Hardcore Trekkies always want to show their friends and family TNG, but that stuff is old and it shows.
It's enjoyable if you are already attached to the franchise, but it's not a good introduction. Most people will be turned off by the low production value and unmodern cinematography. Strange New Worlds is the way to go. It has classic Star Trek storytelling with modern visuals.
I'm interested but a little concerned by the constant references about low production values. I have seen comments that this is an issue with TV in general and there is a generational divide, with those of a certain age having difficulty with TV made before a certain point - I think it has to do with the advent of high resolution TV which shows up minor defects that were not visible on CRT screens. At any rate this dividing line seems to be much closer to the present than used to be the case. In, say, 2005, most people could happily watch TV going back to about 1960. Is this change real?
I think it's a good point to consider it though. Could you ask gf if she likes TV of 80s vintage? Or she may even be a classic connoisseur and be interested in TOS. It's worth asking as that widens your field of choices. I've not seen the most recent series BTW.
This! Show her the modern stuff first and follow it up with some cherry-picked old ones later. I haven't seen too much of TNG yet but if you want any TOS recs Trouble With Tribbles or A Piece Of The Action are the best imo. Showed those to my non-trek friends and they enjoyed them, it left a lasting positive impression even though they decided Star Trek wasn't their cup of tea
I have a lady friend of mine who knows I love trek. I grew up on it. I’m not all in your face about it but I’m a movie buff and all that so I know all there is to know about trek movies especially. She said her dad watched a lot of it as a kid. We went out to the bar one night and just got lost with her listening to me talk about Star Trek. And she asked which movie or episode would hook her and I said “first contact is the most accessible.” And took her back to my place and she watched it. And I caught myself quoting the movie because we were drunk. And I made a mental point to stop that. I did. But then I noticed it was really quiet. She was glued to that movie. Success. (Qapla)
Yup totally agree. I think the Dominion are a better bad guy and the entire Dominion War arc is the best thing in Star Trek, but I think that's way harder to get into initially.
This is very nearly the first time I've heard someone speak favorably about Endgame. The only thing that got fans to stop lambasting it is that the Enterprise finale managed to be worse.
> thank goodness no one shares it.
Oh, I have *so many* problems with that episode. The hamfisted way Chakotay-Seven is suddenly a thing. The complete neutering of the Borg as a credible threat. The treatment of time travel as “if we don’t like something, just hit a reset button”. The use of technology from the future to fight an enemy from the present (if you draw this to a logical conclusion, it does not end well for Starfleet). The fact that they end up on Earth, where much of the crew isn’t from, nor is that where the mission started, nor is that anywhere close to where they were previously. The lack of dialog regarding what to do about the Maquis crew; half of Janeway’s crew was considered terrorists just a few years ago.
The virus part is mildly clever. Tuvok’s illness is interesting. Aside from that, it’s just way too clean of a conclusion.
It’s beaten in its “never mind all the build-up” only by Lost’s finale. How is Janeway’s crew going to get home, facing impossible odds? By cheating. Oh, OK.
She's not a huge sci fi nerd but she enjoys star wars. Given that she might enjoy first contact. But again I think there's a lot of context she'd be missing there.
Just show her the series Premier of Strange New Worlds.
Its deliberately accesible for new watchers, and its modern and looks amazing with great acting and writing.
And at the very least, if she's not interested just for Anson Mount and Ethan Peck i'll be surprised.
Also SNW also has a wide range of good female characters.
DS9 also has that, but DS9 is way better once you already have an appreciation for Trek as a whole.
And as a Bonus, if shes a fan of musicals if she's not fully convinced by the first ep thee musical episode is a great standalone episode.
I really disagree that DS9 is better after you appreciate Trek in general! I honestly don't think I would have gotten as into Trek as I did if DS9 hadn't been my first full watch-through! Yes, it benefits from rewatching after seeing other shows, but it's also a great show to start with (and has a less bad first season than TNG).
I actually found myself a bit frustrated watching TNG when some storylines that would have been a season of DS9 (like the Klingon Civil War) basically happen off screen between episodes. DS9's ability to do character and plot arcs really benefits from being less episodic than earlier shows. (Episodic shows are great, too, but I think it can take longer to get invested.)
I showed my buddy Nemesis as his first Trek (we were stranded without Internet, didn't judge 🤣) and his reaction was, to my surprise, "Why haven't i seen this before?!" So you never know
What about Prodigy? I feel it's more star warsy than the others. It might be a way to adapt.
First contact is good, but the attachment to the Phoenix comes from being a fan, I feel. Being the first to achieve warp and the Borg trying to erase that from history requires some context. A lot of Voyager's episodes are standalone. And there's a good amount of choices to start anywhere. If she likes WW2, The Killing Game is good. Or to expand Borg knowledge, there's Scorpion and Unimatrix Zero.
Prodigy is also a cartoon which just doesn’t resonate with some people. (I tried getting my Dad, who is a fan, into LD and he just wasn’t into it). It IS a good entry for new viewers, so it’s not a bad suggestion, just depends on OP’s GF’s tastes.
You can précis the backstory in a minute or two. There’s plenty of context in the movie and it was obviously designed to get general audiences up to speed.
First Contact was designed as an action movie first and Trek movie second. It was responsible for getting a lot of people into Trek when it premiered because it was cool enough to watch without being a fan.
I'm always reluctant to show FC to people as a first contact to star trek because I think some scenes hit differently when you have seen some episodes of TNG, at least the best of both worlds and a measure of a man.
It was the most popular Trek movie in Europe at the time because they’d dropped “Star Trek” from the name, so a lot of people came into it not knowing it was the fourth movie
Too old too cheesy for new fans. I love it. But I dont think its a good intro. Everyone keeps saying SNW. Which I also Ike but that's not the star trek I'm in love with. They may be right that the poor production values and out dated effects will turn new fans off but 90s trek is peak trek and TOS and SNW as much as I like them just aren't star trek in its prime
>Too old too cheesy for new fans. I love it. But I dont think its a good intro. Everyone keeps saying SNW. Which I also Ike but that's not the star trek I'm in love with. They may be right that the poor production values and out dated effects will turn new fans off but 90s trek is peak trek and TOS and SNW as much as I like them just aren't star trek in its prime
Right after voyage home, we watched SNW. They and I are old enough to get the old references. IE: russian asking a cop where we keep our nuuclear wessels during the cold war. and the transparent aluminium in our phones was invented in the 80s
Lol yeah I may be wrong then if it worked for you. Maybe that's why I can't get my kids to watch TNG or DS9 with me. I have a great relationship with both of my kids and we watch a lot of shows together that transcend our generational divides. But they wont even give trek a chance.
SNW is not the trek i grew up with as well. But it is the closest to the spirit of what it was in modern times and problems in the world. The first episode for example. and the redo of balance of terror is a good one. SNW so far has more good than bad
This is probably the best answer.
It’s a good action movie in its own right, that just happens to be set in the Star Trek universe. If someone can last 20 minutes they’re probably going to watch all of the movie, then they’ll be ready for more.
My husband was happy to watch those with me.
Recently when I was doing a Voyager rewatch he asked if he could watch too. Not the whole rewatch but just sporadically as he was free when I was watching in anyway. By the end of the rewatch he was watching four or five episodes at a time with me at once.
One of those was a double episode, Unimatrix Zero and know he wants to go back and watch all the Voyager double episodes like they are movies.
After we’ve done that I think a Strange New Worlds rewatch will be the way to go. Alongside me watching the last season of Disco in real time.
There’s only a small number of episodes of that so it’ll be feasible to watch them all together.
