A comprehensive summary of every Star Trek television series and feature film, in chronological order of release.
The one that started it all. Set in the 23rd century aboard the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), the show follows Captain James T. Kirk, Mr. Spock, and Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy as they explore the galaxy on a five-year mission. Created by Gene Roddenberry, TOS ran for three seasons on NBC and laid the foundation for everything that followed — the Federation, Starfleet, Vulcans, Klingons, and the transporter. It was groundbreaking in its diverse cast and its willingness to tackle social issues like racism, war, and imperialism through the lens of science fiction.
A Saturday morning animated continuation of TOS, featuring the voices of the original cast. Though often overlooked, TAS won a Daytime Emmy and explored stories that would have been too expensive for live action. It ran for two seasons and is now considered canon by Paramount.
Set a century after TOS, TNG follows Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the USS Enterprise-D. Where Kirk was bold and impulsive, Picard was cerebral and diplomatic. The show ran for seven seasons and is widely regarded as one of the greatest sci-fi series ever made. It introduced beloved characters like Data, Worf, Counselor Troi, and Geordi La Forge, and tackled complex ethical and philosophical questions with sophistication. Episodes like "The Inner Light," "Best of Both Worlds," and "The Measure of a Man" are considered all-time classics.
Set on a space station near the planet Bajor and a stable wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant, DS9 broke the Star Trek mold by being serialized, darker, and more morally complex than its predecessors. Commander (later Captain) Benjamin Sisko led a diverse crew that included Bajorans, a shapeshifter, a Ferengi bartender, and a Klingon security chief. DS9 explored religion, occupation, terrorism, and war in ways Star Trek had never done before. Its Dominion War arc across the later seasons is among the most ambitious storytelling in franchise history.
After being flung 70,000 light-years across the galaxy into the Delta Quadrant, Captain Kathryn Janeway — the first female lead captain in the franchise — must get her crew home. VOY blended TNG-style episodic storytelling with a serialized premise, and introduced the Borg more fully as recurring antagonists. The show ran seven seasons and is remembered for characters like Seven of Nine, the holographic Doctor, and Tuvok.
A prequel set a century before TOS, following Captain Jonathan Archer and the crew of humanity's first Warp 5 starship. Enterprise explored the early days of space exploration, the founding of Starfleet, and first contacts with alien species before the Federation existed. It struggled in its early seasons but found its footing in its third and fourth seasons with serialized arcs. It was cancelled after four seasons, leaving fans wanting more.
The first new Trek series in over a decade, Discovery initially launched as a prequel set just before TOS, following Michael Burnham — a human raised by Vulcans — aboard the USS Discovery. It was heavily serialized and more cinematic in style than prior Trek. After several seasons the show jumped 930 years into the future, reinventing itself entirely. Discovery ran for five seasons before concluding in 2024, and served as the launchpad for the modern era of Trek.
A series of standalone short episodes ranging from 8 to 17 minutes, serving as supplements to Discovery and Picard. They featured various characters and time periods and were released between seasons of the main shows.
Following Jean-Luc Picard in his eighties, years after his retirement from Starfleet, this series explored legacy, aging, artificial life, and redemption. Patrick Stewart reprised his iconic role across three seasons. The first two seasons were divisive, but the third season — which reunited the full TNG cast for a feature-length swan song — was celebrated as one of the best things Trek has produced in decades.
An animated adult comedy set in the TNG era, following the "lower decks" crew — the junior ensigns doing the unglamorous work aboard the USS Cerritos. Surprisingly, Lower Decks became one of the most beloved modern Trek series, packed with continuity deep cuts and genuine heart. It ran four seasons before being cancelled, ending on its own terms.
An animated series aimed at younger audiences, following a group of alien kids who discover an abandoned Starfleet ship and use it to escape captivity. Kate Mulgrew returned as the voice of a holographic Janeway. Initially on Paramount+, the show was cancelled and then rescued by Netflix, which aired its second season. Genuinely delightful for all ages.
