Star Trek Watchlist

I've been interested in watching the four original Star Trek series (plus Enterprise, which is kind of in a middle ground), but with nearly 700 total episodes, that's about 525 hours of watching. I asked ChatGPT to generate a list of episodes to watch, focusing on the main plot points, main characters and species, best episodes, and frequently referenced episodes. The starting point for this list is directly was those ChatGPT outputs, but I'm updating it as I go to fill in missing plot points and characters as I encounter them, so it has drifted significantly from the original list.

Star Trek (The Original Series) (1966-1969) (TOS)

TOS Specials (released 1988)

• "The Cage" (Special: original pilot, not S01E01: The Man Trap)

TOS Season 1 (1966)

• "Where No Man Has Gone Before" (Season 1, Episode 3)
• "Balance of Terror" (Season 1, Episode 14)
• "The Menagerie Part 1" (Season 1, Episode 15) (PENDING)
• "The Menagerie Part 2" (Season 1, Episode 16) (PENDING)
• "Space Seed" (Season 1, Episode 22)
• "The City on the Edge of Forever" (Season 1, Episode 28)

TOS Season 2 (1967)

• "Mirror, Mirror" (Season 2, Episode 4)
• "Amok Time" (Season 2, Episode 1)
• "Journey to Babel" (Season 2, Episode 10)
• "The Trouble with Tribbles" (Season 2, Episode 15)

TOS Movies

• 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 VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994) (TNG)

TNG Season 1 (1987)

• "Encounter at Farpoint" (Season 1, Episode 1, sometimes listed as Episodes 1 and 2, which changes numbering of rest of season)
• "The Last Outpost" (Season 1, Episode 4)
• "Where No One Has Gone Before" (Season 1, Episode 6)
• "The Battle" (Season 1, Episode 8)
• "Datalore" (Season 1, Episode 12)
• "Home Soil" (Season 1, Episode 18)
• "Heart of Glory" (Season 1, Episode 19)
• "Skin of Evil" (Season 1, Episode 22)
• "The Neutral Zone" (Season 1, Episode 25)

TNG Season 2 (1988)

• "The Child" (Season 2, Episode 1)
• "The Measure of a Man" (Season 2, Episode 9)
• "Q Who" (Season 2, Episode 16)
• "Time Squared" (Season 2, Episode 13)
• "Samaritan Snare" (Season 2, Episode 17)

TNG Season 3 (1989)

• "Evolution" (Season 3, Episode 1)
• "Who Watches the Watchers" (Season 3, Episode 4)
• "The Enemy" (Season 3, Episode 7)
• "The Price" (Season 3, Episode 8)
• "The Defector" (Season 3, Episode 10)
• "Yesterday’s Enterprise" (Season 3, Episode 15)
• "The Offspring" (Season 3, Episode 16)
• "Sins of the Father" (Season 3, Episode 17)
• "The Most Toys" (Season 3, Episode 22)
• "Sarek" (Season 3, Episode 23)
• "The Best of Both Worlds Part 1" (Season 3, Episode 26)

TNG Season 4 (1990)

• "The Best of Both Worlds Part 2" (Season 4, Episode 1)
• "Family" (Season 4, Episode 2)
• "Remember Me" (Season 4, Episode 5)
• "Reunion" (Season 4, Episode 7)
• "Final Mission" (Season 4, Episode 9)
• "Data’s Day" (Season 4, Episode 11)
• "The Wounded" (Season 4, Episode 12)
• "The Drumhead" (Season 4, Episode 21)
• "The Mind’s Eye" (Season 4, Episode 24)
• "Redemption" (Season 4, Episode 26)

TNG Season 5 (1991)

• "Redemption Part 2" (Season 5, Episode 1)
• "Darmok" (Season 5, Episode 2)
• "Ensign Ro" (Season 5, Episode 3)
• "Disaster" (Season 5, Episode 5)
• "Unification Part 1" (Season 5, Episode 7)
• "Unification Part 2" (Season 5, Episode 8)
• "Conundrum" (Season 5, Episode 14)
• "Cause and Effect" (Season 5, Episode 18)
• "The First Duty" (Season 5, Episode 19)
• "I, Borg" (Season 5, Episode 23)
• "The Inner Light" (Season 5, Episode 25)
• "Time's Arrow" (Season 5, Episode 26) (PENDING)

TNG Season 6 (1992)

• "Time's Arrow Part 2" (Season 6, Episode 1) (PENDING)
• "Relics" (Season 6, Episode 4)
• "Schisms" (Season 6, Episode 5)
• "Chain of Command Part 1" (Season 6, Episode 10)
• "Chain of Command Part 2" (Season 6, Episode 11)
• "Tapestry" (Season 6, Episode 15)
• "Birthright Part 1" (Season 6, Episode 16) (PENDING)
• "Birthright Part 2" (Season 6, Episode 17) (PENDING)
• "Second Chances" (Season 6, Episode 24)
• "Timescape" (Season 6, Episode 25)
• "Descent Part 1" (Season 6, Episode 26)

