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[WanderingWinder]

So... I like Star Trek? This is just a place for general discussion of Trek-y things.

I will start off with this: Ranking the TNG seasons

5>3>4>6>2>7>1
1 is by *far* the easiest call, as it's just way the worst. 3-6 are all just really excellent. Probably 2 over 7 is the most controversial here, but when you look at it, I don't know, 7 just doesn't do *that* much for me.

I'm actually also guilty of *liking* something from "Shades of Gray" - the joke at the end, I dunno, I just sorta like it.

[shMerker]

This is a good place to note that every episode of every Star Trek series is free to stream on startrek.com.

[theory]

Suppose someone -- a "friend" -- has never seen anything remotely Star Trek-related, with the exception of the Futurama parody episode (which wasn't particularly funny if you haven't seen anything else Star Trek-related).  Advice?

[Kirian]

So... I like Star Trek? This is just a place for general discussion of Trek-y things.

I will start off with this: Ranking the TNG seasons

5>3>4>6>2>7>1
1 is by *far* the easiest call, as it's just way the worst. 3-6 are all just really excellent. Probably 2 over 7 is the most controversial here, but when you look at it, I don't know, 7 just doesn't do *that* much for me.

I'm actually also guilty of *liking* something from "Shades of Gray" - the joke at the end, I dunno, I just sorta like it.

I'd put 7 over 2, certainly--if nothing else the finale makes up for a good chunk of the terribleness of some of the episodes.  3-6 are really, really hard to rank.

Suppose someone -- a "friend" -- has never seen anything remotely Star Trek-related, with the exception of the Futurama parody episode (which wasn't particularly funny if you haven't seen anything else Star Trek-related).  Advice?

That... is a tough order.  A good chunk of me wants to tell your... friend... to watch seasons 3 to 6 of Next Generation, then seasons 4 to 7 of DS9.  But a really good part of me wants to suggest instead watching movies 2, 3, and 4, which essentially tell a single story--though you're only watching 3 in order to understand 4 better, it's not a great movie (though it does have Christopher Lloyd as a Klingon).

Others would suggest going with some of the highlights of the original series (Let That Be Your Last Battlefield, City on the Edge of Forever, Mirror, Mirror, and some others).

[shMerker]

Space Seed, Amok Time, and Balance of Terror are all episodes I would recommend for hooking someone.

Bear in mind I still haven't seen anything past season two so there may be better stuff I'm missing.

[jonts26]

Suppose someone -- a "friend" -- has never seen anything remotely Star Trek-related, with the exception of the Futurama parody episode (which wasn't particularly funny if you haven't seen anything else Star Trek-related).  Advice?

I'd say watch the next generation in order starting from season 2. After you your friend finishes that you can think about other series.

[theory]

Is it heresy to start with a movie?  What's the relation between the movies / TV versions?

[shMerker]

It is if it's a Next Generation movie.

[WanderingWinder]

Suppose someone -- a "friend" -- has never seen anything remotely Star Trek-related, with the exception of the Futurama parody episode (which wasn't particularly funny if you haven't seen anything else Star Trek-related).  Advice?

And they want to start watching it? Uh, well it's a little tricky. I would suggest Next Generation, for sure, but of course the first season is rather much worse than the rest, and that is where you get to know the characters at all. I actually am not sure if starting in season 2 would really hurt you that much - sure you don't know some things, but on the other hand there are lots of universes that this is the case for, and it's not really a big deal. I guess I would recommend that, and maybe if they have a friend who they are watching with (I presume this is likely the case, otherwise they probably would either already be familiar with it or wouldn't be so interested in picking it up now), then they could spend 3 seconds now and then explaining relevant little bits.

On the plus side, apart from the occasional 2-parter, the show is very episodic, so watching things out-of-order doesn't really hurt you very much. Some other Treks are far less this way (Deep Space Nine got to be, as it progressed, as did Enterprise; Voyager is this way a little bit, but is still fairly episodic. The Original Series is *very* episodic).

It can also depend on the situation, too. If someone really likes old corny sci-fi, they will like the Original Series more. If they are somehow really into the thing (I don't know how they would be without having seen them...), then you could start with TNG season 1. If they like more of the frontiersy space western, Deep Space Nine is better. If they are really going to want fast action, you might start in TNG season 3, or even go for specific episodes.

