flintstones and Scooby Doo, but the quality is not the best that Star Trek has seen overall, and this is definitely one that can be skipped unless you are a completionist.

The Original Series Films (Year 2273-2293)

In 1979, the first of the Star Trek films was released. It would be the first in a long line of Star Trek film and TV shows. There would be six films specifically focusing on the original Enterprise crew. Chronologically, these all take place after the original series but before The Next Generation.

The Next Generation, Seasons 1-5 (Year 2364-2469)

Next comes five full seasons of Star Trek: The next generation, which is one of the more uninterrupted periods of the chronological timeline.

This series deals with Captain Jean-Luc Picard (played by Patrick Stewart) and his crew, as they continue the ongoing mission of the Star Trek Enterprise. It includes memorable characters such as Commander data, Commander Riker, Lieutenant Worf (the first Klingon with the Federation), and Chief Engineer Jordi Laforge.

The Next Generation, Season 6-7/Deep Space Nine, Seasons 1-2 (Year 2469-2471)

Following the first five seasons of The Next Generation, we get the final two seasons plus the first two seasons of Deep Space Nine.

The seasons overlap with each other, interweaving their narratives. If you want to know the exact episode order, I recommend referencing the table above.

The Deep Space Nine is a favorite Star Trek show for a lot of people. It involved some of the most memorable characters, including Captain Benjamin Sisko, who for many people, is the best captain. During the show they encounter a series of threats, including the Cardassian Union.

Star Trek: Generations (Year 2371)

I’m one of those few people who actually really love Star Trek Generations, the film that took place just after Star Trek The Next Generation, and involves the same cast. It also marks the final film appearance of William Shatner as Captain Kirk.

While many criticize it as being just an extended episode of Star Trek The Next Generation, I find this to be one of the films that is most true to its Star Trek roots, and feels the most like Star Trek.

Deep Space Nine Seasons 3-4/Voyager Seasons 1-2 (Year 2371-2372)

We get a few seasons of Deep Space Nine and the start of Star Trek Voyager following the events of Star Trek Generations.

Voyager is another Star Trek show that would run for seven seasons, and features a crew led by Captain Janeway as they tried to navigate an unknown region of space so they can return home.

Star Trek: First Contact (Year 2373)

Interrupting the ongoing shows is Star Trek First Contact, the Next Generation film that many people consider to be one of the Star Trek films of all time. It includes a definitive confrontation with the Borg, and some time travel shenanigans that lead to the witness of first contact with Earth.

It’s definitely one of the best films of Star Trek in general, largely due to Patrick Stewart’s brilliant performance, and an emphasis on character development for him in particular.

Deep Space Nine Seasons 5-7/Voyager Seasons 3-5 (Year 2373-2375)

As with many of these films, you will find several seasons of Deep SpaceNine and Star Trek Voyager in between. In this case you get the final two seasons of deep space nine, as well as two more seasons of Voyager.

Star Trek: Insurrection (Year 2375)

Next we get Star Trek Insurrection, which was not as well received as Star Trek First Contact. It’s plot was more mellow, trying to do too much, inject too much humor, and is overall a rather dull film. Nevertheless this film takes place right as Deep Space Nine ends, and should be watched at this point.

Voyager Seasons 6-7 (Year 2376-2378)

Here we finish off the last of the 90s era television shows. Star Trek Voyager ended with a bang, and although Star Trek Enterprise did come to take its place in 2001, by this time the golden age of Star Trek had kind of fizzled out.

In addition to Enterprise being canceled after four seasons, we will see with our next installment that people had rather grown tired of Star Trek.

Star Trek: Nemesis (Year 2379)

According to release date, Star Trek Enterprise would’ve been the next installment after Voyager, but chronologically our next step is Star Trek Nemesis. This Star Trek movie came out in 2002, to a weak box office return and lukewarm critical reception.

Personally, I am not a huge fan of this film, though it did lay the groundwork for a sort of Search for Data type of story, which I was very excited about at the time. And it does introduce us to Tom Hardy as the lead villain Shinzon.