TNG Season 7 (1993)

• "Descent Part 2" (Season 7, Episode 1)
• "Gambit Part 1" (Season 7, Episode 4) (PENDING)
• "Gambit Part 2" (Season 7, Episode 5) (PENDING)
• "Parallels" (Season 7, Episode 11)
• "Lower Decks" (Season 7, Episode 15)
• "Journey's End" (Season 7, Episode 20)
• "Preemptive Strike" (Season 7, Episode 24)
• "All Good Things Part 1" (Season 7, Episode 25)
• "All Good Things Part 2" (Season 7, Episode 26)

TNG Movies

• Star Trek: Generations (1994)
• Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (1993-1999) (DS9)

INFO

Deep Space Nine has the most interconnected and long-running story arcs of any of these older series, mostly dropping the "episode of the week" format in favor of whole-season and multi-season narratives. There is also more accumulating backstory in many of the characters' relationships. All of this makes it difficult to pare down the episode list to the level of the other series.

DS9 Season 1 (1993)

• "Emissary Part 1" (Season 1, Episode 1)
• "Emissary Part 2" (Season 1, Episode 2)
• "Q-Less" (Season 1, Episode 7) (PENDING)
• "The Nagus" (Season 1, Episode 11)
• "Battle Lines" (Season 1, Episode 13)
• "Duet" (Season 1, Episode 19)
• "In the Hands of the Prophets" (Season 1, Episode 20)

DS9 Season 2 (1993)

• "The Homecoming" (Season 2, Episode 1)
• "The Circle" (Season 2, Episode 2)
• "The Seige" (Season 2, Episode 3)
• "Rules of Acquisition" (Season 2, Episode 7)
• "The Wire" (Season 2, Episode 22)
• "The Macquis Part 1" (Season 2, Episode 20)
• "The Macquis Part 2" (Season 2, Episode 21)
• "Crossover" (Season 2, Episode 23) (PENDING)
• "The Collaborator" (Season 2, Episode 24)
• "The Jem'Hadar" (Season 2, Episode 26)

DS9 Season 3 (1994)

• "The Search Part 1" (Season 3, Episode 1)
• "The Search Part 2" (Season 3, Episode 2)
• "Second Skin" (Season 3, Episode 5)
• "Defiant" (Season 3, Episode 9)
• "Life Support" (Season 3, Episode 13)
• "Heart of Stone" (Season 3, Episode 14)
• "Destiny" (Season 3, Episode 15)
• "Past Tense Part 1" (Season 3, Episode 11)
• "Past Tense Part 2" (Season 3, Episode 12)
• "Through the Looking Glass" (Season 3, Episode 19) (PENDING)
• "Improbable Cause" (Season 3, Episode 20)
• "The Die is Cast" (Season 3, Episode 21)
• "Explorers" (Season 3, Episode 22)
• "Shakaar" (Season 3, Episode 24)
• "Facets" (Season 3, Episode 25) (PENDING)
• "Family Business" (Season 3, Episode 23)
• "The Adversary" (Season 3, Episode 26)

DS9 Season 4 (1995)

• "The Way of the Warrior Part 1" (Season 4, Episode 1)
• "The Way of the Warrior Part 2" (Season 4, Episode 2)
• "The Visitor" (Season 4, Episode 3)
• "Little Green Men" (Season 4, Episode 8)
• "Our Man Bashir" (Season 4, Episode 10)
• "Homefront" (Season 4, Episode 11)
• "Paradise Lost" (Season 4, Episode 12)
• "Bar Association" (Season 4, Episode 16)
• "Accession" (Season 4, Episode 17)
• "For the Cause" (Season 4, Episode 22)
• "To the Death" (Season 4, Episode 23)
• "Body Parts" (Season 4, Episode 24)
• "Broken Link" (Season 4, Episode 25)
• "The Quickening" (Season 4, Episode 26)

DS9 Season 5 (1996)

• "Apocalypse Rising" (Season 5, Episode 1)
• "The Ship" (Season 5, Episode 2)
• "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places" (Season 5, Episode 3)
• "The Assignment" (Season 5, Episode 5)
• "Trials and Tribble-ations" (Season 5, Episode 6)
• "Let He Who Is without Sin" (Season 5, Episode 7)
• "Rapture" (Season 5, Episode 10)
• "The Begotten" (Season 5, Episode 12)
• "For the Uniform" (Season 5, Episode 13) (PENDING)
• "In Purgatory’s Shadow" (Season 5, Episode 14)
• "By Inferno’s Light" (Season 5, Episode 15)
• "Doctor Bashir, I Presume" (Season 5, Episode 16)
• "Soldiers of the Empire" (Season 5, Episode 21)
• "Children of Time" (Season 5, Episode 22)
• "Blaze of Glory" (Season 5, Episode 23) (PENDING)
• "Empok Nor" (Season 5, Episode 24)
• "Call to Arms" (Season 5, Episode 26)