But it's a lot harder question than with e.g. Star Wars, where they just go watch A New Hope, or Doctor Who, where you start them on "Rose".

[Kirian]

Is it heresy to start with a movie?  What's the relation between the movies / TV versions?

For the original series, the good movies are better than the good episodes.  All of the actors got better, and they look much more like good SF.

Suppose someone -- a "friend" -- has never seen anything remotely Star Trek-related, with the exception of the Futurama parody episode (which wasn't particularly funny if you haven't seen anything else Star Trek-related).  Advice?

I'd say watch the next generation in order starting from season 2. After you your friend finishes that you can think about other series.

Do not listen to this man.  Go back and watch the highlights of Season 2, perhaps, after 3-6.

[Kirian]

or Doctor Who, where you start them on "Rose".

Or "Blink," then take them back to "Rose."

[WanderingWinder]

Is it heresy to start with a movie?  What's the relation between the movies / TV versions?

Movies take the characters and setting from the TV series, then make the characters act in some ways quite a bit differently - the original movies (1-6) generally have much more mature characters than the TV series (but never ever watch Star Trek 5, and probably not Star Trek: The Motion Picture, either); whereas the Next Generation films (Generations, First Contact, Insurrection, Nemesis) generally feature characters being less mature and stupider.

Not coincidentally, the Original movies are better, and the Next Generation TV series is better.

The newest 2 movies are just very different from the other stuff.

[sudgy]

And I just watched all of the original series in order, then TNG in order, then Voyager in order (not sure why we did Voyager before DS9), now we're on DS9 going through it in order...

[Kirian]

Is it heresy to start with a movie?  What's the relation between the movies / TV versions?

Movies take the characters and setting from the TV series, then make the characters act in some ways quite a bit differently - the original movies (1-6) generally have much more mature characters than the TV series (but never ever watch Star Trek 5, and probably not Star Trek: The Motion Picture, either); whereas the Next Generation films (Generations, First Contact, Insurrection, Nemesis) generally feature characters being less mature and stupider.

Not coincidentally, the Original movies are better, and the Next Generation TV series is better.

The newest 2 movies are just very different from the other stuff.

More specifically, the 2009 movie is a great action flick that uses all sorts if names and settings from Star Trek, yet fails hard at being an actual Star Trek movie.  I haven't seen the most recent one, and I'm not sure I will.

[WanderingWinder]

I would probably not recommend the Original Series to most people nowadays - it is slower, it is a little weird and corny, it doesn't have very high production values, excitement, great pacing... don't get me wrong, I like it, but it's, I guess I would say it's not at all modern.

[Watno]

This is a good place to note that every episode of every Star Trek series is free to stream on startrek.com.

Did I mention today that it sucks to be European?

[Qvist]

I have seen TNG, most episodes from VOY and many from ENT and haven't seen TOS and DS9.
I like TNG most because of all the "philosophical" episodes/themes.

Suppose someone -- a "friend" -- has never seen anything remotely Star Trek-related, with the exception of the Futurama parody episode (which wasn't particularly funny if you haven't seen anything else Star Trek-related).  Advice?

Hard to say. Are you talking about yourself? As WW said TNG is recommendable, but only if you get around the first or first 2 seasons.
The new Enterprise series isn't that good, but has a much lower barrier to understand everything as it's a prequel series.
But I still think I would start with TNG, but I wouldn't start with Season 2 honestly. The Pilot for example is really important. Maybe watch the Pilot and then the best episodes from the first season (WW will name them shortly, I suppose  ).

And I wouldn't start with the movies.

Is it heresy to start with a movie?  What's the relation between the movies / TV versions?

Movies take the characters and setting from the TV series, then make the characters act in some ways quite a bit differently - the original movies (1-6) generally have much more mature characters than the TV series (but never ever watch Star Trek 5, and probably not Star Trek: The Motion Picture, either); whereas the Next Generation films (Generations, First Contact, Insurrection, Nemesis) generally feature characters being less mature and stupider.

