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, and best episodes. Most of this list is directly from those ChatGPT outputs, but I'm updating it as I go to fill in missing plot points and characters as I encounter them. Some of the descriptions contain spoilers, but I've tried to reword them to be at least a little vague. The total episode coverage here should be around 25%.

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

TOS Specials (released 1988)

• "The Cage" (Special: original pilot, not S01E01: The Man Trap) - Introduction to Captain Pike (this is the episode without William Shatner). This episode is sometimes just listed as E01E01, which bumps the rest of the of the episode numbers in the first season.

TOS Season 1 (1966)

• "Where No Man Has Gone Before" (Season 1, Episode 3) - Introduction to Captain Kirk and Spock.
• "Balance of Terror" (Season 1, Episode 14) - Introduction to Romulans.
• "Space Seed" (Season 1, Episode 22) - Introduction to Khan.
• "The City on the Edge of Forever" (Season 1, Episode 28) - Classic time travel episode.

TOS Season 2 (1967)

• "Mirror, Mirror" (Season 2, Episode 4) - Introduction to the Mirror Universe.
• "Amok Time" (Season 2, Episode 1) - Vulcan culture and Spock’s background.
• "Journey to Babel" (Season 2, Episode 10) - Introduction to Spock’s parents.
• "The Trouble with Tribbles" (Season 2, Episode 15) - Introduction to Tribbles and Klingon humor.

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) - Introduction to the main crew.
• "The Last Outpost" (Season 1, Episode 4) - Introduction to the Ferengi.
• "The Battle" (Season 1, Episode 8) - Picard’s history with the Ferengi.
• "Datalore" (Season 1, Episode 12) - Introduction to Lore.
• "Heart of Glory" (Season 1, Episode 19) - Introduction to Klingon culture.
• "Skin of Evil" (Season 1, Episode 22) - Tasha Yar.
• "The Neutral Zone" (Season 1, Episode 25) - Reintroduction of the Romulans.

TNG Season 2 (1988)

• "The Measure of a Man" (Season 2, Episode 9) - Data’s rights and personhood.
• "Q Who" (Season 2, Episode 16) - Introduction to the Borg.

TNG Season 3 (1989)

• "Who Watches the Watchers" (Season 3, Episode 4) - Prime Directive and pre-warp civilizations
• "The Enemy" (Season 3, Episode 7) - Geordi stranded with a Romulan.
• "The Price" (Season 3, Episode 8) - Ferengi and negotiations for a wormhole.
• "The Defector" (Season 3, Episode 10) - Romulan defector seeks asylum.
• "Yesterday’s Enterprise" (Season 3, Episode 15) - Timeline changes and old friends return.
• "The Offspring" (Season 3, Episode 16) - Data creates a daughter.
• "Sins of the Father" (Season 3, Episode 17) - Worf’s family and honor.
• "Sarek" (Season 3, Episode 23) - Sarek
• "The Best of Both Worlds Part 1" (Season 3, Episode 26) - Borg threat.

TNG Season 4 (1990)

• "The Best of Both Worlds Part 2" (Season 4, Episode 1) - Borg threat.
• "Family" (Season 4, Episode 2) - Picard’s recovery and family background.
• "Reunion" (Season 4, Episode 7) - Klingon politics and Worf’s personal life.
• "Final Mission" (Season 4, Episode 9) - Wesley goes to Starfleet Academy.
• "Data’s Day" (Season 4, Episode 11) - O’Brien wedding, Romulan incident.
• "The Wounded" (Season 4, Episode 12) - Cardassian-Federation tensions.
• "The Drumhead" (Season 4, Episode 21) - Witch hunt on the Enterprise.
• "The Mind’s Eye" (Season 4, Episode 24) - Romulans.
• "Redemption" (Season 4, Episode 26) - Klingon conflict.

TNG Season 5 (1991)

• "Redemption Part 2" (Season 5, Episode 1) - Klingon conflict.
• "Darmok" (Season 5, Episode 2) - Communication with an alien species.
• "Ensign Ro" (Season 5, Episode 3) - Introduction to Ro Laren.
• "Disaster" (Season 5, Episode 5) - Worf and O'Brien.
• "Unification Part 1" (Season 5, Episode 7) - Spock’s mission on Romulus.
• "Unification Part 2" (Season 5, Episode 8) - Spock’s mission on Romulus.
• "Cause and Effect" (Season 5, Episode 18) - Time loop episode that caused viewers to think the broadcast was broken
• "The First Duty" (Season 5, Episode 19) - Wesley Crusher faces a moral dilemma.
• "I, Borg" (Season 5, Episode 23) - Individuality of a Borg drone.
• "The Inner Light" (Season 5, Episode 25) - Picard experiences another world.

