im new to star trek help

[samantha31]

hi everyone.

this is my first post and i hope its ok to put so much in it but for weeks we have been trying to find out what way to watc star trek.im new to watching star trek.well to be honest i used to watch the old series when i was a child.
but at the age of 37 me and my partner have all of a sudden started watching it.
it happened by chance one night when nothing was on we watched an episode of TNG.then straight after that a episode of DS9.
then for the next few nights we tuned into bravo (a channel on uk cable tv)
but we are getting really confused with it all as were now channel hopping to all other channels.
we have no idea what seasons were watching but i thing were jumping from say season 3 on bravo to season 6 on another channel.

to make thing worse on tv on demand we started to watch voyager season 1.but we never noticed episode that half the episodes were missing so we watched the first four then stopped.

but we have been watching voyager on another channel with seven of nine in it so we reckon we have jumped way ahead again.
we have googled star trek and now know the order of the programs is..
TNG..DS9..THEN VOYAGER..
we have also visited the star trek website so now know a little more and we are fascinated by it.
we are no longer hopping channels and confusing ourselves.
we have joined blockbuster online so we can rent all the star treks in order from the beggining.
our friends son had voyager season 2..so we read up about all the episodes on season 1 so we could start watching asap.and are half way through voyager season 2.we watched 6 episodes last night alone.lol

TNG and VOYAGER is our favourite we like DS9 but are baffled by it as we have seen worf and obrien from TNG in it.

are we wrong in thinking TNG is set first..then DS9 further in the future..then voyager last?

anyway sorry for all this in a first post but we are very excited at finding this forum as we dont know anyone to ask in person about star trek.

what we want to know is whats the best order to watch all the diffrent programs so we understand it best.

should we watch the whole seven seasons of TNG then watch all the DS9..then watch all the voyager?

or do you have to watch all three together to understand the story lines etc??

we joined blockbuster online purely for star trek as they have every episode of every season of all three.we will only be renting star trek from them so we can watch all of it..

if someone has the time can they explain to us in what order is best to watch?

many thanks and again sorry for the long post and i hope in my bizzare way ive explained myself..

sam

ps.i also read on a website that before TNG series started that they made movies of it.
do i have to watch the movies of the next generation first to understand the charachters etc..or does the first season explain them all

 

[Pindar]

Why not try the episode guide at the top of the page.

It lists all 5 series, there is very little crossover between each show.

TNG, DS9 and VOY all run at roughly the same time period.

 

[Marie1]

Tho as an aside- yes, O'Brien does end up leaving Enterprise (TNG) and going to DS9, and later during some difficulties with the Klingons, around season 4 I think, Worf joins DS9. DS9 is really good- you'll like it, I hope. =)

 

[samantha31]

hi,
as i said i have read the episode guide for voyager season 1.
the reason i thoght would be obvious why we dont want to read the episode guides for all the series ,we dont want to know what happens before watching it.we dont want to read about new people etc etc..we want to enjoy it not know what happens before watching it.
i mean if someone told you how the film the sixth sense ended would there be any point in going to the cinema to see it?..lol

again thank you.but really what i wanted to know as stated in my post is can i watch all of TNG.then DS9 then voyger without being to confused etc?because i noticed all three were running in 1995.
example being were all being shown at the same time so for instance when all were being aired for the first time.but from what youve said it doesnt matter
if that makes sense..

and can anyone please let me know if i should watch any of the movies before starting to watch TNG.
because as i said i read somewhere TNG was a movie before a tv series..for example does the movie tell you anything you need to know before starting to watch the tv series.
im not looking to know what it tells you ..
just maybe a yes watch such and such before the series..

i assumed there would be some people on here who know everything about star trek as i remember my friends little brother had a star trek encyclopedia ,went to the star trek convention here in scotland,he used to tell us about uniforms klingon language etc he was a real treky.unfortunatly he now lives in france ...