Not coincidentally, the Original movies are better, and the Next Generation TV series is better.

The newest 2 movies are just very different from the other stuff.

More specifically, the 2009 movie is a great action flick that uses all sorts if names and settings from Star Trek, yet fails hard at being an actual Star Trek movie.  I haven't seen the most recent one, and I'm not sure I will.

I disliked the 2009 movie, well not entirely true. I was dissapointed by it. It's a decent movie with no Star Trek feeling, but still entertaining.
I wathed the new one and I liked it way more. It has a lot of Star Trek references in it (haven't seen TOS, but still I know many things about it), had a much better storyline (I think). It still is very different to the old Star Trek feeling, but comes closer to it. I watched it with Trekkies and Non-Trekkies. Both sides enjoyed it.

[Kirian]

Note: Amazon Prime--and I'm guessing Netflix--have the first two seasons of TNG in remastered HD.  I've heard it actually significantly increases the quality.

[() | (_) ^/]

.

[shMerker]

Is anybody here familiar with sfdebris? It has a lot of individual episode reviews for Star Trek. They aren't that great for looking for to-watch recommendations even though they do all have 1-10 ratings at the end, but as critical commentary I think they make a pretty good companion to the series.

[() | (_) ^/]

Is anybody here familiar with sfdebris? It has a lot of individual episode reviews for Star Trek. They aren't that great for looking for to-watch recommendations even though they do all have 1-10 ratings at the end, but as critical commentary I think they make a pretty good companion to the series.

I would say the same about Jammer's Reviews.

[werothegreat]

Suppose someone -- a "friend" -- has never seen anything remotely Star Trek-related, with the exception of the Futurama parody episode (which wasn't particularly funny if you haven't seen anything else Star Trek-related).  Advice?

The Trouble with Tribbles.

[Kuildeous]

I'd be curious to see how someone reacts to the recent two movies without having seen anything from Star Trek before. Maybe this can be such an experiment.

I'm mostly curious to see if the scene in Into Darkness where Spock screams "Khaaaaan" does not seem stupid to someone unfamiliar with the reference.

Then again, I seriously doubt that Theory['s friend] has never heard it used before, especially within geek culture. I suspect that it is impossible for anyone over the age of 10 to not be familiar with that particular meme. But if Theory['s friend] watches Into Darkness before watching Star Trek 2, then I'd be curious about his reaction.

Personally, I thought it detracted a lot from the scene. It's become so campy, and they never should have gone that direction in Into Darkness.

[sudgy]

I'd be curious to see how someone reacts to the recent two movies without having seen anything from Star Trek before. Maybe this can be such an experiment.

I'm mostly curious to see if the scene in Into Darkness where Spock screams "Khaaaaan" does not seem stupid to someone unfamiliar with the reference.

Then again, I seriously doubt that Theory['s friend] has never heard it used before, especially within geek culture. I suspect that it is impossible for anyone over the age of 10 to not be familiar with that particular meme. But if Theory['s friend] watches Into Darkness before watching Star Trek 2, then I'd be curious about his reaction.

Personally, I thought it detracted a lot from the scene. It's become so campy, and they never should have gone that direction in Into Darkness.

Personally, I liked it.  When I realized what the movie was going towards, I was waiting for someone to say it.  I also thought it interesting how Kirk and Spock got switched in that whole sequence.

[Watno]

I'd be curious to see how someone reacts to the recent two movies without having seen anything from Star Trek before. Maybe this can be such an experiment.

I'm mostly curious to see if the scene in Into Darkness where Spock screams "Khaaaaan" does not seem stupid to someone unfamiliar with the reference.

Then again, I seriously doubt that Theory['s friend] has never heard it used before, especially within geek culture. I suspect that it is impossible for anyone over the age of 10 to not be familiar with that particular meme. But if Theory['s friend] watches Into Darkness before watching Star Trek 2, then I'd be curious about his reaction.

Personally, I thought it detracted a lot from the scene. It's become so campy, and they never should have gone that direction in Into Darkness.

I did that (ok, I think i had seen the first six episodes of the first season I think). I might have heard the thing you're talking about before, and my housemate told me about the reference later, but i didn't find especially strange when it happened.