TNG Season 6 (1992)

• "Relics" (Season 6, Episode 4) - Scotty’s return and nostalgia
• "Chain of Command Part 1" (Season 6, Episode 10) - Cardassian secret mission.
• "Chain of Command Part 2" (Season 6, Episode 11) - Cardassian secret mission.
• "Tapestry" (Season 6, Episode 15) - Picard’s life choices revisited.
• "Second Chances" (Season 6, Episode 24) - Riker.
• "Timescape" (Season 6, Episode 25) - Time anomalies affecting the Enterprise.
• "Descent Part 1" (Season 6, Episode 26) - Rogue borg.

TNG Season 7 (1993)

• "Descent Part 2" (Season 7, Episode 1) - Rogue borg.
• "Parallels" (Season 7, Episode 11) - Worf experiences alternate realities.
• "Lower Decks" (Season 7, Episode 15) - Perspective of junior officers on the Enterprise.
• "All Good Things Part 1" (Season 7, Episode 25) - Series finale and final test.
• "All Good Things Part 2" (Season 7, Episode 26) - Series finale and final test.

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) - Introduction to the station and main characters.
• "Emissary Part 2" (Season 1, Episode 2) - Introduction to the station and main characters.
• "The Nagus" (Season 1, Episode 11) - Introduction to the Ferengi culture.
• "Battle Lines" (Season 1, Episode 13) - Kai Opaka.
• "Duet" (Season 1, Episode 19) - A powerful episode about guilt and redemption.
• "In the Hands of the Prophets" (Season 1, Episode 20) - Bajoran orthodoxy.

DS9 Season 2 (1993)

• "The Homecoming" (Season 2, Episode 1) - Bajoran political intrigue.
• "The Circle" (Season 2, Episode 2) - Bajoran political intrigue.
• "The Seige" (Season 2, Episode 3) - Bajoran political intrigue.
• "Rules of Acquisition" (Season 2, Episode 7) - Ferengi business dealings.
• "The Wire" (Season 2, Episode 22) - Garak’s backstory.
• "The Macquis Part 1" (Season 2, Episode 20) - The Macquis.
• "The Macquis Part 2" (Season 2, Episode 21) - The Macquis.
• "The Collaborator" (Season 2, Episode 24) - Suspicions in Bajoran spiritual leadership.
• "The Jem'Hadar" (Season 2, Episode 26) - Introduction to the Dominion.

DS9 Season 3 (1994)

• "The Search Part 1" (Season 3, Episode 1) - Introduction to the Founders.
• "The Search Part 2" (Season 3, Episode 2) - Introduction to the Founders.
• "Second Skin" (Season 3, Episode 5) - Kira’s connection to the Cardassians.
• "Defiant" (Season 3, Episode 9) - Cardassian politics and Riker.
• "Life Support" (Season 3, Episode 13) - Vedek is injured.
• "Heart of Stone" (Season 3, Episode 14) - Nog's future.
• "Destiny" (Season 3, Episode 15) - Sisko's role as Emissary.
• "Past Tense Part 1" (Season 3, Episode 11) - Time travel to a different Earth.
• "Past Tense Part 2" (Season 3, Episode 12) - Time travel to a different Earth.
• "Improbable Cause" (Season 3, Episode 20) - Garak and Odo’s mission.
• "The Die is Cast" (Season 3, Episode 21) - Garak and Odo’s mission.
• "Explorers" (Season 3, Episode 22) - Ancient Bajorans.
• "Shakaar" (Season 3, Episode 24) - A challenge to the Kai.
• "Family Business" (Season 3, Episode 23) - Quark’s family dynamics.
• "The Adversary" (Season 3, Episode 26) - Promotion and imposter.

