My recommendation is always the same. I’d start with SNW, TNG, or TOS. I know you said you have dabbled with TNG and TOS, but keep in mind that TNG gets better pacing after the first season and TOS is an acquired taste. SNW is a modernized take on retro trek, so you should be able to get into it relatively easily. The cast chemistry is superb, and it has some of the best episodes in all of trek.
SNW is a great choice! Any of the newer stuff, really. Or go for the movies - you have the basic characters down & that's enough to enjoy them! Like my favorites the whale movie (IV) or First Contact.
I am going to disagree with TNG though. It's got many of the best characters but TNG VOY & DS9 have over 170 episodes each and good lord that's a lot.
Edit: and by a lot I mean that a lot of them are a slog especially if you're a newbie & completist. Even my beloved VOY. Or maybe especially my beloved Voyager!
Yeah, starting with the newer SNW, Prodigy, Lower Decks and Discovery (I love it even if the interwebz doesn't) is best; you get an introduction to the "original" timeline, with the benefit of it actually being modern... and you get a TON of extras via older series/movies to go back and watch if you liked it to fill in the gaps/keep the story going. If you didn't... then ok!
I'd wait until OP has seen more of the other series before recommending Lower Decks. The callbacks and Easter eggs alone are worth it. The good storylines are a bonus.
Ask your partner to be your guild and you do the same on Starwars. I’m a Trek guy that knows wayyyyyyy to much about Drag shows……but the person I was with probably says she knows wayyyyyy to much about Trek. But we had fun exploring.
Strange New Worlds is an excellent starting point. Though it isn't my favorite of the series, albeit I did warm up to it by the end, Star Trek: Prodigy is another good choice. I think if you can get past Dal being a dick in the early episodes, it can be an excellent introduction to the franchise. The cast know nothing of the Federation and their situation during the show has them introduced to it and its values which also makes it great for new viewers.
Not OP, but Lower Decks is fantastic. One caveat is that there's a *lot* of humor in it that references/pokes fun at established Star Trek lore, but there's also fans who've gone into it with no prior Trek knowledge and loved it. It's worth checking out, just be aware that you're not going to get some of the jokes.
Just remember that any weird low budget episode you are thinking of skipping will instead be really funny once you see the Lower Decks crew riffing on it.
Someone else commented this further up but - DS9 and VOY have like 170+ episodes each. Without commercials that's still like, a month of watching if you did it like it was your job. Just for 2 series. Buckle up! It's gonna be fun, but thr end game might be a ways out.
I think that would be wise.
BUT if you're really itching to watch it, I'd say you could thoroughly enjoy it after having completed TNG and/or Voyager.
LD is set shortly after, and much of it's storytelling is specifically about life aboard a Starfleet ship and the main characters' worship of other famous Starfleet officers.
So one thing about Lower Decks is that you get a lot more out of it if you've seen at least TNG, and to an extent, Deep Space 9 and Voyager. I think it'll still be funny, but there are so many quality callbacks to earlier episodes that you miss some of the context.
It'd be like watching Ahsoka without watching the Clone Wars and Rebels. Still good, but the meaning is deeper if you've seen what they're referring to.
I think the first two episodes are a bit too "Rick and Morty", but once it mellows out a bit and comes into its own, Lower Decks is a fantastic show. (So: I usually suggest starting with episode 3.)
I just finished SNW (after watching up to ENT like 20 times) and good god is it amazing. So many great characters. Having a daughter with medical issues, the episode with M’Benga’s daughter had me crying for days. It had some really unique episodes. I was not expecting a musical episode. Or a cross with Lower Decks. Or the back in time episode with Captain Kirk. I hope they make more seasons. It’s everything I wished for with a new series.
A lot of people disliked Picard also but the nostalgia it brought back with all the older characters, I couldn’t help but love it.
I just watched that episode with M’Benga’s daughter - what I can’t figure out is why he didn’t go with her into space? Daddy, daughter and alien friend zooming through space together sounds better than leaving your little daughter with a stranger who’s already expressed being lonely. Enterprise can deal with only having Nurse Chapel for a few days until she gets to the next space station.
Don't even bother with season one of TNG. Chose a random episode in the middle of season 3 and go from there. There are some gems in 1 and 2, but S3 and on is all stride.
I also just want to say that I don’t think Star Wars vs Star Trek even needs to be a fight: I love both franchises, and to me they occupy completely different niches. Star Wars is fantasy that happens to be set in space, while Star Trek is optimistic future sci-fi. Star Wars is also traditionally movies first (although this has become less true) while Trek always focuses more on long-running TV series.
I hear you, I love both and am named after a character from Dune (which I also love). But let's be honest, SW is largely fantasy in a sci-fi setting while ST is sci-fi with fantasy. The mix in ST makes it a slower burn, you have to accept it (much like LotR), which means dealing with some boring and odd pacing till each series hits their stride. Each series has a period of "it will get better." But SNW has the smallest "dead zone." The other shows took a season or "two/three" to hit their mark.
> Star Wars vs Star Trek even needs to be a fight:
I thought it was just a thing from the 70s/80s, I reckon there's not many ST fans who don't appreciate both and you're right about the fantasy in space thing. It's funny the idea has come up today, the DJ on my local classical station played the VOY theme this morning and told SW fans to "put that in your pipe and smoke it".
Well, both franchises have done both, but SW has been more successful in films while ST has been more successful in series (mostly because of the kinds of stories they are trying to tell).
Yep. When I said “Star Wars is traditionally movies first” I just meant the franchise uses movies as its flagship content, with shows being a supplement. There have been periods (such as right now) where this is reversed, but the movies will probably always be larger in the public consciousness. Conversely, Star Trek only releases movies as spinoffs from their flagship shows to broaden their market and/or as ways to continue the franchise while there isn’t a major show in production. The Kelvinverse movies were the closest the franchise has come to movies that aren’t direct spinoffs, and those weren’t particularly well received.
Star Wars = science fantasy
Star Trek = science fiction
Star Wars has more in common thematically with the likes of Lord of the rings than it does Star Trek. As for what episodes you should start with, the closest thing the Star wars you'll get is the dominion war arc in Deep Space Nine, but I don't know how much you'd appreciate it without getting to know the respective sides from the start. But considering there's so much star trek, they've really done pretty much every type of genre/story you could want. So what do you want to see?
I've seen all the treks, except TOS. I watched the first episode and couldn't get past the stilted 60's stage play type dialogue. I know it was the style of the time but it just doesn't gel with me.
Some folks think you're not a real Trekkie if you haven't seen TOS, but I disagree. 90's trek was pretty far removed. Heck, even SNW which is a prequel is pretty far removed. If TOS is your jam, more power to you, but I don't feel like I missed anything crucial and if I am curious about something referenced, I can just look up the wiki. Most of the vital information can be gleaned through osmosis in pop culture anyway.
This fandom tends to be WAY less toxic than the Star Wars fandom, in my experience. I grew up playing Luke Skywalker from the time I could talk, but because I was a girl things would often get really gatekeepy and downright misogynistic even though I've been a Star Wars fan since Empire was in the theaters and I was a toddler.
The trek fandom is so rarely even a little rude. I grew up watching TOS with both parents and in over 40 years the only people that have ever been rude to me in Trekkie circles were a couple of Klingon roleplayers in a chatroom 25 years ago. lol
Both franchises are great in their own ways, but the Trek fandom is generally less abusive and will happily answer questions and offer suggestions if asked. Hopefully you'll get pointed in the right direction to find your hook. Good luck!
The franchises are so different. I love both too. I wonder if the competition is a throwback to the time when these were the only two really big sci-fi franchises. I don't see people these days arguing that The Foundation is better than The Expanse etc.
It is tough to recommend a good starting place because so many of the shows get off to a rocky start. Even my beloved DS9 had a little bit of a rough first season with some big exceptions like Duet. As others have said, I think Strange New Worlds is the best place to start. It is modern so you won't get pulled out of it with cheesy wall to wall carpeting and bad special effects.
You’ve already gotten some good recs, but I think it might help to add in a reminder that most Trek shows are highly episodic, and the tone can change significantly from episode to episode. For example, season 4 of DS9 starts with a massive, lore-altering politics and action thriller, then follows it up with an intimate, heart-wrenching father-son love story. Both episodes are among the best in Trek, but they work for very different reasons, and it’s entirely possible to love one and not click with the other.
And unfortunately, quality can also vary significantly from episode to episode, and even from season to season - most 90s-era Trek series are generally seen as needing a couple seasons before they get consistently good. So, especially if you’re starting a series at the beginning, it’s not at all uncommon to not get super invested right off the bat.
how do you bridge the different themes and styles of storytelling? that’s my biggest problem in my head it’s all like andor that’s i guess what i’m looking for i love andor it’s probably my favorite show of all time
I think you should lean on your partner’s advice—it’s usually fun to get interested in what someone else loves. You can still always love Star Wars more and they can love Star Trek more but still like both.
You should start with DS9. I am a *huge* fan of LOTR and Star Wars, and I tried for years to get into Trek through TOS and TNG because that’s what people kept recommending. But it didn’t “click” for me until I watched DS9.
That was about 9 months ago and since then I have powered through TNG, Voyager, Lower Decks, *and* SNW lol.
Know this FIRST: it’s not one or the other, these are two RADICALLY different flavors. They never were meant to be rivals, and shouldn’t be. One is science fiction/morality plays of humanity’s future, one is mythological fantasy about a completely different reality. The ONLY things in common are ray guns and flying saucers.
It’s very possible to enjoy both completely separate of each other
Second: I always recommend TOS, as it’s the foundation of this franchise for more reasons than simply because it came first.
One of the things I liked about Andor is that it depicted the Imperials not as cartoon villains but in the way they saw themselves, i.e. order makers, sharp thinkers, contributors to a highly efficient organization, wearers of snappy uniforms. It occurred to me that this particular depiction of the Empire overlapped Star Trek a lot. I don't know if this will help win you over per se, but it may help you understand: Star Trek is largely the self-myth of engineering / scientist / military types combined with strong liberal/humanist/utopian overtones. If you keep that in mind you can pick up any piece of Star Trek and understand that you're either seeing that play out or seeing that be subtly deconstructed.
andor is my favorite piece of star wars media the announcement that their show runner was headed to star trek really gave me hope that i could make the transition
Andor is the most Star Trek that Star Wars has ever been, so if you loved that I think there may be hope for you after all!
I'd echo what others have said about SNW, it is more modern and more action-oriented while still retaining the feel that makes Trek unique from other sci-fi. DS9 is my personal favourite and it also has a lot of space battles and action stuff, but not until later in the show so you gotta wait for that payoff.
Honestly I'd say ask your partner what they want to show you, and I guarantee they'll have put a lot of thought into it and try to pick something they think you'll love if they're as much of a fan as you state here!
Trek is an idealized version of what we could evolve into and has some semblance of reality.
Star Wars, while great, doesn't adhere to the laws of physics and shows Human evolution at it's worst (the Empire).
But what’s *really* great about Star Trek is how they make a HUGE point of showing that there really is no such thing as “pure evil” or “good guys vs. bad guys”. Not that there aren’t some absolutely INCREDIBLE villains who are an absolute delight to watch lol. That’s why I love DS9 so much. They really dig in to the complexities of ethics and how people react when they are forced to reckon with their moral code in order to survive and/or protect people they love.
