Complete Star Trek Viewing Guide: Series and Movies in Timeline Order

Since its debut in 1966 with Star Trek: The Original Series, the Star Trek franchise has transformed entertainment, captivating global audiences with its expansive universe of shows, films, comics, and merchandise. Navigating this vast galaxy of content can be daunting, whether you prefer watching in chronological or release order. This guide simplifies your journey through the Star Trek universe, ensuring you experience every adventure seamlessly.

Finding all Star Trek series and movies is now easier with Paramount+, which hosts nearly the entire catalog of past, present, and future entries.

Join us on this voyage to the final frontier and discover how to follow the iconic journeys of Kirk, Picard, Janeway, Sisko, Spock, Pike, Archer, Burnham, and more, spanning nearly six decades of storytelling.

Rest assured, the timeline below is largely spoiler-free, preserving major plot twists for your viewing pleasure. It serves as a reliable roadmap to catch up without spoiling surprises. For those preferring release order, that sequence is also provided.

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How to Watch Star Trek in Chronological Order

1. Star Trek: Enterprise (2151-2155)

Star Trek: Enterprise kicks off our timeline, set a century before the iconic crew of Star Trek: The Original Series. Airing from 2001 to 2005, it stars Scott Bakula as Jonathan Archer, captain of Earth’s first warp-five starship, the Enterprise NX-01.

Despite its mixed reception, the series offers a compelling look at a crew navigating without advanced technology, encountering familiar alien species, and forging early interstellar alliances.

Star Trek: EnterpriseUPNSep 26, 2001

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2. Star Trek: Discovery: Seasons 1 and 2 (2256-2258)

Star Trek: Discovery’s first two seasons unfold a decade before Star Trek: The Original Series, but later seasons leap far into the future. To follow the timeline, you’ll need to switch between series and films strategically.

The show centers on Starfleet Commander Michael Burnham, played by Sonequa Martin-Green, whose actions inadvertently spark a war between the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire, leading to her court-martial and reassignment to the U.S.S. Discovery.

Star Trek: DiscoveryParamount+Jan 7, 2018

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3. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2259-TBD)

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds precedes Star Trek: The Original Series and follows Captain Christopher Pike, portrayed by Anson Mount, who appeared in Discovery’s second season. Pike, originally introduced in the unaired pilot “The Cage,” was Kirk’s predecessor.

The series explores Pike’s command of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701, blending familiar faces from The Original Series with new characters, delivering fresh adventures aboard the iconic starship.

Star Trek: Strange New WorldsParamount+May 5, 2022

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4. Star Trek: The Original Series (2265-2269)

Star Trek: The Original Series, created by Gene Roddenberry, launched the franchise in 1966, running until 1969. Despite early cancellation due to low ratings, its post-air popularity laid the groundwork for the entire Star Trek legacy.

Starring William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk and Leonard Nimoy as Spock, the series follows the U.S.S. Enterprise’s five-year mission to explore new worlds and civilizations, as Kirk’s iconic opening narration declares.

“Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before.”

Star TrekNBCSep 8, 1966

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5. Star Trek: The Animated Series (2269-2270)

Following the cancellation of Star Trek: The Original Series, its growing popularity through syndication led Gene Roddenberry to continue the Enterprise’s adventures in animated form from 1973 to 1974.

Star Trek: The Animated Series reunited many original cast members, delivering new stories of the Enterprise’s galactic explorations over two seasons.

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

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6. Star Trek: The Motion Picture (2270s)

Star Trek: The Motion Picture marked a milestone, reuniting the Original Series crew after the show’s 1969 cancellation. Initially doubted by Paramount, its development was spurred by the success of films like Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

The film follows Admiral James T. Kirk reclaiming command of a refitted U.S.S. Enterprise to confront a mysterious energy cloud known as V’Ger, setting the stage for cinematic adventures.

Star Trek: The Motion PictureParamount PicturesDec 7, 1979PG

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7. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (2285)

After a lukewarm response to the first film, Paramount replaced Gene Roddenberry with Harve Bennett and Jack B. Sowards for the sequel, directed by Nicholas Meyer. The result, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, is widely regarded as a pinnacle of the franchise.

The story pits Admiral James T. Kirk against Khan Noonien Singh, a genetically enhanced superhuman seeking vengeance after being exiled by Kirk years earlier in the episode “Space Seed.”

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

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8. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (2285)

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock continues from The Wrath of Khan, exploring the aftermath of Spock’s death. Kirk discovers Spock’s spirit resides in Dr. McCoy, leading to a daring mission involving a stolen Enterprise, encounters with Spock’s father Sarek, and clashes with Klingons.

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

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9. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (2286 and 1986)

Despite saving Spock, Kirk and his crew face consequences for stealing and losing the Enterprise. Their journey to answer for their actions leads to a time-travel mission to 1986 San Francisco to avert a catastrophic threat to Earth, diverging from the space-bound narratives of prior films.

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

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10. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (2287)

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, often considered one of the weaker entries, sees the Original Series crew’s leave interrupted by a mission to confront the Vulcan Sybok, who seeks a divine entity at the galaxy’s center.