DS9 Season 4 (1995)

• "The Way of the Warrior Part 1" (Season 4, Episode 1) - Klingon conflict, new crew member.
• "The Way of the Warrior Part 2" (Season 4, Episode 2) - Klingon conflict, new crew member.
• "The Visitor" (Season 4, Episode 3) - Jake Sisko’s old age (warning: heartbreaking).
• "Little Green Men" (Season 4, Episode 8) - Ferengi time travel to historical events.
• "Our Man Bashir" (Season 4, Episode 10) - James Bond parody holosuite episode.
• "Homefront" (Season 4, Episode 11) - Issues on Earth.
• "Paradise Lost" (Season 4, Episode 12) - Issues on Earth.
• "Bar Association" (Season 4, Episode 16) - Rom.
• "Accession" (Season 4, Episode 17) - A challenge to Sisko's role.
• "For the Cause" (Season 4, Episode 22) - Betrayal of a close relationship.
• "To the Death" (Season 4, Episode 23) - Jem'Hadar conflict and Weyoun’s introduction.
• "Body Parts" (Season 4, Episode 24) - Pregnancy.
• "Broken Link" (Season 4, Episode 25) - Odo and the Founders.
• "The Quickening" (Season 4, Episode 26) - Biogenic weapons.

DS9 Season 5 (1996)

• "Apocalypse Rising" (Season 5, Episode 1) - Klingons and imposters.
• "The Ship" (Season 5, Episode 2) - Dominion conflict and crew survival.
• "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places" (Season 5, Episode 3) - Worf and Dax.
• "The Assignment" (Season 5, Episode 5) - Enemies of the prophets.
• "Trials and Tribble-ations" (Season 5, Episode 6) - Time travel to TOS episode (really cool).
• "Let He Who Is without Sin" (Season 5, Episode 7) - Worf and fundamentalists.
• "Rapture" (Season 5, Episode 10) - Sisko's role.
• "The Begotten" (Season 5, Episode 12) - Children.
• "In Purgatory’s Shadow" (Season 5, Episode 14) - Garak and Worf.
• "By Inferno’s Light" (Season 5, Episode 15) - Garak and Worf.
• "Doctor Bashir, I Presume" (Season 5, Episode 16) - Bashir's background.
• "Soldiers of the Empire" (Season 5, Episode 21) - Worf and Martok’s mission.
• "Children of Time" (Season 5, Episode 22) - Alternate future.
• "Empok Nor" (Season 5, Episode 24) - Garak and Nog.
• "Call to Arms" (Season 5, Episode 26) - Start of conflict.

DS9 Season 6 (1997)

• "A Time to Stand" (Season 6, Episode 1) - Continuation of conflict.
• "Rocks and Shoals" (Season 6, Episode 2) - Stranded with the Jem'Hadar.
• "Behind the Lines" (Season 6, Episode 4) - Odo's dilemma.
• "Favor the Bold" (Season 6, Episode 5) - Big mission.
• "Sacrifice of Angels" (Season 6, Episode 6) - Major battle in the conflict.
• "The Magnificent Ferengi" (Season 6, Episode 10) - Ferengi rescue mission.
• "Waltz" (Season 6, Episode 11) - Sisko and Dukat’s psychological confrontation.
• "Far Beyond the Stars" (Season 6, Episode 13) - Sisko’s vision of 1950s Earth.
• "Change of Heart" (Season 6, Episode 16) - Jadzia and Worf
• "In the Pale Moonlight" (Season 6, Episode 19) - Sisko’s moral dilemma during the conflict.
• "Inquisition" (Season 6, Episode 18) - Interest in Bashir.
• "His Way" (Season 6, Episode 20) - Vic Fontaine.
• "Tears of the Prophets" (Season 6, Episode 26) - Sisko's role.

DS9 Season 7 (1998)

• "Image in the Sand" (Season 7, Episode 1) - Sisko's family and role.
• "Shadows and Symbols" (Season 7, Episode 2) - Sisko's family and role.
• "Once More Unto the Breach" (Season 7, Episode 7) - Kor.
• "The Siege of AR-558" (Season 7, Episode 8) - Realities of war.
• "Covenant" (Season 7, Episode 9) - Dukat's new role.
• "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges" (Season 7, Episode 16) - Section 31 and ethical dilemmas.
• "Penumbra" (Season 7, Episode 17) - Final story arc
• "'Til Death Do Us Part" (Season 7, Episode 18) - Final story arc
• "Strange Bedfellows" (DS9 Season 7, Episode 19) - Final story arc.
• "The Changing Face of Evil" (DS9 Season 7, Episode 20) - Final story arc.
• "When it Rains..." (DS9 Season 7, Episode 21) - Final story arc.
• "Tacking into the Wind" (DS9 Season 7, Episode 22) - Final story arc.
• "Extreme Measures" (DS9 Season 7, Episode 23) - Final story arc.
• "The Dogs of War" (Season 7, Episode 24) - Final story arc.
• "What You Leave Behind Part 1" (Season 7, Episode 25) - Series finale.
• "What You Leave Behind Part 2" (Season 7, Episode 26) - Series finale.

