Home News Star Trek Timeline Guide: The Ultimate Chronological Journey

Star Trek Timeline Guide: The Ultimate Chronological Journey

Author : Dylan Update : Feb 23,2025

Embark on a Comprehensive Star Trek Viewing Journey: Chronological and Release Order Guides

Since the debut of Star Trek: The Original Series in 1966, the franchise has expanded into a vast multimedia universe. This guide simplifies navigating this expansive content, offering both chronological and release order viewing options. Paramount+ provides convenient access to most Star Trek entries.

This guide offers spoiler-free chronological and release order viewing options.

Chronological Viewing Order:

Star Trek: Enterprise (2151-2155): Preceding all other series, this show depicts Earth's first warp five capable starship, the Enterprise NX-01, and its captain, Jonathan Archer. It offers a glimpse into a less technologically advanced era of Starfleet.

Star Trek: Enterprise, UPN, Sep 26, 2001

Where to Watch: [Streaming/Purchase Options]
Star Trek: Discovery: Seasons 1 and 2 (2256-2258): Set a decade before The Original Series, these seasons follow Michael Burnham's journey aboard the U.S.S. Discovery. Note: Seasons 3-5 jump significantly forward in time.

Star Trek: Discovery, Paramount+, Jan 7, 2018

Where to Watch: [Streaming/Purchase Options]
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2259-TBD): A prequel to The Original Series, featuring Captain Christopher Pike and the Enterprise NCC-1701.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Paramount+, May 5, 2022

Where to Watch: [Streaming/Purchase Options]
Star Trek: The Original Series (2265-2269): The foundational series, chronicling the five-year mission of the Enterprise under Captain Kirk and Spock.

Star Trek: The Original Series, NBC, Sep 8, 1966

Where to Watch: [Streaming/Purchase Options]
Star Trek Kelvin Timeline (2009's Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, Star Trek Beyond): An alternate timeline reboot, featuring familiar characters with new actors. These can be viewed at any point.

Where to Watch: [Streaming/Purchase Options for each film]
Star Trek: The Animated Series (2269-2270): Animated continuation of The Original Series.

Star Trek: The Animated Series, NBC, Sep 8, 1973

Where to Watch: [Streaming/Purchase Options]
Star Trek: The Motion Picture (2270s): The first Star Trek film, featuring the original crew.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Paramount Pictures, Dec 7, 1979

Where to Watch: [Streaming/Purchase Options]
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (2285): Widely considered the best Star Trek film, pitting Kirk against Khan Noonien Singh.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Paramount Pictures, Jun 4, 1982

Where to Watch: [Streaming/Purchase Options]
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (2285): The aftermath of Spock's death and the crew's quest to recover his katra.

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Paramount Pictures, Jun 1, 1984

Where to Watch: [Streaming/Purchase Options]
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (2286 and 1986): Time travel adventure to 1986 San Francisco.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Paramount Pictures, Nov 26, 1986

Where to Watch: [Streaming/Purchase Options]
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (2287): A less critically acclaimed entry, featuring a search for God.

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Paramount Pictures, Jun 9, 1989

Where to Watch: [Streaming/Purchase Options]
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (2293): The final film featuring the original TOS cast, focusing on Klingon-Federation relations.

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Paramount Pictures, Dec 6, 1991

Where to Watch: [Streaming/Purchase Options]
Star Trek: Section 31 (2326): A potentially skippable entry, according to critical consensus.

Star Trek: Section 31, Paramount+, Jan 24, 2025

Where to Watch: [Streaming/Purchase Options]
Star Trek: The Next Generation (2364-2370): Highly acclaimed series featuring Captain Picard and the crew of the Enterprise-D.

Star Trek: The Next Generation, Sep 28, 1987

Where to Watch: [Streaming/Purchase Options]
Star Trek: Generations (2293 and 2371): A crossover film featuring both Picard and Kirk.

Star Trek: Generations, Paramount Pictures, Nov 18, 1994

Where to Watch: [Streaming/Purchase Options]
Star Trek: First Contact (2373): A battle against the Borg.

Star Trek: First Contact, Paramount Pictures, Nov 22, 1996

Where to Watch: [Streaming/Purchase Options]
Star Trek: Insurrection (2375): A less well-received film involving a planet with rejuvenating properties.

Star Trek: Insurrection, Paramount Pictures, Dec 11, 1998

Where to Watch: [Streaming/Purchase Options]
Star Trek: Nemesis (2379): The final TNG film, featuring a Picard clone.

Star Trek: Nemesis, Paramount Pictures, Dec 13, 2002

Where to Watch: [Streaming/Purchase Options]
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (2369-2375): Series set on a space station near a wormhole, featuring Captain Sisko.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Jan 3, 1993

Where to Watch: [Streaming/Purchase Options]
Star Trek: Voyager (2371-2378): Series following Captain Janeway and her crew stranded in the Delta Quadrant.

Star Trek: Voyager, UPN, Jan 16, 1995

Where to Watch: [Streaming/Purchase Options]
Star Trek: Lower Decks (2380-2382): Animated series focusing on lower-deck crew members.

Star Trek: Lower Decks, Paramount+, Aug 6, 2020

Where to Watch: [Streaming/Purchase Options]
Star Trek: Prodigy (2383-2385): 3D animated series aimed at a younger audience.

Star Trek: Prodigy, Netflix, Oct 28, 2021

Where to Watch: [Streaming/Purchase Options]
Star Trek: Picard (2399-2402): Series featuring a retired Picard and members of the TNG crew.

Star Trek: Picard, Paramount+, Jan 23, 2020

Where to Watch: [Streaming/Purchase Options]
Star Trek: Discovery: Seasons 3, 4, and 5 (3188-3191): These seasons of Discovery jump far into the future.

Star Trek: Discovery, Paramount+, Jan 7, 2018

Where to Watch: [Streaming/Purchase Options]

Release Order Viewing: This list follows the order of release for each series and film. (List omitted for brevity, but easily compiled from the chronological list above).

Upcoming Star Trek Projects: Several new projects are in development, including new series and films.

Michelle Yeoh as Emperor Philippa Georgiou in Star Trek: Section 31