While newer Star Trek shows haven’t always been as universally loved as the classics, there are still plenty of excellent episodes. A key factor in judging the quality of modern Star Trek is how well each episode connects to the established history of the franchise. It’s not the only thing that matters, but it often plays a big role in how fans react to an episode. Also, just to clarify, the 21st century actually began on January 1, 2001, meaning December 31, 2000, was the last day of the 20th century.
While many Star Trek: Voyager episodes are excellent, a few didn’t quite make the final cut. “Blink of an Eye” from Season 6, which originally aired in 2000, is worth mentioning. It’s also important to note that no episodes from Star Trek: Discovery were included. And honestly, even as someone who liked the show, it’s hard to point to any Discovery episodes that were truly exceptional. None of them really stood out as being among the best Star Trek has offered in the 21st century.
“Twilight”
‘Star Trek: Enterprise’ Season 3, Episode 8
UPN
The Star Trek: Enterprise episode “Twilight” first aired on UPN on November 3, 2003. Like many memorable Star Trek stories, it’s set in a different future. The episode centers on Captain Archer, played by Scott Bakula, and his efforts to understand the fate of humanity after a major defeat by the Xindi. The episode offers a fresh take on familiar Star Trek themes, using Archer’s memory loss – caused by a parasite – as a way to restore the timeline to its original course.
“Subspace Rhapsody”
‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Season 2, Episode 9
Paramount+
While other episodes of Strange New Worlds might be considered ‘better’ in a typical way, “Subspace Rhapsody” is truly memorable for how different and well-done it is. Many Star Trek fans were skeptical about a musical episode, but the story provides a believable, in-universe explanation for why the crew suddenly starts singing. The songs themselves are fantastic – cleverly written and beautifully performed by the cast – making this episode a real highlight of modern science fiction. It was released on Paramount+ on August 3, 2023.
“Shattered”
‘Star Trek: Voyager’ Season 7, Episode 10
UPN
The Star Trek episode “Shattered,” which first aired on January 17, 2001, is the oldest on this list. It’s a clever twist on the classic clip show format, featuring Commander Chakotay and the USS Voyager trapped in a time anomaly that scatters the ship across different points in history. The episode revisits moments and characters from all seven seasons of the show, and even shows us a possible future where Voyager never makes it home. Despite being full of unusual tricks, it manages to feel surprisingly engaging, and it just barely qualifies as being from the 21st century.
“Twovix”
‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Season 4, Episode 1
Paramount+
September 7th, 2023, saw a major nod to Voyager on Paramount+, marking one of the biggest tributes since Star Trek returned to television in 2017. Lower Decks has always been good at referencing classic Star Trek moments, and the episode “Twovix” is a perfect example of how the animated series consistently delivers. Serving as a tribute and companion to Voyager Season 7’s “Shattered,” the episode features Jack Quaid as Ensign Boimler and the Lower Decks crew escorting the USS Voyager to its decommissioning. Naturally, a time anomaly arises, allowing Voyager fans to experience some of the show’s most iconic scenes in a fresh and funny way. It’s a clip show with a clever concept, packed with both nostalgia and humor.
“Vox in Excelso”
‘Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’ Season 1, Episode 4
Paramount+
Before it even began, many Star Trek fans dismissed Starfleet Academy. A lot of criticism came from people who hadn’t actually watched the show and were simply echoing the negative opinions of others. Set 300 years in the future, the Paramount+ series had to be inventive from the start to connect with the wider Star Trek universe, and it succeeded. However, disappointed fans still refused to give it a chance. That changed when Paramount+ released “Vox in Excelso” on January 29, 2026, slowly winning over its critics. The episode, featuring Karime Diamé as Jay-Den Kraag, offered a fascinating look at the future of the Klingons and quickly became recognized as one of the best Star Trek installments in years.
