Well… I tell everyone to start with TOS because it’s my baby and because the later shows ALL reference it in some way from time to time (the recurring tribble episodes, the mirrorverse episodes, etc.) but in actuality I guess you could start with whichever one fits your personality best (because the beautiful thing is that they’re all really different)

Like, if you like complex political drama, maybe Deep Space Nine is the place for you.

Enjoy cranky captains with child aversion, androids exploring their inner humanity, sassy lady doctors, and LeVar Burton (because who doesn’t love LeVar Burton????) – try The Next Generation! The thing about TNG is that it is much more serious and dramatic in tone than TOS, but it is still lighthearted at times. The episodes with Q are the best because he basically shows up at random moments just to fuck with everyone and hit on Picard like a creeper. (Seriously he quotes Shakespeare and Jean Luc is just like – *perpetual eyeroll*)

Personally I did not enjoy Enterprise, but if you want to start at the canonical BEGINNING of EVERYTHING, that’s a good place to start. It’s a prequel to TOS and is set in the 22nd century. 

Then there’s Voyager, which takes place in relatively the same timespan as TNG and DS9 (24th century) and deals with the mission of the Voyager crew after they become lost in space. It was never really my bag, but I like Janeway. I relate to her strongly on a coffee drinker level. “There’s coffee in that nebula!”

Honestly, the TOS movies are some of my faves because old married spirk but if you’re going to watch them (and you should) you really need to start with TOS. 

As far as the movies themselves go, Wrath of Khan is LIFE (Filled with classical literature references and Spirk ANGSTTTTT.) The Voyage Home is funny camp but also wonderful because it’s about saving the planet (i.e. save the whales) and that’s just a beautiful thing. It is also super Old Married Spirk-centric and I know what I’m about, son.

So I guess at the end of the day, my answer is START WITH TOS because it is delightfully philosophical and asks the timelessly deep questions like:

• Why does racism exist? 
• Will we have grown out of greed and petty hatred by the 23rd century? (The show proceeds as if we have, and it’s a beautiful thing)
• Can we, as a species, ever learn to embrace our differences rather than being divided by them?

But then also is super campy and fun at times (for a nice balance) so you get things like:

• Unicorn dogs… in SPAAAACEEEE
• 2 Kirks + 1 Spock (oh ho ho i can’t tell you what i’m thinking right now)
• TRIBBLES
• COSPLAY IN SPACE (every time they beam down to an alien planet that is inexplicably a representation of Earth’s past and they have to dress in the attire of the locals – 1920′s gangsters, evil space Nazis, etc.)

And also just in general you will fall in LOVE with the characters because:

• Jim Kirk is a beautiful ray of sunshine who loves books, flowers, and stepping up to defend anyone who is being marginalized or subjected to bigotry. In the second episode, he literally shuts down a fuckboy who is being super creepy with a female crew member who has made it perfectly clear that she wants nothing to do with his inappropriate advances. The boy complains about being friendzoned and Jim is like, “LOOK SON, YOU CAN’T BE DOING THIS SHIT – YOU NEED TO R-E-S-P-E-C-T HER” and it’s amazing.
• Spock is a literal awkward baby giraffe that you will want to clutch to your bosom and protect from the world. He starts out thinking he’ll never fit in anywhere because of his mixed race and inability to be fully Human or Vulcan, but then he meets Jim “blessed bundle of rainbows” Kirk and finds a true friend who completely accepts him as he is and can bEAT HIM AT CHESS which is totally a turn on for spock, fight me on this BECAUSE HE’S A BIG TIME GENIUS AND A NERD and it’s the greatest love story of all tiiimmeeee
• Leonard “Bones” McCoy is the sweetest Southern Belle to ever traipse through space. He HATES being in space, is afraid and paranoid of everything, but he does it anyway because he loves and cares SO deeply about helping people. He expresses his love through the grumpy exterior of a man who gets frustrated when he can’t immediately solve everyone’s problems and ailments, and that is something I relate to on a spiritual level. Also Bones and Spock’s sassy banter is LIFE.
• Literally every character in this show is to die for. Uhura is a BAMF who is fantastic at her job and can successfully perform half the jobs on the bridge when she needs to in a pinch) loves to sing and casually flirts with Spock (because she knows he secretly enjoys it but it’s all in good fun, they’re good friends and they bond over their mutual love of music and AUGH I just can’t with them; they’re too cute) 
• Sulu is a dorky history buff who loves fencing and chivalry and is a bOTANIST in his free time and super nerds out over plants and antiques and UGH I CAN’T SULU IS THE SWEETEST BABY
• Scotty is super invested in his Scottish heritage and enjoys a good drink and LOVES THE ENTERPRISE SO MUCH like she’s a beautiful lady whose honor must be defended when anyone insults her
• Chekov is the little lovable piece of trash that you just can’t help but adore even though he’s always going on about how Russia invented everything and is the best (because it’s a big joke at this point – he just gets off on fucking with everyone) and is all about getting lucky with the ladies so everyone is just collectively rolling their eyes at his flirtatious antics at this point
• Rand! Chapel! 
• EVERYONE IS AWESOME GO WATCH THIS SHOW IMMEDIATELY

….I’m sorry. At some point this devolved into me just gushing about TOS characters and how beautiful and perfect they all are.

Bottom line: WATCH STAR TREK. WATCH IT NOW. YOU ARE MAKING GOOD LIFE CHOICES, FRIEND.

Reposted from http://ift.tt/1EIB9Ts.

Tags: star trek, tos.

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