Plot: What’s it about?
In the fourth season, the show was more than hitting its stride. Picard had been abducted by the most fearful enemy the crew had encountered to date, the Borg. The season opens with the conclusion of the two part episode that ended the last season. We see a different side of the crew in this season that might best be described as family. Data was given a few episodes to explore his character, and that’s saying a lot for an android! We meet his evil brother, Lore (played by Brent Spiner as well) as well as his creator, Dr. Soong. The reprecussions of his encounter with the Borg, we see in an episode called "Family" that just because the episode has ended, that he can put his experience behind him.
The show was now in the season in which it celebrated it’s 100th episode, and it’s then that the show had truly "arrived". Surpassing the former series in total number of shows, the crew of the Enterprise D was just hitting its stride. I made the assumption that one of my favorite episodes "Q-Pid" (in which the crew of the Enterprise is transformed into the cast of Robin Hood and his "Merry Men") that if the show can sit back, relax and have this much fun, then it’s destined to be around for at least a few more years. While we learn more about the crew, including the first name to Colm Meaney’s character (Miles), then clearly the show had room to grow. Here’s the episodes that are included on the fourth season:
Disc 1: "The Best of Both Worlds, Part 2", "Family", "Brothers", "Suddenly Human".
Disc 2: "Remember Me", "Legacy", "Reunion", "Future Imperfect".
Disc 3: "Final Mission", "The Loss", "Data’s Day", "The Wounded".
Disc 4: "Devil’s Due", "Clues", "First Contact", "Galaxy’s Child".
Disc 5: "Night Terrors", "Identity Crisis", "The Nth Degree", "Qpid".
Disc 6: "The Drumhead", "Half a Life", "The Host", "The Mind’s Eye".
Disc 7: "In Theory", "Redemption, Part 1".
Video: How does it look?
All of the episodes are presented in a full-frame presentation. While this is the fourth season, the stakes were a bit higher. I have to say that these look just as good as when I first saw them. Though I do have to admit that some episodes look terrible, with artifacting, though it’s mostly limited to indoor shots. The color palette used is very muted, showing that ‘futuristic’ time frame, but the DVD’s bring out everything and make it look better, but they can also make it look worse. Still, I haven’t had the opportunity to review many TV shows on DVD and this is better than I’ve seen them look during their original broadcast. Not much to complain about here, though errors do exist, it’s the best they’ve looked and most likely will.
Audio: How does it sound?
Just like the original Star Trek series, these are re-mastered in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. Unlike the original 5.1 series, these actually sound good. Obviously the twenty year time difference between the two makes most of the difference, but the increased budget does as well. Dialog is very clear, though I felt that some times there was a bit of a “hiss” to it. The surround effects could have been used a bit more, I feel. During the pilot episode, the opening credits had the starship whizzing by and thereby activating the surround channels, but during the rest of the episodes I didn’t notice the same effect. Could have just been me, but I feel that the sound could have used a bit of tweaking. Still, it’s the best these have ever sounded, so you’ll have to trust me when I say you won’t be let down.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Five featurettes are also included (which is a real treat as the other seasons except Season Two only had four, but then again it had fewer episodes), but it’s essentially the same material here. The "Mission Overview: Year Four" is pretty interesting, the cast celebrates over it’s 100th episode and we learn of the writer’s angle on his job. He waits and sees what the actors say and then finishes the script! The "Selected Cast and Crew Bios" feature Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) a long-hated member of the crew by die hard Trekkies, but someone I always liked (not to mention look like). Interviews with him some 10 years ago and this February show a not much different Wheaton, but he does have some insightful things to say about his fellow crew members. "Departmental Briefing–Year Four: Production" focuses much on the effort it took the crew to get Data to play three different roles in the episode "Brothers". Not much else here aside from that. The usual production design information can be found in "New Life and New Civilizations" and rounding out the features is "Chronicles From the Final Frontier" which focuses a little more on the heart of the show…the writers. Remember, dialogue is only as good as the writers behind it! All of this and we still have three seasons to look forward to by the year’s end. Keep up the good work, Paramount!
