Star Trekhas delivered a half-dozen prequels in the form of TV series and movies, set in two different timelines, in the last 24 years.Star Trek: The Original Series, which premiered in 1966, began the forward progression ofStar Trek’s timelinein the 23rd century. Following the cancellation ofStar Trekin season 3, its success in syndication (andStar Warsbecoming a cinematic blockbuster) led to Paramount revivingStar Trek,turning the voyages of the USS Enterprise into a movie franchise.
Star Trek: The Next Generationestablished the 24th century, significantly expanding theStar Trekuniverse.Star Trek: Deep Space NineandStar Trek: Voyagerfollowed asStar Trek: The Next Generationjumped to feature films. Together, the threeStar Trekseriespushed the 24th century timeline forward by fifteen years, fromTNG’s launch in 2364 to theend ofStar Trek: Nemesisin 2379.
However,Star Trekwent backwards in 2001.Star Trek: Enterprisedebuted as the franchise’s first prequel, retconningStar Trekhistory by introducingCaptain Jonathan Archer(Scott Bakula), whose NX-01 Enterprise preceded Captain James T. Kirk’s (William Shatner) USS Enterprise by 100 years. Since then,Star Trekhas mixed several prequel movies and shows with new TV series on Paramount+ that push the timeline forward. Here areStar Trek’s 6 prequels ranked, worst to best.
6Star Trek Into Darkness
Set In 2259 In The Kelvin Timeline
Star Trek Into Darknesspicks up one year after the events ofStar Trek(2009)in the alternate Kelvin Timeline. Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) and the USS Enterprise learn that Starfleet Admiral Alexander Marcus (Peter Weller) has revived a 20th-century genetically engineered villain, Khan Noonien Singh (Benedict Cumberbatch). Marcus' plan to manipulate Khan to militarize Starfleet and start a war with the Klingons backfires when Khan is unleashed and seeks his revenge.
Though propulsive and visually stunning,Star Trek Into DarknessinfuriatedStar Trekfans by proving itself to be a hollow, funhouse mirror remake ofStar Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.Star Trek Into Darknessoverloads on relentless action, and audiences were left numb by the absurdity ofSpock (Zachary Quinto) brawling with Khanwhile Captain Kirk dies and is instantly resurrected.Star Trek’s hallmarks of moral and ethical quandaries were blown out of the USS Enterprise’s airlock in favor of empty spectacle.
5Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1 & 2
Set In 2256-2258 In The Prime Timeline
Star Trek: Discoveryseason 1’s premiere revealed itself to be a prequel set a decade beforeStar Trek: The Original Series, and immediately,there were problems that irateStar Trekfans never got past.Star Trek: Discovery’s visual style and advanced technology like holograms were lightyears beyond what was seen inStar Trek: The Original Series, which is supposed to be in its future.Discovery’s reinvented Klingonsalso incensed audiences, as didDisco’s grim absence ofStar Trek’s trademark optimism in the wake of the bloody Klingon War.
There was a marked improvement inStar Trek: Discoveryseason 2, which reintroduced Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount), Lieutenant Spock (Ethan Peck), and the USS Enterprise. Still,Discoveryseason 2’s Red Angel story arcwas about preventing an AI-driven intergalactic apocalypse that was even more disheartening than the Klingon War.Star Trek: Discovery’s ultimate solution was to jump the series into the 32nd century,which put an end to its woes as aStar Trekprequel.
4Star Trek Beyond
Set In 2263 In The Kelvin Timeline
Star Trek Beyondfollows Captain James T. Kirk as theStarship Enterprise reaches the halfway point in its five-year missionof galactic exploration. As a dejected Kirk contemplates becoming Vice Admiral of Starbase Yorktown,the Enterprise is attacked and destroyed by Krall(Idris Elba), who strands Kirk and his crew on the planet Altamid. With the help of a new ally, Jayla (Sofia Boutella), Kirk escapes Altamid, learns Krall’s secret, and stops the alien villain from destroying Starbase Yorktown.
Star Trek Beyond captures the idealism of Star Trek. which is best summed up by Spock: “We find hope in the impossible.”