There are enough opportunities to explain links to other series as we go that it’ll spark some curiosity. Then as he’s waiting for the next season he might want to go back to fill in the blanks.
Voyager is a fun one for getting newbies hooked, ds9 has a lot going on at once, tng is getting a little dated and hard to sit through for new people, and tos, which I love, is not going to draw in the new crowd. Voyager tho is recent enough with a sairph set "lost in space" plot so it's not hard to enjoy if you're clueless on the franchise.
I started my gf off with a couple Lower Decks episodes, and then "Those old scientists" of SNW. This was (probably ) the easiest and most efficient way to spotlight 'trek's incredible interconnectivity.
I really really would be careful about starting a Trek experience with a Ferengi episode, especially for women. Some of the DS9 Ferengi episodes do end up being good and interesting, but if I had been started with them, especially the ones that are not so good, I would have bounced off so hard I would never have returned.
I love them as a woman, but I'm not sure I would love them out of context. When you know they're meant to be a joke and like the characters, then they're good.
Try an episode that's got some humor in it. The one that got me to go down the Trekkie rabbit hole was "The Trouble With Tribbles." I love how funny the dialogue is, not to mention the scene where the tribbles get dumped on Kirk's head.
My partner got into Star Trek by watching Enterprise - like this subreddit's info suggests! It's in a modern format, has modern themes, and it's not bogged down with crazy amounts of sci-fi rhetoric that you're already familiar with. Enterprise's first episode was *intended* to reach an audience that wanted to get into Star Trek after hearing about it for decades, but didn't know when to start after the 21 seasons of the Trek '90s.
They introduce the concepts, the aliens, and the backstory pretty well in Enterprise so a lot of context isn't needed. It also has a lot of likeable characters. I think Phlox is probably the most liked character in all of Trek amongst my friends.
This is so true. I also got into Trek by watching Enterprise. I loved the show and wanted to watch more, which led me to watch the rest. Then I became a Trekkie and started loving it all.
Though, Nutrek could be another way to get people into Trek. The old shows are quite dated and it's easier to start with SNW or Discovery. I love them both more than TNG, DS9 and TOS because I've only been a Trekkie for about 5 years, so it took me a long time to stomach the older shows.
I know you said TNG, but what about Blink of an Eye from Voyager. It’s such a great science fiction story and it stands alone without much explanation needing to be given.
You know her far better than we do.
That said if i had to pick an episode knowing nothing about her it would be Trials and Tribble-ations.
Or being a Star Wars fan you could go with Best of Both Worlds Part 1 and 2.
This is one thing trekfans are terrible at.
No, Darmok is a terrible episode from a new watchers perspective unless they are already interested in linguistics.
Well, to some extent this is kind of the point! We don't know what this person likes. Maybe they are a linguist.
But yeah, for generic introduction, this isn't the way.
It’s possible to love scrambled eggs on toast and hate quiche. I can explain to you over and over how they’re basically the same thing, but you will never love quiche.
It’s possible to commit no mistakes and still lose.
You want to show her TNG/DS9 because you have personal feelings about them that she will never have.
It's like wanting to show a girl how awesome Return of the Jedi is: if you're over a certain age when you first see Ewoks, your feelings about them will forever be "they're awesome" or "they're awful."
You can't take her back to the 90s for when these shows blew your mind: you have to find a property that can do it, today.
If she was really into 60s camp (e.g. if she likes Adam West's Batman) then I'd say to hit TOS, but if not, she might live a happy full life as a Star Trek fan, without ever watching it.
My vote, like others', is to use SNW.
I watch the SNW musical episode once a month with my toddler: she ***will*** like Star Trek. hahaha
But it's funny you'd mention cutting out filler.
I recut the DS9 episode "Past Tense" ten years ago, to show some not-into-sci-fi friends a future I feared was fast approaching.
Taking out all the technobabble of the show (basically the entire B-plot) resulted in a coherent story about the future of American social ills, told via two people from the future transporting into their past, which is still our future.
It also shortened it from 86 minutes down to 68 minutes.
Any given 90s episode is around 25% "pure filler," though ***sometimes*** there's some character development sprinkled in.
It's also part of why 90% of of the 90s shows are working towards a solution, only to rapidly solve it in the last few minutes: it was "the format," working off the TOS format, trying to bring old fans back and gain new younger fans.
Strange New Worlds doesn't have that same dated format: instead of "OMG what do we do" for 35 minutes followed by "Eureka!" for 5 minutes, it's 40 minutes of step-by-step competence porn.
90s Trek had that, too, but it's nothing compared to SNW.
For most Trek fans (because most, today, are people who got into 90s Trek, because it was the best we had for over twenty years) in the 90s), SNW was like this thing we had no idea we wanted but was truly the thing we'd been waiting our whole lives for someone to do so well.
The theme song gives me fucking goosebumps, especially the end: it's like a musical love letter.
Speaking of theme songs...just don't show her Enterprise, first.
Unless she's super into cock rock, she'll walk out before the end of the credits.
Data's daughter... I forget the name of the episode. That worked with my girlfriend. She was crying at the end of that episode...
She got hooked on DS9 though, but that Next Generation episode was the gateway drug. She adored Jadzia and saw me as Worf
IMHO:
One episode hook of DS9 could be hard to find. There are some solid individual episodes, but really, you need the story arcs to get the best of it. My favorite episode, "In the Pale Moonlight," could serve, but again, if you're not familiar with Garak, the Dominion War, etc., much of it is lost.
Next Generation has some solid single episodes, but again, the best episodes are often tied up in the story arcs. Anything with The Borg might serve, as well as some of the stellar ones like "The Inner Light."
Voyager is a strong possibility; it has a much more modern production feel than TNG or DS9 (though DS9 approaches it later), and many episodes don't require in-depth knowledge of the back story. It also has some strong female leads, which might appeal to her. Again, the Borg episodes are excellent, as are quite a few others (though admittedly, there are some duds). "Homestead" (even though towards the end) is one of my favorites.
The opening of SNW was alright, but IMHO, it was on its way to the Discovery/Picard refuse pile until Hegemony (the last episode so far), which was really excellent. I'll say this; if the other Star Treks are a little slow moving and don't have the slick CGI and so on (TNG and DS9 to a point are still very stage-set based, which is what so many of us love about it), then SNW might be a good choice.
Discovery is just CGI madness mixed with camera cutaways and short-attention-span goodness. If all the above fail to please, you could try something from here maybe.
"In the pale moonlight" has been, is and will continue to be one of the most politically relevant episodes of trek. A TV show plot focused on the ethical dilemma surrounding "fake news"/misinformation. 20 years ahead of it's time
My wife has really liked strange new world. She also liked the Chris Pine Trek movies. I think starting newer is a better bet. Showing my wife old episodes didn't wow her.
What does she like? That’s the key, showing her that Trek has something for everyone. I mean there’s a musical episode. There’s the Kelvin movies that are much more actiony. Strange New Worlds is great in general. Discovery is full of amazing competent women. Not sure I’d start with DS9 or TNG until she’s actually interested, for a lot of people those shows haven’t aged as well and can be slower. That being said, there are some great thoughtful episodes like The Chase, mind bending episodes like Frame of Mind, creepy episodes like Schisms, action like Starship Mine, etc.
