Complete list of every official Star Trek show and movie from 1966 to 2027. Viewing order here is mostly release order with a few things switched around for simplicity. Watching this franchise in chronological order is pretty much impossible and wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense.
I included links for the shorts, everything else can be found on paramount + (or Netflix in the case of Star Trek Prodigy)
- Star Trek (2009)
- Star Trek: Into Darkness
- Star Trek: Beyond
Known as the Kelvin timeline or J.J Abrams trilogy, these movies are part reboot, part prequel and part sequel. It’s listed later on in the viewing order but I also placed them here because it is in my opinion the most accessible way for modern audiences to be introduced into the world of Star Trek. It’s fun watching it here before you’ve seen anything Star Trek related and then watching it later after having seen everything that came before it to compare how much more references and context you now understand.
TOS era
- Star Trek S1-3
Now known as Star Trek the original series (TOS), where the franchise began. Some would recommend watching the episodes in production order but it’s a very episodic show so release order is fine.
Note that this series had an unaired pilot called ‘The Cage’ this isn’t necessary to watch as all of its footage is used as part of a 2 parter episode later on.
- Star Trek: The Animated Series S1-2
Primitively animated show released in the 70’s continuing the adventures of the original team. Most would probably say this is skippable but watch it if you’re a completionist.
- Star Trek: The Motion Picture
- Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
- Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
- Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
- Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
- Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
The 6 Star Trek movies focusing on the original cast, they vary in quality. Movies 2, 3 and 4 form a sort of unofficial trilogy, the others are mostly isolated adventures. Movies 5 and 6 released whilst The Next Generation was airing but there’s no real crossover or references.
TNG era
The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager and the 4 TNG movies all take place in the same timeframe and have some crossover so I put together this list for how to accurately watch them in the correct chronological and narrative order with as little switching between the shows as possible. Star Trek: Enterprise is a prequel to TOS but also serves as a sort of epilogue to the TNG era.
- TNG S1 - S6 e11
Set around 100 years after the original series, many would say the first 2 seasons aren’t great but it massively improves from season 3 onwards
- DS9 S1
- TNG S6 e12 - S7 e1
- DS9 S2 e1 - S2 e19
- TNG S7 e2 - S7 e20
- DS9 S2 e20 - S2 e21
- TNG S7 e21 - S7 e25 (End)
- DS9 S2 e22 - S3 e10
- Star Trek: Generations
-765874
https://youtu.be/Ng8qTIythnA
-765874 - Memory Wall
https://youtu.be/fzeznWVQu5o
-765874- Regeneration
https://youtu.be/_KXU2Ob8gYY
-765874 - Unification
https://youtu.be/mgOZFny7F50
Series of short, somewhat cerebral, fan made films totalling no more than 15 minutes. Included here just because they contain the final time William Shatner ever played Captain Kirk but can be skipped.
- Voyager S1
- DS9 S3 e11 - S4 e24
- Voyager S2 e1 - S3 e9
- DS9 S4 e25 - S5 e13
- Star Trek: First Contact
- Voyager S3 e10 - S3 e25
- DS9 S5 e14 - S6 e6
- Voyager S3 e26 - S4 e26
- DS9 S6 e7 - S7 e9
- Star Trek: Insurrection
- DS9 S7 e10 - S7 e25 (End)
- Voyager S5 e1 - S7 e24 (End)
- Star Trek: Nemesis
- Star Trek: Enterprise S1-4
Enterprise is set around 100 years before TOS and 100 years after First Contact
Kelvin Timeline
- Star Trek (2009)
- Star Trek: Into Darkness
- Star Trek: Beyond
You can now rewatch these movies as a certified Star Trek nerd.
Kurtzman Era
Starting in 2017 with the first season of Star Trek Discovery. This era is pretty hard to put into a viewing order as they had multiple different shows taking place in different time periods all releasing concurrently. This order should be fine though.
Many would argue this entire era takes place in a separate timeline and isn’t canon but I’ll let you be the judge of that.
- Picard S1-3
Takes place around 30 years after the end of TNG, also in some ways continues on from Star Trek (2009) but in the original timeline.
- Discovery S1
- Short Treks S1
- Discovery S2
- Short Treks S2
- Discovery S3
- Star Trek: Section 31
- Discovery S4-5
- Starfleet Academy S1-2
Discovery is originally set around a decade before TOS, S3 then jumps 900 years into the future and continues on in that time period. Starfleet Academy is a sequel series set in the same time period.
Section 31 is a spin off movie focusing on Michelle Yeoh’s character from Discovery, due to some time travel shenanigans it’s set some time between TOS and TNG
- Star Trek: Prodigy S1-2
Aimed at kids but many adult fans also enjoy it, takes place some time after Star Trek: Nemesis
- Star Trek: Scouts S1-2
Aimed at toddlers, unclear when it takes place and isn’t really considered canon
- Strange New Worlds S1
- Lower Decks S1-3
- Strange New Worlds S2
- Very Short Treks S1
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkvwT_FSlkWYaRalXuaDJhPZW3QI9qWYx&si=-bW1mGRRZ_HoIWSp
- Lower Decks S4-5
- Strange New Worlds S3-5
SNW continues on from Discovery S2 and serves as a supposed prequel to TOS (with many continuity errors). Lower Decks is an animated comedy series taking place some time after Star Trek: Nemesis. The shows are grouped together like this because there is a crossover episode.