Star Trek: The Original Series - Season 2 [Blu-ray] [1966] [Region Free]

Let's face it, the stories and subject matter of the episodes themselves have been discussed and reviewed at length in reviews of the previous releases of the series, therefore I shall concentrate this review on just the new box sets themselves, and of course on the new remastered and completely re-worked CGI effects (FX) contained in them.First of all the box set packaging: The unbelievably slimline sets arrive in fancy steel cases, with artwork as pictured in this listings. Inside the steel case is a plastic DVD case the likes of which I'm starting to see a lot more often, of which I believe they refer to as a Scanavo 'brick' style case. Basically it is like a very fat version of an Amaray case that can hold up to 8 DVD's in a very small amount of space - two discs each set inside both the front and back of the case, and a fold out 'leaf' that can hold up to two discs on either side of it - in the case of season 2 there are the full 8 discs. The actual spindle/lock mechanisms that keep the discs in place are very strong, and it is quite hard to get the discs out without bending them....it can be quite fiddly at first, and somewhat of a strain. I believe after a little bit of use they should loosen up a bit, making it easier to get at the discs.Now the episodes themselves have never looked better. I believe Youtube is a great source of side-by-side comparisons of the original FX and this all new, completely re-worked CGI FX. But let me tell you what I think...the new CGI looks astonishingly good. I believe CBS Digital purposefully never utilised the full capability of today's CGI wizardry, as if it came out looking 100% photo realistic, it would be jarring for the viewer when it went from space CGI FX to the live action sequences...which let us not forget was all shot in the late 1960's. So they had to strike a balance, and for me they got it spot on. The new CGI blends beautifully with the live scenes. So, gone are the slightly wobbly models of old, hello to stunning new CGI ships with their fluid and more realistic animation. Gone are the old star fields and planets, hello to new CGI based star fields and planets - both of which actually do look photo real to me. Space and the ship models are not the only area to benefit from the new CGI - some of the the old flat matte painting backdrops that feature cityscapes and what-have-you have been replaced with new CGI ones. These CGI backdrops have much more depth and detail to them. They are very welcome indeed. Elsewhere you will spot other subtle touch ups, one of which I liked was the ending of the season 2 episode 'Catspaw'...where no longer are the alien creatures dancing around on string....the string is no more. For me that typifies why they have done this work...as quite simply it makes the series look better. Simple as that. Let us not take anything away from what was achieved back then, as I love Star Trek just the way it was, as I'm sure do you, but let us also not kid ourselves.....Star Trek The Original Series has never looked better than this.All in all the work compliments what they achieved back in the 60's, and let us not forget that what they achieved back then was stunning and state-of-the-art for its time, but I firmly believe that had Gene Roddenberry been able to use today's technology, he would. Therefore I would like to think he would approve of the work done here. After all, nothing of the stories and subject matter have been changed, as George Lucas did with his restoration of Star Wars...it is purely a lick of digital paint. And if this is what it takes for the series to appeal to a younger generation of fans raised on mindboggling CGI, then I for one approve whole-heartedly. I've heard of dads trying to get their kids into TOS, only to see them giggle at the FX of old. No longer will that be the case, and TOS is now ready to accept a whole new legion of young fans that will no doubt have their interest sparked by JJ Abrams new movie. If purists do not like the FX, then by all means....go to eBay and buy the previous DVD releases if you don't already own them. Personally I now own both versions, and I am a huge fan of both. If I could only take one version of the sets on a desert island with me, however, these are the sets I would take.Aside from the new CGI FX, the actual prints themselves have been cleaned and restored to beautiful effect. The true colours of the show are now very much in evidence...including a subtly green skinned Mr Spock, which comes as a big surprise to a lot of people...as this just never came through on TV or on previous releases. Kirk's once dull mustard coloured uniform shirt is actually a subtle lime green colour, for example. Nothing has been falsely created to acquire these colours....they have always been hiding away waiting to be revealed. At first I was worried this all wouldn't come through so much on the DVD versions, as they had first been reported in the Blu-Ray and HD-DVD reviews, but I can attest that the standard definition sets also benefit greatly. Of course the details will sing and dance a lot more in HD, but for SD DVD prints these are simply stunning. All hairs, dust and whatever else have been laboriously removed to leave them literally gleaming. The prints are, in a word, immaculate. If you use an upscaling DVD player with a HDMI connection, as do I, they look even better still. A great halfway house between bog standard SD and full HD.Some fans may be a little sore that once again the episodes are presented in air date order, as many fans seem to prefer production order...but as TOS has always been episodic in nature, with no particular story arc to speak of, this doesn't bother me at all. I've always found watching in production order to be quite novel...but the novelty soon wears thin.As regards special features (as listed on the packaging of Season 2):Special Features include: 'Billy Blackburn's Treasure Chest' (rare home movies and special memories, part 2), 'More Troubles with Tribbles' (the episode from the animated series [TAS]), 'Trials and Tribble-ations' (the DS9 episode), 'Designing the Final Frontier', 'Star Trek's Favourite Moments', 'Kirk, Spock & Bones - Star Trek's Great Trio'.....and "much more". (which I guess means that there are more features than this, although that is all it actually lists on the box). So it appears that the bulk of the features included on the HD-DVD and Blu-Ray sets have remained intact for their DVD counterparts. One thing that never made it over would have actually been impossible given the capacity restrictions of the DVD format, and that was having a choice of both the original FX and the new CGI FX, which I know the Blu-Ray format gives you via fancy seamless branching. I am sure there are a small few other features that Blu-Ray has that would have been impossible on DVD, but rest assured that all the important stuff (documentaries, featurettes, interviews and what-have-you) from the HD releases are all present and correct. This is excellent news to those fans, like myself, not ready to make the jump to HD.As regards audio and language specifications:The audio languages are: English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. The bad news however is that only English is Dolby Digital 5.1 surround, and the rest are mono. I have run it through my amp to test that it isn't a misprint...I'm afraid not, it is Dolby 2 channel mono on all but the English track. This will be a shame to many as I know that lots of German fans in particular bought the slimline sets of TNG, DS9 and VOY here on Amazon UK (cheaper)....which I believe all contained a German 5.1 Dolby track. Subtitled languages on these new sets are: English, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish and Swedish.So there you have it. A fantastic DVD release. Easily the definitive DVD release of the original series. I bought all three seasons, and I am so glad I did. I had already managed to see a few of the restored episodes before now, but to own them all in my own collection is quite a feeling. I whole-heartedly recommend that you order all three. I can assure you, you will not be disappointed.