Unfortunately this was the last we saw Star Trek for many years, and certainly the last of the Next Generation crew that we saw until just recently.

Lower Decks (Year 2380-2381)

With a revived interest in Star Trek television came an animated series called Lower Decks, which was a series geared for fans of adult animated series like Rick and Morty.

Though not quite is “adult” as Rick and Morty or similar television shows, it’s definitely not meant for kids. Chronologically, it takes place one year after Star Trek Nemesis, and spends a lot of time throwing Easter eggs and fun bits of Star Trek lore at us.

Overall, it’s a good time.

Prodigy (Year 2383)

Prodigy is another animated series, this time intended for children. It takes place just a few years after Lower Decks, and involves a group of young aliens coming across the USS Voyager.

It features the returning voice of Kate Mulgrew as Captain Janeway, and is a great entry point for younger fans of the Star Trek franchise.

Picard (Year 2399)

Picard is one of the flagship series in modern-day Star Trek. It shows the fallout of several key events, including the Romulan tragedy that resulted in Spock going back in time to inadvertantly start the Kelvin universe.

It takes place over a decade after the events of Star Trek Nemesis, and a lot has happened at that time. Of note is the fact that the former Captain Picard is no longer satisfied with the way Starfleet works, and he has to take some matters into his own hands.

Chronologically, this takes place several years after the last appearance of the Next Generation crew, but is technically not the end of the Star Trek timeline…

Discovery Season 3 and onward (Year 3188-89)

Finally we get back to Star Trek Discovery. Starting in season three, this show takes place nearly a thousand years after the main part of the timeline, and shows a very different universe than what we would expect.

To say more would be to spoil the show, so I won’t do that, but Star Trek Discovery is one of those shows that started off a little shaky, but has ended up being extremely good. I highly recommend it.

I’ve got a few extra questions that I get asked a lot related to this watch order, so I thought I’d include them in a short list here at the end.

Where does Star Trek Discovery Fit in the Timeline?

The first two seasons of Star Trek Discovery take place in 2255, just 10 years before the events of the original series. Beginning with the third season, Discovery takes place nearly a thousand years further in the future.

What is the Kelvin Timeline in Star Trek?

The Kelvin timeline is an alternate reality in Star Trek, one where Kirk’s parents died, Vulcan is destroyed, and a lot is different in general. It does not have any direct effect on the main timeline for Star Trek’s other shows. Right now it only consists of three films, the first two directed by JJ Abrams, and starring Chris Pine, along with a lot of other amazing actors.

When is the Picard Series in the Star Trek Timeline?

The Star Trek Picard series takes place in the year 2399, 20 years after the events of Star Trek Nemesis.

Where does Lower Deck Take Place in the Timeline?

Star Trek Lower Decks takes place in the year 2380, one year after the events of Star Trek Nemesis.

Where does Star Trek Prodigy Take Place in the Timeline?

Star Trek Prodigy takes place in the year 2383, four years after the events of Star Trek Nemesis, and three years after the events of Lower Decks.

Where Does Strange New Worlds Take Place in the Star Trek Timeline?

Strange New Worlds takes place in the year 2255, beginning immediately following the events of season two of Star Trek Discovery.

Do You Need to Watch Star Trek in Order?

No, you do not need to watch Star Trek in order. If you are a completionist, and want to watch everything in order, I recommend release order over chronological order. But most of the shows are designed to stand on their own, and can be watched without prior knowledge of the franchise.

Where is the Best Place to Start Watching Star Trek?

Star Trek began with the Original Series, but that show is hard for some to get through since we’re used to much higher modern standards. Generally, I encourage people to start with the first films (starting with Star Trek: The Motion Picture). The new Kelvin timeline can also be a good place to start, but be aware that those films are much different than most of the Star Trek media. As always, if you have questions or comments about this timeline, we recommend you visit our  contact page .

