longest star trek series

Star Trek's Longest Running Series, Revealed

The crew of the Enterprise D stands alone as the most successful Star Trek series.

The success of a show lies in the relationship it builds with its audience. It is why Star Trek: The Next Generation’s debut in 1987 was a touchstone moment for the brand originally created by Gene Roddenberry in the 1960s. It can be argued TNG laid the foundation for decades of future trek’s to the outer reaches of space because of the way it connected with its audience. This is why this series, led by Captain Picard and crew, has earned a special spot above all others as the longest-running series in the history of Starfleet .

Star Trek has proven, beyond all measure, that it understands its audience, generation after generation, while still adhering to its core identity. Part of the success of the franchise is its ability to re-brand and re-calibrate for new audiences. Star Trek: The Next Generation created the blueprint and became the most successful series of all.

Star Trek: TNG was able to adapt very quickly to what the audience responded to, as characters and storylines moved in and out of the background. One of its great strengths was the way it was able to organically evolve its characters season after season. From Data’s exploration into the human psyche to Worf’s softer side, we understood the evolution. The audience was invested in the characters early in the series and was eager to go on adventures with them.

RELATED: Star Trek: Why The Next Generation Allowed Families Aboard the Enterprise

It is hard for shows to hold the creative line for so many years without taking the audience to a place they just aren’t willing to go. Much of the series success is rooted in the reality blended science fiction the show portrayed. When TNG debuted in the late 80’s many original Star Trek fans were still able to get on board with a new show that felt familiar.

As the series moved forward, its reputation grew. Throughout the series, technological advancements allowed for the already expensive series to feel even larger. From the holodeck to more elaborate sets and locations, the show kept feeling bigger and bigger. The cool concepts and strong writing helped hold the audience until the series finale, which drew 30 million viewers in 1994.

RELATED: Star Trek's William Shatner Is Preserving Himself Through Interactive AI

The show racked up 178 episodes, a Star Trek series record that stands today. Between 1987 and 2005, the Star Trek brand rolled out more than 620 original episodes of television between TNG, Deep Space Nine, Voyager and Enterprise . An unprecedented run for the brand that then waited over a decade before original shows came back to TV with 2017’s Star Trek: Discovery.

The enduring legacy of the original crew of the Enterprise-D spawned into 4 movies and a spin-off series, Picard . It shows the strong feelings fans still have for these characters and the investment they still have in them 25 years after TNG wrapped. Star Trek has been bold in its continual march to re-brand and retool the product for new eras.

KEEP READING: Star Trek's Michael Dorn Shares His Pitch for a Worf Spinoff Series

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The best Star Trek series, ranked

Ready to settle in and watch some Star Trek episodes? Since there are so many, we’ve ranked all of the different series to help you get started on your quest.

Star Trek is one of the greatest franchises ever created. If you're new to the world of transporters and holodecks, you have so much wonderful content to catch up on — of course, some would say too much content.

Since there are over 850 episodes and counting (all of which you can stream on Paramount+ ), watching all of Star Trek can be more difficult than fighting a Gorn in the desert. To make things easier for you to get started, we've ranked every series (besides the short-form series Short Treks ) of this long-running franchise. Some of these choices were a bit daunting to play favorites with, but, like Jim Kirk, there's no belief in the no-win scenario.

Without further ado, here's our list of every Star Trek series ranked from worst to best.

11. Star Trek: Picard (2020–2023)

Star Trek: Picard was meant to be like comfort food to fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation . And whether fans were turned off by the changes in franchise direction with shows like Discovery or just wanted to see Patrick Stewart back in action, Paramount clearly thought this show would be almost universally beloved.

That didn't happen . The warm and fuzzy feeling of seeing a few familiar faces in the first season evaporated because of an often-confusing plot about androids. The second season continued this confusion with a time-travel story that often bordered on incoherence. While many Star Trek shows take a few seasons to hit their stride, it was shocking that so much of this relatively short series was seemingly created with "make it so-so" in mind.

10. Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973–1974)

If you're in the right mood (or you've been sipping on some Saurian brandy), Star Trek: The Animated Series has some wacky entertainment value. Any given episode had the writers throwing in stories like a giant version of a beloved character. And the animators threw some fun curveballs, including making the embodiment of evil into a shirtless hottie that would make even shirtless Kirk jealous.

However, this animated show was often caught between two very different worlds. It wasn't fully a return to the (relatively) grounded exploration of space, science, and morality of The Original Series . And it didn't fully lean into the chaotic possibilities of a cartoon world (something Lower Decks would later handle much better). So, while more and more elements of The Animated Series have become canonical thanks to shows like Discovery , and it's fun to hear the voice acting of the Original Series cast, this cartoon is one that all but the most hardcore fans can skip.

9. Star Trek: Enterprise (2001–2005)

Despite what you might have heard, Star Trek: Enterprise is not a bad show. It just didn't start as a very good show. The series was tragically canceled after the fourth season, which was arguably when it had just begun to hit its stride (thanks in part to longer story arcs and a really fun glimpse into Trek 's popular Mirror Universe).

At the end of the day, Enterprise is a show best enjoyed by Star Trek fans that like to pore over the Memory Alpha wiki and familiarize themselves with Trek minutiae. As a prequel show, it laid the groundwork for everything from Starfleet policy to alien interactions that other shows explore in more detail. If you don't have a shot at winning any Star Trek trivia contests at your local bar, it's still worth watching how captivating Scott Bakula can be in the captain's seat.

8. Star Trek: Prodigy (2021–present)

Star Trek: Prodigy was very difficult to rank. Unlike the other two Trek cartoons, this series was explicitly designed for younger audiences. Paramount clearly wants to use this show as a gateway for these younger fans to explore the wider world of Star Trek , but there are enough elements (most notably the return of Kate Mulgrew , reprising her role as Captain Janeway via a holographic form) to keep veteran franchise fans invested.

Ultimately, your enjoyment of this series will be largely dependent on how much you enjoy animated/YA entertainment. If nothing else, you should check out the first two episodes of this show to see just how beautiful the CGI animation can get.

7. Star Trek: Discovery (2017–present)

If Enterprise is the Star Trek show cut off too soon, Discovery may very well be the first Star Trek show to outlive its welcome, though it will end after its fifth season . There are many things the show gets right, from nifty effects to quirky characters to amazing casting (seriously, Sonequa Martin-Green is electrifying whenever she is on screen).

The show veers from a disjointed-but-interesting first season to a mesmerizing second season, which gets a real shot in the arm by introducing Captain Pike (played by the inimitably charming Anson Mount ) and Spock (played as a perfect homage to Leonard Nimoy by Ethan Peck). Later seasons, however, prove that the series can't get away from galactic-level threats, and character drama begins overriding plot development enough that we want to slingshot around the sun and return this series to its earlier roots.

6. Star Trek: Voyager (1995–2001)

Like many Trek series, Star Trek: Voyager had a rocky beginning, and it was often overshadowed by the excellent Deep Space Nine . Ironically, Voyager dramatically improved with what could be a cynical casting stunt: adding the alluring Jeri Ryan (constantly wearing a catsuit, no less).

Though it really looked like a desperate ratings stunt, Ryan turned the reformed Borg Seven of Nine into the most interesting character on the show. And, despite their alleged clashes behind the scenes, the actress helped to elevate every scene she shared with Kate Mulgrew. Between the new cast member, improved writing, and Mulgrew being nothing short of a damned icon, Voyager soon became appointment television, and it's definitely worth binge-watching for modern audiences.

5. Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020–present)

Lower Decks is an impressive show for many reasons, including the fact that its execution elevates its initial premise, which focuses on the lives of the lower-level staffers aboard the starship. Because showrunner Mike McMahan previously wrote for Rick and Morty and the animation takes its cues from the cartoon adventures of Rick Sanchez, many fans may have assumed Lower Decks would simply be " Star Trek meets Rick and Morty ."

Thankfully, that's not the case. Aside from animation similarities, the main element these two cartoons have in common is a breakneck, borderline chaotic pace. But as entertaining as it can be, Rick and Morty is an often nihilistic show with gags revolving around how nothing really matters. Lower Decks , however, is a lighthearted series that serves as the cure to modern Trek . If you've dismissed other contemporary series such as Discovery and Picard because they are grim, violent, and serious, Lower Decks is a wonderfully lighthearted alternative that is never afraid to poke fun at its own franchise.

4. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022–present)

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is a truly pleasant surprise to fans of the franchise. Set years before Captain Kirk sat in that famous chair, we see Capt. Christopher Pike (Anson Mount reprising the role) lead the U.S.S. Enterprise into bizarre adventures alongside some familiar characters (Ethan Peck returning as Spock, for example) and a few new ones.

Part of what helps this show shine is that it marks a return to episodic Trek in that every installment is a self-contained adventure as opposed to other newer series like Discovery and Picard , which build entire seasons around a single plot. The characters all ooze with the same swashbuckling charm of The Original Series characters, and we can't wait to see more of their adventures. We also can't wait to see more of Anson Mount's amazing hair (arguably the most awesome practical effect in the franchise).

3. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994)

Star Trek: The Next Generation has the dubious honor of being the first Trek show where veteran fans warn against new fans starting at the very beginning. Early episodes ranged from stupidly horny (planetary inhabitants in the episode "Justice" were barely wearing scraps of clothing) to ridiculously racist ("Code of Honor" may very well be the worst Star Trek episode ever made). Many of these problems stemmed from the fact that despite being called "The Next Generation," the show was trying to recreate The Original Series (right down to using some of the same writers and shamelessly reusing scripts from the scrapped Star Trek: Phase II series).

As fans like to joke, the show got better as Commander Riker's beard got longer. Season 2 was a major improvement, which was then usurped by season 3, which brought in new uniforms, new sets, and Michael Piller to head up the writing team. Just like that, TNG embraced its differences from its famous forerunner (Picard was cerebral whereas Kirk was impulsive, Data yearned for emotion whereas Spock detested it, and so on). At last, the gamble paid off, and the next generation of this franchise ushered in the next generation of Star Trek fans.

2. Star Trek: The Original Series (1966–1969)

What can we say about The Original Series that hasn't been said already? Gene Roddenberry successfully fused science fiction with American pioneer spirit to create his vision of this " Wagon Train to the stars." The episodes were both fun and thought-provoking in equal measure, and William Shatner as Kirk and Leonard Nimoy as Spock, among many others, turned in performances that seared themselves into our collective pop culture consciousness.

The Original Series offered social commentary about racism, imperialism, and (often to Spock's annoyance) the human condition. And the blend of big acting, ambitious sets, and poignant plots helped this show become something truly transcendent. The OG Star Trek shaped not only the future of the franchise but television itself, and it's not hard to see why it continues to win over new generations of fans year after year.

1. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999)

Placing Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in the top spot is perhaps a contentious decision. However, this series did more than measure up to the quality of The Next Generation (a lofty feat in and of itself). The show also made a number of storytelling and production choices that have helped DS9 seem more relevant in recent years than ever before, including tackling issues about race, religious fundamentalism, and war on a regular basis.

Perhaps the main way DS9 feels so pertinent is that the show broke the longstanding Trek rule of making only standalone episodes. As the powers that be focused more on creating their next show, Voyager , DS9 showrunner Ira Steven Behr was able to get away with creating long story arcs and frequent episode callbacks. The end result of this is that Deep Space Nine is the first of the pre-streaming era Trek shows that is perfect for binge-watching.

How to Watch Star Trek in Order: The Complete Series Timeline

The full star trek timeline, explained..

Ever since 1966’s premiere of the first episode of Star Trek: The Original Series, the entertainment world has never been the same. This franchise that has boldly gone where no property has gone before has captured the hearts and minds of millions around the world and has grown into a space-faring empire of sorts filled with multiple shows, feature length films, comics, merchandise, and so much more. That being said, the amount of Star Trek out in the world can make it tough to know exactly how to watch everything it offers in either chronological or release order so you don’t miss a thing. To help make things easier for you, we’ve created this guide to break down everything you need to know about engaging with this Star Trek journey.

It used to be a bit trickier to track down all the Star Trek shows and movies you’d need to watch to catch up, but Paramount+ has made it a whole lot easier as it has become the home of nearly all the past, present and future Star Trek entries.

So, without further ado, come with us into the final frontier and learn how you can become all caught up with the adventures of Kirk, Picard, Janeway, Sisko, Spock, Pike, Archer, Burnham, and all the others that have made Star Trek so special over the past 56 years.

And, in case you're worried, everything below is a mostly spoiler-free chronological timeline that will not ruin any of any major plot points of anything further on in the timeline. So, you can use this guide as a handy way to catch up without ruining much of the surprise of what’s to come on your adventure! If you’d prefer to watch everything Star Trek as it was released, you’ll find that list below as well!

How to Watch Star Trek in Chronological Order

How to Watch Star Trek by Release Order

1. Star Trek: Enterprise (2151-2155)

Star Trek: Enterprise is the earliest entry on our list as it takes place a hundred years before the adventures of Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the crew of Star Trek: The Original Series. The show aired from 2001 to 2005 and starred Scott Bakula as Jonathan Archer, the captain of the Enterprise NX-01. This version of the Enterprise was actually Earth’s first starship that was able to reach warp five.

While the show had its ups and downs, it included a fascinating look at a crew without some of the advanced tech we see in other Star Trek shows, the first contact with various alien species we know and love from the Star Trek universe, and more.

2. Star Trek: Discovery: Seasons 1 and 2 (2256-2258)

This is where things get a little bit tricky, as the first two seasons of Star Trek: Discovery take place before Star Trek: The Original Series but Seasons 3 and 4 take us boldly to a place we’ve not gone before. We won’t spoil why that’s the case here, but it’s important to note if you want to watch Star Trek in order, you’ll have to do a bit of jumping around from series to movie to series.

As for what Star Trek: Discovery is, it's set the decade before the original and stars Sonequa Martin-Green’s Michael Burnham, a Starfleet Commander who accidentally helps start a war between the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire. She gets court-martialed and stripped of her rank following these events and is reassigned to the U.S.S Discovery.

3. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2259-TBD)

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds also begins before the events of Star Trek: The Original Series and is set up by Star Trek: Discovery as its captain, Anson Mount’s Christopher Pike, makes an appearance in its second season. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Pike first appeared in the original failed pilot episode “The Cage” of Star Trek: The Original Series and would later become James T. Kirk’s predecessor after the original actor, Jefferey Hunter, backed out of the show.

Fast forward all these years later and now we get to learn more about the story of Christopher Pike and many other familiar faces from The Original Series alongside new characters. It’s made even more special as the ship the crew uses is the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701, the very same that would soon call Kirk its captain.

4. Star Trek: The Original Series (2265-2269)

The fourth Star Trek series or movie you should watch in the order is the one that started it all - Star Trek: The Original Series . Created by Gene Roddenberry, this first Star Trek entry would kick off a chain reaction that would end up creating one of the most beloved IPs of all time. However, it almost never made it to that legendary status as its low ratings led to a cancellation order after just three seasons that aired from 1966 to 1969. Luckily, it found great popularity after that and built the foundation for all the Star Trek stories we have today.

Star Trek: The Original Series starred William Shatner as James T. Kirk and Leonard Nimoy as Spock, but the rest of the crew would go on to become nearly as iconic as they were. As for what the show was about? Well, we think Kirk said it best during each episode’s opening credits;

“Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise . Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.”

5. Star Trek: The Animated Series (2269-2270)

While Star Trek: The Original Series may have been canceled after just three seasons, its popularity only grew, especially with the help of syndication. Following this welcome development, Gene Roddenberry decided he wanted to continue the adventures of the crew of the Enterprise NCC-1701 in animated form, and he brought back many of the original characters and the actors behind them for another go.

Star Trek: The Animated Series lasted for two seasons from 1973 to 1974 and told even more stories of the Enterprise and its adventures throughout the Milky Way galaxy.

6. Star Trek: The Motion Picture (2270s)

The first Star Trek film was a very big deal as it brought back the crew of Star Trek: The Original Series after the show was canceled in 1969 after just three seasons. However, even it had a rough road to theaters as Roddenberry initially failed to convince Paramount Pictures it was worth it in 1975. Luckily, the success of Close Encounters of the Third Kind and other factors helped finally convince those in power to make the movie and abandon the plans for a new television series called Star Trek: Phase II, which also would have continued the original story.

In Star Trek: The Motion Picture, James T. Kirk was now an Admiral in Starfleet, and certain events involving a mysterious alien cloud of energy called V’Ger cause him to retake control of a refitted version of the U.S.S. Enterprise with many familiar faces in tow.

7. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (2285)

Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry had a sequel to Star Trek: The Motion Picture written, but Paramount turned it down after the reception to that first film was not what the studio had hoped for. In turn, Paramount removed him from the production and brought in Harve Bennett and Jack B. Sowards to write the script and Nicholas Meyer to direct the film.

The studio’s decision proved to be a successful one as Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is considered by many, including IGN, to be the best Star Trek film. As for the story, it followed the battle between Admiral James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise vs. Ricardo Montalban’ Khan Noonien Singh. Khan is a genetically engineered superhuman and he and his people were exiled by Kirk on a remote planet in the episode ‘Space Seed’ from the original series. In this second film, after being stranded for 15 years, Khan wants revenge.

8. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (2285)

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock continues the story that began in Wrath of Khan and deals with the aftermath of Spock’s death. While many on the U.S.S. Enterprise thought that was the end for their science officer, Kirk learns that Spock’s spirit/katra is actually living inside the mind of DeForest Kelley’s Dr. McCoy, who has been acting strange ever since the death of his friend. What follows is an adventure that includes a stolen U.S.S. Enterprise, a visit from Spock’s father Sarek, a run-in with Klingons, and so much more.

9. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (2286 and 1986)

While it is undoubtedly great that Kirk and his crew saved Spock, it apparently wasn’t great enough to avoid the consequences that follow stealing and then losing the Enterprise. On their way to answer for their charges, the former crew of the Enterprise discover a threat to Earth that, without spoiling anything, causes them to go back in time to save everything they love. The Voyage Home is a big departure from the previous films as, instead of space, we spend most of our time in 1986’s San Francisco.

10. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (2287)

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier once again brings back our favorite heroes from Star Trek: The Original Series, but it’s often regarded as one of the weakest films starring Kirk, Spock, McCoy, etc. In this adventure, our crew’s shore leave gets interrupted as they are tasked with going up against the Vulcan Sybok, who himself is on the hunt for God in the middle of the galaxy.

11. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (2293)

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is the final movie starring the entire cast of Star Trek: The Original Series, and it puts the Klingons front and center. After a mining catastrophe destroys the Klingon moon of Praxis and threatens the Klingon’s homeworld, Klingon Chancellor Gorkon is forced to abandon his species' love of war in an effort to seek peace with the Federation. What follows is an adventure that calls back to the fall of the Soviet Union and the Berlin Wall and serves as a wonderful send-off to characters we’ve come to know and love since 1966, even though some will thankfully appear in future installments.

12. Star Trek: The Next Generation (2364-2370)

After you make it through all six of the Star Trek: The Original Series movies, it’s time to start what many consider the best Star Trek series of all time - Star Trek: The Next Generation . The series, which starred Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard, ran from 1987 through 1994 with 178 episodes over seven seasons.

There are so many iconic characters and moments in The Next Generation, including William Riker, Data, Worf, Geordi La Forge, Deanna Troi, and Dr. Beverly Crusher, and many of these beloved faces would return for Star Trek: Picard, which served as a continuation of this story.

While we are once again on the U.S.S. Enterprise in Star Trek: The Next Generation, this story takes place a century after the events of Star Trek: The Original Series. However, there may just be a few familiar faces that pop up from time to time.

