Best way to watch all of Star Trek?

Discussion in 'General Trek Discussion' started by benmrii, Jul 26, 2013.

  1. benmrii

    benmrii Ensign Newbie

    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2013
    Location:
    North Carolina
    As a brief introduction, I recently realized I'd enjoyed all the Star Trek I'd ever seen but was very aware that it was a tiny portion of the whole and did not include a single episode of the original series. I decided to watch all of it, every episode and movie, in an ideal order. Following suggestions from a blog post I skipped The Cage, started with Where No Man Has Gone Before, and have since watched them in (Netflix's) order through Obsession.

    Watching them has been great and as I had questions and a desire to know more I kept finding myself reading threads here. With a respect for this community I now want to throw the question to you: what recommendations would you make to someone committed to watching all of Star Trek, the vast majority of it for the first time?

    Apologies if this has already been discussed but I was unable to find an existing thread on the subject. I look forward to your input!
     
  2. R. Star

    R. Star Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2012
    Location:
    Shangri-La
    Always watch them in order, though skipping the Cage is appropriate. But as for a whole series watchlist... chronological order is mostly the best.

    The Original Series(all 3 seasons)
    The Animated Series(strictly optional, some people like it, some don't, for the most part I didn't)
    Star Trek: Movies 1-6
    Star Trek: The Next Generation(Seasons 1-6)
    Star Trek: Deep Space 9(Season 1)
    Star Trek: The Next Generation(season 7)
    Star Trek: Deep Space 9(season 2)
    Star Trek: Generations(the movie)
    Star Trek: Deep Space 9(seasons 3-5)
    Star Trek: First Contact
    Star Trek: Deep Space 9(seasons 6)
    Star Trek: Insurrection
    Star Trek: Deep Space 9(season 7)
    Star Trek: Voyager(seasons 1-7)
    Star Trek: Nemesis
    Star Trek: Enterprise(seasons 1-4)
    Star Trek(2009 movie)
    Star Trek: Into Darkness

    That roughly will keep everything in order. TNG, it's movies and DS9 crossed over a number of times and referenced each other numerous times. Voyager, while taking place at the same time as the later parts of DS9, is quite literally in a completely seperate setting as they're not interacting, so for simplicity's sake I'd just suggest watching it on it's own run. While Enterprise takes place before TOS, it contains numerous references and easter eggs to what comes after it in the timeline that to get the full experience you really should watch it after.

    Hope that helps some. As I said, if you want to watch all of TNG in 1 run, and all of DS9 in another, you won't detract from the experience that much, just be prepared for some common settings, events and what not. Really whatever order you go in, you can't go too wrong. And of course, welcome to the board! :)
     
  3. bbjeg

    bbjeg Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    May 24, 2013
    Location:
    Right here buddy.
    ^A good list, but be sure to intertwine episodes, especially after crossovers like DS9's "Emissary" and TNG's "Birthright". Also start Voyager after season 3 of DS9 without passing season 5 of Voyager until completing DS9.

    I kinda did that for this:
    http://youtu.be/AITmqxmI4uo
    A Prime Trek tribute.
     
    Last edited: Jul 26, 2013
  4. DalekJim

    DalekJim Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2009
    Location:
    Great Britain
    The Cage is arguably the best episode in all of Star Trek. Go back and check dat shit.

    When I got my friends in to Star Trek I made them watch the best 10 TOS episodes, then started them with TNG S3 because I knew they didn't have the patience that hardcore sci-fi fans do.
     
    Last edited: Jul 26, 2013
  5. Greg Cox

    Greg Cox Admiral Premium Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2004
    Location:
    Lancaster, PA
    Probably not a bad plan!
     
  6. benmrii

    benmrii Ensign Newbie

    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2013
    Location:
    North Carolina
    Awesome, I appreciate the replies.

    Thank you for the welcome and for taking the time to pull that list together, R. Star. It's clear and I think it would serve well as the foundation of my plan.

    I'll keep that in mind. It's interesting to watch TOS and realize how these early episodes not only stood alone but were developing the foundation for so much more to come in several iterations of Star Trek. For example, a comment that might have otherwise seemed offhand about Spock or Vulcans has become a canonical truth about an alien race in an ever-growing enterprise (if you'll pardon the horrible pun).

    All that to say: I will keep it in mind and am curious to see how I feel about intertwining episodes (not just series and seasons) once I am into the more recent television series.

    The blog post I mentioned above stated that portions of The Cage are considered non-canon and continues: "The parts of the episode which ARE within established continuity are presented in the two-part Season One episode, 'The Menagerie.'" Based on your suggestion I will watch The Cage at some point, but thought I'd mention this to explain why I skipped it initially.

    And now if you'll excuse me, next up: The Trouble with Tribbles.
     
