Best series

[Saintpat]

I'm a TOS devotee, have loved the movies (for the most part), including the reboot, but have been thinking about branching out to one or more of the other series lately (although I'm starting at the beginning with TOS right now and won't move on until I finish with the entire run again).

I was into TNG from the start, but find the reruns boring. (A much younger friend, just out of college, started on TNG recently and she likes it, although she's finding the initial Borg contact less exciting and interesting than I thought she would).

So I doubt I'll go there, as watching them out of sequence here and there on the BBC America (or wherever they've cropped up lately) hasn't ignited any nostalgia or real interest.

I've also caught a few Voyagers, which I missed for the most part when it orginally ran). I don't know or appreciate the characters enough yet to be hooked by it, but it doesn't turn me off.

I saw a few of Enterprise when it ran and wanted to like it, but for some reason never really began watching it. That would be pretty much a fresh start, as would V-ger and DS9.

So I'm asking for people who are more familiar with all of the non-original series to give me their opinion on which is truly the best of the lot, and why they think so, in order to figure out which I want to try to tackle sometime down the road when I'm done with TOS again (probably this summer knowing my schedule).

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[Voth commando1]

For most people on this board I'd say DS9 or TNG my particular favorites in order-VGR/DS9/TNG/TOS/ENT not that Enterprise or TOS don't have some outstanding episodes.

 

[gamer1]

DS9 is the best one, but you need to watch TNG before DS9

 

[The Old Mixer]

DS9 would be the next choice after TNG.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

I'm a Niner and proud!

Light-years ahead of any of the others, just finished a full rewatch of all seven seasons.

 

[JayTheTrekkie]

TNG is the best series to watch. DS9 would be 2nd and VOY 3rd. Although, VOY is my 2nd favorite series after TNG.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Unapologetically: DS9, TOS, TNG, ENT, VOY.

 

[Vger23]

DS9 is the next best after TOS

 

[1001001]

I don't know how you decide which is "best".

TNG and VOY are my two favorites.

 

[CorporalClegg]

My two bits of copper-plated zinc:

They all have some really good, and they all have some really awful. They're all a huge step down from TOS, and I don't know if I could pick one as being clearly better than the others.

My advice would be to find cut-down or "short-view" episode list and give them all a go.

 

[GabyBee]

TNG > TOS > VOY > ENT > DS9

(My ranking)

 

[cultcross]

DS9 is my favourite,
TNG and TOS roughly equal, like some things about one, some about the other and it's mood dependant too!
Voyager had some moments but was far too vanilla, took the franchise backwards instead of forwards in terms of sophistication, and a massive wasted opportunity.
ENT was unceasingly dull and when I try to revisit it I'm reminded why I bailed on it in first run.

 

[The Old Mixer]

If you really can't decide, skip franchises over to nuBSG.

 

[rcjames]

I find TOS, TNG and DS9 to be all great and struggle to separate them. Ultimately depends what mood I'm in at the time. As far as VOY and ENT goes, I'd give ENT the edge.

 

[Armus]

I need to revisit DS9 but at the moment I'd rank TOS my first favorite, followed by TNG, then DS9. I abandoned Voyager after season 2, I found the characters annoying and unlikable. Enterprise bored me and I just can't buy Bakula as Captain. He's a likable comedic actor but lacks real authority and presence. Comparing TNG and DS9, both series had their charms and their missteps. TNG had a stronger cast, better music, a more cinematic feel in its early seasons, and had less indulgent embarrassments like "Profit and Lace" "Valient", and "The Emperor's New Cloak". DS9 on the other hand, took more risks, explored alien societies in a deeper way, had more colorful characters, offered layered complex political stories and offered much more humor and ambitious plot threads. I really appreciated DS9 during the end of its second season, when I saw "Crossover", "The Maquis", "Tribunal" and "The Jem'Hadar". 2nd season DS9 fares very well against 7th season TNG.

 

[Prax]

My favorite is what ever one I'm watching through at the moment. The more sophisticated and ambitious sci-fi stories are found in TNG & Voyager. The more complex character drama and space opera type stories are found in DS9 and Enterprise. That is not to say that DS9 and Enterprise don't have sophisticated sci-fi stories. They do. Or that TNG and Voyager don't have character drama and space opera. They do.

I don't see any usefulness in ranking them. Everyone has different tastes. If you have access to all the shows, watch them all. I would recommend watching only one series at a time. When you watch a TV show, you get invested in the characters. Then you'll want to watch more. Once you run out of "more," move on to another series, and the cycle repeats.

 

[Balok's Decoy]

I think it depends on what you're looking for. All the series approach the format differently. Personally I think since you've watched TOS, you've already seen the best series.

But if you want something that feels like TOS, I think Enterprise scratches that itch. If you want a well-rounded series with lots of technobabble and some interesting Klingon stuff, I like TNG for that. If you're into like proto-GOT political intrigue and rich character development, DS9. I don't know much about VOY to be honest. Seems like TNG 2.0? Oh and if you like TOS, definitely check out TAS. Very underrated.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

TNG is the one I have most emotional attachment to, but DS9 is most rewatchable.

 

[Galileo7]

1-TOS/TAS [Enjoyable Kirk-Spock-McCoy characters and why I like the J.J. films.]
2-TNG
3-DS9
4-VOY
5-ENT

 

[USS Triumphant]

The best series is Star Trek, and it's ALL Star Trek. The only caveat I'll add is that sometimes during Voyager and DS9, it really seemed like a lot (writing, acting, everything) was being phoned in. The people responsible for keeping things going were tired. But it's still all Trek, and even during that period, there's a lot to love.

If you really can't decide, skip franchises over to nuBSG.

Feh. Give me the original. If it ain't got a robot daggit and a "by your command" and a "Cylon patrol, prepare to attack" on a regular basis, I don't want none.