Started watching TNG: Where/When/Do I watch the movies?

I started watching TNG finally. As a kid my dad watched it but I never got into it. I am fairly early on (I started with Season 1 and am around episode 10) and wondered how the movies fit in (or if they do at all). I know they all came out after the series ended its run. Do they take place within the continuity of the TV series or are they separate? Should I watch them after the show, during it or not at all?

Separate/after. They are a continuation of the series.

All of the TNG movies take place after the show, so I would say at the end.

However, there's really only one TNG movie worth watching, unless you HAVE to see all of the TNG stuff. I'd recommend just watching First Contact, and none of the other TNG movies.

Another Star Trek recommendation: Deep Space 9. It's my favorite of the shows, and will give you something to watch once you're done with TNG. Also, O'Brien leaves TNG midway through the series to be on DS9, and Worf joins DS9 as a full cast member in Season 4 of DS9, if you want to see all of those characters' story arcs through the greater Star Trek fiction.

Yeah, First Contact is definitely the best and DS9 is actually really great! The only other thing I would add is that TNG doesn't get really amazing until Seasons 2 and 3.

@mooseymcman: I don't think that Generations is that bad.

Oh, and I despise DS9, so we probably aren't going to agree on anything.

You mean the one where Kirk dies from an awful fistfight with Malcolm McDowell? Oh, no, it's not that bad.

It's REALLY bad.

After

DS9 is the best star trek. I will fist fight anyone who disagrees.

DS9 has its moments but it also features the greatest number of junk characters who pollute every episode they are involved in with their presence.

You mean like Westley Crusher? The single most annoying character EVER?

DS9 had deeper plots, more interesting characters, actual character development, and continuity between episodes. Plus it had the most badass star trek captain to ever grace the screen. He made Worf go "woah, thats hardcore". WORF.

If you must know what happens in the movies that aren't First Contact I highly recommend checking out RedLetterMedia's Plinkett reviews of them, they have a really detailed plot summary while being way more entertaining than the actual movies.

If you really end up enjoying TNG, don't watch any of the movies. The series finale ties things up perfectly.

Watch the movies. Absolutely, watch the movies. If you're a fan, you consume all of it. That's what fans do. Don't be a baby. The key is to lower your expectations. First Contact is the only truly great TNG movie. Generations is okay. Insurrection is basically just a two-hour episode of the TV show. Nemesis is terrible and dumb. If you go into them knowing what to expect quality-wise, then it shouldn't bring you down.

Watch First Contact that movie is amazing.

@meteora3255:

After the series. First Contact is pretty good. The others...well, First Contact is pretty good.

@razzdrazz: Season 3 is where it really picks up.

Yeah, First Contact is alright. Most of the others, less so. Generations is offensive.

Star Trek without any of the lows... isn't Star Trek.

Watch the films after the series is done, even Generations and Nemesis.

I think people are a little hard on Generations, but the hate for Nemesis is completely deserved. Christ, what a film.

Don't. They all suck.

http://redlettermedia.com/plinkett/star-trek/

The Next Generation how ever...is a fantastic TV show. One of the best.

Despite the lows, if you have the time you should watch them after the series. I mean, after sinking that much time into a single fiction, why not see all there is or ever will be?

Yup, just like everyone already wrote, watch it after TNG and if you are really into TNG by then you'll most likely enjoy all of the movies except for Nemesis. It's the only movie, of the TNG ones (avoid The Final Frontier at all cost), that is just bad and adds nothing worth knowing/seeing to the series.

Also, when it comes to Generations, since so many people seem to really dislike it...if you've watched the original Star Trek series (which I would totally recommend, it's still great) you'll probably also enjoy parts of Generations, it's actually a pretty great fan service. It's definitely not an amazing movie, but Kirk meeting Picard alone makes it worth watching.

TNG is my all-time favorite Star Trek show.

As for the movies, yes, I agree that First Contact is the best movie that stars the Next Generation crew.