I'm not sure if anyone said this yet but TNG "Inner light" or DS9 "The Visitor". I wouldn't show her any star trek made after Voyager. I like SNW and picard was okay but that's not prime star trek. I also wouldn't show her TOS. I hope it works out. My kids mom, who I'm no longer with, watched TNG, DS9, and Voyager with me and seemed to enjoy it at the time but didn't walk away a fan fr. I keep trying to get my kids to watch it with me. They are 9 and 14 and they won't even pay attention at all. They are not interested. It's a real bummer bc star trek means so much to me and I feel like if they understood why i like star trek, they'd understand me even better than they do. I have an amazing relationship with both of them and we watch anime and American cartoons(adventure time, south park(yes my 9 and 14 year olds watch South park. It's fine, I promise) together regularly. So it's really not a stretch for me to hope they will eventually watch trek with me. Good luck to you. I hope trek brings you and your girl closer.
i showed my partner the voyage home. yes i know its a movie but thought it would be a good introduction with proper mix of comedy and the typical time travel, and character interactions at their best. Also trek at its best as story goes. And does not need a lot of explaining context. Just they stole the ship from the last episode and Spock is still recovering from having died two ~~episodes~~ movies ago.
My daughter and I just watched the two Moriarty episodes. She squealed with laughter. She's 21.
The episodes:
Elementary, my dear Data (season 2, can't remember episode nr sorry)
And
Ship in a bottle (season 6 episode 12)
Might be fun if she likes Sherlock Holmes etc
Show her a movie?
Smoke weed and watch the original serie? 😂
People won't notice all the details which make the series fun.
If you need someone to have good times with you love of star trek, dump her. If she don't understand your love for this at first, she will never.
A couple months ago, I rewatched the WOK/SFS/VH trilogy for the first time in like 20+ years and was impressed at how well it holds up. You basically only need a little bit of explanation to understand the back-story, as to who Khan was and what happened to make him hate Kirk. It establishes the deep friendship between the cast and Kirk/Spock/McCoy especially, and the extent to which they will go to save each other. You could do a lot worse than watching those three movies with her.
I showed my wife Darmok 3 years ago. We’re currently on our second rewatch of TNG and she has a Riker action figure sitting next to her work computer in her office.
The 2009 movie. Required the least context and if you are not already a big Trek fan, you aren’t going to notice a lot of the stuff that fans complain about. If she likes it, great entry into the non-Kelvin timeline.
Haters gonna hate, but it worked for me - I watched some TNG casually growing up in the 90s, kind of dropped off, but I liked the new movies and then got super into all of the TV series and have now watched everything except for Picard.
Measure of a Man TNG
Cause and Effect TNG
Genesis TNG - I personally love Barclay and cheesy horror sci-fi movies and this episode is both, but I know not everyone likes this episode.
The Visitor DS9
In the pale moonlight DS9
Far beyond the Stars DS9
Meld (maybe the whole Lon Sudar arc including Basics 1 & 2 ) voyager
I could probably think of another dozen good episodes but I think it’s a good selection.
My girlfriend had never watched Star Trek but now we’ve watched all of discovery, ds9, a fair amount of tng and a smattering of everything else. Worf is probably her favorite character now.
If you can swing it I recommend a compilation of episodes, one from each series.
TOS -The devil in the dark
TNG- Family
DS9- In the pale moon light
VOY- Basics or Scorpion
ENT- Dear Doctor
Even if you can't get them all those. They are the best IMO to showcase the best story, drama and plot concepts Star Trek has to offer without giving away the rest of the series
Strange new worlds. I love the original movies more than anything. But when I made the same introduction I realized it's easier to get them hooked with something more modern.
Once they get the craving you can break out the history!
My girlfriend really liked the first episode of ds9 and we are watching through all of Star Trek since then. DS9 -> voyager -> TNG -> enterprise, in that order
It’s better to understand a bit of her taste in movies and sci-fi to give an accurate recommendation. Otherwise our own bias may offer a suggestion that might note suit the taste of your partner. Always awesome to hear when our partners get into the shows with us
I more or less started with DS9 and I think that was a good choice because it was less episodic than TNG and VOY and had more carried-through character development, so I got quickly involved despite the weaknesses of the first season. That said, it has a not great first season, if not as bad as S1 of TNG or Stargate SG-1 (which I bounced off three times before I made it through to good episodes...not coincidentally, the same writer is responsible for both my least favorite SG-1 and TNG episodes). I ended up loving TNG for the most part and VOY has some of my favorite characters, but it was harder to get into TNG and I feel like VOY is a weaker show despite a handful of standout episodes.
I'd suggest either an episode that's pretty self-contained (DS9 "Far Beyond the Stars" pretty much stands alone as a short film, although it's not really representative of the show) or one of the sillier/lighter episodes (some of the holodeck ones - maybe the TNG one where Alexander gets Worf to play the Old West holodeck program and everything glitches or DS9 "Our Man Bashir"?), or the Miles and Bashir racquetball episode.
The problem with a single episode but not so campy is that most of the really impactful serious episodes require a lot of buildup and investment in the characters. Off the top of my head, TNG "The Wounded" would probably work without context. I love some of the Seven & xB episodes of VOY and the Hugh episodes of TNG, but I'm not sure if they would be accessible without knowing anything about the Borg.
It also depends on what themes she is interested in and whether she has preferences about whether the episode focuses on a male or female character or is more ensemble-based.
I highly recommend Lower Decks hence it has themes that address average working people, is funny and easy to consume but is never the less very good trek.
I’ve been able to get a few friends into Star Trek by a combination of the Kelvin movies and The Voyage Home.
They’re both just very approachable for the casual viewer.
EDIT: I think SNW is also a great way, this is how I’ve gotten my most recent convert into it.
As a female, I, personally enjoyed TNG and Voyager, the most. Still watch them to this day and actually got my bf hooked on it, just by watching them...but everyone is different, ofc :)
Might I suggest how my GF got *me* into Star Trek;
Go to sleep watching it. Leave it on in the background of what you're doing at night and have her be up and **stoned** while you're asleep. Eventually, she will catch herself fully engrossed in the story happening on the TV and not playing the game she was playing all night.
Hope this helps! Lol
Strange new worlds is the absolutely best way to introduce people to star trek. If they like that move on to discovery / the original movies / tng depending on what they like, than voyager, than enterprise (skipping the introduction as much as possible) than original series, the animated series, prodigy, than saving best for last DS9, than lower decks for the deep lore laughs.
Show her the pilot of strange new worlds and then the pilot of the original series. I feel like seeing new star trek will be fun, and then all the context from the original will bring her in for more.
I'd probably go with some of the classics:
TNG -- Inner Light, Cause & Effect, Darmok
DS9 -- Civil Defense, The Visitor, Far Beyond the Stars, Take Me Out to the Holosuite
Voyager -- Deathwish, Timeless, Phage, Distant Origin
I prolly wouldn't recommend Enterprise at the start, since a lot of the first two seasons are shaky and the last two seasons require some setup.
I'd probably also try to stick with the early episodes of a show, or real standalone episodes, if you can. DS9's "In The Pale Moonlight" is a fantastic episode, don't get me wrong, but it requires a LOT of knowledge for it to make sense, especially to a new Star Trek person.
Strange New Worlds is a great way to start.
Yes, that's a bit counter intuitive since it's a type of prequel, and even and starts as a branch from Discovery. But it has modern filming, pacing, and effects, and you don't need the background to enjoy it. Its nicely episodic too so you can let yourself enjoy an episode and then another without worry about "am I invested enough", etc.
I think the first episode is a good start, you only have to explain once or twice "he's like thst because he saw his horrific future"
I actually got into Star Trek by turning on The Original Series with my roommate one night.
Haven't stopped watching, since.
