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I found this article: https://nerdist.com/article/star-trek-series-ranked/ last week. From the shows I've seen, TOS, TNG, DS9, VOY, TAS, and a bit of ENT, I'm in agreement with the ranking. It's how I would rank the shows (I still have to watch Picard and Discovery and really ENT to give it a fair chance).
9. Star Trek: Lower Decks
8. Star Trek: The Animated Series
7. Star Trek: Enterprise
6. Star Trek: Picard
5. Star Trek: Discovery
4. Star Trek: Voyager
3. Star Trek: The Next Generation
2. Star Trek: Deep Space 9
1. Star Trek
Basically, his list is (bottom-to-top):
Animated Star Trek
Post-2000 Star Trek
Pre-2000 Star Trek
But he seems pretty fair and explains his positions well enough. Except for TAS and LD. I wouldn't knock them down just because they haven't had enough episodes.
He's definitely not an "I h8 STD, tHeY mAdE tReK wOkE!" type.
9. Star Trek: Lower Decks
8. Star Trek: The Animated Series
7. Star Trek: Enterprise
6. Star Trek: Picard
5. Star Trek: Discovery
4. Star Trek: Voyager
3. Star Trek: The Next Generation
2. Star Trek: Deep Space 9
1. Star Trek
9. Star Trek: Lower Decks
8. Star Trek: The Animated Series
7. Star Trek: Voyager
6. Star Trek: Enterprise
5. Star Trek: The Next Generation
4. Star Trek: Picard
3. Star Trek: Discovery
2. Star Trek: Deep Space 9
1. Star Trek
Basically, his list is (bottom-to-top):
Animated Star Trek
Post-2000 Star Trek
Pre-2000 Star Trek
But he seems pretty fair and explains his positions well enough. Except for the TAS and LP. I wouldn't knock them down just because they haven't had enough episodes.
He's definitely not an "I h8 STD, tHeY mAdE tReK wOkE!" type.
Not a bad list, but it seems they like to judge the series based on what they might become in the future rather than what they are now, and I don't like weighted lists like that, because anything can become anything. I'd rather judge them based on their merits now. So for me it would be:
(Best to worst)
1. DS9 - Easily the best series, IMO. Introspective looks at the human condition through religion, politics, economics, ableism, intersectionality, with fantastic characters that had depth and nuance, that lived what felt like real lives, had real experiences, and dealt with the adversity that comes with being the central hub of dozens of space faring civilizations, all framed in a sci-fi setting that just looks great and still holds up for me today. It is the gold standard of Star Trek as far as I'm concerned, and isn't just good Trek, it's fantastic television.
2. TOS - Got to love a classic! The original series still holds up well, IMO, and despite some obviously dated references and ideas, still manages to get its point across, while being engaging and fun at the same time. No one hams it up like Shatner, and how could you not love the tug of war between Spock and McCoy, who have a deep and abiding friendship despite appearing to despise everything about each other?
3. TNG - I will still watch this show anytime it pops up on TV in the wild.TOS was the start of my love affair with Star Trek, but TNG fanned the flames for so many years, even long before I became a Niner. The series finale was also nothing short of heart rending, because it really *did* feel like you were leaving the family behind (this also applies to DS9's finale, which was also brilliant). Sir Pat Stew never fails to deliver.
4. Lower Decks - Yep. The animated series is definitely a favorite here. I love its self-deprecating humor, but the characters are so much fun. I identify with both Ensign Tendi and Mariner all of the time, struggling between wanting to be kind and compassionate, while also managing to be candid and hopelessly blunt towards everyone I meet. Dr. T'ana's my favorite secondary cast member, who reminds me of my favorite aunt, who was a black coffee drinking, chain smoker who never left you in doubt about what she thought about you. Oh, and the show still has that hopeful optimism I love in Star Trek. I seriously hope we get many more seasons.
5. Picard - While it took some getting used to because modern storytelling is a bit at odds with me in how it works, I thoroughly enjoyed Picard. Is it because I'm getting nostalgia in a modern Trek series? Yes, but it's not blatant, IMO, and feeds into the show's narrative. Picard with Riker and Troi in the latter part of the season was old home week for me, and while the season finale was a touch weak, there's so much in this show to enjoy, and I can't wait to see more.
6. ENT - Yep. After a rewatch of the series over the past few months, ENT has moved up in my own estimation. Sure, there's plenty to roll my eyes at, and so many ideas by this time had been well worn, but I can honestly say that in a modern context, the show actually had quite a bit to say, sadly around the time that it began building steam before being unceremoniously canceled. Good characters, some of the stories are some of my actual favorites in all of Trek, and the prequel framing was solid.