13. Star Trek Generations (2293)

While Star Trek Generations is the first film featuring the Star Trek: The Next Generation crew, it also features a team-up that many had dreamed of for years and years between Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Captain James T. Kirk.

Our heroes are facing off against an El-Aurian named Dr. Tolian Soran, who will do whatever is necessary to return to an extra-dimensional realm known as the Nexus. Without spoiling anything, these events lead to a meeting with these two legendary captains and a heartfelt-at-times send-off to The Original Series, even though not every character returned that we wished could have.

14. Star Trek: First Contact (2373)

Star Trek: First Contact was not only the second film featuring the crew from Star Trek: The Next Generation, but it also served as the motion picture directorial debut for William Riker actor Jonathan Frakes. In this film, the terrifying Borg take center stage and force our heroes to travel back in time to stop them from conquering Earth and assimilating the entire human race.

This movie picks up on the continuing trauma caused by Jean-Luc Picard getting assimilated in the series and becoming Locutus of Borg, and we are also treated to the first warp flight in Star Trek’s history, a shout-out to Deep Space Nine, and more.

15. Star Trek: Insurrection (2375)

Star Trek: Insurrection, which unfortunately ranked last on our list of the best Star Trek movies, is the third film starring the Star Trek: The Next Generation crew and followed a story involving an alien race that lives on a planet with more-or-less makes them invincible due to its rejuvenating properties. This alien race, known as the Ba’Ku, are being threatened by not only another alien race called the Son’a, but also the Federation. Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his crew disobey Federation orders in hopes to save the peaceful Ba’Ku, and while it sounds like an interesting premise, many said it felt too much like an extended episode of the series instead of a big blockbuster film.

16. Star Trek: Nemesis (2379)

The final Star Trek: The Next Generation movie is Star Trek: Nemesis , and it also isn’t looked at as one of the best. There are bright parts in the film, including Tom Hardy’s Shinzon who is first thought to be a Romulan praetor before it’s revealed he is a clone of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, but it also features a lot of retreaded ground. There are some great moments between our favorite TNG characters, but it’s not quite the goodbye many had hoped for. Luckily, this won’t be the last we’ll see of them.

17. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (2369-2375)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is the fourth Star Trek series and it ran from 1993 to 1999 with 176 episodes over seven seasons. Deep Space Nine was also the first Star Trek series to be created without the direct involvement of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, but instead with Rick Berman and Michael Piller. Furthermore, it was the first series to begin when another Star Trek Series - The Next Generation - was still on the air.

The connections between The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine don’t end there, as there were a ton of callbacks to TNG in Deep Space Nine, and characters like Worf and Miles O’Brien played a big part in the series. Other TNG characters popped up from time to time, including Captain Jean-Luc Picard, and certain Deep Space Nine characters also showed their faces in TNG.

Deep Space Nine was a big departure from the Star Trek series that came before, as it not only took place mostly on a space station - the titular Deep Space Nine - but it was the first to star an African American as its central character in Avery Brooks’ Captain Benjamin Sisko.

Deep Space Nine was located in a very interesting part of the Milky Way Galaxy as it was right next to a wormhole, and the series was also filled with conflict between the Cardassians and Bajorans, the war between the Federation and the Dominion, and much more.

18. Star Trek: Voyager (2371-2378)

Star Trek: Voyager is the fifth Star Trek series and it ran from 1995 to 2001 with 172 episodes over seven seasons. Star Trek: Voyager begins its journey at Deep Space Nine, and then it follows the tale of Kate Mulgrew’s Captain Kathryn Janeway (the first female leading character in Star Trek history!) and her crew getting lost and stranded in the faraway Delta Quadrant.

The episodes and adventures that follow all see the team fighting for one goal: getting home. Being so far away from the Alpha Quadrant we were so used to letting Star Trek be very creative in its storytelling and give us situations and alien races we’d never encountered before.

That doesn’t mean it was all unfamiliar, however, as the Borg became a huge threat in the later seasons. It’s a good thing too, as that led to the introduction of Jeri Ryan’s Seven of Nine, a character who would continue on to appear in Star Trek: Picard and become a fan favorite.

19. Star Trek: Lower Decks (2380-TBD)

Star Trek: Lower Decks debuted in 2020 and was the first animated series to make it to air since 1973’s Star Trek: The Animated Series. Alongside having that feather in its cap, it also sets itself apart by choosing to focus more on the lower lever crew instead of the captain and senior staff.

This leads to many fun adventures that may not be as high stakes as the other stories, but are no less entertaining. There have already been three seasons of Star Trek: Lower Decks, and the fourth season is set to arrive later this summer.

The series is also worth a watch as it is having a crossover with Star Trek: Strange New Worlds that will mix the worlds of live-action and animation.

20. Star Trek: Prodigy (2383-TBD)

Star Trek: Prodigy was the first fully 3D animated Star Trek series ever and told a story that began five years after the U.S.S. Voyager found its way back home to Earth. In this series, which was aimed for kids, a group of young aliens find an abandoned Starfleet ship called the U.S.S. Protostar and attempt to make it to Starfleet and the Alpha Quadrant from the Delta Quadrant.

Voyager fans will be delighted to know that Kate Mulgrew returns as Kathryn Janeway in this animated series, but not only as herself. She is also an Emergency Training Holographic Advisor that was based on the likeness of the former captain of the U.S.S. Voyager.

The second season of Star Trek: Prodigy was set to arrive later this year, but it was not only canceled in June, but also removed from Paramount+. There is still hope this show may find a second life on another streaming service or network.

21. Star Trek: Picard (2399-2402)

Star Trek: Picard is the… well… next generation of Star Trek: The Next Generation as it brings back not only Partick Stewart’s Jean-Luc Picard, but also many of his former crew members from the beloved series. The story is set 20 years after the events of Star Trek Nemesis and we find Picard retired from Starfleet and living at his family’s vineyard in France.

Without spoiling anything, certain events get one of our favorite captains back to work and take him on an adventure through space and time over three seasons and 30 episodes.

The show had its ups and downs, but the third season, in our opinion, stuck the landing and gave us an “emotional, exciting, and ultimately fun journey for Jean-Luc and his family - both old and new - that gives the character the send-off that he has long deserved.”

22. Star Trek: Discovery: Seasons 3 and 4 (3188-TBD)

While Star Trek: Discovery begins around 10 years before Star Trek: The Original Series, the show jumps more than 900 years into the future into the 32nd Century following the events of the second season. The Federation is not in great shape and Captain Michael Burnham and her crew work to bring it back to what it once was.

Star Trek: Discovery is set to end after the upcoming fifth season, which will debut on Paramount+ in 2024.

For more, check out our look at the hidden meaning behind Star Trek’s great captains, why Star Trek doesn’t get credit as the first shared universe, if this may be the end of Star Trek’s golden age of streaming, and our favorite classic Star Trek episodes and movies.

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Every Star Trek TV Series, Ranked

Ahead of the release of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, take a look at how all the series in the franchise rank against one another.

Since premiering in 1966, Star Trek has captured the imagination of viewers all over the globe, utilizing its best characters to depict a diverse and exciting future. The original series launched a multimedia franchise that spawned toys, games, books, and a successful film franchise. Yet despite how far the franchise has gone, it is forever linked to television. It changed television and launched a massive continuity with series crossing over with one another years before a shared universe became the prime directive of every studio.

After over a decade off the air with a primary focus on films, the franchise returned to its television roots with Star Trek: Discovery in 2017 and since then has been a major focus for Paramount+ original shows , with the streaming service having the goal to have one Star Trek series on air at any given point in a year. With the release of a new series, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds set to premiere on Paramount+, take a look at all the Star Trek series and see how they rank against one another.

11 Star Trek: Enterprise

Designed as a prequel to the entire Star Trek franchise, Star Trek: Enterprise follows Earth's first starship capable of traveling at warp five, named the Enterprise, and focused on Earth's early attempts at contact and relationship with various alien species like the Vulcans, Klingons, and more.

The series' first two seasons originally tried to distance itself from the franchise, dropping Star Trek from the title and simply being called Enterprise, breaking from tradition with a pop song in the title sequence. In season three, the series shifts to a more serialized approach, with the series being heavily influenced by September 11th in a storyline that sees the Xindi attack Earth ( Enterprise premiered just two weeks after the September 11 attacks).

Despite the charming Scott Bakula in the lead, the series ultimately never caught on in the way other Star Trek series did, and when it went off the air in 2005 its ending also marked a time in the franchise where no Star Trek property on television or film series running. However, the series' legacy still lives on due to its unique place in the universe, and is referenced in both the Kelvin timeline and prime timeline series since it aired.

10 Star Trek: The Animated Series

The first spin-off of the original Star Trek , Star Trek: The Animated Series continued the adventures of Kirk, Spock, and the Enterprise Crew (minus Chekov) in a cartoon series aimed at a younger audience. Due to being animated, the series could round out the cast with more alien characters to inhabit the Enterprise crew, and the bright colorful aesthetics of the Star Trek franchise lent themselves well to animation.

Related: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Plot, Cast, and Everything Else We Know

While the series only lasted two seasons, its popularity among older children and adults helped prove the brand still had value in it and led to the creation of a new series Star Trek: Phase II which would then be reformatted into Star Trek: The Motion Picture . A new animated series from Nickelodeon debuted nearly 50 years after the 1973 launch of this animated Star Trek.

9 Star Trek: Picard

The long-awaited return for Patrick Stewart as fan-favorite Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek: Picard was something fans had been waiting 18 years for. The series also marked the first time audiences had seen the franchise move forward in the timeline, as everything after Star Trek: Nemesis was a prequel. The series even deals with the aftermath of the supernova that destroys Romulus, which sends Spock Prime into the past to kick-start the Kelvin timeline.

Picard sees a darker future than many might have expected, with the Federation becoming more paranoid and closed off from helping other civilizations. While a sharp contrast to the original vision of Star Trek 's utopian future, it is a storyline very much born of the current moment, with nationalism has been on the rise across various countries. Star Trek: Picard is a limited series, with season three set to be the final one, and will reunite Stewart with the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation hopefully giving fans of the series the proper goodbye that Star Trek: Nemesis never did.

8 Star Trek: Short Treks

An anthology series, Star Trek: Short Treks are, as the title implies, small shorts set within the franchise that help flesh out the world and its character. The series features characters from Star Trek: Discovery, and one episode ties into the inciting incident of Star Trek: Picard, acting as a little prequel.

While not vital viewing, each short is a nice small sampling of the rich world of Star Trek and highlights the unique characters that truly make the franchise. The short format is a storytelling device that more franchises should take advantage of, as it can help richen the experience and build a universe.

7 Star Trek: Voyager

Premiering just one year after Star Trek: The Next Generation ended and in the middle of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's run, Star Trek: Voyager was a new attempt for the franchise. The series followed the adventures of the crew of the ship Voyager, but the premise of the series was about returning home as the ship found itself stranded in a far-off corner of the galaxy, the Delta Quadrant, about 70,000 lightyears away from Earth. It was a similar approach to past series like Lost in Space and the original Battlestar Galactica , but it was a new approach for Star Trek and it proved rather successful, as it lasted seven seasons.

In keeping with Star Trek 's progressive forward-thinking approach, the series was known for the first woman lead in the franchise history, Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew). The series fleshed out the Borg, including the fan-favorite breakout character Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan), and with a large cast became the most gender-balanced of the Star Trek series. It may never have received the same cultural admiration that The Next Generation or Deep Space Nine, did but it still found a way to stand out all the same.

6 Star Trek: Lower Decks

While much of Star Trek is focused on the heads of the ships, Star Trek: Lower Decks is a series entirely focused on the low-ranking support crew of the starship Cerritos (and named after the iconic 167th episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation ). The series is the second animated Star Trek show and the first outright comedy, as it has fun playing with the franchise lore for comedic effect. Lower Decks offers a unique perspective on the franchise. While the idea of doing an adult-orientated animated show may have been off-putting to some fans or Trekkies who take the franchise very seriously, the overall addition of Lower Decks in the wider franchise is a good thing. It shows sometimes it is okay not to take everything so seriously.

5 Star Trek: Discovery

Star Trek: Discovery was the franchise's grand return to television. Premiering in 2017, 12 years after Enterprise concluded, the series was one of the launch titles for the then-new streaming service CBS All Access (renamed Paramount+). The show was another prequel series to the original series focusing on the crew of the experimental science vessel Discovery. The main focus of the series is on Michael Burnham, the previously unmentioned adoptive human sister of Spock (and an attestation to Star Trek 's progressive nature, naming a female character Michael). After season two, the series jumps forwards to the 32nd century to not interfere with the franchise's already established canon and allow Star Trek to explore a new time period.

Throughout its run, Star Trek: Discovery has constantly been reworking itself, changing with each season to a new status quo. This ability to reinvent itself makes each season unique not only in the scope of its series run but the wider Star Trek franchise, making it a great entry point for audiences who were introduced to the series by the J.J. Abrams movies .

4 Star Trek: Prodigy

Star Trek: Prodigy was created as an attempt to grow the Star Trek franchise out to appeal to a younger audience. Focusing on a group of young aliens on a prison colony who discover an experimental Starfleet ship, the Protostar, the group must learn to work together as a crew and find out their place in the galaxy. The series marks a number of firsts for the Star Trek franchise, as it is the first CGI animated series. Also due to that fact, it is fully allowed to get rid of some restraints of the live-action series, as Prodigy is the first series with an all alien cast (the only human-like character is the ship's A.I. based on Captain Janeway from Voyager ).

Related: Why a Star Trek: Worf TV Series Should Happen

It also marks the first time the main characters are not connected to Starfleet, as some of the crew have no knowledge of the organization while others are distrustful of it. Star Trek: Prodigy is a great and easily accessible entry point for (especially younger) audiences that explains many of the franchise's most famous concepts and phrases. It also works as a great show for kids and adults alike, as it has the bright colorful aesthetic of the original series, while also the modern serialization that many animated series have embraced. After just one season, the series has proven itself as one of the best in the franchise and has something to offer everyone.

3 Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: The Next Generation follows the adventures of Captain Jean Luc-Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the crew of the Enterprise 1701-D, as they continue to explore and seek out new civilization. Star Trek: The Next Generation truly updated Star Trek for a new age, as it was set 78 years after the events of the original and with a time jump that showed many of the conflicts which defined the original (such as the war with the Klingons) had been resolved, made apparent by the Klingon crew member. Like the best of Star Trek , it truly showed that the future always could be better.

After a rocky first season, the series found its footing in and became a pop culture phenomenon that ran for seven seasons. Star Trek: The Next Generation introduced an exciting new batch of characters as well as the famous villainous alien threat, the Borg. The two-part episode 'Best of Both Worlds,' which saw Picard assimilated by the Borg, is one of the most famous episodes in television and cemented the series as must-watch television. The series is arguably the most famous outside the first, proven by when The Next Generation took over the film series with 1994's Star Trek: Generations, followed by three sequels.

2 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

This might be controversial. Building off the success of Star Trek: The Next Generation , Paramount greenlit Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . As opposed to the classic Star Trek series which were set aboard a starship, Deep Space Nine took place at a space station between Federation space and a wormhole connected to the Gamma Quadrant. The series also featured the first time an African American was the lead of a Star Trek property, with Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks).

Star Trek: Deep Space Nince was a success lasting for seven seasons, and it pushed the franchise in new exciting directions. It went to the moral grey area of the series, in contrast to the utopian vision creator Gene Roddenberry had for the property ( Deep Space Nine was greenlit after Roddenberry passed away). While The Next Generation was an update of the Star Trek formula, Deep Space Nine was a deeper exploration of what Star Trek could be.

1 Star Trek: The Original Series

The one that started it all. While Star Trek: The Original Series may not have the best visuals or the most complicated stories, it more than makes up for it in the sheer spirit of imagination on display. Over the course of 69 episodes, Star Trek promises to take viewers to strange new worlds with new civilizations and delivers on that premise with every installment. The original series has the perfect blend of smart political science fiction and swashbuckling action that various later installments either lean on, one or the other. Every series in the franchise that has followed has sold itself as being different or similar to the original, which remains the measuring stick for Star Trek.

Despite only lasting three seasons, this series set the visual hallmarks that have stuck around in the public consciousness. Kirk, Spock, Uhura, Bones, the Enterprise, Tribbles, and more have stayed culturally relevant. These characters were so beloved that they went on to star in six major motion pictures from 1979 to 1991, and when it came time to reboot the franchise, bringing it back to the basics is what excited audiences again. Star Trek: The Original Series set the template, and after all these years still remains the high mark.

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Star Trek TV Shows Ranked by Tomatometer

Updated: September 8, 2023

The Star Trek universe kicked off in 1966 with the original series , created by science fiction visionary Gene Roddenberry , and later exploded into a massive film and TV juggernaut.

While the original series, which starred William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk and Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock, saw only three seasons, it made an indelible impression on the sci-fi genre. Live-action TV follow-up Star Trek: The Next Generation , with Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard leading an ensemble cast, captivated viewers from 1987–1994 and inspired three more series that would air within the next decade: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Star Trek: Voyager , and Star Trek: Enterprise .

Starting with 1979’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture , Paramount Pictures has been regularly cranking out Trek films with the original series and Next Generation casts, as well as a rebooted version in 2009 with Chris Pine as Starfleet Academy cadet James Kirk and Zachary Quinto as young Spock. ( See the Star Trek films ranked here. )

In 2017, Trek returned to small screens with season 1 of CBS All Access streaming title Star Trek: Discovery , set during a tumultuous wartime era about a decade before the original and starring Sonequa Martin-Green . The new series marked a TV franchise reboot by Alex Kurtzman , writer on the 2009 Star Trek film and its sequel Star Trek Into Darkness .

RELATED: All Star Trek Movies Ranked by Tomatometer

The year 2020 gave fans a celebration of one of its most iconic characters with the premiere of Star Trek: Picard and Stewart reprising his role in the new streaming series that launched its second season in 2022. New live-action series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds was also released in 2022, and its first season was quickly Certified Fresh with a 100% Tomatometer score (it has since dropped to 99% on one review). The show’s second season, released in 2023, was nearly as well received and is Certified Fresh at 97% on the Tomatometer.

The TV franchise has since introduced two animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks , about the misfit support crew on one of Starfleet’s least-important ships, and kid-friendly Star Trek: Prodigy , which tells the story of a diverse group of teens who inadvertently become the crew of a prize starship and learn important lessons in their subsequent adventures. The latter series — No. 3 on our list below — has since been canceled by Paramount+, but a petition to save the show has gathered over 33,000 signatures.

Have a look below to find out which series score highest with critics in our Trek TV by Tomatometer list.

Disagree with the results? Tell us in the comments which series you think should have been ranked higher (or lower).

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022) 98%

Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973) 94%

Star Trek: Prodigy (2021) 94%

Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020) 92%

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) 92%

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) 91%

Star Trek: Picard (2020) 89%

Star Trek: Discovery (2017) 85%

Star Trek (1966) 80%

Star Trek: Voyager (1995) 76%

Star Trek: Enterprise (2001) 56%

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Every Star Trek Series Ranked According To IMDb

Before 1987 there were just two series in the "Star Trek" franchise: the original live-action "Star Trek" starring William Shatner, and the short-lived, little-seen children's animated series from the mid-1970s. By 2001 though, that number had tripled with "The Next Generation," "Deep Space Nine," "Voyager," and that year's debut of "Enterprise." Today it's nearly doubled that number, as "Star Trek" is more popular than ever with no fewer than four series currently airing, mostly produced exclusively for the Paramount+ streaming service.