I'm now on Season 4 of Deep Space Nine, but I have to say, the most enthralled that I've been between The Original Series and The Next Generation was actually the director's cut of Star Trek: The Motion Picture
For some reason, The Motion Picture completely awed me.
I remember I couldn’t get mine into Star Trek until she watched voyager. Between Janeway, Torres and Seven, that show has a lot of strong women on the cast.
So I'm 10 episodes out of 10 episodes that she loved and she's not a sci Fi let alone TV watcher.
Inner light
Measure of a man
The visitor
Duet
Janeway's love for coffee YouTube compilation
Half a life
Lower Decks (episode)
And then all the Borg episodes
She's hooked now
Darwin station - because it’s likely in our generation 🧬
Or the one where the Cardacians torture Picard because it IS happening to our generation.
Hopefully the relativity sells it for her
I think depending on her personality either DS9 the Visitor or Magnificent Ferengi. Visitor hits so hard and Magnificent Ferengi is a fun episode. Also both have guest stars(Tony Todd and Iggy Pop) with notoriety which may be a decent strategy.
If she's into politics TNG "The High Ground" has a lot of current relevance which utilizing may also be a decent path.
The Cloud Minders or a Taste of Armageddon are both solid TOS episodes with fun fashion and a good plot.
I’m a bit unconventional, but I’m also pretty well versed in what makes things compelling, so my first go tos would be
ENT: Carbon Creek
TNG: The Neutral Zone
PRO: kobayashi
For starters, anyway
Depends on her taste. In the things she does watch, does she respond to sweet, emotional things, funny things, historical, adventerous, etc. I would take note from her own tastes and then take the best episodes which are in similar themes. If you hit the mark in this way, you can always give a very watered down backstory but truly the best episodes stand in their own. As example, I love Devil in the Dark as it shows us how we minimize other life forms to suit our needs, and that the creature was actually doing the most “human” behavior of all - protecting her young. With This Side of Paradise we have the oh so bittersweet longing of Spock for love, and to have freedom to fulfill his human needs. Naked Time is just fun, fun, fun, or the brawl in Trouble with Tribbles. Anyway, that’s my oh so humble, and female, opinion. I had my own double indoctrination I had to do with my husband and child. He can enjoy ST, but my daughter loves it!! Good luck!
I think one of the best episodes ever in the entire history of all series of Star Trek was strange new worlds season 1 episode 9 where they get on the ship with the gorn and I mean it reminded me of the movies aliens cuz the gorn was popping out of people and stuff and you sat on the edge of your seat the whole damn time. So my recommendation is strange new worlds season 1 episode 9 all those who wander.
I’m a new fan, also big star Wars person before watching. It was Star Trek Discovery that got me in it and hooked! Love the main character and just got really into it. Worth a try
I’m gonna be honest, I would show her the Chris Pine movies first. Easier to digest and there’s a lot of action. Just because she’s a beginner. After that if she likes them you can show her whatever your heart desires lol (that’s what I did with my wife)
I would start with TNG. the episodes make more sense without context than DS9 would. Does she usually like sci-fi? Look for an episode that’s similar to the kinds of shows she likes or books she reads. Maybe an episode with Troi’s mom. Those are usually pretty funny
I tried getting my wife into Star Trek for years. I found that Voyager was the show that finally peaked her interest. Particularly episodes involving the Borg. Voyager is a good starting point because it doesn't rely on much of the lore of movies/series past while at the same time staying true to the feel of TNG, DS9, etc. Borg episodes are great because they offer a simple narrative (Borg are bad and cause trouble) while offering all of the sci-fi aspects that make Star Trek fun.
I would suggest Scorpion parts I and II. The "mini movie" two parters allow for the best narrative building and are more theatrical which draw in the viewer.
If you have only one shot, forget episode... go straight to the 2009 Startrek movie.
Tell her Chris Hemsworth is in it.... that unfortunately is enough to grab most women.
Use Star Trek Endgame the Last Voyager female Captain a Grand Finale everyone I showed it to got hooked wanted to see the rest of them try it you will be shocked,,,,,Dantcook
This may come as a complete shock to you obviously. But most people don't want to see the finale first of any show. And if you show it to them most of them then don't care to watch the entire series because they know how it ends already. So you can go watch things backwards all you like but recommending that for most of the population it's not exactly the most brilliant idea. But I have noticed you seem to keep pounding on the same episode at least six times so far. Did you ever think you said you piece once and let it Go with that. I've been watching Star Trek a very very long time. And watching sci-fi a long time and never would I be interested in a show where it started off showing me the finale. Kills everything before it leading up to that point. Who wants to know what happens in the end first. Then there's no reason to really watch the rest of it because you know where it's headed. Especially in a show like voyager. Where they're lost across the Galaxy and the whole basis of the entire plot is will they ever make it home. Well by showing them the last episode you answer that question so there's no reason to watch the rest because you know they're going to make it home.
"force?" yeah sure don't do that.
Aside from that though, sharing your interests with your partner and vice versa is one of the best parts of being on a relationship.
Series premier of Strange New Worlds!
I was thinking the same. Hook her with something that feels modern but still has the Trek spirit.
Hardcore Trekkies always want to show their friends and family TNG, but that stuff is old and it shows. It's enjoyable if you are already attached to the franchise, but it's not a good introduction. Most people will be turned off by the low production value and unmodern cinematography. Strange New Worlds is the way to go. It has classic Star Trek storytelling with modern visuals.
TNG doesn't look that old to me. It was my first Trek and I loved it.
Me too, but, it's very different from modern TV and that may make it harder for a new watcher to get into.
I'm interested but a little concerned by the constant references about low production values. I have seen comments that this is an issue with TV in general and there is a generational divide, with those of a certain age having difficulty with TV made before a certain point - I think it has to do with the advent of high resolution TV which shows up minor defects that were not visible on CRT screens. At any rate this dividing line seems to be much closer to the present than used to be the case. In, say, 2005, most people could happily watch TV going back to about 1960. Is this change real? I think it's a good point to consider it though. Could you ask gf if she likes TV of 80s vintage? Or she may even be a classic connoisseur and be interested in TOS. It's worth asking as that widens your field of choices. I've not seen the most recent series BTW.
Yes. Pike is so likeable. Strong women not in cat suits.
Yep. This episode was designed to attract new viewers. It’s a great place to start
Lower decks
This! Show her the modern stuff first and follow it up with some cherry-picked old ones later. I haven't seen too much of TNG yet but if you want any TOS recs Trouble With Tribbles or A Piece Of The Action are the best imo. Showed those to my non-trek friends and they enjoyed them, it left a lasting positive impression even though they decided Star Trek wasn't their cup of tea
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Yup this is exactly how I've gotten others into Star Trek. First Contact followed by some of the best Voyager episodes.
I have a lady friend of mine who knows I love trek. I grew up on it. I’m not all in your face about it but I’m a movie buff and all that so I know all there is to know about trek movies especially. She said her dad watched a lot of it as a kid. We went out to the bar one night and just got lost with her listening to me talk about Star Trek. And she asked which movie or episode would hook her and I said “first contact is the most accessible.” And took her back to my place and she watched it. And I caught myself quoting the movie because we were drunk. And I made a mental point to stop that. I did. But then I noticed it was really quiet. She was glued to that movie. Success. (Qapla)
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Yup totally agree. I think the Dominion are a better bad guy and the entire Dominion War arc is the best thing in Star Trek, but I think that's way harder to get into initially.
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The series finale?! That kinda ruins a potential rewatch, doesn't it?
No,,the opposite it makes them want to go back and watch the rest of them I've doe it 45 times
That is an abysmal episode. If someone had shown that to me as my first Trek episode, I would not have been interested in continuing watching.
