Revised May 2013, but then I forgot to upload the new version before August. “Optional starting points” have been added in recognition of the fact that it may be tedious and/or impractical for potential new fans to acquire and view everything from the beginning. From whichever point viewing of Star Trek is begun, it is recommended that viewing proceeds as described here. Television series can generally stand on their own and be viewed (or excluded) individually; however, due to the chronological overlap in later series, I don't personally recommend this. This guide is copyright ©2008–13 Vid the Kid. Star Trek is copyright © Paramount.
| Audience Year(s) |
Story Year(s) |
Story Stardate(s) |
Season(s) or Movie(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 2254 | Unknown | “The Cage” | Original pilot for Star Trek, rejected by NBC. Released to public in 1988. Footage recycled in TOS season 1 episode “The Menagerie”. |
| 1966 – 1969 | 2265 – 2269 | 1300 – 5990 | TOS s. 1 – 3 | Optional starting point: content was produced with assumption viewers hadn't seen “The Cage”. Stardates somewhat random. |
| 1973 – 1974 | 2269 – 2270 | 1200 – 7400 | TAS | Not canon. Stardates very random. |
| 1979 | 2272 | 7412.6 | TMP | Optional starting point: production values are higher from this point onward. For the first six films, especially this one, the Collector's or Director's Edition is significantly better. |
| 1982 | 2285 | 8130.3 | Wrath of Khan | Considered by many to be the best Star Trek film. Starts a kind of trilogy. |
| 1985 | 2285 | 8210.3 | Search for Spock | |
| 1986 | 2285 | 8390.0 | Voyage Home | End of story arc beginning with Wrath of Khan |
| 1987 | 2287 | 8454.1 | Final Frontier | |
| 1987 – 1991 | 2364 – 2367 | 41100 – 44995 | TNG s. 1 – 4 | Optional starting point: entirely new cast, considerable forward “time skip”. |
| 1991 | 2293 | 9521.6 | Undiscovered Country | As this film takes place long before TNG begins, it's the first (and for several years, the only) departure from linear storytelling in Star Trek. It could be seen as an isolated "flashback" compared to the television episodes airing at the time. |
| 1991 – 1992 | 2367 – 2368 | 45020 – 45960 | TNG s. 5 | |
| 1992 – 1994 | 2368 – 2370 | 46000 – 47990 | TNG s. 6 – 7 & DS9 s. 1 – 2 | |
| 1994 | 2371 | 48650.1 | Generations | First “Next Generation” film. |
| 1994 – 1996 | 2370 – 2372 | 48200 – 49970 | DS9 s. 3 – 4 & VOY s. 1 – 2 | |
| 1996 | 2373 | 50893.5 | First Contact | |
| 1996 – 1998 | 2372 – 2374 | 50020 – 51980 | DS9 s. 5 – 6 & VOY s. 3 – 4 | Sexy Jeri Ryan joins Voyager at end of season 3 / beginning of season 4. |
| 1998 | 2375 | Unknown | Insurrection | |
| 1998 – 1999 | 2374 – 2375 | 52080 – 52900 | DS9 s. 7 & VOY s. 5 | |
| 1999 – 2001 | 2375 – 2378 | 53000 – 54975 | VOY s. 6 – 7 | |
| 2001 – 2002 | 2151 – 2152 | N/A | ENT s. 1 | Optional starting point: this series is set the earliest in future history (excluding individual time-travel plots). Star trek storytelling takes a major backward “time skip” at this point. |
| 2002 | 2379 | 56844.9 | Nemesis | This film is a continuation of the “Next Generation” films, and not closely related to the Enterprise television episodes airing at the time of its release. |
| 2002 – 2005 | 2152 – 2155 | N/A | ENT s. 2 – 4 | |
| 2005 | 2370 & 2161 | 47457.1 | “These Are the Voyages...” | ENT final episode, technically takes place during a TNG episode. A lot of viewers felt cheated by this. |
| 2009 | 2387 | 64333.4 – 64467.14 | “Star Trek: Countdown” | 4-issue graphic novel of unclear canon status. Details the late-24th-century events which give rise to the alternate 23rd-century timeline. |
| 2009 | mostly 2258, in an alternate timeline | Unknown | Star Trek | Optional starting point: Strictly speaking, this movie makes sense if you haven't seen everything else. But then you miss out on a lot of inside jokes. |
| 2013 | 2259 | Unknown | Star Trek Into Darkness | Same alternate timeline begun in previous film. |
There are a few plot connections between movies and series. Here are the ones that I'm aware of: