The latest installment of Star Trek, Starfleet Academy, began in 2026, alongside the continuing series Strange New Worlds. These are the 11th and 12th Star Trek shows, excluding the short-form Short Treks from 2018-2020. That means there have been 10 series endings in Star Trek history, starting with The Original Series and including The Next Generation, Discovery, and the Picard film. However, some of those finales didn’t quite satisfy fans, and others were disappointing or didn’t feel like a fitting conclusion to the story.
Here is a look at every Star Trek series finale, ranked.
10) “Turnabout Intruder” – Star Trek: The Original Series
Traditionally, season finales aim to conclude a show’s storyline and provide closure. But that wasn’t always the case. Back in the 1960s and 70s, the final episode of a TV series was often treated like any other, without a lot of fanfare. For example, the last episode of the original Star Trek wasn’t considered a particularly memorable or special conclusion to the show.
In the episode “Turnabout Intruder,” a former romantic partner of Captain Kirk swaps bodies with him, allowing her to take command of the Enterprise – something women weren’t typically allowed to do on television at the time. Despite Star Trek‘s reputation for inclusivity, this storyline was a particularly problematic example of sexism and felt like a step backward. Many fans consider it not only the worst finale of the original Star Trek series, but one of its weakest episodes overall.
9) “These Are the Voyages…” – Star Trek: Enterprise
The finale of Star Trek: Enterprise was a disappointment because it didn’t give the show’s cast and crew the respect they deserved after four seasons of work. The episode, titled “These Are the Voyages…”, tried to be memorable by bringing back characters from Star Trek: The Next Generation, but this ultimately frustrated fans of Enterprise.
This episode features William Riker and Deanna Troi viewing a holodeck simulation of the Enterprise’s last voyage, a story originally told in the TNG episode “The Pegasus.” The episode jumps forward six years in time, but the time jump doesn’t actually impact the story. The simulation shows Trip Tucker sacrificing himself to save the Enterprise from pirates, a finale that even actor Scott Bakula has publicly criticized.
8) “The Counter-Clock Incident” – Star Trek: The Animated Series
Similar to the original Star Trek, the 1970s animated series didn’t end with a final episode designed to wrap up the show’s storyline. However, the animated series didn’t really focus on long, connected stories anyway. Instead, it concluded with an episode titled “The Counter-Lock Incident,” which sends the Enterprise crew to a strange “negative universe” where time runs in reverse.
Everyone on the ship suddenly begins to get younger. By the episode’s end, the crew has transformed into babies crawling around. Fortunately, Robert April, the original captain of the Enterprise, is old enough to remember his past and is able to restore the crew to their normal ages. While the episode isn’t bad, it doesn’t feel like a satisfying conclusion to the series.
7) “Ouroboros” – Star Trek: Prodigy
The recent Star Trek series, Prodigy, concluded its run after a first season on Paramount+ and a 20-episode second season on Netflix. This animated show delivered a satisfying two-part finale, allowing its diverse group of characters to demonstrate the progress they’d made over the course of the series.
Wow, the finale was really something! Asencia (Jameela Jamil) just went for it, attacking the Federation everywhere, and it finally forced the crew to put their plan into action. I loved that we had a big bad villain set up all season, and seeing them finally take her down was so satisfying. It felt like a great ending, letting the crew move forward, even if it wasn’t quite as twisty and complicated as some other finales we’ve seen in the series. Still, a really fantastic conclusion!
6) “The New Next Generation” – Star Trek: Lower Decks
The latest Star Trek series to conclude was Lower Decks, which finished its run on Paramount+ only five months after Prodigy. It was unusual for Star Trek to have two animated shows on the air simultaneously, but Lower Decks proved to be the stronger of the two, lasting five seasons and delivering clever stories with a lively animated look.
