Star Trek Series in Order: List, Guide & Latest News

Star Trek has been boldly going where no one has gone before for nearly 60 years—and if you’re trying to figure out where to start, or where to pick up after a long break, the sheer volume can feel overwhelming. Eleven television series, thirteen feature films, and an in-universe timeline that stretches from the 22nd century all the way to the 32nd. The good news: once you see how the pieces fit together, it all clicks into place.

Total Series: 11 · First Aired: 1966 · Latest Ended: Discovery (2024) · Active Shows: Strange New Worlds · Movies: 13 feature films

Across six decades, Star Trek has accumulated eleven distinct television series—a timeline that spans from the early voyages of Captain Pike to humanity’s future in the 32nd century. The franchise breaks cleanly into three narrative clusters: the Original era, the Next Generation era, and the modern streaming era that began with Discovery.

The table above shows the complete television catalog, organized by broadcast dates to illustrate how the franchise evolved from a single 1966 show into a multi-era streaming property.

What is the order of the Star Trek series?

Viewers have three legitimate ways to approach Star Trek: release order, chronological in-universe order, or Paramount+’s recommended viewing path. Each serves a different purpose—release order preserves the cultural arc, chronological order makes the universe’s internal logic click, and the Paramount+ guide optimizes for connected storytelling across the modern shows.

Release order

The release order follows how audiences actually encountered the franchise: The Original Series first (1966), then The Animated Series (1973), followed by the bold jump to The Next Generation (1987). Deep Space Nine (1993) and Voyager (1995) ran concurrently, then Enterprise (2001) closed the era. After a twelve-year hiatus, Discovery (2017) relaunched the television franchise on streaming.

Chronological in-universe order

If you want to experience Star Trek as a continuous universe, start with Enterprise set in the 2150s—roughly 100 years before Kirk’s era. Strange New Worlds (late 2250s) slots before The Original Series, filling in Captain Pike’s story. Discovery covers the 2250s in seasons 1-2, then jumps to the 32nd century from season 3 onward. The Next Generation era (Picard, Lower Decks, Prodigy) all take place in the 2380s–2399 range, after the events of Star Trek: Nemesis.

Paramount+ recommended order

Paramount+’s official guide emphasizes watching Discovery first (as the entry point for the modern era), then Strange New Worlds, followed by Picard, Lower Decks, and Prodigy in that sequence. The classic series—including Enterprise—can be watched before or after the modern shows depending on your preference, though many longtime fans save the prequels for later.

The catch: the Paramount+ guide prioritizes franchise cohesion over production chronology, which means jumping between the 23rd and 32nd centuries if you follow their path strictly. Many viewers find that mixing release order with chronological in-universe order—watching Enterprise, TOS, TNG, DS9, and Voyager in sequence, then pivoting to Discovery and Strange New Worlds—delivers both narrative satisfaction and internal universe logic.

What are the 11 Star Trek series?

All eleven Star Trek series are considered canonical by Paramount, though their production spans over half a century and represents three distinct creative eras. The breakdown splits by era rather than simple count.

Original Series era

The original trio—The Original Series (1966-1969), The Animated Series (1973-1974), and Enterprise (2001-2005)—establish the 22nd and 23rd century foundations. Enterprise ran for four seasons as a prequel but was controversially canceled after a cliffhanger finale that CBS eventually resolved in 2022.

Next Generation era

The Next Generation (1987-1994), Deep Space Nine (1993-1999), and Voyager (1995-2001) form the mid-franchise golden age. These seven years of TNG, the concurrent DS9 and Voyager runs, and the four TNG-era films represent what most casual fans think of as “classic Star Trek.”

Modern era

Discovery (2017-2024), Strange New Worlds (2022-ongoing), Picard (2020-2023), Lower Decks (2020-2024), and Prodigy (2021-2024) comprise the streaming-era revival. Discovery ran for five seasons and concluded in 2024. Strange New Worlds remains the flagship active series. Lower Decks and Prodigy both wrapped in 2024 after four seasons apiece.

The pattern shows that if you’re building a watch list from scratch, the Original and Next Generation eras each require roughly 7 seasons to complete, while the modern era’s five shows total about 14 seasons—making the full franchise a commitment of roughly 31 seasons of television plus 13 films.

What are the new Star Trek series?

The streaming-era shows represent the most significant expansion of Star Trek television since the 1990s. Discovery, Strange New Worlds, Picard, Lower Decks, and Prodigy launched between 2017 and 2021, but by 2024 the landscape has shifted: most have concluded, and only one new live-action series remains on the docket.