A true cultural phenomenon, the many "Star Trek" series have ranged from upbeat adventures to dark somber stories to wacky adult cartoons. Many shows in the franchise have included characters that have become imbedded in popular culture, and in its nearly 60-year history, "Star Trek" has become perhaps the most well-known science fiction franchise ever created. It's influenced everything from "Star Wars" to the MCU , and with a new series, "Strange New Worlds," debuting in May, there's no end in sight. But how do the rest of the "Star Trek" series rate? A few have gone on to become legendary, a few forgotten, but all of them rate fairly highly. Think you know which one is the best of them all? Think again, because the number one-ranked series may just surprise you.

11. Star Trek: Prodigy

The latest in the pantheon of "Star Trek" series, the animated "Star Trek: Prodigy" is produced by Nickelodeon, and premiered on Paramount+ in September 2021. Centered around a ragtag group of alien teens who escape from a slave colony in the Delta Quadrant after stumbling across a highly advanced and experimental derelict Starfleet ship — the U.S.S. Protostar — the series also sees the return of actress Kate Mulgrew to the franchise. Appearing here as the voice of "Hologram Janeway," a computerized ship's assistant modeled after "Star Trek: Voyager" Captain Kathryn Janeway , she helps guide the young crew of the Protostar as they venture out into space attempting to escape the villainous Diviner, all while hoping to find the United Federation of Planets.

A mix of action, adventure, and time-tested "Star Trek" ideals of exploration and discovery, the series has proven to be just as enjoyable for adult viewers as it has been for kids. Full of hard science, classic "Trek" tropes, moral dilemmas, an optimistic tone, and surprises for casual and diehard fans alike, it also features many unexpected connections to the wider "Star Trek" universe with heroes and villains that longtime Trekkies have been hoping to see return. Though it has the lowest score on this list for now, we suspect this one may just jump up a few spots if it continues to impress as much as the first half-season has.

10. Star Trek: Short Treks

Launched in October 2018 to help tide fans over during the prolonged gap between seasons 1 and 2 of "Star Trek: Discovery" — which lasted nearly a full year — the first season of "Short Treks" was added to CBS All Access monthly in the lead-up to the second season of "Discovery." A series of short episodes ranging anywhere from eight to 19 minutes in length, they often told self-contained vignettes for individual members of the crew. In a few instances, such as "The Brightest Star," that focused on Discovery's Kelpian first officer Saru, the short gave added context to an upcoming episode of its sister series and helped flesh out the larger storyline.

The second season of "Short Treks" streamed sporadically in the fall and winter of 2019 and into January 2020, just before the first season of "Star Trek: Picard" launched. With more varied stories, the second batch of shorts included a prequel to "Picard" that gave important backstory, plus a pair of possible teases for the upcoming "Strange New Worlds" series set aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise and featuring Captain Pike , Mr. Spock, and Number One. There was also something new for "Trek": a fully CGI-animated episode about a little girl who dreams of a legendary folk tale. Ultimately the quality of the episodes varied and it had a spotty release schedule, so while the episodes were generally well received, the series may have frustrated some viewers due to its lack of consistency.

9. Star Trek: Discovery

The first new "Star Trek" series in 12 years, "Star Trek: Discovery" was created by Bryan Fuller (a producer on "Star Trek: Voyager" in the 1990s who had since gone on to create several hit shows, including "Hannibal"), and launched later than expected in fall 2017 after a turbulent production ( via The Verge ). Produced by Bad Robot and Alex Kurtzman, the series starred Sonequa Martin-Green as Michael Burnham, a troubled Starfleet officer who is found guilty of mutiny, but saved from life in prison when she is re-assigned to an experimental new starship that needs her expertise, the U.S.S. Discovery.

Powered by an advanced new engine that allows it to jump anywhere in the galaxy instantaneously, the Discovery finds itself fighting on the front lines of the Klingon war just 10 years prior to the original "Star Trek" series. Though a lavishly produced series with a stellar cast (that included Jason Isaac, Anthony Rapp, Wilson Cruz, and Michelle Yeoh), the series proved divisive right from the start, visually reimagining many of the franchise's most iconic elements, and telling darker, more mature stories than fans were used to. A change in direction in the second season ended the Klingon war storyline that had kicked off the series and saw the introduction of the U.S.S. Enterprise, along with Captain Pike (here played by "Hell on Wheels" star Anson Mount), and Mr. Spock (Ethan Peck). For its third season, the show was entirely retooled, sending the ship a thousand years into the future where the Federation is a shadow of its former self.

8. Star Trek: Lower Decks

After the franchise successfully returned to episodic television with "Star Trek: Discovery," Paramount switched gears and produced a second series to air on Paramount+ (then called CBS All Access). This new show, "Star Trek: Lower Decks," was an animated comedy aimed at adults from the mind of Mike McMahan, a writer for the hit animated sci-fi comedy "Rick & Morty." Its title an homage to an episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" that focused on lower-ranked officers, "Lower Decks" likewise centers on a group of ensigns aboard the U.S.S. Cerritos, a run-of-the-mill Federation starship that doesn't get the choice missions, and rarely sees action.

The wacky character-based comedy introduced Trekkies to Ensign Boimler and his best friend Ensign Mariner, whose mother was the captain of the ship. Along with Ensigns Rutherford and Tendi, the series follows their many misadventures aboard the Cerritos. The series has also seen the return of now-Captain Riker, aboard the U.S.S. Titan, as well as appearances from Counselor Troi, the immortal trickster Q, "Voyager" helmsman Tom Paris, and many other longtime Trek favorites.

Set in the original "Star Trek" universe, "Lower Decks" is packed with Easter eggs, gags, and plenty of references to classic episodes and even behind-the-scenes in-jokes. Though it has been criticized by some fans for both its juvenile and its very adult sense of humor, it's now heading into its third season as a big success and has been met with good reviews for its offbeat style and loving respect for the franchise.

7. Star Trek: The Animated Series

Produced by cartoon studio Filmation from 1973 to 1974, "Star Trek: The Animated Series" wasn't what fans of the original "Star Trek" had been hoping for when they'd heard rumors of a possible revival of the iconic '60s science fiction series, but it did scratch a certain itch. Running for 22 episodes, it was primarily aimed at kids and produced using Filmation's low-budget style of animation that featured limited movement and stock sequences. Though the animation was substandard, the art itself was faithful to the live-action series, and it featured nearly the entire cast reprising their roles (actor Walter Koenig, who played Chekov, was notable for his absence).

The studio didn't skimp on the writing talent, with episodes written by "Original Series" scribes D.C. Fontana and David Gerrold, as well as sci-fi luminary Larry Niven. As a consolation for not being included in the cast, Koenig also contributed a script, the rather silly episode "The Infinite Vulcan," that featured sentient plant people and a 25-foot-tall clone of Mr. Spock.

A testament to the times, "The Animated Series" was full of odd stories and bizarre characters that could only have played in animation. Though heavily mocked by some , Trekkies have found a soft spot for it over the years, and while it's still debated whether it's truly canon, many key elements from the series have made their way into live action, including Spock's pet sehlat, Kirk's middle name, the character of Robert April , and others referenced on its animated successor, "Lower Decks."

6. Star Trek: Enterprise

Attempting to distinguish itself from previous "Trek" series, "Enterprise" launched in fall 2001 and ditched the "Star Trek" in its title for its first two years. Thanks also to a pop ballad theme song, and the series being set more than 100 years before "Star Trek: The Original Series," fan reaction was not overwhelmingly positive initially. Set aboard an experimental starship called Enterprise capable of traveling at an unheard-of Warp Five, newly minted Captain Archer and his stalwart crew — along with Vulcan advisor T'Pol — ventured out into uncharted space years before the United Federation of Planets existed, in a time when Earth was new to the realm of galactic affairs.

Without much of the advanced technology that "Star Trek" fans took for granted, and no Federation to support them, "Enterprise" was truly set on the frontier. By Season 3, the series added back the "Star Trek" moniker and began a fully serialized season-long story arch that was very much a product of the post-9/11 era, as a new villainous race struck Earth with an unprovoked terrorist attack. While it reinvigorated the series creatively, ratings continued to sag throughout its run (via Trek Today ). "24" producer Manny Coto would take over as showrunner in its fourth and final season, overseeing a series of multi-episode arcs that added a much needed sense of drama and deep connections to "Trek" lore, including a memorable two-parter set in the Mirror Universe. Though underrated and is better than many remember it being at the time, "Enterprise" was sadly never able to reach its full potential due to impatient viewership.

5. Star Trek: Picard

While actor Patrick Stewart had never quite closed the door on reprising his iconic role as Captain Picard more than a decade after his last appearance, he never did seem quite keen on the possibility ( via IGN ). But thanks to a strong pitch from Alex Kurtzman and Michael Chabon, the actor would indeed step back into role he made famous on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" in the 2020 series "Star Trek: Picard." Released to much fanfare, it showed an aging, withered Jean-Luc Picard deep in retirement, consumed by regret and still mourning the death of the android Data. With a bold, unexpected new direction for the character, it threw off many fans who had wanted to see the Captain on the bridge of a starship confidently exploring strange new worlds as he had decades before.

Instead, sparked by the discovery of Data's previously unknown "daughter" Soji, Picard discovers that there may be others like her. Abandoned by Starfleet, Picard assembles a crew of capable misfits — including renegade starship captain Rios, ex-Starfleet officer Raffi, a Romulan outcast named Elnor, and the ex-Borg Seven Of Nine — to unravel the mystery of Data's children. The series was controversial for making major changes to a beloved character, but it still managed to satisfy the fandom with appearances from a number of old favorites. Packed with plenty of surprises and some genuinely heartfelt moments, it was strong enough to earn a second and third season, which was announced to be the entirety of its limited run .

4. Star Trek: Voyager

Following "Deep Space Nine," which was set on a space station, and after "The Next Generation" had migrated to feature films, "Star Trek: Voyager" returned the series to its space exploration roots. Kathryn Janeway — the first woman to lead a series and sit in the captain's chair in the franchise's history — commands the U.S.S. Voyager on a mission to capture a group of Maquis terrorists. But when both ships find themselves catapulted into the far-off Delta Quadrant, more than 75 years away from Earth at maximum warp, they're forced to merge their crews and embark together on the long journey home.

The ship's diverse cast of characters includes a half-Klingon engineer, a Vulcan security chief, and a holographic doctor. Alone and far from the Federation, Janeway and Voyager explore strange new worlds, make allies where they can, and meet dangerous new adversaries like the Kazon, the Hirogen, and the Vidiians. Although some initially knocked it as "TNG-Lite," that proved a short-lived criticism, with the show finding success as a rousing adventure with its own flavor. It was praised by fans for its strong characters, particularly its captain, a trailblazing female who inspired an entire generation of young women .

Of course, "Star Trek: Voyager" introduced a new cast member in its fourth season, the former Borg drone Seven Of Nine. Although Seven was added by studio mandate for needless sex appeal, actress Jeri Ryan and the show's writers embraced the challenge and turned her into one of the most complex, beloved characters in "Star Trek" history. Her enduring popularity would prompt her return in "Star Trek: Picard."

3. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

A departure from the"Star Trek" formula, "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" is set aboard a space station orbiting a backwater planet called Bajor and commanded by a disgruntled officer named Benjamin Sisko. Not the ideal captain many expected, Sisko arrives with his son after the death of his wife, ready to resign from Starfleet. But before he can, he is given the impossible task of preparing the Bajorans — whose devastated world has just overcome occupation by the Cardassians — for admittance into the Federation. Matters are complicated when Sisko discovers a wormhole that leads to the Gamma Quadrant, home to the religious prophets that the Bajorans worship. The prophets anoint Sisko their emissary, forcing him into the reluctant role of religious figure.

A very different series than "TNG," "Deep Space Nine" featured an eclectic group of personalities, including an unscrupulous Ferengi bartender, an embittered Bajoran soldier, a grumpy shapeshifting sheriff, and a bright-eyed, centuries-old Trill scientist. Darker and more serious than the upbeat series that it ran alongside, the show explored complex stories with a more grim outlook, culminating in a years-long storyline that saw the Federation at war with an interstellar empire in the Gamma Quadrant.

Exploring themes like terrorism, religion, and the horrors of war, it also featured a number of comedic episodes. While it took a while for many fans to warm up to the series, it's since found renewed love thanks to streaming, and has been voted by some fans who appreciate its gloomier tone and offbeat stories as the best in the franchise .

2. Star Trek: The Original Series

Originally designed to be a Western-type TV series set in outer space, this groundbreaking prime-time science fiction adventure series took to the stars with the U.S.S. Enterprise and its intrepid crew. Together they explored strange new worlds and sought out new life in a series that was like nothing audiences had seen before. Starring William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy as Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock, it turned nearly every member of its cast into a bona fide celebrity. Although now considered a TV classic, it was actually canceled after its second season, with only a fan-led letter-writing campaign saving it from the chopping block for a third and final season.

A landmark series for its diverse crew, it featured an Asian helmsman (Mr. Sulu), a Scottish engineer (Scotty), an African-American com officer (Uhura) and a Russian navigator (Chekov). It was the first television series to feature an interracial kiss, and a number of celebrities and political figures counted themselves as fans, including Martin Luther King Jr. , Isaac Asimov , and even the Dalai Lama .

One of the most iconic shows in the history of television, its impact cannot be underestimated, as a number of characters, phrases, and images from the series have become an indelible part of American culture. From "Beam me up, Scotty" (never actually uttered on the show) to "Live long and prosper," the series' legacy is unparalleled. That it has spawned 13 feature films along with 10 spin-off television series (and counting) is a testament to its enduring achievement.

1. Star Trek: The Next Generation

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" was not without controversy when it launched in the late '80s. The first "Star Trek" series not to feature Kirk and Spock, many fans felt that it wasn't "real Star Trek." While it may not be quite the cultural icon that the original "Star Trek" was, it's not without a massive influence on pop culture. Despite an uneven start, it quickly became a hit in syndication, and many characters and elements from "TNG" have become as etched into popular culture as its predecessor.

Following the crew of a new starship Enterprise more than 75 years after Captain Kirk's command, it featured a bold new look, an even more unique cast of characters, and saw Captain Jean-Luc Picard guiding his crew from one mission to another. Full of topical stories that explored complex themes, some of its best episodes like "Darmok" and "The Inner Light" have transcended science fiction. The Season 3 finale "The Best Of Both Worlds" is ranked among the best season cliffhangers in television, and its finale "All Good Things" is often cited as one of the best series cappers ever produced.

Running for seven strong seasons, "TNG" immediately transitioned to feature films after it concluded, and has returned in the form of "Star Trek: Picard" some 30 years later. While the original "Star Trek" has the honor of being the father of all that came after it, it was "The Next Generation" that turned it into a true franchise by expanding it beyond a single crew. Its sparkling production, fine cast, and brilliant stories earn it its place as the best "Star Trek" series ever.

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Every Star Trek TV Show, Ranked

51 years ago, after a failed pilot and thanks to the good will of comedic legend and astute producer Lucille Ball, Star Trek: The Original Series premiered. At its best, The Original Series married hard science fiction, expansive mythology, a sincere interest in diversity, blistering intelligence, and belief in the good of humanity. I’m not sure creator Gene Roddenberry realized how grand a franchise Star Trek would grow into, but all these years later, it now includes action-oriented blockbusters, comic books, an animated series, parodies, homages, and a potent place within the cultural imagination. But Star Trek has always been at its best on television, where its verbose, philosophical leanings have the chance to truly flourish. In honor of the latest addition to the franchise, Star Trek: Discovery, which premieres on CBS on September 24, here’s a ranking of every live-action Star Trek series from worst to best.

5. Star Trek: Enterprise

Star Trek: Enterprise is perhaps the most maligned series in the franchise’s history, so much so that it’s credited with Star Trek ’s long absence from pop culture until the sleek J.J. Abrams reboot. But watching Enterprise proves that the truth is a bit more complex: The series took a long time to find its feet, only hitting its stride in its final season with episodes like the two-parter “In a Mirror, Darkly” and “Borderland” — which featured mainstay Brent Spiner as Dr. Arik Soong, the grandfather of the man who created Data (the android played by Spiner in Star Trek: The Next Generation ) — only to end with one of the most infuriating series finales I’ve witnessed. Enterprise takes place 100 years before the USS Enterprise ’s five-year mission involving Kirk, Spock, and the beloved crew from The Original Series. The crew is led by Scott Bakula’s Jonathan Archer, a dedicated and bold captain with a dash of space-cowboy flair (and the curious wrinkle of his character’s prejudice toward Vulcans). Enterprise ultimately failed in its uneasy relationship with canon in early seasons and poor characterization. It made the mistake of looking backward, something that has plagued the franchise ever since.

4. Star Trek: Voyager

At first blush, Star Trek: Voyager had all the makings of an excellent series. It undoubtedly had the best premise: The USS Voyager is thrust into the unexplored Delta Quadrant alongside a terrorist organization known as the Maquis. The two crews reluctantly join forces after great losses, as the entire medical crew is dead, with a holo program picking up the slack. Worse yet, it will take them 75 years to journey. There is no Federation to help them and enemies lurk around every corner. Voyager was one of the most diverse series in the franchise’s history, thanks to characters like the half-Klingon, half-human Latina character B’Elanna Torres played by actress Roxann Dawson, fan favorite Seven of Nine (played by Jeri Ryan), former Maquis turned First Officer Chakotay (Robert Beltran), and of course, the steely eyed woman at the helm, Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew). Unfortunately, Voyager reigns as the most infuriating and creatively haphazard Star Trek series for how it squandered such a great premise. Voyager was saddled with several annoying and pointless characters, uneven storytelling, and a misguided dedication to the Prime Directive, despite the crew being far from Federation space. Worse yet was the characterization.

Captain Janeway was one of the greatest examples of how diversity and representation is hollow without meaningful characterization. Mulgrew loaned a sly sense of humor and flinty nature , but the character lacked consistency, often acting hypocritical in ways that didn’t make sense. Many of the other characters lacked a strong throughline: Some were annoying spectacles (Neelix, I’m looking at you), while others like B’Elanna and Seven of Nine were undercut by relationships that lacked chemistry. Yes, Seven of Nine was a fascinating character (despite being treated primarily as eye candy) who continued the franchise’s interest in the question, “What is humanity?” Unfortunately, her entrance in the fourth season led to an unbalanced series, as already uneven characters were marginalized further. I may sound a bit harsh on Voyager , but that’s only because its flashes of brilliance were truly noteworthy. When Voyager left behind its conservative approach to its premise, it gave us stellar episodes like “Year of Hell Part 1 and 2” and “Timeless,” proof that the show would have been remarkable if it were a bit more audacious.

3. Star Trek: The Original Series

What can be said about Star Trek ’s first iteration that hasn’t already been said? Although it lasted only three seasons, The Original Series laid the foundation for everything to come, spawning one of the longest-running, most important fandoms in television history. Some of Star Trek’ s most important tenets began with The Original Series : its intellectual curiosity, the Prime Directive, its use of alien cultures to interrogate modern concerns, and its devotion to diversity. It was nothing short of revolutionary, granting TV a few of the first Asian and black characters who weren’t reduced to stereotypes. Keep in mind the show premiered a few years removed from the March on Washington and the Civil Rights Act of 1968. But the worth of The Original Series goes beyond that: The five-year mission of the USS Enterprise introduced us to standout characters like Lieutenant Uhura (Nichelle Nichols, who was once convinced by Martin Luther King Jr. to stay on the show) and my personal favorite, First/Science Officer Spock (the ever-graceful and nuanced Leonard Nimoy). The cast chemistry, sincerity, brilliant stand-alone episodes, and subsequent films like The Wrath of Khan led The Original Series to root itself deeply in American culture.

