[TV/Movie] Going to Watch Star Trek, Where to Begin?

[Cpand671]

So I've never watched any Star Trek before, but I'm a pretty big sci-fi fan outside of that. It's pretty much all that I have left to see. I know that must seem weird to some of you, but anyways, I'm not sure where to begin. At the very start? Is there a recommended order in which I progress through the universe of Star Trek?

[Gallahadd]

season 1 episode 1 seems a good place to begin.

personally though i'd skip original series (I know, heretic) and jump right to Next Generation Pickard FTW.

[Spinachsandwich]

I Don't like the original series with Captain Kirk and Spock as much as i like Star Trek The Next Generation. You should start with the Next generation series. Then watch the movies, because even though the original series wasn't great, the movies were real good (with a couple exceptions). After you've seen Star Trek The Next Generation and the movies ( First Contact was my favorite star trek movie) You could move onto Deep Space 9 which was also very good. Voyager was a decent series, but The one after that kinda sucked I wouldn't bother. Then you'll be all caught up for the new movies they've been making. I haven't seen it yet, but they look pretty good. I just don't like JJ abrams (because of lost) and avoid the stuff he makes.

[Vayjir]

I say watch the first 6 movies then start watching The Next Generation ofc the oldest movies can be abit dated for some to like but they are still great i guess you could skip the first one however after the next generation you can watch the remaining 4 movies and then its Voyager and then Deepspace Nine then there is also Star Trek Enterprise which is a prequel series and some hate it some like it i would say its safe to skip it just like with the original show but they are still good to watch.


Also creepy thing is im actuly currently watching Star Trek VI The Undiscovered Country just when this thread popped up.

[Dante Vale]

i was never an original series fan. I started off with the next generation and it didn't hurt my understanding or appreciation for it at all. I'd start with next generation.

[Fuzzzie]

Next Generation would be the best place to start. The Original Series didn't even really have consistent story elements until well into the first season. There are some notable episodes, but for someone who is just starting out, I would skip it until you're a fan.

As for the Original Movies, Watch 2,3 and 6. They're the best. Actually 6 is kinda funny because they're all old and fat.

Next Gen is great, although first season it takes a while for it to get its stride. After that it's pretty classic.

Once you get to the point where Gene Roddenberry died you'll notice the stories shift from peace and exploration to more episodes about conflict and war. At that point longer story arcs begin to take place, although the series is fairly episodic until midway through Deep Space 9. After that it's a continuing storyline. Voyager is much the same, although it suffers from terrible characters. Enterprise was okay, if you've watched up to that point you may as well keep going.

[Stormcall]

You can basically skip the Original Series, though the movies are worth watching(even numbered ones are considered the best by the vast majority of Trek fans, myself included). Maybe watch a couple of the classic eps, if you want(City on the Edge of Forever, Trouble With Tribbles, Mirror Mirror). Watch those, then move on to Next Generation, then on to Deep Space 9. After that, if you still want more you can take a look at Voyager or go back and watch some TOS. Then if you watch those and STILL want more, you can watch Enterprise...but I really wouldn't recommend it.

[poser765]

I am really saddened by how how many people are advocating skipping TOS. Yes, it is old, and corny, and really bad in some places, but i don't think anything embodies Star Trek any more than The Original Series. I would STRONGLY advise you at least watch a few. They may not be for you, but damn, TOS IS star Trek.

[Fuzzzie]

I am really saddened by how how many people are advocating skipping TOS. Yes, it is old, and corny, and really bad in some places, but i don't think anything embodies Star Trek any more than The Original Series. I would STRONGLY advise you at least watch a few. They may not be for you, but damn, TOS IS star Trek.

For someone who has never watched Star Trek, starting with TOS might make them kinda bored. It's pretty damn old and dated, a lot of it doesn't address the story that develops in later series. I'm not saying skip it, just don't start with it. Hell, even some Next Gen looks really dated.

[draynay]

just because a few people here said not to watch the original series doesn't mean they're right, its pretty depressing honestly to see just how wrong about something people can be

the original series is great, you skip it like these schmoes did and you're just missing out

be sure and watch it, but should you start with it? really it depends what sci fi has been your favorite to this point, TOS and TNG are both strongly episodic, so if you want your 40-50 minute story to wrap itself up then that's the place to go, Deep Space 9 had much more continuity to it relative to the first two. Voyager and Enterprise are not a good place to start, unless you want to start with the worst.

for perspective, I don't like TNG as much as TOS or DS9, so that probably puts me in the minority since there are so many TNG fanboys, its a great series but people end up blinded to how good the other series are

[Gothicshark]

As a fan of the Original Series I would say, at least watch these episodes.


