How to Watch Star Trek in Order: The Complete Series Timeline

Embark on a Comprehensive Star Trek Viewing Journey: Chronological and Release Order Guides

Since the debut of Star Trek: The Original Series in 1966, the franchise has expanded into a vast multimedia universe. This guide simplifies navigating this extensive collection, offering both chronological and release order viewing options. Paramount+ provides convenient access to most Star Trek content.

This guide offers spoiler-free chronological and release order viewing sequences.

Chronological Viewing Order:

1. Star Trek: Enterprise (2151-2155): Preceding the Original Series by a century, this series follows Captain Jonathan Archer and the Enterprise NX-01, Earth's first warp 5 capable starship. It showcases early encounters with familiar alien species and explores a less technologically advanced era.

Where to Watch: Paramount+, Various Streaming Services & Retailers

2. Star Trek: Discovery: Seasons 1 and 2 (2256-2258): Set a decade before the Original Series, this series introduces Michael Burnham and the U.S.S. Discovery, focusing on a war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. Note: Seasons 3-5 jump significantly forward in time.

Where to Watch: Paramount+, Various Streaming Services & Retailers

3. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2259-TBD): A prequel to the Original Series, featuring Captain Christopher Pike and the Enterprise NCC-1701, bridging the gap between Discovery and the Original Series.

Where to Watch: Paramount+, Various Streaming Services & Retailers

4. Star Trek: The Original Series (2265-2269): The foundational series, introducing Kirk, Spock, and the iconic five-year mission to explore the galaxy.

Where to Watch: Paramount+, Various Streaming Services & Retailers

Bonus: The Kelvin Timeline (2009's Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, Star Trek Beyond): This alternate timeline reboot, directed by J.J. Abrams, can be viewed at any point.

5. Star Trek: The Animated Series (2269-2270): Continuing the Original Series adventures in animated format.

Where to Watch: Paramount+, Various Streaming Services & Retailers

6. Star Trek: The Motion Picture (2270s): The first Star Trek film, featuring the Original Series crew facing a mysterious alien entity.

Where to Watch: Paramount+, Various Streaming Services & Retailers

7. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (2285): Widely considered the best Star Trek film, pitting Kirk and the Enterprise against Khan Noonien Singh.

Where to Watch: Paramount+, Various Streaming Services & Retailers

8. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (2285): The sequel to Wrath of Khan, focusing on the retrieval of Spock's katra.

Where to Watch: Paramount+, Various Streaming Services & Retailers

9. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (2286 and 1986): A time-travel adventure that takes the crew to 1980s San Francisco.

Where to Watch: Paramount+, Various Streaming Services & Retailers

10. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (2287): The Original Series crew confronts Sybok's quest for God.

Where to Watch: Paramount+, Various Streaming Services & Retailers

11. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (2293): The final Original Series film, focusing on Klingon-Federation relations.

Where to Watch: Paramount+, Various Streaming Services & Retailers

12. Star Trek: Section 31 (circa 2326): A controversial entry, focusing on Section 31, often considered skippable.

Where to Watch: Paramount+

13. Star Trek: The Next Generation (2364-2370): The highly acclaimed series starring Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the Enterprise-D.

Where to Watch: Paramount+, Various Streaming Services & Retailers

14. Star Trek Generations (2293 and 2371): A crossover film uniting Picard and Kirk.

Where to Watch: Paramount+, Various Streaming Services & Retailers

15. Star Trek: First Contact (2373): The Next Generation crew confronts the Borg.

Where to Watch: Paramount+, Various Streaming Services & Retailers

16. Star Trek: Insurrection (2375): The Next Generation crew protects the Ba'Ku people.

Where to Watch: Paramount+, Various Streaming Services & Retailers

17. Star Trek: Nemesis (2379): The final Next Generation film, introducing Shinzon.

Where to Watch: Paramount+, Various Streaming Services & Retailers

18. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (2369-2375): Set on a space station near a wormhole, this series features Captain Benjamin Sisko.

Where to Watch: Paramount+, Various Streaming Services & Retailers

19. Star Trek: Voyager (2371-2378): Captain Kathryn Janeway and her crew are stranded in the Delta Quadrant.

Where to Watch: Paramount+, Various Streaming Services & Retailers

20. Star Trek: Lower Decks (2380-2382): An animated comedy focusing on the lower-deck crew.

Where to Watch: Paramount+

21. Star Trek: Prodigy (2383-2385): A 3D animated series aimed at younger audiences.

Where to Watch: Paramount+

22. Star Trek: Picard (2399-2402): A sequel series featuring Jean-Luc Picard and returning Next Generation characters.

Where to Watch: Paramount+

23. Star Trek: Discovery: Seasons 3, 4, and 5 (3188-3191): The later seasons of Discovery jump far into the future.

Where to Watch: Paramount+, Various Streaming Services & Retailers

Release Order Viewing:

This list presents the Star Trek series and films in their original release order.

1. Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-1969)
2. Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973-1974)
3. Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
4. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
5. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)
6. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
7. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)
8. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
9. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
10. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)
11. Star Trek: Generations (1994)
12. Star Trek: Voyager (1995-2001)
13. Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
14. Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
15. Star Trek: Enterprise (2001-2005)
16. Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
17. Star Trek (2009)
18. Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
19. Star Trek Beyond (2016)
20. Star Trek: Discovery (2017-2024)
21. Star Trek: Picard (2020-2023)
22. Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020-2024)
23. Star Trek: Prodigy (2021-TBA)
24. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022-Present)
25. Star Trek: Section 31 (2025)

Upcoming Star Trek Projects:

Several new Star Trek projects are in development, including new seasons of existing series and entirely new series and films.

Remember to check streaming services and retailers for availability. Enjoy your journey through the Star Trek universe!