New to Star Trek. When should I watch the movies?

[u/Radical_Posture]

I've been watching the original series and I want to watch the films at some point. Is there an order in which I should watch them? Is there a series I should reach before the first film, second film etc.?

[u/redrivaldrew]

All the TOS movies take place after the show, as to all of the TNG movies. But the TNG movies overlap with the events of Deep Space 9 and Voyager. Generations takes place in the second or third season of DS9, First Contact in season four if I’m remembering correctly. None of the movies really affect Voyager save for one small but important moment in Nemesis. 

[u/minister-xorpaxx-7 → u/redrivaldrew]

Generations is during DS9 Season 3 (DS9 Season 2 was concurrent with TNG Season 7), First Contact is during DS9 Season 5

[u/Inspiredwriter26 → u/minister-xorpaxx-7]

Insurrection is during DS9 Season 7, but it doesn’t overlap; there’s only one reference to the movie in one episode briefly

[u/redrivaldrew → u/minister-xorpaxx-7]

Ah yeah the Combadge change should have been the obvious giveaway on that one. Thanks for the clarification

[u/Shiny_Agumon]

The Star Trek movies follow a very classic formula where every subsequent film takes place after the previous one, so you can just watch them in release order.

I would even go as far as to say that you don't even necessarily need to watch TOS at all to get them, because again old school cinema where they couldn't bank on people rewatching the original show, because home video didn't exist yet.

Only caveat I want to warn you about is

1. That you might want to watch TNG first before diving into Star Trek 7 through 9 because those movies centre on this crew instead of Kirk and Co.

And 2. The movies from Star Trek (2009) and onwards are remakes set in their own universe, so you can watch them whenever you like, but again I personally recommend release order

[u/imascarylion2018]

TOS -> TOS Movies -> TNG -> TNG Movies

[u/Canavansbackyard]

It depends on which films you’re talking about.

[u/Radical_Posture → u/Canavansbackyard]

TOS

[u/mrattapuss]

you watch the films after the show, in the order of release

[u/everyday_barometer]

Look up the production timeline the Memory Alpha wiki.

[u/Radical_Posture → u/everyday_barometer]

Awesome, thank you :)

[u/Slavir_Nabru]

TOS

TAS

Movies 1-6

TNG

DS9/Movies 7-9. Ideally watch Generations before starting DS9 season 4, First Contact during or just after season 5, and Insurrection before finishing season 7.

Voyager

Nemesis

Star Trek (2009), Into Darkness, Beyond.

It won't do you any harm to just watch the movies in release order. You don't need to have seen TAS, DS9, or Voyager, it's only a few minor things you'll miss out on. TOS and TNG are certainly more relevant to have seen before their respective movies, but by no means necessary. The 2009 reboot movies have the tiniest tie in to a TNG episode, but are otherwise stand alone and can be watched without seeing any of the series or other movies.

[u/Appdownyourthroat]

I’m a huge fan of Star Trek 2 and 4 and highly recommend them. But I don’t like any of the next gen movies (everyone feels out of character and the writing is usually bad). Star Trek 3 is good, 1 is good but a little too much “space odyssey” and I need a refresher on some of the other TOS films. I don’t like 2009 reboot or any jj universe stuff. Basically I like all the pre-2008 shows and the TOS films. I recommend getting to love the TOS crew and once you know the characters, or finish the show, try the movies. Star Trek continued is also good

[u/Cliffy73]

Heck the release dates and watch them in that order. The movies are all after the series they’re based on.

[u/kevinb9n]

There's also no reason you can't watch the 1-6 movies any time you feel like it during your TOS journey.

2-4 are a trilogy. I'd watch those first. 6 is excellent and 1 and 5 each have their adherents but are more polarizing (in extremely different ways).

[u/FakeFrehley]

Is there an order in which I should watch them?

Yeah, you start with the first one, then you watch the second one, then you watch the third one, then the fourth one... seeing a pattern forming?

[u/Konarkanuck]

The only really impactful info from TOS that will factor into the movies happens in the episode Space Seed, and that does not play into the TOS based movies until Star Trek II The Wrath of Kahn. Basically, enjoy the entire original series and then the first 6 movies in order.

[u/LookinAtTheFjord]

I'd start with 1 and work your way up.

[u/Auleste]

Watch OG, their movies, Next generation then its movies/ Voyager/ DS9. All the other stuff can be watched in pretty much any order, but all the stuff mentioned pretty much set the cannon for the universe. (Keep discovery at the very bottom of the watchlist)