“Those Old Scientists”
‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Season 2, Episode 7
Paramount+
Throughout the history of Star Trek, characters from different shows have frequently appeared in one another’s series. We’ve seen characters from The Next Generation visit Voyager, and those from The Original Series cross over into The Next Generation. However, the recent episode “Those Old Scientists” takes crossovers to a new level. While officially a Strange New Worlds episode, it remarkably blends that show with Star Trek: Lower Decks. Unlike some crossovers that simply mix live-action and animation in the same scene, this episode brings two Lower Decks characters onto the live-action USS Enterprise, and Lower Decks briefly reciprocates the visit. This unique episode was released on Paramount+ on July 22, 2023.
“Endgame”
‘Star Trek: Voyager’ Season 7, Episodes 25 & 26
Paramount+
Some viewers dislike that Voyager‘s series finale ends immediately upon the ship reaching Earth, but that’s actually central to the show’s overall message. The seven-season journey is full of challenges, and Captain Janeway and her crew’s final, dramatic effort to return home provides a satisfying conclusion. The finale includes both intentional changes to the timeline, guided by Janeway from the future, and a truly memorable confrontation with the Borg. While seeing a bit of what life on Earth was like after their return would have been nice, it wasn’t essential. Plus, most of the main characters have reappeared in later stories, giving us glimpses into their lives after Voyager. The two-part finale originally aired on UPN in May 2001.
“The Devourer of All Things”
‘Star Trek: Prodigy’ Season 2, Episodes 9 & 10
Netflix
It can be tricky to watch Prodigy because it’s not widely available on streaming platforms, but fans can still buy the episodes on DVD or digitally, and any serious Star Trek enthusiast should. The show has many great episodes, but “The Devourer of All Things” – a two-part story – is a standout. Beyond introducing compelling new characters and taking them on a fresh Star Trek journey, Prodigy uses these episodes to bring back Wil Wheaton as Wesley Crusher in a significant way. While he made a quick appearance in Star Trek: Picard, Prodigy is where you’ll find out what happened to his Next Generation character. Both parts of “The Devourer of All Things” were first released on Netflix in July 2024.
“Fissure Quest”
‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Season 5, Episode 9
Paramount+
The final season of Lower Decks explored the multiverse, and the episode “Fissure Quest” perfectly captured this idea. It’s a fun adventure for any Star Trek fan, bringing back beloved characters voiced by their original actors. While it definitely caters to longtime viewers with plenty of fan service, the episode is also a thrilling, action-packed story that would be difficult to pull off in live-action – it would likely require a full-length movie! It premiered on Paramount+ on December 12, 2024, and is highly recommended.
“The Last Generation”
‘Star Trek: Picard’ Season 3, Episode 10
Paramount+
Patrick Stewart’s autobiography, Making It So, reveals his initial reluctance about Star Trek: Picard becoming a reunion for the Next Generation cast. He eventually agreed, and “The Last Generation” effectively served as another season of the original show. While all of Picard Season 3 is excellent, the success of “The Last Generation” was particularly noteworthy and a welcome surprise. It definitely leaned heavily on nostalgia, but its status as arguably the best Star Trek episode of the 21st century demonstrates the genuine care and effort put into it.
MovieWeb Report: Subscribe and never miss what matters
Immerse yourself in the cinematic universe with the latest movie news, reviews, and exclusive content from MovieWeb.
Read More
- 10 Best Horror Shorts on YouTube for a Quick Scare
- Доллар обгонит гривну? Эксперты раскрыли неожиданный сценарий
- 10 Best ‘Naruto’ Filler Episodes
- 1 Major ‘Captain America 4’ Villain Was Originally Supposed to Die
- 10 Apple TV Shows That Outshine Netflix Originals in Quality
- 10 Most Disappointing Biopics of Beloved Musicians
- 10 Underrated Fall 2025 Anime That Are About to Blow Up on Streaming
- Доллар обгонит бразильский реал? Эксперты раскрыли неожиданный сценарий
- Золото прогноз
- 10 Devastating Buffy Episodes Fans Struggle to Rewatch
2026-02-05 01:20