My Top Star Trek Moments

This article reflects on a lifetime of fandom by revisiting personal top moments in Star Trek, from unforgettable ’90s episodes and iconic comics to theatrical premieres, classic magazines, and the modern resurgence of Picard Season 3.

There have been countless “top” lists when it comes to Star Trek over the last 60 years. This one is unique. This is my top Trek list. I wasn’t around for the original series or even most of the Kirk‑era movies when they hit theaters. Voyager was the first series I watched from day one, on a cold January night, all the way to the final scene of “Endgame.” In more than 30 years, I’ve never left Star Trek—even though it has come and gone from our screens, bookshelves, and toy aisles. Here are my top Star Trek memories:

Generations and First Contact in theaters   The first Trek movie I saw in a theater was Star Trek: Generations. We rarely went to movies, and seeing not only the Next Gen crew and the Enterprise‑D on the big screen, but also the ultimate crossover with Kirk and Picard meeting for the first—and only—time, was unforgettable. A few years later, the same excitement returned with the jaw‑dropping opening credits of Star Trek: First Contact. I knew we were getting the Enterprise‑E and new uniforms, but what we got was a huge, cinematic adventure that stands up today just as well as it did on first viewing.

Marvel’s Paramount Comics and Malibu   From the last few years of DC’s TOS and TNG era to the end of Marvel’s second run, Star Trek comics were in their golden age. For years, I couldn’t wait to get to the comic shop, Waldenbooks, or The Town Crier for the latest issues in the ’90s. Those stores are gone now, and while Star Trek comics are alive and well, they’re not the comics I remember. My favorite era was Marvel’s Paramount Comics launch. Not only did we get the first Voyager comic, but also DS9, Star Trek Unlimited (TOS and TNG), and two original series: Starfleet Academy and Early Voyages. The former followed DS9‑era cadets with Nog, while the latter chronicled Pike’s Enterprise—with events from “The Cage” mixed in (i.e., what Strange New Worlds should have been).

Every one of these books was top‑notch, included crossovers, and even had specials like “Riker” and a mini‑series set during The Motion Picture era’s second five‑year mission. There was even a plan to launch a new series based on a ship seen briefly in First Contact, but licensing issues derailed it.

A close runner‑up was Malibu’s first Deep Space Nine comic. The art and coloring were beautiful, and the stories felt like watching an episode. One standout was the mini‑series “Hearts and Minds,” featuring Sisko and crew caught in a brewing conflict between the Klingons and Cardassians—years before “Way of the Warrior.” Malibu also produced great annuals, a Maquis mini‑series, and a Worf special. Plans were reportedly underway for a Star Trek: Voyager series, but the Malibu line ended abruptly. The final page of the Maquis mini-series did include a mention of Captain Janeway.

Most of these comics can still be picked up today and aren’t terribly expensive. They’re absolutely worth revisiting.

’90s Trek’s most memorable episodes   It’s hard to remember specific episodes after nearly 900 exist, but some moments still stand out. Paramount knew how to hype Trek in the ’90s. There’s a teaser from UPN that still plays in my mind (because I watched it—and listened to it on cassette—hundreds of times). It promoted Voyager’s third‑season premiere in 1996, nodding to the 30th anniversary and previewing highlights from the upcoming season. The season overall was just okay, but the third‑season finale and fourth‑season premiere, “Scorpion,” were easily some of Trek’s best, with Kate Mulgrew exceeding her already high bar. Voyager wasn’t alone in soaring at its fourth‑season mark. For me, Deep Space Nine changed in the fall of 1994 with the premiere of its third season and “The Search, Parts I and II.” Not only did the Defiant debut, but the show itself felt renewed. Costumes were tweaked, Terry Farrell briefly sported what would become the Janeway bun, and everyone got the upcoming Generations‑style communicators.