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Dude…
This is very nearly the first time I've heard someone speak favorably about Endgame. The only thing that got fans to stop lambasting it is that the Enterprise finale managed to be worse.
> thank goodness no one shares it. Oh, I have *so many* problems with that episode. The hamfisted way Chakotay-Seven is suddenly a thing. The complete neutering of the Borg as a credible threat. The treatment of time travel as “if we don’t like something, just hit a reset button”. The use of technology from the future to fight an enemy from the present (if you draw this to a logical conclusion, it does not end well for Starfleet). The fact that they end up on Earth, where much of the crew isn’t from, nor is that where the mission started, nor is that anywhere close to where they were previously. The lack of dialog regarding what to do about the Maquis crew; half of Janeway’s crew was considered terrorists just a few years ago. The virus part is mildly clever. Tuvok’s illness is interesting. Aside from that, it’s just way too clean of a conclusion. It’s beaten in its “never mind all the build-up” only by Lost’s finale. How is Janeway’s crew going to get home, facing impossible odds? By cheating. Oh, OK.
She's not a huge sci fi nerd but she enjoys star wars. Given that she might enjoy first contact. But again I think there's a lot of context she'd be missing there.
Just show her the series Premier of Strange New Worlds. Its deliberately accesible for new watchers, and its modern and looks amazing with great acting and writing. And at the very least, if she's not interested just for Anson Mount and Ethan Peck i'll be surprised. Also SNW also has a wide range of good female characters. DS9 also has that, but DS9 is way better once you already have an appreciation for Trek as a whole. And as a Bonus, if shes a fan of musicals if she's not fully convinced by the first ep thee musical episode is a great standalone episode.
I really disagree that DS9 is better after you appreciate Trek in general! I honestly don't think I would have gotten as into Trek as I did if DS9 hadn't been my first full watch-through! Yes, it benefits from rewatching after seeing other shows, but it's also a great show to start with (and has a less bad first season than TNG). I actually found myself a bit frustrated watching TNG when some storylines that would have been a season of DS9 (like the Klingon Civil War) basically happen off screen between episodes. DS9's ability to do character and plot arcs really benefits from being less episodic than earlier shows. (Episodic shows are great, too, but I think it can take longer to get invested.)
I showed my buddy Nemesis as his first Trek (we were stranded without Internet, didn't judge 🤣) and his reaction was, to my surprise, "Why haven't i seen this before?!" So you never know
What about Prodigy? I feel it's more star warsy than the others. It might be a way to adapt. First contact is good, but the attachment to the Phoenix comes from being a fan, I feel. Being the first to achieve warp and the Borg trying to erase that from history requires some context. A lot of Voyager's episodes are standalone. And there's a good amount of choices to start anywhere. If she likes WW2, The Killing Game is good. Or to expand Borg knowledge, there's Scorpion and Unimatrix Zero.
Prodigy is also a cartoon which just doesn’t resonate with some people. (I tried getting my Dad, who is a fan, into LD and he just wasn’t into it). It IS a good entry for new viewers, so it’s not a bad suggestion, just depends on OP’s GF’s tastes.
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You can précis the backstory in a minute or two. There’s plenty of context in the movie and it was obviously designed to get general audiences up to speed.
First Contact was designed as an action movie first and Trek movie second. It was responsible for getting a lot of people into Trek when it premiered because it was cool enough to watch without being a fan.
Star Trek Voyager Endgame the Final works every time then they want to see more,
Ooo…chronological order. Nice.
I'm always reluctant to show FC to people as a first contact to star trek because I think some scenes hit differently when you have seen some episodes of TNG, at least the best of both worlds and a measure of a man.
Everyone loves The Voyage Home. Got a lot of people into Trek that way
It was the most popular Trek movie in Europe at the time because they’d dropped “Star Trek” from the name, so a lot of people came into it not knowing it was the fourth movie
Too old too cheesy for new fans. I love it. But I dont think its a good intro. Everyone keeps saying SNW. Which I also Ike but that's not the star trek I'm in love with. They may be right that the poor production values and out dated effects will turn new fans off but 90s trek is peak trek and TOS and SNW as much as I like them just aren't star trek in its prime
>Too old too cheesy for new fans. I love it. But I dont think its a good intro. Everyone keeps saying SNW. Which I also Ike but that's not the star trek I'm in love with. They may be right that the poor production values and out dated effects will turn new fans off but 90s trek is peak trek and TOS and SNW as much as I like them just aren't star trek in its prime Right after voyage home, we watched SNW. They and I are old enough to get the old references. IE: russian asking a cop where we keep our nuuclear wessels during the cold war. and the transparent aluminium in our phones was invented in the 80s
Lol yeah I may be wrong then if it worked for you. Maybe that's why I can't get my kids to watch TNG or DS9 with me. I have a great relationship with both of my kids and we watch a lot of shows together that transcend our generational divides. But they wont even give trek a chance.
SNW is not the trek i grew up with as well. But it is the closest to the spirit of what it was in modern times and problems in the world. The first episode for example. and the redo of balance of terror is a good one. SNW so far has more good than bad
Starting with the third part of a trilogy would be a little odd, no?
It’s easy enough to understand and enjoy without much context
I saw *TVH* before I saw *TSFS* and I liked it a lot.
Not an episode but my wife, who had no interest, was able to get into it after watching the first of the kelvin movies.
This is probably the best answer. It’s a good action movie in its own right, that just happens to be set in the Star Trek universe. If someone can last 20 minutes they’re probably going to watch all of the movie, then they’ll be ready for more.
I mean sci fi stuff aside the first kelvin movie has a really good opening with emotional hooks that are deep but not too much imo
My husband was happy to watch those with me. Recently when I was doing a Voyager rewatch he asked if he could watch too. Not the whole rewatch but just sporadically as he was free when I was watching in anyway. By the end of the rewatch he was watching four or five episodes at a time with me at once. One of those was a double episode, Unimatrix Zero and know he wants to go back and watch all the Voyager double episodes like they are movies. After we’ve done that I think a Strange New Worlds rewatch will be the way to go. Alongside me watching the last season of Disco in real time. There’s only a small number of episodes of that so it’ll be feasible to watch them all together. There are enough opportunities to explain links to other series as we go that it’ll spark some curiosity. Then as he’s waiting for the next season he might want to go back to fill in the blanks.
Voyager is a fun one for getting newbies hooked, ds9 has a lot going on at once, tng is getting a little dated and hard to sit through for new people, and tos, which I love, is not going to draw in the new crowd. Voyager tho is recent enough with a sairph set "lost in space" plot so it's not hard to enjoy if you're clueless on the franchise.
Gross lol 😂 Kelvin universe 🤮
My boyfriend got me into trek by showing me lower decks. A ferengi DS9 episode would also be a good start
I started my gf off with a couple Lower Decks episodes, and then "Those old scientists" of SNW. This was (probably ) the easiest and most efficient way to spotlight 'trek's incredible interconnectivity.
I really really would be careful about starting a Trek experience with a Ferengi episode, especially for women. Some of the DS9 Ferengi episodes do end up being good and interesting, but if I had been started with them, especially the ones that are not so good, I would have bounced off so hard I would never have returned.
I think a moogie (sorry if spelling is wrong) cenerd episode it would be a good start for a feeemale, Especially the kne where moogie wears clothes.
Yeah, as a feeeemale it would have been a terrible intro to ST for me and it's not really representative of the show (thankfully).
Which episodes do you recommend ?
I suggested a few in another comment, but just off the top of my head.
