1. TOS
2. DS9
3. SNW
4. DIS
5. LD
6. TNG
7. VOY
8. PIC
Infinity. ENT
2. DS9
3. SNW
4. DIS
5. LD
6. TNG
7. VOY
8. PIC
Infinity. ENT
Rank the first seasons of each show?
- Thread starter JRoss
- Start date
1. TOS
2. Lower Decks
3. SNW
4. PIC
5. TAS
6. DS9
7. TNG
8. VOY
9. ENT
10. DSC
I've never watched Prodigy, which is why its not on there. TOS, Lower Decks and SNW first seasons are all legitimately good, and not "just" for a first season. PIC's first season is fine, and TAS isn't the most interesting series but the lack of outright horrible episodes puts it in its spot. TNG Season 1 would have beat DS9 S1 in general because I find DS9 S1 to be more forgettable, but the excellent DS9 episode Duet and the horrendous TNG Episode Code of Honor ended up deciding the ranking, even though I think TNG's first season is a bit more memorable in general. VOY Season 1 is just kind of there, mostly being bland and boring, with only Caretaker and maybe Learning Curve being episodes worth watching.
I went back and fourth on the bottom ranking, but I can find a half dozen episodes of ENT Season 1 that I would (and have) rewatched (Broken Bow, The Andorian Incident, Fortunate Son, Cold Front, Shadows of P'Jem and Shuttlepod One, fyi) while DSC's first half of Season 1 sucks, and the second half, while tolerable, has nothing I've felt like rewatching, so ENT gets to stay off the bottom of the list.
2. Lower Decks
3. SNW
4. PIC
5. TAS
6. DS9
7. TNG
8. VOY
9. ENT
10. DSC
I've never watched Prodigy, which is why its not on there. TOS, Lower Decks and SNW first seasons are all legitimately good, and not "just" for a first season. PIC's first season is fine, and TAS isn't the most interesting series but the lack of outright horrible episodes puts it in its spot. TNG Season 1 would have beat DS9 S1 in general because I find DS9 S1 to be more forgettable, but the excellent DS9 episode Duet and the horrendous TNG Episode Code of Honor ended up deciding the ranking, even though I think TNG's first season is a bit more memorable in general. VOY Season 1 is just kind of there, mostly being bland and boring, with only Caretaker and maybe Learning Curve being episodes worth watching.
I went back and fourth on the bottom ranking, but I can find a half dozen episodes of ENT Season 1 that I would (and have) rewatched (Broken Bow, The Andorian Incident, Fortunate Son, Cold Front, Shadows of P'Jem and Shuttlepod One, fyi) while DSC's first half of Season 1 sucks, and the second half, while tolerable, has nothing I've felt like rewatching, so ENT gets to stay off the bottom of the list.
I think SNW is the best 1st season of the P+ era, but there are a few "interesting" episodes in the back 1/3 that weren't exactly instant classics. DSC was very entertaining, but there were some hiccups in the arc storytelling and the wrap-up that keep it just below SNW
My rough ranking at the moment, though it's changeable when I'm rewatching.
TOS - my easy favourite, by introducing us to the world we all love so much. I only dislike 2 or 3 episodes, and it has a lot of classic episodes.
SNW - A very consistent start for the new show. I love the crew's comradery and the sense of wonder in the whole production.
PRO - Only half a season so far, but it shows promise. Another very consistent start.
DS9 - Emissary was my favourite of the Berman-era Trek. Aside from they were trying to be like TNG, it had a real sense of being stuck out in the middle of nowhere.
PIC - I loved the whole Data story here, so thought the season ended nicely. The whole nefarious-Romulan-sibling plan is dull on rewatch.
DIS - It was so much fun having Star Trek back, but I don't think they had a very good grip on the Klingons. Too many boring scenes with subtitles was my takeaway from that. The MU arc was the best part.
LD - I think aside from a rather awkward opening couple of episodes, the season is pretty funny. It did take me a few episodes to warm to Mariner.
VOY - It was fine when it was doing its own thing, out in the Delta Quadrant. However, too many times we found premises that could have just as easily been done on TNG.
TNG - There is a lot to like, as there is a sense of danger in space, and some great scores. However, real growing pains with early episodes.
ENT - Bland and forgettable, aside from the odd highlight.
TOS - my easy favourite, by introducing us to the world we all love so much. I only dislike 2 or 3 episodes, and it has a lot of classic episodes.
