With the Star Trek franchise rapidly expanding onParamount+, now is the perfect time to boldly go explore the Star Trek Universe.
The universe is composed of 13 films and nine TV shows. Now, it’d be easy enough to watch them all in the order they premiered, but if you prefer to watch everything chronologically (when the events take place), we’ve compiled an ultimate viewing guide for you. Below, you’ll find the entire franchise organized by stardates. It starts with the oldest event in the original Star Trek timeline.
Speaking of timelines, there are two in Star Trek: The original, which includes nearly all the films and TV shows; and Kelvin, an alternative timeline that kicked off with the latest three reboot films. To better understand what we’re talking about, please read the guide below. Those of you who want to proceed spoiler-free, however, can scroll all the way to the bottom for the list version of this guide.
Also at the bottom, we’ve included another spoiler-free list. It’s structured by order of release - or when each film and TV show premiered.
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The original Star Trek timeline
The thing to remember about this order is that it is chronological - based entirely on the stardate time system in the Star Trek franchise. Think of stardates as years. In that case, the order below starts with the oldest events in the Star Trek Universe - but it excludes the Kelvin timeline films.
There are spoilers below.
1Star Trek: Enterprise
The first to boldly go where no man has gone before
Star Trek: Enterprise
Enterprise follows the adventures of one of the first starships to explore deep space in the Star Trek Universe.
Set right before the founding of the Federation of Planets (and about 100 years before the original Star Trek series), Star Trek: Enterprise is a TV show that follows the adventures of Captain Jack Archer, played by Scott Bakula, and the Starship Enterprise crew. This ship is the first Federation vessel to have Warp 5 capabilities, allowing its crew to be among the first deep-space explorers.
The series introduces many of the different alien species important to the Star Trek Universe, such as the Vulcans and Klingons. It also begins to lay the groundwork for the Federation of Planets, in the fourth and final season.
2Star Trek: Discovery seasons 1 and 2
Discover a new type of starship, set ten years before the original series
Star Trek: Discovery
The first two seasons of Discovery is set ten years before the original series as the crew of the titular ship tests an impressive new warp drive.
Star Trek: Discovery follows Michael Burnham, played by Sonequa Martin-Green, the first officer aboard the USS Shenzhou before she is found guilty of mutineering. However, with the Federation at war with the Klingons, the captain of the new Discovery ship, Gabriel Lorca, played by Jason Isaacs, enlists Burnham to help get the ship’s experimental warp drive properly working.
Discovery’s early setting in the Star Trek universe was changed with a leap through time at the end of season two, which is why we’re placing the recently released third season elsewhere on our list.
3Star Trek: Strange New World
A direct prequel to the original series.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Strange New Worlds follows the early adventures of the Starship Enterprise, before Kirk became its captain.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds stars Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike.
Pike will be a familiar name to Star Trek fans, as Pike is the man who commanded the starship Enterprise before Captain Kirk. The series follows Pike doing just that, in his final five-year mission as captain of the Enterprise before he becomes Fleet Captain and hands the reigns to Captain Kirk.
This being a prequel to the original Star Trek series, there are also other recognizable names, with Ethan Peck playing Spock and Celia Rose-Gooding as Uhara. A third season is currently in production.
4Star Trek: The Original Series
Where it all began
Star Trek: The Original Series
The original Star Trek series follows Captain Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the crew as they boldly go where no man has gone before.
This is the original Star Trek TV show. It began airing in 1966 and primarily follows the crew of the USS Enterprise, starting with them embarking on a 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”.
The series introduces William Shatner’s Captain James T Kirk and Leonard Nimoy’s Spock, too.
It also gives us the basis for the universe that makes Star Trek so successful, from introducing numerous alien species like the Vulcans and Klingons to showing us the inner workings of the Federation of Planets. The origins of the Star Trek Universe wouldn’t exist without it.