22 thoughts on “Star Trek Order: How to Watch the Movies and Series”

Got a guy working on it.

Great, thx for the quick fix. I really appreciate the work you guys do. This site is a fennimonial tool.

Will this be updated when Discovery S03, Picard and Lower Decks come around?

Yep, it will be updated by the end of the year, then probably monthly or every other month after that.

I believe “The Cage” With Captain Pike happened before Star Trek Discovery season 1.

Are you sure First Contact takes place after In Purgatory’s Shadow? Because I am watching that episode right and Sisko mentioned the “recent Borg attack”

Right after season 1, though season 3 will be different.

Thomas Bates, on the Star Trek Fandom website it says, “ This episode mentions a Borg attack. This was intended to refer to the Battle of Sector 001 seen in Star Trek: First Contact. (AOL chat, 1997) However the stardate given in the film (50893.5) is later than the stardate given in this two-parter (50564.2; seen in the next episode, “By Inferno’s Light”). When asked about the inconsistency, Ronald D. Moore commented, tongue-in-cheek, “I am not at liberty to reveal the secret messages contained within the seeming “mistaken” stardates, but rest assured that it is another brilliantly conceived and skilfully executed Star Trek moment brought to you by the people who wrote “Meridian”.” (AOL chat, 1997).” So it was supposed to be about First Contact but in a way it is not.

You are aware that the Animated Series is not considered Canon by THe franchise owners.

Great site. But there seems to be an error in the release order when sorting Star Trek episodes by release dates

Technical problem. We’re working on it.

What happened to DS9 season 1 episode 8? It is missing from you list. Also when filtering out viewed episodes and movies in you r app it switches from Star Trek to Shakespeares… I enjoy Shakespeare and did Captain Jean-Luc Picard. However, I do not think he would appreciate the Enterprise’s computer doing something similar.

Yeah the app is experiencing some technical difficulties, but we’re working on it.

The cage is set between Enterprise and Discovery, not after Discovery. The events of Discovery Season 2 show that the events of the Cage have already occurred.

I think it is stupid to watch this series in any other order than the order of release. Thx for the list.

Star Trek Voyager season 4 episode 23 Living Witness takes place hundreds of years after the rest of the series

It’s the end of 2020 and Discovery S03 and Lower Decks aren’t on the list. When will the site be updated?

I guess you’ll be adding season 3 of Discovery AFTER Picard, but before Calypso. At least that’s where it would make sense.

Thank you for compiling this list! I’ve been watching Deep Space Nine and Voyager for this first time and simultaneously thanks to this timeline. Thank you, too, for including The Animated Series which has been repeatedly reinforced by CBS as canonical.

This is a good list. But you might want to make a small correction. Most of the time it makes sense to watch shows in the order in which they aired. But on rare occasions the show was originally aired out of order. In those cases, it makes more sense to watch them in the order in which they were MADE rather then the order in which they were AIRED. Such was the case with Star Trek TOS. Here is link to an alpha site that shows the list in the order they should be. [[https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Trek:_The_Original_Series]]

One more thing about that list. Discover and Strange New Worlds take place after “The Cage” but Before everything else.

Also for some of you with the TNG movies. What I originally did when I was watching the show on dvd, was I looked at the date that they were released in Theaters and then looked at the airdates of the corresponding seasons of the shows airing at the time. I noticed that around that time, there was a gap in the airdates where the shows went on Hiatus for the holidays. That is where I placed the movies.

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How to watch Star Trek: The Next Generation TV shows and movies in order

Image: ©CBS

Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science-fiction show, set in the 24 th Century. The series – created by Gene Roddenberry – follows the story of the crew of the USS Enterprise and its exploration of space.  

The series was created as a follow-up show to the popular Star Trek TV series of the 1960s, as well as the successful run of Star Trek movies of the late ‘70s onward. Unlike the original show and movies, which focused on the adventures of Captain James T. Kirk and his crew, The Next Generation focused on Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his team, including Riker, Data, Worf, Geordi La Forge, Deanna Troi, Tasha Yar, and Beverly and Wesley Crusher.