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

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11. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (2293)

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, the final film with the full Original Series cast, centers on the Klingons. After a disaster on the Klingon moon Praxis, Chancellor Gorkon seeks peace with the Federation, leading to a mission reflecting Cold War-era tensions and bidding farewell to beloved characters.

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

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12. Star Trek: Section 31 (2326)

Star Trek: Section 31, the latest TV movie, is considered one of the weaker modern entries. Critics note it may disappoint fans while failing to engage newcomers, suggesting it might be skippable.

Its timeline placement is uncertain, with fan theories suggesting around 2326 based on Empress Philippa Georgiou’s (Michelle Yeoh) movements, though no official confirmation exists.

Star Trek: Section 31Paramount+Jan 24, 2025

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13. Star Trek: The Next Generation (2364-2370)

Star Trek: The Next Generation, often hailed as the franchise’s finest series, ran from 1987 to 1994 with 178 episodes. Led by Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard, it introduces iconic characters like Riker, Data, and Worf, many of whom return in Star Trek: Picard.

Set a century after The Original Series, it follows the U.S.S. Enterprise’s new missions, with occasional cameos from familiar faces.

Star Trek: The Next GenerationSep 28, 1987

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14. Star Trek: Generations (2293 and 2371)

Star Trek: Generations unites Captain Jean-Luc Picard with Captain James T. Kirk in a historic crossover, facing Dr. Tolian Soran, who seeks to enter the Nexus, an extra-dimensional realm, at any cost.

The film serves as a poignant bridge between The Original Series and The Next Generation, though not all beloved characters return.

Star Trek: GenerationsParamount PicturesNov 18, 1994PG

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15. Star Trek: First Contact (2373)

Star Trek: First Contact, directed by Jonathan Frakes, features the Next Generation crew battling the Borg, who aim to prevent Earth’s first warp flight and assimilate humanity.

The film explores Jean-Luc Picard’s lingering trauma from his Borg assimilation and includes nods to Deep Space Nine, enriching the franchise’s interconnected narrative.

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

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16. Star Trek: Insurrection (2375)

Star Trek: Insurrection, the least favored Next Generation film, follows Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his crew defying Federation orders to protect the Ba’Ku, an alien race on a rejuvenating planet, from threats by the Son’a and the Federation itself.

Star Trek: InsurrectionParamount PicturesDec 11, 1998PG-13

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17. Star Trek: Nemesis (2379)

Star Trek: Nemesis, the final Next Generation film, features Tom Hardy as Shinzon, a clone of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, initially mistaken for a Romulan praetor. Despite some memorable moments, it revisits familiar themes and falls short of expectations.

Star Trek: NemesisParamount PicturesDec 13, 2002PG-13

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18. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (2369-2375)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, running from 1993 to 1999, was the first series created without Gene Roddenberry, led by Rick Berman and Michael Piller. It overlapped with The Next Generation and featured crossovers with characters like Worf and O’Brien.

Set on the space station Deep Space Nine near a wormhole, it stars Avery Brooks as Captain Benjamin Sisko, exploring conflicts with the Cardassians, Bajorans, and the Dominion.

Star Trek: Deep Space NineJan 3, 1993

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19. Star Trek: Voyager (2371-2378)

Star Trek: Voyager, airing from 1995 to 2001, follows Captain Kathryn Janeway, played by Kate Mulgrew, and her crew, stranded in the Delta Quadrant after departing Deep Space Nine.

Their quest to return home introduces new alien races and challenges, with the Borg becoming a major threat, highlighted by the introduction of fan-favorite Seven of Nine.

Star Trek: VoyagerUPNJan 16, 1995

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20. Star Trek: Lower Decks (2380-2382)

Star Trek: Lower Decks, the first animated series since 1973, premiered in 2020, focusing on the lower-ranking crew of a Starfleet ship, offering lighter, humorous adventures.

With four seasons released and a fifth concluding in 2382, it features a unique crossover with Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, blending live-action and animation.

Star Trek: Lower DecksParamount+Aug 6, 2020

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21. Star Trek: Prodigy (2383-2385)

Star Trek: Prodigy, a 3D animated series aimed at younger audiences, follows a group of alien youths discovering the abandoned U.S.S. Protostar in the Delta Quadrant, striving to reach Starfleet.

Kate Mulgrew reprises her role as Kathryn Janeway, appearing as a holographic advisor, with the second season spanning 2384 to 2385.

Star Trek: ProdigyNetflixOct 28, 2021

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22. Star Trek: Picard (2399-2402)

Star Trek: Picard revisits Jean-Luc Picard, played by Patrick Stewart, 20 years after Star Trek: Nemesis, as he leaves retirement to embark on new space-time adventures with former crew members.

Its third season delivers a satisfying conclusion, offering an emotional and thrilling farewell to Picard and his extended family.

Star Trek: PicardParamount+Jan 23, 2020

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23. Star Trek: Discovery: Seasons 3, 4, and 5 (3188-3191)

Star Trek: Discovery’s later seasons leap to the 32nd Century, where Captain Michael Burnham and her crew strive to restore the weakened Federation to its former glory.

The series concluded with its fifth season in 3191, marking the end of its expansive narrative arc.

Star Trek: DiscoveryParamount+Jan 7, 2018

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How to Watch Star Trek by Order of Release