  7. BillJ

    BillJ The King of Kings Admiral

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2001
    Location:
    America, Fuck Yeah!!!
    The Cage is much, much better than The Menagerie.
     
  8. Third Nacelle

    Third Nacelle Captain Captain

    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2013
    Location:
    The Denorios Belt
  9. Data's Cat

    Data's Cat Lieutenant Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2013
    Location:
    Texas
  10. Roboturner913

    Roboturner913 Commander Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Jan 8, 2011
    The Cage is possibly Star Trek distilled into its purest form. I have no idea why anyone would discourage you from watching it, much less declare it "noncanon."
     
  11. Anji

    Anji Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Jan 7, 2003
    Location:
    Assisting in the birth of baby Horta on Janus VI
    Completely agree here. The Cage is the best Star Trek you will ever see.

    But, in my opinion, in whatever order you watch your Trek in watch it with friends.

    Get some pizza and hot wings and sit with your bros and enjoy. Nothing like the audience experience.
     
  12. JirinPanthosa

    JirinPanthosa Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2012
    Location:
    JirinPanthosa
    A month ago on a family vacation my mother informed me she decided to finally watch DS9 and Voyager, in intertwining chronological order. DS9 seasons 1-3, Voyager season 1, DS9 season 4, Voyager season 2, etc.

    She saw TNG when it first aired but never saw the other series.
     
  13. GameOn

    GameOn Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2012
    Despite some references and the occasional crossover each series and movie is mostly self contained. So long as you know when each series or movie takes place chronologically you'll usually be fine if you just want to watch one at a time.

    The Original Series & Animated Series
    Movies 1-6
    The Next Generation (Watch DS9 1x01 Emissary before TNG 6x16 Birthright)
    Movies 7-10
    Deep Space 9 (Watch Movie 7 before season 4)
    Voyager
    Enterprise
    Movies 11-12
     
  14. TheSubCommander

    TheSubCommander Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    May 5, 2013

    :rolleyes:

    OMG! NOT!!!

    The ONLY reason to watch The Cage is to be a completist. It is great fun to see the original pilot to the original show, and you may want to see it before seeing Where No Man Has Gone Before (the second pilot) but it is FAR from the best episode EVAR. You get everything you need to know about the Cage, in the Menagerie, so if you skip it, you miss nothing important.
     
  15. Forbin

    Forbin Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 15, 2001
    Location:
    I said out, dammit!
  16. The Old Mixer

    The Old Mixer Mih ssim, mih ssim, nam, daed si Xim. Moderator

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2002
    Location:
    The Old Mixer, Somewhere in Connecticut
    I have to agree with the basic point two posts above on "The Cage"...the bulk of the story is covered in "The Menagerie", and it doesn't make a lot of sense to watch the two in close proximity. Watching "The Cage" is like watching an extended director's cut with deleted scenes.

    I'm also in favor of viewing each series separately. In the DVD age, watching a series can gain a certain momentum, and you might not appreciate one if you're always wanting to get back to the other.
     
  17. benmrii

    benmrii Ensign Newbie

    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2013
    Location:
    North Carolina
    That is an incredible list and I can imagine its merit. (It also humbles me as I realize how much there is for me to see!) However, as someone who is now a little more than halfway through TOS having never seen it or a single episode of DS9, VOY, or ENT, I think that probably is better suited for someone who knows more about Star Trek than I do. As R. Star stated earlier: “While Enterprise takes place before TOS, it contains numerous references and easter eggs to what comes after it in the timeline that to get the full experience you really should watch it after.” Since I would be almost certainly oblivious to much of those, I think my first experience of Enterprise should probably come after so much that came before in production. More familiar with the series, or perhaps a second watch-through, I think a fully chronological time-line order would be fantastic.

    I’m genuinely happy to hear a resounding call for me to watch The Cage and will. If this pursuit alone doesn’t make it clear, I am indeed a “completist” in the best/worst sense. :) I’ll plan on fitting it in between TOS and TAS.

    At this point I agree and my plan is not to intertwine episodes, though probably seasons. Several of the suggestions point to that and I don’t think it will be disruptive to the degree that individual episodes might while allowing for some interplay.

    And now it's time to watch The Immunity Syndrome.
     
  18. GameOn

    GameOn Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2012
    It's a good idea in theory but I can't imagine watching some of DS9's season finales and then stopping to go and watch 26 episodes of Voyager.
     
  19. IzzyAtWarp9

    IzzyAtWarp9 Commander Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2013
    Location:
    221C Baker Street
    WITH YOUR EYYYYYYYYYYES
     
  20. IzzyAtWarp9

    IzzyAtWarp9 Commander Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2013
    Location:
    221C Baker Street
    Haha I'm soooo funny