The finale, titled “The New Next Generation,” was a respectful nod to the show’s predecessors, which makes sense given how well it connects to the larger Star Trek universe – even featuring a crossover with the live-action series. The most satisfying aspect of the Season 5 finale was seeing these characters, who started as junior officers, earn the opportunity to advance to senior positions within Starfleet. While it leaves possibilities open for future seasons, it also feels like a fitting conclusion to the series.
5) “Life, Itself” – Star Trek: Discovery
Midway through its run, Star Trek: Discovery took a bold leap forward in time, jumping to the 32nd century. This dramatic shift completely changed the show and left its future uncertain. The last three seasons focused on the Federation and Starfleet working to recover after a massive galactic disaster. At the same time, the crew of the Discovery uncovered a larger mystery: the search for technology created by the Progenitors, the ancient race responsible for creating humanoid life.
The biggest flaw of the Star Trek: Discovery finale is that it wasn’t originally planned as a series ender. After the show was cancelled, the producers had to add extra scenes, turning the final episode into something of an afterthought. However, the heartwarming wedding of Ambassadors Saru and T’Rina saved it from being a truly disappointing finale, and it was likely the best they could do given the circumstances of the late cancellation.
4) “The Last Generation” – Star Trek: Picard
Star Trek: Picard initially aimed to tell a new, standalone story with the beloved Captain Picard. Patrick Stewart agreed to star only if the show avoided relying too heavily on his previous series, The Next Generation. However, after some fan criticism and mixed reviews, the show’s final season shifted gears and embraced a more nostalgic approach, heavily referencing past storylines and characters.
The last episode of Star Trek: Picard was a truly exceptional finale, ranking among the best Star Trek episodes of all time. It brought the original crew of the Enterprise-D – Picard, Riker, Data, Worf, Deanna, and Geordi – together for one final adventure. The scene of them all relaxing and playing cards together was a perfect way to end the series.
3) “Endgame” – Star Trek: Voyager
The Voyager finale is surprisingly underrated. Unlike many series endings that get bogged down in big questions, it provided a thrilling conclusion that knew when to stop. After seven seasons of Captain Janeway and her crew struggling to return home, the show smartly avoided actually showing their arrival, leaving the audience satisfied and wanting more.
The series finale finds the crew back on Earth, with Janeway now an admiral. But their journey wasn’t without loss – they lost Seven of Nine along the way. Determined to fix this and fulfill her promise to bring everyone home, Janeway travels back in time to destroy the Borg. While the story itself is compelling, ending the series before the crew even reached Earth was a significant disappointment.
2) “What You Leave Behind” – Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Both Deep Space Nine and The Next Generation have strong claims for the best series finale in Star Trek. While The Next Generation might have a slight advantage, Deep Space Nine‘s ending was truly exceptional. The finale, “What You Leave Behind,” successfully concluded the Federation-Dominion war with an action-packed battle and some heartbreaking sacrifices.
At the start of Deep Space Nine, Captain Sisko (Avery Brooks) was a disillusioned officer hoping to leave his post. However, the series concluded with him making the ultimate sacrifice – giving his life to protect Deep Space Nine and the Bajoran people, who revered him as a divine messenger. Sisko’s personal journey formed the core of the series, making this finale a fitting conclusion. The episode also benefited from strong performances from the entire cast and featured some of the most impressive battles in the Star Trek franchise.
1) “All Good Things…” – Star Trek: The Next Generation
The finale of Star Trek: The Next Generation, “All Good Things…”, is widely considered not only the best Star Trek finale, but one of the best finales in science fiction television history. The episode, reminiscent of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, showed Captain Picard experiencing events from his past, present, and future as he worked to prevent a catastrophic threat to humanity.
What made this episode so strong was the unwavering loyalty of Picard’s crew, regardless of the timeline. Q, played by John de Lancie, was essential in guiding Picard through a journey where the fate of humanity hung in the balance. This episode, with its focus on morality and Picard’s difficult choices, truly captured the spirit of Star Trek, making it the best finale in the franchise’s history.
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2026-02-21 06:42