SNW - A very consistent start for the new show. I love the crew's comradery and the sense of wonder in the whole production.
PRO - Only half a season so far, but it shows promise. Another very consistent start.
DS9 - Emissary was my favourite of the Berman-era Trek. Aside from they were trying to be like TNG, it had a real sense of being stuck out in the middle of nowhere.
PIC - I loved the whole Data story here, so thought the season ended nicely. The whole nefarious-Romulan-sibling plan is dull on rewatch.
DIS - It was so much fun having Star Trek back, but I don't think they had a very good grip on the Klingons. Too many boring scenes with subtitles was my takeaway from that. The MU arc was the best part.
LD - I think aside from a rather awkward opening couple of episodes, the season is pretty funny. It did take me a few episodes to warm to Mariner.
VOY - It was fine when it was doing its own thing, out in the Delta Quadrant. However, too many times we found premises that could have just as easily been done on TNG.
TNG - There is a lot to like, as there is a sense of danger in space, and some great scores. However, real growing pains with early episodes.
ENT - Bland and forgettable, aside from the odd highlight.
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1. LD - Trek's only perfect first season. Unlike all it's franchise siblings, this show came out of the box knowing exactly what it wanted to be and exactly what it needed to do to get there. If only they all had such clarity!
2. TNG - a hot mess, but you can't beat it for vibes. A sentimental favorite, I adore it's messy 80's weirdness. Strangely, some of the most rewatchable Trek ever produced.
3. VOY - it is super strange that Voyager had such a strong first season, given the troubles that were to follow.
4. SNW - not without it's flaws, but overall pretty great. The best start to a live-action show in the streaming era BY A MILE.
5. DIS - another hot mess, but with immense amounts of obvious potential
6. DS9 - I loooooove DS9, but did they struggle to find it at the beginning
7. TAS - appealingly trippy
8. TOS - I recognize it's well done, I just can't ever connect to TOS as more than a historical curiosity.
9. ENT - running on fumes
10. PIC - For the first 7 eps, I was saying things like "best Star Trek ever produced." Then the ending of this story was soooooooo bad it condemns the whole season to absolute bottom of the barrel, by an enormous margin.
That's the thing with the delayed gratification of a serialized season. When you keep deferring any pay-off, and then what's finally offered is "Et In Arcadia Ego", which was basically frenzied actors rushing through a rough outline of plot points... ugh.
2. TNG - a hot mess, but you can't beat it for vibes. A sentimental favorite, I adore it's messy 80's weirdness. Strangely, some of the most rewatchable Trek ever produced.
3. VOY - it is super strange that Voyager had such a strong first season, given the troubles that were to follow.
4. SNW - not without it's flaws, but overall pretty great. The best start to a live-action show in the streaming era BY A MILE.
5. DIS - another hot mess, but with immense amounts of obvious potential
6. DS9 - I loooooove DS9, but did they struggle to find it at the beginning
7. TAS - appealingly trippy
8. TOS - I recognize it's well done, I just can't ever connect to TOS as more than a historical curiosity.
9. ENT - running on fumes
10. PIC - For the first 7 eps, I was saying things like "best Star Trek ever produced." Then the ending of this story was soooooooo bad it condemns the whole season to absolute bottom of the barrel, by an enormous margin.
That's the thing with the delayed gratification of a serialized season. When you keep deferring any pay-off, and then what's finally offered is "Et In Arcadia Ego", which was basically frenzied actors rushing through a rough outline of plot points... ugh.
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My rankings:
PIC
TOS
LD
ENT
VOY
TNG
SNW
ST
PRO
TAS
DS9
DIS
And even though its not my rankings, this is how Rotten Tomatoes ranks the first season of each show.
SNW - 99
TAS - 94
PRO - 93
TOS - 92
TNG – 88
PIC - 87
VOY - 85
DIS - 82
DS9 - 81
ENT - 72
LD - 67
ST – N/A
PIC
TOS
LD
ENT
VOY
TNG
SNW
ST
PRO
TAS
DS9
DIS
And even though its not my rankings, this is how Rotten Tomatoes ranks the first season of each show.
SNW - 99
TAS - 94
PRO - 93
TOS - 92
TNG – 88
PIC - 87
VOY - 85
DIS - 82
DS9 - 81
ENT - 72
LD - 67
ST – N/A
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