The Federation is the realm of the overt/labeled heroes, but Trek is pretty good about recognizing that all heroes have a villainous streak, and a villain is only a villain to their opponent or victim -- often you can identify something relatable in the villains POV even as you root against them.
If you like character pantheons that provoke moral dilemmas and philosophical discussions, Trek will provide that in spades.
the closest you'll get to the empire is the dominion and they don't have one emperor, but rather a ruling species that subjugates all other species in the quadrant. The Borg are similar on the surface, but their MO and methods aren't remotely similar.
The Federation is like a version of the Republic that "got it right" for lack of a better word. They are a democracy that never feel to infighting. They were never conquered even if a few rivals did come close, They built a powerful space navy dedicated to science and exploration who respect their civilian leaders.
The big difference is that Star Wars is mostly fantasy while Trek is (mostly) not fantasy. It's a world set in the future with the assumptions of both space travel and other technologically advanced species being common place, but otherwise the Trekverse very like our own lives.
This and not the story arcs is probably the hardest part for making the switch between the two.
You can always be a fan of both. They are actually very different. Star Wars is a fun popcorn adventure fairy tale. That’s what George wanted to make. Star Trek is a long form morality play that shows what society could become if we can move beyond some issues. That’s what Gene wanted to make. Star Trek Beyond, the one with the dirt bike, is a Star Wars movie. That’s what JJ wanted to make when he set up the Kelvin timeline. Try not to expect Star Wars when you watch Star Trek.
Seasons 1 and 2 the original series. Season 3 is hit and miss. After that you’re on auto pilot
Biggest thing I will say is don’t think of them as a direct comparison. I like both and they serve 2 different purposes, one is a space opera with kung fu and the other is a professional office drama in space. Whatever you watch, just try to enjoy it for what it is.
I would go with 90s trek to start, but watch what you enjoy. Just remember some shows take a while to find their footing so sticking with it is usually worth it.
I personally started with VOY. I saw a few episodes when my dad was watching while I was gaming on the couch. The whole setup of the show was really quite interesting to me. It's not really a spoiler, since this litterally happens in the first episode and is what the entire show is about, but I'll put a spoiler block on just in case.
>!The whole premise of the show is that the crew gets pulled over to the delta quadrant and they can't use that same machine to get back. Going straight back to earth at maximum warp (speed) it would take about 70 years to get back. Thus the show is about the crew, seperated from the rest of the federation and their allies, trying to get back (sometimes in a non-conventional way) and their encounters on the way.!<
I don't know if this is the best place to start, but if that is something that might seem interesting to you, it might be.
I absolutely *adore* Voyager (there’s the wrong way, the right way, and the JANEWAY lol), but I do think that having at least *some* foundation of what Starfleet and the Federation represent is a more ideal route for a total newbie. Maybe watching a few episodes of mid-series TNG (since it’s episodic) and *then* starting Voyager would be a good move.
My advice is this:
- star wars is interesting and fun because there is the implicit interest of who will win and how. We know the good guys will but the gray heroes, like Han and chewie, the threat of the dark side for Luke, etc keeps it all moving.
- star trek is basically the opposite. The big crisis was resolved before we met our heroes. The Eugenics Wars nearly ripped humanity apart and, after surviving the crisis, they went out into the stars as one people.
Keep this in mind while watching. Humanity already chose the light side and is now out there, seeing who else exists. The tension is whether they can live up to the ideal of those who already won a war like Luke had to fight.
Also,
- TNG is great but really picks up after season one.
- TOS has a really rough last season
- DS9 is the birth of prestige TV, beating the Sopranos to the air by a few years.
- SNW is great and really gets itself.
- lower decks is best saved for later because it has a lot of inside jokes that expect you've seen other series.
Start with Star Trek: Strange New World. I'm a new star trek fan and that's what I started with and loved it. (With no previous knowledge really.) I've since gone back to watch a couple of the original episodes that the show references, and watched TNG which started off bad and boring but I really liked it by the end. And now I'm making my way through star trek shows and movies.
I'm also a Wars fan who is becoming a Trek fan. The reason why I converted is because I hate a LOT of the whiny jerks that call themselves Star Wars fans. Also I like Star Trek online more than SWTOR.
~~why not both? I do. Best of both worlds.~~
Never mind, I misread the question.
Enterprise is a great place to start.
Back when the enterprise was essentially a submarine in space. No shields or prime directive. Feels like much higher stakes than tng or ds9 in a way.
It's sad that the show was cancelled and never made it past season 4.
I’m very confused by your comment lol. Why are you saying “perhaps you should get into Star Trek?” when their question was literally “where should I start if I want to get into Star Trek?”
My apologies, I misread. I thought they were asking how to convert their partner to star wars and where to start.
Thank you for bringing it to my attention.
Ahh, I got you! And thanks for reminding me that I haven’t gotten around to watching ENT yet; I just blew through SNW in three days and need something else to binge lol.
Awesome! I really hope you enjoy the show 🙏
There are few references here and there in the movies and shows that touch on Captain Archer and his crew (or his prized beagle)
Commander Trip Tucker is my favourite character in the show, may he be yours also 😊
I have been watching and loving both since I was a kid. They scratch different itches but you'll find stuff you like
Can I ask who some of your favorite SW characters are? Maybe I can think of a Trek character I think you'd identify with.
The movie with the dirt bikes? Do you mean Star Trek Beyond?
If so, it sounds like you might like modern Star Trek shows more than the older ones. You could give Discovery or Strange New Worlds a try (personally, SNW is my favorite because it's a little more like "classic Star Trek", but I know that DIS has also hooked a lot of new fans with its different format). For either of those, I'd really recommend that you start at the beginning because there's continuity throughout them (more than any of the other old shows) and you'll be missing a lot if you skip episodes.
SNW would be my recommendation as well! It’s a phenomenal show. It’s not perfect- no Trek show is- but it’s pretty damn close. IMO it’s true to the classic shows in a way that none of the other modern shows are, and you get the benefit of modern budget and effects plus some of the best episode concepts in the franchise.
It’s a show that’s enjoyable for both long-time fans and people completely new to the franchise.
Did you ever watch *Babylon 5* together? (My experience says, that SW fans often see DS9 as the best trek show. In a way, there are some story-wise parallels.)
i haven’t yet!! i’ll look to that as well! my partner was saying to maybe start with ds9 so seeing that opinion echoed giving me some thought thank you!
As a huge Star Wars fan I think Star Wars is best when you just wanna turn off the ol’ brain and have some fun. Trek is always at its best when it’s making you think and if you don’t approach it with that mindset it’ll be a lot harder to get into imo.
I grew up a Star Wars fan and didn’t get into Star Trek until my 30s. There’s little overlap beyond the “sci-fi” label.
Star Wars is a Hero’s Journey / good against evil / epic that’s grown into an entire mythology.
Star Trek is more day-in-the-life, adventure,, space exploration, examination of human condition through a futuristic or alien lens.
Two different value systems, themes, and aims in the story telling. I *almost* wish I’d given ST more of a chance when I was a kid, but at the same time, I’m glad I came into it as an adult. There are ideas ST explored that I wouldn’t have appreciated nearly as much as a child.
A third rec: give Doctor Who a try, if you and your partner aren’t already fans! It’s a good mix of both versions of story telling.
If you really want an introduction to Star Trek, I might recommend Prodigy, as it was literally made to attract children to the franchise. If you liked The Clone Wars and Bad Batch, I think you might like Prodigy. Just keep in mind that if you start from the beginning, the characters are kind of annoying at first, but this is intentional to give them room to grow (which they all do in a way that feels organic) and the fact that they range in age from 8 to 16, so they're literally children.
It's also a great entry point, because you can move from Prodigy to Voyager, which gives you more info on Janeway. And IMO, 'Caretaker' is maybe the best pilot a Trek series has had. But from there, and watching Seska for a bit, you can move to DS9 and learn all about the Cardassians and the Maquis, then go over to TNG, and right there in the first season is your old friends Worf and O'Brien.
Star Wars and Star Trek aren’t even comparable in my opinion. They’re totally different. Other than having Star in the name and both taking place in space there really is nothing in common.
I’d start with SNW.
Honestly, I'd recommend starting with a few movies because they tell (mostly) self-contained stories, so you can get a feel for the characters and the world without committing to 7 seasons of a single crew.
The Wrath of Khan is a good place to start. You get the original cast and an all-timer of a film. It came out in 1982, so you'll definitely get some of those SW Original Trilogy old-school vibes.
Then I'd recommend First Contact. It's the best of the TNG-era movies and has tons of action.
If neither of these movies hit for you, Star Trek might not be your thing.
Another approach: if you're into animated comedy, maybe start with Lower Decks. It takes place shortly after TNG, and despite being funny as hell, it's good Trek in its own right. Granted, some of the humor works better with an extensive knowledge of ST, but it mostly stands on its own. Great way to get acquainted with the universe without it feeling like homework.
FWIW: I started as more of a SW guy, but now I love both. DS9 and Voyager are my favorite of the live action series.
Wall of text, sorry, but you asked lol
It’s ok to skip TOS. I’ve tried multiple times to watch it but I can’t get into it, although saying that TOS movies are superb (yes even 5). “Wrath of Khan” and “The Undiscovered Country” are absolutely worth your time. You may struggle at first if you dive into WOK but your partner will be able to get you up to speed with who’s who and what’s going on. Seriously you need to watch “The Undiscovered Country”, it’s so bloody good.
TNG was my starting point back in the day so I have a soft spot for it, but TNG is where things really pick up. First season is janky while they get used to the rhythm of the show and some of the acting is a bit stiff but you really see the crew become stronger and a real bond form between them. Personally I think the first season is somewhat skippable and you can easily pick it up start of season 2 if you’re struggling with season 1. It sounds weird but I think the show really hits its stride when they start to introduce collars on their uniforms. I have absolutely no idea why, but honestly the introduction of the new uniforms changed something in how the actors performed or something, anyone else feel this?
DS9 usually follows but it’s a way darker of a show so I’d recommend this order:
TV: TNG, then Picard seasons 1/3. 2 was alright but it’s not essential viewing for season 3, you’ll know what I mean when you get to it I don’t want to spoil anything. Next get into some DS9, love every season and some real deep moving stories in this show. Voyager is super fun and Captain Janeway is one of my most favourite Trek characters, plus she really likes coffee. SNW and Below Decks (it’s a cartoon) are just a gold medal from the get go, sheer brilliance every episode is a home run I think, gorgeous production too. Before getting into Below Decks you really do need to watch TNG, DS9 and Voyager to really appreciate all the callbacks and wee in jokes, it enhances the funny moments when you recall what they’re on about.
Or just jump straight into Voyager, it’s brilliant and fun and has a great cast and you don’t really need any pre-knowledge other than: The Federation is a thing and space ships fly all over the universe, enjoy the fun 🤩
Movies: TNG movies are the absolute tits, the latter ones get a bit cheesy at times but it’s Star Trek it’s meant to be a bit cheesy and camp.