The writing tightened, the characters felt more determined, and Avery Brooks—now seated in the captain’s chair—finally felt like the franchise lead. One of the final scenes of Part I, where the Defiant crew fights the Jem’Hadar hand‑to‑hand, remains one of my favorites and showed this new Trek was not to be overlooked. Then came the fourth‑season premiere, “The Way of the Warrior,” easily a top‑10 Trek episode of all time. For the first time since the pilot, DS9 delivered a two‑hour episode that played like a cinematic experience. We got Captain Sisko, Worf fresh off the destroyed Enterprise‑D, and the Klingons returning in a major storyline for the first time since their TNG civil war. And DS9 proved it wasn’t retreading old Trek by making the Klingons the antagonists again. This episode was followed by the even better “The Visitor,” and then “Rejoined,” which showed that gay people exist in the future—without relying on present‑day language (unlike modern Trek).

Star Trek magazines and books in stores   There’s a sensation that mostly doesn’t exist anymore: that feeling of anticipation as you hear the bell ding and step into a bookstore. The whoosh of air‑conditioned air, the smell of printed periodicals, the sight of shelves stacked five or six high with comics, magazines, and books. Your eyes scanned for your favorite titles, widened when you found them, and your arm darted out to grab your prize. From the late ’80s to the early 2000s, there were countless places to get printed media—grocery stores, Walmart, Waldenbooks, Barnes & Noble, and niche comic shops. If one store sold out, you could trek to another. None of that exists anymore. Walmart’s books and magazines are paltry, and they haven’t carried a Trek novel in years. The same is true for most grocery stores. Barnes & Noble and Books‑A‑Million don’t carry comics, and there are no Trek or sci‑fi magazines left for them to stock. Comic shops are nearly nonexistent in this area, and any store that carries books or magazines is now more than an hour away.

But the lack of outlets only highlights the lack of content. Gone are the two‑a‑month Pocket Books releases—we barely get two a year now. Shelves once overflowed with excellent sci‑fi magazines: the official Star Trek fan club magazine, Starlog, Sci‑Fi Universe, Sci‑Fi Explorer, Cinescape, Cinefantastique, TV Guide, and the magazines I couldn’t wait for each year—the Fall TV Preview specials.

Picard Season 3   For the first time in Star Trek history, Picard Season 3 brought the full cast of a Trek series back to the screen for a new adventure. The former crew of the Enterprise‑D and ‑E returned to help their old captain once more. And not only did we get the cast—we got our old ship back after it was retired in Generations. Nostalgic for sure, but the greatest series of the new Trek era was firmly grounded in the Berman era, with nods to Deep Space Nine and appearances by Voyager’s Seven of Nine and Tuvok, plus Elizabeth Dennehy returning as Admiral Shelby.

TNG “All Good Things…”   Star Trek: The Next Generation was one of the first TV shows I remember ending with a true final episode. Others I recall include Dallas, Who’s the Boss?, and Growing Pains. Most shows back then just ended on regular, unremarkable episodes. We knew a TNG movie was coming, DS9 was still early, and Voyager was around the corner. There wasn’t going to be a galactic, world‑ending storyline. But what we got was a quintessential Star Trek story with time travel, glimpses of the future and past, and Q in an adventure that bookended “Encounter at Farpoint.” “All Good Things…” was an incredible finale and part of Trek’s golden age, even earning a primetime Emmy nomination for Best Dramatic Series.

Star Trek music   From Ron Jones to Jay Chattaway to Dennis McCarthy—and of course Jerry Goldsmith, whose Voyager score is only rivaled by his First Contact score—Star Trek wouldn’t be the same without its composers. From the heart‑pounding final moments of “The Best of Both Worlds, Part I” to TNG’s “The Inner Light,” DS9’s “The Way of the Warrior,” Voyager’s “Caretaker,” and DS9’s “The Visitor,” the themes and melodies became the sonic wallpaper of ’90s Trek. Alexander Courage’s original Star Trek theme set the template for everything that followed. While modern Trek music isn’t as memorable as its ’90s predecessors, Picard’s score is the exception. Incorporating themes from TNG, Voyager, Generations, and First Contact, it feels cinematic and is easily the best of the new era. The first two seasons were composed by Jeff Russo, with the final season by Stephen Barton and Frederik Wiedmann.