 

[Star Wolf]

hi,
as i said i have read the episode guide for voyager season 1.
the reason i thoght would be obvious why we dont want to read the episode guides for all the series ,we dont want to know what happens before watching it.we dont want to read about new people etc etc..we want to enjoy it not know what happens before watching it.
i mean if someone told you how the film the sixth sense ended would there be any point in going to the cinema to see it?..lol

again thank you.but really what i wanted to know as stated in my post is can i watch all of TNG.then DS9 then voyger without being to confused etc?because i noticed all three were running in 1995.
example being were all being shown at the same time so for instance when all were being aired for the first time.but from what youve said it doesnt matter
if that makes sense..

and can anyone please let me know if i should watch any of the movies before starting to watch TNG.
because as i said i read somewhere TNG was a movie before a tv series..for example does the movie tell you anything you need to know before starting to watch the tv series.
im not looking to know what it tells you ..
just maybe a yes watch such and such before the series..

i assumed there would be some people on here who know everything about star trek as i remember my friends little brother had a star trek encyclopedia ,went to the star trek convention here in scotland,he used to tell us about uniforms klingon language etc he was a real treky.unfortunatly he now lives in france ...

There are many of us who know far to much about trek then is good for us. Many here make their living off of Star Trek. That being said most of us older folks just started watching random episodes as the show was syndicated. Many like me were in the opening night lines for the first, if not most, or all of the movies. When VCRs were new I taped Miami Vice and DS9.

It is not necessary to watch the show in any particular order. Although many of us never actually missed an episode on the first run over the decades we see episodes in order by DVD and out of order depending the sydicators package.

 

[NCC1968]

I've enjoyed Trek for most of my 40 years.
I just recently decided to simply start at the start. I am buying and watching everything from TOS through Enterprise on DVD - in order of production....this should take until I die.....

 

[crouteru]

Although many of the seasons overlap, it's easiest simply to watch one series at a time in the order they were produced, i.e. The Original Series > The Next Generation > Deep Space Nine > Voyager > Enterprise

There are a few nods to continuity from the other series here and there, but nothing that would ruin a storyline or make an episode confusing. If you're also interested in the movies, watch 1-6 after The Original Series and then 7-10 after The Next Generation.

After that, you can join the rest of us in wondering how the new movie will turn out.

 

[c0rnedfr0g]

It is best to watch Trek in production order (look at www.memory-alpha.org for more help):

Star Trek: The Original Series seasons 1-3 (from the 60s) -- television series
Star Trek: The Motion Picture -- movie
Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan -- movie
Star Trek: The Search for Spock -- movie
Star Trek: The Voyage Home -- movie
Star Trek: The Final Frontier -- movie
Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country -- movie
Star Trek: The Next Generation seasons 1-6 -- television series
Star Trek: TNG season 7 simultaneously with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 1 -- television series
Star Trek: Generations -- movie
Star Trek: DS9 seasons 2-5 simultaneously with Star Trek: Voyager seasons 1-4 -- television series
Star Trek: First Contact -- movie
Star Trek: DS9 season 6 simultaneously with Star Trek: VOY season 5 -- television series
Star Trek: Insurrection -- movie
Star Trek: DS9 season 7 simultaneously with Star Trek: VOY season 6 -- television series
Star Trek: VOY season 7 -- television series
Star Trek: Nemesis -- movie
Star Trek: Enterprise seasons 1-4 -- television series

 

[NCC1968]

Good list...........no prices?...it ain't cheap :-)

 

[captcalhoun]

this is either going to confuse you further or clarify things further...

Star Trek: The Original Series seasons 1-3 2266-2269 (ish)
Star Trek: The Motion Picture 2273
Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan 2286
Star Trek: The Search for Spock 2286
Star Trek: The Voyage Home 2286
Star Trek: The Final Frontier 2286/7 (debated heatedly)
Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country 2291
Star Trek: The Next Generation 2364-2370
Star Trek: Generations 2371
Star Trek: DS9 2369-2375
Star Trek: Voyager 2371-2377
Star Trek: First Contact 2373
Star Trek: Insurrection 2375
Star Trek: Nemesis 2379
Star Trek: Enterprise 2151-2155

 

[NCC1968]

Where do the cartoons fit in?

...if they fit in....

 

[captcalhoun]

2269/2270 - they have to be after TOS (because Chekov's gone off training to be a security chief) but before 2270 when Q junior said Kirk's 5YM ended.

 

[c0rnedfr0g]

Good list...........no prices?...it ain't cheap :-)

All 3 seasons of Star Trek, The Original Series (60s) is available online for free at
http://www.cbs.com/classics/star_trek/

CBS.com has the episodes numbered according to original air date, but I think it makes more sense to watch them in order of original production (as Gene Roddenberry intended). The original order can be found at the Episode Guide at the top of the page or at

http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Star_Trek:_The_Original_Series

Where do the cartoons fit in?

...if they fit in....

