Plot: What’s it about?
I should probably start this review by saying that I am by no means a Star Trek fan or “Trekkie” if you will. Before I got this set I had never seen a single episode of the show. I am very much aware of its pop culture impact as well as the iconic characters. I am a fan of the 2009 film as well as the recent sequel Star Trek Into Darkness. J.J. Abrams did a great job with both of those films and I am certainly anxious to see where the series goes with its next big screen adventure. This set is being released concurrently with the DVD and Bluray release of Into Darkness. It has five episodes that give an origin story to major characters in the Star Trek universe. Rod Roddenberry (the son of Trek creator Gene Roddenberry) provides a nice introduction to the five episodes. The five episodes are 1) The Cage – This pilot (which didn’t air until decades after the series was canceled) first introduced the characters of Captain Pike and Spoke. 2) Where No man has gone before – This is the first time Captain Kirk (William Shatner) is seen at the helm of the Enterprise. This episode also features George Takei as Lieutenant Sulu. 3) Space Seed – Here we’re introduced to arguably the greatest Trek villain, Khan. 4) Errand of Mercy – This episode introduces the infamous Klingons. 5) The Trouble with Tribbles – Introduces the cute but troublesome characters. I must admit that I was most looking forward to the Space Seed episode. Khan has always been a popular villain even to non fans such as myself. Seeing Khan’s introduction was something I was very much looking forward to. It is probably no surprise that this was my favorite episode on the set. Khan makes quite an impression and it’s clear to see why he’s adored by fans. I also enjoyed the Tribbles episode. It presented a fun diversion from the more serious nature of some of the other episodes.
What is really great about this set is that it is a perfect starter for casual fans and those who have never been introduced to this world. From my understanding, there has been some digital tinkering done to these episodes. Apparently this was to be expected as previous releases did the same thing. For me personally this didn’t create a huge problem, but I could see where it might disappoint the diehard fans of the show. Whatever effects were done I must say they did a great job. I couldn’t tell you what or where the changes occurred. Everything meshed real well to these eyes and ears. I can’t say that I am a new-found Star Trek fan, but this set does satisfy. The episodes here are all solid and make this set an easy purchase. Some may already have a few of these episodes on disc already, but for casual fans and collectors, it’s a safe bet. I also enjoyed the introduction to each of the episodes. It provided good notes before starting each episode.
Video: How’s it look?
Presented preserving the 1.33:1 aspect ratio, the episodes all look excellent. Flesh tones are all accurate and strong. Shadow detail and black levels are also solid here as well. There is occasional grain, but it’s never too distracting. Otherwise, there were no defects or compression artifacts noticed. The transfers used here will please fans.
Audio: How’s it sound?
We get the original English Mono tracks here as well as 7.1 DTS HD tracks. I listened to the DTS tracks and was very impressed. Rear channels kicked in nicely and dialogue was clean and clear sounding throughout. There was strong channel separation here as well. I have no complaints here. Vocals are always strong and concise.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Nothing here unless you count the episode introductions. The average intro lasts about 40 seconds. There are also a ton of previews here for other Star Trek sets. A note about the packaging. The episode titles are written on the inside sleeve of the Bluray case. This is a nice addition, but the “Eco” packaging can make it hard to read everything. I had to pull the cover out to read the episode summaries. I would have preferred an actual insert instead.
