What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedStar Trek: First Contact
Jonathan Frakes · Film · 1996
If you loved Star Trek: First Contact, start with Star Trek: Enterprise (Brannon Braga, 2001) — a series on the same thread. Below: 3 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Star Trek: First Contact across media.
What hooked you in Star Trek: First Contact was the way the cold, crushing weight of existential survival forces individuals to confront their own humanity.
Books on the same thread
The Star Trek Encyclopedia
Michael Okuda, Denise Okuda, Debbie Mirek · Book · 1994
Explores: Space Exploration, Technological Advancement, Utopian Societies.
If the lore of Star Trek: First Contact left you craving context, this encyclopedia provides the definitive structural foundation for understanding the complex universe that shaped Picard's moral journey.
The Forge of God
Greg Bear · Book · 2001
Explores: Extinction Event, Existential Threat, Humanity's Survival.
This novel mirrors the existential dread of Star Trek: First Contact, focusing on the collision between fragile human passion and the indifferent, overwhelming power of advanced, unyielding alien technology.
The Songs of Distant Earth
Arthur Charles Clarke · Book · 1986
Shares a thread with Star Trek: First Contact: Space Opera.
Like the desperate timeline-saving mission in Star Trek: First Contact, this story examines the fragility of human identity when faced with the total loss of one's home and history.
Series on the same thread
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Gene Roddenberry · Series · 1987
Shares a thread with Star Trek: First Contact: Space Opera.
To understand the profound transformation of Captain Picard seen in Star Trek: First Contact, you must witness the diplomatic idealism and moral growth that defined his command aboard the Enterprise.
Star Trek: Enterprise
Brannon Braga · Series · 2001
Shares a thread with Star Trek: First Contact: Space Opera.
This series captures the same spirit of early exploration and first contact tensions found in Star Trek: First Contact, showing the foundational struggles that eventually birthed the United Federation.
Star Trek: Voyager
Jeri Taylor · Series · 1995
Shares a thread with Star Trek: First Contact: Space Opera.
Much like the crew in Star Trek: First Contact, these characters are pushed to their absolute limits, forced to reconcile Federation ideals with the harsh reality of survival while isolated.
Stargate SG-1
Brad Wright · Series · 1997
Shares a thread with Star Trek: First Contact: Space Opera.
If the discovery of ancient threats in Star Trek: First Contact intrigued you, this show masterfully explores the intersection of human curiosity and the dangers posed by powerful alien technology.
Podcasts on the same thread
Lex Fridman Podcast
Lex Fridman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: human condition, technological ethics, deep thinking.
The intellectual rigor found here mirrors the philosophical underpinnings of Star Trek: First Contact, inviting deep discourse on the technological ethics and existential risks that define our collective future.
Jocko Podcast
Jocko DEFCOR Network · Podcast · 2026
Explores: discipline, stoicism, accountability.
The leadership lessons discussed here resonate with the command pressure Picard faces in Star Trek: First Contact, emphasizing the necessity of discipline and stoicism when confronting an impossible, relentless enemy.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Star Trek: First Contact about the Borg invasion?
Yes, Star Trek: First Contact follows the crew of the USS Enterprise E as they attempt to stop the Borg, a race of cyborgs, from reaching Earth and altering Federation history. The film depicts the crew pursuing the invaders back in time to prevent the assimilation of the galaxy.
Does Captain Picard lead the crew in Star Trek: First Contact?
Yes, Captain Picard commands the USS Enterprise E in Star Trek: First Contact. He chooses to violate orders to stay away from the battle, instead leading his crew to pursue the Borg through time to protect Earth and the future of the Federation.
What is the primary mission of the crew in Star Trek: First Contact?
In Star Trek: First Contact, the crew of the USS Enterprise E is tasked with stopping the Borg from changing Federation history. By traveling back in time, the crew works to prevent the cyborg invaders from successfully assimilating the galaxy and securing a victory at Earth.
Is the USS Enterprise E featured in Star Trek: First Contact?
Yes, Star Trek: First Contact features the newly-commissioned USS Enterprise E. Captain Picard and his crew utilize this ship to pursue the Borg after the cyborgs set a direct course for Earth, ultimately taking the conflict into the past to preserve the timeline.