Upon making its debut, Star Trek: The Next Generation built up a loyal fanbase, and became popular with audiences. Over time, it established itself as a fantastic piece of television, stepping out the shadow of its predecessor, and boasted excellent stories and well-written characters.

So, when it came time to end the show on television, not everybody was quite ready to say goodbye. Mere months after the television adventures wrapped, the Next Generation crew took to the big screen to appear in a series of movies.

And the Next Gen journey didn’t quite end with movies either. Almost two decades after the final film hit screens, Jean-Luc Picard, and a handful of his crew mates, returned for another television show.

In short: Between shows and movies, there’s a lot of Next Generation content out there. But if you’re a complete newcomer to The Next Generation , where do you begin?

With this post, of course!

Below, I am providing a run-through of Star Trek: The Next Generation , detailing the viewing order for the shows and the movies. So, if you’re not sure how best to watch the series, how many seasons there are, or when to begin watching the films, you simply need to follow the details below.  

Understanding Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: The Next Generation hit television screens in 1987, with the two-part story: Encounter at Farpoint . This double-length episode, kicked off the show’s first season, which comprised a total of 26 episodes.

The following year, The Next Generation returned for its second season. This was then followed by seasons three, four, five, six, and seven, all popping up on an annual basis.

The seventh and final season of the show, aired between 1993 and 1994, concluding with the two-part story: All Good Things… . By the time the show reached the end of its run, Star Trek: The Next Generation had clocked up 178 episodes of television.

But this wasn’t the end for The Next Generation – the cast simply side-stepped from television into movies, beginning with Star Trek Generations (1994). The movie combined the cast of the original Star Trek television show, with the cast of The Next Generation , for a big screen adventure.

Star Trek Generations proved to be a box office hit, and The Next Generation cast returned for further movies, including: Star Trek: First Contact (1996), Star Trek: Insurrection (1998), and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002).

Star Trek: Nemesis essentially ended the adventures of The Next Generation crew on the big screen, and bar the odd guest spot on television, the actors largely stepped away from the Star Trek universe. But this still wasn’t the end – in 2020, actor Patrick Stewart (aka Jean-Luc Picard) returned to the small screen for yet another television show.

The series was called Picard . It centred largely around the eponymous character, but also included various Next Gen cast members, who appeared in the series in guest roles.  

Due to the popularity of Picard ’s first season, as well as a positive reception from critics, the show returned for subsequent seasons.

Star Trek: The Next Generation in order

If you wish to watch Star Trek: The Next Generation in order, begin with the original television show, taking it season by season, then move onto the four films followed by Picard .

The Star Trek: The Next Generation viewing order is as follows:

• Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season One (1987 – 1988) – TV series
• Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season Two (1988 – 1989) – TV series
• Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season Three (1989 – 1990) – TV series
• Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season Four (1990 – 1991) – TV series
• Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season Five (1991 – 1992) – TV series
• Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season Six (1992 – 1993) – TV series
• Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season Seven (1993 – 1994) – TV series
• Star Trek Generations (1994) – Movie
• Star Trek: First Contact (1996) – Movie
• Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) – Movie
• Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) – Movie
• Picard – Season One (2020) – TV series
• Picard – Season Two (2022) – TV series
• Picard – Season Three (2023) – TV series

If you’re a fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation , you may be interested to know that all the episodes of the original showare currently available on Blu-ray in a neat little box set.

Star Trek: The Next Generation – The Complete Series Blu-ray Box Set includes all seven seasons of the show, covering 178 episodes.

Star Trek: The Next Generation – The Complete Series Blu-ray Box Set is available from all good entertainment stockists, including Amazon US and Amazon UK .

Thank you for taking the time to stop by It’s A Stampede! to read this post about the viewing order for Star Trek: The Next Generation – I hope it has proved useful. For more useful posts, be sure to check out the recommended reads below.

Disclaimer: I earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.

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