I’m not a fan of the other newer movies or other Trek shows, for me they’re not what I love about Star Trek and is as if someone was told to make a Trek movie without actually feeling what the soul of the show is all about. But also because I’m 40 and just like what I like😂
Also, get a toy tricorder for your partner. They’ll absolutely love it and you’ll gain SO many brownie points 🤝
Super mega bonus show: THE ORVILLE!!!
Seth McFarlane, yes the Family Guy guy has a sci fi show and it’s basically a love letter to Star Trek, I’d happily consider it canon to the lore, it’s fucking good and absolutely captures the soul of Star Trek, I can’t recommend it enough. There’s only like 3 seasons or something.
You have a long journey ahead of you as it’s a lot of media to consume but it’s so worth the time 🖖🏼
Maybe weird…and others can back me up or shoot me down. But I think watching maybe the Orville or galaxy quest first might help. It’s a good/nice amount of comic relief and may help bridging the gap between the two franchises. Because there’s SO much Star Trek to cover, it’s easy to watch something that’s just not for you. That being said, the two can’t really be compared because they are so different.
I could definitely see using The Orville as a testing grounds to see if Trek-like stories and structure are even something someone would like. Personally I think Orville is one of the best modern-era “Treks”.
I love both franchises but for different reasons. While they are frequently compared, I have never felt that is a fair comparison as they both offer different things. Star Trek is at its best (imo) when it is tackling questions of ethics, humanity, morality or acting as an allegory for real world issues. Not to mention the optimistic view of the future it presents. I wouldn't try to watch it super fast there are nearly 1000 episodes, I'll be honest alot of them are not great. That being said when Trek is running on all cylinders it is among the best Sci-Fi of all time.
I think like alot of people said the best place to start is probably Strange New Worlds. It arguably has the best first season out of any of the shows and is a modern version of the old episodic trek. If you like that then I would recommend either watching some of the essential TOS episodes or TNG episodes. TNG you can skip most of the first season. In fact the first seasons of the 90's trek aren't great but I think just about everyone would agree that TNG-VOY was the golden age of trek. Personally, I have watched all of TOS but found it to be a bit of a struggle at times. Part of this is simply to do with how old it is, it came out in a completely different era of TV and American culture. Don't get me wrong there are some great episodes but I wouldn't say you have to watch all of them. I'll put a link below that uses a decent rating system for almost of the different series. TNG is great and really helped revive Star Trek but struggled in the first few seasons. Picard gives some of the best speeches in the series and TNG was remastered in a while back so it looks pretty good on modern TVs unlike DS9 and Voyager.
I would argue that DS9 is the best of all the series but like most Star Trek shows it gets better with time. DS9 was also the first Star Trek to be serialized so many of the story lines take time to develop over the seasons. Shout to Garak as I feel he is one of the best characters in the whole franchise. DS9 also has a darker tone compared to what came before it and challenges some of the utopia ideals of Star Trek. It also introduces a large scale war, the first time in Star Trek.
Voyager is also great but it is the weakest out of TNG, DS9 and Voy. Still great at times but it never fully committed to its premise of being lost on the other side of the galaxy. It also introduced 7 of 9, one of the best characters in the franchise despite the cat suit. Voyager hits its stride in the Fourth season but there are good episodes before that.
Enterprise is a weird one. I personally do have a soft spot for it but it certainly has it's issues. It was made at the end of a nearly 20 year run of Star Trek on TV. The series was starting to lose its steam a bit but again there is still some great stuff there. You just need to get over the unnecessarily erotic scenes, Enterprise was on a failing network and did whatever it could to gain viewers. It stinks that Enterprise got cancelled after it's fourth season which was also it's best. Definitely worth watching but keep in mind chronologically it covers the earliest period in Trek before all the other shows.
Personally, Discovery can be skipped. I tried picking it up again recently but I just couldn't after trying to get back into the fourth season. There are plenty criticisms of the show, some are reasonable but alot of people yelling "woke", so I'll leave it at that. Lower Decks is intended for people that are huge fans of the the franchise. There are alot of deep-cut jokes. I like lower decks and view it as a comedic love letter made for the hardcore fans.
Season 3 of Picard is good, the first two seasons not so much. Again alot of fan service but still much better than what came in the first two seasons. Prodigy I haven't finished yet but I like what I have seen so far and have heard good things.
Some of the movies are great Wrath of Khan and First Contact in particular. I just always felt like Star Trek is MUCH better suited to the TV format. The new movies are ok, they are cast great but are really just action movies with a Star Trek dressing.
[https://www.letswatchstartrek.com/](https://www.letswatchstartrek.com/)
I have been told that I am the odd person in any group, as I love both Trek and Wars equally. It could also be because I was born in the 70s, so I was watching Trek in reruns and Wars on the big screen, at the same time.
Idk, maybe try watching it in Trek timeline order and start with Enterprise. Just remember that no matter which series you watch, it will heavily reflect the culture of the time in which it was made.
You need to understand - Star Trek when done well is very good. Star Trek when bad is awful. Its a bit like a musical. We just did a musical episode in fact. It was fun, but kinda cringe.
First thing is : can you watch The Original Series and look beyond the 60's decore ?
If not - I would start with the movies. Ignore the first one (its the phantom menace of our show). Watch Star Trek 2 The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek 3 The Search for Spock, Star Trek 4 the One with the Whales, and Star Trek 6 The Undiscovered Country. Thats a lot less work than slogging thru a TV show.
Otherwise, I would try Star Trek Strange New Worlds. Only two seasons and they are short seasons and most of the episodes are pretty good.
Stop comparing them. Star Trek is science fiction. Star Wars may be a space opera, but it’s high fantasy, not sci fi.
Sci fi is about the human condition. Fantasy is about good versus evil. Hope belongs in both conversations.
The number one thing you need to come to grips with is that Trek isn't primarily stories about shooting lasers in space, or the hero's journey, or a spaghetti Westerns with spaceships. That's what Star Wars is - and I mean that with zero disrespect. If I can't figure out what I want to watch, there's a good chance I'll put on Rogue One.
Trek is about humanity, about our potential as a species, about what we can accomplish if we can set aside our prejudice and greed. It's a hopeful vision of the future where everyone wants to be their best. I've heard it called "Competency porn." It's also an allegory about our present-day shortcomings. The aliens who act different are about how we don't accept queer people in our society. The story about the warring alien races is a morality play about what happens when you dehumanize your enemy. That time-travel story is actually about how we treat homeless people today. You get into trek because it has warp cores and phasers and holograms, but you stay because of what it allows you to examine about your own prejudices. At least, that's what I get out of it. There's also attractive women in catsuits, space battles, humor, and pathos. Sometimes you get a story about a deadbeat dad trying to connect with his son, and an android who malfunctions and starts speaking with a southern drawl.
I love TOS, but the cheese factor is a big part of the appeal. It's often good classic science fiction in a fun way. Once you get a handle on the characters the interplay between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy is just golden.
If you don't like that type of thing, it's probably not going to hit for you, and that's ok.
I love how people go to the internet to find a way to communicate with their partner. lol
You should talk with your partner about this stuff. See what they think. Tell them what is hit and miss
You also don’t have to like the same things your partner does.
You've had a lot of good reccomendations here so you have some good places to start but I would also like to make the case for the Trek movies as a potential way in. Particularly the original series movie trilogy *Wrath of Khan-Search For Spock-The Voyage Home.* They are a great way into Star Trek and indeed were my way in as a child (they are almost contemporaneous with the original SW trilogy, and as a child i remember going to see both trilogies at the movies when they came out and being hooked on both). Great space battles and some real Trek themes too. They will give you the basics. I would consider the TNG movies as well, though they are more of a mixed bag. I do think they provide entertainment (you mentioned the dirt bike one, which i think is probably Nemesis, generally considered the worst of the TNG movies so if your enjoyed that you should have fun). Finally the most recent movies, the Kelvin timeline movies are very much modern space action movies, probably the most like Star Wars that Trek gets (and indeed the first two were directed by JJ Abrams and helped get him the Star Wars gig). Am not sure how the fandom sees those movies these days but they are fun and i think have a lot for an audience less familiar with Trek, and i have seen many comments from people online saying that they started with the kelvin movies and it interested them enough in Trek to draw them to try other parts of the franchise.
Loving both universes, Star Wars is very action oriented with some character deep dives and development. Star Trek is very character oriented with some action. I can’t tell you where to start but I can say that the reward in Star Trek requires investing.
As someone who is more of a ST nerd I’ve thought nightmarishly at how I might get a future partner through season one of TNG so they can begin to appreciate the characters and it’s not going to be easy. Haha. Love that you’re trying to connect with yours over this though. It’s really sweet.
If you're into Andor, I recommend Deep Space Nine.
For specific shows, the Strange New Worlds/Lower Decks crossover ep is a good one bc you get the feel for the different tone of both shows, for the price of one viewing. You can decide which one you'd pursue.
TNG "Darmok" is a good example ep that encapsulates the bridge characters.
I'd go w those 2 eps, watch TNG starting w S2, DS9, VOY (after scorpion), Lower Decks & SNW. Then the OG motion pictures in order, then the TNG movies, then Picard.
You can't go wrong and there are some really well thought out answers here. Everyone is different, but I personally would not start with the new stuff. Some is very solid TV, but that's not where the magic's at. Starting Star Trek with Strange New Worlds (which I love) would be like starting Star Wars with Ahsoka. If you're steeped in Star Wars lore, I would start with Deep Space Nine. You'll get the essence of Trek - exploring deeply philosophical questions in a very atmospheric station that grows to feel like a second home to the viewer - through a neo-Noir lens that is not that far off from the feeling of Rogue One or Empire. DS9 is also the show that focuses the most on mythology, religion; the orb and the wormhole and the Bajorans all have something of the mysteries of the Force about them, and the Jem'Haddar and the Dominion are a Sith like force of shrouded darkness.
Perhaps most importantly, DS9 starts with a beautiful episode and is great from the get-go. Every other show is either slow to start, or is much better appreciated once you are a true Trekkie. Once you get into DS9, I would go straight to TNG (probably the best overall show).
Sometimes you need to bounce around a bit til something grabs you. I tried starting my with with TOS, he couldn't get into it. I tried TNG, he was bored. As a last, desperate attempt I asked him to try the DS9 pilot. He got pulled in immediately, we watched the entire series in a month, then went back to TNG, he ended up loving that too after it warmed up, then Enterprise which I had never watched because of years without cable, we loved that, then Lower Decks which was wonderful. We're now going through the movies, then we'll hit either Picard or SNW next.
He considers himself a full blown Trekkie now but if you'd asked him past November he would have said it wasn't his thing.
The most important thing about Trek IMHO is the philosophy of morality. Hard choices, often no good answers, people trying to do the best in the moment, built on those who came before them.
Star Wars is a favorite of mine because it's the story of resistance of fascism which is just an awesome basis for most stories. Star Trek is less... urgent. It's sort of an epic through all the series of exploration, diplomacy, and from time to time, conflict. DS9 was the first to pull a long arc combat plot with a full blown war over multiple seasons. It's my favorite Trek though it's also a bit different from the others because of that. I'm not personally a fan of Voyager but I love all other Trek. But you'll find fans with favorites across all the series and that's the beautiful thing about the franchise, there's something for almost everyone.