DS9 Season 6 (1997)

• "A Time to Stand" (Season 6, Episode 1)
• "Rocks and Shoals" (Season 6, Episode 2)
• "Behind the Lines" (Season 6, Episode 4)
• "Favor the Bold" (Season 6, Episode 5)
• "Sacrifice of Angels" (Season 6, Episode 6)
• "Resurrection" (Season 6, Episode 8) (PENDING)
• "The Magnificent Ferengi" (Season 6, Episode 10)
• "Waltz" (Season 6, Episode 11)
• "Who Mourns for Morn" (Season 6, Episode 11)
• "Far Beyond the Stars" (Season 6, Episode 13)
• "Change of Heart" (Season 6, Episode 16)
• "In the Pale Moonlight" (Season 6, Episode 19)
• "Inquisition" (Season 6, Episode 18)
• "His Way" (Season 6, Episode 20)
• "Tears of the Prophets" (Season 6, Episode 26)

DS9 Season 7 (1998)

• "Image in the Sand" (Season 7, Episode 1)
• "Shadows and Symbols" (Season 7, Episode 2)
• "Once More Unto the Breach" (Season 7, Episode 7)
• "The Siege of AR-558" (Season 7, Episode 8)
• "Covenant" (Season 7, Episode 9)
• "The Emperor's New Cloak" (Season 7, Episode 12) (PENDING)
• "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges" (Season 7, Episode 16)
• "Penumbra" (Season 7, Episode 17)
• "'Til Death Do Us Part" (Season 7, Episode 18)
• "Strange Bedfellows" (DS9 Season 7, Episode 19)
• "The Changing Face of Evil" (DS9 Season 7, Episode 20)
• "When it Rains..." (DS9 Season 7, Episode 21)
• "Tacking into the Wind" (DS9 Season 7, Episode 22)
• "Extreme Measures" (DS9 Season 7, Episode 23)
• "The Dogs of War" (Season 7, Episode 24)
• "What You Leave Behind Part 1" (Season 7, Episode 25)
• "What You Leave Behind Part 2" (Season 7, Episode 26)

Star Trek: Voyager (1995-2001) (VOY)

VOY Season 1 (1995)

• "Caretaker Part 1" (Season 1, Episode 1)
• "Caretaker Part 2" (Season 1, Episode 2)
• "Phage" (Season 1, Episode 5)
• "Eye of the Needle" (Season 1, Episode 7)
• "State of Flux" (Season 1, Episode 11)
• "Faces" (Season 1, Episode 14)

VOY Season 2 (1995)

• "The 37's" (Season 2, Episode 1)
• "Cold Fire" (Season 2, Episode 10)
• "Maneuvers" (Season 2, Episode 11)
• "Resistance" (Season 2, Episode 12)
• "Threshold" (Season 2, Episode 15)
• "Meld" (Season 2, Episode 16)
• "Death Wish" (Season 2, Episode 18)
• "Deadlock" (Season 2, Episode 21)
• "The Thaw" (Season 2, Episode 23)
• "Tuvix" (Season 2, Episode 24)
• "Basics Part 1" (Season 2, Episode 26)

VOY Season 3 (1996)

• "Basics Part 2" (Season 3, Episode 1)
• "Flashback" (Season 3, Episode 2)
• "Future's End Part 1" (Season 3, Episode 8)
• "Future's End Part 2" (Season 3, Episodes 9)
• "The Q and the Grey" (Season 3, Episode 11)
• "Macrocosm" (Season 3, Episode 12)
• "Unity" (Season 3, Episodes 17)
• "Worst Case Scenario" (Season 3, Episode 25)
• "Scorpion Part 1" (Season 3, Episode 26)

VOY Season 4 (1997)

• "Scorpion Part 2" (Season 4, Episode 1)
• "The Gift" (Season 4, Episode 2)
• "Day of Honor" (Season 4, Episode 3)
• "Year of Hell Part 1" (Season 4, Episode 8)
• "Year of Hell Part 2" (Season 4, Episode 9)
• "Mortal Coil" (Season 4, Episode 12)
• "Waking Moments" (Season 2, Episode 13)
• "Message in a Bottle" (Season 4, Episode 14)
• "Hunters" (Season 4, Episode 15)
• "Prey" (Season 4, Episode 16)
• "The Killing Game Part 1" (Season 4, Episode 18)
• "The Killing Game Part 2" (Season 4, Episode 19)
• "Vis a Vis" (Season 4, Episode 20)
• "The Omega Directive" (Season 4, Episode 21)
• "Living Witness" (Season 4, Episode 23)
• "Hope and Fear" (Season 2, Episode 26)