The closest of the J.J. Abrams-producedStar Trekmovies to replicate the spirit ofStar Trek: The Original Series,Star Trek Beyondis a thrilling adventure that reaffirms the loyalty of Captain Kirk and his USS Enterprise crew. Like all of theStar Trek reboot movies,Star Trek Beyondis visually stunning and an action-packed thrill ride. Most importantly,Star Trek Beyondcaptures the idealism ofStar Trek,which is best summed up by Spock:“We find hope in the impossible.”
3Star Trek 2009
Set In 2258 In The Kelvin Timeline
Star Trek(2009) is the origin of Captain James T. Kirk and the Starship Enterprise crew,albeit in the alternate Kelvin Timeline.Star Trek(2009) is also a total reboot of theStar Trekmovie franchise, with director J.J. Abrams upgradingStar Trek’s visual style to become a true cinematic blockbuster (yes, with lens flares). WhileStar Trek(2009) includes numerous time jumps, the film’s main story is set in 2258 as Kirk leads the young crew of the Enterprise on its first mission to save Earth from the villainous Romulan time traveler, Nero (Eric Bana).
There is no better entry point for general audiences thanStar Trek(2009), which is an inviting and thrilling outer space adventure with a spectacular cast. J.J. Abrams' reboot proved it was possible to recast theactors from Star Trek: The Original Series, as Chris Pine and his fellow actors captured the essence ofStar Trek’s iconic space heroes.Star Trek(2009)’s alternate universe conceit is that the Kelvin Timeline is more technically advanced than the Prime Timeline, but it all works wonderfully as a pure summer movie thrill ride.
2Star Trek: Enterprise
Set From 2151-2155 In The Prime Timeline
Star Trek’s first prequel premiered on the United Paramount Network (UPN) in 2001.Enterprisewas executive producers Rick Berman and Brannon Braga’s solution to the increasingly complex and self-referentialStar Trek: The Next Generationera.Originally titled simplyEnterprise, theScott Bakula-led prequel purposefully made Captain Jonathan Archer and the NX-01Enterprisecrew feel more contemporary.These were imperfect 22nd century astronauts who were in over their heads in a galaxy hostile to humans.
It’s been a long road forStar Trek: Enterprise’s upward climb towards acceptance. Originally rejected by hardcoreStar Trekfans,Enterprisewas canceled after just 4 seasons. However,Enterprisewas reassessed in the streaming era, and Captain Archer, T’Pol (Jolene Blalock), and the NX-01’s 22nd-century trailblazers are now considered seminalStar Trekcharacters who laid the foundation for what Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets would become. Today,Star TrekwithoutEnterpriseis unthinkable.
1Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Set From 2259 Onward In The Prime Timeline
Star Trek: Strange New Worldskicked off with accolades:It was the first Star Trek on Paramount+ show that fans actually clamored forafter becoming infatuated with Anson Mount’s Captain Pike, Ethan Peck’s Lt. Spock, and Rebecca Romijn’s Number One inStar Trek: Discoveryseason 2.Strange New Worldsis also the longest pilot-to-series order in TV history, as it has its roots in “The Cage,” theoriginal 1965Star Trekpilotepisode that was rejected by NBC and retooled intoStar Trek: The Original Series.
With its colorful nostalgia and embracing ofStar Trek’s episodic storytelling, but with a scintillating serialization of character arcs and a bold willingness to take chances and defy genres,Star Trek: Strange New Worldsis the perfectStar Trekprequel series.Strange New Worldsis whatStar Trek: The Original Serieswould be if it were made today.Star Trek: Strange New Worldshonors the past, revels in the present, and plans wide-eyed forStar Trek’s future.
Star Trek: Enterprise
Cast
Star Trek: Enterprise acts as a prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, detailing the voyages of the original crew of the Starship Enterprise in the 22nd century, a hundred years before Captain Kirk commanded the ship. Enterprise was the sixth series in the Star Trek franchise overall, and the final series before a twelve-year hiatus until the premiere of Star Trek: Discovery in 2017. The series stars Scott Bakula as Captain Jonathan Archer, with an ensemble cast that includes John Billingsley, Jolene Blalock, Dominic Keating, Anthony Montgomery, Linda Park, and Connor Trinneer.
Star Trek: Discovery
Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.