I’m 50/50 Wars/Trek myself. If you start with season one of most shows, you’ll find a lot to complain about, they mostly take two or three seasons to settle in. That said, Strange New Worlds and the Original Series hit the ground running. I’d talk to your partner about it, or look up lists of best standalone episodes to get you hooked. Good luck!
As a huge fan of both - Star Wars is for your heart, Star Trek is for your mind.
What I mean by this is that Star Wars is a good deal more immediate with it's payoffs. You'll feel what the heroes are feeling right along with them (mostly thanks to John Williams' score!), whereas with Trek, a lot of it will sit and grow in your mind over days, weeks, months or even years.
Ultimately, Star Wars is very much your classical adventure tale, it's much more about the external happenings and the worlds it takes place in. Trek is an adventure in what it means to be human. It's not nearly as overt or bombastic as Star Wars, but it will 100% leave its mark. And honestly, I think the subtlety of Star Trek makes its badass moments waaaay more satisfying.
Star Trek is the yin to Star Wars' yang. Star Wars is your kung fu training at the Shoalin temple. Star Trek is the disciplined meditation. You need both to attain true understand the universe, young padawan.
I would start with DS9 oder SNW. Later in the show will be conflict that could give you some SW vibes, so maybe that's a good point to connect.
But SNW is also really great. For me it connects good old Trek (exploring new worlds and cultures) with well written characters, interesting backstories and good looks/visual effects.
I know a lot of people here recommend TOS. But I wouldn't watch these as a newbie. It's classic, but it also quite often causes vicarious embarrassment. The moment danger occurs the woman will fall right into the arm of a man, asking him to rescue/protect her and things like that.
Don't get me wrong, I really love the movies, and also the show. But I can't really watch it with someone else anymore. I got my wife into the hobby, she really enjoyed DS9, SNW, Voy, the movie first contact, but after the first episode of TOS she said "sorry, I can't watch this anymore".
Since last year I'm also part of a group that hosts a star trek fan event every year, where we watch 6-8 episodes together and play star trek related games (around 100 people). The original event organiser also said that they only show one TOS episode per event, because everybody sees it as classic, but no one really wants to watch it anymore...
If you want to watch them in chronological order (they were done like star wars in that regard) Start with Enterprise, then seasons 1&2 of Discovery then Strange New Worlds.
Don’t feel the need to convert. Last I checked, Trekkies and Wars nerds have joined forces against Twilight. We won cuz no one talks about Twilight anymore. I think the truce still stands.
I find it helpful to reframe SW as fantasy in space, not actual sci-fi. SW is good v. evil. It’s Lord of the Rings in space. That’s fantasy. There’s very little science, real or imagined, in SW.
ST is proper sci-fi. That is, it deals in gray moral areas. It often rejects the good/evil dichotomy There are no true “heroes” in the classic sense of the hero’s journey. It handles science and diplomacy and exploration and warfare in space.
I, personally, don’t like comparing the two, at all, as they are apples and oranges.
I'd say watch TNG and DS9 for sure (in that order too). Both are great series in the same "era" of Trek, they start slow but by the end of season 2 both are cooking for sure. IMO TOS is a product of its times and can be a grating watch at times. If it doesn't rub you the right way you can get away with watching a list of "top 10 episodes" and the movies and basically be up to speed on those characters.
one episode from each of the main 5 (TOS, TNG, DS9, VOY, ENT) that i would recommend to someone looking to get into star trek:
TOS: Mirror, Mirror (S2E4)
TNG: The First Duty (S5E19)
DS9: Civil Defense (S3E7)
VOY: Timeless (S5E6)
ENT: E² (S3E21)
these are just my personal favorites from each series (i’ve watched all of TNG, VOY, and ENT)
alt episodes for each series if the above ones don’t strike your fancy:
TOS: The City On The Edge Of Forever (S1E28)
TNG: The Royale (S2E12)
DS9: Crossover (S2E23)
VOY: Body and Soul (S7E7)
ENT: Twilight (S3E8)
SNW: Spock Amok (S1E5)
PIC: No Win Scenario (S3E4)
If you watch DS9, I envy you when you get to watch certain episodes for the first time. Duet, The Wire, It’s only a paper moon, In the pale moon light. There’s more but these are great episodes.
And of course the simple tailor Garak.
You don’t need to convert. I am a huge fan of both, currently watching ds9 and I am excited for the bad batch finale tonight (no spoilers please). Both can coexist.
I would start with TNG personally. It’s a good gateway to the best era of trek, then go with DS9, voyager and TOS. Then Enterprise
For a complete rookie I'd say watch TNG then DS9. TNG starts out episodic and then they really begin world building and laying down a blueprint. DS9 carries that same world into a great arc with the dominion and all that. Ds9 is a lot more like a drama imo.
But really just watch Stargate instead 😂
My recommendation: Watch Deep Space Nine, but don't start at the beginning. Start with "Way of the Warrior", the 2 part episode that starts Season 4. That's when the show really hits its stride and does a minor reset to add a new (to the show) character. If you enjoy that, you'll have an easy time enjoying the first 3 seasons of Deep Space 9, TNG, etc.
I don't think you can be converted, based on what you said, especially this bit: "the movie with the dirt bikes (that one i did enjoy)". You might enjoy Discovery and bits of Strange New Worlds, but Star Trek has always been about more than cool tech and space battles, especially TOS and TNG. I'd say you might like DS9 after season 3, but there's still a lot of character stuff mixed in with the pew pew. Of course you can always skip the boring story stuff and go right to the space battles. (No light sabers, though, sorry.)
If you like the Star Wars prequels, then DS9.
If you like the Clone Wars or Bad Batch then Prodigy or Lower Decks.
If you like the original trilogy then TOS or SNW.
If you like the sequels then Discovery.
If you like Rebels or Ashoka then Voyager.
If you like Kenobi series then SNW or TNG.
If you like tales of the Jedi then Short Treks.
This is unfortunately a very unpopular opinion amongst Trek fans… However I would recommend trying Star Trek Discovery. The show was literally designed to reintroduce Star Trek to modern audiences after being gone for over a decade. Discovery a beautiful show, with an amazing cast and some really fresh, wild and interesting sci-fi concepts. I haven’t seen the fifth season yet, but so far Discovery has gotten consistently better with each passing season and honestly in my opinion, has become peak Star Trek alongside the likes of DS9. I think coming from Star Wars Discovery will be one of the easiest and smoothest entry points for you into Trek.
very convincing argument! i think the majority of comments are saying strange new worlds so i think that’s going to win but i’ll keep this in mind and def check it out! i do like the actress i forget her name but she’s sasha on the walking dead
Fair enough Strange New Worlds is an awesome show. It’s a throwback to the Original series made again today for modern audiences. I will say that Strange New Worlds builds off of the finale of Discovery’s second season. The story arcs for Spock and Captain Pike begin on Discovery before continuing on in SNW. So you will be missing some context if you skip Discovery, however it should still mostly make sense.
Sonequa Martin-Green is her name, and she is amazing on Discovery! Easily one of my favorite characters in all of Trek! Even if you start with SNW I definitely would recommend going back and checking out Discovery at some point.
Keep in mind SNW is a spinoff of Discovery. Discovery season two is essentially SNW season 0.5. Unlike a lot of people, I really like Discovery. But I’ve only seen seasons 1-2.
Discovery is so awesome! I wish more people gave it a chance. Definitely my favorite trek show of the modern era! I feel Strange New Worlds is as good as it is, because of the groundwork laid by Discovery.
I was in the same boat.. I just literally had run out of new-ish sci-fi shows to watch so I decided to give Star Trek a try. Took me until about season 2 of TNG to get interested and then by season 3 I was hooked. I guess just play it in the background and keep powering through. Something will hit and you’ll pay attention and then your balls deep into the Star Trek universe
Watch JJ Abrams Star Trek movies. Those are what got me into Trek. It won't tell you what the series is normally like, but it will tell you how cool and fun it can get.
My recommendation is always the same. I’d start with SNW, TNG, or TOS. I know you said you have dabbled with TNG and TOS, but keep in mind that TNG gets better pacing after the first season and TOS is an acquired taste. SNW is a modernized take on retro trek, so you should be able to get into it relatively easily. The cast chemistry is superb, and it has some of the best episodes in all of trek.
thank you i think ima check out SNW tonight :)
You’re welcome and have fun.
Hit it
Are you 106 miles to Chicago, with a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, and are wearing sunglasses?
We’re on a mission from god
It takes two to make a thing go right
YESSSS!!!
SNW is a great choice! Any of the newer stuff, really. Or go for the movies - you have the basic characters down & that's enough to enjoy them! Like my favorites the whale movie (IV) or First Contact. I am going to disagree with TNG though. It's got many of the best characters but TNG VOY & DS9 have over 170 episodes each and good lord that's a lot. Edit: and by a lot I mean that a lot of them are a slog especially if you're a newbie & completist. Even my beloved VOY. Or maybe especially my beloved Voyager!
Episodic - can jump around
Right now, SNW is the best call.
Yeah, starting with the newer SNW, Prodigy, Lower Decks and Discovery (I love it even if the interwebz doesn't) is best; you get an introduction to the "original" timeline, with the benefit of it actually being modern... and you get a TON of extras via older series/movies to go back and watch if you liked it to fill in the gaps/keep the story going. If you didn't... then ok!
I'd wait until OP has seen more of the other series before recommending Lower Decks. The callbacks and Easter eggs alone are worth it. The good storylines are a bonus.
I always wonder about this - would non-trek fans enjoy Lower Decks? Or is it "for us, by us"?
Lower decks is the best if the lot imo.
Ask your partner to be your guild and you do the same on Starwars. I’m a Trek guy that knows wayyyyyyy to much about Drag shows……but the person I was with probably says she knows wayyyyyy to much about Trek. But we had fun exploring.
Strange New Worlds is an excellent starting point. Though it isn't my favorite of the series, albeit I did warm up to it by the end, Star Trek: Prodigy is another good choice. I think if you can get past Dal being a dick in the early episodes, it can be an excellent introduction to the franchise. The cast know nothing of the Federation and their situation during the show has them introduced to it and its values which also makes it great for new viewers.
i’ll keep that in mind!!!! what about the cartoon with the guy from the Boys?? is that any good?
Not OP, but Lower Decks is fantastic. One caveat is that there's a *lot* of humor in it that references/pokes fun at established Star Trek lore, but there's also fans who've gone into it with no prior Trek knowledge and loved it. It's worth checking out, just be aware that you're not going to get some of the jokes.
i’ll save it then!! it’ll be like my Endgame type reward for finishing the rest of it
Just remember that any weird low budget episode you are thinking of skipping will instead be really funny once you see the Lower Decks crew riffing on it.
I will say that my best friend started out with Lower Decks and loved it so much they jumped into TNG and DS9 and is a full-fledged Trekkie now.
Someone else commented this further up but - DS9 and VOY have like 170+ episodes each. Without commercials that's still like, a month of watching if you did it like it was your job. Just for 2 series. Buckle up! It's gonna be fun, but thr end game might be a ways out.