VOY Season 5 (1998)

• "Night" (Season 5, Episode 1)
• "Drone" (Season 5, Episode 2)
• "Extreme Risk" (Season 5, Episode 3)
• "Timeless" (Season 5, Episode 6)
• "Infinite Regress" (Season 5, Episode 7)
• "Bride of Chaotica!" (Season 5, Episode 12)
• "Bliss" (Season 5, Episode 14)
• "Dark Frontier Part 1" (Season 5, Episode 15)
• "Dark Frontier Part 2" (Season 5, Episode 16)
• "Think Tank" (Season 5, Episode 20)
• "Juggernaut" (Season 5, Episode 21)
• "Equinox Part 1" (Season 5, Episode 26)

VOY Season 6 (1999)

• "Equinox Part 2" (Season 6, Episode 1)
• "Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy" (Season 6, Episode 4)
• "Blink of an Eye" (Season 6, Episode 12)
• "The Voyager Conspiracy" (Season 6, Episode 9)
• "Pathfinder" (Season 6, Episode 10)
• "Fair Haven" (Season 6, Episode 11)
• "Tsunkatse" (Season 6, Episode 15)
• "Collective" (Season 6, Episode 16)
• "Child's Play" (Season 6, Episode 19)
• "Good Shepard" (Season 6, Episode 20)
• "Fury" (Season 6, Episode 23)
• "Line Line" (Season 6, Episode 24)
• "Unimatrix Zero Part 1" (Season 6, Episode 26)

VOY Season 7 (2000)

• "Unimatrix Zero Part 2" (Season 7, Episode 1)
• "Drive" (Season 7, Episode 3)
• "Inside Man" (Season 7, Episode 6)
• "Body and Soul" (Season 7, Episode 7)
• "Flesh and Blood Part 1" (Season 7, Episode 9)
• "Flesh and Blood Part 2" (Season 7, Episode 10)
• "Shattered" (Season 7, Episode 11)
• "Lineage" (Season 7, Episode 12)
• "Prophecy" (Season 7, Episode 14)
• "Workforce Part 1" (Season 7, Episode 16) (PENDING)
• "Workforce Part 2" (Season 7, Episode 17) (PENDING)
• "Q2" (Season 7, Episode 19)
• "Friendship One" (Season 7, Episode 21)
• "Natural Law" (Season 7, Episode 22)
• "Homestead" (Season 7, Episode 23)
• "Renaissance Man" (Season 7, Episode 24)
• "Endgame Part 1" (Season 7, Episode 25)
• "Endgame Part 2" (Season 7, Episodes 26)

Star Trek: Enterprise (2001-2005) (ENT)

ENT Season 1 (2001)

• "Broken Bow Part 1" (Season 1, Episode 1)
• "Broken Bow Part 2" (Season 1, Episode 2)
• "The Andorian Incident" (Season 1, Episode 7)
• "Shadows of P'Jem" (Season 1, Episode 15)
• "Shuttlepod One" (Season 1, Episode 16)
• "Shockwave Part 1" (Season 1, Episode 26)

ENT Season 2 (2002)

• "Shockwave, Part 2" (Season 2, Episode 1)
• "Carbon Creek" (Season 2, Episode 2)
• "Dead Stop" (Season 2, Episode 4)
• "The Expanse" (Season 2, Episode 26)

ENT Season 3 (2003)

• "The Xindi" (Season 3, Episode 1)
• "Twilight" (Season 3, Episode 8)
• "Similitude" (Season 3, Episode 10)
• "Azati Prime" (Season 3, Episode 18)
• "Damage" (Season 3, Episode 19)
• "Zero Hour" (Season 3, Episode 24)

ENT Season 4 (2004)

• "Storm Front Part 1" (Season 4, Episode 1)
• "Storm Front Part 2" (Season 4, Episode 2)
• "Borderland" (Season 4, Episode 4)
• "Cold Station 12" (Season 4, Episode 5)
• "The Augments" (Season 4, Episode 6)
• "The Forge" (Season 4, Episode 7)
• "Awakening" (Season 4, Episode 8)
• "Kir'Shara" (Season 4, Episode 9)
• "Babel One" (Season 4, Episode 12)
• "United" (Season 4, Episode 13)
• "The Aenar" (Season 4, Episode 14)
• "Affliction" (Season 4, Episode 15)
• "Divergence" (Season 4, Episode 16)
• "In a Mirror, Darkly Part 1" (Season 4, Episode 18)
• "In a Mirror, Darkly Part 2" (Season 4, Episode 19)
• "Demons" (Season 4, Episode 20)
• "Terra Prime" (Season 4, Episode 21)
• "These Are the Voyages..." (Season 4, Episode 22)