New Fan to Trek - Want a good opinion =]

[bradacus]

Hello all,

I am fairly new to star trek. I have seen the movies when I was a kid and watched the old shatner/nimoy episodes on scifi channel, but I recently watched enterprise the newest show and it was so cool and exciting!

I looked online and there were other shows (the next generation, deep space nine, voyager, and enterprise)!

I am very much exited to have discovered something new here! I am a Sci-Fi fan (movies) and an amateur author on adventure stories so this definitely seems like something I can get myself into.

I am at a crossroads however because I want to purchase a series and sit with it for a while. I already purchased enterprise 4 seasons because I really enjoyed the one I saw. And the Vulcan science officer on that show is.... WOW. Hahah!

I am debating between 'the next generation' and 'deep space nine'. I like a lot of adventure with a rich and evolving story.

Which of these two shows should I get on dvd and why do you think so? I ask you all here because you can never trust the amazon.com reviews, and you all would have a much more experienced opinion than any John Smith on those websites.

Thanks for reading my long post, and hopefully I don't get flamed for being new. I just want to get the true fan opinion on what show I should check out first.

Thank you everyone who posts their opinions for me =]

-Bradacus

 

[shatastrophic]

Just go in order. Start off with the Next Generation, Then Deep Space Nine followed by Voyager. But if you don't care about the order then I would submit Deep Space Nine as my personal favorite of the three and the one to have on DVD.

 

[bradacus]

Does Deep Space Nine only take place on the space station? Does it have a better story line to follow? It looked really interesting.

Sorry for the lack of knowledge, hope you understand =]

 

[shatastrophic]

It is supposed to, and alot of it does take place on the station. However they find ways around that. I would recommend starting with season one, but there are those that would disagree. Some might say start with season 3 or 4 because of storylines, i think one should start from the very beginning. The characters and the setting go thru major changes as the seasons progress. You were stating you were kinda looking for an evolving story, well DS9 could be right up your alley.

 

[Mistral]

If you're for real and have never seen the stories-do the series in order. TNG, DS9, then Voyager. You will get a lot more out of it that way. There are episodes in each that stand out, but for an on-going story DS9 is it. That being said-without the background of TNG you won't get what's really going on in DS9 a lot of times because they often dug into the history of the franchise to make the episodes. Plus, one of the main characters was a supporting character on TNG. Star Trek is a history, a universe of diverse stories. Enjoy it to the fullest the way it evolved.

 

[bradacus]

Yah that sounds like a good idea, I didn't think that they would link with each other. If that is true should I finish enterprise series since it technically takes place before all the others?

Also on a side note: Is it true they are making a star trek MMORPG? Sorry off topic =]

 

[shatastrophic]

Yah that sounds like a good idea, I didn't think that they would link with each other. If that is true should I finish enterprise series since it technically takes place before all the others?

Also on a side note: Is it true they are making a star trek MMORPG? Sorry off topic =]

Nah it's cool to get Enterprise out of the way first, except for the last episode in season 4 called "These are the Voyages". I know it sounds weird but if you are going in order wait until after you watch the 7th season Next Generation episode "The Pegasus". You'll understand if you can make it happen.
Yeah they are making a movie. It's Kirk and Spock all over again.

 

[AdmiralGarak]

Also on a side note: Is it true they are making a star trek MMORPG? Sorry off topic =]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek_Online

I wouldn't hold your breath. It doesn't look like this will ever hit store shelves. That's probably for the best when a project is passed between multiple developers over the course of nearly four years.

 

[captcalhoun]

DS9 is the best and has a grand, sweeping epic storyline. it also has the best, most interesting characters.

 

[bradacus]

I can't wait to dive in to deep space nine from what I am hearing. But I'll go through the next generation first.

I do have some Star Trek knowledge since I did watch maybe 50 or more episodes of the original on scifi channel reruns, but these new series have eluded me until now. I must have been in a cave it seems :P

Oh and I have been on the star trek ride @ the hilton in vegas. That was a good time =]

I think I find Star Treks vision of the future to be the most appealing aspect of it all. The shows are terrific but the ideas and fundamentals for the earth society are beyond their times! If only those in power would take note. Haha I suppose that is just a dream.

 

[bradacus]

Sorry to double post but nobody seems to mention voyager.

Is it the least favorite I take it?

 

[PhoenixIreland]

I can't wait to dive in to deep space nine from what I am hearing. But I'll go through the next generation first.

I do have some Star Trek knowledge since I did watch maybe 50 or more episodes of the original on scifi channel reruns, but these new series have eluded me until now. I must have been in a cave it seems :P

Oh and I have been on the star trek ride @ the hilton in vegas. That was a good time =]

I think I find Star Treks vision of the future to be the most appealing aspect of it all. The shows are terrific but the ideas and fundamentals for the earth society are beyond their times! If only those in power would take note. Haha I suppose that is just a dream.

You'll find the two are very VERY diffrent shows.
TNG has an issue, sorts it then sails into the sunset by the end of the episode.
DS9 has alot of story arks because it's stuck in one place, so it does deeper into exploring problems, Sisko is a very diffrent captain, it has alot of non-starfleet people and of course it has the dominion war

Some TNG episodes are absoloute masterpeices tho, alot of them are not so much about the science and tech and space but are "moral of the story" ones, some of these are the best such as Tapistry and the Drumhead.