7. DSC - Let me be clear: Star Trek Discovery is not bad. Even bad Trek would be better than most "good" television, but it's also not my favorite series by any stretch. This past season did a lot to build it up in my estimation, but it still has a way to go. Maybe it will be like TNG and leap forward with more captivating stories. In the meantime, some of the characters are wonderful. I will forever love Tilly, the new trio/quadrary of Hugh, Paul, Adira, and Gray is where my focus is now, and Michael will always be cool. It's just the show really is a mixed bag, and so I judge it on what I've seen so far. For me it's one of those shows that I can enjoy the episode, sit back when it's done and say "...wait a minute, I have a thousand questions, few of them good." So it may just be the type of storytelling throwing me off, but until I can catch up with its peculiar narrative choices, this is likely where it stays.
8. VOY - Despite some excellent episodes, and some solid characters (Seven, Doctor, and a few others), VOY has always languished near the bottom for me. It's like the New Coke of TNG, and kind of a lesser extension of the series. That doesn't make it awful, because it's not awful, but I'm more likely to skip a VOY episode than watch it if I see it on TV. This was the height of the technobabble problem for me when it came to Star Trek, and is one of the larger annoyances that keep it down here.
9. TAS - I want to like TAS, but the budget animation, and the annoying VA issues take away so much for me. The stories are a little better, but not enough to make up for its other deficits, and in animation, it does matter how it looks.
Anyway, these are, of course, subject to change based on new episodes, changes in the direction of the wind, and the phase of the Moon. So just my two bits.
As with all things art-based, your list ordering and reasoning is bound to differ...
*drumroll*
1. Star Trek: Deep Space 9
Has the more cerebral elements of TNG, with action of TOS, and makes terrific use of the wormhole and lore expanding. Ira Steven Behr, Peter Allan Fields, and Ronald D Moore never quite got DS9 into the mass pop culture the way TNG had, but TNG had factors DS9 did not... possibly because the scale of "war stories" on this level isn't as much a pop culture thing. As with Babylon 5, and I don't care which was first since any similarities are superficial ("people on a space station", big woop) and both shows are awesome in their own ways, but I digress- B5 and DS9 have both aged quite well. Both were semi-popular, and ahead of their time. Something can be well-written, but not take off because "the public is not ready for it" - or scores of other reasons. All I know is, DS9 has largely remained superlative.
2. Star Trek
The original would always be a tough act to follow, given how deep the characters and iconography were in pop culture. Since the 1960s, some elements have dated, but a lot still holds up. While it feels low-budget at times, even though many episodes weren't, it never felt over-produced.
3. Star Trek: The Next Generation
A very close third.
In spite of Roddenberry's influences early on, which were hit or miss, the episode - thanks to casting choices and approvals by Roddenberry and Justman, and the introduction of Rick Berman, Ira Steven Behr, and others - the show became "its own thing" during its formative years. And what a thing it was. It's pretty much "The Cage" on steroids, but the occasional moment on meth what with episodes such as "Justice" (*shudder*).
4. Star Trek: Voyager
Franchise rot was really setting in after 1995, but VOY managed to find itself during season 3 and bringing in a de-Borgified being with backstory. It's another re-do of the "Kirk/Spock" or "Picard/Data" double-act, but the new spin on it feels like "its own thing". Seasons 4 and 5 are largely must-see. Earlier and later seasons are very hit or miss, but the hits were worthy and for just long enough, this show still made its own.
5. Star Trek: The Animated Series
With a limited budget and Leonard Nimoy battling to get Nichols and Takei into scripts when to be frank there never should have been any tussles but many kudos to Nimoy, the show had a number of problems to get around. I never saw it as a kid, only a few years ago. It feels like a legitimate continuation of TOS, with more freedom due to not needing all the work a live action show might need. Yet hampered by limited animation costs. The fact any are watchable is a miracle in of itself. But a number of them are surprisingly good, and it's great they kept the feel and tone of the show as close to TOS, rather than turning "animation" into "a cartoon" - which is amazing given some TOS live action episodes feel like cartoons, but that's another story. The serious aspect really helps retain a balance.