Watch the movies if your starved for more, just know that the writing in the movies doesn't hold a candle to the TV show.

where the show had good thought provoking stories and interesting character development, the movies decided to ignore most of this and try to be space ACTION movies.

If you make it through all of TNG and still have the stomach for more I would advise moving on to DS9 rather than the movies, although DS9 didn't follow the same format as TNG did and had a more continuous story over the later seasons, it had some of my favourite characters (Garak, Dukat, weyoun). Don't bother with Voyager it doesn't hold up.

Have you seen the Original Series and the movies with the original cast?

Thanks for the input guys. I have no reverence for The Original Series and only started watching TNG because I was bored on Netflix and remembered it from when I was a kid. As for all the responses telling me to consume it as a fan I am not sure how long I will stick with it. I am liking it now but I am only 10-15 episodes in. I really started this thread just in case there was some situation where one of the movies took place for example between seasons 2 & 3 or something like that.

TNG is probably one of the harder ones to ge into as a first contact with Star Trek. It is a great show, the philosophically most deep of them, which also means the most dry. Some of the other series have more action.

I started with Voyager when I was around 13 because it was the only Star Trek show on TV at that time in my country, and watched TNG when I was around 17 and loved it. I have watched the first season of TNG with my fiancé but she gets a bit bored. I think DS9 or Voyager is maybe more easy to get into as someone new to Star Trek.

I'll probably get alot of hate for this. But i think the original series is garbage that doesn't hold up at all.

TNG was pretty solid, DS9 is the best, and after DS9 the shows start getting crappy.

DS9 was Star Trek at it's best by far the writing on that show was amazing. I really hope they put out blu ray's for DS9 I will buy the hell out of those.

Don't watch any of the movies post-80s.

Actually, just watch Star Trek 1 and Wrath of Khan.

Actually just Wrath of Khan.

First Contact is amazing, Nemesis is totally fine, you're all babies. Generations is alright. Insurrection is boring and ham-fisted. But just watch all of them after the series, in order (Gen, FC, Ins, Nem)

Mostly after the last episode of All Good Things.

You are a terrible person.

TOS is still my favorite out of all of them. Sure, it's cheesy and kind of stupid, but that's why I love the original episodes. Besides, TOS movies are by far the best. Wrath of Khan, Voyage Home, and Undiscovered Country are amazing. Even Search for Spock and The Motion Picture are fine.

I never could get into DS9, I just didn't enjoy the characters sans O'Brien and Worf.

It's been a real long time since I've even thought of those TNG movies, but I remember that First Contact has an AMAZING scene with Picard drawing the line, this far and no further. But, that's all I really remember

What?! TOS is cheesy and dumb. I will give you, that it's movies were the best by far, then the two JJ abrams ones, and the TNG ones are all varying degrees of garbage.

But DS9 is simply the best series. It had the best captain. It had the most continuity between episodes. It had more character and plot development than the other series. It had the best ship. yes the Defiant is better than the stupid enterprise.

Sisko requested a ship, they asked him what kind and he said GUNS. So they gave him a ship literally made out of GUNS. Because Sisko is a badass and he don't take shit from no one.

Also how can anyone NOT love Garrick? Dude is the best star trek character EVER. Hell the cast of DS9 in general greatly overshadows TNG in sheer presence and development. It's also the best ACTED of all the series.

I submit.

First Contact was great but I still prefer the ones with the Original Cast. Also, the two JJ Abrams ones were awful, especially Into Darkness; nothing but generic sci-fi garbage without any of the intelligence, commentary, or spirit of Star Trek. But I'm biased a little bit I guess as I hate everything JJ Abrams has ever done, he's just awful.

DS9 always felt a little too much like a soap opera in a Star Trek setting which is why I didn't really like it that much. Sure, there was some good acting but I just didn't enjoy it. The exploration piece of Star Trek is what I find interesting which is why I didn't mind Voyager; although it only has a few likable characters.