I want to get into the Star Trek universe but dont know where to start. I have previously seen first three seasons of Disocvery and first season of picard. Picard was cool but disocvery didnt quite track, a little boring and not adventure focused enough. However loving lower decks now (just started season 4) and want to get into the more canon stuff.
I have access to TNG, DS9, Voyager, Enterprise and SNW. TOS i could probanly get access to if i want, but gotta admit that is not very enticing.
So where to start? TNG?
If it helps (and i dont get shunned for this), i am a stargate guy and love especially sg-1 and the adventure of the week format and the character ensemble
TOS is very dated and can be hard to watch at times. You definitely have to be appreciative of the camp and low production.
TNG holds up a bit better. It’s not an adventure show though, and the first season has some real stinkers. I’d say it’s a good starting point to watch the first 3 or 4 episodes then go to season 2 weeks give that a shot. If you like how it’s going then go back and finish S1 and keep going.
DS9 is like tng but also has a bit more edge and does some good deconstruction of the pure optimism of tng. It is still optimistic but also has some cynicism I love it. I don’t think I’d like it as much without a good tng backbone though.
Overall 90s trek isn’t going to really give you a lot of adventure focus, unless you watch the movies. It’s strengths lie in the morality play and the collaborative problem solving, and the idea of a bright future. Picard kind of shits all over that idea of a brighter future but to each their own, I can see why some people would like it.
I think ill reserve TOS for if i become a trekkie! Hehe
I definitely need some of that brighter future-stuff right about now. I think what i mean with adventure of the week i mean problem of the week. It doesnt have to be jungles and temples and stuff. But i dont want that hbo-style “oh we are so dark and you have to pay attention for every fucking second of every episode or you will lose the thread because we are so intrcate and did i mention we are dark now fuck off and get depressed”
I’ll throw my hat in for starting with DS9. I’m just finishing the final season with my partner now - her first watch - and it’s really cemented why its my favourite Trek. It holds up incredibly well.