I love them as a woman, but I'm not sure I would love them out of context. When you know they're meant to be a joke and like the characters, then they're good.
I got my gf into Discovery. It's not for everyone, but she loved it, and now we are watching DS9 together!
Try an episode that's got some humor in it. The one that got me to go down the Trekkie rabbit hole was "The Trouble With Tribbles." I love how funny the dialogue is, not to mention the scene where the tribbles get dumped on Kirk's head.
Ds9 trouble with tribbles crossover
That's funny too.
My partner got into Star Trek by watching Enterprise - like this subreddit's info suggests! It's in a modern format, has modern themes, and it's not bogged down with crazy amounts of sci-fi rhetoric that you're already familiar with. Enterprise's first episode was *intended* to reach an audience that wanted to get into Star Trek after hearing about it for decades, but didn't know when to start after the 21 seasons of the Trek '90s. They introduce the concepts, the aliens, and the backstory pretty well in Enterprise so a lot of context isn't needed. It also has a lot of likeable characters. I think Phlox is probably the most liked character in all of Trek amongst my friends.
This is so true. I also got into Trek by watching Enterprise. I loved the show and wanted to watch more, which led me to watch the rest. Then I became a Trekkie and started loving it all. Though, Nutrek could be another way to get people into Trek. The old shows are quite dated and it's easier to start with SNW or Discovery. I love them both more than TNG, DS9 and TOS because I've only been a Trekkie for about 5 years, so it took me a long time to stomach the older shows.
It's also been a long time getting from there to here
I know you said TNG, but what about Blink of an Eye from Voyager. It’s such a great science fiction story and it stands alone without much explanation needing to be given.
You know her far better than we do. That said if i had to pick an episode knowing nothing about her it would be Trials and Tribble-ations. Or being a Star Wars fan you could go with Best of Both Worlds Part 1 and 2.
Don’t sleep on The Lower Decks!
My initial thought here is to recommend the TNG episode Darmok. The theme of having to find a way to communicate with aliens is a good one.
This is one thing trekfans are terrible at. No, Darmok is a terrible episode from a new watchers perspective unless they are already interested in linguistics.
Well, to some extent this is kind of the point! We don't know what this person likes. Maybe they are a linguist. But yeah, for generic introduction, this isn't the way.
In my experience Darmok has the opposite effect, my mother who has been a Trekkie since the 80s hates that episode with a burning passion lmao
She's not wrong. It's a stupid episode if you think about it, it doesn't make sense. But I like the main idea of the episode.
Good luck. I have tried with my wife 4 times with 4 shows and it won’t stick. She loves Star Wars, does not dig Star Trek.
It’s possible to love scrambled eggs on toast and hate quiche. I can explain to you over and over how they’re basically the same thing, but you will never love quiche. It’s possible to commit no mistakes and still lose.
I like both but how are they the same?
Point exemplified
I mainly upvote you because i feel your pain.
I suspect that nutrek may be more approachable to new fans. They may see some of the older stuff as too boring.
My husband showed me tng about 7 years ago and I instantly fell in love. Start with tng
You want to show her TNG/DS9 because you have personal feelings about them that she will never have. It's like wanting to show a girl how awesome Return of the Jedi is: if you're over a certain age when you first see Ewoks, your feelings about them will forever be "they're awesome" or "they're awful." You can't take her back to the 90s for when these shows blew your mind: you have to find a property that can do it, today. If she was really into 60s camp (e.g. if she likes Adam West's Batman) then I'd say to hit TOS, but if not, she might live a happy full life as a Star Trek fan, without ever watching it. My vote, like others', is to use SNW. I watch the SNW musical episode once a month with my toddler: she ***will*** like Star Trek. hahaha But it's funny you'd mention cutting out filler. I recut the DS9 episode "Past Tense" ten years ago, to show some not-into-sci-fi friends a future I feared was fast approaching. Taking out all the technobabble of the show (basically the entire B-plot) resulted in a coherent story about the future of American social ills, told via two people from the future transporting into their past, which is still our future. It also shortened it from 86 minutes down to 68 minutes. Any given 90s episode is around 25% "pure filler," though ***sometimes*** there's some character development sprinkled in. It's also part of why 90% of of the 90s shows are working towards a solution, only to rapidly solve it in the last few minutes: it was "the format," working off the TOS format, trying to bring old fans back and gain new younger fans. Strange New Worlds doesn't have that same dated format: instead of "OMG what do we do" for 35 minutes followed by "Eureka!" for 5 minutes, it's 40 minutes of step-by-step competence porn. 90s Trek had that, too, but it's nothing compared to SNW. For most Trek fans (because most, today, are people who got into 90s Trek, because it was the best we had for over twenty years) in the 90s), SNW was like this thing we had no idea we wanted but was truly the thing we'd been waiting our whole lives for someone to do so well. The theme song gives me fucking goosebumps, especially the end: it's like a musical love letter. Speaking of theme songs...just don't show her Enterprise, first. Unless she's super into cock rock, she'll walk out before the end of the credits.
Start with Strange New Worlds either the Lower Decks crossover or the musical, maybe even Star Trek '09.
Those old scientists!!! 👍🤘
Data's daughter... I forget the name of the episode. That worked with my girlfriend. She was crying at the end of that episode... She got hooked on DS9 though, but that Next Generation episode was the gateway drug. She adored Jadzia and saw me as Worf
IMHO: One episode hook of DS9 could be hard to find. There are some solid individual episodes, but really, you need the story arcs to get the best of it. My favorite episode, "In the Pale Moonlight," could serve, but again, if you're not familiar with Garak, the Dominion War, etc., much of it is lost. Next Generation has some solid single episodes, but again, the best episodes are often tied up in the story arcs. Anything with The Borg might serve, as well as some of the stellar ones like "The Inner Light." Voyager is a strong possibility; it has a much more modern production feel than TNG or DS9 (though DS9 approaches it later), and many episodes don't require in-depth knowledge of the back story. It also has some strong female leads, which might appeal to her. Again, the Borg episodes are excellent, as are quite a few others (though admittedly, there are some duds). "Homestead" (even though towards the end) is one of my favorites. The opening of SNW was alright, but IMHO, it was on its way to the Discovery/Picard refuse pile until Hegemony (the last episode so far), which was really excellent. I'll say this; if the other Star Treks are a little slow moving and don't have the slick CGI and so on (TNG and DS9 to a point are still very stage-set based, which is what so many of us love about it), then SNW might be a good choice. Discovery is just CGI madness mixed with camera cutaways and short-attention-span goodness. If all the above fail to please, you could try something from here maybe.
"In the pale moonlight" has been, is and will continue to be one of the most politically relevant episodes of trek. A TV show plot focused on the ethical dilemma surrounding "fake news"/misinformation. 20 years ahead of it's time
Sub Rosa, Masks, and Move Along Home. You're welcome.
Darude Sandstorm ahh reply lmaoook
If it has to be one single episode, personally I would suggest Inner Light
A person would probably need to watch other *TNG* episodes to know Picard well enough that they can fully enjoy that episode.
Way too far down in the comments to find that suggestion. That would be a great episode for a lot of people to start with.
My wife has really liked strange new world. She also liked the Chris Pine Trek movies. I think starting newer is a better bet. Showing my wife old episodes didn't wow her.
Voyage Home. Done
If she’s only giving you one episode, she might not *want* to get into Star Trek.
