Trekkies can boldly go back where we’ve all clearly been before and watch the best Star Trek films of the franchise again for absolutely free, but this is a limited time offer. Gene Roddenberry’s beloved big-screen universe is always well-represented on Paramount+, but for those who do not subscribe to the streaming service, you can enjoy all six of the movies featuring the original cast of Star Trek: The Original Series without paying a single cent on Pluto TV. However, this is a limited time offer because all of titles have moved to the “leaving soon” section.
It's logical — thank you Mr. Spock — to assume that the following entries will be removed at the end of September, or at the latest early October. So, time is running out! However, here’s the list of the Star Trek films featuring the OG crew that are currently available for free:
Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
With the exception of The Motion Picture and The Final Frontier, all of these are must-see Star Trek adventures. However, it’s the second through fourth installments which rival the original Star Wars films (Episodes IV-VI) as Admiral Kirk (William Shatner), Captain Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and the intrepid crew of the USS Enterprise must endure and ultimately overcome the deadly events set in motion by Khan Noonien Singh (the late Ricardo Montalban) in the best Trek of all time: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
For those who have recently joined the wildly popular fandom, feel free to bypass the dull, special-effects bloated Motion Picture and the William Shatner-directed disaster known as The Final Frontier and concentrate solely on the Genesis Trilogy (The Wrath of Khan, The Search for Spock, and The Voyage). However, there is also a little "required reading" as far as necessary homework is concerned.
Before watching the unofficial trilogy, be sure to check out the Star Trek: The Original Series season 1 episode "Space Seed," which introduces the power-hungry survivor of The Eugenics Wars, Khan, to the franchise — and its story ties directly into The Wrath of Khan. Later, after finishing the best the film series has to offer, sit down and enjoy The Undiscovered Country, which is a welcome return to form after what is arguably the worst Star Trek movie ever made: The Final Frontier. The Undiscovered Country is without question a palate cleanser that washes the bad taste of Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and Dr. McCoy's (DeForest Kelley) encounter with the holier-than-thou Vulcan Sybok (Laurence Luckinbill) out of Trekkies' mouths.
So, which Star Trek films are your favorite? Join the conversation on the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages to share your picks, thoughts, and comments.