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How to Watch Star Trek in Order: Every Movie and TV Show

The clearest Star Trek watch order is release order for a first viewing, with a separate broad chronology for fans who want events arranged by story time.
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For a first complete Star Trek watch, use release order. It introduces the franchise in the order audiences encountered it and keeps the original-cast films, TNG-era stories, modern series, and the separate Kelvin Timeline easy to identify. Use in-universe chronological order as an alternate route, especially if you want to begin with the 2150s setting of Enterprise.

Star Trek cannot be reduced to one perfectly tidy list: Discovery begins in the 2250s and later jumps to the 32nd century, several 24th-century shows overlap, and time travel affects both episodes and films.

The practical release-order watch list

For a first complete viewing, watch each title in the following franchise blocks. Within a series, follow the normal episode order; within a film block, use the order shown. This is the least confusing way to experience Star Trek’s introductions, returning characters, evolving production styles, and major timeline revelations without trying to interleave hundreds of episodes.

This is a practical release-order route rather than a day-by-day release ledger. The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager overlap, and the Kelvin films form a separate reality, so a perfectly literal release-date list is less useful for most viewers.

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Era 1: The original television foundation

  1. Star Trek: The Original Series — the franchise’s foundation, originally broadcast from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969.
  2. Star Trek: The Animated Series — the animated continuation of the original-cast era, originally released in 1973–1974.

The Animated Series is not a disposable extra if you want a complete franchise history. It extends the original television era and belongs immediately after The Original Series in this route.

Era 2: The original-cast films

  1. Star Trek: The Motion Picture
  2. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
  3. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
  4. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
  5. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
  6. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

Keep these six movies together. They are the original-cast film sequence and are much easier to follow in release order than in an attempted story-date reconstruction.

Era 3: The 24th-century television era and TNG films

  1. Star Trek: The Next Generation
  2. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
  3. Star Trek: Voyager
  4. Star Trek Generations
  5. Star Trek: First Contact
  6. Star Trek: Insurrection
  7. Star Trek: Nemesis

The three series overlap in the broader 24th-century setting, so you do not need to alternate episodes between them. Completing The Next Generation, then moving through Deep Space Nine and Voyager, is a straightforward first-watch method. The four films are the TNG-era movie block and should remain in their listed order.

Era 4: Enterprise and the streaming revival

  1. Star Trek: Enterprise
  2. Star Trek: Discovery
  3. Star Trek: Picard
  4. Star Trek: Lower Decks
  5. Star Trek: Prodigy
  6. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
  7. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy

This ordering follows the useful television release framework identified by Paramount+, with Prodigy included from the official StarTrek.com series catalog. Strange New Worlds is a prequel in story time, but it belongs here for a first viewing because release order lets you recognize its relationship to the classic series naturally.

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Era 5: The Kelvin Timeline films

  1. Star Trek (2009)
  2. Star Trek Into Darkness
  3. Star Trek Beyond

Watch these three films as a separate block. They are not ordinary sequels to Star Trek: Nemesis. In the franchise’s continuity, Nero’s actions create an alternate reality known as the Kelvin Timeline, which contains the Chris Pine-led trilogy.

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Every theatrical Star Trek film in order

The official StarTrek.com catalog counts 13 theatrical films. They divide naturally into three groups:

Film group Films in order Timeline note
Original-cast films The Motion Picture; The Wrath of Khan; The Search for Spock; The Voyage Home; The Final Frontier; The Undiscovered Country Prime Timeline continuation of the original television era
TNG films Generations; First Contact; Insurrection; Nemesis Prime Timeline stories connected primarily to The Next Generation
Kelvin films Star Trek (2009); Into Darkness; Beyond Alternate Kelvin Timeline

If you are watching only movies, use those three blocks in that order. The first ten films are the Prime Timeline movie sequence; the final three are a separate branch. You do not need to watch all 12 television series before starting the films, although the original television shows provide important context for the original-cast movies and The Next Generation helps explain the TNG films.

Where does Star Trek: Section 31 fit?

Star Trek: Section 31 should be labeled separately as a streaming feature. Paramount’s current Star Trek availability material includes it among the franchise’s movie offerings, but the official StarTrek.com catalog separately enumerates the 13 theatrical films and does not add Section 31 to that count.

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For a first watch, treat Section 31 as an optional streaming feature outside the 13-film theatrical sequence. That avoids implying that it is part of the Kelvin trilogy or that it has to be inserted into the core theatrical list. Viewers seeking an episode-by-episode or stardate-level chronology should use a more specialized continuity guide rather than relying on the broad list below.

Star Trek in chronological story order

Chronological order is best for viewers who want events arranged by when they happen in the fictional universe. It is not automatically the best first route. Star Trek includes prequels, concurrent shows, time travel, and Discovery’s enormous jump from the 23rd century to the 32nd century.

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The following is a broad in-universe chronology, not a definitive episode-by-episode stardate ledger:

Story-time position Watch Approximate setting or guidance
1 Star Trek: Enterprise The 2150s
2 Star Trek: Discovery, seasons 1–2 Begins in the 2250s
3 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Late 2250s
4 Star Trek: The Original Series The 2260s
5 Star Trek: The Animated Series Late 2260s or early 2270s
6 Original-cast films Broadly after the original television era
7 Star Trek: The Next Generation The 2360s–2370s
8 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 2369–2375
9 Star Trek: Voyager The 2370s through 2378
10 TNG-era films Overlap the later 24th-century period; do not treat them as a completely isolated block in strict story chronology
11 Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Prodigy Later 24th-century stories; exact placement is better handled at episode level
12 Star Trek: Picard A later 24th-century continuation of TNG-era continuity
13 Star Trek: Discovery, season 3 onward The 32nd century, after the show’s time jump
14 Star Trek: Starfleet Academy The 32nd century

The important Discovery split

Do not place all of Discovery in one era. Seasons 1 and 2 begin in the 2250s, before The Original Series. At the end of season 2, the story moves far into the future. Season 3 and the seasons that follow belong in the 32nd century, after the 24th-century shows and films.