6. Star Trek: Lower Decks
As homage and parody, with its heart in the right place, and taking a new and never-explored idea of "second contact", this show was quick to get off to a great start. I sometimes wish "second contact" could be done as a totally serious affair, but in LD it feels just right. It's still in production, so its place in this list may change. As I've put some modern day Red Dwarf over some of the original-run Red Dwarf (series 10 > series 6 for example), or some NuWHO above Classic WHO (series 10 > seasons 17, 24, 10, others...), how recent it's made has less impact for me than it might or might not for others. As with all things art, it's an individual audience member's prerogative. If any new Trek reaches pop culture trophy status, that's great. If not, that means only so much. Again, look at DS9. It never outdid TNG in ratings but easily had the best written and acted stories, bar none. Lastly, the ship's design seemed odd at first, but anyone remembering the USS Grissom had a similar problem... and is that a giant shuttlebay at its bottom with no direct turbolift, or something used like a scoop for science-related purposes?
7. Star Trek: Discovery
The premiere was a gratuitous mess, loaded with eye candy effects and not much else apart from some interesting ideas that just fell apart - for me, YMMV. It took a while, but I think it's trying to sell the vibe of "TOS, 60s style, if produced back then with the same effects technology we have today." (Only sometimes going overboard such as the stupid turbolift great space roller coaster garbage epic structural design, I guess*.) I looked at it off and on and will give a revisit one day. That said, the Burnham/Tilly relationship is pretty cool and the new Mudd was awesome. That said, prequels as a general concept are pretty lame, especially when fanservice becomes miring. Prequels just do nothing for me, unless there are unanswered questions or situations that really need it... and prequels often go where plenty have gone before.
It's still in production, so its place in this list may change.
8. Star Trek: Picard
A lot of it was incredibly off-putting. Not the violence, which goes all the way back to TOS. The style and tone just feel wrong, and more gratuitous effects for the sake of "pretty shiny precious". Considering TWOK feels like a continuation of TOS despite 15 years having gone by, PIC and the 30 that passed just doesn't feel like it's anything remotely like the same universe. DS9 did a better job of expanding the universe of TNG without making it feel so off. That said, the return of Hugh was one of a few nice spots. Ditto for Seven as
she momentarily becomes Borg Queen.
The season 1 finale was a bit bunkum as well. As the franchise has used profanity to varying degrees more and still not lose viewers, the frequency of it in this spinoff alone isn't the reason it's off-putting. But, like with the effects, the motormouthing pottymouths often have little compelling substance. If it gets an award for excessive profanity, that's great.
It's still in production, so its place in this list may change. Season 2 promises the return of Guinan and Q. If they do Q right, that alone would be massively in the show's favor.
9. Star Trek: Enterprise
I sat through the premiere and various episodes throughout the run. Was hoping to see more of Scott Bakula after "Quantum Leap". We got a walking popsicle stick on a ship whose design was nicked from a fan design ("Akira" class, was it?) where all that dog dander is going to get allergic people to sneeze. And, again, prequels just do nothing for me, unless there are unanswered questions or situations that really need it... and prequels often go where plenty have gone before. ENT did nothing for me... even season 4, on re-viewing, feels more like empty fanservice. If anything, trying to make a balance between more stylized set designs/effects and integrating TOS 60s style consoles and sets was brave, but the show always felt like it was a precursor to TNG rather than TOS. Also, DSC did more with the mirror universe idea than ENT or DS9 (especially in later years) for that matter. If anything, it was revealed too soon.
* Like 2009's "V" reboot, function and utility were replaced with CGI fantasyland fluff that hampers any feel of attempted authenticity, which does mean a lot, and ends up looking like a joke. Big magical fountains or turbolift roller coasters just result in giggles, subverting suspension of disbelief to really believe the universe being told to us to be immersed in. Big effects alone just don't do too much, though if they look photorealistic and authentic, that too helps. It's like a cake, all about all the ingredients that come together and the wheat and egg often mean more than the frosting but who's going to complain about frosting in this scenario? Never mind big effects were used to sell the utilitarian nature of the 1983 original, but it all felt integral and germane and not fluff... But I wasn't much of a fan of 1977 Star Wars either. TESB did so much more at script level, which helped the visuals be that much more compelling and complementary, but I digress... again...
I'd probably put Lower Decks somewhere in the middle. I've only seen each episode once, but I like its different take on Star Trek.
I feel like I can't rate TAS on its own. To me, it's really just the fourth season of TOS in animated form. I think it comes with the package as an extension. TAS has the same actors, a lot of the same creators, and it was made so close in time relative to TOS.
So, by extension, I think I'd rate TAS pretty high.
I only rank LD and PIC so low because they’ve only had one season. Basically just not enough of a sample size so it’s more of an incomplete. Although I do think LD had the best first season of any Trek since TOS.
