All 13 Star Trek shows ranked from worst to best
6. Star Trek: Short Treks
Star Trek: Short Treks breaks new ground as an anthology series of shorts that draws viewers into the richer parts of the Star Trek universe. Much like other anthology projects such as The Animatrix and Tales of the Jedi, each episode is a bite-size story that uses its limited run-time as an way to focus on unique characters, intriguing story arcs, and previously unexplored corners of the Star Trek universe. These short narratives bring a richness to the canon that long-form episodes often struggle to capture.
With a varied mix of themes (and varying animated and live-action episodes), Short Treks not only deepens our understanding of established characters within the Star Trek universe but also introduces us to new ones, each with their own stories to tell and problems to overcome. While some episodes fill in the backstory of known characters, others venture into uncharted territories, telling stories that are bold and at times deeply moving.
Regardless of their narrative arc, each episode offers a fresh perspective, free from the constraints of your traditional episodic storytelling while still giving you more of your favorite characters. My all-time favorite Short Trek is “Runaway”, which features Star Trek: Discovery’s Ensign Tilly. The very essence of what Star Trek stands for is in that episode.
It’s unfortunate that there were no more episodes produced after the pandemic, because its two-season run was a delight.