2. Star Trek: The Next Generation

Watching television while my mother braided my hair was a nightly ritual I learned to cherish. These are some of the few childhood memories that I hold dear. One series we watched together was Star Trek: The Next Generation. I’m not sure if it was Commander William Riker’s rakish grin, the stalwart nature and intelligence of Capt. Jean Luc-Picard (who inspired me to pick up the daily habit of drinking tea), or Deanna Troi’s somewhat hilarious confrontations with her mother (played by Majel Barrett, a.k.a. the First Lady of Star Trek for her previous appearances in the franchise and being the voice of the computer, along with being Roddenberry’s wife), but soon enough I was obsessed. Still, my love for The Next Generation is not nostalgia. It took the traditions of The Original Series to interrogate them deeper. Over the course of seven seasons, The Next Generation fine-tuned everything that made The Original Series so beguiling: an intellectual curiosity, political discussions, a charming cast that came across truly as family, and dynamite two-part episodes and cliffhangers.

The Next Generation also suggested a hopeful future for humanity that is somewhat hard to imagine: a future on Earth free of racism, sexism, or classism as the Federation keeps peace and explores the galaxy. Perhaps it’s this hopefulness that made the show the most successful Star Trek series during its airing. These days, it would be easy to disregard TNG as a relic of a television era when a lack of stylistic visual flair and a dedication to stand-alone episodes was the norm, but the series has a startling intelligence and empathy that illustrates why the franchise was so potent in the first place.

1. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

“So, I lied. I cheated. I bribed men to cover the crimes of other men. I am an accessory to murder. But the most damning thing of all … I think I can live with it. And if I had to do it all over again, I would.” Captain Benjamin Sisko said these words during one of the most incisive, politically complex episodes in the entire Star Trek franchise, “In the Pale Moonlight.” This monologue, delivered in actor Avery Brooks’s rich baritone voice, encapsulates what made Deep Space Nine unlike anything before or since in Star Trek history. Though blessed by Roddenberry before his death, DS9 benefited from disregarding certain ground rules, like how the crew wasn’t supposed to have longstanding conflicts. Perhaps more important, it balanced each season with great stand-alone episodes enriched by longform arcs — becoming one of the first TV shows to do so. With Sisko, it also introduced Star Trek ’s first black captain (although he began the show in a lower position). The show even reintroduced TNG characters like Lieutenant Worf, granting them further depth and dimensions.

If earlier iterations of Star Trek granted a utopian glow to modern humanity, Deep Space Nine revealed the price of maintaining such progress. It was darker, yet never without purpose. It was more nuanced in terms of portraying relationships between adults. DS9 used its premise of Sisko and his ragtag crew on a space station to interrogate the perils of war, the power of religion, terrorism, and the price of freedom, all while creating one of the most poignant depictions of black fatherhood that has ever appeared on television. It also had some of the best acting and direction within the franchise’s history. Deep Space 9 was Star Trek at its most artful and impactful. More than that, it was science fiction at its most incisive.

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The Top 57 Episodes of ‘Star Trek,’ Ranked From Great to Perfect

First, let’s be clear: Ranking the best “Star Trek” episodes is a silly thing to do. To date, the longest-running American TV franchise has aired a gargantuan 890 episodes and counting, starting with the original series in 1966. Since then, at least one “Star Trek” TV show has aired (or streamed) every decade, totaling 11 so far (with more on the way ). Choosing the best episodes within such a boundless, occasionally contradictory storytelling galaxy seems about as wise as cheating when playing poker with a Klingon.

On the other hand, there may be no more time-honored tradition among “Star Trek” fans than a vigorous debate over what constitutes the best of the franchise. (Best series ? Best captains ? Best starships ? Best aliens ? Best uniforms ? They’ve all been ranked multiple times !)

In that spirit — and to commemorate the 57th anniversary of “Star Trek” on Sept. 8 — Variety ’s resident “Trek” geeks have ranked the top 57 episodes of all time, across the franchise.

Creating our list required some deep-dish nerdiness in its own right: We compiled a long list of episodes from each series that we felt deserved to be on the final ranking. Then we created our own individual rankings — and promptly realized our taste was quite divergent. To reconcile our lists, we adopted the approach of the great movie ranking podcast, Screen Drafts : We took alternating turns placing a pick from 57 to 1, and we each had two opportunities to veto the other’s pick (which in every case was to ensure it was placed higher on the list).

Other than the short-lived “Star Trek: The Animated Series” (1973-1974), this list reflects every other iteration of “Trek” on TV: “Star Trek: The Original Series” (1966-1969); “Star Trek: The Next Generation” (1987-1994); “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” (1993-1999); “Star Trek: Voyager” (1995-2001); “Star Trek: Enterprise” (2001-2005); “Star Trek: Discovery” (2017-2024); “Star Trek: Picard” (2020-2023); “Star Trek: Prodigy” (2021-2022); and the ongoing “Star Trek: Lower Decks” (2020-present) and “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” (2022-present).

The Way to Eden

“The Original Series” — Season 3, Episode 20

Look, this episode gets a lot of hate. But the fact is “TOS” is known (by today’s standards) for being very campy, and there is no episode campier than this one. A group of space hippies board the Enterprise on their journey to a mythical planet called Eden, where they can live happily forever. The episode memorably features Charles Napier (who would go on to a long career playing tough guys, villains, cops and the like) breaking out into song a bunch of times, including a jam session with Spock (Leonard Nimoy). —Joe Otterson

Original airdate: Feb. 21, 1969

Terra Prime

“Enterprise” — Season 4, Episode 21

More than any other episode of “Enterprise,” “Terra Prime” made the most of the show’s mission to dramatize the beginnings of Starfleet, 100 years before the events of “TOS.” Just as a newfound coalition of planets begins to form on Earth (a precursor to the Federation), Captain Archer (Scott Bakula) and his crew must stop a xenophobic terrorist (played to the hilt by future “Star Trek Into Darkness” villain Peter Weller) bent on forcing all aliens to leave Earth. Subtle, it ain’t, but the story feels more relevant today than it did 20 years ago, and everyone in the cast gets a moment to shine. Alas, it came too late: “Enterprise” had been canceled before this episode even went into production. —Adam B. Vary

Original airdate: May 13, 2005

“Prodigy” — Season 1, Episode 6

The animated “Prodigy” was the first “Star Trek” series geared toward kids, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t things for older “Trek” fans to enjoy. In particular, “Kobayashi” perfectly embodies what makes this show a worthy entry in “Trek” canon. Dal (Brett Gray) and Jankom Pog (Jason Mantzoukas) discover the holodeck aboard the Protostar, where they decide to go through the Kobayashi Maru, a.k.a. the “no-win scenario” that Capt. Kirk successfully beat during his time at the Academy. He gets help along the way from legendary characters like Spock, Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) and Odo (René Auberjonois). —J.O.

Original airdate: Jan. 6, 2022

Stormy Weather

Pictured: David Ajala as Book, Grudge the cat and Sonequa Martin Green as Burnham of the Paramount+ original series STAR TREK: DISCOVERY. Photo Cr: Michael Gibson/Paramount+ © 2021 CBS Interactive. All Rights Reserved.

“Discovery” — Season 4, Episode 6

On a mission to discover the origins of a cataclysmic gravitational anomaly, the U.S.S. Discovery enters a subspace rift and finds itself trapped inside a lethal black void that threatens to collapse in on the ship. The result is a classic race-against-time thriller (directed by “Trek” mainstay Jonathan Frakes), but what makes “Stormy Weather” stand out amid the heavily serialized episodes of “Discovery” is its emotionally resonant use of the ship’s sentient A.I. computer, Zora (Annabelle Wallis), who has to learn how to calm her mind from overwhelming stimuli in order to guide the ship out of danger. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Dec. 23, 2021

Seventeen Seconds

“Picard” — Season 3, Episode 3

“Picard” didn’t find itself until Season 3, which reunited the core cast of “The Next Generation” — and it was really Episode 3 that sealed the deal. Riker (Frakes) is forced to take command of the Titan as Vadic (Amanda Plummer) and the Shrike hunt them. Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Dr. Crusher get an all-time great scene together as she reveals why she never told him about their son, Jack (Ed Speleers). Worf (Michael Dorn) makes his big return. We learn the Changelings are still intent on attacking the Federation. Riker and Picard end up at odds in a way we’ve never seen before. In short, epic. —J.O.

Original airdate: March 2, 2023

The Enemy Within

“The Original Series” — Season 1, Episode 5

The transporter — the cause of, and solution to, so many “Star Trek” problems — accidentally splits Capt. Kirk (William Shatner) into two people: Good Kirk, who is wracked with indecision, and evil Kirk, who is a histrionic asshole. Come for a meditation on the darkness that lies tucked inside everyone’s psyche, stay for some of William Shatner’s most deliciously hammy acting — and this was just the fifth episode of the series! —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Oct. 6, 1966

Family Business

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 3, Episode 23

The Ferengi episodes of “DS9” are always great comic relief, with this episode giving fans their first view of the home planet of Ferenginar and Ferengi culture in general. Quark (Armin Shimerman) and Rom (Max Grodénchik) must return home when their mother, Ishka (Andrea Martin), is accused of acquiring profit (gasp!), something Ferengi females are forbidden to do. Shimerman and Martin shine as they play out Quark and Ishka’s relationship, while Grodénchik really gets to put his comedic chops on display. This episode is also notable as the first appearance of Brunt (Jeffrey Combs) from the Ferengi Commerce Authority, as well as Kasidy Yates (Penny Johnson Jerald), frequent love interest of Cmdr. Sisko (Avery Brooks). —J.O.

Original airdate: May 15, 1995

Blink of an Eye

“Voyager” — Season 6, Episode 12

The Voyager gets stuck in orbit around a planet where time passes far more rapidly than in the rest of space, as the episode alternates between the bemused curiosity of Capt. Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and her crew and the awestruck preoccupation of the expeditiously progressing populace on the planet below, for whom Voyager is a sparkling, fixed constant in the night sky. At one point, the Doctor (Robert Picard) beams down to the planet to investigate, and a delay of only a few minutes on Voyager means he spends three years on its surface. He even adopts a son! One of the great, wild what if? episodes of “Star Trek.” —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Jan. 19, 2000

“The Next Generation” — Season 3, Episode 23

Mark Lenard absolutely crushed the role of Spock’s father, Sarek, in multiple episodes across multiple “Star Trek” series and movies, but this episode is perhaps his finest performance as the character. Sarek comes to the Enterprise-D on what is meant to be his final mission, only for the crew to learn he is suffering from Bendii Syndrome. The condition leaves him prone to uncharacteristic emotional outbursts while also causing him to telepathically influence the emotions of those around him. Picard saves the day by mind melding with Sarek, allowing him to finish his mission with dignity — and provide Stewart with the chance for some powerhouse acting as he channels Sarek’s volcanic emotions. —J.O.

Original airdate: May 14, 1990

“Enterprise” — Season 3, Episode 10

“Trek” loves a moral dilemma, and this one’s a doozy: After Cmdr. Tucker (Connor Trinneer) is critically injured while the Enterprise is on a deep space mission, Dr. Phlox (John Billingsley) suggests growing a “mimetic symbiote” of Trip — effectively, a clone with a built-in two-week lifespan — in order to create the brain tissue needed to save Trip’s life. But that means the Enterprise crew must endure watching Trip’s clone rapidly age from a precocious kid to an adult man (played by Trinneer with eerie self-possession), who then pleads for his own right to live. Creepy and heartbreaking in equal measure. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Nov. 19, 2003

Trials and Tribble-ations

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 5, Episode 6

This episode is a love letter to the original series, with the Defiant’s crew transported back in time to the events of “The Trouble With Tribbles.” A Klingon agent is planning to use a booby-trapped tribble to assassinate James T. Kirk. Thanks to digital editing, the crew is able to interact with the original Enterprise crew and keep the timeline intact. —J.O.

Original airdate: Nov. 4, 1996

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 2, Episode 23

Mirror universe episodes of “Star Trek” are (almost) always fun, if ultimately a little silly. But this one — in which Kira (Nana Visitor) and Dr. Bashir (Alexander Siddig) find themselves in an alternate reality in which Bajor, Cardassians and Klingons subjugate humans as slaves — comes closest to matching the spark of discovery in the original “TOS” episode. It’s especially fun to watch Visitor devour the role of Kira’s deliciously wicked mirror counterpart, the Intendant. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: May 16, 1994

Memento Mori

Anson Mount as Pike and Ethan Peck as Spock of the Paramount+ original series STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS. Photo Cr: Marni Grossman/Paramount+ ©2022 CBS Studios. All Rights Reserved.

“Strange New Worlds” — Season 1, Episode 4

This episode proved “Strange New Worlds” — the newest “Star Trek” series — could be as action-packed as the very best of “Star Trek.” The Enterprise crew find themselves on the run from the Gorn, a savage enemy (first introduced on “TOS” and largely ignored in “Trek” canon) about which they know virtually nothing. They are forced to use every resource at their disposal to outwit and outrun the Gorn, including tapping into the subconscious of La’an (Christina Chong), the only crew member who has encountered the aliens and survived. —J.O.

Original airdate: May 26, 2022

Counterpoint

“Voyager” — Season 5, Episode 10

The main story is a tense, WWII allegory: Capt. Janeway and her crew hide telepathic refugees while passing through the space of the Devore, who have outlawed telepaths. But the real story is the relationship Janeway forms with the lead Devore inspector, Kashyk (Mark Harelik), who suddenly shows up alone and announces he’s defecting. As Kashyk aids Janeway in finding safe harbor for the refugees, she realizes how much he’s her intellectual equal, and she finds herself drawn to him — in spite of (or perhaps spurred on by) her continued suspicion of his motives. A great, subtle performance by Mulgrew captures both Janeway’s steely wits and her private yearning. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Dec. 16, 1998

The Drumhead

“The Next Generation” — Season 4, Episode 21

“Star Trek” has done a number of courtroom episodes, and this is one of the best. Rear admiral Norah Satie (Jean Simmons) is sent to investigate suspected sabotage aboard the Enterprise. The investigation quickly spirals into paranoia and accusations of treachery against a crew member who is revealed to have Romulan lineage. It is an excellent reminder of what can happen when persecution is dressed up as an attempt at greater security, with Picard using Satie’s father’s teachings to bring about her downfall. —J.O.

Original airdate: April 29, 1991

“The Next Generation” — Season 7, Episode 8

More thwarted romance! The seasons-long will-they/won’t-they between Picard and Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) gets its best showcase, when the pair are captured by isolationist aliens and given implants that allow them to read each other’s thoughts. You get the feeling Stewart and especially McFadden had been dying to play out this dynamic on the show, so they both bring years of sublimated longing to the episode. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Nov. 8, 1993

In the Hands of the Prophets

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 1, Episode 20

Louise Fletcher’s performance as Vedek Winn (later Kai Winn) ranks among the best “Star Trek” villains of all time. Deeply religious to the point of fanaticism, Winn protests Keiko O’Brien (Rosalind Chao) teaching children on Deep Space Nine that the wormhole aliens are not deities, as many Bajorans believe. Winn’s words whip Bajorans on the station into a frenzy; Keiko’s school is bombed. But what Winn really desires is power, to the point she tries to get one of her followers to kill a fellow Vedek she sees as a threat. The episode sets up Winn’s role as a major antagonist throughout the series to great effect. —J.O.

Original airdate: June 21, 1993

The Trouble With Tribbles

“The Original Series” — Season 2, Episode 15

If you’ve seen any episode of “TOS,” chances are it’s this one. While on shore leave at a space station, the Enterprise comes upon an adorably furry alien creature called a tribble, which are born pregnant, multiply exponentially, consume enormous quantities of food and react with alarm when in the presence of a Klingon. Fizzy and funny and, to this day, one of the best-known episodes of “Trek” ever. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Dec. 29, 1967

Balance of Terror

“The Original Series” — Season 1, Episode 14

Introducing the Romulans alone makes this episode worthy of being on the list. But it’s also an epic cat-and-mouse game between Kirk and a Romulan commander played by none other than Mark Lenard, who would go on to play Sarek starting in Season 2. Kirk successfully lures the Romulan ship into a trap, leading to Lenard delivering the iconic line, “You and I are of a kind. In a different reality, I could have called you friend.” —J.O.

Original airdate: Dec. 15, 1966

STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, from left: Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis, LeVar Burton, 'Qpid', season 4, ep. 20, aired 4/20/1991, 1987-94. © Paramount Television/ Courtesy Everett Collection

“The Next Generation” — Season 4, Episode 20

John de Lancie never disappoints when he plays Q, but this episode offered a wonderful twist on his usual appearances. Following the events of “Deja Q,” Q returns to the Enterprise saying he owes Picard a debt. Picard repeatedly tells Q he wants nothing from him, but Q notices Picard has eyes for Vash (Jennifer Hetrick), the mercenary archeologist Picard first met on Risa. Being Q, he naturally transports Picard, Vash, and the bridge crew to a Robin Hood fantasy in which Picard must rescue Vash from the evil Sir Guy of Gisbourne (Clive Frevill). Added bonus: Worf, in scarlet tights, exclaiming in protest, “I am not a merry man!” —J.O.

Original airdate: April 22, 1991

STAR TREK, Bobby Clark (as the Gorn captain), William Shatner, in Season 1, Ep#19, 'Arena,' January 19, 1967. (c)Paramount. Courtesy:Everett Collection.

“The Original Series” — Season 1, Episode 18

The classic “trial by combat” episode that pitted Kirk against a Gorn captain on a barren, rocky planet (i.e. the storied filming location Vasquez Rocks ). Few images from “Star Trek” have become more iconic than the original Gorn costume, which was essentially an actor dressed as a large lizard. The ending is also an all-timer, with Kirk choosing to spare the Gorn, proving to the all-powerful Metrons that set up the trial by combat that humans are capable of more than just random violence. —J.O.

Original airdate: Jan. 19, 1967

A Mathematically Perfect Redemption

“Lower Decks” — Season 3, Episode 7

“Star Trek’s” first pure comedy (and second animated series) often plays as a twisted love letter to the entire “Trek” franchise — like when Peanut Hamper (Kether Donohue), one of the sentient Exocomp robots first introduced on “The Next Generation,” abandons the crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos in a time of need. This episode tracks Peanut Hamper’s journey to redemption afterwards, which involves her encountering a seemingly primitive species called the Areore. To say anything more would spoil the fun; suffice it to say, “Trek” has rarely provoked gasps of deep laughter like this episode does. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Oct. 6, 2022

Bar Association

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 4, Episode 15

What better episode of “Star Trek” to talk about after Hollywood’s hot labor summer? Fed up with the unfair conditions at Quark’s bar, Rom talks the other workers into forming a union and going on strike. Max Grodénchik truly shines in this episode as the would-be union leader. Once Rom successfully gets Quark to agree to all the workers’ demands, he outright quits and goes to work as a repair technician for the station, setting up some of Rom’s best moments in the episodes to come. —J.O.

Original airdate: Feb. 19, 1996

STAR TREK: VOYAGER, from left: John Savage, Kate Mulgrew, 'Equinox', (Season 5, ep. 526, aired May 26, 1999), 1995-2001. photo: Ron Tom / ©Paramount Television / Courtesy Everett Collection

“Voyager” — Season 5, Episode 26 & Season 6, Episode 1

The Voyager swoops to the rescue of the Equinox, another Federation starship stranded in the Gamma Quadrant — only this one, led by Capt. Ransom (John Savage), is a smaller ship not meant for deep space travel. With their crew whittled down to just 12 people, Ransom has resorted to murdering alien creatures to use their bio-matter to boost the Equinox’s engines — a horrific violation of everything Starfleet stands for. The discovery pushes Janeway to her own limits, as she obsessively pursues the Equinox despite the cost to her own crew and her morality. The two-parter is one of the darkest episodes of “Star Trek,” a chilling reminder of how easily good people can find themselves slipping into disgrace. —A.B.V.