The voyages of the Starship Enterprise, encountering new diverse cultures, life forms, adventures and dangers. On the surface, exciting space adventure centuries in the future, and just on that level, the show does it very well; on another level, a lot of the stories are morality plays, allegories of human problems on Earth in the 1960s and equally valid today. What makes the show so interesting is it's about humanity, character interaction, and how we deal with problems. The stories often question whether they (meaning we) have all the answers and do the right thing. Every episode has points of interest, great action, and exciting heroic and romantic incidental music. Who cares if a lot of planet surfaces are so obviously dressed sound stages. Because there wasn't a huge budget for sets and special effects, more emphasis had to be placed on story and characterisation. There are many terrific stories, and interesting main characters head up the show. Captain Kirk, a thoughtful, intelligent leader, often headstrong and very hands-on, not afraid to kick ass or question, even disobey, his orders to do what's right. Spock, the cool, logical science officer, half human, half alien, but with probably more humanity than many. McCoy, the passionate, caring medical officer, the voice of compassion and impulse. Spock and McCoy make up and inspire opposing yet complementary sides of Kirk's character and motivation. William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley are superb in the main roles, they work and blend together really well - and that's just a summary of the main characters and leading cast in a terrific show mixing adventure, philosophy and humour.In the words of the great visionary, show creator Gene Roddenberry: 'I realized that by creating a separate world, a new world with new rules, I could make statements about sex, religion, Vietnam, unions, politics and intercontinental missiles. Indeed, we did make them on Star Trek; we were sending messages, and fortunately they all got by the network.'Watching all 79 episodes (Seasons 1 - 3) back to back reminded me just how good and enjoyable they are - it doesn't get much better than this! Star Trek was the first show I ever watched and enjoyed on TV and I still think it's great. There's plenty of humour, and while the stories are serious adventures, the show takes itself seriously but not too seriously, if that makes any sense. Of course, those who think it's silly, or camp, are welcome to their opinion, and will enjoy it too. Many of the 26 episodes in Season Two are top notch stories, and on the whole the show is sound in terms of speculative science, authentic and credible. The episodes stand up to repeated viewings and it is possible to find something to appreciate each time.Please note this review was written for the 2009 restored DVD edition - Amazon have also linked the review to the 2004 edition so the following comments will not apply to the earlier edition, except for comparisons.Working from the original film negatives, the restoration / remastering has been lovingly and sympathetically executed, picture quality is sharp and pristine, belying the age of the originals. Scratches and damage to negatives, seen on the 2004 edition as occasional white lines and marks, have been removed. Colour is rich and vivid, having been enriched with a touch of added contrast in places, beneficial for the most part. The original optical external special effects have been replaced by CGI, so for example instead of the iconic model Enterprise passing a diffuse looking planet, you now have a crisp detailed CGI Enterprise passing a detailed CGI planet. In 'The Doomsday Machine' the original optical shuttlecraft was out of proportion to the planet killer, CGI has corrected that. The CGI is not always satisfactory, for example in 'The Doomsday Machine', the original planet killer was a bit blurry with a shiny indistinct featureless surface, which made it all the more sinister looking. The CGI one, while the same basic shape, has a rocky craggy surface, and doesn't look as sinister, or threatening. Until it fires. Also, in 'The Immunity Syndrome', the huge space amoeba CGI has the same basic shape and coloration, but the original optical, using coloured chemicals between glass plates which were moved gently, looked alive, organic, with depth and slightly better colour. The main title music has been re-recorded with a new soprano, and with Shatner's 'Space, the final frontier ...' looped in. The restoration's attention to detail is seen in the main titles - the letter 'H' in 'Starring William Shatner' now has its bar upswept to match the font.Aspect ratio is 4/3 fullscreen. There are optional subtitles and plenty of featurettes of interest. As a bonus, to complement 'The Trouble With Tribbles', there is the animated sequel 'More Tribbles More Troubles' and Deep Space Nine's 'Trials and Tribble-ations'. My copy has all the DVDs mounted on swivelling pages book style so they are conveniently accessible and the episode list is visible. At the time of writing at just under £16 - about 60p per episode - this DVD set is excellent value and will hopefully give a lifetime of viewing pleasure.Footnote: I have recently (2019) added the 2016 Blu-ray set, though not an Amazon purchase, thought it helpful to add a few comparisons. There is the invaluable option to watch all episodes restored, either with the enhanced CGI external effects, as seen on the 2009 DVD edition, or the original optical SFX and model Enterprise. There is also the option of either 7.1 sound, or the original mono soundtrack, the latter including the original recording of the main title music, where the soprano is steadier and so more ethereal. Blu-ray episodes run about a minute and a half longer than the same footage on DVD presumably due to different frame rates (NTSC at 24 frames per second vs. PAL at 25 fps) with a corresponding difference in audio pitch. Comparing with official soundtrack CDs, Blu-ray NTSC is the correct speed and pitch. The discs are conveniently mounted individually, book style.