"Space Seed" - Fan Favorite Episode with Khan, Might be the Villain in the up coming movie, or at least related.
"Where No Man Has Gone Before" - Other possible source of the villain Character for the up coming film, also the first televised episode (not the actual first but that is a long story)
"The Trouble with Tribbles" - Possibly the funniest episode
"Mirror, Mirror" - The reason why Evil Twins have goatee's
"Balance of Terror" - one of the best TV episodes of any show, very dramatic.
"City on the Edge of Forever" - Many fans feel this was the best Episode

---These are all great Episode and give you each of the classic Trek stereo types.
"The Enemy Within"
"The Naked Time"
"This Side of Paradise"
"Arena"
"Patterns of Force"

With the Movies:

Must Watch list:

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

TNG: with the number of episodes they have you can pretty much watch any of them out of order, however if you choose any from the first two seasons then watch them in order of airing.

Best Episodes:
'Chain Of Command'
'The First Duty'
'First Contact'
'Sins of the Father'
'The Measure of a Man'
'All Good Things... '
'Tapestry'
'The Inner Light'
'The Best of Both Worlds 1&2'
'Yesterday's Enterprise'

DS9: I would watch all of these, the show was a linear story with continuous progression. However I would watch TGN episodes first.

Best Episodes:
‘Duet’
‘Doctor Bashir, I Presume?’
‘The Way Of The Warrior’
‘Our Man Bashir’
‘Trials and Tribbleations’
‘Little Green Men’
‘Far Beyond The Stars’
‘It’s Only A Paper Moon’
‘Once More Unto The Breach’
‘The Visitor’

Voyager: Pick and choose these episodes, but watch them in Order of airing also watch the last season.

Can't really say they had a best of Show, I was never a fan of Voyager. Others can possibly come up with a list of must watch episodes.

At this point I would then watch the TNG movies

Star Trek: First Contact
Star Trek: Insurrection
Star Trek: Nemesis

With Enterprise, the First Episode, and the last 3 Seasons where good.

Must Watch:
Borderland / Cold Station 12 / The Augments / Affliction / Divergence

p.s. I should point out once you start you'll end up watching everything. So be sure to look for the Animated series from the Seventies, It actually had some good Episodes, and some of the lore from the cartoons ended up in TNG.

[Savalia]

Start with TNG with Picard and then after that watch DS9. DS9 was quite the shocker of how good it was for me, and this was me going "Man this doesn't have picard or data or anyone!"

It does have Worf in it as a recurring character in Season 4 and beyond. Miles O'Brien too.

[s_bushido]

I am really saddened by how how many people are advocating skipping TOS. Yes, it is old, and corny, and really bad in some places, but i don't think anything embodies Star Trek any more than The Original Series. I would STRONGLY advise you at least watch a few. They may not be for you, but damn, TOS IS star Trek.

Hell, I'd recommending skipping season 1 of TNG if it wasn't a case of "well, if you're going to watch the series anyway..."

I've been a Trek fan my entire life, but only recently (within the past few months, actually) went back and watched TOS in its entirety. Until then, the movies and the occasional episode were more than enough for me. TOS suffers a lot from "babe of the week" and "monster of the week" stuff. Sure, there are some very good episodes in there, but there's a lot of...well...filler, for lack of a better word. With the movies, TNG, and beyond, they started building a more consistent world and Trek was much better off for it, imo. In the end, TOS was about Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, and the movies are great in that regard (especially V...but everyone hates that one...except me and my dad :P ).

Anyway, there are plenty of good suggestions, but personally, I'd go with:
TOS - "Space Seed"
TOS - Movies 2-6
TNG

And go from there. I don't want to scare you off of TOS, but you should just go into it knowing there's going to be plenty of campy 60's space-cowboy action and serious Shatner over-acting going on. Fair warning. :P

[Erfan1]

season 1 episode 1 seems a good place to begin.

personally though i'd skip original series (I know, heretic) and jump right to Next Generation Pickard FTW.

this is what I did, im closing in tot he season 2 finale - lots of enjoyment thus far

[Ryuukon]

Voyager: Pick and choose these episodes, but watch them in Order of airing also watch the last season.

Can't really say they had a best of Show, I was never a fan of Voyager. Others can possibly come up with a list of must watch episodes.

I could never understand this sentiment. I LOVED Voyager. It took Star Trek into the last unknown, not taking into account time travel. Plus, the captain of Voyager was the first real female captain (LONG LIVE ADMIRAL JANEWAY!)