Original airdates: May 26, 1999 & Sept. 22, 1999

Who Mourns for Morn?

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 6, Episode 12

Morn (Mark Allen Shepherd) was a “Deep Space Nine” fixture, always at Quark’s bar, but never actually speaking onscreen. But in this episode, with Morn apparently dead in an accident, everyone reveals the offscreen times they spent with him, including the revelation that he “never shuts up.” Quark inherits all of Morn’s property, which Odo relishes revealing is ultimately nothing. But as it turns out, Morn had a much more adventurous life before his time on “DS9” than anyone knew, leading his former comrades to seek him out to get a hold of the money they believed he still possessed. —J.O.

Original airdate: Feb. 4, 1998

Species Ten-C

Pictured: Sonequa Martin-Green as Burnham of the Paramount+ original series STAR TREK: DISCOVERY. Photo Cr: Marni Grossman/Paramount+ © 2021 CBS Interactive. All Rights Reserved.

“Discovery” — Season 4, Episode 12

Other than the Gorn, almost all of the aliens on “Star Trek” are, essentially, humans with slightly different forehead ridges. But in its most recent season, “Discovery” embraced “Trek’s” prime directive (seeking out new life, bolding going where no one’s gone, etc.) by crafting a species that is truly alien: the Ten-C. Throughout the season, the Ten-C are presented as both a total mystery and an existential threat; when Capt. Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the crew of the Discovery finally reach them — outside the barrier of the Milky Way galaxy — they are unlike anything the show has ever encountered. Rarely has “Trek” applied more intellectual and emotional rigor to what it might actually be like to attempt first contact with extra-terrestrials, and rarely has it been this compelling. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: March 10, 2022

A Man Alone

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 1, Episode 4

Odo is one of the best characters in “DS9” — and in the “Star Trek” universe — in general, and this is the first episode to really establish him as a standout . A known criminal returns to the station only to die shortly after, and Odo is accused of his murder. Odo’s status as an outsider, but ultimately someone to be respected, is made crystal clear in this episode, with even his archenemy Quark acknowledging that Odo is not the type to murder someone in cold blood. —J.O.

Original airdate: Jan. 17, 1993

Mirror, Mirror

“The Original Series” — Season 2, Episode 4

The transporter strikes again, this time accidentally zapping Kirk, Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Scotty (James Doohan) and Bones (DeForest Kelley) from their reality into a parallel universe in which the benevolent Federation has been replaced by the bloodthirsty Terran Empire, governed by brute force and fascistic exploitation — and Spock has a goatee! More silly than serious (and no less fun for it), the episode effectively spawned an entire sub-genre of parallel universe episodes of TV (from “Supernatural” to “Friends”) and gave generations of actors a chance to play wildly against type. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Oct. 6, 1967

“The Next Generation” — Season 4, Episode 2

People rave about “The Best of Both Worlds” and Picard’s assimilation by the Borg, but fewer remember this incredible follow-up episode. Picard returns to his family vineyard to put the Borg incident behind him, even briefly thinking that he will leave Starfleet. Jeremy Kemp crushes it as Picard’s brother Robert, with the two sharing a memorable (and muddy) scene in which Picard breaks down and admits how much his assimilation has shaken him. The episode is also memorable for the appearance of Worf’s adoptive parents, who come to the Enterprise to be with him following his discommendation. —J.O.

Original airdate: Oct. 1, 1990

Living Witness

“Voyager” — Season 4, Episode 23

For several minutes, “Living Witness” seems like a mirror universe episode, as a ruthless Janeway, captain of the “warship” Voyager, agrees to aid the Vaskans against the insurgent Kyrians by unleashing a biological weapon upon millions and executing the Kyrian leader. But then we realize that we’ve just witnessed a recreation at a Kyrian museum 700 years in the future, at which point a copy of the Doctor enters the story and learns, to his horror, how much the Kyrians have gotten wrong. What could have been a Rashomon-style caper instead becomes fascinating meditation on how the telling of history can be weaponized, even inadvertently, to maintain old wounds rather than heal them. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: April 29, 1998

Unification

“The Next Generation” — Season 5, Episode 7 & 8

Spock appeared on “The Next Generation” a month before the release of 1991’s “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country” — but this time, at least, crass cross-promotion prompted some sublimely entertaining TV, as Picard and Data (Brent Spiner) aid Spock in his effort to reunify the Romulan and Vulcan peoples. [Stefon voice]: This two-parter has everything : Klingon warbirds, rude Ferengis, Tasha’s evil Romulan daughter Sela (Denise Crosby), Data and Spock philosophizing on their twin pursuits of logic and emotion, the death of Sarek, Worf singing Klingon opera with a four-armed bar pianist, and Picard and Spock mind-melding! —A.B.V.

Original airdates: Nov. 4 & 11, 1991

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 7, Episode 9

Gul Dukat is the best villain in “Star Trek.” Yes, you read that right. The writers and actor Marc Alaimo created an incredibly nuanced character that goes through a remarkable arc over the course of the series. This episode, near the end of “DS9’s” run, reminds fans that Dukat sees himself as a savior, but is ultimately a force for evil. He establishes a cult dedicated to the Pah wraiths on Empok Nor, luring a number of Bajorans to his side. But of course, he also sleeps with his female followers and tries to trick them into a mass suicide. Amazing stuff. —J.O.

Original airdate: Nov. 23, 1998

The Last Generation

LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forge, Brent Spiner as Data, Gates McFadden as Dr. Beverly Crusher, Michael Dorn as Worf, Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi, Jonathan Frakes as Will Riker and Patrick Stewart as Picard in "The Last Generation" Episode 310, Star Trek: Picard on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Trae Patton/Paramount+. ©2021 Viacom, International Inc. All Rights Reserved.

“Picard” — Season 3, Episode 10

The cast of “TNG” infamously never got their swan song, after 2002’s “Star Trek: Nemesis” bombed in theaters, so this series finale serves as a gift both to them and to “TNG” fans. Every character gets their spotlight, including the resurrected Enterprise-D, as Picard, Riker, Dr. Crusher, Data, Worf, LaForge (LeVar Burton) and Troi (Marina Sirtis) all help to take down the Borg once and for all. The final scene — everyone sitting around a poker table, laughing and reminiscing — is as pure and satisfying an expression of fan service as anything “Trek” has ever done. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: April 20, 2023

“The Next Generation” — Season 3, Episode 13

Until this episode, Q was an enjoyably malevolent force within “TNG,” an omnipotent being who’d gleefully pop up now and again to play with the lives of the Enterprise-D crew. But here, when Q suddenly appears on the bridge, he’s been stripped of all his powers (and all of his clothes) and begs Picard for safe harbor. At first, no one believes him — even after Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) stabs him with a fork — which only fuels John de Lancie’s sparkling performance, as Q confronts life as ( shudder ) a mortal human. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Feb. 3, 1990

An Embarrassment of Dooplers

“Lower Decks” — Season 2, Episode 5

The title refers to an alien called a Doopler, who duplicate themselves whenever they get embarrassed — which, naturally, becomes an issue the moment one steps foot on the Cerritos. But really, this episode is one of those deeply enjoyable “Trek” episodes that is less about story than it is about the vibes , as the characters spend their downtime winningly contending with the central premise of the show: The bittersweet contentment of life at the bottom of the ladder. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Sept. 9, 2021

STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE, from left: John Colicos, William Campbell, Michael Ansara, 'Blood Oath', (S2, E19, aired March 27, 1994), 1993-99. ©Paramount Television / Courtesy Everett Collection

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 2, Episode 19

The lives of the past hosts of the Dax symbiont are a recurring plot device on “DS9,” and no episode does it better than this one. A group of Klingons who knew Curzon Dax arrive at the station and enlist Jadzia’s (Terry Ferrell) help in killing their sworn enemy, a criminal known as The Albino who killed the three Klingons’ first-born sons. Jadzia ultimately honors the blood oath, as the episode explores the meaning of honor and solidarity. —J.O.

Original airdate: March 28, 1994

Where No Man Has Gone Before

“The Original Series” — Season 1, Episode 3

The famed second pilot episode of “Star Trek” (which introduced William Shatner as Capt. Kirk) is a strange artifact today: Bones and Uhura aren’t aboard yet, Sulu (George Takei) isn’t at the helm, the Enterprise has a psychiatrist (played by Sally Kellerman), and the uniforms and sets look a bit off. But the central story — Kirk’s best friend, Gary Mitchell (Gary Lockwood), is zapped by an energy blast at the edge of the galaxy, and begins to exhibit extraordinary psychokinetic powers — is vintage “Trek”: Brainy, brawny, and just the right side of uncanny. And it’s fascinating now to see how well-established Kirk and Spock’s dynamic of emotion vs. logic was from the very start. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Sept. 22, 1966

The Measure of a Man

“The Next Generation” — Season 2, Episode 9

Data’s quest for humanity is at the very core of “TNG,” and this stirring episode literally puts that quest on trial — and establishes the show’s voice for the rest of its run. A Starfleet scientist wants to dismantle Data in order to create more androids, but Data refuses, setting up an intense courtroom drama — is Data merely a machine and the property of Starfleet? — with Picard representing Data while Riker is forced to represent the scientist. —J.O.

Original airdate: Feb. 13, 1989

“The Next Generation” — Season 4, Episode 26 & Season 5, Episode 1

The Klingons started on “Trek” as a not-that-thinly-veiled metaphor for the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War, but over the decades, they’ve developed their own richly detailed mythology. This two-parter (which aired just before the fall of the USSR) depicts a civil war within the Klingon Empire that leads to Worf’s decision to leave the Enterprise and join the fight. For a series that was episodic by design, this is the closest “TNG” ever got to serialized storytelling, incorporating events from several previous episodes — including the shocking introduction of Tasha’s Romulan daughter, Sela. —A.B.V.

Original airdates: June 17, 1991 & Sept. 23, 1991

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 1, Episode 11

It is endlessly entertaining to see Quark get what he wants as he then learns that it’s way more trouble than he realized. This episode sums that idea up nicely, while also featuring the first of many wonderful appearances by Wallace Shawn as Ferengi leader Grand Nagus Zek. Zek unexpectedly names Quark his successor, only for Zek to die shortly after. Quark is thrilled at first, before he realizes being the Nagus puts a massive target on his back. This episode also helps build the friendship between Nog (Aron Eisenbeg) and Jake (Cirroc Lofton), with Jake secretly teaching Nog how to read. —J.O.

Original airdate: March 22, 1993

Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy

“Voyager” — Season 6, Episode 4

Yearning to grow past his programming, the Doctor allows himself the ability to daydream, in one of the flat-out funniest episodes of “Trek” ever. It opens with Robert Picardo singing opera as Tuvok (Tim Russ) undergoes pon farr (i.e. the madness to mate that consumes Vulcan males) and just gets wilder from there, up to the moment when the Doctor, who’d fantasized about taking over command of Voyager in an emergency, does it for real. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Oct. 13, 1999

STAR TREK, 1966-69, Leonard Nimoy (as Spock) & Arlene Martel (as his bride, T'Pring), in episode #34, "Amok Time," 9/15/67.

“The Original Series” — Season 2, Episode 1

Speaking of pon farr, this is the “TOS” episode that first establishes it — as well as the planet Vulcan, several Vulcan customs and traditions, and the now legendary Vulcan salute (honorable mention: Spock actually smiles!). Wracked with pon farr, Spock asks for leave back on his home planet, and eventually reveals that he must meet his betrothed, T’Pring (Arlene Martel). Naturally, Kirk and Spock end up in a fight to the death in one of the most iconic battles in “Star Trek” history. —J.O.

Original airdate: Sept. 15, 1967

Year of Hell

“Voyager” — Season 4, Episode 8 & 9

The most lasting criticism of “Voyager” is that every week, no matter what happened in the previous episode, the ship and crew emerged unscathed and ready for a new adventure. As if in response, this two-parter tracks a year in which the Voyager is ravaged to the point of near ruin by repeated encounters with an aggressive alien species called the Krenim. Unbeknownst to the crew, they’re actually the victims of a Krenim scientist, Annorax (Kurtwood Smith), who developed a technology to alter the fabric of time by erasing entire species from ever existing. This is as harrowing and merciless as “Trek’s” ever been, but it’s not quite the best episode of “Voyager” due to the irony of its ending: Janeway crashes the husk of the Voyager into Annorax’s timeship — which resets the timeline completely, as if nothing that we’d seen had ever happened. —A.B.V.

Original airdates: Nov. 5 & 12, 1997

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 3, Episodes 11 & 12

“Star Trek” often addresses timely societal issues, but this episode put them firmly in a 21st century context. Sisko, Bashir, and Dax accidentally wind up in San Francisco circa 2024, where poverty and oppression of the disadvantaged are running rampant (crazy how that remains timely, huh?). When a man meant to serve an important purpose in an historic riot is accidentally killed too soon, Sisko is forced to take his place. —J.O.

Original airdate: Jan. 2, 1995 & Jan. 9, 1995

Those Old Scientists

Tawny Newsome, Jack Quaid and Anson Mount appearing in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo Cr: Michael Gibson/Paramount+

“Strange New Worlds” — Season 2, Episode 7

In one of the rare “Trek” crossover episodes, Ens. Boimler (Jack Quaid) and Ens. Mariner (Tawny Newsome) from “Lower Decks” find themselves zapped back to the era when Capt. Pike (Anson Mount) captained the Enterprise. Marshalled by Jonathan Frakes’ steady hand as a director , the disparate tones of “Lower Decks” and “Strange New World” somehow mesh perfectly, and hilariously, together. Packed with guffaw-worthy laughs, “Those Old Scientists” also becomes a deeply poignant expression of the impact “Trek” has had on generations of fans. Maybe it’s controversial to place one of the most recent “Trek” episodes so high on this list, but this one more than earns its spot. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: July 22, 2023

The Best of Both Worlds

“The Next Generation” — Season 3, Episode 26 & Season 4, Episode 1

This two-parter is frequently cited as the best “Next Generation” storyline of all time, mostly because it features one of the most iconic cliffhangers in all of television. The Borg attack the Federation, leading to a showdown with the Enterprise. Picard is captured and assimilated, revealing himself to his crew as Locutus of Borg. If we’re splitting Borg nano-probes, the second half doesn’t quite live up to the first, which is why, for us, it doesn’t quite rank into the Top 10. Special shoutout to this episode for setting up the incredible “Star Trek” film “First Contact.” —J.O.

Original airdate: June 18, 1990 & Sept. 24, 1990

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 1, Episode 19

When a Cardassian named Marritza (Harris Yulin) arrives on Deep Space Nine, Kira realizes he must have worked at one of the most notorious labor camps during Cardassia’s occupation of Bajor, and she arrests him as a war criminal. What follows is effectively a two-hander, as Kira’s interrogation of Marritza leads to a series of revelations that unmoor her hard-won fury at the atrocities inflicted upon her people. The conventional wisdom is that “DS9” didn’t get cooking until the Dominion War, but this early episode proves that this show was providing great, searing drama from the start. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: June 14, 1993

STAR TREK, Ep.#24: 'Space Seed,' Ricardo Montalban, William Shatner, 2/16/67. Paramount/Courtesy: Everett Collection.

“The Original Series” — Season 1, Episode 22

Ricardo Montalbán makes his debut as Khan Noonien Singh, a genetically superior dictator from Earth’s Eugenics Wars. Khan and his people have been in suspended animation for 200 years and are looking to dominate humanity once again. Naturally, Kirk is able to beat Khan in a riveting confrontation, but rather than send him and his people to a penal colony, he agrees to let them settle on the wild planet, Ceti Alpha V. The episode proved to be so good, it led to the 1982 film “Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan,” arguably the best “Trek” movie of all time. —J.O.

Original airdate: Feb. 16, 1967

“Voyager” — Season 5, Episode 6

There’s something about time travel — and the twisty narrative paradoxes it can cause — that has engendered some of the best episodes of “Trek” ever made. That certainly includes this stunning “Voyager” episode, which opens with Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) and Chakotay (Robert Beltran), 15 years in the future, discovering the frozen husk of the Voyager buried inside a glacier on a barren ice planet. It turns out Kim made a critical mistake that caused the catastrophic accident, from which only he and Chakotay survived. Their unyielding fixation to right that wrong — and erase the previous 15 years from history — makes for a gripping nail-biter about regret and devotion. Not only did LeVar Burton direct, but he cameos as Capt. Geordi La Forge! —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Nov. 18, 1998

The Defector

“The Next Generation” — Season 3, Episode 10

Did a Romulan admiral really defect to the Federation, or are the Romulans perpetrating an elaborate hoax on Picard and the Enterprise crew? This wonderful episode sees the admiral in question (played by James Sloyan) claiming the Romulans are building a secret base within the Neutral Zone, forcing Picard to consider whether or not he should investigate and thus risk starting a war. It also features the excellent opening in which Picard tries to teach Data about humanity by having him act out scenes from Shakespeare’s “Henry V.” —J.O.

Original airdate: Jan. 1, 1990

Chain of Command

“The Next Generation” — Season 6, Episode 10 & 11

Lured into Cardassian territory under false pretenses, Picard is captured and systematically tortured by a ruthless interrogator, Gul Madred, in a chilling performance by David Warner. Their disturbing tête-à-tête — Picard is stripped naked and nearly broken by the end — would be enough for one of the all-time best “Trek” episodes. But this two-parter also boasts Ronny Cox as Capt. Jellico, Picard’s replacement on the Enterprise, whose prickly and demanding leadership style creates all kinds of thrilling friction among the crew. —A.B.V.

Original airdates: Dec. 14 & 21, 1992

In the Pale Moonlight

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 6, Episode 19

In this fantastic episode, Sisko grapples with the ethics of doing whatever it takes to get the Romulans to join the Dominion War on the Federation-Klingon side. This includes falsifying evidence and freeing a known criminal from Klingon prison with the help of master spy Garak (played by the always wonderful Andrew Robinson). Sisko (while recording a personal log) delivers a series of powerful monologues direct to camera about why he did what he did, ultimately deciding it was worth it in the end. —J.O.

Original airdate: April 13, 1998

The City on the Edge of Forever

“The Original Series” — Season 1, Episode 28

Accidentally hopped up on stimulants, a crazed Bones leaps through a time portal on an alien planet and winds up changing history so drastically that the Enterprise disappears. Kirk and Spock travel back to stop him, and land in New York City during the Great Depression, where they learn that Bones saved the life of Sister Edith Keeler (Joan Collins), a pacifist whose message resonates so strongly that the U.S. stays out of WWII, allowing the Nazis to conquer Europe. Alas, Kirk falls deeply in love with Keeler, establishing a classic “Trek” moral dilemma: How does one suppress their most profound personal feelings for the greater good? An all-timer that still resonates today. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: April 6, 1967

Far Beyond the Stars

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 6, Episode 13

In this Avery Brooks-directed episode, Sisko envisions himself as a Black science fiction writer in 1950s New York named Benny Russell. Russell dreams up a story about the crew of a space station led by a Black captain, but his publisher refuses to run it. This episode is memorable for many reasons, the biggest of which being its handling of racism, but it also allows the show’s main cast gets to appear without any prosthetics or makeup, as completely different characters, to great effect. —J.O.

