Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before...
Star Trek fans worldwide rejoiced when CBS announced a new series, though it launched exclusively on CBS All Access for $5.99/month. Nearly 60 years strong, the franchise boasts five live-action TV series, one animated series, and 13 films. Iconic phrases like "Resistance is futile" and "Beam me up, Scotty" (though the latter never actually aired) have permeated pop culture.
Star Trek has inspired real-world tech, from communicators resembling flip phones to voice-activated computers. For more, check out The Star Trek Technology We Hope to See in Our Lifetimes or Your Own Holodeck: Will the Star Trek Fantasy Become Reality?
Most know Captain Kirk, Spock, and the Enterprise. Its themes of exploration, alien encounters, and action appeal across generations. Here's your expert roadmap to the Star Trek franchise.
We'll focus on live-action shows, skipping the animated series Gene Roddenberry deemed non-canon due to poor animation.
The foundational 79-episode run launched the phenomenon. Low-rated initially, it exploded in syndication. Set in the 23rd century on a five-year mission, it stars Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), logical Vulcan Mr. Spock, and Dr. "Bones" McCoy ("Dammit Jim, I'm a doctor, not a..."). Shatner's dramatic delivery became legendary.
Fan-favorite with 178 episodes over seven seasons. Set 100 years later, Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) leads a refined Enterprise crew, including Klingon Worf, android Data, and young Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton). New foes: cunning Romulans, omnipotent Q, and assimilation-obsessed Borg ("Resistance is futile"). A Borg cliffhanger assimilates Picard.
Seven seasons on a stationary space station near a wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant. Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) oversees Bajor's post-Cardassian recovery. TNG crossovers include O'Brien and Worf. First series without Roddenberry (d. 1991); overlaps with TNG.
Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), Star Trek's first female lead, commands Voyager in the Delta Quadrant—75 years from home after chasing Maquis rebels. Improvised officers and constant shortcuts fuel exploration.
Prequel (2151-2161) with Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula of Quantum Leap). First Warp 5 ship forms the Federation amid timeline threats. Shortest run (four seasons); first non-trek theme music.
Movies elevated Star Trek to cinematic stardom. Note the old joke: odd-numbered originals flopped, evens soared—until J.J. Abrams rebooted.
Revived post-syndication boom and Star Wars success. Kirk battles V'Ger entity.
Top-ranked. Khan seeks revenge on Kirk, stealing Genesis device.
Kirk steals Enterprise to regenerate Spock; ship destroyed.
Time-travel to 1980s San Francisco for whales; quirky hit clears crew.
Spock's half-brother seeks "God"; skippable dud.
Kirk framed in Klingon peace conspiracy; grows on rewatches.
Kirk passes torch to Picard against Nexus threat.
Borg time assault on first Vulcan contact; peak Picard film.
Picard upholds Prime Directive against Federation plot.
Picard clone sparks Romulan war; franchise low ends era.
Abrams reboot pre-Kirk; Romulan Vulcan destruction. Oscar-winner, best since Khan.
Khan's backstory; Federation attack leads to Klingon war plot.
Creator Gene Roddenberry envisioned utopia: no poverty, unified humanity exploring space. Diverse casts challenged norms.
In 1966, Lt. Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) broke barriers as a key Black officer—first prominent TV role post-Civil Rights Act. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. convinced her to stay. Her interracial kiss with Kirk in "Plato's Stepchildren" was TV's first, defying racism.
This guide covers Star Trek essentials. With new series ahead, the future looks bright. What's your favorite? Social commentary or sci-fi action? Will you watch the 2017 CBS debut?
Share your thoughts in the comments!
