Following a reduction in its lineup of streaming series, Star Trek is set for a revival this month with the much-anticipated premiere of Section 31 featuring Academy Award-winning actress Michelle Yeoh.
In the early stages of the series, elements that would eventually lead to this new installment of the franchise were introduced during the initial three seasons of Star Trek: Discovery, with Yeoh frequently appearing as both Philippa Georgiou in our universe and her counterpart from the parallel dimension.
For quite some time, plans have been underway for a standalone story featuring this character. Initially conceived as a television series, it was eventually transformed into a single movie due to multiple postponements resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak, labor disputes in Hollywood, and the actress’s hectic schedule.
The narrative transports us to a specific time within the Star Trek continuity, often referred to as ‘The Lost Era’, which encompasses the time span from the events depicted in The Undiscovered Country movie up until The Next Generation television series.
After bidding adieu to Star Trek: Discovery, Picard, and Lower Decks, which concluded on Paramount Plus, the baton is being carried forward by the well-received spin-off Strange New Worlds. This year will see its third season premiere.
Without a doubt, if you’re new to the Star Trek universe, there’s plenty to explore. If you’re unsure where to begin, keep reading as we guide you through watching Star Trek in both release and chronological order.
Once you have all the information you need, venture forth into the final frontier.
How to watch Star Trek in release order
Instead of jumping around episodes or seasons, it’s arguably more authentic to watch Star Trek in the sequence that each series was produced, starting with the earliest one. This way, you can experience the franchise’s development much like the first fans did years ago, delving into its universe from its very beginning.
This approach seems logical because, although the series hop between different timeframes, they consistently develop upon previous episodes based on their sequential airing.
Instead of arranging the Star Trek episodes in a chronological sequence, it’s better if you watch them following a specific order as it provides a somewhat fuller understanding of the series.
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)
- Star Trek: Section 31
Star Trek: Short Treks initially aired following Discovery, which is why it appears on this list. But, the second season of Short Treks introduces some storylines that are continued in Discovery’s second season and beyond, making it more convenient to watch them interchangeably if possible.
Instead of diving into the initial stages, some fans prefer jumping straight into “Star Trek: The Next Generation” (TNG). Some dedicated Trekkies argue that TNG has maintained its appeal more effectively over time compared to the Original Series, making it a smoother introduction for newcomers to the Star Trek universe.
Consider giving the initial episodes of TOS (The Original Series) a try to see if it appeals to you. If Captain Kirk, played by William Shatner, doesn’t seem quite right for you, don’t hesitate to switch over to Patrick Stewart’s Jean-Luc Picard instead. The shows have minimal connections, so you won’t get lost. Although they do eventually intersect significantly in the Star Trek: Generations film.
How to watch Star Trek in chronological order
From a cinephile’s perspective, instead of jumping around the Star Trek timeline as I initially did, I find it more immersive and rewarding to watch each show in chronological order now. This way, I can follow the storyline’s progression and appreciate the evolution of characters and events across the universe.
This option presents both advantages and disadvantages: while it offers the chance to start with a contemporary series that might appeal to certain individuals, it’s important to consider that some nuances within newer episodes could be missed or misunderstood due to their reliance on more current references.
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: Section 31 (Year: 2333)
- 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)
Remark – Star Trek: Short Treks consists of two seasons that delve into different timeframes within the series universe. Any content tagged as a Short Trek refers to an individual episode from this series, lasting anywhere from 8 to 18 minutes.
The specific placement of Toby Haynes’ upcoming film within the Star Trek timeline hasn’t been definitively determined yet. However, what has been confirmed is that it will serve as a prequel, set “decades” prior to the events depicted in the 2009 Star Trek movie.
In case you’re curious, the latest Star Trek movie trilogy helmed by JJ Abrams and Justin Lin – comprising ‘Star Trek’, ‘Into Darkness’, and ‘Beyond’ – exists in an alternate timeline, which means they don’t follow a continuous storyline with the original series.
Although they do make references to The Original Series, particularly with the return of Leonard Nimoy as Spock, they can still be enjoyed independently as individual tales.
You can stream Star Trek: The Original Series, its animated continuation, The Next Generation, Voyager, Deep Space Nine, and Enterprise on Netflix.
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2025-01-24 15:35