Enterprise before TOS?

[LanCo96]

Apologies if this is in the wrong place, was in two minds whether to put it here or the general Trek section.

Anyway, I have read a few articles online about the order a first time viewer should watch Trek in. Quite a few suggest watching enterprise first. I'm already halfway through season 2 of TOS on netflix and want to know whether you guys reckon I should begin watching Enterprise and finish TOS when i complete Enterprise.

Tbh, I'd probably prefer to start watching Enterprise.

 

[Tiberius]

I've got a list of all the episodes of Star Trek in watching order in my signature. It's based on original air date, with all the multi-part episodes grouped together. But it has Enterprise first, as that series is set first. In essence, watching it in this order is watching Star Trek happen in the order it actually happened (if it was real).

 

[Nebusj]

It's really hard to damage Star Treks by watching them in the wrong order. I mean, if you find that you like what you see of Enterprise more than you like what you see of the Original Series, good grief, watch what you enjoy. It's a fandom, not an assignment.

There's a handful of cases where a later-produced episode will spoil something from an earlier-produced episode --- probably the strongest argument for watching stuff in the order it was produced --- but there's not going to be much of that, and there are bigger disappointments to overcome in life anyway.

 

[LanCo96]

It's really hard to damage Star Treks by watching them in the wrong order. I mean, if you find that you like what you see of Enterprise more than you like what you see of the Original Series, good grief, watch what you enjoy. It's a fandom, not an assignment.

There's a handful of cases where a later-produced episode will spoil something from an earlier-produced episode --- probably the strongest argument for watching stuff in the order it was produced --- but there's not going to be much of that, and there are bigger disappointments to overcome in life anyway.

I'm very aware that it is not an assignment. I watch Star Trek because I enjoy it. I simply want to ensure that watching Enterprise after watching some of the original series would not spoil or effect anything in any way.

 

[VST]

I really don't think it would, don't worry. Actually you may enjoy ENT more watching it afterward as you'll pick up on a lot more of the winks, nods & attempts to reconcile TOS continuity than if you watched it first.

 

[Melakon]

There's no reason to watch ENT before TOS. This is partly due to ENT lifting elements from the three series in between, like the Borg, Ferengi, the Soong family, and even Section 31, none of which appear in TOS. And ENT's foundation is TOS anyway, not the other way around.

 

[ChristopherPike]

I tend to think just because something doesn't appear, doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

I try not to think along the lines of "Some writer invented that in 1998 for Deep Space Nine and so it can't be around any earlier." There just wasn't any reason for Section 31 to be brought up that's all.

If you're coming to be aware of its existence, I don't see why "Affliction" and "Divergence" can't be that introduction. Whether or not it's any better or worse than waiting for "Inquisition" 400 plus episodes down the line.

Same with "Acquisition" before "The Last Outpost" for the Ferengi... even though I know which was made first.

Given how long running some franchises are, and each having various attempts to create a sense of history, people rarely see anything in the right order. There are kids out there, for whom The Phantom Menace was the first Star Wars. How strange must it have been to go from that immediately to the original trilogy, and back to Episodes II & III when they eventually came out? Even with a predetermined end point, the stories have to work on their own merits too and potentially be somebody's introduction to it all.

I don't think Enterprise relies on having seen any of the other series, as much as fans think it does. Sure, if you get the references there's more to appreciate. But that's just another level, and the story usually ploughs right on with a minimum of exposition. I saw The Wrath of Khan before "Space Seed" back in the 80's, and nobody ever prevented me from seeing that through the prism of a prequel.

I always end up watching Star Trek: First Contact before Enterprise, and throw "In a Mirror, Darkly" out of sequence until after "These are the Voyages..." just because I think there needs to some obvious handholding with the next show and the finale wasn't it. Then I start watching the Original Series in production order, beginning with "The Cage".

Then because I like it so much, I'll watch First Contact again later on during DS9/VOY too.

 

[Tiberius]

I always end up watching Star Trek: First Contact before Enterprise, and throw "In a Mirror, Darkly" out of sequence until after "These are the Voyages..." just because I think there needs to some obvious handholding with the next show and the finale wasn't it.

I finish Enterprise with Demons and Terra Prime. I don't watch TATV until The Pegasus in TNG.