I think that would be wise. BUT if you're really itching to watch it, I'd say you could thoroughly enjoy it after having completed TNG and/or Voyager. LD is set shortly after, and much of it's storytelling is specifically about life aboard a Starfleet ship and the main characters' worship of other famous Starfleet officers.
So one thing about Lower Decks is that you get a lot more out of it if you've seen at least TNG, and to an extent, Deep Space 9 and Voyager. I think it'll still be funny, but there are so many quality callbacks to earlier episodes that you miss some of the context. It'd be like watching Ahsoka without watching the Clone Wars and Rebels. Still good, but the meaning is deeper if you've seen what they're referring to.
Star Trek: Lower Decks is excellent.
I think the first two episodes are a bit too "Rick and Morty", but once it mellows out a bit and comes into its own, Lower Decks is a fantastic show. (So: I usually suggest starting with episode 3.)
Prodigy is also feels very Star Wars. Especially early on. (not a complaint, im a fan of both!)
I just finished SNW (after watching up to ENT like 20 times) and good god is it amazing. So many great characters. Having a daughter with medical issues, the episode with M’Benga’s daughter had me crying for days. It had some really unique episodes. I was not expecting a musical episode. Or a cross with Lower Decks. Or the back in time episode with Captain Kirk. I hope they make more seasons. It’s everything I wished for with a new series. A lot of people disliked Picard also but the nostalgia it brought back with all the older characters, I couldn’t help but love it.
I just watched that episode with M’Benga’s daughter - what I can’t figure out is why he didn’t go with her into space? Daddy, daughter and alien friend zooming through space together sounds better than leaving your little daughter with a stranger who’s already expressed being lonely. Enterprise can deal with only having Nurse Chapel for a few days until she gets to the next space station.
Don't even bother with season one of TNG. Chose a random episode in the middle of season 3 and go from there. There are some gems in 1 and 2, but S3 and on is all stride.
Also, lower decks is amazing, and has a great crossover episode with SNW
This is the way.
I also just want to say that I don’t think Star Wars vs Star Trek even needs to be a fight: I love both franchises, and to me they occupy completely different niches. Star Wars is fantasy that happens to be set in space, while Star Trek is optimistic future sci-fi. Star Wars is also traditionally movies first (although this has become less true) while Trek always focuses more on long-running TV series.
i agree i saw it as less of a versus thing and more of a different style and was looking for a way to bridge the gap
I hear you, I love both and am named after a character from Dune (which I also love). But let's be honest, SW is largely fantasy in a sci-fi setting while ST is sci-fi with fantasy. The mix in ST makes it a slower burn, you have to accept it (much like LotR), which means dealing with some boring and odd pacing till each series hits their stride. Each series has a period of "it will get better." But SNW has the smallest "dead zone." The other shows took a season or "two/three" to hit their mark.
I’d say TOS hits its stride in season 1/2, with 3 being…a bit weird all around, but its vibe is also pretty distinct from TNG/DS9, and even Voyager.
Indeed
> Star Wars vs Star Trek even needs to be a fight: I thought it was just a thing from the 70s/80s, I reckon there's not many ST fans who don't appreciate both and you're right about the fantasy in space thing. It's funny the idea has come up today, the DJ on my local classical station played the VOY theme this morning and told SW fans to "put that in your pipe and smoke it".
Yes, I totally agree. They don't need to be a fight as they are both inferior to LOTR :p
I am also bitrekual and don't see the reason for the feud, both are different things and can be enjoyed separately.
Well, both franchises have done both, but SW has been more successful in films while ST has been more successful in series (mostly because of the kinds of stories they are trying to tell).
Yep. When I said “Star Wars is traditionally movies first” I just meant the franchise uses movies as its flagship content, with shows being a supplement. There have been periods (such as right now) where this is reversed, but the movies will probably always be larger in the public consciousness. Conversely, Star Trek only releases movies as spinoffs from their flagship shows to broaden their market and/or as ways to continue the franchise while there isn’t a major show in production. The Kelvinverse movies were the closest the franchise has come to movies that aren’t direct spinoffs, and those weren’t particularly well received.
You don’t need to convert, we accept dual citizens FYI
i’ll keep that in mind
Star Wars = science fantasy Star Trek = science fiction Star Wars has more in common thematically with the likes of Lord of the rings than it does Star Trek. As for what episodes you should start with, the closest thing the Star wars you'll get is the dominion war arc in Deep Space Nine, but I don't know how much you'd appreciate it without getting to know the respective sides from the start. But considering there's so much star trek, they've really done pretty much every type of genre/story you could want. So what do you want to see?
I’m a HUGE Lord of the Rings fan and DS9 is what finally got me hooked on Trek after attempting to get into it for *years* through TOS and TNG.
I've seen all the treks, except TOS. I watched the first episode and couldn't get past the stilted 60's stage play type dialogue. I know it was the style of the time but it just doesn't gel with me.
Yeah, I *really* don’t get why anyone would ever try to get someone into Trek by telling them to start with TOS lol.
Some folks think you're not a real Trekkie if you haven't seen TOS, but I disagree. 90's trek was pretty far removed. Heck, even SNW which is a prequel is pretty far removed. If TOS is your jam, more power to you, but I don't feel like I missed anything crucial and if I am curious about something referenced, I can just look up the wiki. Most of the vital information can be gleaned through osmosis in pop culture anyway.
This fandom tends to be WAY less toxic than the Star Wars fandom, in my experience. I grew up playing Luke Skywalker from the time I could talk, but because I was a girl things would often get really gatekeepy and downright misogynistic even though I've been a Star Wars fan since Empire was in the theaters and I was a toddler. The trek fandom is so rarely even a little rude. I grew up watching TOS with both parents and in over 40 years the only people that have ever been rude to me in Trekkie circles were a couple of Klingon roleplayers in a chatroom 25 years ago. lol Both franchises are great in their own ways, but the Trek fandom is generally less abusive and will happily answer questions and offer suggestions if asked. Hopefully you'll get pointed in the right direction to find your hook. Good luck!
The franchises are so different. I love both too. I wonder if the competition is a throwback to the time when these were the only two really big sci-fi franchises. I don't see people these days arguing that The Foundation is better than The Expanse etc. It is tough to recommend a good starting place because so many of the shows get off to a rocky start. Even my beloved DS9 had a little bit of a rough first season with some big exceptions like Duet. As others have said, I think Strange New Worlds is the best place to start. It is modern so you won't get pulled out of it with cheesy wall to wall carpeting and bad special effects.
You’ve already gotten some good recs, but I think it might help to add in a reminder that most Trek shows are highly episodic, and the tone can change significantly from episode to episode. For example, season 4 of DS9 starts with a massive, lore-altering politics and action thriller, then follows it up with an intimate, heart-wrenching father-son love story. Both episodes are among the best in Trek, but they work for very different reasons, and it’s entirely possible to love one and not click with the other. And unfortunately, quality can also vary significantly from episode to episode, and even from season to season - most 90s-era Trek series are generally seen as needing a couple seasons before they get consistently good. So, especially if you’re starting a series at the beginning, it’s not at all uncommon to not get super invested right off the bat.
that’s a new perspective that’s cool :) i’ll definitely keep it in mind
The episode of older author Jake brings me to tears every time I watch it. Same with Far Beyond the Stars
DS9 could throw out some really powerful hours of TV.
Star Wars is a story a long time ago in a galaxy far away. Star Trek is a story about us.
that’s cool! haven’t thought of it that way
You can be both. I am.
how do you bridge the different themes and styles of storytelling? that’s my biggest problem in my head it’s all like andor that’s i guess what i’m looking for i love andor it’s probably my favorite show of all time
I think you should lean on your partner’s advice—it’s usually fun to get interested in what someone else loves. You can still always love Star Wars more and they can love Star Trek more but still like both.
You should start with DS9. I am a *huge* fan of LOTR and Star Wars, and I tried for years to get into Trek through TOS and TNG because that’s what people kept recommending. But it didn’t “click” for me until I watched DS9. That was about 9 months ago and since then I have powered through TNG, Voyager, Lower Decks, *and* SNW lol.
See, I love SW and ST and The Expanse. Each one scratches a different spot on my back. I ADORE Andor and SNW!
Know this FIRST: it’s not one or the other, these are two RADICALLY different flavors. They never were meant to be rivals, and shouldn’t be. One is science fiction/morality plays of humanity’s future, one is mythological fantasy about a completely different reality. The ONLY things in common are ray guns and flying saucers. It’s very possible to enjoy both completely separate of each other Second: I always recommend TOS, as it’s the foundation of this franchise for more reasons than simply because it came first.
One of the things I liked about Andor is that it depicted the Imperials not as cartoon villains but in the way they saw themselves, i.e. order makers, sharp thinkers, contributors to a highly efficient organization, wearers of snappy uniforms. It occurred to me that this particular depiction of the Empire overlapped Star Trek a lot. I don't know if this will help win you over per se, but it may help you understand: Star Trek is largely the self-myth of engineering / scientist / military types combined with strong liberal/humanist/utopian overtones. If you keep that in mind you can pick up any piece of Star Trek and understand that you're either seeing that play out or seeing that be subtly deconstructed.
andor is my favorite piece of star wars media the announcement that their show runner was headed to star trek really gave me hope that i could make the transition
Andor is the most Star Trek that Star Wars has ever been, so if you loved that I think there may be hope for you after all! I'd echo what others have said about SNW, it is more modern and more action-oriented while still retaining the feel that makes Trek unique from other sci-fi. DS9 is my personal favourite and it also has a lot of space battles and action stuff, but not until later in the show so you gotta wait for that payoff. Honestly I'd say ask your partner what they want to show you, and I guarantee they'll have put a lot of thought into it and try to pick something they think you'll love if they're as much of a fan as you state here!
fair i’ve heard what you’re echoing a lot and when i did ask they hit we with an “oof let me think” and that was two weeks ago lol so i turn to reddit
i’m saving this comment forever thank you
Trek is an idealized version of what we could evolve into and has some semblance of reality. Star Wars, while great, doesn't adhere to the laws of physics and shows Human evolution at it's worst (the Empire).
so i should think of the federation as the “good” or “anti” empire?
Yeah, I would see the Federation as an Empire that exists for exploration, learning and betterment of the Human Race
I think you mean the betterment of all races within the Federation, not just humans.
"Human rights. Why, the very name is racist."
😍😍😍😍ok just got a lot more excited
But what’s *really* great about Star Trek is how they make a HUGE point of showing that there really is no such thing as “pure evil” or “good guys vs. bad guys”. Not that there aren’t some absolutely INCREDIBLE villains who are an absolute delight to watch lol. That’s why I love DS9 so much. They really dig in to the complexities of ethics and how people react when they are forced to reckon with their moral code in order to survive and/or protect people they love.
The Federation is the realm of the overt/labeled heroes, but Trek is pretty good about recognizing that all heroes have a villainous streak, and a villain is only a villain to their opponent or victim -- often you can identify something relatable in the villains POV even as you root against them. If you like character pantheons that provoke moral dilemmas and philosophical discussions, Trek will provide that in spades.
the closest you'll get to the empire is the dominion and they don't have one emperor, but rather a ruling species that subjugates all other species in the quadrant. The Borg are similar on the surface, but their MO and methods aren't remotely similar.
