New Star Trek Fan Please Help

[Vox36]

Hey guys I just registered because i'm a new Star Trek fan. I've always been a Star Wars guy and without really giving it a chance always dismissed Star Trek as the other space movie. I'm ready to let go of those feelings and delve into the Star Trek universe.

Please help me in where to begin. I've seen some of the original series and was thinking of buying the new blu ray of season 1 remastered. I also know a blu ray movie pack of movies 1-6 is coming out this week and I thought about getting that instead. Also The Next Generation seems to be really popular.

There is just so much Star Trek content out there I don't know what to start with. I mean if someone asked me what star wars movies to watch I would most certainly steer them away from The Phantom Menace as their first star wars experience. To me Star Trek should include Spok and Kirk but that's really only because it's all I know, i'm open to the other series or movies.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Honestly, the best thing about Star Trek is, for the most part, the episodes are stand alone. You don't need to know a lot to understand them. The first season of the original series (barring some cheesiness at times) is among the best you'll find. It's a classic science fiction series, a solid action adventure, and generally enjoyable. The second season is pretty good and the third season has highlights, but generally isn't as strongly appreciated.

Aside from the original series, there's The Next Generation, which takes place 80 or 90 years later. TNG's first two seasons are a bit weaker, but there are some good gems in them. Then it builds up to be a very well-written show that was probably the hight of Trek's popularity with a general audience. Then there's Deep Space Nine and Voyager, which take place in the same general time frame. Deep Space Nine is the only series where I say you should absolutely watch it from the beginning. It has the closest to a continuing storyline that builds over time. Compared to modern shows like Lost, for example, it's a very loose storyline, but it's worth watching that way. The last series to come out is Enterprise. Once again, the first two seasons are weak, but it gets better. That show is a prequel and takes place 100 years before the original series.

Honestly, the best thing to do would just be to watch episodes and get a feel for the characters. If you like the original series cast, it'll be a good idea to watch the first 6 movies (in order, since there is a sort of storyline there, especially for 2-4). I should warn you that the first movie is very slow and the fifth isn't particularly well-liked (but they're probably worth checking out at some point, just like TPM has at least some redeeming qualities for a Star Wars film).

 

[Mirror Spock]

As a new fan jumping right in...I would watch Star Trek: the Original Series Season 1 first. Then check out Star Trek: the Next Generation Season 3. There are just too many dud episodes in Season 1 and 2 to recommend watching first. After that, finish up the original series and the Next Generation in any order. Then pick up the movies. After you're done with that do Star Trek: Deep Space Nine from Season 1 - 7. If you're a Trek addict by that point, proceed with caution into Star Trek: Voyager (its a hit and miss show) and finally Star Trek: Enterprise (first two seasons are weak, the third and fourth season are pretty awesome.)

Hope that this helps.

 

[Cronos6939]

I would say there are several paths you can take. Yes, classic Trek is about Kirk and Spock, and it would be a good starting point for the whole franchise, but those episodes may come across as too kitschy for some people. Definitely worth a shot, but ye be warned (I'm wearing my Pirates of St Thomas, VI shirt today ;-)).

The vast majority of episodes were made about the 24th century and in the 1980s and 90s, so they're a bit more contemporary. That said, the first two seasons of TNG were bit off as well, and the series didn't really get as good until season 3. I actually started watching when TNG was on the air and that's what I grew up on, starting with the season 3-4 cliffhanger, which was later rated the fan favorite of the series.

I would not start with DS9, VOY, or ENT, as I think they are more dependent upon you knowing the Trek universe already, or at least work better when you do. DS9 is my favorite of the series, so if you stick with Trek, definitely check it out. Same with the first 10 movies; you should get to know the characters in their TV series first.

There are also "Fan Collective" DVD sets of selected episodes spanning all the series, but I would recommend staying away from those for now. I don't own them myself, but they seem to be aimed at people who already watched some of Trek, but who aren't going to spend hundreds of dollars on entire series packs of DVDs. Rather, they are for people who want a handful of episodes about their favorite alien or favorite villan. One set is called Captain's Log, though I wasn't impressed by the episodes included.

And of course, there is the new movie, but that is really taking things in a different direction. I would not jump in with Trek XI and then expect all the previous series and movies to necessarily jibe with that.

My best recommendation would be to find a friend who is a Trekkie and have them introduce you to the best of TOS and TNG. They can pick a few episodes and talk you through any questions you have. General consensus on the best episodes are "The Trouble with Tribbles," "The Doomsday Machine," and "The City on the Edge of Forever" for TOS; "The Inner Light" and "The Best of Both Worlds, Parts I & II" for TNG. Baring that, pick up TOS season 1 if you like (or can see past) 60s kitsch for the true essence of Trek. Maybe pick up TNG season 3 if you want more modernized TV.