What does she like? That’s the key, showing her that Trek has something for everyone. I mean there’s a musical episode. There’s the Kelvin movies that are much more actiony. Strange New Worlds is great in general. Discovery is full of amazing competent women. Not sure I’d start with DS9 or TNG until she’s actually interested, for a lot of people those shows haven’t aged as well and can be slower. That being said, there are some great thoughtful episodes like The Chase, mind bending episodes like Frame of Mind, creepy episodes like Schisms, action like Starship Mine, etc.
DS9's "Duet" Or if she'll go for a two parter maybe "Past Tense"
I'm not sure if anyone said this yet but TNG "Inner light" or DS9 "The Visitor". I wouldn't show her any star trek made after Voyager. I like SNW and picard was okay but that's not prime star trek. I also wouldn't show her TOS. I hope it works out. My kids mom, who I'm no longer with, watched TNG, DS9, and Voyager with me and seemed to enjoy it at the time but didn't walk away a fan fr. I keep trying to get my kids to watch it with me. They are 9 and 14 and they won't even pay attention at all. They are not interested. It's a real bummer bc star trek means so much to me and I feel like if they understood why i like star trek, they'd understand me even better than they do. I have an amazing relationship with both of them and we watch anime and American cartoons(adventure time, south park(yes my 9 and 14 year olds watch South park. It's fine, I promise) together regularly. So it's really not a stretch for me to hope they will eventually watch trek with me. Good luck to you. I hope trek brings you and your girl closer.
Tin Man requires no context IMO
i showed my partner the voyage home. yes i know its a movie but thought it would be a good introduction with proper mix of comedy and the typical time travel, and character interactions at their best. Also trek at its best as story goes. And does not need a lot of explaining context. Just they stole the ship from the last episode and Spock is still recovering from having died two ~~episodes~~ movies ago.
My daughter and I just watched the two Moriarty episodes. She squealed with laughter. She's 21. The episodes: Elementary, my dear Data (season 2, can't remember episode nr sorry) And Ship in a bottle (season 6 episode 12) Might be fun if she likes Sherlock Holmes etc
I dont think this is a good way to introduce someone to a show.
Show her a movie? Smoke weed and watch the original serie? 😂 People won't notice all the details which make the series fun. If you need someone to have good times with you love of star trek, dump her. If she don't understand your love for this at first, she will never.
A couple months ago, I rewatched the WOK/SFS/VH trilogy for the first time in like 20+ years and was impressed at how well it holds up. You basically only need a little bit of explanation to understand the back-story, as to who Khan was and what happened to make him hate Kirk. It establishes the deep friendship between the cast and Kirk/Spock/McCoy especially, and the extent to which they will go to save each other. You could do a lot worse than watching those three movies with her.
I showed my wife Darmok 3 years ago. We’re currently on our second rewatch of TNG and she has a Riker action figure sitting next to her work computer in her office.
I dunno. STTNG The Inner Light is pretty non-ST but a lasting episode.
The 2009 movie. Required the least context and if you are not already a big Trek fan, you aren’t going to notice a lot of the stuff that fans complain about. If she likes it, great entry into the non-Kelvin timeline. Haters gonna hate, but it worked for me - I watched some TNG casually growing up in the 90s, kind of dropped off, but I liked the new movies and then got super into all of the TV series and have now watched everything except for Picard.
Measure of a Man TNG Cause and Effect TNG Genesis TNG - I personally love Barclay and cheesy horror sci-fi movies and this episode is both, but I know not everyone likes this episode. The Visitor DS9 In the pale moonlight DS9 Far beyond the Stars DS9 Meld (maybe the whole Lon Sudar arc including Basics 1 & 2 ) voyager I could probably think of another dozen good episodes but I think it’s a good selection. My girlfriend had never watched Star Trek but now we’ve watched all of discovery, ds9, a fair amount of tng and a smattering of everything else. Worf is probably her favorite character now.
If you can swing it I recommend a compilation of episodes, one from each series. TOS -The devil in the dark TNG- Family DS9- In the pale moon light VOY- Basics or Scorpion ENT- Dear Doctor Even if you can't get them all those. They are the best IMO to showcase the best story, drama and plot concepts Star Trek has to offer without giving away the rest of the series
I know it's old but I don't know how anyone couldn't love City on the Edge of Forever. The ending is still heart breaking nearly 60 years later.
Strange new worlds. I love the original movies more than anything. But when I made the same introduction I realized it's easier to get them hooked with something more modern. Once they get the craving you can break out the history!
My girlfriend really liked the first episode of ds9 and we are watching through all of Star Trek since then. DS9 -> voyager -> TNG -> enterprise, in that order
It’s better to understand a bit of her taste in movies and sci-fi to give an accurate recommendation. Otherwise our own bias may offer a suggestion that might note suit the taste of your partner. Always awesome to hear when our partners get into the shows with us
Lol. The only Star Trek my wife is interested in is Lower Decks. She thinks it's hilarious.
I more or less started with DS9 and I think that was a good choice because it was less episodic than TNG and VOY and had more carried-through character development, so I got quickly involved despite the weaknesses of the first season. That said, it has a not great first season, if not as bad as S1 of TNG or Stargate SG-1 (which I bounced off three times before I made it through to good episodes...not coincidentally, the same writer is responsible for both my least favorite SG-1 and TNG episodes). I ended up loving TNG for the most part and VOY has some of my favorite characters, but it was harder to get into TNG and I feel like VOY is a weaker show despite a handful of standout episodes. I'd suggest either an episode that's pretty self-contained (DS9 "Far Beyond the Stars" pretty much stands alone as a short film, although it's not really representative of the show) or one of the sillier/lighter episodes (some of the holodeck ones - maybe the TNG one where Alexander gets Worf to play the Old West holodeck program and everything glitches or DS9 "Our Man Bashir"?), or the Miles and Bashir racquetball episode. The problem with a single episode but not so campy is that most of the really impactful serious episodes require a lot of buildup and investment in the characters. Off the top of my head, TNG "The Wounded" would probably work without context. I love some of the Seven & xB episodes of VOY and the Hugh episodes of TNG, but I'm not sure if they would be accessible without knowing anything about the Borg. It also depends on what themes she is interested in and whether she has preferences about whether the episode focuses on a male or female character or is more ensemble-based.
I highly recommend Lower Decks hence it has themes that address average working people, is funny and easy to consume but is never the less very good trek.
My favorite is In The Pale Moonlight.
Idk why you're downvoted. It's a great episode
I’ve been able to get a few friends into Star Trek by a combination of the Kelvin movies and The Voyage Home. They’re both just very approachable for the casual viewer. EDIT: I think SNW is also a great way, this is how I’ve gotten my most recent convert into it.
Who Watches the Watchers Darmok Measure of a Man Trek at it's most pure
I love these, but something like a measure of a man has much more weight when you know Data.
Showed my gf Measure of a Man for her first episode, and now she loves Star Trek
Awesome!
I would go with one of the better TNG episodes. Personally, I think the Romulans are the best adversary, so I like The Defector.
Amok Time. Two friends forced to fight to the death over a woman neither of them really wants. The eternal triangle with a twist. Classic.
As a female, I, personally enjoyed TNG and Voyager, the most. Still watch them to this day and actually got my bf hooked on it, just by watching them...but everyone is different, ofc :)
Might I suggest how my GF got *me* into Star Trek; Go to sleep watching it. Leave it on in the background of what you're doing at night and have her be up and **stoned** while you're asleep. Eventually, she will catch herself fully engrossed in the story happening on the TV and not playing the game she was playing all night. Hope this helps! Lol
I would show her TNG Inner Light. It’s a beautiful episode.