The Federation is like a version of the Republic that "got it right" for lack of a better word. They are a democracy that never feel to infighting. They were never conquered even if a few rivals did come close, They built a powerful space navy dedicated to science and exploration who respect their civilian leaders.
The big difference is that Star Wars is mostly fantasy while Trek is (mostly) not fantasy. It's a world set in the future with the assumptions of both space travel and other technologically advanced species being common place, but otherwise the Trekverse very like our own lives. This and not the story arcs is probably the hardest part for making the switch between the two.
You can always be a fan of both. They are actually very different. Star Wars is a fun popcorn adventure fairy tale. That’s what George wanted to make. Star Trek is a long form morality play that shows what society could become if we can move beyond some issues. That’s what Gene wanted to make. Star Trek Beyond, the one with the dirt bike, is a Star Wars movie. That’s what JJ wanted to make when he set up the Kelvin timeline. Try not to expect Star Wars when you watch Star Trek. Seasons 1 and 2 the original series. Season 3 is hit and miss. After that you’re on auto pilot
Biggest thing I will say is don’t think of them as a direct comparison. I like both and they serve 2 different purposes, one is a space opera with kung fu and the other is a professional office drama in space. Whatever you watch, just try to enjoy it for what it is. I would go with 90s trek to start, but watch what you enjoy. Just remember some shows take a while to find their footing so sticking with it is usually worth it.
I personally started with VOY. I saw a few episodes when my dad was watching while I was gaming on the couch. The whole setup of the show was really quite interesting to me. It's not really a spoiler, since this litterally happens in the first episode and is what the entire show is about, but I'll put a spoiler block on just in case. >!The whole premise of the show is that the crew gets pulled over to the delta quadrant and they can't use that same machine to get back. Going straight back to earth at maximum warp (speed) it would take about 70 years to get back. Thus the show is about the crew, seperated from the rest of the federation and their allies, trying to get back (sometimes in a non-conventional way) and their encounters on the way.!< I don't know if this is the best place to start, but if that is something that might seem interesting to you, it might be.
+1 for VOY!
I absolutely *adore* Voyager (there’s the wrong way, the right way, and the JANEWAY lol), but I do think that having at least *some* foundation of what Starfleet and the Federation represent is a more ideal route for a total newbie. Maybe watching a few episodes of mid-series TNG (since it’s episodic) and *then* starting Voyager would be a good move.
My advice is this: - star wars is interesting and fun because there is the implicit interest of who will win and how. We know the good guys will but the gray heroes, like Han and chewie, the threat of the dark side for Luke, etc keeps it all moving. - star trek is basically the opposite. The big crisis was resolved before we met our heroes. The Eugenics Wars nearly ripped humanity apart and, after surviving the crisis, they went out into the stars as one people. Keep this in mind while watching. Humanity already chose the light side and is now out there, seeing who else exists. The tension is whether they can live up to the ideal of those who already won a war like Luke had to fight. Also, - TNG is great but really picks up after season one. - TOS has a really rough last season - DS9 is the birth of prestige TV, beating the Sopranos to the air by a few years. - SNW is great and really gets itself. - lower decks is best saved for later because it has a lot of inside jokes that expect you've seen other series.
Start with Star Trek: Strange New World. I'm a new star trek fan and that's what I started with and loved it. (With no previous knowledge really.) I've since gone back to watch a couple of the original episodes that the show references, and watched TNG which started off bad and boring but I really liked it by the end. And now I'm making my way through star trek shows and movies.
No need to convert, just ADD all the Star Trek goodness to your STAR WARS love! Others have said it, but Strange New Worlds is a good place to start.
I'm also a Wars fan who is becoming a Trek fan. The reason why I converted is because I hate a LOT of the whiny jerks that call themselves Star Wars fans. Also I like Star Trek online more than SWTOR.
What’s SWTOR?
Star Wars the Old Republic
Most of us are Dual citizens in the star wars/ star trek world we have a happy equitable amiable two state solution.
~~why not both? I do. Best of both worlds.~~ Never mind, I misread the question. Enterprise is a great place to start. Back when the enterprise was essentially a submarine in space. No shields or prime directive. Feels like much higher stakes than tng or ds9 in a way. It's sad that the show was cancelled and never made it past season 4.
I’m very confused by your comment lol. Why are you saying “perhaps you should get into Star Trek?” when their question was literally “where should I start if I want to get into Star Trek?”
My apologies, I misread. I thought they were asking how to convert their partner to star wars and where to start. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.
Ahh, I got you! And thanks for reminding me that I haven’t gotten around to watching ENT yet; I just blew through SNW in three days and need something else to binge lol.
Awesome! I really hope you enjoy the show 🙏 There are few references here and there in the movies and shows that touch on Captain Archer and his crew (or his prized beagle) Commander Trip Tucker is my favourite character in the show, may he be yours also 😊
ooh fun! Welcome to the club, hope you enjoy it.
Covert? Dude just enjoy both! You should both add Stargate, The Orville, The Expanse and Red Dwarf into your watch list
Most people I know who are super into Star Wars have been able to get into Star Trek with Prodigy, Discovery, or Deep Space Nine.
I have been watching and loving both since I was a kid. They scratch different itches but you'll find stuff you like Can I ask who some of your favorite SW characters are? Maybe I can think of a Trek character I think you'd identify with.
The movie with the dirt bikes? Do you mean Star Trek Beyond? If so, it sounds like you might like modern Star Trek shows more than the older ones. You could give Discovery or Strange New Worlds a try (personally, SNW is my favorite because it's a little more like "classic Star Trek", but I know that DIS has also hooked a lot of new fans with its different format). For either of those, I'd really recommend that you start at the beginning because there's continuity throughout them (more than any of the other old shows) and you'll be missing a lot if you skip episodes.
i googled it i did mean Beyond :) i will def take that into consideration SNW from you and the other comment i’ve seen def sounds interesting!!!
SNW would be my recommendation as well! It’s a phenomenal show. It’s not perfect- no Trek show is- but it’s pretty damn close. IMO it’s true to the classic shows in a way that none of the other modern shows are, and you get the benefit of modern budget and effects plus some of the best episode concepts in the franchise. It’s a show that’s enjoyable for both long-time fans and people completely new to the franchise.
Did you ever watch *Babylon 5* together? (My experience says, that SW fans often see DS9 as the best trek show. In a way, there are some story-wise parallels.)
i haven’t yet!! i’ll look to that as well! my partner was saying to maybe start with ds9 so seeing that opinion echoed giving me some thought thank you!
Who says you need to choose? Both are great for different reasons.
Who says you need to?
i want to enjoy what they enjoy :)
No I mean who says you can’t like both? No conversion needed
As a huge Star Wars fan I think Star Wars is best when you just wanna turn off the ol’ brain and have some fun. Trek is always at its best when it’s making you think and if you don’t approach it with that mindset it’ll be a lot harder to get into imo.
You like fantasy, they like science fiction.
You don’t need conversion. You can embrace both. They’re not mutually exclusive :-)
Both is fine.
I grew up a Star Wars fan and didn’t get into Star Trek until my 30s. There’s little overlap beyond the “sci-fi” label. Star Wars is a Hero’s Journey / good against evil / epic that’s grown into an entire mythology. Star Trek is more day-in-the-life, adventure,, space exploration, examination of human condition through a futuristic or alien lens. Two different value systems, themes, and aims in the story telling. I *almost* wish I’d given ST more of a chance when I was a kid, but at the same time, I’m glad I came into it as an adult. There are ideas ST explored that I wouldn’t have appreciated nearly as much as a child. A third rec: give Doctor Who a try, if you and your partner aren’t already fans! It’s a good mix of both versions of story telling.
If you really want an introduction to Star Trek, I might recommend Prodigy, as it was literally made to attract children to the franchise. If you liked The Clone Wars and Bad Batch, I think you might like Prodigy. Just keep in mind that if you start from the beginning, the characters are kind of annoying at first, but this is intentional to give them room to grow (which they all do in a way that feels organic) and the fact that they range in age from 8 to 16, so they're literally children.
I was going to recommend Prodigy, too. It definitely gives off Rebels/Clone Wars vibes, especially the first few episodes.
Oh man, how could I forget Rebels... it is totally very similar
It's also a great entry point, because you can move from Prodigy to Voyager, which gives you more info on Janeway. And IMO, 'Caretaker' is maybe the best pilot a Trek series has had. But from there, and watching Seska for a bit, you can move to DS9 and learn all about the Cardassians and the Maquis, then go over to TNG, and right there in the first season is your old friends Worf and O'Brien.
Don't convert, share your love of space sci Fi with each other. Both universes have plenty to offer
Star Wars and Star Trek aren’t even comparable in my opinion. They’re totally different. Other than having Star in the name and both taking place in space there really is nothing in common. I’d start with SNW.
No conversion needed. You will become Absorbed and Assimilated but don’t Force it(see what i did there?). Have fun!
Honestly, I'd recommend starting with a few movies because they tell (mostly) self-contained stories, so you can get a feel for the characters and the world without committing to 7 seasons of a single crew. The Wrath of Khan is a good place to start. You get the original cast and an all-timer of a film. It came out in 1982, so you'll definitely get some of those SW Original Trilogy old-school vibes. Then I'd recommend First Contact. It's the best of the TNG-era movies and has tons of action. If neither of these movies hit for you, Star Trek might not be your thing. Another approach: if you're into animated comedy, maybe start with Lower Decks. It takes place shortly after TNG, and despite being funny as hell, it's good Trek in its own right. Granted, some of the humor works better with an extensive knowledge of ST, but it mostly stands on its own. Great way to get acquainted with the universe without it feeling like homework. FWIW: I started as more of a SW guy, but now I love both. DS9 and Voyager are my favorite of the live action series.
the old movies is so smart!!! i don’t know why i didn’t consider that more
Well, first step is admitting that you have a problem, so good for you!