 

[TheBrew]

I honestly would recommend watching the new movie and then the first season of the Original Series. While the original series is different from the movie (40 years difference from production values and not as "epic" plots), the characters are all there and the movie makes for a great intro to those characters. Just realize that there are a few differences between the new movie universe (which are explained a bit in the movie), but it is a great show and if you love the characters from the movie, you'll love the show.

I would actually suggest watching "The Naked Now" after the movie. You'll get a bit more used to different style of plotting (there is no overall galactic threat) and the episode has all the characters (except for Chekov who didn't join the series until later) in fine form.

 

[RyuRoots]

I would actually suggest watching "The Naked Now" after the movie. You'll get a bit more used to different style of plotting (there is no overall galactic threat) and the episode has all the characters (except for Chekov who didn't join the series until later) in fine form.

"The Naked Now" was the TNG episode that revisited it, and "The Naked Time" was the TOS episode, I believe. Crazy fencing Sulu was awesome, by the way.

As for the topic at hand, I'm not as much of a TOS fan, so I can't offer much insight. But if you get as far as TNG, then you'd be fine just watching a few of the best eps from the first two seasons. Seasons 3-7 however I say are worth watching in full. And I agree with Alidar Jarok about how to watch DS9.

 

[Count Zero]

I honestly would recommend watching the new movie and then the first season of the Original Series. While the original series is different from the movie (40 years difference from production values and not as "epic" plots), the characters are all there and the movie makes for a great intro to those characters. Just realize that there are a few differences between the new movie universe (which are explained a bit in the movie), but it is a great show and if you love the characters from the movie, you'll love the show.

I agree with that. The Original Series is available in a remastered version, where the difference to today's production values is a bit less jarring, at least that's my understanding. TOS is only three seasons long. From there you could delve into the movies with the old crew (the first six).

As for modern Trek, Deep Space Nine is the most popular and critically acclaimed one. It's first two seasons are a bit uneven but it's worth it.
For the full experience you should probably watch The Next Generation before Deep Space Nine, but it's not necessary to understand what's going on.

The only series happening in both the old and the new movie continuity is Enterprise. It's set 100 years before TOS. Being the most recent, it has the best production values. It's only 4 seasons long, of which the last two are generally considered the best. While I love it, I should warn you, though, that a lot of people dislike or even hate it and that it has a terrible reputation in fandom. I think, it's currently being shown in repeats in the US, though, so you might be able to watch it for free.

 

[TheBrew]

I would actually suggest watching "The Naked Now" after the movie. You'll get a bit more used to different style of plotting (there is no overall galactic threat) and the episode has all the characters (except for Chekov who didn't join the series until later) in fine form.

"The Naked Now" was the TNG episode that revisited it, and "The Naked Time" was the TOS episode, I believe. Crazy fencing Sulu was awesome, by the way.

As for the topic at hand, I'm not as much of a TOS fan, so I can't offer much insight. But if you get as far as TNG, then you'd be fine just watching a few of the best eps from the first two seasons. Seasons 3-7 however I say are worth watching in full. And I agree with Alidar Jarok about how to watch DS9.

You would think I would remember that since I watched it last night. It has a good amount of McCoy which is why I recommended it over Where No Man Has Gone Before.

 

[Vox36]

Thanks guys I appreciate all the responses. I saw the new movie in IMAX the day it opened and that got me interested. Like I said I was always a Star Wars fan and have seen episodes from TOS but never got into it because I liked Star Wars so much better when I was a child. I didn't want to say I saw the new movie in my initial post because I wanted my question taken seriously and didn't want a whole bunch of "the new movie destroyed Star Trek" posts but as I can tell by the responses the members of this forum are a little more educated then that.

I got a lot of good information here and based on my tastes mixed with your feedback I ordered the remastered season 1 blu ray off amazon and will start there. I think i'm also going to pick up the movie 1-6 pack this tuesday on blu ray when it releases (I was laid off and I have nothing but time on my hands). After that i'll take the suggestions and maybe jump into TNG season 3 and then maybe the movies based off TNG. After that i'll reevaluate where i'm at and see which direction I want to go.

Again thanks for all the help. It's a bit overwhelming because there is so much content. Any more feedback is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[I am not Spock]

The original is a great place to start. It requires a slightly different mindset when watching it compared to the later series, because the production values and storylines are rather different. But it has great stories and iconic characters.

TNG, in its later seasons, developed into something special. The first two seasons, unfortunately, haven't aged very well. DS9 is a great series, but I recommend you watch that after you're already familiar with ST because it's a very hardcore series in a sense. Voyager, as has been said, has its great moments, but is a lot more casual and stand alone in its format than DS9. Enterprise had a fantastic final two seasons, but a hit and miss first two seasons.

There's so much material out there. I envy you for getting to enjoy it for the first time! Welcome to the Trek BBS community!

 

[Count Zero]

Take your time, Vox. There's no need to rush through the material. After all, there won't be any more for a while, so don't use it up too fast.
I'd recommend watching all of TOS before you start the movies, though, for full appreciation. And TNG after that.

