Back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, keeping up with Star Trek content was relatively simple. You had the original series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, which premiered in 1987, and a variety of paperbacks, some of them based on the scripts from the original series.
Today, keeping up with Star Trek content is more like a marathon, especially with so much streaming content available. New shows seem to pop up every season, which can lead to viewing burnout. Turning back to older shows that either weren't on your radar at the time or simply to enjoy the comfort of the pre-streaming era can help you recover, so here are three often-overlooked or undervalued Star Trek shows you might have missed.
1. Star Trek: Enterprise
Regular visitors to our site will probably believe this is a biased outlook, as Star Trek: Enterprise is a favorite of mine, and probably second only to The Original Series. This show, a prequel set 100 years before the adventures of Captain Kirk and his crew, premiered in 2001 and ended in 2005. It featured the missions of Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) and how the first warp 3 engine allowed Enterprise NX-01 to explore deep space.
Executive-level shakeups at UPN and falling viewership caused Enterprise's cancellation, but at 4 seasons, this series never had enough time to find its footing. Consider shows like Voyager and The Next Generation; both had shaky early seasons but developed into solid shows, so forget all the drama about the Enterprise theme song and give this series a watch.
2. Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek: The Original Series is the very definition of duality because even though it was the show that set up canon for the entire universe, many people skip it. Some find the show's dated look and moments of melodrama cringeworthy, but the episodes that made history, such as "The City on the Edge of Forever" (S1E28) are worth the watch.
Skipping The Original Series means missing out on writer's in-jokes, references to Captain Kirk in later series or entire episodes launched from the past, such as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's "Trials and Tribble-ations"(S5E06). Don't get left behind and learn from the father of all Star Trek content!
3. Star Trek: The Animated Series
First launched by NBC in September of 1973, this series ran for 22 episodes spread along 2 seasons. The Animated Series is not only a product of its time but completes the original series five-year mission. The show brings back all the original series cast to voice the characters (minus Walter Koenig, because of the show's limited budget).
If you're GenX, you'll appreciate the nostalgia of the classic Filmation animation style for this series. It's also, at its core, like an attic filled with over-caffeinated bats: you're not sure what's going to happen when you open that door, but you're going in with the understanding that it's going to be insane!
The animated series let Star Trek writers go wild with creating aliens and creatures the original series budget could have never achieved. There's also some solid episodes written by Trek alumni D.C. Fontana and David Gerrold, adding to that classic Star Trek feel. Pour a bowl of your kids' cereal and return to Saturday morning cartoons with this series!
No matter which Star Trek series cure your blues, giving these three shows a shot is worth your time. From animation to the formation of the Federation, these shows from the past might just surprise you!