Fameux !

La saison 2 de Star Trek est une continuation passionnante de l'une des séries de science-fiction les plus emblématiques de tous les temps. Cette saison, composée de 26 épisodes, plonge les spectateurs dans de nouvelles aventures intergalactiques aux côtés de l'équipage de l'USS Enterprise.La saison 2 poursuit la tradition de Star Trek en explorant des thèmes complexes et en proposant des histoires captivantes. Chaque épisode offre une combinaison unique d'action, de suspense et de réflexions philosophiques, offrant une expérience riche et variée pour les spectateurs. Les épisodes abordent des questions sociales, morales et scientifiques, tout en mettant en valeur les relations entre les membres de l'équipage.L'une des forces de Star Trek réside dans ses personnages bien développés et mémorables. Le capitaine James T. Kirk, M. Spock, le Dr McCoy et les autres membres de l'équipage apportent tous leur propre personnalité et leurs compétences uniques à chaque épisode. Leurs interactions dynamiques et leurs dialogues mémorables créent des moments de comédie, d'émotion et de tension.La saison 2 de Star Trek est également connue pour ses épisodes emblématiques, tels que "Amok Time", "The Trouble with Tribbles" et "Mirror, Mirror". Ces épisodes ont marqué la culture populaire et continuent d'être appréciés par les fans de la série. Ils ont contribué à façonner l'univers Star Trek et ont laissé une empreinte durable dans l'imaginaire collectif.La qualité de production de la saison 2 est remarquable, en particulier pour l'époque à laquelle elle a été diffusée. Les décors, les costumes et les effets spéciaux sont bien réalisés, créant un monde visuellement captivant et immersif. De plus, la musique emblématique de la série ajoute une dimension supplémentaire à chaque épisode, renforçant l'atmosphère et les émotions.En conclusion, la saison 2 de Star Trek est un incontournable pour les fans de la série et pour tous ceux qui apprécient la science-fiction captivante et intelligente. Avec ses intrigues stimulantes, ses personnages mémorables et sa qualité de production solide, cette saison continue de captiver les spectateurs et de laisser une marque indélébile dans l'univers Star Trek. Préparez-vous à embarquer pour de nouvelles aventures intergalactiques et à explorer les confins de l'inconnu avec l'équipage de l'USS Enterprise.

