I understand that this is what is riling people here. I'll stick by my guns though. Everyone likes what they like, hell people watch Big Brother. It's still an awful program though. People no doubt enjoyed Halle Berry as Catwoman....it was still an awful film. I love TOS, you love TOS, many of us here do...but I feel aside from all of that personal preference it is actually the worst. It has two decent seasons and was cancelled after the third. It just doesn't have the quality of the others.
You can have your opinion that it's the worst just fine. I'll even support your right to hold onto that opinion. But none of our opinions about how the shows rank from best to worst are objective.
It would of course be necessary to establish criteria to discuss this in depth in any meaningful way. By that I mean that as a series TNG ran longer (though on a third rate network nobody remembers) and therefore could be argued that it was better in that way. TOS has had more movies so by that criteria it was more successful. An opinion needs no criteria because everybody has one even the most irrational. I have laid out my rationale for why TOS is better but I will reiterate: It has had more movies, and is now having remakes made. The character interaction and chemistry is second to none, it was ahead of it's time and succeed in entering American pop culture even while operating on a shoestring. It is often compared with such huge successes as Star Wars. TNG was a successful TV show. TOS is an American icon.
TNG and DS9 ran in first-run syndication (where Paramount sold the shows to individual stations). Voyager and Enterprise ran on the United Paramount Network.
You could also say that TOS has more spin-off series. That makes it sound like TOS can't be beat, but it still doesn't address the pertinent question. Having more this or that than other series doesn't address what watching individual episodes does for the people watching them. It's that experience that is entirely subjective. That's the only thing that matters in this discussion, as per the OP, vis-à-vis "favorite Star Trek series." That's why arguing about it is utterly pointless.
I like them all. 1. DS9: Well handled story arc , most interesting characters, makes most extensive use of minor and reoccurring characters, & more realistic darker tone. The most believable environment of all the series. 2. TNG: Picard, Data, Worf, Geordi, & Troi are among my favorite characters of all of ST. The Borg episodes are among my favorite ST episodes. Love the use of the holodeck. 3. TOS: Cheesy as hell and not enough really good episodes but its still the original and was light years ahead of it's time in a variety of respects. Nimoy is absolutely amazing as Spock. 4. ENT: Rough start, too much retconning, poorly developed characters, 2nd weakest Captain and a horrible theme song. Also, some great episodes here and there. Phlox is a great character. Jeffrey Combs' excellent portrayal of Shram nearly singlehandedly saved the series. Cancelled just when it was hitting its stride. 5. VOY: Bascally, TNG-lite. Neelix is my least favorite main cast character of any ST series. Too many boring and poorly developed characters. Weakest Captain. Improves after Kes leaves and 7 of 9 is added. 6. TAS: Technically non-canon and only lasted one season. Fun and silly with a few well made episodes and some neat ideas. Certainly worth watching.
TNG really has no comparison. When I say that, I don't only mean within the Star Trek Universe. It trully is the greatest form of TV entertainment in existence. In all honesty, saying it has no comparison is an understatement. 2) ENT - What a fantastic series this one is. So underrated, I've never been hooked to more consecutive Star Trek episodes than season 3 of Enterprise. 3) DS9 - A great series that showed the dark side of many a thing. I thought I couldn't love this one, but I do. Great show...
No wai! Phlox was way too awesome to be ignored. Seriously, he was the character with the most depth, in my opinion. He was obviously flawed, but a warm, compassionate man who did his best every chance he got. Some people say he was just Neelix but toned down a bit. I'm not certain if I agree, but either way, he is still the coolest character on ENT. Great minds think alike!
I just read thru this thread and my my there are some strong opinions. My List: TOS - The first and best Trek ENT - Like most have said seasons 1 & 2 were weak but it rocked in seasons 3 & 4 DS9 - Wasn't a fan. But watched entire series and the last seasons are great (except for Vic) TNG - Started weak but much much better by the end. VOY - Some really good eps but in general the weakest of all Treks TOS - Silly, bad animation, just awful
DS9, to me it has the advantage of being really unique among all the series. For one thing it is the only one that's not constantly aboard a ship. There's the wormhole aliens, that though extremely powerful, seem incapable of understanding certain things. That's a refreshing change with all the smart smug superior paternalistic aliens that we meet in the other series, e.g. Trelaine, the "brain in jar" aliens with the thralls, Q, the alien that traps Picard's ship in a hole in space...etc... The wormhole aliens from DS9 are nothing like these.
It wasn't a contest. It was people being asked what their favorite Star Trek series was. Mine is Star Trek. I could care less about it's spin-off's these days and am happy they jettisoned the whole bloated mess.
I don't feel qualified to respond because I've only seen the first 3 or 4 seasons of DS9, the first season of Voyager (and random episodes after that), and the first season of Enterprise. I've only seen TOS, TAS and TNG completely. Here's what I think: TOS TNG DS9 (though I very much LOVE what I did see and prefer aspects of it to TNG. Some of DS9's characters are the more interesting of the franchise.) VOY/ENT: These are kinda tied. The first season of Voyager had a little more novelty to it, but I also think Scott Bakula carries a lot of Enterprise on his shoulders and the female Vulcan (brain cramp, can't remember her name suddenly) has a heaping amount of sex appeal.
1) In the lead by a considerable distance is my beloved Deep Space Nine. For me, this show represents the pinnacle of Star Trek. It's a story about rising above racial, political, and religious differences to build a multicultural community at the gateway to a new frontier. This series takes the pre-established Star Trek setting and turns it into a sprawling, intricate universe full of quirks, twists, and political intrigue. DS9's greatest asset, though, is the vibrant array of endearing and fascinating characters around which the many recurring storylines revolve. Unlike the other Trek series, which tended to grow staler with each passing season, Deep Space Nine started strong and just kept getting stronger! Its bold strategy of introducing new characters and concepts, experimenting with storytelling formats, and shaking up the status quo helped the show continually build in dynamism and complexity. The end result was a grand, vivid, beautifully improvised tapestry– one most impressive to behold. I am happy and proud to be counted among those who give this hidden masterpiece the adoration and respect it deserves. 2) The Next Generation: The Star Trek series that I grew up with. Not only is this show to thank for successfully setting the stage for the thrilling events to come on DS9, but it’s is also a joy to watch in its own right. Though I am a devout “Niner”, I have to concede that TNG season 3 is probably the most entertaining and thought-provoking season in the franchise. Sadly, not long thereafter, the series would deteriorate into a bland, unambitious shadow of its former self. Since the ensemble is not nearly as capable as that of Deep Space, it is forced to rely heavily on a few select star performers. Regardless, the talent they do possess (Stewart, Spiner, de Lancie, Goldberg) is utilized well and the behind-the-scenes camaraderie of the cast is palpable and endearing. Despite the flaws, I will always have a special place in my heart for the crew of the Enterprise-D. 3) Star Trek: A true classic, though in reality I find only about half of the episodes worth coming back to. I greatly admire its boldness, vivacity, sense of humor, and adventurous spirit – all distinguishing qualities that Deep Space Nine would later learn from and imitate. I have a deep respect for the original Star Trek even though I feel that two of its progeny eventually surpassed it. 4) Enterprise: I respect Enterprise for daring to try new things. Unlike DS9, however, this show was not endowed with beautifully written and performed characters to make the ambitious storylines worth watching. 5) Voyager: Occasional standout episodes amidst a vast sea of mediocrity. Not even its charming sense of humor can redeem it. Character stagnation and an underutilized premise and setting reduce this show to last place. So much potential, though.