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

VOY Season 1 (1995)

• "Caretaker Part 1" (Season 1, Episode 1) - Introduction to the crew and their situation in the Delta Quadrant.
• "Caretaker Part 2" (Season 1, Episode 2) - Introduction to the crew and their situation in the Delta Quadrant.
• "Phage" (Season 1, Episode 5) - Introduction to the Vidiians and their medical technology.
• "Eye of the Needle" (Season 1, Episode 7) - Early hope for returning to the Alpha Quadrant.
• "State of Flux" (Season 1, Episode 11) - Seska’s betrayal and the Kazon threat.
• "Faces" (Season 1, Episode 14) - Exploration of B'Elanna Torres' dual heritage.

VOY Season 2 (1995)

• "The 37's" (Season 2, Episode 1) - Encounter with humans abducted from Earth.
• "Maneuvers" (Season 2, Episode 11) - Kazon encounter.
• "Threshold" (Season 2, Episode 15) - Paris makes a breakthrough.
• "Meld" (Season 2, Episode 16) - Lon Suder.
• "Death Wish" (Season 2, Episode 18) - TODO: Tentative
• "Deadlock" (Season 2, Episode 21) - Duplicate Voyager and survival
• "The Thaw" (Season 2, Episode 23) - Crew trapped in a deadly virtual reality.
• "Tuvix" (Season 2, Episode 24) - Ethical dilemma involving Tuvok and Neelix.
• "Basics Part 1" (Season 2, Episode 26) - Kazon conflict climax.

VOY Season 3 (1996)

• "Basics Part 1" (Season 3, Episode 1) - Kazon conflict climax.
• "Future's End Part 1" (Season 3, Episode 8) - Time travel to 1996 Earth.
• "Future's End Part 2" (Season 3, Episodes 9) - Time travel to 1996 Earth.
• "The Q and the Grey" (Season 3, Episode 11) - TODO: Tentative
• "Macrocosm" (Season 3, Episode 12) - TODO: Tentative
• "Unity" (Season 3, Episodes 17) - Borg encounter.
• "Scorpion Part 1" (Season 3, Episode 26) - New character and Borg.

VOY Season 4 (1997)

• "Scorpion Part 2" (Season 4, Episode 1) - New character and Borg.
• "The Gift" (Season 4, Episode 2) - Borg's relationship to humanity.
• "Day of Honor" (Season 4, Episode 3) - TODO: Tentative
• "Year of Hell Part 1" (Season 4, Episode 8) - Temporal conflict and crew resilience.
• "Year of Hell Part 2" (Season 4, Episode 9) - Temporal conflict and crew resilience.
• "Mortal Coil" (Season 4, Episode 12) - Neelix’s existential crisis.
• "Waking Moments" (Season 2, Episode 13) - TODO: Tentative
• "Message in a Bottle" (Season 4, Episode 14) - Contact with the Alpha Quadrant and the Prometheus.
• "Hunters" (Season 4, Episode 15) - Hirogen.
• "Prey" (Season 4, Episode 16) - Hirogen.
• "The Killing Game Part 1" (Season 4, Episode 18) - Hirogen occupation and holodeck warfare.
• "The Killing Game Part 2" (Season 4, Episode 19) - Hirogen occupation and holodeck warfare.
• "Living Witness" (Season 4, Episode 23) - The Doctor’s ethical quandary and long-term legacy.
• "Hope and Fear" (Season 2, Episode 26) - TODO: Tentative

VOY Season 5 (1998)

• "Drone" (Season 5, Episode 2) - A future Borg drone is created aboard Voyager.
• "Extreme Risk" (Season 7, Episode 3) - TODO: Tentative
• "Timeless" (Season 5, Episode 6) - Time travel to prevent Voyager’s destruction.
• "Bride of Chaotica!" (Season 5, Episode 12) - Very silly episode.
• "Bliss" (Season 5, Episode 14) - TODO: Tentative
• "Dark Frontier Part 1" (Season 5, Episode 15) - Seven’s background and Borg confrontation.
• "Dark Frontier Part 2" (Season 5, Episode 16) - Seven’s background and Borg confrontation.
• "Think Tank" (Season 5, Episode 20) - Very intelligent life forms.
• "Juggernaut" (Season 5, Episode 21) - TODO: Tentative
• "Equinox Part 1" (Season 5, Episode 26) - Encounter with another Starfleet ship.