Post-2017 shows

Discovery premiered in 2017 as the first new Star Trek in twelve years and the flagship of Paramount+’s launch content. It ran five seasons and concluded in December 2024. Strange New Worlds launched in 2022 as a Pike-and-Espinoza spinoff from Discovery, focusing on Captain Christopher Pike’s early command of the USS Enterprise. It has been confirmed for a fourth season. Picard ran for three seasons (2020-2023), bringing Patrick Stewart back to the role but departing significantly from traditional Star Trek tonality.

Short Treks and spin-offs

Short Treks—brief anthology episodes released between Discovery seasons—provided standalone stories between 2018 and 2021 before the format was discontinued. The animated Lower Decks, known for its comedic take on Starfleet, ran for four seasons (2020-2024). Prodigy, aimed at younger audiences and featuring an animated crew of young cadets, also ran four seasons (2021-2024).

The implication is that the Star Trek revival that began with Discovery has largely concluded its first phase. Strange New Worlds is the only remaining active live-action series, with Paramount+ reportedly exploring new projects but nothing officially greenlit as of early 2025.

In what order should I watch all the Star Trek movies?

Star Trek’s film franchise divides into three distinct casts. The six original cast films (1979-1991) starred William Shatner as Captain Kirk and are considered classics of sci-fi cinema. The four Next Generation films (1994-2002) featured Patrick Stewart’s Picard crew. The Kelvin timeline trilogy (2013-2016) launched Chris Pine as a younger alternate-universe Kirk.

Original cast films

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), The Wrath of Khan (1982), The Search for Spock (1984), The Voyage Home (1986), The Final Frontier (1989), and The Undiscovered Country (1991) follow Kirk’s command crew from middle age to retirement. The Wrath of Khan remains the most beloved among fans, largely considered the franchise’s finest film.

Next Generation films

Generations (1994), First Contact (1996), Insurrection (1998), and Nemesis (2002) bridge the television and film eras, with Picard’s crew facing Borg, Locutus, and ultimately the Romulan Shinzon. Nemesis proved a box office disappointment and is widely considered the weakest TNG film.

Kelvin timeline

Star Trek (2009), Into Darkness (2013), and Beyond (2016) rebooted the original crew in an alternate timeline created by a time-traveling Nero. A fourth Kelvin film reportedly remains in development limbo with no confirmed release date or cast.

The implication is clear: if you’re watching the films standalone, release order works for all three casts. If you’re integrating films with television, watch The Original Series before the TNG films, and Nemesis before Picard—the latter series begins approximately two decades after the events of Nemesis.

“The way I see it, you managed to cheat death twice.” — James T. Kirk to himself, Star Trek: Generations

Star Trek: Generations, Paramount Pictures (1994)

“Make it so.” — Jean-Luc Picard

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994)

Is there a new Star Trek series coming out in 2026?

As of early 2025, Paramount+ has officially confirmed only Strange New Worlds season 4 as the next new Star Trek television project. No other series have received formal greenlights, and the status of several previously announced projects has shifted.

Announced projects

Strange New Worlds season 4 represents the sole officially confirmed upcoming series. The series concluded its third season in 2024 and production on season 4 is reportedly underway. Beyond that, Paramount+ has not announced any new Star Trek series for 2025 or 2026.

Cancellations and rumors

Starfleet Academy—announced as a new series with a younger cast and a school setting—was canceled after two seasons, with the second season remaining unannounced as of early 2025. The Chris Pine Kelvin timeline film (informally called Star Trek 4) has been in development for years without studio confirmation of production or release. Reports suggest Paramount has internally discussed new Star Trek projects, but nothing has been officially announced.

The reality is that Star Trek television entered a contraction phase in 2024 after the aggressive expansion of 2017-2024. Strange New Worlds carries the franchise forward alone, with the next 1-2 years unlikely to bring new series announcements until its fourth season demonstrates continued audience demand.

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Frequently asked questions

For viewers planning a Star Trek marathon, the path forward is straightforward: start with Enterprise if you want chronological purity, begin with Discovery if you’re after modern production values, or dive into The Original Series if you want to experience the franchise as audiences originally did. Strange New Worlds season 4 will keep the franchise alive on television, while the fate of any new series announcements hinges on how that season performs. The Kelvin timeline’s future—and Captain Kirk’s—in the theater remains a question with no answer in sight.