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Twelve television series make up the Star Trek franchise: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise, Discovery, Short Treks, Picard, Lower Decks, Prodigy, and Strange New Worlds. All series in total amount to 930 episodes across 48 seasons of television. Series.
- The full Star Trek timeline, explained.
- 1. Star Trek: Enterprise (2151-2155)
- 2. Star Trek: Discovery: Seasons 1 and 2 (2256-2258)
- 3. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2259-TBD)
- 4. Star Trek: The Original Series (2265-2269)
- Bonus: Star Trek’s Kelvin Timeline (2009’s Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, and Star Trek Beyond)
- 5. Star Trek: The Animated Series (2269-2270)
- 6. Star Trek: The Motion Picture (2270s)
- 7. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (2285)
- 8. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (2285)
By Adam Bankhurst
Updated: Jan 12, 2024 5:52 pm
Posted: Aug 5, 2023 12:23 am
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
Where to Watch: Paramount+
Where to Watch Star Trek: Hulu, Paramount+
Where to Watch Star Trek Into Darkness: Paramount+
Where to Watch Star Trek Beyond: Paramount+
2009’s Star Trek, which was directed by J.J. Abrams, kicked off a whole new era of Star Trek that served as a reboot of sorts for the series that still starred many of the characters we knew and loved from Star Trek: The Original Series, albeit played by different actors.
These new films - 2009’s Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, and Star Trek Beyond - exist in the Kelvin Timeline and do not follow the chronological order of all these other series as a certain event in 2233 changed the course of history forever.
You can really watch these films at any point as they exist in this alternate timeline, but there are plenty of callbacks to Star Trek: The Original Series that reward those who have watched it, including an always-welcome return by Leonard Nimoy’s Spock.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Where to Watch: Max
All Star Trek movies and TV shows in chronological order. - last update December 2023
- Star Trek: Enterprise (Seasons 1-4) The mainline Star Trek timeline begins with Star Trek: Enterprise. The four seasons of the show are set in the 22nd century, the earliest point in the Star Trek timeline and a hundred years before The Original Series.
- Star Trek: 2009, Into Darkness, Beyond (The Kelvin timeline) The Kelvin timeline is an alternate timeline created by Spock which runs parallel to the events seen in the prime Star Trek timeline.
- Star Trek: Discovery (Seasons 1-2) Set ten years before the original series, this prequel show follows the adventures of the USS Discovery and her crew as they use their unique spore drive to zip around the Alpha Quadrant (our section of the galaxy).
- Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Seasons 1-2) Following on the adventures of Captain Pike, Spock, and Number One in the aftermath of Discovery season 2, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is another prequel to The Original Series, as it builds up to the events depicted in The Cage.
- Star Trek: Enterprise (2001-2005) The earliest series in the timeline is Star Trek: Enterprise, which follows the adventures of the crew of the very first warp-capable starship, the Enterprise.
- Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1 and 2 (2017-2019) Next on the timeline is Star Trek: Discovery, which follows the adventures of the crew of the starship Discovery.
- Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022-) The second season of Discovery reintroduced Captain Christopher Pike to modern Star Trek fans. The original captain of the Enterprise, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds shows Pike commanding the ship before Kirk takes command for the original series.
- Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-1969) While this show comes fourth in the timeline, everything Star Trek started here. The show is often referred to by fans as "the original series," although its official title is simply Star Trek.
Apr 21, 2022 · To keep matters as clear as possible, here is a (very brief, by the standards of "Trek") rundown of "Star Trek" chronology from within its own canon. NOTE: This list will not necessarily...
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Jul 9, 2024 · Thankfully, all Star Trek content is now back on Paramount+ for the time being, so you can watch The Original Series, DS9, The Wrath of Khan, and Star Trek Beyond all in one place. Even...