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Why the chronology cannot be perfectly simple

The official StarTrek.com chronology uses stardates, while Paramount+ describes chronological order as the order in which events occur rather than the order in which productions were released. That distinction matters, but it does not remove every complication. Episodes can overlap in time, films can occur during the runs of television series, and time-travel stories deliberately connect different eras.

For that reason, the broad sequence above is more useful than pretending there is one universally accepted list in which every episode, short story, and film fits without qualification. If exact chronology is your priority, use episode-level stardates and be prepared for a much more demanding viewing project.

Which Star Trek series should you start with?

If you are… Start with… Why
Completely new to Star Trek The Original Series It establishes the franchise’s original premise, style, characters, and historical foundation.
New but strongly opposed to older television pacing Star Trek (2009) It offers a modern entry point before you return to the classic material. Continue with Into Darkness and Beyond, then explore the Prime Timeline.
A modern-TV viewer Strange New Worlds It is a modern prequel set in the late 2250s. Move to The Original Series afterward for the direct historical context.
Focused on fictional chronology Enterprise It is the earliest major television setting, in the 2150s. Then follow the broad chronological table.
Interested only in movies The Motion Picture Watch the six original-cast films, the four TNG films, and then the three Kelvin films.
Coming specifically for Picard The Next Generation The series is the essential foundation. Its four films provide additional context, but watching every other series is optional rather than mandatory.

There is no universally correct starting point. The best choice depends on whether you value historical context, contemporary pacing, story chronology, or a particular character and era.

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Where to watch Star Trek

Paramount+ is the official streaming destination identified by Paramount’s current Star Trek pages. The cited 2026 availability information says its Star Trek Collection includes more than 10 shows and all 13 theatrical films, along with other titles such as Section 31. It also identifies Starfleet Academy as the latest series and says its first season premiered on January 15, 2026, with all first-season episodes streaming at the time of publication.

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Use the current Paramount+ Star Trek Collection as the first place to check, but do not assume that every title is available in every country. Streaming libraries, regional rights, subscription tiers, prices, and premiere availability can change. Check the catalog for your country immediately before subscribing or publishing a viewing recommendation.

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Optional physical media and merchandise

For viewers who want to own a film

Streaming is convenient, but physical media can be useful when a title’s availability changes or when you want a particular presentation. The official StarTrek.com material references a limited-edition Star Trek: The Motion Picture 4K Ultra HD SteelBook containing the original theatrical cut in 4K Ultra HD, a remastered Blu-ray, and a booklet.

This is an optional ownership choice, not a required part of the watch order. Edition names, sellers, stock, and prices can change, so verify the current Amazon listing and the exact contents before buying. A 4K disc also requires compatible hardware; it does not change where the film belongs in the sequence.

For completionists and gift shoppers

The official Star Trek Shop has separate collections for movies and series, including The Original Series, The Animated Series, and The Next Generation, alongside apparel, ornaments, collectibles, and other merchandise. These products are supplementary: they do not affect the viewing order, but they can be useful for a completionist collection or a franchise-themed gift.

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A simple checklist for your first complete watch

  1. Begin with release order unless you already know that fictional chronology matters more to you than franchise history.
  2. Watch The Original Series and The Animated Series before the six original-cast films.
  3. Move through The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager without trying to alternate episodes.
  4. Watch the four TNG films as their own Prime Timeline block.
  5. Continue with Enterprise, Discovery, Picard, Lower Decks, Prodigy, Strange New Worlds, and Starfleet Academy.
  6. Finish with the three Kelvin Timeline films, treating them as an alternate branch rather than Prime Timeline sequels.
  7. Add Section 31 separately as a streaming feature; do not count it among the 13 theatrical films.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Star Trek: Section 31 one of the 13 Star Trek movies?

No. The official Star Trek catalog counts 13 theatrical films. Star Trek: Section 31 is a separate streaming feature and should not be silently added to that theatrical total. Treat it as an optional standalone title outside the core 13-film sequence.

Where does Star Trek: Prodigy fit in the watch order?

Yes. Star Trek: Prodigy is one of the television series in the official StarTrek.com catalog. In the practical release-order route, watch it after Lower Decks. In broad story chronology, it belongs among the later 24th-century stories, although exact placement is better handled episode by episode.

Are the Chris Pine Star Trek movies sequels to Nemesis?

The Kelvin Timeline begins when Nero’s actions create an alternate reality. Watch Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into Darkness, and Star Trek Beyond as a three-film block. They are not direct Prime Timeline sequels to Star Trek: Nemesis.

Do I have to watch every Star Trek episode in exact stardate order?

No. The broad chronology is sufficient for most viewers. Star Trek uses stardates, overlapping series, time travel, and major jumps between centuries, so an exact episode-level order becomes a specialized project rather than a simple franchise list.

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The Bottom Line

Bottom line: Choose release order for your first complete Star Trek watch. Choose the broad chronological route—Enterprise, early Discovery, Strange New Worlds, the classic era, the 24th century, and finally Discovery’s 32nd-century seasons—for a second pass or if story time is your priority. Keep the Kelvin trilogy separate, and treat Section 31 as a streaming feature outside the 13-film theatrical count.

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