By the time I was old enough to really understand what was happening on the glowing TV in the corner of the living room, the Star Trek franchise was the biggest thing in the universe. I was in kindergarten when “The Best of Both Worlds” aired and changed the television landscape, and Star Trek, both new and old, became a permanent fixture for my entire life.
I’m not stuck in my ways or a snob about it, though. I don’t find modern Star Trek inherently bad, but I don’t necessarily find classic Trek to be perfect, either. As with most things, I just want my media to be good and make sense, and I find that a lot of Star Trek will scratch that itch if you give it a chance. I’ve got some out there picks here, but if you’re a casual viewer or a total newbie who is looking to get into Star Trek but is afraid to take the plunge, I’d recommend you start with these movies and shows before you go back and fill in the gaps with other media.
Star Trek (1966-1969)
I almost didn’t include Star Trek: The Original Series as a pick for new viewers. It is, of course, where all this started, and it set the template for what Star Trek always would be. For its time, it’s an incredibly progressive show, with cerebral writing and some genuinely shocking moments. But it’s also 60 years old, and it shows.
It’s just a little hard to take moments like Kirk swaying a planet of alien “primitives” by reading the US Constitution seriously, no matter how earnest they are in context. Classic Star Trek is absolutely a must-watch, and when it fires on all cylinders, it will move you. Just be prepared to look past some of the more outlandish episodes.
Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
Much like the original series, Star Trek: The Motion Picture can be a tough pill to swallow for a newer fan. But I do think it has a lot of value to the franchise as a whole. It is, for better or for worse, the most accurate representation of classic Trek committed to film.
There’s a lot of discussion, a lot of subtext, and a lot of weird science events that happen and have to be dealt with in a rational, logical manner. The Motion Picture has long been divisive among viewers, who often deride it as boring and too slow. Frankly, I think the best Star Trek is a little boring at times, and this one has its charms.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
And with that, we reach our first unabashed, no-questions-asked hit. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan isn’t just a good Star Trek movie; it’s a great movie altogether. It’s the first film to grapple with the notion that the cast was getting older, and it forces them to confront the weight of their lives in some of the darkest ways imaginable.
Wrath of Khan is a film about cold, bloody revenge, but also about life, love, and the friendships we make along the way. This movie has earned its place as one of the best Star Trek films of all time and is a great place to start if you’re new to the franchise, thanks to its gripping story, incredible performances, and fast pace.
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
From one of the darkest Star Trek films to one of the lightest. Still, you can’t deny that Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is an easy watch. On their way home to face the consequences of disobeying Starfleet to save Spock, the crew discovers an alien probe attempting to communicate with long-extinct humpback whales.
To save the day, the crew travels back to the 1980s, where they embark on a quest to secure a whale to bring back to the future to save the world. The Voyage Home is easily one of the most enjoyable romps in the franchise, and is filled with the heart and humor that defined Star Trek of its era.
Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)
There is perhaps no television show more important to the modern landscape than Star Trek: The Next Generation. Airing on syndication at a time when that was less-than-glamorous, the show defied the odds to become a blockbuster, redefining how viewers and networks alike think about television.
There are a lot of landmark things here, from “The Best of Both Worlds” giving us both The Borg and one of the most powerful cliffhanger endings ever, to a cavalcade of courtroom episodes where heroes talk their way out of conflict. There’s a lot to love here, and through some of the best television ever made, TNG set the tone for Star Trek and entertainment for decades to come.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)
It’s easy to be a saint in paradise. While The Next Generation celebrated a utopian future where no man was left behind, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine explored the gray areas of that world. The show is set on a space station that was formerly occupied by the fascist Cardassians, now co-run by a Federation-Bajoran alliance that doesn’t get along. And that’s before they discover the wormhole that threatens to reshape the dynamics of an already fragile political alliance and a prophecy declaring Commander Sisko an emissary to the gods.
There just aren’t words to describe how good, let alone how important, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is. Wildly underappreciated in its time, DS9 is the moral discussion TNG never dared to have. It’s must-watch TV, even if you’re not into Star Trek.
Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
It’s a little hard to recommend any of the four movies starring the Next Generation cast. The first movie, Star Trek: Generations (1994), is a muddled mess that puts off its main draw—Kirk and Picard, finally together!— until the last 20 minutes, while the last two, Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002), suffer from uneven plots that skew too close to action schlock. But I still find myself enjoying the second film, Star Trek: First Contact, a mind-bending time-travel/horror flick that sees the Enterprise try to stop a Borg invasion in the past.
It’s still a bit too much action and doesn’t really line up with portrayals from the show (especially Picard, who argued for the Borg’s right to live as a sentient, evolving species under the Prime Directive on TNG, now coldly murdering them in droves), but it’s still a fun movie with some great moments of the crew stuck on Earth.
Star Trek (2009)
With the last film a flop and no TV shows airing at the time, Star Trek needed a shot in the arm. J.J. Abrams, coming off the success of Lost (2004) and Mission: Impossible III (2006), helmed the reboot. 2009’s Star Trek blends time travel with the reboot element, establishing the new “Kelvin” Timeline, where James Kirk’s backstory was changed by a time-traveling Romulan.
Star Trek is fairly divisive, with fans of the classic series not jiving with the reboot’s slick, overproduced action and emotionally charged characters. Still, if you’re a new fan, this is a good way to dip your toes into Star Trek. Arguably, the series peaked with its second sequel, Star Trek: Beyond (20160, but development of a fourth film has stalled, and all signs are pointing to a new reboot.
Star Trek: Prodigy (2021-2024)
This is probably my biggest “hear me out” on this list, given Star Trek: Prodigy is a children’s show, but hear me out. I’m aware I’ve left off some pretty notable Star Trek installments, like the incredibly divisive Star Trek: Voyager (1995) and the origin prequel series, Enterprise (2001). But I think Prodigy, which has proven to be a hit with critics and fans, does a great job of filling that void for new viewers.
For starters, you still get Voyager representation in the form of Kate Mulgrew’s Captain Janeway, helping to shepherd a band of misfit children who have found themselves stranded on a Starfleet vessel. But more than that, Prodigy celebrates the legacy of Star Trek in a way no other series does. Thanks to its animated format, generous guest casting, and archival audio, Prodigy brings everyone from Spock to Wesley Crusher into the fold. It’s also a fairly brisk watch, having ended after just 40 episodes.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022-Present)
I don’t have a problem with modern Star Trek, but it hasn’t always clicked for me. I haven’t watched Starfleet Academy (2026) yet, and I found Star Trek: Discovery (2017) to be all over the place after its big third-season twist. But Discovery delivered my favorite modern Trek series, Strange New Worlds.
Set on the Enterprise five years before Kirk takes over, Strange New Worlds follows the ship with a crew of mostly new characters under Captain Pike. There’s a warmth and a kindness to the series that isn’t present in a lot of Trek, and I find it really comforting. If you were starting anywhere, Strange New Worlds would probably be where I send you, given that it’s easy to pick up and brings a lot of classic Star Trek’s spirit back to the franchise.