If you can, try to catch some Enterprise repeats. I wouldn't recommend buying the DVDs blindly, but you might like it (the first two seasons are a bit hit-and-miss, though.).

 

[Steve Roby]

Vox36, you might want to buy a copy of the book Star Trek 101 by Terry Erdmann and Paula Block. It has episode summaries from all the TV series, profiles of the main characters, background information on each series (basic premise, setting, etc). The book was specifically written to bring new fans up to date.

 

[JiNX-01]

Welcome to Trek Nation, Vox!

One thing you should bear in mind, since you've seen the new film: Abrams was making a movie that could appeal to a wider audience than just the usual fans. So don't expect the same from all of the other Treks. And I personally recommend you watch them all (eventually), even if you just end up renting from Netflix, because all of the shows have great characters and story gems that are well worth watching.

Anyway, Star Trek isn't just a space adventure. Gene Roddenberry's idea was to take issues of the times -- and the '60s were pretty rich with issues -- and talk about them in a setting that was "safe" -- 200 years in the future. These are message stories -- sometimes subtle, sometimes smacking you in the face -- about war, justice, equality, forgiveness, etc. Usually the message is wrapped in a terrific story -- sometimes not so much -- but rarely will you see a plain old Big-Adventure-Yay!-The-Heroes-Won! episode.

 

[SFRabid]

I would start with season 3 of TNG and then go through DS9. After that go back to TOS, watch a few episodes and see if you want to watch scifi from the 60's.

 

[barnaclelapse]

My answer seems to be pretty much the same as a lot of the other answers. Go through the first couple seasons of TOS, check out some of season one and season three of TNG, try a couple of the movies (perhaps the second, third and fourth films and First Contact once you've seen some of TNG).

In the end, half the fun of getting into something as massive as Star Trek is figuring out what you like and don't like. It can be intimidating to have that much material to deal with, but it can also be kind of exciting to have such a wide scope of movies and TV shows to look into.

 

[Navaros]

I recommene you watch all of TOS, and then skip right to DS9. Those two are by far the best Trek shows, and the only ones with interesting characters and interesting stories. The others don't even come close in terms of quality or entertainment value IMO.

DS9 is the only Trek show that has any sort of series-wide story and character development, and therefore is the best of all the Trek shows.

 

[JustKate]

You can't get Trek if you don't watch at least some TNG, in my opinion. I personally also enjoy Voyager but I wouldn't consider it essential (and I personally didn't enjoy ENT, though I'm told the last season is much better than the earlier seasons). TNG is essential Trek fare, however. The first couple of seasons were weirdly derivative of TOS, but after that, it became a great show. I don't mean any disrespect to DS9, which was also a great show (most of the time)...but in an entirely different way.

 

[Praetor]

My advice is to sample a little of each series - watch an early ep, then maybe a later ep, and see if you like the characters/direction. Each show really is kind of a different animal. The nice thing about Trek is that while you don't have to know anything about the universe to get into it, you might be surprised how interesting a universe the shows actually do create.

 

[KittySpot]

I agree: sample a bit of each, since each series has such different aesthetics. TNG holds a special place in my heart, as I love their use of the arts. (I am as much a Shakespeare aficionado as a Star Trek fan! I love how Picard has Data act in Henry V and the Tempest to teach him about humanity!) They really hit their stride beginning with the third season, so perhaps watch a few shows from the later seasons before viewing seasons 1 and 2. (Season 2 has a different doctor than all the other seasons anyway, so watching one of those first would really throw you off.)

I found Star Trek by accident myself -- I saw a rerun of TNG 5 years ago and have been hooked ever since. I like all of their incarnations for different reasons. Yes, event ENT (for Porthos, of course!). DS9, especially in the later seasons, can be very dark -- its absolutely brilliant, but keep your tissues nearby in several cases!

 

[Kirk's_Tights]

Hey guys I just registered because i'm a new Star Trek fan. I've always been a Star Wars guy and without really giving it a chance always dismissed Star Trek as the other space movie. I'm ready to let go of those feelings and delve into the Star Trek universe.

Please help me in where to begin. I've seen some of the original series and was thinking of buying the new blu ray of season 1 remastered. I also know a blu ray movie pack of movies 1-6 is coming out this week and I thought about getting that instead. Also The Next Generation seems to be really popular.

There is just so much Star Trek content out there I don't know what to start with. I mean if someone asked me what star wars movies to watch I would most certainly steer them away from The Phantom Menace as their first star wars experience. To me Star Trek should include Spok and Kirk but that's really only because it's all I know, i'm open to the other series or movies.

Basically, the best place to start would be the original series. You'll get a feel of the crew and the premise behind Star Trek. As for the original 5 movies, they pretty much all tie into each other so it's best you watch them in order. I personally like The Wrath of Kahn and The Voyage Home (parts 2 and 4). The first movie is meh, The Search for Spock (part 3) is good and The Final Frontier (part 5) is bleh.