What order to watch Star Trek?

The http://startreklist.blogspot.ca/2011/04/list-of-all-star-trek-episodes-sorted_05.html order inspired me to revise my own preferred viewing order. Now I'm thinking: 1. TOS (in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_The_Original_Series_episodes#Production_order is recommended) 1b. TAS (it's fun and kinda groovy but I consider it optional. Maybe watch an episode and decide if it's your cup of earl grey. If not, proceed directly to...) 2. Star Trek I - VI (these films have an arc that I think works best when viewed sequentially...I can understand why others have suggested waiting to watch VI until you are at the "Unification" episodes in TNG but I think it would diminish the overall effect) 3. TNG (rather than moving directly to the TNG movies, I suggest you take a day or two to reflect and recover from "All Good Things...". When you are ready to move on, proceed to...) 4. DS9 [stop after "Meridian"](now, because DS9 premiered when TNG was still airing there is an opportunity here for some interweaving between series, if you are into that sort of thing. To set up the DS9 universe several TNG episodes introduced plot elements that would feature prominently in the latter series, such as the Bajoran/Cardassian conflict. While interweaving may be interesting it would not be a satisfying viewing experience, IMO. Rather, I think "The Emissary" works as a great transition from TNG, as Picard shows up to hand the baton to Sisko. But stop watching after season 3 ep 8, "Meridian," because then it's time for...) 5. Generations (after 3 seasons aboard Terok Nor maybe you're missing the crew of the Enterprise, or at least curious about what they've been up to. Now is a great time to rejoin them for their first big-screen adventure!) 6. DS9 [from "Defiant" to "Ascent"] (rejoin your favorite space station dwellers, and be sure to check out my personal fave DS9 ep "The Visitor," but after you watch Se5ep9 "Ascent" take a break for...) 7. First Contact (this film introduces the boring black and grey pajamas as the new Starfleet uniform...color had always been an important part of the Starfleet look, but no more. Anyway, these dull duds are the new standard, and everyone will be wearing them when you return to...) 8. DS9 [from "Rapture" to "Covenant"] (another solid run of the DS9 mythos, then I suggest a quick excursion to...) 9. Insurrection (this trek is more like a day trip...it's essentially a TNG 2-part episode with F. Murray Abraham as a monster face bad guy. Honestly you could skip it if you wanted to stay with DS9) 10. DS9 [from "It's only a paper moon" to finale] (finally you can finish this series and watch the exciting conclusion of the Dominion War) 11. Voyager (Voyager premiered while DS9 was still airing, so you could always interweave episodes between the series, but who has the time for that? Just watch it after you finish DS9, though be prepared to be confused when everyone's back in the old starfleet uniforms. I'm not much of a Voyager fan, so without advocating skipping the series entirely I suggest reading the synopses before deciding to watch an episode, or if the intro is boring skip it [I'm assuming that you have a Netflix account and a desire to spend time watching tv series that are available on instant watch]. A personal favorite of mine is "Blink of an Eye" in season six) 12. Nemesis (watch as the TNG crew are shoehorned into a poorly conceived Wrath of Khan homage/ripoff, and keep your eyes peeled for potential cameos from survivors of the other series!) 13. Enterprise (Why the hell not? Personally I hate it and refuse to accept it as canon) 14. Star Trek 2009 reboot (Everything old is new again!) By the time you finish it should be around May, so go see Star Trekkin' 2: Darkness in theaters. After that, you can initiate the next iteration of the time loop by starting the whole process over, but that's totally optional.

I think the best way is by star date. Keep all in order, regardless of series. Man alive, I didn't think you could do that but you http://startreklist.blogspot.ca/2011/04/list-of-all-star-trek-episodes-sorted_05.html.

I would go through a list of the episodes of TOS, and watch the ones that are either considered important (whether artistically or canonically) or where the plots sound interesting. TOS is the absolute least consistent as far as quality goes, and really doesn't resemble the latter series. Skip TAS unless it sounds like it would be fun to watch. Watching TNG and DS9 interleaved could work, but I'd honestly watch DS9 on its own as it is the absolutely stand-out of the entire Star Trek thing. But definitely watch them both in full. DS9 is more consistent, but TNG has great episodes in every single season. VOY you can either watch all the way through or skip around. I've yet to encounter anyone who managed to get into VOY without having followed it on TV. I sat through like three episodes of ENT before giving up. As far as the movies, I'll comment on the ones I can actually remember: Wrath of Khan: Absolutely watch it. Generations: Shitty, but could be fun in a campy sort of way. If you enjoy TOS, I'd give it a shot. First Contact: Pretty fun, especially if you like time travel. Insurrection: A mediocre-to-shitty episode of TNG with a really high budget. Nemesis: A lot of weird, inexplicable continuity stuff, but worth watching.

I can't believe someone actually did the stardate order. I mean, of course I can believe it because: internet, but still. This is coming from someone who worked (in Continuity!) on DS9 and VOY. We just laughed off the stardates at the time. Was literally paid to sit through ENT and would not do so again. The beagle was cute though.

I'd watch it chronologically as each iteration is informed by that which went before it. So TOS, in the order they were shot (not aired, there's a slight bit of weirdness if you do that), but whatever order they're in on your DVD set is fine. TNG, DS9, VOY with ENT last. Agree with SNWidget that there are Easter Eggs in the later series that will make you smile s they're callbacks to original series. Trials and Tribb-ilations is the one that springs to mind. Although the Re-Booted Star Trek movie has a delicious bit with Scotty, Enterprise etc. Sooo... yeah, watch in chrological order.

When you're done with TOS, watch the Futurama episode "Where No Fan Has Gone Before" (season 4, episode 11.) It's as loving a send-up of TOS as I've ever seen and features most of the original cast.

I won't speak to skipping anything, but I'd definitely suggest watching it in order-aired, by series (option 2). ENT has a bunch of great little tidbits that are better if you've seen the whole canon by that point.

Also after TOS, I recommend that you read the John Scalzi novel "Redshirts: A Novel and Three Codas." It's about a group of crewmen aboard a ship that bears a... passing resemblance to the TOS Enterprise, and who have discovered that the accident rate for crewman, as compared to officers, has deviated to a startling degree from the norm. Sure, you got the joke as soon as you read the title, but keep reading.. this book has truly unexpected depths. And not a few unexpected deaths. It's a fast read, amusing, and eventually engrossing. Other material that should be seen, in addition to the aforementioned Futurama episode: Galaxy Quest, the SNL episode hosted by Shatner (at the very least, the infamous "Get a Life!" sketch), and the documentary "Trekkies," (about Trek fandom taken in some unusual directions and extremes).

I put togetherhttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Au330pWhvQBhcjBmTlFESkU3eXItUU9YcEkzLTE5WGc to track my progress through TNG, DS9, VOY and TNG movies in order of airdate. I like this order for two reasons: it preserves continuity and makes for a lot of variety when the shows overlap. I don't think I would be able to sit through a VOY marathon, but alternating with DS9 dilutes the influence of Neelix. We'll see how it goes once I finish DS9 and I am left with only VOY and ENT.