5Optional Star Trek: The Animated Series
Continue the journey with the original crew
Star Trek: Animated
Continue the adventures of the original series in this animated version that sees most of the cast return to voice their characters.
After The Original Series ended, it quickly became a cult classic. Creator Gene Roddenberry then began work on an animated series that saw most of the original cast provide voice work for the animated versions of their characters. The show essentially functions as the fourth season of the original series, with the original characters navigating unexplored sections of space.
However, it was eliminated from canon by Roddenberry himself, when the rights were renegotiated following the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation. So, if you want to consume every drop of Star Trek content, add this to your list.
6Star Trek: The Motion Picture
The first Star Trek Movie
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Captain Kirk, his crew, and a newly remodeled Enterprise head out to investigate an alien entity known as V’ger.
This is the first feature film in the Star Trek Universe. It sees Captain James T Kirk retake the helm of a renovated USS Enterprise to investigate a mysterious cloud of energy that is moving toward Earth. The energy cloud destroys a Federation monitoring station, as well as three Klingon ships, but before Kirk is able to engage it, he must learn to operate an unfamiliar USS Enterprise.
7Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan
Stardate: 2285
The crew of the Enterprise faces off against it’s most fearsome adversary, Khan.
The second Star Trek movie is perhaps the most successful entry in the franchise. It sees Captain James T Kirk taking command of a USS Enterprise staffed with untested trainees in order to track down the adversary Khan Noonien Singh and his genetically engineered super soldiers.
In the process of escaping a planet that Kirk trapped him on, Khan learns of a secret device known as Genesis, capable of re-organizing matter to terraform (make them habitable) planets. Khan tries to steal the device, but, of course, Kirk will do all he can to stop him.
8Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
The crew of the Enterprise try to resurrect Spock
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Captain Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise set out on a mission to recover Spock’s body and bring him back to life.
Following their battle with Khan, the crew of the USS Enterprise returns home to Earth in this third feature film.
Once there, Leonard H “Bones” McCoy, played by DeForest Kelley, begins to act strangely, leading to him being detained. Captain James T Kirk, with the help of Spock’s father, Sarek, played by Mark Lenard, then learns that Spock transferred his Katra into McCoy before dying.
If nothing is done, McCoy will die from carrying Spock’s Katra. So, the crew of the USS Enterprise go back to the site of their battle with Khan - in the hopes of retrieving Spock’s body. To top it all off, they must battle with the Klingon Kruge, played by Christopher Lloyd, over control of the Genesis Device. The Search for Spock is also directed by Spock himself, Leonard Nimoy.
9Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
Earth is in danger and the only hope is humpback whales
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
The Enterprise travels back in time to 1986 and has to untangle a mystery involving humpback whales and an alien probe.
In this film, a mysterious ship begins orbiting Earth and destroys the planet’s power grid. It emits strange noises, too, and the newly resurrected Spock realizes the sound is similar to the now-extinct humpback whale. Believing the strange ship is expecting to hear back the song of humpback whales, the crew goes around the Sun and travels back in time to 1986 to get a humpback whale.
Nimoy returned to direct this film, as well.
10Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
The Enterprise crew must face off with Spock’s brother, Sybok
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
The Enterprise heads out on a mission to rescue hostages from the planet Nimbus 3.
After finishing a mission, Kirk, Spock, and Bones are enjoying a camping trip in Yosemite in this film when they are ordered to rescue hostages on the planet Nimbus III. But, once arriving on the planet, the crew realizes Spock’s half-brother, Sybok, is responsible for taking the hostages in order to lure a starship, with the hopes of reaching the mythical planet Sha Ka Ree and meeting a God.
Sybok realizes he’ll need Kirk’s expertise to navigate through the barrier at the centre of the Milky Way that leads to this mythical planet. Along the way, the Klingon Kraa decides to hunt Kirk. The Final Frontier is also the only Star Trek film directed by William Shatner.
