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Star Trek Series in Order

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All twelve main Star Trek TV series in release order and in-universe chronological order, with newcomer entry points (The Next Generation or Strange New Worlds) and streaming options.

Star Trek Series in Order: complete list

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  1. Kirk, Spock, McCoy; where it all began

    Show episodesHide episodes 3 seasons · 79 eps
  2. Original cast returns in animated form

    Show episodesHide episodes 2 seasons · 22 eps
  3. Picard's Enterprise; a great entry point

    Show episodesHide episodes 7 seasons · 178 eps
  4. Serialized war epic on a space station

    Show episodesHide episodes 7 seasons · 176 eps
  5. Stranded crew's long journey home

    Show episodesHide episodes 7 seasons · 172 eps
  6. Prequel; earliest on the timeline

    Show episodesHide episodes 4 seasons · 98 eps
  7. Modern era opener; later leaps to the future

    Show episodesHide episodes 5 seasons · 65 eps
  8. Picard returns decades after TNG

    Show episodesHide episodes 3 seasons · 30 eps
  9. Animated comedy; rewards longtime fans

    Show episodesHide episodes 5 seasons · 50 eps
  10. Animated series; a younger, newcomer-friendly crew

    Show episodesHide episodes 2 seasons · 39 eps
  11. Episodic, newcomer-friendly Pike-era prequel; season 4 premieres July 23, 2026, then weekly Thursdays on Paramount+ through September 24

    Show episodesHide episodes 4 seasons · 40 eps
  12. The 12th main series, set in the 32nd century alongside Discovery's far-future era, premiered January 2026 on Paramount+.

    Show episodesHide episodes 1 season · 10 eps

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Why this order?

Star Trek is the rare franchise where "what order do I watch this in" has two equally valid, equally famous answers, and which one you pick changes the whole experience. The two orders below cover the twelve main TV series; the thirteen feature films are a separate track worth tackling once a series has hooked you.

Release order is the way most fans grew up with the franchise, and it is our default. You start with The Original Series (1966), follow the 1980s-90s golden age of The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager, then the prequel Enterprise, and finally the modern streaming era of Discovery, Picard, Lower Decks, Prodigy, Strange New Worlds, and Starfleet Academy. This order lets the production grow up in front of you and preserves callbacks and cameos in the order writers intended.

Chronological (in-universe) order rearranges everything by when the stories happen on the timeline. Enterprise sits earliest, roughly a century before Kirk. Discovery's first seasons and Strange New Worlds come next, then The Original Series and its Animated Series, then The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager, with Lower Decks, Prodigy, and Picard in the relative present, and Discovery's later seasons and Starfleet Academy leaping far into the future. It is tidy on paper but spoils some reveals and forces you through the franchise's rough early production first.

Newcomers should ignore both and start with an entry point. Strange New Worlds is the friendliest modern doorway: gorgeous, episodic, and warm. The Next Generation is the classic on-ramp once you skip its bumpy first season. Lower Decks, an animated comedy, rewards fans but lands harder after you know the universe; Prodigy, an animated series pitched at younger and newer viewers, is a gentler animated way in. If you love the world after that, branch into Star Wars only for contrast, because tonally these are very different sci-fi neighbors.

How many episodes is Star Trek?

Star Trek has 959 episodes across the 12 series entries tracked in this guide.

  • Star Trek: The Original Series 79 episodes 1966-1969
  • Star Trek: The Animated Series 22 episodes 1973-1974
  • Star Trek: The Next Generation 178 episodes 1987-1994
  • Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 176 episodes 1993-1999
  • Star Trek: Voyager 172 episodes 1995-2001
  • Star Trek: Enterprise 98 episodes 2001-2005
  • Star Trek: Discovery 65 episodes 2017-2024
  • Star Trek: Picard 30 episodes 2020-2023
  • Star Trek: Lower Decks 50 episodes 2020-2024
  • Star Trek: Prodigy 39 episodes 2021-2024
  • Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 40 episodes 2022-2026
  • Star Trek: Starfleet Academy 10 episodes 2026

Timeline 1966-2026

Every entry by release year: rows that share a year are a cluster, and the long droughts are called out on the rail.

  1. 1966 The Original Series
  2. 7-year gap
  3. 1973 The Animated Series
  4. 14-year gap
  5. 1987 The Next Generation
  6. 6-year gap
  7. 1993 Deep Space Nine
  8. 1995 Voyager
  9. 6-year gap
  10. 2001 Enterprise
  11. 16-year gap
  12. 2017 Discovery
  13. 2020 PicardLower Decks
  14. 2021 Prodigy
  15. 2022 Strange New Worlds
  16. 4-year gap
  17. 2026 Starfleet Academy

Where to play it today

Availability changes often and varies by region - links search each platform for Star Trek.

Frequently asked questions

How many Star Trek TV series are there?

There are twelve main Star Trek TV series, from The Original Series (1966) through Starfleet Academy (2026), spanning hundreds of episodes across multiple eras and crews.

What order should I watch Star Trek in?

Most fans recommend release order, starting with The Original Series or, for modern viewers, The Next Generation. Alternatively, watch in in-universe chronological order beginning with Enterprise.

Where should a newcomer start with Star Trek?

Start with Strange New Worlds for a friendly, episodic modern entry point, or The Next Generation (skipping its rough first season) for the classic on-ramp.

What is the in-universe chronological order of Star Trek?

Enterprise is earliest, then Discovery's early seasons and Strange New Worlds, then The Original Series era, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Lower Decks and Prodigy, and finally Picard and Discovery's far-future seasons.

Are the Star Trek movies part of this watch order?

No. The thirteen Star Trek feature films are a separate track. They tie into the series but are best watched after a show has hooked you, not interleaved episode by episode.

Is Star Trek: Lower Decks for new fans?

Lower Decks is an animated comedy that affectionately parodies the franchise. It is funniest once you know the universe, so it rewards existing fans more than newcomers. For a more newcomer-friendly animated option, try Prodigy.

How many episodes is Star Trek?

Star Trek has 959 episodes across the 12 series entries tracked in this guide.

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