All 13 Star Trek shows ranked from worst to best

12. Star Trek: The Animated Series

Star Trek: The Animated Series served as something of a beacon for fans of the franchise during the 1970s, extending the journeys of the original Star Trek crew into the animation world for two seasons between 1973 and 1974.

The real appeal of this series was its ability to dive deeper into the realms of science fiction while not having to deal with special effects and difficult shots of live-action production. The show’s creators were able to create alien worlds and creatures that wouldn’t have been possible in the original series. They were able to venture where the original series, limited by the technologies and budgets of the time, could not. It was a bold move that, despite its flaws, kept the Trek flame burning instead of being easily extinguished at the time.

However, it was far from perfect. The animation, though innovative for its time, now feels lackluster compared to today’s standards, which is only fair. The voice acting was also not the greatest, with many of the original cast reprising their roles but rarely recording together, leading to a lack of cohesion and sacrificing what would have been organic interactions.

Though aimed at a younger audience, its complex narratives and deeper themes had The Animated Series struggling to get their attention. However, it should be recognized that these storylines and concepts, though initially not well received, introduced a new depth to the Star Trek universe, laying a solid foundation for the franchise’s future.