Then there are great ones exploring alien culture like Darmok.

Just one key peice of advice, TAKE YOUR TIME WITH THEM, take it slow and savor it, don't rush through them too quick, I regret doing that with DS9, with a few eps it will be unavoidable like the Dominion war ark because you'll wanna know what happens next but otherwise take it slow.

 

[bradacus]

Yes I will take your advice on that. I did that with the TV show Heroes season 1 and I regret it.

How is Voyager in your opinion? I watched a youtube video of it just to see the acting and the captain was a woman? I am not sure but she seemed kind of bitchy!

I am not trying to offend anyone, that was just my first impression =]
Sorry for the foul language just trying to get my impression across.

I'd still be willing to check it out however after the others if you all say that it is a great show along with the others.

 

[Michael]

Welcome to the board, Bradacus.

Thanks for reading my long post, and hopefully I don't get flamed for being new.

Certainly not on this board.

I looked online and there were other shows (the next generation, deep space nine, voyager, and enterprise)!

And don't forget The Animated Series.

DS9 is the best and has a grand, sweeping epic storyline. it also has the best, most interesting characters.

Exactly so.

nobody seems to mention voyager. Is it the least favorite I take it?

Well, I guess that's true. But I would check it out nonetheless. It has likeable characters and some very good episodes.

 

[JNG]

nobody seems to mention voyager. Is it the least favorite I take it?

Well, I guess that's true. But I would check it out nonetheless. It has likeable characters and some very good episodes.

I think Voyager and Enterprise are in close competition for the role of red-headed stepchild, but really, if you've already enjoyed Enterprise I bet you will enjoy Star Trek: Voyager as well. Hey, it's all Trek, just different flavors

I'll echo the sentiments about DS9 probably being the series most suited to sit down and progress through on DVD if you are a fan of continuing stories.

 

[bradacus]

And don't forget The Animated Series.

Animated Series? Was it a children's program? I have never heard of it, but I will google it right now. Thank you!

I take it Voyager will follow The Next Generation as a previous poster stated "Problems work themselves out by the end of the episode" Something of that nature.

By the way, this is the best forum I have used by far. Everyone here is very polite with me and I am not used to that. Thank you for all your wonderful help!

 

[bradacus]

I think Voyager and Enterprise are in close competition for the role of red-headed stepchild, but really, if you've already enjoyed Enterprise I bet you will enjoy Star Trek: Voyager as well. Hey, it's all Trek, just different flavors

I'll echo the sentiments about DS9 probably being the series most suited to sit down and progress through on DVD if you are a fan of continuing stories.

When they spoke of a war story arc. Do the battles actually play out in the episodes? If so that would be extremely cool! Thank you for your input on Voyager I will definitely check that one out as well, just after TNG and DS9 (so much easier abbreviating them! monkey see monkey do )

 

[Wonderlust King]

Deep Space Nine is by far the best modern trek. TNG is also very good, and Voyager is mediocre at best. Enterprise's1st two seasons were terrible, but the 3rd was pretty good and the 4th was outstanding.

 

[Rabid Trekkie]

The space battles play out in the eps, but I only recall one or two ground battles, but even then don't go expecting scenes similar to Attack of the Clones or anything. Most of it takes place inside of caves or in areas where neither side can really bring everything to bear.

DS9 is great for the story arcs and really getting to know a lot of the races in Trek. They really develop the Cardassians, Bajorans and the Ferengi. And they pick up the Klingon banner from TNG. Even get to see the Romulans once and a while. Also the characters are more diverse and they do a lot more character centric stories.

TNG is great for a episodic quality similar to TOS. You get the big sci-fi ideas and the moral preaching that TOS had, but not always as much action. Picard is a different captain from Kirk and so a lot of time the shows take a different approach, and also its a different Federation so occasionally we'll see a new twist on a TOS idea. Not as many character centric episodes, but when you get to them the actors really shine. Data's Day is one of the best TNG episodes.

VOY (Voyager) tries to take the TNG approach into a Lost in Space direction with a little of the tension that DS9 has. Not all of the original set up stays with the show, and some of the eps seem to rehash TNG. And occasionally it will rehash an episode of TNG that was a rehash of TOS. Personally I find VOY and the first two seasons of ENT some of the weakest Trek, but I'll end up owning and watching and loving all of it anyway. And there are some really good episodes of Voyager, anything that focuses on The Doctor is gold and Seven got some really good episodes, and Captain Proton is a lot of fun if you like the old scifi serials.

 

[Dusty Ayres]

Here's my two cents.

Start off with Star Trek:TOS, then Star Trek:The Animated Series, followed by Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise (but I see that you've already started off with that!)

I would also suggest the Star Trek movies, in complete chronological order, followed by some of the fan productions. My favorite one out of these (the fan productions) is Star Trek:Aurora; a great story about a civilian space freighter pilot, and the adversity that she goes through. The best out of all the fan productions is
Star Trek: New Voyages, aka Star Trek: Phase II, a letter perfect recreation of the original series done by uber-fan James Cawley.

I hope that helped out, and welcome to the board.