Original airdate: Feb. 9, 1998

Yesterday’s Enterprise

“The Next Generation” — Season 3, Episode 15

The Enterprise-C, believed to have been destroyed over 20 years earlier, emerges from a temporal anomaly and resets history into a decades-long war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. Tasha — killed off in Season 1 (after Denise Crosby wanted to leave the show) — is brought back to life, and falls for the Enterprise-C’s helmsman (Christopher McDonald), while Guinan implores Picard that something is desperately wrong with history and he must send the Enterprise-C back to certain doom. Somehow, this episode crams a movie’s worth of story into a nimble and rousing 44 minutes. Not a second is wasted. Outrageously great. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Feb. 19, 1990

The Inner Light

“The Next Generation” — Season 5, Episode 25

When the Enterprise comes upon a mysterious probe, Picard is suddenly hit with a signal that plunges him into a different man’s life on a dying planet. There, Picard experiences half a lifetime, with a wife, children and grandchildren, all in the space of 25 minutes. When Picard realizes this was all meant as a time capsule — a way to preserve the stories of the people of the planet, which was destroyed 1,000 years earlier by an exploding star — the revelation that he lived the life he’d long forsaken as a Starfleet captain, only to have it ripped away, is almost more than he can bear. But hoo boy, does it make for stunning, deeply moving television. In fact, almost no episode of “Trek” is better. Almost. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: June 1, 1992

The Visitor

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 4, Episode 2

Don’t watch this one without tissues handy. This emotionally devastating episode gets right to the heart of what made “DS9” so special — the relationship between Sisko and his son, Jake. Told in flashbacks by an elderly Jake (Tony Todd), the episode recounts how Sisko became unstuck in time, briefly revisiting Jake over the course of his life, and how Jake is determined to bring him back. In brief, fleeting moments, Sisko tells Jake not to worry about him and to live his life to the fullest. But Jake cannot bear the thought of losing his father forever, ultimately sacrificing his own life to restore the normal flow of time. —J.O.

Original airdate: Oct. 9, 1995

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Star Trek at 50: Ten records that go beyond the final frontier

Largest Gathering of People dressed as Start Trek characters

In For the Long-Haul: The 10 Longest Running Sci-Fi TV Series

These can't be binged in an afternoon, so take your time with them.

Escaping from zombies, traveling through time, and investigating ghosts or other supernatural beings are only a few elements that a typical science-fiction TV show consists of. Some television shows hook viewers from the start regardless of whether the series follows an ongoing plot or introduces a new problem in each episode where the characters find the solutions by the end.

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There are a few science-fiction shows, such as Battlestar Galactica (1978- 1979), Firefly (2002-2003), and Invasion (2005-2006), which only lasted for one season . Outside these short-lived TV shows, there are a few shows that have been running for so long that they even replaced the main actor throughout the series.

'Lost' (2004 - 2010) — 6 Seasons

A group of strangers boarded Oceanic Flight 815 from Australia to California. When they crash-landed on a mysterious island, these strangers must depend on each other to survive. As the passengers began walking into the island's forested area, they saw inexplicable supernatural sights such as a polar bear and autonomous black smoke.

Lost aired from 2004 to 2010. Each episode led viewers to question the island's origins or what the island represents in mythology until the season six finale. Lost is currently available on Amazon Prime Video and Hulu.

'Star Trek: The Next Generation' (1987 - 1994) — 7 Seasons

In 1966, Star Trek: The Original Series aired its first episode. This series didn't run as long as Star Trek: The Next Generation , which aired from 1987 to 1994, a total of seven seasons. In Star Trek 's universe, Star Trek: The Next Generation is set after the first six Star Trek movies.

In Star Trek: The Next Generation, Patrick Stewart starred as Captain Jean-Luc Picard, the commander of the starship. The crew members of the U.S.S. Throughout the series, Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) encountered new civilizations and strange galactic phenomena in their missions. Star Trek: The Next Generation is currently available on Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+, and FuboTV.

'Star Trek: Voyager' (1995 - 2001) — 7 Seasons

Star Trek: Voyager focused on the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager in the 24th century. From the first episode, viewers learn that the Voyager under Captain Kathryn Janeway's ( Kate Mulgrew ) command must track the Marquis rebels. However, they get pulled off course, thus placing them on the other end of the galaxy.

RELATED: 25 Must-Watch Episodes Of 'Star-Trek: Voyager'

In order of release dates, Star Trek: Voyager aired after the 1994 film Star Trek: Generations . Star Trek: Voyager succeeds the TV series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993 - 1999) in the Star Trek universe is currently available on Paramount+ and Amazon Prime Video.

'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' (2013 - 2020) — 7 Seasons

They may not wield a hammer like Thor, climb walls like Spider-Man, or possess super strength like Hulk. Yet the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. centered on a group of spies tasked with dealing with the aftermath of the battle of New York that occurred in The Avengers movie. S.H.I.E.L.D. stood for Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division.

Not all the members were powerless, and some had specific abilities such as electrokinetics or super speed. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. referred to the other Marvel heroes in the series , but the agents didn't rely on the other superheroes to save the day. In this TV series, the Agents were the heroes. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D . are currently available on Disney+.

'The Vampire Diaries' (2009 - 2017) — 8 Seasons

In Mystic Falls, Virginia, Elena Gilbert ( Nina Dobrev ) might be like any other high school teenager. She was popular, an honor student, and a cheerleader, except she fell in love with a vampire. Stefan Salvatore ( Paul Wesley ) was at least a 160-year-old vampire who fell in love with Elena because she reminded him of his former love Katherine Pierce. Stefan's brother, Damon ( Ian Somerhalder ), also fights for Elena's love.

The Vampire Diaries ran for eight seasons from 2009 to 2017. The popular vampire series led to two successful spin-offs titled, The Originals (2013 - 2018), and Legacies (2018 -). The Vampire Diaries are currently available on Netflix.

'The X-Files' (1993 - 2018) — 11 Seasons

Sometimes the only people that could solve a paranormal case are two FBI agents: Fox Mulder ( David Duchovny ) and Dana Scully ( Gillian Anderson ) from The X-files . X-files's Mulder and Sully are among the most iconic duos across all the science-fiction TV shows. Together they solved unexplainable disappearances, mysterious murders, and abnormalities.

The X-Files's pilot episode premiered on September 10, 1993, about a dead woman with pink marks on her back. The TV series returned in 2016 after 14 years, tasked with more advanced and complicated paranormal cases. The X-Files ran for a total of 11 seasons on Fox, but viewers now have a chance to re-watch the episodes on Hulu.

'The Walking Dead' (2010 - 2022) — 11 Seasons

In this post-apocalyptic series, the herds of the undead ravaged the earth. In The Walking Dead , zombies (referred to as "walkers") infected people by biting them. Those who weren't infected were eaten. The Walking Dead revealed that people could be even scarier than walkers. The characters on the show were willing to do anything to collect food, supplies, or other materials, even if that meant endangering innocent people.

RELATED: 13 TV Shows That Should Have Been Renewed For Another Season

Throughout the series, the characters built independent communities where they tried to create a safe environment. However, not all their communities could withstand attacks from other characters who wanted to control the communities. The Walking Dead is available on AMC and Netflix.

'Red Dwarf' (1988 -) — 13 Seasons

The crew on the spaceship Red Dwarf on the TV series Red Dwarf (1988 -) are not the most qualified, but there was no one besides them. Red Dwarf follows the lives of the last humans on earth who woke up 3 million years into the future and now live on the Jupiter Mining Company spaceship.

The first episode of Red Dwarf premiered on February 15, 1988, and took a break in 1999. The TV series returned in 2009. Although there is only one episode that aired in 2020, titled "Red Dwarf: The Promised Land," that aired in 2020, one of the creators of the TV series, Doug Naylor , said that they plan on writing more episodes, according to Radio Times . Red Dwarf is currently available on Roku and Amazon Prime Video.

'Supernatural' (2005 - 2020) — 15 Seasons

In 2005, Sam ( Jared Padalecki ) and Dean ( Jensen Ackles ) Winchester were roaming the country, hunting down ghosts, shapeshifters, and vampires in Supernatural . Throughout Supernatural's 15 season-run, the Winchesters learned that there were many more dangerous monsters in the world, such as demons, Jefferson Starships, and Leviathans.

Yet they didn't fight these monsters alone; they befriended a hacker named Charlie ( Felicia Day ), angels like Castiel ( Misha Collins ), hunters like Garth ( DJ Qualls ), and Bobby ( Jim Beaver ), among others. This might not be the end of the road for Supernatural, as there is a prequel in the works that will center on Sam and Dean's parents . Supernatural is currently available on Netflix.

'Doctor Who' (1963 - 1989) (2005 -) — 37 Seasons

On November 23, 1963, viewers began a journey through time in the TARDIS with the Doctor encountering life-threatening enemies on Doctor Who (1963-1989). Doctor Who ran for 26 seasons between 1963 and 1989 on BBC. In 2005, the show was revived on BBC Studios since then. One of the perks of this longest-running sci-fi television show is the built-in story arc of the Doctor.

During their travels, the Doctors experienced a decline in their health, and in order not to die, the Doctors would regenerate themselves. This would lead them to take on newer forms, but this allowed other actors to portray the Doctor. The First Doctor was William Hartnell , who played the Doctor from 1963 to 1966. Jodie Whittaker was the 13th Doctor on the show and the first female Doctor. Doctor Who is currently available on HBOMax.

KEEP READING: The Best TV Shows To Binge Watch

Upcoming Star Trek TV Shows: What's Ahead For The Sci-Fi Franchise

Here's what's ahead for Star Trek.

It’s a golden era for Star Trek tv shows, as the franchise is churning out more content than ever before. Fans with a Paramount+ subscription can stream a plethora of old and new content from one of the greatest sci-fi franchises of all time.

There’s a ton of new Star Trek content coming in the future, including the debut of a new show as well as the return of all the ones fans already know well. For those who need a breakdown of what all to expect, look no further because here’s where and when all the new Trek will arrive in 2023 and beyond. There’s even some information on planned shows that aren’t quite ready yet, but hopefully, we’ll see them soon enough.

Sonequa Martin-Green in Star Trek: Discovery

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 - Premiering On April 4th 2024

Captain Michael Burnham and the crew are back, and based on what we've seen and heard about Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 so far, some changes are on the way. Season 5 will see the crew race against others in an attempt to secure an ancient power, and will apparently have a tonal shift that will skew more toward action and adventure. We also learned that this coming season will be the final adventure , as Paramount+ decided to end the series after this coming season. The final season will kick off in April and, fingers crossed, leave an avenue open for more stories with these characters in the 32nd century.

Anson Mount as Christopher Pike in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 - In Production

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is coming back for Season 3, and is currently filming for the upcoming season. It's likely the season will kick off with the second part of the adventure started in the Season 2 finale . Pike must decide whether or not he's going to listen to Starfleet and retreat to avoid further conflict with the Gorn or to stay and try to save the kidnapped crew members. I have a hunch I know what decision he'll make, but I'm also very invested in seeing if Scotty will remain with the crew and what other adventures will come as well.

Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2 - Coming In 2024

Paramount+ originally renewed Star Trek: Prodigy for Season 2, but announced later that it had been canceled alongside other shows on the platform. While the news was a bummer to many and encouraged responses from stars like Kate Mulgrew , there is a silver lining. After some talk with other companies, Paramount managed to negotiate a deal where the series will transition over to Netflix , and Season 2 will release over there. At this time, it's unknown whether or not this will lead to more seasons of Prodigy , but fans are thankful they'll at least get to see the season that was being worked on coming up in 2024.

Section 31 Movie - Production Underway

Section 31 was one of the first Star Trek spinoffs announced after Discovery , and yet it took the longest to get off the ground. The series was supposed to Michelle Yeoh ’s Phillipa Georgiou and her efforts in the secret ops Starfleet faction that does the jobs that others in the organization would rather not know about. Other former Discovery stars, like Shazad Latif, were involved at one point, but some believed the odds of it happening aren't great after Michelle Yeoh's Oscar win .

It turns out Yeoh was interested in making it happen, and Paramount+ decided to alter the idea to a movie . Fans are excited about the project all the same, and ready to see Michelle Yeoh back in her role. Production on the film is officially underway, and it's looking like a premiere sometime in late 2024 to 2025 is likely.

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Starfleet Academy - Production Starting In 2024

Alex Kurtzman revealed not long ago that Star Trek is actively working on another new live-action series , and it’s going to be set at Starfleet Academy. Of course, we don’t know exactly what era this series is set to take place during or who is going to star in it yet. We don’t really know much of anything, though it’s worth noting that Star Trek: Discovery did write off its character Tilly when she took an offer at Starfleet Academy. The episode where that happened seemed like it could be a backdoor pilot for the show, but again, we have no idea. We do know that the writer's room is underway, but details are scant beyond that.

As shown above, there’s still a ton of Star Trek on the way in 2024, and beyond. The only way to watch these shows is with a Paramount+ subscription , which is totally worth picking up with the increasing amount of shows and movies available to watch.

Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He's great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.

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Which Star Trek Opening Sequence Is The Best?

A totally unbiased opinion...

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The discussion of which Star Trek series is the best Star Trek series is a contentious debate. Even when I am the only one in the discussion, I have a hard time coming to a firm conclusion. ( The Next Generation … No! Deep Space Nine … Forget it. I can’t decide.)

This is when I turn my mind to a much easier debate: which Star Trek series has the best opening sequence. Sure, it’s still a tough, emotionally-complex question, but the stakes are much lower.

Just like in the discussion of favorite Star Trek TV series, we all have different things we prioritize and look for in our opening sequences. Are you a sucker for the song? Do you look for an intro that best reflects the values and interests of the series it represents? Or do you shamelessly just pick the opening sequence for your favorite of the TV shows?

Whatever your criteria (and you know you have a biased one), one thing is certain: All of these Star Trek opening sequences are pretty great…

6. Star Trek: The Animated Series

Confession? I find the opening sequence for The Animated Series pretty adorable. The way the animated Enterprise moves horizontally across the screen as if its mom is in the front row telling it what to do? So cute.

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However, when it comes down to it, The Animated Series opening is really just a re-tread of The Original Series opening. This makes sense, given the timing of the show and the fact that it shared so many of the same cast. But it’s nothing to captain’s-log home about.

5. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Sorry, Deep Space Nine. You know I love you, but your opening sequence is just, well, fine. Sure, you have a great first five seconds as we follow a rogue comet through the blackness of space only to come upon a little space station on on its own in the middle of space-nowhere. Then, you lose your momentum a little with shot after shot of the stationary space station doing what it does best: just sort of floating there.

Don’t feel too bad, Deep Space Nine . Between you and me, you can stand to lose this opening intro contest — because, unlike some of the other series ranked higher on this list, you are in the running to be the best series of Star Trek when it comes to narrative. And, really, isn’t that the contest you would rather win?

4. Star Trek: The Next Generation

As someone who both grew up on Star Trek: The Next Generation and who loves Patrick Stewart’s voice, it pains me to rank The Next Generation ‘sopening sequence so low on this list. Hearing this theme song still wakes a giddy childish inside of me. However, it just doesn’t have the ambition to beat out most of the inspired Star Trek openings.

The Next Generation opening sequence has some good moves: Stewart’s killer delivery of “The final frontier…” spiel as if it were a Shakespearian monologue. Some shots of some beautiful space wonders. The Enterprise zipping past the screen in-between cast members, just like in The Original Series’ introduction. It’s all good, it’s just not going to make me sign up to the trip to Mars or anything.

3. Star Trek: The Original Series

How could we not put the intro from The Original Series near the top of this list? After all, it was the opening that started it all — that influenced and shaped so many of the Star Trek opening sequences that would come after it.

The Original Series’ intro is very much of its time — with the “ahhAHH!”s and the limited special effects — but it also has always had something slightly exciting, fast-paced, and imaginative about it. (Probably the starship doing its damndest to get you pumped up by repeatedly zipping across the screen.) If a TV’s opening sequence is a promise of what’s to come, then Star Trek ‘s promise was to never stop moving forward — both in terms of action and in terms of ideas. To never stop exploring and pushing the limits of what was possible in science fiction TV, and society, of the time.

2. Star Trek: Enterprise

Star Trek: Enterprise may be the quasi-black sheep of the Star Trek universe, but it’s not the fault of its opening sequence, which is is imaginative, inspiring, and filled with optimism. Sure, it has a cheesy pop song as its ballad, but it somehow works when accompanied with images from humanity’s exploration through the years.

It may be a controversial choice to put Enterprise ‘s theme at the top of this list, but I think it’s well-deserved. Enterprise might not have always struck narrative gold in comparison to some of the better-considered Star Trek series, but it wasn’t afraid to take chances and try to do its own thing — as was demonstrated by the opening sequence that, unlike all of the other post-Original Series series, didn’t mimick the space-journey design.

By giving us images of real-life explorations from our past and present, Enterprise made us believe that a future like the one Star Trek imagines is a possible, tangible outcome of our world in a way that none of the previous Star Trek sequences attempted. For that, this opening sequence will always hold a special place in my Star Trek -loving heart.

1. Star Trek: Voyager

Star Trek: Voyager could have snagged an impressive spot on this list based on its theme song alone. You hear the opening notes of the Jerry Goldsmith classic, you are hooked — and it only builds from there.

Though Voyager didn’t always succeed in its storytelling execution, it had a great premise: a ship lost on the other side of the galaxy, trying to find its way home. And the opening sequence reflected that beautifully (emphasis on the beautiful ). Sure, Voyager’s mission was daunting and, sometimes, disheartening, but the crew/family of this ship never stopped appreciating the beauty of the galaxy — they never stopped exploring. The opening sequence gets that, and it makes for a magical introduction into each episode, and into the larger Star Trek universe.

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Your move, Star Trek: Discovery …

Bonus: Enterprise’s “Mirror Darkly” Opening

Special bonus! This Enterprise opening was created specifically for the “In A Mirror, Darkly” episode, which saw mirror-universe versions of Captain Archer and his crew (a la The Original Series episode “Mirror, Mirror”).

Rather than focusing on images of exploration over human history, the “mirror darkly” sequence instead highlighted militaristic themes. The result is a fun, twisted version of the Enterprise theme song that immediately got you in the mood for this episode, as well as a reminder why Star Trek is such a great narrative universe — because, unlike so many of the other franchises that have come and gone over the years, Star Trek values exploration over domination.

Do you agree with our ranking? Sound off in the comments below…

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Kayti Burt | @kaytiburt

Kayti is a pop culture writer, editor, and full-time nerd who comes from a working class background. A member of the Television Critics Association, she specializes…

Star Trek: Discovery: Season Five to End Longest-Running Original Paramount+ Series

by Trevor Kimball, March 3, 2023

Star Trek: Discovery TV show: ending, no season 6 on Paramount+

(Photo by: Marni Grossman/Paramount+)

The crew of USS Discovery will be taking their final tour of duty. Paramount+ has announced that the upcoming fifth season of the Star Trek: Discovery series will be the show’s last. The series is the streaming service’s longest-running original show. The final episodes will begin airing sometime in early 2024.

A sci-fi series, the Star Trek: Discovery TV show stars Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Anthony Rapp, Mary Wiseman, Wilson Cruz, David Ajala, and Blu del Barrio. A prequel to the original Star Trek series, this drama follows the crew of the USS Discovery of the interstellar government known as the United Federation of Planets (UFP). Season four, released in late 2021 and early 2022, finds Captain Burnham (Martin-Green) and her crew facing a threat unlike any they’ve ever encountered. With Federation and non-Federation worlds alike feeling the impact, they must confront the unknown and work together to ensure a hopeful future for all .