VOY Season 6 (1999)

• "Equinox Part 2" (Season 6, Episode 1) - Encounter with another Starfleet ship.
• "Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy" (Season 6, Episode 4) - TODO: Tentative
• "Blink of an Eye" (Season 6, Episode 12) - Voyager’s impact on a rapidly evolving planet.
• "The Voyager Conspiracy" (Season 6, Episode 9) - Seven of nine becomes paranoid.
• "Pathfinder" (Season 6, Episode 10) - Reginald Barclay’s efforts to communicate with Voyager.
• "Collective" (Season 6, Episode 16) - Damaged Bork vessel.
• "Child's Play" (Season 6, Episode 19) - Icheb
• "Good Shepard" (Season 6, Episode 20) - TODO: Tentative
• "Unimatrix Zero Part 1" (Season 6, Episode 26) - Borg individuality and resistance.

VOY Season 7 (2000)

• "Unimatrix Zero Part 2" (Season 7, Episode 1) - Borg individuality and resistance.
• "Drive" (Season 7, Episode 3) - TODO: Tentative
• "Shattered" (Season 7, Episode 11) - Chakotay experiences different timelines aboard Voyager.
• "Prohecy" (Season 7, Episode 14) - TODO: Tentative
• "Natural Law" (Season 7, Episode 22) - TODO: Tentative
• "Endgame Part 1" (Season 7, Episode 25) - Series finale.
• "Endgame Part 2" (Season 7, Episodes 26) - Series finale.

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

ENT Season 1 (2001)

• "Broken Bow Part 1" (Season 1, Episode 1) - Introduction to crew and ship.
• "Broken Bow Part 2" (Season 1, Episode 2) - Introduction to crew and ship.
• "The Andorian Incident" (Season 1, Episode 7) - Establishes major species conflict.
• "Shadows of P'Jem" (Season 1, Episode 15) - Follows up on species conflict.
• "Shuttlepod One" (Season 1, Episode 16) - Relationship between Tucker and Reed.
• "Shockwave Part 1" (Season 1, Episode 26) - Central conflict cliffhanger.

ENT Season 2 (2002)

• "Shockwave, Part 2" (Season 2, Episode 1) - Conflict storyline continuation.
• "Carbon Creek" (Season 2, Episode 2) - Early Vulcan contact with Earth.
• "Dead Stop" (Season 2, Episode 4) - Mysterious repair station.
• "The Expanse" (Season 2, Episode 26) - Sets up major storyline arc.

ENT Season 3 (2003)

• "The Xindi" (Season 3, Episode 1) - Major storyline arc continuation.
• "Twilight" (Season 3, Episode 8) - Alternate future.
• "Similitude" (Season 3, Episode 10) - Ethical questions.
• "Azati Prime" (Season 3, Episode 18) - Conflict development.
• "Damage" (Season 3, Episode 19) - Consequences of conflict decisions.
• "Zero Hour" (Season 3, Episode 24) - End of conflict arc.

ENT Season 4 (2004)

• "Storm Front Part 1" (Season 4, Episode 1) - Conclusion of conflict.
• "Storm Front Part 2" (Season 4, Episode 2) - Conclusion of conflict.
• "The Forge" (Season 4, Episode 7) - Vulcan society.
• "Awakening" (Season 4, Episode 8) - More Vulcan storyline.
• "Kir'Shara" (Season 4, Episode 9) - Conclusion of Vulcan Storyline.
• "Babel One" (Season 4, Episode 12) - Federation formation.
• "United" (Season 4, Episode 13) - Federation formation.
• "The Aenar" (Season 4, Episode 14) - Federation formation.
• "In a Mirror, Darkly Part 1" (Season 4, Episode 18) - Mirror universe.
• "In a Mirror, Darkly Part 2" (Season 4, Episode 19) - Mirror universe.
• "Terra Prime" (Season 4, Episode 21) - Human xenophobia.
• "These Are the Voyages..." (Season 4, Episode 22) - Series finale.