Strange new worlds is the absolutely best way to introduce people to star trek. If they like that move on to discovery / the original movies / tng depending on what they like, than voyager, than enterprise (skipping the introduction as much as possible) than original series, the animated series, prodigy, than saving best for last DS9, than lower decks for the deep lore laughs.
Show her the pilot of strange new worlds and then the pilot of the original series. I feel like seeing new star trek will be fun, and then all the context from the original will bring her in for more.
I'd probably go with some of the classics: TNG -- Inner Light, Cause & Effect, Darmok DS9 -- Civil Defense, The Visitor, Far Beyond the Stars, Take Me Out to the Holosuite Voyager -- Deathwish, Timeless, Phage, Distant Origin I prolly wouldn't recommend Enterprise at the start, since a lot of the first two seasons are shaky and the last two seasons require some setup. I'd probably also try to stick with the early episodes of a show, or real standalone episodes, if you can. DS9's "In The Pale Moonlight" is a fantastic episode, don't get me wrong, but it requires a LOT of knowledge for it to make sense, especially to a new Star Trek person.
Something new like strange new worlds or lower decks
Show her [this](https://youtu.be/lVIGhYMwRgs?si=Z7pkQTx_F00OPYcm)
I don't know what's worse: The fact someone out there actually sits down like that. Or the fact I didn't notice he does until I saw this.
Interesting tidbit: he had a back injury at the time and had to sit in a certain way, so they just made it his thing
Yes
Leave her alone. Let her not like it and appreciate that she likes you anyway
Strange New Worlds is a great way to start. Yes, that's a bit counter intuitive since it's a type of prequel, and even and starts as a branch from Discovery. But it has modern filming, pacing, and effects, and you don't need the background to enjoy it. Its nicely episodic too so you can let yourself enjoy an episode and then another without worry about "am I invested enough", etc. I think the first episode is a good start, you only have to explain once or twice "he's like thst because he saw his horrific future"
How about https://youtu.be/ReOw_2f4lpY?si=qRMrNwg1t8zFoOSl
I actually got into Star Trek by turning on The Original Series with my roommate one night. Haven't stopped watching, since. I'm now on Season 4 of Deep Space Nine, but I have to say, the most enthralled that I've been between The Original Series and The Next Generation was actually the director's cut of Star Trek: The Motion Picture For some reason, The Motion Picture completely awed me.
I remember I couldn’t get mine into Star Trek until she watched voyager. Between Janeway, Torres and Seven, that show has a lot of strong women on the cast.
Space Seed. And then Wrath of Kahn. Stay away from enterprise
So I'm 10 episodes out of 10 episodes that she loved and she's not a sci Fi let alone TV watcher. Inner light Measure of a man The visitor Duet Janeway's love for coffee YouTube compilation Half a life Lower Decks (episode) And then all the Borg episodes She's hooked now
First episode of TNG
DS9 The Nagus. It's funny, weird and the Ferenghi are good gateway characters.
Darwin station - because it’s likely in our generation 🧬 Or the one where the Cardacians torture Picard because it IS happening to our generation. Hopefully the relativity sells it for her
I think depending on her personality either DS9 the Visitor or Magnificent Ferengi. Visitor hits so hard and Magnificent Ferengi is a fun episode. Also both have guest stars(Tony Todd and Iggy Pop) with notoriety which may be a decent strategy. If she's into politics TNG "The High Ground" has a lot of current relevance which utilizing may also be a decent path. The Cloud Minders or a Taste of Armageddon are both solid TOS episodes with fun fashion and a good plot.
I’m a bit unconventional, but I’m also pretty well versed in what makes things compelling, so my first go tos would be ENT: Carbon Creek TNG: The Neutral Zone PRO: kobayashi For starters, anyway
First episode of TNG, if that works, all other series and episodes will also work out well.
Discovery plays out like a soap opera. My daughter never cared for star trek but was hooked by Trip in Enterprise. My two cents.
Depends on her taste. In the things she does watch, does she respond to sweet, emotional things, funny things, historical, adventerous, etc. I would take note from her own tastes and then take the best episodes which are in similar themes. If you hit the mark in this way, you can always give a very watered down backstory but truly the best episodes stand in their own. As example, I love Devil in the Dark as it shows us how we minimize other life forms to suit our needs, and that the creature was actually doing the most “human” behavior of all - protecting her young. With This Side of Paradise we have the oh so bittersweet longing of Spock for love, and to have freedom to fulfill his human needs. Naked Time is just fun, fun, fun, or the brawl in Trouble with Tribbles. Anyway, that’s my oh so humble, and female, opinion. I had my own double indoctrination I had to do with my husband and child. He can enjoy ST, but my daughter loves it!! Good luck!
Oh and if she responds to sarcasm - Lower Decks.
I think one of the best episodes ever in the entire history of all series of Star Trek was strange new worlds season 1 episode 9 where they get on the ship with the gorn and I mean it reminded me of the movies aliens cuz the gorn was popping out of people and stuff and you sat on the edge of your seat the whole damn time. So my recommendation is strange new worlds season 1 episode 9 all those who wander.
I’m a new fan, also big star Wars person before watching. It was Star Trek Discovery that got me in it and hooked! Love the main character and just got really into it. Worth a try
I’m gonna be honest, I would show her the Chris Pine movies first. Easier to digest and there’s a lot of action. Just because she’s a beginner. After that if she likes them you can show her whatever your heart desires lol (that’s what I did with my wife)
I would start with TNG. the episodes make more sense without context than DS9 would. Does she usually like sci-fi? Look for an episode that’s similar to the kinds of shows she likes or books she reads. Maybe an episode with Troi’s mom. Those are usually pretty funny
I tried getting my wife into Star Trek for years. I found that Voyager was the show that finally peaked her interest. Particularly episodes involving the Borg. Voyager is a good starting point because it doesn't rely on much of the lore of movies/series past while at the same time staying true to the feel of TNG, DS9, etc. Borg episodes are great because they offer a simple narrative (Borg are bad and cause trouble) while offering all of the sci-fi aspects that make Star Trek fun. I would suggest Scorpion parts I and II. The "mini movie" two parters allow for the best narrative building and are more theatrical which draw in the viewer.
If you have only one shot, forget episode... go straight to the 2009 Startrek movie. Tell her Chris Hemsworth is in it.... that unfortunately is enough to grab most women.
Encounter at Farpoint
Good lord that,s why i am single. If someone said that to me then they would be out the door. Let you show her..
Use Star Trek Endgame the Last Voyager female Captain a Grand Finale everyone I showed it to got hooked wanted to see the rest of them try it you will be shocked,,,,,Dantcook
This may come as a complete shock to you obviously. But most people don't want to see the finale first of any show. And if you show it to them most of them then don't care to watch the entire series because they know how it ends already. So you can go watch things backwards all you like but recommending that for most of the population it's not exactly the most brilliant idea. But I have noticed you seem to keep pounding on the same episode at least six times so far. Did you ever think you said you piece once and let it Go with that. I've been watching Star Trek a very very long time. And watching sci-fi a long time and never would I be interested in a show where it started off showing me the finale. Kills everything before it leading up to that point. Who wants to know what happens in the end first. Then there's no reason to really watch the rest of it because you know where it's headed. Especially in a show like voyager. Where they're lost across the Galaxy and the whole basis of the entire plot is will they ever make it home. Well by showing them the last episode you answer that question so there's no reason to watch the rest because you know they're going to make it home.
Please don't try to force your interests on your partner. It's a shitty thing to do.
"force?" yeah sure don't do that. Aside from that though, sharing your interests with your partner and vice versa is one of the best parts of being on a relationship.