Paramount+ announced that season five would be the end of Discovery in a press release:

PARAMOUNT+ ORIGINAL SERIES “STAR TREK: DISCOVERY” TO CONCLUDE WITH FIFTH AND FINAL SEASON IN EARLY 2024 Paramount+ to Celebrate One of Its Longest-Running Original Dramas Globally with Events in Key Markets Around the World Leading Up to the Series’ Finale From CBS Studios, “Star Trek: Discovery” Stars Sonequa Martin-Green, David Ajala, Doug Jones, Anthony Rapp, Mary Wiseman, Wilson Cruz and Blu Del Barrio March 2, 2023 – Paramount+ today announced that one of the service’s longest-running original drama series STAR TREK: DISCOVERY will conclude with its upcoming fifth season in early 2024. The series first premiered in 2017 and heralded the return of scripted “Star Trek” television series. Leading up to the final season, Paramount+ will honor STAR TREK: DISCOVERY’s legacy and groundbreaking storytelling over its last four seasons with year-long celebrations and appearances at key events in markets around the world. “STAR TREK: DISCOVERY is a perennial favorite on the service, near and dear to the hearts of legions of ‘Star Trek’ fans as well as all of us here at Paramount+,” said Tanya Giles, chief programming officer at Paramount Streaming. “The series and its incredible cast and creatives ushered in a new era for ‘Star Trek’ when it debuted over six years ago, embracing the future of streaming with serialized storytelling, bringing to life deep and complex characters that honor Gene Roddenberry’s legacy of representing diversity and inclusion, and pushing the envelope with award-winning world-building. This final season will see our beloved crew take on a new adventure and we can’t wait to celebrate the series’ impact on the franchise leading up to its final season early next year.” Executive producers and co-showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Michelle Paradise shared: “As lifelong fans of ‘Star Trek,’ it has been an immense honor and privilege to help bring STAR TREK: DISCOVERY to the world. The ‘Trek’ universe means so much to so many – including us – and we couldn’t be prouder of everything DISCOVERY has contributed to its legacy, particularly with representation. If just one person sees themselves, or the possibilities for their future, in a new way because of DISCOVERY, then we think we’d have made Gene Roddenberry very proud. “Of course, there would be no DISCOVERY without Sonequa Martin-Green and the extraordinary team of artists, both in front of and behind the camera, who have brought this show to life. Their passion and determination to make every episode special has been deeply inspiring; so too has their love and support for one another and their genuine love for ‘Star Trek.’ DISCOVERY has truly become a family over the years – and we couldn’t be more grateful to be part of it.” “To the fans around the world, thank you for joining us on this incredible journey. Your love for these characters and your excitement for every episode, every season, has meant the world to us. We can’t wait for you to see what we’ve been working on for this final season; we appreciate your patience in the meantime and trust us when we say it’ll be worth the wait. We love you all! LLAP” “I can hardly believe that this mind-blowing journey with STAR TREK: DISCOVERY is ending,” said series star and producer Sonequa Martin-Green. “I’m astoundingly blessed by God to have played Captain Michael Burnham and to have taken part in a legacy alongside an extraordinary cast, phenomenal crew and remarkable writing team. To our most supportive partners at CBS Studios and Paramount+, who insisted on making television history, I’m deeply grateful. I’m also deeply grateful for the creative collaboration with our showrunners Michelle Paradise and Alex Kurtzman, as well as Olatunde Osunsanmi and the incomparable team of executive producers. I will never forget how it felt to stand together as a show family, cradling the heirloom of ‘Trek’ with all those from the franchise at large and with the fans. The fans welcomed us into their hearts as we launched a new iteration of ‘Trek’ and an entire entertainment platform, and we’ll never forget it. 65 episodes later, here’s to the entire company of STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, to the show and its fifth and final season, to its beloved fans and to all those who envision a better future. Let’s fly… ” “When we first started talking about the return of ‘Star Trek’ eight years ago, we never could have imagined the indelible impact STAR TREK: DISCOVERY would have,” said David Stapf, president of CBS Studios. “The series brought back a beloved global franchise, and just like its predecessors, DISCOVERY honored ‘Star Trek’s’ legacy of ‘infinite diversity in infinite combinations,’ representing the best of what we could be as humans when we celebrate our differences. I’d like to thank Alex Kurtzman and Michelle Paradise, who have led this show with heart, passion, and as fans themselves with vivid storytelling – always ready to push boundaries like those before them. And finally, I’d like to thank this talented cast, led by the brilliant Sonequa Martin-Green, whose leadership both onscreen and off has helped guide the way from day one.” The fifth and final season will find Captain Burnham and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery uncovering a mystery that will send them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries. But there are others on the hunt as well … dangerous foes who are desperate to claim the prize for themselves and will stop at nothing to get it. STAR TREK: DISCOVERY season five cast members include Sonequa Martin-Green (Captain Michael Burnham), Doug Jones (Saru), Anthony Rapp (Paul Stamets), Mary Wiseman (Sylvia Tilly), Wilson Cruz (Dr. Hugh Culber), David Ajala (Cleveland “Book” Booker), Blu del Barrio (Adira) and Callum Keith Rennie (Rayner). The series is produced by CBS Studios in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment. Alex Kurtzman, Michelle Paradise, Heather Kadin, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth serve as executive producers. Alex Kurtzman and Michelle Paradise serve as co-showrunners. STAR TREK: DISCOVERY seasons one through four are currently streaming exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., the U.K., Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia and Austria. Seasons two and three are also available on the Pluto TV “Star Trek” channel in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. In Canada, it airs on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave. STAR TREK: DISCOVERY is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution. About Paramount+ Paramount+, a direct-to-consumer digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service, combines live sports, breaking news and a mountain of entertainment. The premium streaming service features an expansive library of original series, hit shows and popular movies across every genre from world-renowned brands and production studios, including BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and the Smithsonian Channel. The service is also the streaming home to unmatched sports programming, including every CBS Sports event, from golf to football to basketball and more, plus exclusive streaming rights for major sports properties, including some of the world’s biggest and most popular soccer leagues. Paramount+ also enables subscribers to stream local CBS stations live across the U.S. in addition to the ability to stream CBS News Network for 24/7 news and CBS Sports HQ for sports news and analysis. For more information about Paramount+, please visit www.paramountplus.com and follow @ParamountPlus on social platforms. About “Star Trek” on Paramount+ Paramount+ is now the exclusive home to every series and every episode of the full catalog of “Star Trek.” This includes all seasons of the Paramount+ original series STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, STAR TREK: PICARD, the animated series STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS and STAR TREK: PRODIGY, and the newest addition STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS. “Star Trek” on Paramount+ also includes a selection of “Star Trek” films, including the documentary WOMAN IN MOTION. For additional info on and photography from Paramount+’s STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, STAR TREK: PICARD, STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS, STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS and STAR TREK: PRODIGY, please click here. About CBS Studios CBS Studios is one of the world’s leading suppliers of entertainment programming, with more than 60 series currently in production for broadcast and cable networks, streaming services and other emerging platforms. The Studio’s expansive portfolio spans a diverse slate of commercially successful and critically acclaimed scripted programming, which includes genre-defining franchises such as “NCIS,” “CSI” and the ever-growing “Star Trek” universe, award-winning late night and daytime talk shows, as well as an extensive library of iconic intellectual property. The Studio also develops and produces local language and international content originating outside of the U.S. with series in the U.K., Europe, the Middle East and Australia.

What do you think? Have you enjoyed watching the Star Trek: Discovery TV series? Are you looking forward to the fifth and final season? Are you disappointed that there won’t be a season six? Check out our status sheets to track new TV series pickups, renewals, and cancellations. You can find lists of cancelled shows here .

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Jump for Joy finally

Any plans when Paramount+ will be avaible in Sweden, or can I see Star Trek Discovery in any other way?

I actually liked the first two seasons, but it tanked after that. Started turning into a chore to watch much like The Walking Dead became. Probably for the best they end it.

This show should have ended after season 2. I had hope it would get better but season 3 was just ridiculous and I stopped watching. And don’t get me started on the dumpster fire that was Picard. The writers and producers should be in prison for the crap they tried to serve as StarTrek.

Season 5 not arriving until’24.. what is unadulterated joke! The one glaring issue with the streaming service originals the huge gaps in production turn arounds. We’ll say goodbye to Picard and then we’ll be left with a huge vacuum until either Discovery or Strange new worlds are completed and then released. Piss poor production scheduling!

This aweful Nutrek series is finally cancelled.

BOOOOOOO, I’m am so tired of the networks canceling shows that actually have entertainment value. I’ve been waiting in anticipation for the return of Discovery and am highly irritated that the show is being canceled. I’m also peeved that Picard has been canceled. How long will they keep Strange Worlds before canceling it? Idiots at the helm on all the networks and streaming services.

You’re right about one thing. Idiots at the helm. All of the woke BS drove a lot of genuine ST fans away. It was more of a political show than a sci-fi. On top of that, the sci-fi that was shown was ridiculous. I quit watching after Season 2. Too bad. I love the ST shows but this one was a dud. And Picard being cancelled? The guy is really getting up there in years. Let him retire in peace please.

This is such a waste..the show didn’t even have a full 4 seasons those half season offerings are not a real season and now ending it so soon..i’m not going to even bother to watch the last season..or renew my subscription!

REVIEW: Star Trek: Discovery Jinaal (Season 5, Episode 3)

The following contains spoilers from Star Trek: Discovery, Season 5, Episode 3, "Jinaal."

In the premiere episode of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Captain Michael Burnham met Captain Rayner and learned the truth behind the "Red Directive" that sent them chasing after an 800-year-old Romulan vessel. The brusque captain is now her first officer, and together they have to race space-pirates Moll and L'ak for technology that could change the galaxy and, effectively, introduce them to "God." But before they can do that, they must deal with the long-dead Trill symbiont host who gave this episode its title: Jinaal.

In the second episode, Burnham and Mister Saru went "Under the Twin Moons" of a planet to find the first piece of the puzzle and a clue to the next one. Moll and L'ak, however, beat them to it, but they didn't find the entire clue. Instead, they were sent on a wild space-goose chase to the planet Betazed, while the real clue was hidden on the Trill homeworld. Meanwhile, on the ship, now-Commander Rayner has to bond with the crew of the USS Discovery, despite his wildly different style of leadership than the folks on the ship are used to.

Both stories speak to the theme of this episode and the season overall: the connections between individuals, even between those who share very little in common. But what made this episode truly memorable was how it linked itself to a previous Star Trek show. This was done in the way that Jinaal, the symbiont host who possesses the information Burnham and company need, revealed it to them comes directly from Star Trek 's past. Specifically, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

Captain Michael Burnham Is in Peak “Star Trek Captain’ Mode

Captain michael burnham didn't let setbacks and personal problems slow her down, review: star trek: discovery season 5 premiere 'red directive' takes off at warp speed.

One of the most interesting things about Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's third episode is very subtle. Throughout the season so far -- but especially in "Jinaal" -- Michael Burnham seems comfortable as the captain . While she was made for the center seat, Season 4 was a tough period of adjustment for her. This was especially true in light of the galaxy-destroying threat the Discovery faced last time. But at the start of this episode, Burnham was wholly in control of her ship and crew .

It's also worth noting that Burnham's authority remained steadfast even if her personal life wasn't in the best place. Ever since betraying her in Season 4 , Cleveland Booker's relationship with Burnham is on the rockiest ground it's been she first arrived in the 32nd Century.

Season 5's first episodes showed they no longer operated together with a near-symbiotic shorthand. Moll, it turns out, is the long-lost daughter of his mentor, who previously used the name "Cleveland Booker." Burnham isn't sure she can trust him. Still, the first scenes of "Jinaal" show her quickly and easily making decisions, including taking a leap of faith by trusting Booker to join them on the mission on Trill.

While it's unclear how much time has passed since Burnham became captain at the end of Season 3, Rayner definitely had more years in command under his belt. However, after Starfleet tried to force his early retirement, Burnham made him her new first officer. He accepted a demotion to Commander, and the two now have to figure out a way to work together. Yet, when Burnham welcomed him aboard, there was no doubt who is in charge.

In fact, it was no accident that she paired him with Lieutenant Sylvia Tilly. Of everyone aboard the USS Discovery, Tilly has the most personal connection to the crew, and she's also (obviously) not afraid to challenge her superior officers. After all, she was promoted to First Officer in Season 3 even if she was merely an Ensign.

The USS Discovery’s Away Mission on Trill Connects to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Star trek: discovery used the zhian'tara ritual for more than a nostalgic callback, review: in under the twin moons, star trek: discovery shines brighter than ever.

Upon arriving at the Trill homeworld, Captain Burnham was asked a riddle as a security measure, though even Moll and L'ak likely could've answered it. The clue they found in the previous episode pointed to Betazed, which is presumably where the two pirates went. Burnham answered the riddle, and her team was taken down to the Trill symbiont pools where she then met the long-lived symbiont's host who knew where the clue was hidden. But in order for Burnham and company to get the piece of the puzzle they need, they had to be tested by Jinaal. This was thanks to the Zhian'tara, the Trill's ritual for closure, which was first created on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

In the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Facets (Season 3, Episode 25)," Jadzia Dax went through her zhian'tara, which allowed the memories of past hosts to be telepathically transferred into another's body. It's a ritual all Trill hosts go through once they are joined. In Star Trek: Discovery's case, Jinaal wanted a body to physically take Burnham and Booker to the clue, while testing them without their knowledge. He wanted to make sure that they were worthy of the powerful technology of Star Trek: The Next Generation 's Progenitors. He led them to the nesting grounds of alien predators whose skin effectively served as cloaking devices.

Jinaal also wanted to see if they were willing to destroy innocent creatures to possess this knowledge. He was also willing to let "unworthy" seekers die to protect the secret. Thanks to Booker's empathic ability to connect to animals and the creatures' higher levels of intelligence, they passed the test. When Burnham discovered the creatures were only protecting their eggs, they agreed to abandon the hunt for the clue. When they reunite with Jinaal, he had the puzzle piece ready for them because they proved themselves worthy. This was yet another instance where Star Trek: Discovery took an element of past Star Trek canon and applied it to its own stories in a fresh, fun and meaningful way.

Star Trek: Discovery Took Some Detours Into Politics & Love

"jinaal" strengthened one of its core relationships but ended another, star trek: discovery's alex kurtzman & michelle paradise talk final season.

Fans worried about not seeing Saru again after he left the USS Discovery will surely be pleased to see him appear, with his betrothed T'Rina, at Federation headquarters. He's been named an Ambassador for a number of smaller planetary systems, and he participated in his first diplomatic session with his colleagues. This was an interesting look at the inside dealings of Federation politics unlike any Star Trek series has shown audiences.

Rather than have crewmembers discuss ethical and political dilemmas during an action-packed mission, "Jinaal" set the clash of ideas in a boardroom. The discussions were exceedingly formal and exactly as "boring" as longtime fans would expect a utopian society's politics to be. In fact, Saru's greatest struggle wasn't with dealing with his potential political rivals, but with the woman he loves. Or, at least, her staff.

President T'Rina's aide spoke to Saru offline, explaining his reservations about their pending nuptials. Despite the Vulcan-Romulan reunification and the return of Ni'Var to the Federation, it seems there are still dissidents. These "Vulcan Purists" would object to Saru and T'Rina's marriage.

When Saru told T'Rina that they should delay their marital announcement, she understandably got angry with him . While Saru was trying to protect T'Rina by making this decision for her, he neglected to see that she'd already considered the issue. After they made up, she told him that not announcing their engagement would make it seem like she had something to hide, which would be more damning to her public image and personal convictions.

Star Trek: Discovery's Adira Is The Next Generation's Wesley Crusher Done Right

Conversely, on Trill, Adira Tal and Gray -- the former Tal symbiont host who was put into a new, synthetic body with the zhian'tara ritual -- saw each other for the first time in six months. The reunion was bittersweet because unlike Saru and T'Rina, who patched things up rather quickly, Adira and Gray broke up shortly after. This was a questionable decision for the history-making couple.

Gray is the first transgender character in Star Trek , while Adira is the franchise's first explicitly non-binary character. Their relationship was a foundational part of each character's lives. There are quite a few ongoing love stories in Star Trek: Discovery that are on shakier ground than Adira and Gray, but they're still together. Breaking apart this particular couple is a questionable decision at best, and insidious at worst.

Given how little screentime Adira and, especially, Gray already had on Star Trek: Discovery , it would've been better to allow their relationship to flourish off-screen . There is merit in showing struggle and even the end of nontraditional relationships in fiction. But given the many "firsts" that Gray and Adira represented and in light of current events, their breakup undercut the episode's and the season's themes of shared connection.

Everyone else in the series, even the standoffish Commander Rayner, found themselves drawn closer to others during this week's episode. Even ignoring the negative implications, driving Adira and Gray further apart doesn't add any suspense, tension or value to the series' wider story. This could be addressed better in later episodes but, for now, it's one of the series' weakest narrative decisions.

The Theme of Connection in ‘Jinaal’ Runs Throughout Star Trek: Discovery Season 5

Star trek: discovery season 5 is beginning to tackle one of the oldest questions in history, star trek: discovery's mary wiseman, wilson cruz and blu del barrio hype finale.

When Star Trek: The Next Generation writers developed "The Chase (Season 6, Episode 20)," the message the Progenitor hologram delivered was a classic moral for the universe. However, it was really included to offer an explanation to nitpicky fans as to why the vast majority of aliens in the universe had two arms, two legs and other humanoid characteristics. This in turn also meant that every species, including classic Star Trek villains , were related to each other on a foundational genetic level.

As corny and implausibly convenient as this primordial connection could be to some, it can also bring Star Trek's vastly different societies together in ways that even the Federation couldn't. Not only that, but as Burnham and Culber discuss at the end of the episode, the Progenitors' truth could also answer deeply spiritual questions. Specifically, "Why are we here?" Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 took one of Star Trek's most existential yet overlooked ideas, and explored it in ways that previous shows and movies didn't.

For the longest time, Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry wanted his characters to meet "God." While Star Trek V: The Final Frontier took an ambitious stab at this existential idea but fell short of expectations, it might just be Star Trek: Discovery that finally delivers a version of a higher power and its implications that Roddenberry himself would approve of.

Because instead of some mythical or mystical being, this show's version of the creator is merely an advanced race of humanoids who felt alone in the universe. Even though they knew their species wouldn't live to see the fruits of their creation, they wanted to make life in their own image and out of nothing but love.

Star Trek: Discovery debuts new episodes Thursdays on Paramount+ .

Star Trek: Discovery

Star Trek: Discovery follows Michael Burnham on her journay from a mutineer in the 23rd Century to Starfleet captain in the 32nd. With its one-of-a-kind spore drive, the USS Discovery is a ship unlike any other, with a crew to match.

Release Date September 24, 2017

Cast Oyin Oladejo, Emily Coutts, Anthony Rapp, Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Mary Wiseman

Main Genre Sci-Fi

Genres Drama, Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure

Rating TV-14

Michael Burnham is at her best as a Starfleet Captain.
The use of the zhian'tara draws connections to classic bits of Star Trek history.
The episode blends action and character moments quite well.
Breaking but Adira and Gray feels like forcing romantic tension where it doesn't need to be.
While better than not seeing him, the Saru portion of the story risks unbalancing the central narrative.
The cards-down approach to the Season 5 antagonists risks undercutting how cool they are.

REVIEW: Star Trek: Discovery Jinaal (Season 5, Episode 3)

Screen Rant

24 longest-running tv shows ever, ranked by duration.

The longest running TV shows ever have been on the air for decades, with many that started before color picture or cable still making new episodes.

The longest-running TV shows have amassed incredible years on the air, becoming icons in their own right.
To be considered one of the longest TV shows, scripted programs are ranked by the time from their first episode to their last.
Examples of long-running TV shows include Captain Kangaroo, The Simpsons, Columbo, Search For Tomorrow, Another World, The Bold and the Beautiful, Casualty, and EastEnders.