Following Captain Christopher Pike, Spock, and Nurse Chapel aboard the USS Enterprise before the events of TOS, Strange New Worlds returned Trek to its episodic roots and has been near-universally praised. It features gorgeous production, strong character work, and a willingness to experiment — including a musical episode and a crossover with Lower Decks. Widely considered the best modern Trek series.
A Paramount+ film (originally developed as a series) following Emperor Philippa Georgiou, the Mirror Universe counterpart of Discovery's Captain Georgiou, played by Michelle Yeoh. It focuses on the secretive black-ops organization Section 31.
The crew of the Enterprise reunites to intercept a massive, destructive energy cloud heading toward Earth. Slow and cerebral, TMP is more Kubrick than action movie — deliberately paced and visually ambitious. Divisive on release, it has been reappraised over the years as a thoughtful piece of science fiction.
Widely considered the greatest Star Trek film ever made. Khan Noonien Singh, a genetically engineered tyrant first encountered in TOS, escapes exile and seeks revenge on Admiral Kirk. The film introduces the Genesis Device, features the death of Spock, and contains one of cinema's great villain performances from Ricardo Montalban. It set the template for what a Trek film should be.
Kirk and crew steal the Enterprise to return to the Genesis Planet and recover Spock's body — and katra (living spirit). The Enterprise is destroyed in the process. A solid adventure that serves as a direct sequel to Wrath of Khan, completing the trilogy arc.
A humpback whale. Time travel. 1986 San Francisco. Kirk and crew travel back in time to bring extinct humpback whales to the future to answer an alien probe's call. Enormously fun, funny, and accessible to non-Trek fans. One of the most beloved entries in the franchise.
Directed by William Shatner, the crew is hijacked by a renegade Vulcan mystic (and Spock's half-brother) on a quest to find God at the center of the galaxy. Generally regarded as the weakest of the original cast films, hampered by production problems and a muddled script. Still has its defenders.
The original crew's final film. When a Klingon moon explodes, the two powers must negotiate peace — but someone wants to stop them. A politically rich thriller with Cold War allegories and a satisfying, elegiac farewell to Kirk and company. Nicholas Meyer (who directed Wrath of Khan) returned to direct.
The passing of the torch from the TOS crew to TNG. Kirk and Picard meet inside the Nexus — a ribbon of pure joy — and team up to stop the villain Soran. Malcolm McDowell plays Soran. Notably, Kirk dies. Controversial among fans, but a sincere attempt at bridging two eras.
Picard and the Enterprise-E travel back in time to prevent the Borg from assimilating Earth before humanity makes first contact with the Vulcans. Widely regarded as the best TNG film, featuring a menacing Borg Queen and a visceral, action-driven story that doesn't sacrifice character depth.
Picard defies Starfleet orders to protect the Ba'ku, a peaceful people whose planet has life-prolonging properties coveted by the Son'a. A quieter, more philosophical film — essentially a feature-length TNG episode. Enjoyable but considered a step down from First Contact.
Picard faces his clone, Shinzon of Remus, who has seized control of the Romulan Empire. The film features the death of Data. Poorly received on release and considered one of the weakest entries, though it has gained some retrospective appreciation. Its box office failure led to a decade-long hiatus for the franchise.
J.J. Abrams rebooted the franchise with a younger cast playing the TOS characters in an alternate timeline (the "Kelvin Timeline") created by a time-traveling Romulan villain. Chris Pine as Kirk, Zachary Quinto as Spock. Slick, energetic, and enormously successful, it introduced Trek to a new generation.
The Kelvin crew faces a mysterious Starfleet operative named John Harrison — who turns out to be Khan. Ambitious but controversial, particularly for its reimagining of Wrath of Khan's iconic moments. Divisive among longtime fans, though a commercial success.
The crew of the Enterprise is stranded on an alien planet after their ship is destroyed by the villain Krall, who turns out to be a former Federation captain. Directed by Justin Lin, Beyond is the most purely fun of the Kelvin films — a fast-paced adventure with genuine heart. Idris Elba plays Krall.
Last updated: February 2026