Series recommendation for a Star Trek newbie?

[I am not Spock]

A newbie shouldn't start with DS9. It's 'Trekkers Trek', as in you probably need to already be a big fan to get into it. Unless the newbie likes Stargate or BSG, etc. An arc-based show won't seem so hard to follow after being familiar with those shows.

TOS, TNG, and VOY are the most 'friendly' shows for casual watchers. You don't really need to know a lot of backstory, or have to follow many arcs. You can pretty much drop in and drop out.

ENT's first two seasons also aren't very arc-based, but then, they are often considered to be the worst two years of the show, so I wouldn't start someone off there. If you have to show someone Enterprise first, show them the stronger seasons: 3 and 4.

 

[DevilEyes]

A newbie shouldn't start with DS9. It's 'Trekkers Trek', as in you probably need to already be a big fan to get into it. Unless the newbie likes Stargate or BSG, etc. An arc-based show won't seem so hard to follow after being familiar with those shows.

TOS, TNG, and VOY are the most 'friendly' shows for casual watchers. You don't really need to know a lot of backstory, or have to follow many arcs. You can pretty much drop in and drop out.

ENT's first two seasons also aren't very arc-based, but then, they are often considered to be the worst two years of the show, so I wouldn't start someone off there. If you have to show someone Enterprise first, show them the stronger seasons: 3 and 4.

I think that ENT season 1 is quite good and entertaining. Season 2 was a step down, too many poor or average episodes, and the story was going nowhere. But it's still miles ahead of TNG season 1 - still the worst season of Trek by far.

 

[Rush Limborg]

^I actually grew up on videos of TNG seasons 1 and 2--which may explain my tolerance for so much Trek that's held to be "below average"....

 

[DevilEyes]

^I actually grew up on videos of TNG seasons 1 and 2--which may explain my tolerance for so much Trek that's held to be "below average"....

I watched TNG season 1 as a pre-teen/teen (I'm not sure which year it was exactly) and liked it well enough... it was the first Trek I ever watched... but seeing it now, as an adult, it's really

 

[Mysterion]

Re: Hypothetical ? What series would you suggest a newbie start with?

Definitely start with TOs - the font from which all other Star Trek sprang. Watch The Cage first if you can swing it.