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"Star Trek Viewing Guide: Complete Series Timeline"

Author：Kristen Update：May 27,2025

Since its groundbreaking debut in 1966 with "Star Trek: The Original Series," the franchise has revolutionized the entertainment industry, captivating audiences worldwide with its visionary storytelling and iconic characters. Over the years, Star Trek has evolved into a vast universe, encompassing multiple TV shows, movies, comics, and an array of merchandise, creating a legacy that continues to inspire and entertain. With such an expansive collection of content, navigating the Star Trek timeline—whether by chronological order or release date—can be challenging. This comprehensive guide is designed to help you embark on your Star Trek journey, ensuring you don't miss any of the thrilling adventures that have defined this beloved saga over the past 56 years.

Thanks to Paramount+, accessing nearly all of Star Trek's past, present, and future entries has become more straightforward, making it easier than ever to dive into the universe of Kirk, Picard, Janeway, Sisko, Spock, Pike, Archer, Burnham, and many others who have left an indelible mark on the franchise.

Join us as we explore the final frontier and provide you with a detailed roadmap to catch up on all the Star Trek adventures. The guide below offers a mostly spoiler-free chronological timeline, allowing you to enjoy the journey without significant plot reveals. Additionally, we've included a list of all Star Trek content in release order for those who prefer to experience the series as it was originally presented.

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How to Watch Star Trek in Chronological Order How to Watch Star Trek by Release Order

How to Watch Star Trek in Chronological Order ---------------------------------------------

1. Star Trek: Enterprise (2151-2155)

"Star Trek: Enterprise" marks the earliest entry in our chronological journey, set a century before the adventures of Kirk and Spock in "The Original Series." Airing from 2001 to 2005, the series follows Scott Bakula's Captain Jonathan Archer as he commands the Enterprise NX-01, Earth's first starship capable of reaching warp five. This series offers a unique perspective on a crew navigating the galaxy without the advanced technology seen in later shows, exploring first contacts with familiar alien species and pioneering new frontiers.

Star Trek: Enterprise UPN Sep 26, 2001

Where to Watch

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

Navigating the Star Trek timeline can be tricky, as "Star Trek: Discovery" introduces a time jump in its narrative. The first two seasons, set a decade before "The Original Series," follow Sonequa Martin-Green's Commander Michael Burnham, who inadvertently sparks a war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. After her court-martial, she's reassigned to the U.S.S. Discovery, setting the stage for a series of events that will eventually propel the show into the future.

Star Trek: Discovery Paramount+ Jan 7, 2018

Where to Watch

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

"Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" picks up just before "The Original Series," featuring Anson Mount's Captain Christopher Pike, who was introduced in "Discovery" Season 2. Pike's character has roots in the original pilot episode "The Cage," and this series delves deeper into his story and those of other familiar faces from "The Original Series." Set aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701, the series offers a blend of new adventures and beloved characters.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Paramount+ May 5, 2022

Where to Watch

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

The journey continues with "Star Trek: The Original Series," the franchise's cornerstone that launched in 1966 and introduced the world to Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and Spock (Leonard Nimoy). Despite its cancellation after three seasons due to low ratings, the series found a second life in syndication, setting the stage for the expansive universe that followed. The iconic opening monologue by Kirk encapsulates the series' mission: "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 man has gone before."

Star Trek NBC Sep 8, 1966

Where to Watch

Bonus: Star Trek’s Kelvin Timeline (2009’s Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, and Star Trek Beyond)

Where to Watch Star Trek: Hulu, Paramount+

Where to Watch Star Trek Into Darkness: Paramount+

Where to Watch Star Trek Beyond: Paramount+

J.J. Abrams's 2009 "Star Trek" reboot introduced the Kelvin Timeline, an alternate universe featuring familiar characters but with different actors and a changed history due to events in 2233. These films—"Star Trek," "Star Trek Into Darkness," and "Star Trek Beyond"—can be watched at any point, but they offer rewarding callbacks to "The Original Series," especially with Leonard Nimoy's return as Spock.

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

Following the popularity of "The Original Series" in syndication, Gene Roddenberry brought back many of the original cast for "Star Trek: The Animated Series," which aired from 1973 to 1974. This series continued the adventures of the Enterprise crew in animated form, exploring new corners of the galaxy.

Star Trek: The Animated Series [1973] NBC Sep 8, 1973

Where to Watch

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

"Star Trek: The Motion Picture" marked the return of the original crew to the big screen in 1979, after the cancellation of the series. Initially faced with resistance from Paramount, the film's success paved the way for future cinematic adventures. In this film, Admiral James T. Kirk retakes command of the refitted U.S.S. Enterprise to confront the mysterious V'Ger.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture Paramount Pictures Dec 7, 1979 PG

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

"Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" is often hailed as one of the best films in the franchise. Directed by Nicholas Meyer, this 1982 film pits Admiral Kirk and the Enterprise crew against the vengeful Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban), a genetically engineered superhuman exiled by Kirk in the original series episode "Space Seed."

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Paramount Pictures Jun 4, 1982 PG