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Rating:  -
A beautiful remastering work, although some of the episodes look quite tacky today. Anyway it's still a lot of fun and my friends and I loved watching this timeless sci-fi series again. The only technical "flaw" we found were the closed-captions which in many instances cut out a few letters at end of the lines, although it really didn't affect our understanding of the dialog, as we all understand English quite well (however, I don't know if could be a problem for those who actually have hearing impairment)
Rating:  -
If you don't mind new SFX on principal, this set is wonderful. Despite the fact that this is a regular DVD, the image and integration with the new SFX is something really nice to behold. And I actually zoom in on the 4x3 frame on my 42" hdtv and enjoy it big screen. Just use a better upconverting player and you're set. Blu-Ray would, of course, be the best, but believe me, the plain old DVDs look better than TOS ever looked on analog broadcast or cable.
And upon seeing these episodes again, one may just realize that they have forgotten how great the Original Series was.
Rating: -
The remastered edition of the original Star Trek series is an odd combination of spectacular technical improvements together with unbelievably underwhelming packaging effects. Honestly, I am still scratching my head trying to figure this one out, as I consider how great the new edition is otherwise. So, this review will focus on the general positives of the remastered edition as well as the negatives of the horrendous packaging.
To begin with, the original Star Trek series is as excellent as ever, of course. The remastering and added effects make it all even better, if that seems possible. The clarity, color, contrast, definition, etc. are way beyond anything you've ever before seen. Gone are the faded, washed-out colors and artifact flak that years of analog viewers have grown to know and subconsciously endear. Gone are the effects that mostly always seemed needing to be better anyway. Gone is essentially everything that would have been better off gone, replaced only with what really is just plain better. I know there'll always be the purists who insist that classics such as this should never be tampered with in any way. I know there are those who consider it pure treason to even think of altering something such as Star Trek. I used to be one who thought much the same way.
For those still compelled to resist, let's not forget that what we saw and grew to love on CRT TVs with analog signals was NOT what the real masters of the series ever looked like anyway. Let's not forget that what we see from these new remastered discs is just what was always meant to be seen anyway. The masters of every episode, safely locked away, are themselves high definition, finally able to be seen as they really are. Finally, technology has found a way to deliver the series as it was always intended. Seriously, who ever really meant for us to see all the flak and dust spots jumping and dancing across the screen? What is there to love about that? Original or not, it's never too soon or late to get rid of that, if you ask me.
Again, as for the new effects, I must stress that they are only an improvement of the original effects. Nothing about the spirit of original designs, etc. is compromised in any remastered episode I've seen so far. For example, in The "Doomsday Machine", in series two, the doomsday robot ship is not changed in its design. It looks as it did in the original, it just looks more defined and more realistic. What could ever be wrong with that? Space itself, planets, the Enterprise, and all other ships again just simply look better, more like they should look. Yes, most of the improved effects occur in space, about space, and/or related to things encountered in space. Most improvements are with things that mostly looked more unrealistic in the original and benefited greatly by being improved and made more realistic. In no scene with added effects does anything look starkly different, out of place, or awkward. Here, we have all of the original characters, interior ship designs, props, etc., but the environment, planets, and ships outside just look better. If they had instead changed things about the interior design of ships, props, costumes, etc., then I would not be at all happy myself. However again, that is not at all the case in this superior edition. I heard somewhere that Gene Roddenberry himself, after seeing the first Star Trek movie, said he always wanted the Enterprise to look that way. Well, if it's what Gene always wanted, then it's certainly good enough for me too!
The only reason I gave this product four instead of five stars is due to the packaging, believe it or not. Yes, this is a general product review as well, rather than a simple review of a classic, time-tested fan favorite. The series itself is, of course, beyond meaningful criticism at this point. However again, the packaging is not. It is on the other extreme of the rating spectrum. The packaging is, quite simply, the worst I've ever seen in my entire extensive time collecting DVDs. Yes, I thought I had seen some bad ones before, but this one is light years beyond in negative features. To begin with, the case itself is not user friendly, it is fragile, and far from practical. When I open it, it comes apart completely, into two pieces, more often than it simply opens. Once open, the DVDs are in a booklike container made of a very thin, flimsy plastic destined to break, no matter how careful one tries to be. The circular release (as it is supposed to be) in the middle of each DVD is so inflexible that it will not ( I stress NOT!) release the disc when depressed. You will have to push it so hard that you will feel pain in your thumb, you will need to rotate the use of your thumbs for strength, and you will still ironically break the case in the process. In many cases (no pun intended), I had to put the DVD book page on a soft surface and depress the release, only to still wind up breaking the case. In nearly every attempt, a crack developed radially across the plastic DVD holder. Yes, you will also hear the crack very distinctly as it happens! It seems that whoever designed this packaging system did not attempt to remove a disc on the prototype. This package is actually so incredibly horrible that I am still dumbfounded to imagine the motives of its creator. If frustrating and angering the consumer was the goal, then it has certainly been achieved here. Since it took me so long to remove the discs, and since the package was so damaged afterwards, I never even returned the discs to the original package. Instead, I put each disc in a separate CD case where I currently store them on a shelf. No, I don't like it, but I had no real choice either. Yes, this is a "Collector's Edition", but you'll have to collect them in something other than the case provided.
Now, even with such horrendous packaging, is it all still worth the money? Yes, for sure! I, for one, even with all the packaging headaches, went ahead and bought the other two seasons, as well. If this is the only way to have such a wonderfully-remastered version of a classic sci-fi series, then this is the way I'll have it. Don't let that stop you either. Just have the spare CD cases ready. You'll surely need them. As Spock would say, "It is not logical, but it is often true."
Rating: -
What can I say, it's Star Trek. Gene Roddenberry's creation of the future as he saw it, should be a lesson for all people. A time when race, creed, color and religious beliefs are all behind us and mankind lives as one. As entertaining as each episode was each also had a lesson of morality in it. And who knew that when this unlikely television series was canceled after only three years and 79 episodes that long after it left the air it would gather such a following that it would become a cult classic that would last well over thirty years and is still going strong. Strong enough that it spawned four other star trek series as well as an animated version of the original show and ten major motion pictures with another just hitting theaters. No, I don't live in my parents basement or sit around in a starfleet uniform with spock ears, but I am a big fan of the Original series and a couple of the spinoffs, and all the movies. I would love to have copies of the original releases, but these remastered dvd's are amazing. The special effects are great and the Enterprise never looked so detailed before. This along with seasons one and three are a must have for any Star Trek enthusiast.
Rating: -
With graphic enhancement and a restored master, these shows are worth watching again and again, even if you saw the original broadcasts like myself.
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