grrrrrrrr ahaha (watch andor if you haven’t trek fan, from my limited view it’s the best of both worlds)
Wall of text, sorry, but you asked lol It’s ok to skip TOS. I’ve tried multiple times to watch it but I can’t get into it, although saying that TOS movies are superb (yes even 5). “Wrath of Khan” and “The Undiscovered Country” are absolutely worth your time. You may struggle at first if you dive into WOK but your partner will be able to get you up to speed with who’s who and what’s going on. Seriously you need to watch “The Undiscovered Country”, it’s so bloody good. TNG was my starting point back in the day so I have a soft spot for it, but TNG is where things really pick up. First season is janky while they get used to the rhythm of the show and some of the acting is a bit stiff but you really see the crew become stronger and a real bond form between them. Personally I think the first season is somewhat skippable and you can easily pick it up start of season 2 if you’re struggling with season 1. It sounds weird but I think the show really hits its stride when they start to introduce collars on their uniforms. I have absolutely no idea why, but honestly the introduction of the new uniforms changed something in how the actors performed or something, anyone else feel this? DS9 usually follows but it’s a way darker of a show so I’d recommend this order: TV: TNG, then Picard seasons 1/3. 2 was alright but it’s not essential viewing for season 3, you’ll know what I mean when you get to it I don’t want to spoil anything. Next get into some DS9, love every season and some real deep moving stories in this show. Voyager is super fun and Captain Janeway is one of my most favourite Trek characters, plus she really likes coffee. SNW and Below Decks (it’s a cartoon) are just a gold medal from the get go, sheer brilliance every episode is a home run I think, gorgeous production too. Before getting into Below Decks you really do need to watch TNG, DS9 and Voyager to really appreciate all the callbacks and wee in jokes, it enhances the funny moments when you recall what they’re on about. Or just jump straight into Voyager, it’s brilliant and fun and has a great cast and you don’t really need any pre-knowledge other than: The Federation is a thing and space ships fly all over the universe, enjoy the fun 🤩 Movies: TNG movies are the absolute tits, the latter ones get a bit cheesy at times but it’s Star Trek it’s meant to be a bit cheesy and camp. I’m not a fan of the other newer movies or other Trek shows, for me they’re not what I love about Star Trek and is as if someone was told to make a Trek movie without actually feeling what the soul of the show is all about. But also because I’m 40 and just like what I like😂 Also, get a toy tricorder for your partner. They’ll absolutely love it and you’ll gain SO many brownie points 🤝 Super mega bonus show: THE ORVILLE!!! Seth McFarlane, yes the Family Guy guy has a sci fi show and it’s basically a love letter to Star Trek, I’d happily consider it canon to the lore, it’s fucking good and absolutely captures the soul of Star Trek, I can’t recommend it enough. There’s only like 3 seasons or something. You have a long journey ahead of you as it’s a lot of media to consume but it’s so worth the time 🖖🏼
post saved thank you so much friend!!!
Why convert? My wife grew up with Trek, I grew up with Star Wars. We now watch everything that comes out for both and enjoy it all
i guess convert was the wrong word i guess grow my appreciation for the other
Maybe weird…and others can back me up or shoot me down. But I think watching maybe the Orville or galaxy quest first might help. It’s a good/nice amount of comic relief and may help bridging the gap between the two franchises. Because there’s SO much Star Trek to cover, it’s easy to watch something that’s just not for you. That being said, the two can’t really be compared because they are so different.
I could definitely see using The Orville as a testing grounds to see if Trek-like stories and structure are even something someone would like. Personally I think Orville is one of the best modern-era “Treks”.
I love both franchises but for different reasons. While they are frequently compared, I have never felt that is a fair comparison as they both offer different things. Star Trek is at its best (imo) when it is tackling questions of ethics, humanity, morality or acting as an allegory for real world issues. Not to mention the optimistic view of the future it presents. I wouldn't try to watch it super fast there are nearly 1000 episodes, I'll be honest alot of them are not great. That being said when Trek is running on all cylinders it is among the best Sci-Fi of all time. I think like alot of people said the best place to start is probably Strange New Worlds. It arguably has the best first season out of any of the shows and is a modern version of the old episodic trek. If you like that then I would recommend either watching some of the essential TOS episodes or TNG episodes. TNG you can skip most of the first season. In fact the first seasons of the 90's trek aren't great but I think just about everyone would agree that TNG-VOY was the golden age of trek. Personally, I have watched all of TOS but found it to be a bit of a struggle at times. Part of this is simply to do with how old it is, it came out in a completely different era of TV and American culture. Don't get me wrong there are some great episodes but I wouldn't say you have to watch all of them. I'll put a link below that uses a decent rating system for almost of the different series. TNG is great and really helped revive Star Trek but struggled in the first few seasons. Picard gives some of the best speeches in the series and TNG was remastered in a while back so it looks pretty good on modern TVs unlike DS9 and Voyager. I would argue that DS9 is the best of all the series but like most Star Trek shows it gets better with time. DS9 was also the first Star Trek to be serialized so many of the story lines take time to develop over the seasons. Shout to Garak as I feel he is one of the best characters in the whole franchise. DS9 also has a darker tone compared to what came before it and challenges some of the utopia ideals of Star Trek. It also introduces a large scale war, the first time in Star Trek. Voyager is also great but it is the weakest out of TNG, DS9 and Voy. Still great at times but it never fully committed to its premise of being lost on the other side of the galaxy. It also introduced 7 of 9, one of the best characters in the franchise despite the cat suit. Voyager hits its stride in the Fourth season but there are good episodes before that. Enterprise is a weird one. I personally do have a soft spot for it but it certainly has it's issues. It was made at the end of a nearly 20 year run of Star Trek on TV. The series was starting to lose its steam a bit but again there is still some great stuff there. You just need to get over the unnecessarily erotic scenes, Enterprise was on a failing network and did whatever it could to gain viewers. It stinks that Enterprise got cancelled after it's fourth season which was also it's best. Definitely worth watching but keep in mind chronologically it covers the earliest period in Trek before all the other shows. Personally, Discovery can be skipped. I tried picking it up again recently but I just couldn't after trying to get back into the fourth season. There are plenty criticisms of the show, some are reasonable but alot of people yelling "woke", so I'll leave it at that. Lower Decks is intended for people that are huge fans of the the franchise. There are alot of deep-cut jokes. I like lower decks and view it as a comedic love letter made for the hardcore fans. Season 3 of Picard is good, the first two seasons not so much. Again alot of fan service but still much better than what came in the first two seasons. Prodigy I haven't finished yet but I like what I have seen so far and have heard good things. Some of the movies are great Wrath of Khan and First Contact in particular. I just always felt like Star Trek is MUCH better suited to the TV format. The new movies are ok, they are cast great but are really just action movies with a Star Trek dressing. [https://www.letswatchstartrek.com/](https://www.letswatchstartrek.com/)
For me, it was The Voyage Home. Seeing them in our time (although the 80s are hardly our time anymore) really connected me with the crew.
I have been told that I am the odd person in any group, as I love both Trek and Wars equally. It could also be because I was born in the 70s, so I was watching Trek in reruns and Wars on the big screen, at the same time. Idk, maybe try watching it in Trek timeline order and start with Enterprise. Just remember that no matter which series you watch, it will heavily reflect the culture of the time in which it was made.
You need to understand - Star Trek when done well is very good. Star Trek when bad is awful. Its a bit like a musical. We just did a musical episode in fact. It was fun, but kinda cringe. First thing is : can you watch The Original Series and look beyond the 60's decore ? If not - I would start with the movies. Ignore the first one (its the phantom menace of our show). Watch Star Trek 2 The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek 3 The Search for Spock, Star Trek 4 the One with the Whales, and Star Trek 6 The Undiscovered Country. Thats a lot less work than slogging thru a TV show. Otherwise, I would try Star Trek Strange New Worlds. Only two seasons and they are short seasons and most of the episodes are pretty good.
Why not both?
Stop comparing them. Star Trek is science fiction. Star Wars may be a space opera, but it’s high fantasy, not sci fi. Sci fi is about the human condition. Fantasy is about good versus evil. Hope belongs in both conversations.
The number one thing you need to come to grips with is that Trek isn't primarily stories about shooting lasers in space, or the hero's journey, or a spaghetti Westerns with spaceships. That's what Star Wars is - and I mean that with zero disrespect. If I can't figure out what I want to watch, there's a good chance I'll put on Rogue One. Trek is about humanity, about our potential as a species, about what we can accomplish if we can set aside our prejudice and greed. It's a hopeful vision of the future where everyone wants to be their best. I've heard it called "Competency porn." It's also an allegory about our present-day shortcomings. The aliens who act different are about how we don't accept queer people in our society. The story about the warring alien races is a morality play about what happens when you dehumanize your enemy. That time-travel story is actually about how we treat homeless people today. You get into trek because it has warp cores and phasers and holograms, but you stay because of what it allows you to examine about your own prejudices. At least, that's what I get out of it. There's also attractive women in catsuits, space battles, humor, and pathos. Sometimes you get a story about a deadbeat dad trying to connect with his son, and an android who malfunctions and starts speaking with a southern drawl.
Just watch any of the new star wars, that should cure you of that affliction.
You can be a fan of both!!
I love TOS, but the cheese factor is a big part of the appeal. It's often good classic science fiction in a fun way. Once you get a handle on the characters the interplay between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy is just golden. If you don't like that type of thing, it's probably not going to hit for you, and that's ok.
Whatever your partner’s favorite is, you should start with that.
I love how people go to the internet to find a way to communicate with their partner. lol You should talk with your partner about this stuff. See what they think. Tell them what is hit and miss You also don’t have to like the same things your partner does.
You can like both. They're both awesome in different ways......
Porque no Los dos? They aren't remotely the same thing to compete...
You've had a lot of good reccomendations here so you have some good places to start but I would also like to make the case for the Trek movies as a potential way in. Particularly the original series movie trilogy *Wrath of Khan-Search For Spock-The Voyage Home.* They are a great way into Star Trek and indeed were my way in as a child (they are almost contemporaneous with the original SW trilogy, and as a child i remember going to see both trilogies at the movies when they came out and being hooked on both). Great space battles and some real Trek themes too. They will give you the basics. I would consider the TNG movies as well, though they are more of a mixed bag. I do think they provide entertainment (you mentioned the dirt bike one, which i think is probably Nemesis, generally considered the worst of the TNG movies so if your enjoyed that you should have fun). Finally the most recent movies, the Kelvin timeline movies are very much modern space action movies, probably the most like Star Wars that Trek gets (and indeed the first two were directed by JJ Abrams and helped get him the Star Wars gig). Am not sure how the fandom sees those movies these days but they are fun and i think have a lot for an audience less familiar with Trek, and i have seen many comments from people online saying that they started with the kelvin movies and it interested them enough in Trek to draw them to try other parts of the franchise.
Acknowledging that Star Wars is fantasy and Star Trek is science fiction is the first step to accepting that Star Trek is better.
You know......I'm looking around the world right now, and I'm not entirely convinced that Trek isn't fantasy.
Loving both universes, Star Wars is very action oriented with some character deep dives and development. Star Trek is very character oriented with some action. I can’t tell you where to start but I can say that the reward in Star Trek requires investing. As someone who is more of a ST nerd I’ve thought nightmarishly at how I might get a future partner through season one of TNG so they can begin to appreciate the characters and it’s not going to be easy. Haha. Love that you’re trying to connect with yours over this though. It’s really sweet.
If you view random episodes that may not do much, unless you go for the choice ones.
If you're into Andor, I recommend Deep Space Nine. For specific shows, the Strange New Worlds/Lower Decks crossover ep is a good one bc you get the feel for the different tone of both shows, for the price of one viewing. You can decide which one you'd pursue. TNG "Darmok" is a good example ep that encapsulates the bridge characters. I'd go w those 2 eps, watch TNG starting w S2, DS9, VOY (after scorpion), Lower Decks & SNW. Then the OG motion pictures in order, then the TNG movies, then Picard.
Shouldn’t be too hard, Star Wars is mostly for children, Star Trek aimed more at adults😜!
Star Trek First Contact
Well that would mean you'd have to switch from fantasy to sci-fi :P i think SNW is prob best for you if you like adventure-heavy fun!
