Whoever gave you that advice has sound judgement and good taste.
I’d say start with TNG. DS9 is probably objectively “the best”, but I think TNG is a better “entry point” if that makes sense? I think if I’d started with DS9 before watching TNG, I’d start wishing not too far into DS9 that I’d seen TNG already. Voyager gets some flack, but it’s what I have the most nostalgia for.
After Voyager, I think most of the shows are either “for the fans” (and contain tons of references that only established “fans” are going to get) or… kindof a pale imitation. If you really into Star Trek and run out of TNG, DS9, and Voyager to watch, by all means go on. (I’d probably do TOS next, honestly.) Discovery and Strange New Worlds and Lower Decks are great! But a lot of their charm (Discovery’s yet-another-fuck-up-of-Klingons notwithstanding) is about how they tie in to and reference the other shows more so than how they stand on their own.
Enterprise was… not my favorite. It was nice that it answered some questions other series left open, but they spent a lot of the show trying their hardest not to be Star Trek in ways that I say detracted from the experience. I’d say watch it before you watch Lower Decks, but aside from that, I don’t think it’s really worth watching unless you’re that level of fan already.
Oh, and the movies are amazing. Honestly, it might be good to watch the TOS cast movies before moving on from TNG to DS9. My favorite of all the Star Trek movies (and it’s not an TOS cast movie) is First Contact.
So, I guess if I were to recommend an order:
TNG
All the movies in release order, though the Chris Pine movies are optional at this point. I’d also skip Section 31 until later.
DS9
Voyager
TOS
Discovery
Section 31
Brave New Worlds
Enterprise
Lower Decks
The Chris Pine movies if you’re still in the mood
The Animated Series
Then start watching non-official/non-canon stuff like Star Trek Renegades and Star Trek Continues
Anywhere in that progression that you decide to stop, I’d say you’ll have gotten the most impact you could have gotten from the portion you’ve already watched.
But of course, that’s just my take! The other opinions in this thread are all valid as well!
Whoever gave you that advice has sound judgement and good taste.
I’d say start with TNG. DS9 is probably objectively “the best”, but I think TNG is a better “entry point” if that makes sense? I think if I’d started with DS9 before watching TNG, I’d start wishing not too far into DS9 that I’d seen TNG already. Voyager gets some flack, but it’s what I have the most nostalgia for.
After Voyager, I think most of the shows are either “for the fans” (and contain tons of references that only established “fans” are going to get) or… kindof a pale imitation. If you really into Star Trek and run out of TNG, DS9, and Voyager to watch, by all means go on. (I’d probably do TOS next, honestly.) Discovery and Strange New Worlds and Lower Decks are great! But a lot of their charm (Discovery’s yet-another-fuck-up-of-Klingons notwithstanding) is about how they tie in to and reference the other shows more so than how they stand on their own.
Enterprise was… not my favorite. It was nice that it answered some questions other series left open, but they spent a lot of the show trying their hardest not to be Star Trek in ways that I say detracted from the experience. I’d say watch it before you watch Lower Decks, but aside from that, I don’t think it’s really worth watching unless you’re that level of fan already.
Oh, and the movies are amazing. Honestly, it might be good to watch the TOS cast movies before moving on from TNG to DS9. My favorite of all the Star Trek movies (and it’s not an TOS cast movie) is First Contact.
So, I guess if I were to recommend an order:
Anywhere in that progression that you decide to stop, I’d say you’ll have gotten the most impact you could have gotten from the portion you’ve already watched.
But of course, that’s just my take! The other opinions in this thread are all valid as well!