THE Star Trek The franchise is known for several features, but its top five shows on Rotten Tomatoes reveal one surprising fact about the legendary space opera. THE Star Trek The timeline is far from linear when it comes to release dates, as several prequel and sequel shows continue to be greenlit. Viewers have come to expect certain things from Star Trek TV shows, but the franchise hasn't always followed the same formula over the decades. While some eras are more revered than others, the Rotten Tomatoes rating proves a certain type of Star Trek show proved to be more successful than others.
Since the cast of Star Trek: The Original Series kicked off Gene Roddenberry's sci-fi universe, the franchise continued to grow from strength to strength. That being said, there were certain periods of rest in Star Trekhistory on the screen. However, with Star Trek Possibly in its second golden age, it is natural to reevaluate the consistency of the property's overall production. A trend that's starting to emerge would catch many seasoned Trekkies by surprise.
Three of the top five Star Trek shows on Rotten Tomatoes are animated
Animated Star Trek shows problems in 2nd, 3rd and 4th place
It would not surprise many to learn that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is currently at the top of the TV branch of the franchise in Rotten tomatoes. What's a little more shocking is that the 98%-rated prequel Star Trek: The Original Series is just 1% ahead of the show in second place: Star Trek: Prodigy. Two more animated shows take third and fourth place before the next live-action series is released. Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: The animated series both are ranked higher Star Trek: The next generation.
Top 5 Star Trek TV Shows on Rotten Tomatoes |
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Show |
Years on air |
Rotten Tomatoes score |
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds |
2022-present |
98% |
Star Trek: Prodigy |
2021-present |
97% |
Star Trek: The Animated Series |
1973-1974 |
94% |
Star Trek: Lower Decks |
2020-2024 |
92% |
Star Trek: The Next Generation |
1987-1994 |
92% |
Star Trek does not particularly evoke images of animated scenes and characters when it is mentioned in general conversation. It has long been established as a live-action property, despite the presence of animated projects as far back as the 1970s. That being said, the franchise has only recently started to put more effort into animated TV shows. Although it may go against what many perceive Star Trek being, these latest non-live-action additions to the franchise's lore are clearly being well-received.
Star Trek's animated production is much better than it seems
Live-action shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation often overshadow the franchise's animated projects
Star Trek has the same problem as any other long-running franchise. Viewers want to see familiar faces, but without new characters, the saga risks falling into obscurity. Although live-action spinoffs like Star Trek: Picard allowed Patrick Stewart to reprise the role of his iconic Starfleet officer, the show being made much later Star Trek: The next generation resulted in a small disconnect and change in tone. Animation does not have this restriction, and the environment can allow Star Trek to revisit beloved eras without worrying too much about the constraints of the real world.
As well as the practical aspects Star Trekanimated TV shows, they are also incredibly well done. Star Trek: The animated series It was a brilliant way to add something to the show that started it alllike this Prodigy and Lower decks also contribute new world-building pieces to live-action shows like Star Trek: Traveler and Star Trek: The next generation. They also offer different types of moments that other shows don't, like Lower decks'parodic yet canonical moments that reference the franchise's rich history. Star Trek It will likely always thrive on its live-action content, but the power of its animated shows is growing.
Source: Rotten tomatoes