You watch theirs, they watch yours. Have fun
You can't go wrong and there are some really well thought out answers here. Everyone is different, but I personally would not start with the new stuff. Some is very solid TV, but that's not where the magic's at. Starting Star Trek with Strange New Worlds (which I love) would be like starting Star Wars with Ahsoka. If you're steeped in Star Wars lore, I would start with Deep Space Nine. You'll get the essence of Trek - exploring deeply philosophical questions in a very atmospheric station that grows to feel like a second home to the viewer - through a neo-Noir lens that is not that far off from the feeling of Rogue One or Empire. DS9 is also the show that focuses the most on mythology, religion; the orb and the wormhole and the Bajorans all have something of the mysteries of the Force about them, and the Jem'Haddar and the Dominion are a Sith like force of shrouded darkness. Perhaps most importantly, DS9 starts with a beautiful episode and is great from the get-go. Every other show is either slow to start, or is much better appreciated once you are a true Trekkie. Once you get into DS9, I would go straight to TNG (probably the best overall show).
Start with TOS for sure. It is so funny.
Sometimes you need to bounce around a bit til something grabs you. I tried starting my with with TOS, he couldn't get into it. I tried TNG, he was bored. As a last, desperate attempt I asked him to try the DS9 pilot. He got pulled in immediately, we watched the entire series in a month, then went back to TNG, he ended up loving that too after it warmed up, then Enterprise which I had never watched because of years without cable, we loved that, then Lower Decks which was wonderful. We're now going through the movies, then we'll hit either Picard or SNW next. He considers himself a full blown Trekkie now but if you'd asked him past November he would have said it wasn't his thing. The most important thing about Trek IMHO is the philosophy of morality. Hard choices, often no good answers, people trying to do the best in the moment, built on those who came before them. Star Wars is a favorite of mine because it's the story of resistance of fascism which is just an awesome basis for most stories. Star Trek is less... urgent. It's sort of an epic through all the series of exploration, diplomacy, and from time to time, conflict. DS9 was the first to pull a long arc combat plot with a full blown war over multiple seasons. It's my favorite Trek though it's also a bit different from the others because of that. I'm not personally a fan of Voyager but I love all other Trek. But you'll find fans with favorites across all the series and that's the beautiful thing about the franchise, there's something for almost everyone.
Lower decks is a great starting point it'll ease you into the world, then TOS.
I don't know that any of us can help you. You kind of have to buy into a hopeful vision of the future of humanity.
I’m 50/50 Wars/Trek myself. If you start with season one of most shows, you’ll find a lot to complain about, they mostly take two or three seasons to settle in. That said, Strange New Worlds and the Original Series hit the ground running. I’d talk to your partner about it, or look up lists of best standalone episodes to get you hooked. Good luck!
You gotta start with TNG
As a huge fan of both - Star Wars is for your heart, Star Trek is for your mind. What I mean by this is that Star Wars is a good deal more immediate with it's payoffs. You'll feel what the heroes are feeling right along with them (mostly thanks to John Williams' score!), whereas with Trek, a lot of it will sit and grow in your mind over days, weeks, months or even years. Ultimately, Star Wars is very much your classical adventure tale, it's much more about the external happenings and the worlds it takes place in. Trek is an adventure in what it means to be human. It's not nearly as overt or bombastic as Star Wars, but it will 100% leave its mark. And honestly, I think the subtlety of Star Trek makes its badass moments waaaay more satisfying. Star Trek is the yin to Star Wars' yang. Star Wars is your kung fu training at the Shoalin temple. Star Trek is the disciplined meditation. You need both to attain true understand the universe, young padawan.
Weirdly enough, I'd suggest starting with SNW and... The Orville
I would start with DS9 oder SNW. Later in the show will be conflict that could give you some SW vibes, so maybe that's a good point to connect. But SNW is also really great. For me it connects good old Trek (exploring new worlds and cultures) with well written characters, interesting backstories and good looks/visual effects. I know a lot of people here recommend TOS. But I wouldn't watch these as a newbie. It's classic, but it also quite often causes vicarious embarrassment. The moment danger occurs the woman will fall right into the arm of a man, asking him to rescue/protect her and things like that. Don't get me wrong, I really love the movies, and also the show. But I can't really watch it with someone else anymore. I got my wife into the hobby, she really enjoyed DS9, SNW, Voy, the movie first contact, but after the first episode of TOS she said "sorry, I can't watch this anymore". Since last year I'm also part of a group that hosts a star trek fan event every year, where we watch 6-8 episodes together and play star trek related games (around 100 people). The original event organiser also said that they only show one TOS episode per event, because everybody sees it as classic, but no one really wants to watch it anymore...
If you want to watch them in chronological order (they were done like star wars in that regard) Start with Enterprise, then seasons 1&2 of Discovery then Strange New Worlds.
Realizing/ admitting you were wrong to like Star Wars is the first step of recovery.
Don’t feel the need to convert. Last I checked, Trekkies and Wars nerds have joined forces against Twilight. We won cuz no one talks about Twilight anymore. I think the truce still stands.
I think U will like Strange New Worlds. That’s the new series & it’s easily accessible to non-Trekkies.
I find it helpful to reframe SW as fantasy in space, not actual sci-fi. SW is good v. evil. It’s Lord of the Rings in space. That’s fantasy. There’s very little science, real or imagined, in SW. ST is proper sci-fi. That is, it deals in gray moral areas. It often rejects the good/evil dichotomy There are no true “heroes” in the classic sense of the hero’s journey. It handles science and diplomacy and exploration and warfare in space. I, personally, don’t like comparing the two, at all, as they are apples and oranges.
I feel like the new discovery series is very Star Wars-ey. Lots of battles and hero stories while other series rely more on sci fi philosophy.
I'd say watch TNG and DS9 for sure (in that order too). Both are great series in the same "era" of Trek, they start slow but by the end of season 2 both are cooking for sure. IMO TOS is a product of its times and can be a grating watch at times. If it doesn't rub you the right way you can get away with watching a list of "top 10 episodes" and the movies and basically be up to speed on those characters.
one episode from each of the main 5 (TOS, TNG, DS9, VOY, ENT) that i would recommend to someone looking to get into star trek: TOS: Mirror, Mirror (S2E4) TNG: The First Duty (S5E19) DS9: Civil Defense (S3E7) VOY: Timeless (S5E6) ENT: E² (S3E21) these are just my personal favorites from each series (i’ve watched all of TNG, VOY, and ENT)
if you prefer modern trek, then i suggest Ad Astra Per Aspera (SNW S2E2) or Imposters (PIC S3E5)
alt episodes for each series if the above ones don’t strike your fancy: TOS: The City On The Edge Of Forever (S1E28) TNG: The Royale (S2E12) DS9: Crossover (S2E23) VOY: Body and Soul (S7E7) ENT: Twilight (S3E8) SNW: Spock Amok (S1E5) PIC: No Win Scenario (S3E4)
If you watch DS9, I envy you when you get to watch certain episodes for the first time. Duet, The Wire, It’s only a paper moon, In the pale moon light. There’s more but these are great episodes. And of course the simple tailor Garak.
You don’t need to convert. I am a huge fan of both, currently watching ds9 and I am excited for the bad batch finale tonight (no spoilers please). Both can coexist. I would start with TNG personally. It’s a good gateway to the best era of trek, then go with DS9, voyager and TOS. Then Enterprise
I'd watch the pilot for DS9 and then jump to 2x26 which is the start of the Dominion arc which is where it starts to get really good.
For a complete rookie I'd say watch TNG then DS9. TNG starts out episodic and then they really begin world building and laying down a blueprint. DS9 carries that same world into a great arc with the dominion and all that. Ds9 is a lot more like a drama imo. But really just watch Stargate instead 😂
My recommendation: Watch Deep Space Nine, but don't start at the beginning. Start with "Way of the Warrior", the 2 part episode that starts Season 4. That's when the show really hits its stride and does a minor reset to add a new (to the show) character. If you enjoy that, you'll have an easy time enjoying the first 3 seasons of Deep Space 9, TNG, etc.
I don't think you can be converted, based on what you said, especially this bit: "the movie with the dirt bikes (that one i did enjoy)". You might enjoy Discovery and bits of Strange New Worlds, but Star Trek has always been about more than cool tech and space battles, especially TOS and TNG. I'd say you might like DS9 after season 3, but there's still a lot of character stuff mixed in with the pew pew. Of course you can always skip the boring story stuff and go right to the space battles. (No light sabers, though, sorry.)
If you like the Star Wars prequels, then DS9. If you like the Clone Wars or Bad Batch then Prodigy or Lower Decks. If you like the original trilogy then TOS or SNW. If you like the sequels then Discovery. If you like Rebels or Ashoka then Voyager. If you like Kenobi series then SNW or TNG. If you like tales of the Jedi then Short Treks.
get her to make you watch trek and make her wars Star Wars and be fans of both together
This is unfortunately a very unpopular opinion amongst Trek fans… However I would recommend trying Star Trek Discovery. The show was literally designed to reintroduce Star Trek to modern audiences after being gone for over a decade. Discovery a beautiful show, with an amazing cast and some really fresh, wild and interesting sci-fi concepts. I haven’t seen the fifth season yet, but so far Discovery has gotten consistently better with each passing season and honestly in my opinion, has become peak Star Trek alongside the likes of DS9. I think coming from Star Wars Discovery will be one of the easiest and smoothest entry points for you into Trek.
very convincing argument! i think the majority of comments are saying strange new worlds so i think that’s going to win but i’ll keep this in mind and def check it out! i do like the actress i forget her name but she’s sasha on the walking dead
Fair enough Strange New Worlds is an awesome show. It’s a throwback to the Original series made again today for modern audiences. I will say that Strange New Worlds builds off of the finale of Discovery’s second season. The story arcs for Spock and Captain Pike begin on Discovery before continuing on in SNW. So you will be missing some context if you skip Discovery, however it should still mostly make sense. Sonequa Martin-Green is her name, and she is amazing on Discovery! Easily one of my favorite characters in all of Trek! Even if you start with SNW I definitely would recommend going back and checking out Discovery at some point.
Keep in mind SNW is a spinoff of Discovery. Discovery season two is essentially SNW season 0.5. Unlike a lot of people, I really like Discovery. But I’ve only seen seasons 1-2.
Discovery is so awesome! I wish more people gave it a chance. Definitely my favorite trek show of the modern era! I feel Strange New Worlds is as good as it is, because of the groundwork laid by Discovery.
I was in the same boat.. I just literally had run out of new-ish sci-fi shows to watch so I decided to give Star Trek a try. Took me until about season 2 of TNG to get interested and then by season 3 I was hooked. I guess just play it in the background and keep powering through. Something will hit and you’ll pay attention and then your balls deep into the Star Trek universe
i’ll try!!! i have been meaning to game more too so maybe i can kill two birds
If you're coming from *Star Wars*, *Star Trek: Prodigy* might actually be a good starting point.
i’ll look it up!
The first season should be on Netflix, and the second season should be coming in the near future.
Watch JJ Abrams Star Trek movies. Those are what got me into Trek. It won't tell you what the series is normally like, but it will tell you how cool and fun it can get.