Star Trek Legacy: Unraveling the Episodic Tapestry

Embark on a comprehensive journey through the Star Trek universe! This guide provides two viewing paths: chronological order and release order, ensuring you don't miss a single adventure. Paramount+ simplifies access to nearly all Star Trek content, past, present, and future.

Prepare for warp speed as we explore the voyages of Kirk, Picard, Janeway, Sisko, Spock, and more, spanning over 56 years of iconic storytelling. This spoiler-free guide helps you navigate the vast Star Trek landscape without ruining key plot points.

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Chronological Viewing OrderRelease Order Viewing Order

Chronological Viewing Order

1. Star Trek: Enterprise (2151-2155): Journey to the origins of Starfleet, a century before Kirk's era. Follow Captain Jonathan Archer and the crew of the Enterprise NX-01, Earth's first warp 5 capable starship. Experience first contact with familiar alien species and witness the development of Starfleet technology.

   Star Trek: EnterpriseUPNSep 26, 2001

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2. Star Trek: Discovery: Seasons 1 and 2 (2256-2258): A decade before the original series, witness the events leading to a war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. Follow Commander Michael Burnham's journey aboard the U.S.S. Discovery. (Note: Seasons 3-5 jump significantly forward in time; they are listed later in this chronological order.)

   Star Trek: DiscoveryParamount+Jan 7, 2018

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3. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2259-TBD): Experience the adventures of Captain Christopher Pike aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise, preceding Kirk's command. Encounter familiar faces and new characters in this prequel series.

   Star Trek: Strange New WorldsParamount+May 5, 2022

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4. Star Trek: The Original Series (2265-2269): The iconic beginning! Explore strange new worlds with Captain Kirk, Spock, and the crew of the Enterprise.

   Star TrekNBCSep 8, 1966

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5. Star Trek's Kelvin Timeline (2009's Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, and Star Trek Beyond): An alternate timeline reboot featuring familiar characters. These films can be viewed at any point in your journey.

   Where to Watch: Paramount+

6. Star Trek: The Animated Series (2269-2270): Continue the adventures of the original Enterprise crew in animated form.

   Star Trek: The Animated Series [1973]NBCSep 8, 1973

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7. Star Trek: The Motion Picture (2270s): The first Star Trek film, reuniting the original crew to face a mysterious alien entity.

   Star Trek: The Motion PictureParamount PicturesDec 7, 1979PG

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8. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (2285): A classic confrontation between Kirk and Khan Noonien Singh.

   Star Trek II: The Wrath of KhanParamount PicturesJun 4, 1982PG

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9. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (2285): The Enterprise crew embarks on a daring mission to recover Spock's katra.

   Star Trek III: The Search for SpockParamount PicturesJun 1, 1984PG

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10. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (2286 and 1986): Time travel and a unique mission to save Earth.

    Star Trek IV: The Voyage HomeParamount PicturesNov 26, 1986PG

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11. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (2287): A less celebrated adventure featuring a search for God.

    Star Trek V: The Final FrontierParamount PicturesJun 9, 1989PG

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12. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (2293): A political thriller focusing on Klingon-Federation relations.

    Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered CountryParamount PicturesDec 6, 1991PG

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13. Star Trek: Section 31 (2326): (Consider skipping based on critical reception) A controversial entry focusing on Section 31. The precise placement on the timeline is debated.

    Star Trek: Section 31Paramount+Jan 24, 2025

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14. Star Trek: The Next Generation (2364-2370): A highly acclaimed series following Captain Picard and the crew of the Enterprise-D.

    Star Trek: The Next GenerationSep 28, 1987

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

    Star Trek: GenerationsParamount PicturesNov 18, 1994PG

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16. Star Trek: First Contact (2373): A thrilling encounter with the Borg.

    Star Trek: First ContactParamount PicturesNov 22, 1996PG-13

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17. Star Trek: Insurrection (2375): The Next Generation crew confronts a threat to a peaceful alien civilization.

    Star Trek: InsurrectionParamount PicturesDec 11, 1998PG-13

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18. Star Trek: Nemesis (2379): The final Next Generation film, featuring a clone of Picard.

    Star Trek: NemesisParamount PicturesDec 13, 2002PG-13

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19. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (2369-2375): A series set on a space station near a wormhole, featuring conflicts with the Cardassians and Dominion.

    Star Trek: Deep Space NineJan 3, 1993

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

    Star Trek: VoyagerUPNJan 16, 1995

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21. Star Trek: Lower Decks (2380-2382): An animated comedy focusing on the support crew.

    Star Trek: Lower DecksParamount+Aug 6, 2020

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

    Star Trek: ProdigyNetflixOct 28, 2021

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23. Star Trek: Picard (2399-2402): A sequel series featuring Picard and returning characters from The Next Generation.

    StarTrek: PicardParamount+Jan 23, 2020

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24. Star Trek: Discovery: Seasons 3, 4, and 5 (3188-3191): A significant time jump into the 32nd century.

    Star Trek: DiscoveryParamount+Jan 7, 2018

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Release Order Viewing Order

This section lists all Star Trek entries in their original release order.

Star Trek: The Original Series (1966 - 1969)Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973 - 1974)Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1984)Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987 - 1994)Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993 - 1999)Star Trek: Generations (1994)Star Trek: Voyager (1995 - 2001)Star Trek: First Contact (1996)Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)Star Trek: Enterprise (2001 - 2005)Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)Star Trek (2009)Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)Star Trek Beyond (2016)Star Trek: Discovery (2017 - 2024)Star Trek: Picard (2020 - 2023)Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020 - 2024)Star Trek: Prodigy (2021 - TBA)Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022 - Present)Star Trek: Section 31 (2025)

Upcoming Star Trek Projects

Several new Star Trek projects are in development, including:

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – Season 3 (TV series – 2025)Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (TV series – 2025-2026)Untitled live-action comedy (TV series – TBA)Toby Haynes's Star Trek (Movie – TBA)Star Trek 4 (Movie – TBA)