The Animated Series is between Star Trek: The Original Series (60s) and Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

 

[NCC1968]

The Animated Series is between Star Trek: The Original Series (60s) and Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

I was joking.......those were when I was a kid.....
I'll need to get the DVDs soon - any suggestions?

 

[c0rnedfr0g]

you do not need to watch any movies before jumping into season 1 of TNG. There are a total of 10 Trek movies. Star Trek movies 1-6 (The Motion Picture - The Undiscovered Country) deal with the original crew from the 60s tv show. Star Trek movies 7-10 (Generations - Nemesis) deal with the TNG crew, but are set after season 7 of TNG (with Generations being a crossover movie including both the original 60s crew and the TNG crew).

EDIT:

you don't even really need to see The Original Series before watching movies 1-6. they are good movies for the most part and you won't be too lost if you don't want to watch TOS.

 

[NCC1968]

Star Trek episoides can pretty much stand alone - short stories. It is just nice to know certain characters and places as well as some history. Wrath of Khan is awesome w/o seeing Space Seed, but it is makes more sense.

 

[Dane_Whitman]

It is best to watch Trek in production order (look at www.memory-alpha.org for more help):

Star Trek: TNG season 7 simultaneously with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 1 -- television series

This isn't completely right. You need to start watching season 1 of DS9 after TNG's season 6 episode Chain of Command. Seasons 7 of TNG and 2 of DS9 should be watched simultaneously because of the Maquis storyline (TNG's Journey's End, then DS9's The Maquis and then TNG's Preemtive Strike.)

If you are interesting in watching Trek in a chronological way, I refer to this excellent list:

http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/startrek/st-episodes-1.html

 

[Falcor5]

It is best to watch Trek in production order
Star Trek: The Original Series seasons 1-3 (from the 60s) -- television series
Star Trek: The Motion Picture -- movie
Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan -- movie
Star Trek: The Search for Spock -- movie
Star Trek: The Voyage Home -- movie
Star Trek: The Final Frontier -- movie
Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country -- movie
Star Trek: The Next Generation seasons 1-6 -- television series
Star Trek: TNG season 7 simultaneously with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 1 -- television series
Star Trek: Generations -- movie
Star Trek: DS9 seasons 2-5 simultaneously with Star Trek: Voyager seasons 1-4 -- television series
Star Trek: First Contact -- movie
Star Trek: DS9 season 6 simultaneously with Star Trek: VOY season 5 -- television series
Star Trek: Insurrection -- movie
Star Trek: DS9 season 7 simultaneously with Star Trek: VOY season 6 -- television series
Star Trek: VOY season 7 -- television series
Star Trek: Nemesis -- movie
Star Trek: Enterprise seasons 1-4 -- television series

I agree with this order except to make things easier I really dont think you have to watch Voyager the same time as DS9 since they dont really cross over.

 

[c0rnedfr0g]

It is best to watch Trek in production order (look at www.memory-alpha.org for more help):

Star Trek: TNG season 7 simultaneously with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 1 -- television series

This isn't completely right. You need to start watching season 1 of DS9 after TNG's season 6 episode Chain of Command. Seasons 7 of TNG and 2 of DS9 should be watched simultaneously because of the Maquis storyline (TNG's Journey's End, then DS9's The Maquis and then TNG's Preemtive Strike.)

If you are interesting in watching Trek in a chronological way, I refer to this excellent list:

http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/startrek/st-episodes-1.html

That is correct. I had forgotten that Dr. Bashir was on TNG's S6 episode "Birthright." But I think your chronological list would be very confusing to a first time viewer, since characters and concepts (esp with ENT) are not fully explained (who are those guys in TATV, for example, and what's a holodeck???)

 

[Dane_Whitman]

That is correct. I had forgotten that Dr. Bashir was on TNG's S6 episode "Birthright." But I think your chronological list would be very confusing to a first time viewer, since characters and concepts (esp with ENT) are not fully explained (who are those guys in TATV, for example, and what's a holodeck???)

You're right. I didn't make this list, but it is very close to a list I made a while ago but got lost. I agree about TATV, I would place that after The Pegasus since in essence it does take place in the 24th century.

Another thing I would do different is place Star Trek: First Contact somewhere before In Purgatory's Shadow, because Capt. Sisko mentions the Borg attack of FC in that episode. Stardates don't add up, but I think that reference takes precedence.

Also, I don't like the way this guy seperates two-parters to make room for an episode of the other series. But despite these flaws it is a useful list.