Longevity is something every small-screen series aspires to if they have plans beyond a single season, and the longest-running TV shows ever have racked up an incredible number of years on the air to hold the claim. Some shows have been running so long that they're enjoyed by multiple generations of the same family. For any show released in the last year to stand a chance of making the list, it'd have to stay on-air until the 2050s. From children’s shows to daytime television, there are plenty of examples of series that have kept running through the decades, becoming icons in their own right as some of the longest-running TV shows in the world.

The question of what is the longest TV show depends largely on which types of shows are included. Many news and sports programs, such as Meet the Press or Monday Night Football , have run for decades under the same name. However, they could also go on indefinitely, so they aren't the same as scripted programs, ranked by the amount of time from their first episode to their last (or the present day, in the case of still-ongoing shows). This year, there are many series that continue to add to their ever-growing number of years on the air, including some that are approaching seven decades since their inception.

10 TV Shows That Should Have Ended Sooner Than They Did & Why

24 captain kangaroo - 29 years, 1955 - 1984.

Captain Kangaroo is a children's television program that began airing in 1955. The series was conceived as an educational and entertaining variety show starring its creator, Bob Keeshan, who played the eponymous character of Captain Kangaroo, as well as several other characters in the show. Keeshan believed that the show's longevity was due to its respect for its young audience (via Click Americana ) :

“Captain Kangaroo treats children as intelligent human beings and never talks down to them. He is not afraid to ask them to think. And he believes that they have good taste. He likes people in general and children in particular.”

Captain Kangaroo aired for nearly thirty years, coming to an end in 1984 after over 6,000 episodes . At the time that it came to an end, it was the longest-running TV show aimed at children in the history of television, though other series have since surpassed this record. Even after its ending, the series has enjoyed many reruns over the decades, some of which have even included new content.

23 The Simpsons - 34 Years

1989 - present, the simpsons.

It's no surprise The Simpsons is one of the longest-running shows on air. This animated family has marched through the decades unabated and gave multiple generations a reason to laugh. The Simpsons began on The Tracey Ullman Show as a series of short sketches in 1987 , before entering syndication as a full-fledged series in '89 and becoming one of the longest-running TV shows in the world for the realm of animation. Over the nearly three and a half decades the series has run for, there have been six American presidencies and multiple generations of pop culture and politics — all of them lambasted poignantly by the original cast.

It can't be overstated the cultural impact The Simpsons has had over its 34 years.

It can't be overstated the cultural impact The Simpsons has had over its 34 years. First, the talk of high school kids enveloped in Bartmania, the show soon branched out to adults who appreciated its sarcastic humor and mature storylines. The show inspired future animated franchises like Family Guy and South Park , both of which have enjoyed very long runs. The early seasons of The Simpsons have enjoyed a new life online in the forms of a library of familiar GIFs. And, with over thirty seasons in the can, The Simpsons shows no signs of stopping .

22 Columbo - 35 Years

1968 - 2003.

Columbo is an American detective drama starring Peter Falk as the titular crime-solver. The series first aired a pair of pilot episodes in 1968 and 1971, respectively, before finally receiving a full-series order. The show was hailed as a first of its kind for ditching the mystery portion of similar shows, showing the audience each killer at the beginning of the episode and instead focusing on how the perpetrator is then caught. The series aired in a 90-minute time slot monthly as part of the NBC Mystery Movie anthology along with other detective series, allowing it to keep its format fresh.

After enjoying several decades on the air, Columbo stopped premiering new episodes on a regular basis in 1990. Over the next thirteen years, the series would instead air longer television specials in place of typical episodes. Because of its unusual and at times sporadic airing habits, Columbo has only 69 episodes despite being one of the longest-running TV shows in the detective genre in history. Columbo recently found a new generation of younger fans and has inspired modern series such as Poker Face .

21 Search For Tomorrow - 35 Years

1951 - 1986.

Search for Tomorrow is an American soap opera that began its run in 1951. The series followed the life of Joanne Gardner, who was portrayed by Mary Stuart throughout all thirty-five seasons of the long-running drama. The series was the longest-running TV show at the time of its cancelation, although it has since been surpassed.

Search For Tomorrow came to an end in 1986 after over 9,000 episodes and five Daytime Emmy wins. In the early 80s, it became the last soap opera to broadcast an episode live after a pre-recorded program mysteriously went missing. The show also featured several appearances from actors who have since become well-known for other works, including Kevin Bacon, Jane Krakowski, Kevin Conroy, and more.

10 Surprising Actors Who Got Their Start On Soap Operas

20 another world - 35 years, 1964 - 1999.

Another World was one of the early casualties of the downfall of daytime soap operas in the United States. The soap aired on NBC starting in 1964 and remained on the air for 8,891 episodes before it ended in 1999 . What made this soap different was that it didn't focus on domestic life but on differences between families in different social classes. The series was NBC's highest-rated soap opera for 15 years and was the first soap to expand past 30 minutes and even launch its own spinoffs, becoming one of the longest-running TV shows of its era.

The soap was important as it was one of the first ones to talk about abortion when the subject was considered taboo, but that's not the only noteworthy point about Another World . It also was the first soap to have a crossover event with another soap, Guiding Light, which was received incredibly well by viewers at the time. Notable actors on the show include Scott Bakula, Christine Baranski, Marcia Cross, and Morgan Freeman.

19 The Bold And The Beautiful - 36 Years

1987 - present.

Beginning its long television tenure in 1987, The Bold and the Beautiful is a series set in the same world as another of the longest-running TV shows, The Young and the Restless . This companion series follows the Forrester family and their many dramatic endeavors over the course of several decades. The series is, by some measurements, the most-watched soap in the world and one of the few that is still broadcast via network television.

Like its sister series, The Bold and the Beautiful continues to produce new episodes to this day, having already aired over 8,000 episodes — making it one of the series with the highest episode counts as well as among the longest-running TV shows. In that time, the series has won numerous awards, including 12 Daytime Emmy Awards, and has had appearances by Denise Richards, Betty White, Wayne Brady, Morgan Fairchild, and many other notable stars.

18 Casualty - 37 Years

1986 - present.

Medical drama Grey's Anatomy, it is often hard to believe it has been on the air since 2005, and could soon find itself among the longest running TV shows if it's continues much further beyond the upcoming season 20 . However, while that is record-breaking for medical dramas in the U.S., it is nothing compared to the U.K. W hen it comes to primetime medical dramas, the longest-running TV show in the world is Casualty , with over 1200 weekly episodes.

Starting this run in 1986, Casualty takes place at the fictional Holby City Hospital, following the staff and patients at the hospital. The show is so popular that it also spawned four spin-off series over the years and has won several awards. The series was originally meant as a response to the Margaret Thatcher era, but has survived all the way to the present day, and featured appearances from actors such as Kate Winslet, Orlando Bloom, Jodie Comer, and Tom Hiddleston.

17 EastEnders - 38 Years

1985 - present.

EastEnders is a British soap opera that has aired in the U.K. since 1985. Airing on BBC One, the show is set in a fictional borough in the East End of London and follows the local residents and their families. It aired two 30-minute episodes each week, which was moved to three, and then hit five days a week starting in 2001. The show was an immediate hit, with over 30 million watching the 1986 Christmas Day episode, and was even responsible for electricity spikes when millions of people went to make a cup of tea after the closing credits.

This means there have been almost 6,500 episodes over 37 years of production . Not only is it long-lasting, one of the longest-running TV shows in the world, but it is an important part of British television, tackling difficult and taboo subject matters. Unlike most American soap operas, EastEnders has a broadly working-class setting and is known in the UK for capturing the cultural microcosm that is East London. While it's not known much in the U.S ., it can't be overstated just how prominent EastEnders is in the UK cultural zeitgeist.

16 Late Night - 41 Years

1982 - present.

Late Night is a talk show that began airing episodes in 1982 with David Letterman as its host. The show offers comedic takes on major news stories, interviews with celebrities, as well as occasional sketches and other creative segments. In its over forty-year history, Late Night has been hosted by David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, and Seth Meyers, with each host's tenure often being thought of as a distinct series altogether. Letterman's tenure on the show was particularly famous and influential for its off-kilter sense of humor, even receiving a Peabody citation :

Once a television wasteland, late night has become a daypart of increased interest to programmers, performers, and viewers. In the past ten years, one show has moved to the position of the leader in late night television in creativity, humor, and innovation. That program is Late Night With David Letterman .

Seth Meyers continues to host Late Night, a position he inherited after departing his role on the even longer-running comedy series, Saturday Night Live . The series itself has aired over 6,000 episodes over the last four decades and will continue its run as one of the longest-running TV shows in the late-night slot for the foreseeable future.

15 All My Children - 43 Years

1970 - 2013.

This popular soap opera debuted in 1970 and ended in 2013 after finding a temporary new home on The Online Network. The show focused on characters living in a fictional Philadelphia suburb and was one of the first daytime soaps to attract a rather large percentage of male viewers, at 30%. Susan Lucci became one of the most popular actresses on daytime TV for her starring role of Erica Kane, a role she played for 41 years.

After being canceled by ABC in 2011, the show was picked back up for a short time, dishing out another 40 episodes for a grand total of 10,755 — an impressive figure by any stretch. All My Children is yet another example of how the soap opera genre can create infinite longevity for a show, with the hurdles soaps face not being creating new stories so much as maintaining an audience over decades.

14 One Life To Live – 44 Years

1968 - 2012.

With more than 11,000 episodes in its 45-year runtime , One Life to Live was one of the most prolific daytime shows in TV history. It was also one of the first soap operas to feature such a heavy degree of diversity, breaking the mold of the sole focus on wealthy upper-middle-class families. To put it in perspective, that's over 14 times the number of episodes that The Simpsons has broadcast in 30+ years.

One Life To Live takes place in the imaginary city of Lianview, a district of Philadelphia. The series frequently centered on the wealthy Lord family, along with the blue-collar Polish American Woleks, the middle-class Irish Catholic Rileys, and the African-American Grays. It came to a conclusion in 2013 after over four decades on television, during which it won six Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Drama Series and became one of the longest-running TV shows ever.

13 Doctor Who - 44 Years

1963 - 1989, 1996, 2005-present.

Doctor Who 's adventures have been a staple of British culture ever since the show debuted in 1963 . Renowned for its clever storylines, bombastic tech-babble, and a Time Lord who can regenerate his dying body to pave the way for different actors to take the role, Doctor Who would circle the globe as the longest-running TV show in the sci-fi genre. 13 men and women have played the Doctor over the years , with the 14th set to debut in 2023.

Classic "Who" ran from 1963 to 1989 before the BBC unceremoniously cut it off at the knees. After a failed revival film in 1996, the franchise remained dormant for another decade until writer Russell T. Davies brought the series back in 2005, continuing the original show's timeline, rather than opting for a reboot. This helped bring Doctor Who to a whole new generation of families, with "New Who" continuing to air new episodes to this day for a global fanbase. And, with Davies back in the showrunner's chair as the show celebrating its 60th anniversary, it doesn't appear that Doctor Who is going anywhere soon.

12 Top Gear - 46 Years

1977 - present.

Top Gear is a television series that started in 1977 on BBC. While a variety of hosts served on Top Gear , the most famous included Noel Edmonds and Jeremy Clarkson. While most Americans are more familiar with the U.S. version, which premiered in 2002, the show in the U.K. has aired since 1977 with over 500 episodes depicting its hosts covering cars of all sorts . Despite controversy, the series was one of BBC's highest-rated in the 1980s and early 90s, inspiring many imitators.

The series didn't stop in 2002 when BBC canceled the show. The production team instead moved to Channel 5 under the name Fifth Gear and BBC decided to relaunch Top Gear with Clarkson, where it continues to live on to this day as one of the longest-running TV shows in the world when it comes to docuseries. It has also become one of the most widely broadcast factual series, airing in numerous countries around the world.

11 Saturday Night Live - 48 Years

1975 - present, saturday night live.

Lorne Michaels brought Saturday Night Live to late-night television back in 1975, and the culturally groundbreaking variety sketch show has continued ever since. SNL broke hilarious comedic ground while tackling societal issues including race, class, and politics in a manner that both sides could enjoy. The sketch show has parodied the reigns of nine presidents and created memorable characters, some of whom have gone on to appear in movies like The Blues Brothers and Wayne's World .

The show hit its peak in the 1990s thanks to the talents of comedians like Adam Sandler, Norm MacDonald, and Chris Farley. It's responsible for launching the Hollywood careers of countless comedy personalities, from Eddie Murphy to Chevy Chase. It is still ongoing as one of the longest-running TV shows in the world of sketch comedy, and still regularly produces headlines for its take on the world.

10 The Young And The Restless – 50 Years

1973 - present.

After five decades and over 12,000 episodes, The Young And The Restless is still going strong and is one of the longest-running TV shows in America. The pioneering soap opera initially centered on two principal families: the rich Brooks family and the working-class Fosters. It has been the highest-rated daytime drama for 34 years. Even the show's spinoff series, The Bold and the Beautiful has run for over three decades.

During a succession of changes and departures in the early ‘80s, all the initial characters, excluding Jill Foster, were written off and substituted with new main families, the Abbotts, and the Williamses. Notwithstanding these alterations, one narrative that has lasted through nearly the series’ full run is the vendetta between Jill Abbott and Katherine Chancellor, the most extensive enmity in American soap operas.

9 Emmerdale – 51 Years

1972 - present.

One of several British shows to stand among the longest-running series of all time, Emmerdale is a soap opera that dates back to 1972 and is still on-air (having reached over 9,000 episodes) . It is one of the most beloved daytime dramas in the UK, as well as one of the most popular shows on ITV. Originally intended to run for just three months, it gradually gained viewership, especially with a run of dramatic storylines in the 1980s that made it one of the biggest British soap operas.

Upon its conception, the show was called Emmerdale Farm (until 1989) and it focused on the Sugden family of farmers who lived in the imaginary village of Emmerdale, Yorkshire. As the years went by, some main characters were killed off and new ones were introduced with more dramatic storylines, until it eventually became one of the longest-running TV shows ever.

8 Sesame Street – 54 Years

1969 - present.

After more than 4,500 episodes, Sesame Street is easily one of the most beloved children’s show of all time , in addition to being one of the longest-running TV shows. The show is famous for its descriptions communicated via the routines of Jim Henson's Muppets and includes brief films, with comedy, and cultural contextualization. Sesame Street has won over 200 Emmys and has also spawned international versions in dozens of countries.

The show’s purpose is to educate children about the world and relevant social issues in a way that is accessible and holds their attention, but is not demeaning or infantilizing. Some popular segments include “Bert & Ernie”, as well as “Elmo’s World”. Many famous guests have appeared on the show, including Michelle Obama and Lupita Nyong'o. After over 45 years on PBS, Sesame Street moved its new episodes to HBO in 2016, and now reaches a new generation of kids through the Max streaming service.

Sesame Street moved its new episodes to HBO in 2016.

7 Sazae-San / サザエさん – 54 Years

After more than five decades and over 7,500 episodes , this Japanese anime for children holds the Guinness World Record for the longest-running anime TV show in the world and one of the longest-running TV shows anywhere. It is based on the manga series of the same name that was written and illustrated by Machiko Hasegawa, one of the first female manga creators. Sazae-san has been described as the "national anime" of Japan for its universal appeal and is still one of the highest-rated anime series domestically.

The show focuses on Sazae Fuguta who lives with her husband Masuo and her family, as they navigate life in post-WWII Japan with humor and love. Sazae is quite a liberated woman who does not care about what society thinks because Machiko wants her to reflect the then-contemporary Japanese young woman. The success of Sazae-san led to other long-running anime aimed at kids, such as Doraemon and Pokemon .

6 As The World Turns – 54 Years

1956 - 2010.

Following nearly 14,000 episodes, As The World Turns was taken off the air in 2010 due to its ongoing drop in ratings . Irna Phillips came up with As the World Turns as a spin-off show to her previous soap opera Guiding Light . The initial core family was the Hugheses, all medical and legal professionals or clergy (this became quite typical in soap operas later on). The series has the longest total running time of any narrative TV show, running 13, 736 hours, meaning that every episode played back-to-back would run over a year and a half.

The show moved on a very slow pace and was reluctant to introduce many new characters or dabble with sensitive issues, something which earned it the reputation of being considerably conservative, despite it being one of the longest-running TV shows in the world. Helen Wagner was on the show for over 50 years as one of the longest-running characters in TV history .

5 Days Of Our Lives – 58 Years

1965 - present.

The popularity of Days of Our Lives was not only the result of good old-fashioned soap opera recipes that attract audiences but also of the hilarious — but still positive in the outcome — marketing that it received thanks to Joey playing a fictional character in the version of the show that exists in Friends . Susan Seaforth Hayes has the feat of appearing on the show in all seven decades Days of Our Lives has aired, and in the real world the show has a longevity that's beyond impressive.

In its 14,000-episode run , many cast members have come and gone. Being on the air almost 6 decades, Days of Our Lives is one of many soaps among the longest-running TV shows in the world, though few have plots quite as bombastic. In the beginning, the series focused on the misfortunes and victories of the affluent Horton family. Initially led by Dr. Tom Horton and his wife, Alice, the Hortons persist as a major feature in the current narrative. After having recently moved to Peacock, the series is confirmed to run until at least fall 2025, meaning it will continue its reign as one of the longest-running TV series ever.

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COMMENTS

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Star Trek's Longest Running Series, Revealed

The best Star Trek series, ranked

11. Star Trek: Picard (2020–2023)

10. Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973–1974)

9. Star Trek: Enterprise (2001–2005)

8. Star Trek: Prodigy (2021–present)

7. Star Trek: Discovery (2017–present)

6. Star Trek: Voyager (1995–2001)

5. Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020–present)

4. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022–present)

3. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994)

2. Star Trek: The Original Series (1966–1969)

1. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999)

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How to Watch Star Trek in Order: The Complete Series Timeline

How to Watch Star Trek in Chronological Order

1. Star Trek: Enterprise (2151-2155)

2. Star Trek: Discovery: Seasons 1 and 2 (2256-2258)

3. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2259-TBD)

4. Star Trek: The Original Series (2265-2269)

5. Star Trek: The Animated Series (2269-2270)

6. Star Trek: The Motion Picture (2270s)

7. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (2285)

8. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (2285)

9. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (2286 and 1986)

10. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (2287)

11. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (2293)

12. Star Trek: The Next Generation (2364-2370)

13. Star Trek Generations (2293)

14. Star Trek: First Contact (2373)

15. Star Trek: Insurrection (2375)

16. Star Trek: Nemesis (2379)

17. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (2369-2375)

18. Star Trek: Voyager (2371-2378)

19. Star Trek: Lower Decks (2380-TBD)

20. Star Trek: Prodigy (2383-TBD)

21. Star Trek: Picard (2399-2402)

22. Star Trek: Discovery: Seasons 3 and 4 (3188-TBD)

How to Watch Star Trek by Order of Release

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Every Star Trek TV Series, Ranked

11 Star Trek: Enterprise

10 Star Trek: The Animated Series

9 Star Trek: Picard

8 Star Trek: Short Treks

7 Star Trek: Voyager

6 Star Trek: Lower Decks

5 Star Trek: Discovery

4 Star Trek: Prodigy

3 Star Trek: The Next Generation

2 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

1 Star Trek: The Original Series

Star Trek TV Shows Ranked by Tomatometer

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022) 98%

Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973) 94%

Star Trek: Prodigy (2021) 94%

Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020) 92%

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) 92%

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) 91%

Star Trek: Picard (2020) 89%

Star Trek: Discovery (2017) 85%

Star Trek (1966) 80%

Star Trek: Voyager (1995) 76%

Star Trek: Enterprise (2001) 56%

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