Not only that, but it tied in to so many original concepts of Star Trek (faster than Warp 10? Borg space?) that it expanded the Star Trek universe in a good way. Not only that, but there were MANY original characters in Voyager that still resonate today. Most would say Seven of Nine (big tits), but for me it was The Doctor. Not going farther than that to avoid spoilers.

But frankly, don't dismiss Voyager out of hand. It has a lot of great stories to tell, all that fit perfectly within the Star Trek universe.

[Shakadam]

Voyager is the best one of the series I've seen. It had everything that Star Trek is about.
TOS is sadly out of the question for me because of the same reason I have troubles getting started with TNG (I've started watching the first episodes in the first TNG season a few times but I never make it though), namely because it just kills any immersion in the plot and thus, series, for me when I can so clearly see that, for example, ships are made out of tiny models on a moving (at best, sometimes static) background. Same thing with lousy "alien" costumes.

Voyager was the first ST series to feature CGI, the first couple of seasons were a bit of a blend of models/CGI, season 3 and forwards feature CGI exclusively.
DS9 would have been decent if not for the utterly boring storyline about the prophets and stuff, and if the actor playing the main role (the captain) wouldn't be so terrible.
Enterprise had potential, a shame it got cancelled after only a few seasons.

[Skippy88]

If you have the time and access to the shows why not watch everything? I think one of the best things about Star Trek is it's very Character driven and it's nice to see how the characters evolve regardless of how bad the episode or storyline is.

[Noomz]

So I've never watched any Star Trek before, but I'm a pretty big sci-fi fan outside of that. It's pretty much all that I have left to see. I know that must seem weird to some of you, but anyways, I'm not sure where to begin. At the very start? Is there a recommended order in which I progress through the universe of Star Trek?

Personally, I find Star Trek: The Next Generation and Voyager to be the best. I find the original series to be so cheesy and... well, 70's.

The best episode of TNG is called "The Inner Light", really really touching and sad.

[Gothicshark]

well, 70's.

Umm 1966–1969 nothing 70's about the Original Series. The Animated show was early 70's and the Motion Picture was in 1979.

I should point out there are 2 types of Trek Fans, those who like the TOS and hate Voyager, and those who like Voyager and hate TOS. Personally I can not stand Voyager, although I did watch every Episode. I can list off hours of reasons why Voyager was bad television.

---------- Post added 2013-02-04 at 10:30 AM ----------

I could never understand this sentiment. I LOVED Voyager. It took Star Trek into the last unknown, not taking into account time travel. Plus, the captain of Voyager was the first real female captain (LONG LIVE ADMIRAL JANEWAY!)

Not only that, but it tied in to so many original concepts of Star Trek (faster than Warp 10? Borg space?) that it expanded the Star Trek universe in a good way. Not only that, but there were MANY original characters in Voyager that still resonate today. Most would say Seven of Nine (big tits), but for me it was The Doctor. Not going farther than that to avoid spoilers.

But frankly, don't dismiss Voyager out of hand. It has a lot of great stories to tell, all that fit perfectly within the Star Trek universe.

Spoon fed Trek, bad writing, horrible acting from 50% of the cast (the Doctor was the only character worth watching).

Capt. Kathryn Janeway - Worse acting than a drunk William Shatner singing Rocket Man
Question: How do you plan to play a star fleet officer?
Answer: by acting like I'm a rich woman from Boston.
Question: But aren't you a rich woman from Boston?

Chakotay - offensive Stereotype all brown skinned native peoples, is he American Indian or is he Samoan?
Question: So you're Samoan on the Show?
Answer: No, Native American.
Question: So why the Samoan Tattoo?

Tuvok - Offensive Black Vulcan super spy and every problem in the book.

Tom Paris - Ok so being fair lets have a Rich white boy stereotype as well, but make him a criminal as well.

B'Elanna Torres -Hispanic Stereotype with Klingon parent, the worst actor in any sci-fi show ever.

Harry Kim -Lets not forget the Chinese Stereotype.

Neelix - Lets add a Kids show into Star Trek, make him fun loving and Gay.

Kes - Every Kids show needs a cute side kick character.

Seven of Nine - Crap our ratings are bad, lets add more Boobs. No I mean more Boobs.

The Doctor -Well lets add a Neurotic Computer Hologram and get a good actor to play the part.

[Epicachu3000]

season 1 episode 1 seems a good place to begin.

personally though i'd skip original series (I know, heretic) and jump right to Next Generation Pickard FTW.

This was exactly what I was thinking. The 60's and 70's issues aren't really too bright philosophically or simply have "ran out of date" as sci-fi.

But if you have the time and interest to start from the first, then I'm glad for you. Jealous even...