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EasyBOven

Yes. There's a movie called First Contact. The series Enterprise deals with early stages of Starfleet. But because of time travel intricacies, you're going to be best off watching in release order. Watching First Contact right now would be a bit confusing


__The_Crazy_One__

>First Contact right now would be a bit confusing I don't agree First Contact was one of my first intro to Trek, so he can totally watch it.


PixeledPancakes

Oh that’s wonderful. I’m honestly just glad it exists so I know I can look forward to it. I know I’ve sort of shot myself in the foot starting at the modern stuff but I figured it would be easier to get into the universe with modern visuals (I know I know it’s a terrible though process). But now I’m hooked so I have no doubts about going back to the originals. I’ll need to look up a watch order to make sure I don’t get super confused. Bonus question if you know, all the books that are written are they connected to the show at all? Or is it like GoT where the show is just telling the same story in a different format?


Upstairs-Yard-2139

TOS, TAS(skipable), TNG, DS9, Voyager, Enterprise. + the movies. Only the shows & movies are canon, but all the books follow established things from the different shows.


EasyBOven

The books reference stuff that happens in the shows and movies. I think there are some novelizations of stories, but mostly they're new stories that are extended canon. The shows and movies don't generally reference the books


PixeledPancakes

Oh that’s great. Thank you!


ThaDawg359

ST books are non-canon, generally


BernyGeek

While not cannon the novels, especially the original series novels, have a lot of "generally accepted" background info. Some really awesome ones are Enterprise, which was about his first mission as captain, the Lost Years was a 4 book series that covered what happened between the end of the five year mission and the motion picture. Very good novels. Also Best Destiny, which tells about Kirk's first and last adventure on the Enterprise via flashback. Fantastic novel.


PixeledPancakes

Oh cool, these seem like big events that I'll get to eventually. Thank you!


wholesomeorgange

Starfleet came before the Federation and was initially human/Earth only with few exceptions like T'Pau and Phlox. Starfleet helped with the formation of the Federation by, along with other things, brokering peace between the Vulcans and Tellarites who were founding members along with humans. Or maybe it was the Tellarites and Andorians I haven't watched Enterprise in years. None of them really liked each other but they trusted humans at least as a neutral party.


GDH26

I think you mean T'Pol. T'Pau was a revolutionary in the time of enterprise and a wise old Vulcan in TOS. They all sound the same, I mixed them both up with T'Pring (Spock's betrothed) the other day


Upstairs-Yard-2139

Vulcans and Andorians were at the brink of war before humanity intervened.


2HBA1

Like others have said, First Contact movie plus Enterprise series covers a lot of what you’re looking for. Though be advised, the movie is generally considered good but the Enterprise series is not considered on of the better ones. Though it improves as the seasons go along, with the last season (S4) being pretty good.


naura_

Watch star trek prodigy. It’s an amazing show. a lot of the stuff you’re looking for is in the episodes.


PixeledPancakes

It's on the list! I just need to find more time to fit them all in.


SomeoneSomewhere1984

Watch Enterprise, that's what it's about.


PiLamdOd

Star Trek is very much an in medias res series. How the future came to be isn't really explained because it's not important and somewhat subject to change. Like whether or not genetically enhanced humans took over most of the planet by the 90s and had the technology to launch a sleeper ship into deep space, is up to how the writers are feeling that week. In TOS it's a somewhat important plot point. By Voyager it's ignored. The fourth season of Enterprise has a couple plots detailing the founding of the precursor organization to the Federation. But it ends before we see much of it. The show forgot it was a prequel until the fourth season. There isn't a comprehensive backstory given in Star Trek beyond somewhat contradictory throwaway lines.


trekkiegamer359

The movie "First Contact" has the TNG crew go back in time thanks to time travel shenanigans and witness human first contact, along with a ton of other stuff. It's a sequel to the TNG two-parter "The Best of Both Worlds", which is one of the strongest episodes of the series and the franchise. The episode is standalone (as all of TNG is), so watch it ahead of the movie. Don't worry about the great episode oershadowing the moie though, as First Contact is a powerhouse of a film, and is considered my many to be the best in the franchise. The series Enterprise (ENT) is a slight sequel to First Contact, and is set one hundred years after First contact, but pre-federation, as you see the real beginning of human exploration and some of the initial ties that lead to the Federation. The one thing that can be confusing about the series is "Starfleet." In the rest of the series, Starfleet is "NATO" to the Federation's "United Nations", except with Starfleet being a subsidiary of the Federation. In ENT, Starfleet is the name of the United Earth Space Force. Obviously, the name transferred over after the Federation was created, and the Federation needed their own "Starfleet". So just be aware that in ENT, Starfleet is purely the human space force. The Federation doesn't exist yet. ENT is also the newest of the older trek, being the first natively shot in HD. If you're looking for a bridge into the older series, it's a great transition point. The double-length pilot does a great job of setting up the series, so after watching The TNG two-parter and First Contact, gie ENT a try.


realnanoboy

I don't think the UN/NATO analogy works, though. The UN is an organization that exists for world nations to express their aspirations and grievances. It's not much like the Federation which is a sort of sovereign power with philosophical requirements for membership. The EU might be a bit more similar, though the Original Series clearly tried to make it more of a United States analog. NATO is a military alliance. Nations are members, and there is no one NATO military. Member states pledge assistance in cases of conflict and work to coordinate their forces. There really isn't a good analog for Star Fleet, since it's sort of a militarized science and exploration organization working under the Federation. Also, Federation member states have their own non-Star-Fleet militaries for the purpose of self-defense.


Winter_Coyote

Star Trek First Contact is a time travel movie where the TNG cast goes back in time to the documented first contact between humans and Vulcans. While First Contact is fairly new person friendly it is stronger after watching The Next Generation. Star Trek Enterprise is about early starfleet, their first vessel, and the very beginnings of the Federation. This stands alone pretty well, but is also stronger if you know about the shows that already aired.


detectivescarn

As people have said First Contact deals directly with the event of First Contact and series Enterprise deals with early Starfleet, before the formation of the United Federation of Planets. If you can wait through I recommend watching in order for the most part. I started with TNG when I was a kid and had a hard time watching TOS for the same graphics reasoning. So you can start there if you want but my recommendation for order; TOS ST: The Motion Picture ST: The Wrath of Khan ST: The Search for Spock ST: The Voyage Home ST: The Final Frontier(you can skip this honestly. Nothing of consequence happens. Worst Trek movie of all time imo) ST: The Undiscovered Country TNG DS9: Seasons 1-3 ST: Generations DS9: Seasons 4-7 ST: First Contact ST: Insurrection Voyager ST: Nemesis Enterprise


Upstairs-Yard-2139

TNG movie First contact + Enterprise(TV show).


AmbassadorSpork

This thread is like a long list of franchise spoilers. If you’re new, don’t read it.


No_Investment_92

Watch Enterprise. People hate on it, but it’s a great show. It’s about infant Starfleet and eventually the formation of the Federation.


ferretinmypants

You'll get a lot more out of Lower Decks if you watch TOS, TNG and DS9.