“We can be heroes”: Ephraim and Dot (Short Treks) vs. Children of Mars (Short Treks)

2019 ends and 2020 begins with very different Short Treks, which tell surprisingly similar stories while exploring new sides of Star Trek.

“He was an idiot”: More Tribbles, More Troubles (Animated Series) vs. The Trouble with Edward (Short Treks)

Tribbles return, in an episode of The Animated Series, and in a Short Trek that only feels animated.

“I don’t know how I’m going to enter this into the log”: Where No One Has Gone Before (TNG) vs. Threshold (Voyager)

The crew of the Enterprise go where they should never have gone in the first place … and so do the writers of Voyager.

“What’s a Tuesday?”: Data’s Day (TNG) vs. Calypso (Short Treks)

The Next Generation shows us a day in the life of an android, and Discovery’s second Short Trek shows us a Taco Tuesday in the life of a ship’s computer.

“I live the greatest adventure one could ever desire”: Captive Pursuit (DS9) vs. Runaway (Short Treks)

Chief O’Brien and Ensign Tilly each form unlikely friendships with new life, whether they were seeking it out or not.

“Did humans really talk like that?”: A Piece of the Action (TOS) vs. The Royale (TNG)

Away teams from two Enterprises encounter echoes of Earth’s past on far-off planets … and also cheat at craps (and fizzbin).

“I’m literally angry with rage!”: The Squire of Gothos (TOS) vs. Where No Fan Has Gone Before (Futurama)

The crew of the Enterprise meet Earth’s biggest fan, and the cast of the show meet Star Trek’s biggest fan.

“The dream dreams the dreamer”: Birthright, Part 1 (TNG) vs. Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy (VOY)

Data learns to dream, and the Doctor learns to daydream.

“A little ship that took a little trip”: The Terratin Incident (TAS) vs. One Little Ship (DS9)

Honey, I Shrunk the Crew of the Enterprise (and a Runabout)

“It is you who are not real, sir”: The Big Goodbye (TNG) vs. Badda-Bing, Badda-Bang (DS9)

An early episode of The Next Generation starts a Trek tradition of holodeck malfunctions, while a late-series episode of Deep Space 9 lets the crew use the holodeck exactly as its designers probably intended: to pull holographic casino heists.