Introducing a Friend to Star Trek

[Kilana2]

I've found that for adults who are not interesting that much in science fiction, Star Trek: The Voyage Home, is the best introduction. It's something they can relate to and have fun with. For someone who is into science fiction that probably wouldn't be the best to start with.

That's how I was introduced to TOS, and it worked out just fine.....

 

[BobtheGunslinge]

Hey everyone!

New here. Looks like a pretty cool forum that you've got!

I'm quite the trekie, although I can't recognize episodes with a single quote like some of you can (for the most part). Anyway, I want to get my best friend started with Star Trek, but I need suggestions on where to start.

Do I start from TOS and work onward in the cannon? Or do I introduce him to something that had a better budget and might be more appealing to a newbie (e.g., Voyager or TNG)?

Also, whatever series we select...do we start with the first episode (which may be less developed story-wise than some others and less polished), or do we start when the characters and story are well-established, a bit later in the series?

I appreciate any and all thoughts on this.

Thanks in advance!

I would suggest starting with the highlights, the best episodes from TOS and TNG. If you start at the first episode, and he isn't into it, telling him to wait for the good stuff in season 3 is not going to keep him watching. Star Trek 2-6 (minus 5) might be the best place to start for sheer impact, and then move on to the series if he is still interested.

I also tend to tell newbies to skip Season 1 of Babylon 5 (except for maybe 5 episodes). If they love it, they will go back later and catch everything they missed.

 

[Forbin]

I believe that you should ideally present one story (one episode or arc) that combines character studies with some action:

Doomsday Machine
Unification I & II
The Way of the Warrior
Year of Hell I & II
Proving Ground

I think all of these provide some mid-series waypoint that would give a sense of where the characters are going to see if it is worth investing in learning about them.

We introduced my niece at nephew (early teens at the time) via Doomsday Machine. Both their father and I thought it would be a great ep. They thought the phaser effects when hitting the DDM looked stupid, and Windom's cringing in his death scene ridiculously hammy. Oh well.

Maybe Journey to Babel? A really good character story, some space battle action, and a good intro to the main characters.

 

[SPCTRE]

Introduce your friend to Star Trek via the internet - i.e. show them people bickering about the PERFECT VIEWING ORDER, so they know what kind of community they're getting into.

Seriously though, start with the current JJ movies.

 

[Forbin]

Introduce your friend to Star Trek via the internet - i.e. show them people bickering about the PERFECT VIEWING ORDER, so they know what kind of community they're getting into.

Seriously though, start with the current JJ movies.

But they bear no resemblance whatsoever to the rest of the franchise.

 

[Greg Cox]

Introduce your friend to Star Trek via the internet - i.e. show them people bickering about the PERFECT VIEWING ORDER, so they know what kind of community they're getting into.

Seriously though, start with the current JJ movies.

But they bear no resemblance whatsoever to the rest of the franchise.

But are arguably more watchable these days than the first season of TNG . . .

 

[Trekkin]

It didn't stop my old high school friends from backtracking. I can't tell you about all of them, but one went 2009 > VOY/TNG > STID > TOS Movies > TOS. After STID, he borrowed (and kept) my TWOK DVD, then Space Seed, Tribbles and eventually the whole thing.

If this friend liked STID, they'd at least check out the Khan stuff.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

I believe that you should ideally present one story (one episode or arc) that combines character studies with some action:

Doomsday Machine
Unification I & II
The Way of the Warrior
Year of Hell I & II
Proving Ground

I think all of these provide some mid-series waypoint that would give a sense of where the characters are going to see if it is worth investing in learning about them.

We introduced my niece at nephew (early teens at the time) via Doomsday Machine. Both their father and I thought it would be a great ep. They thought the phaser effects when hitting the DDM looked stupid, and Windom's cringing in his death scene ridiculously hammy. Oh well.

Maybe Journey to Babel? A really good character story, some space battle action, and a good intro to the main characters.

Only a few episodes are without the '60s camp, and Journey to Babel is not among them. Conversely, Doomsday Machine has some of the most impressive special effects since all the episodes were remastered/remixed.

 

[Forbin]

Introduce your friend to Star Trek via the internet - i.e. show them people bickering about the PERFECT VIEWING ORDER, so they know what kind of community they're getting into.

Seriously though, start with the current JJ movies.

But they bear no resemblance whatsoever to the rest of the franchise.

But are arguably more watchable these days than the first season of TNG . . .

"Arguably" indeed!

 

[Greg Cox]

But they bear no resemblance whatsoever to the rest of the franchise.

But are arguably more watchable these days than the first season of TNG . . .

"Arguably" indeed!

Given a choice between watching the new movies and "Where Silence Has Lease" or "Justice," I know what I'm going for.

Seriously, if you're trying to hook somebody on Trek, a first-season TNG ep is not the way to go. Start with "Measure of a Man" or "Best of Both Worlds" or something.

 

[uniderth]

We introduced my niece at nephew (early teens at the time) via Doomsday Machine. Both their father and I thought it would be a great ep. They thought the phaser effects when hitting the DDM looked stupid, and Windom's cringing in his death scene ridiculously hammy. Oh well.

Well there's your problem. You need to show them the original versions not the remastered crap.

 

[Forbin]

We introduced my niece at nephew (early teens at the time) via Doomsday Machine. Both their father and I thought it would be a great ep. They thought the phaser effects when hitting the DDM looked stupid, and Windom's cringing in his death scene ridiculously hammy. Oh well.

Well there's your problem. You need to show them the original versions not the remastered crap.

It was the original version.

 

[Shaka Zulu]

Introduce your friend to Star Trek via the internet - i.e. show them people bickering about the PERFECT VIEWING ORDER, so they know what kind of community they're getting into.

Seriously though, start with the current JJ movies.

But they bear no resemblance whatsoever to the rest of the franchise.

They are a beginning to Star Trek-that is all that matters. After you show them the two new ones, then you can show them TOS, followed by the others (and a few of the fan productions, like this one which would be great for young women and girls.)