Just like the Season 1 Blu Ray release of Star Trek: The Original Series, the quality of the transfer and restoration work is stunning. Contrast has been improved, colors enhanced, and scratches and dirt specks have been almost entirely eliminated. The show never looked better than it does on these Blu Ray discs. (Although the remastering does expose some of the budget cuts suffered by the show between its first and second season. Colors are sometimes inconsistent from shot to shot, lighting is not as precise or artistic, the picture is occasionally overexposed, and camera focus doesn’t always hit its mark, all very likely the results of a production team that did not have the time and resources to give the show the same polish that it had in its first season. This is obviously no fault of the restoration team. They have simply preserved what the show originally looked like, and I’m perfectly fine with that.) I'm also pleased that the restoration process does not appear to have used aggressive film-grain removal so that the footage still looks like 1960s film stock, just extraordinarily sharp and clear 1960s film stock. Sound is also excellent, whether you select the original monaural broadcast audio or the new 7.1 surround mix featuring a newly recorded music track using the original sheet music.However, the producers didn't simply restore the original footage but also replaced the original special effects with "enhanced" CGI recreations, but about this I am less enthusiastic and would have considered this a deal-breaker if not for the fact that Paramount wisely utilized seamless branching to include both the original effects and the new CGI effects on the same disc, leaving it up to the viewer to decide which version he prefers. The problem with the new and "improved" CGI effects is that they were done around 2007, and despite being only 14-years old at this point, have not aged nearly as gracefully as the original effects which are now over 50-years old. I know the CGI artists tried to capture a 1960s aesthetic so that their work wouldn't look out of place within the context of the episodes, but the problem is, they captured a 2007 CGI aesthetic instead which, in my opinion, has not held up well and resembles something you would see in a video game cinematic. The original effects are certainly crude by today's standard, but there's a realness to them that I think is timeless. The thing to remember is that the original creators were not trying to achieve a 1960s aesthetic but were simply doing the very best work they could with the technology and techniques available at the time. I think the CGI team should have done the same. The more unforgivable problem with the new effects is that in some instances, dissolve transitions to special effects shots are necessarily started several seconds earlier than in the original episodes which ends up truncating several seconds of actor performances at the ends of scenes. For instance, an original edit will show Kirk turn and raise his eyebrows at Spock. In the “enhanced” version, Kirk’s turn and raised eyebrows are eliminated in favor of an early dissolve to a new CGI shot. I personally find this unacceptable and will always prefer the episodes as they were originally broadcast.Of special note in the Season 2 boxset is disc four which is entirely devoted to the Original Series' most well-known episode "The Trouble With Tribbles". Not only does the disc contain the original episode gloriously restored in high definition, but I was delighted to find the sequel episode from the animated series "More Tribbles, More Troubles" and the DEEP SPACE 9 classic "Trials and Tribble-ations", which uses a time travel MacGuffin to seamlessly integrate the DEEP SPACE 9 characters into the original episode as they have their own parallel adventure. In addition, there are two documentaries about the writing and production wizardry used to make the latter episode, audio commentary tracks from writer David Gerrold for the original episode and the animated sequel, and finally, a picture-in-picture commentary/documentary to accompany the original episode. There is enough content on this disc alone to justify the purchase price of the entire boxset!Bottom line: this is a “must have” for any Star Trek fan.

Me costó encontrarla a un precio que no fuera desorbitado. Si buen, es una versión alemana, pero con idioma en español. Está remasterizada, por lo que teniendo en cuenta que se trata de una serie de mediados de los 60, se ve bastante bien.

Dopo i quasi ossessivi rimaneggiamenti di George Lucas al suo STAR WARS, era difficile immaginare che si potesse resistere alla tentazione di aggiornare dal punto di vista degli effetti speciali anche STAR TREK, il più classico tra i prodotti fantascientifici americani.Accolta con molto sospetto dagli appassionati, l'operazione non era priva di senso poiché la serie "classica", messa in onda nel 1966 e girata con povertà di mezzi, appariva datata agli occhi degli attuali divoratori di fantascienza. Il timore che tali manipolazioni potessero snaturare l'aspetto un po' naïf di un prodotto che non aveva come punto di forza l'aspetto visivo, bensì la storia stessa, erano fondati.La missione quinquennale della Nave Stellare ENTERPRISE era semplicemente un pretesto per raccontare "un viaggio dell'uomo nell'uomo" e i temi, non a caso, erano quelli di sempre, l'amicizia, la lealtà, l'amore, l'odio, il rispetto (basta pensare alle tensioni del periodo e alle battaglie per l'uguaglianza di un paese ancora dilaniato dal razzismo segregazionista)... Su STAR TREK e sulle sue implicazioni sociali si è scritto e detto molto, non credo quindi sleale rimandare, per qualsiasi approfondimento, alla miriade di testi disponibili quali, libri, riviste, siti internet e quant'altro (c'è veramente di tutto).Posso solo dire che, con una lungimiranza ammirevole, alla Paramaunt hanno pensato di far uscire questa edizione in Blu-Ray offrendo la possibilità di vedere la serie in due modi:-Quello originale (filologico) e quello rimaneggiato.Sono entrambe di ottima qualità visiva (per il sonoro si è fatto il possibile) e, sorprendentemente, nella versione rimaneggiata, la serie non perde assolutamente il suo fascino retrò.Lunga Vita e Prosperità a tutti.