Star Trek - The Next Generation
176 episodes (1987-94) 60m

Set 78 years after TOS, the long-awaited new Trek series featured an "ensemble" cast - the most popular being the android Data, Klingon bridge officer Worf and Enterprise-D captain Jean-Luc Picard. After a shaky start less popular characters generally got better, except Wesley Crusher who copped a nasty dose of writer revenge.

Star Trek - Generations
D: David Carson (1994) 118m

The feature film baton was handed to the TNG crew in this entertaining tale of two captains (Kirk & Picard) teaming to fight the latest incarnation of galactic evil. Malcolm McDowall is darkly unsettling as the villain and there isn't a dry eye in the house when Kirk's fate convinces us once and for all that things will never be the same.

Star Trek - First Contact
D: Jonathan Frakes (1996) 110m

Supremos Berman and Piller managed to juggle three Trek incarnations at once, including the second TNG movie which may stand as the best and most universally appealing work they'll ever do. Picard & co. face off against the dreaded Borg & their terrifying queen in an attempt to stave off Earth's assimilation into the collective.

Star Trek - Insurrection
D: Jonathan Frakes (1998) 103m

First Contact was always going to be a hard act to follow, and this rather pedestrian entry in the TNG film series suffered the consequences. The Prime Directive goes out the window as things go awry on a Federation scientific survey of a blessed planet and its inhabitants. A Star Wars-ish villain confirms ideas are running out.

Star Trek - Nemesis
D: Stuart Baird (2002) 116m

A good film that unfortunately suffered from a general decline of interest in the Trek franchise. The Enterprise is diverted to the Romulan neutral zone where Picard faces his evil clone who has designs on the Federation. A few TNG relationships are brought to fitting ends as parting of the ways signals it's time to say goodbye.

Star Trek - Deep Space Nine
174 episodes (1993-99) 60m

Often soapy series set on a space station where Starfleet officers try to keep the peace between the spiritual Bajorans and their former Cardassian rulers. On the other side of the nearby 'wormhole' are the powerful shape-shifters of the Dominion. Rescued mid-series when Worf signed on and the station got its own starship.

Star Trek - Voyager
172 episodes (1995-2001) 60m

Trek tension with a twist. Along with the terrorist Maquis vessel they were chasing, state-of-the-art starship Voyager ends up in the Delta Quadrant courtesy of an alien entity. Female captain Janeway gets what's left of the crews to team up and try and get home - facing lots of new alien menaces and the Borg along the way.

Enterprise
98 episodes (2001-05) 60m

TOS prequel set in the mid-22nd century accompanies sensitive new-age captain and crew through the early days of deep-space exploration. Has copped a lot of criticism for its over-reliance on recycled plot ideas and tested the patience of Trekkers by virtually throwing the continuity rule-book out the window. After this Trek took a rest for a while.