SERIES RANKINGS - PART TWO - 7th to 1st

I love every Star Trek series for different reasons and these stand out above the others, at least in my estimations. None of them are perfect, I’m not blind to the occasional clunker or problematic element, but they make my heart happy, so here we go, best of the best…

7. THE ORIGINAL SERIES

Back where it all began. The first episode of Trek I ever watched was ‘The City on the Edge of Forever’ so even being born in 1989 this was my entry to the franchise. Looking at the series it’s impossible to understate the impact it had and continues to have. A lot of sci-fi tropes have their origins here. Time travel paradoxes, alternate universes, transporters, evil duplicates, the list goes on. The first season in particular is arguably one of the greatest seasons of TV in history. Personally though, my enjoyment is slightly dampened by the problematic elements that were part of the 60s and the lack of stories for the supporting cast outside Kirk and Spock. That said it led the way for every series that followed so I love it for that

I like - It defined sci-fi for decades to come

I don’t like - 60s trappings (sexism, blackface etc.)

6. STRANGE NEW WORLDS

Of all the series here this is one that will probably go up the list over time. The first 2 seasons are stunningly good. It has just the right amount of serialisation while returning to the episodic nature of the classic era. The characters are wonderfully defined and the performances are among the franchises best. It also leans into the idea that Star Trek can fit into many genres and it takes big swings fearlessly. Courtroom drama, horror movie, animated crossover, a freakin’ musical, this show can do and be anything it wants to be. Honestly it’s only at number 6 because there’s not been enough of it yet

I like - the serialised/episodic balance

I don’t like - the ending of ‘Under the Cloak of War’

5. THE NEXT GENERATION

This is the gold standard for many Trek fans and I completely understand why. From day one Patrick Stewart put his stamp on the series and we got a very different captain to Kirk. His Shakespearean delivery and Oscar worthy performances raised the bar for everyone around him. The first season is what it is, S2 has a couple of real standouts (looking at you Measure of a Man and Q Who?) but it’s from S3 that the show really takes flight. My only real complaint is similar to TOS where the focus ends up being too heavy on Picard and Data at the expense of the rest of the cast. Everyone has their moments to shine but personally, and I could lose my Trekkie card for this, I’ve never been a big Data fan (nothing to do with Brent Spiner whose talent knows no bounds) and for some reason I don’t feel as connected to this crew. What I love though is the cast and the variety of genres and issues explored which informed every subsequent show 

I like - The cast

I don’t like - Too much focus on Data in later seasons

4. LOWER DECKS

‘A love letter to…’ is a phrase that comes up often with Star Trek and this entire series fits the bill perfectly. Mike McMahan is a creative genius. Every frame of this animated comedy emanates joy and a love of the franchise. The characters are brilliantly defined, the nods to other shows perfectly walk the line between loving homage, poking fun and fan service (not a dirty word). Watching it is a joyous experience helped tremendously by the fun that Tawny Newsome, Jack Quaid et al have making the show. Returning legacy characters / ships / species are always a treat and the easter eggs make it eminently rewatchable picking upon something new every time. It’s also a Star Trek show through and through with the same levels of drama and brilliant writing between jokes. I hope and pray the Lower Deckers return in some format sooner rather than later

I like - the many, many references to other Trek

I don’t like - 20 minutes an episode is not enough

3. PRODIGY

Prodigy is the gift I never knew I wanted and the series I didn’t know I needed. This is NOT just a kids show. The first half of the first season probably fits that category best but the back half of S1 and all of S2 work perfectly as an enjoyable adventure for younger viewers while at the same time being some of the greatest Star Trek ever produced. The show pulls no punches with the writing and themes and it fits seamlessly with the rest of the Star Trek universe. My love of Voyager and of the glorious Kate Mulgrew also propels it up the rankings as it’s basically a pared back season 8. Like Lower Decks it also uses legacy characters just the right amount. The returns of Beltran, Wheaton, Picardo and more may not mean much to the kids watching but I genuinely teared up when Janeway and Chakotay were reunited (and I’m by no means a J/C shipper). Prodigy is also a feast for the eyes and ears. It will always baffle me that Paramount saw fit to cancel it after season 1. God bless Netflix and god bless the fans who saved it. Season 3 now please

I like - It’s Voyager S8

I don’t like - the idiots who cancelled it

2. VOYAGER

I honestly can’t separate the top 2 series. While number 1 is objectively speaking the best series, my happy place and the crew I love more than any other is Voyager. It’s the one I have the clearest memories of watching growing up as it was first airing and it gives me comfort to this day. I suspect part of it comes from the fact that a lot of my role models growing up were women. Until the age of 13 every teacher I had was a woman. Kathryn Janeway is a role model to many. She led her crew home after being stuck in the Delta Quadrant and her morals remained (mostly) steadfast despite a lack of the supervision / support that Starfleet brings to every other captain. The crew also best fit (for me) the idea that this is a family, one I’d be proud to be part of. I love these characters, yes even Neelix. I want to hang out with Tom and Harry on the holodeck, join Janeway and Chakotay for dinner, solve problems with B’Elanna and Seven. It’s also just a great show, for my money it has the best two-parters of any Trek and it has the best sci-fi concepts of any Trek. It’s the one I reach for when I want to watch a random episode when I feel low or just want to be transported to another place. It has my heart.

I like - The crew

I don’t like - Lack of recurring supporting characters

1. DEEP SPACE NINE

What can I say about the greatest TV series of all time that hasn’t already been said. Everything fires on all cylinders. The writing is astonishingly good, the cast (no disrespect to other series) has some of the most talented people to ever grace our screens, the serialisation works like gangbusters and there is not a single weak link among the regular characters and the (inarguably greatest) supporting characters. It’s a joy watching them all. Avery, Nana, Rene, Armin and the rest pop in every scene. We also get complex characters like Garak and the diabolical Winn and Dukat coming back again and again matching the crew step for step. The variety of relationships and dynamics elevate the show immeasurably. It also has some of the best single episodes of not just Trek but television. Duet, Far Beyond the Stars, The Visitor, these should be required viewing. Most importantly, at its heart, this is a show about family, The Siskos, The O’Briens, the Ferengi, no other series has this sort of depth to the point that the loss of people like Rene Auberjonois, Aron Eisenberg and Louise Fletcher hit at a personal level. I’ll say it again, it’s quite simply the greatest TV series ever produced

I like - The actors and characters at every level

I don’t like - not enough follow-up in modern Trek