Courtesy: CBS DVD/Paramount Studios Home Entertainment
As 2015 begins to wind down, most people are beginning to turn their thoughts to 2016. For those that might not have known, 2016 is a big year in the history of television. That is because it will mark the fiftieth anniversary of one of television’s most iconic series. The series in question is none other than Star Trek: The Original Series. While its original run on NBC lasted only three seasons, it has proven in the years since to be one of television’s most beloved and important series. Since it ended its run in 1969, no fewer than four other series have come and gone along with a number of big screen features and box sets containing each series. This includes box sets containing all three of the original series’ seasons. The original series has been released in its own standalone sets on both DVD and Blu-ray and a full series set on Blu-ray. Interestingly enough for all of its various releases Star Trek: The Original Series has never gotten a full series run on DVD. That is until now. Paramount Studios Home Entertainment released Star Trek: The Original Series–The Complete Series on DVD for the first time ever on Tuesday, November 3rd. In examining this first-time release it can be said that there is so much to say to its benefit that it is one of the best of this year’s new box sets for grownups if not the year’s best. The main reason for that is the very presentation of the episodes in their setting here. That will be discussed in more depth shortly. Moving on, another reason that the box set proves so enjoyable is its bonus material. There are trailers, commentaries, retrospectives and so much more added to the set from its first disc to its last (for the record, the series’ seventy-nine episodes and bonus material are spread across a total of twenty-fix discs in this box set) for more than seven hours of extra entertainment and insight for audiences. Last but hardly least worth noting in this brand news DVD box set’s positives is the combined work of the series’ writers and cast. The adventures crafted by the series’ writers were (and are) more than enough reason in themselves for any fan to purchase this box set. The cast’s interpretation of the episodes’ scripts rounds out the presentation of Star Trek: The Original Series–The Complete Series. Each element in and of itself plays its ow important part in the overal presentation of Star trek’s new full series run on DVD. Together they make Star Trek: The Original Series–The Complete Series a must have for almost any Star Trek fan and one of the best of this year’s new box sets for grownups.
Star Trek: The Original Series–The Complete Series is one of the best of this year’s new box sets for grownups. It is a collection that those without any of the series’ previous releases on DVD and Blu-ray will especially appreciate. That is thanks in large part to its very presentation. All three seasons of Star Trek: TOS (as it will be referred to from here on out) have been previously released in their own standalone season sets both on DVD and Blu-ray. The series has even received its own full-series set on Blu-ray as recently as 2009. For all of these releases, the groundbreaking sci-fi series has never received a full series release on DVD until now. All seventy-nine of the series’ original episodes are included in this set. The twenty-five disc (yes, twenty-five discs) is just as impressive because of its price. It retails between forty and forty-five dollars. Considering the ratio of the number of episodes to discs and the amount of bonus material that is actually not that bad of a price. That is especially the case considering that the show’s full series Blu-ray box set retails for nearly double that depending on the retailer. It proves the DVD box set to be relatively affordable. What’s more, the episodes look and sound quite impressive from one to the next. It is even obvious where the episodes have in fact been re-mastered just as is advertised on the set’s outer box. That is even discussed in one of the set’s bonus features, which will be discussed later. Getting back on the subject at hand, the only major downside to the overall presentation of the series here lies in its packaging. Unlike most multi-disc sets released today, the discs are packaged in what would now be considered something of an unconventional fashion. They are placed two to a side on each of the set’s plastic inserts with the discs overlapping one another. This is not the best idea when it comes to packaging. But considering that the set is spread across twenty-five total discs, it is something of a necessary evil. Had the discs been placed one to a side as is the case with most multi-disc sets, it would have potentially taken up twice the space and required even more space for the discs. To that extent Paramount’s home entertainment division can be forgiven for the set’s packaging. All things considered here Star Trek: TOS–The Complete Series‘ packaging proves that while it is not perfect, it is still be a solid positive to the set’s overall presentation. The presentation of its episodes on the other hand is wholly positive. The end result of both elements together creates a presentation that every Star Trek fan will appreciate.
The packaging of Star Trek TOS–The Complete Series, while not perfect, is a necessary evil. It allows all twenty-five of the set’s discs to be housed in a single box rather than forcing them to be spread across multiple boxes. The presentation of the episodes across each of those discs is in itself quite impressive to say the least. Together they make up just one part of what makes Star Trek: TOS–The Complete Series an impressive new release for this classic series. The bonus material included throughout each of the series’ twenty-five discs adds even more enjoyment to the series in whole. There is an ongoing series of featurettes titled “To Boldly Go” that spans all three seasons. This series of featurettes examines the series and its impact on both television and American culture in whole. If that isn’t enough for audiences, Season One includes a bonus featurette titled “Spacelift: Transporting Trek Into The 21st Century.” This leading bonus examines the work that went into re-mastering the series in terms of its special effects. Those special effects include the look of the Enterprise against different planets, interior shots of the Enterprise, and other elements including the work done to re-master the Enterprise for the special inclusion of the Star Trek: DSN episode “Trials and Tribble-ations.” Speaking of that episode, it is included, too, in whole as a companion piece to the famed TOS episode “The Trouble With Tribbles.” There is even a complete episode of Star Trek: The Animated Series titled “More Tribbles, More Troubles” included as its own companion bonus to the TOS episode. There’s also a bonus in which the cast of TOS discusses the many romances that took place throughout TOS. This includes not only Captain Kirk’s own various romances but those enjoyed by other members of the cast including a rumored romance between Spock and Uhura. And even that bonus isn’t the end of the set’s extensive bonus material. There are discussions by the cast on a number of different topics throughout the set that will entertain audiences for hours if not days. That vast collection of bonuses set against the presentation of the series’ episodes here and its packaging makes Star Trek: TOS–The Original Series that much more entertaining for audiences and that much more of a must have for any Star Trek fan.
The bonus material included in Paramount and CBS DVD’s new re-issue of Star Trek: TOS–The Complete Series couples with the presentation of the series’ episodes and its packaging to make it one of the best of this year’s crop of new re-issues. As important as all of the noted elements are to the whole of this massive box set, they are not the set’s only important elements. The cast’s interpretation of the scripts rounds out the whole of this presentation. William Shatner has been spoofed countless times over ever since Star Trek: TOS went off the air for his portrayal of Captain Kirk. Yet for all of the jabs that have been taken at him over the years, there is no denying his work on camera. No, there will be no dumb puns here. The fact of the matter is that Shatner was (and is even today)wholly believable as the head of the Federation’s flagship starship. Sure, he gets a little cheesy in his interactions with all his various female co-stars. But in general his firmness as he leads the crew through some very tough situations makes suspension of disbelief quite easy. Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley are both just as impressive as Spock and Bones respectively. Whether on their own or together with one another (and with Shatner) both men hold their own throughout every episode. From handling serious moments to more light-hearted, comical moments all three men are a joy to watch. That is not to ignore any of the show’s other main cast members either. Nichelle Nicols, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, and George Takei are equally enjoyable to watch when they get their time in the spotlight. Whether for their work, for that of the series’ main cast, or any of the supporting and guest cast, it can be said that the work of the series’ cast plays its own important part in the whole of Star Trek: TOS. Together with the work of the show’s writers and the overall presentation of the episodes in this new DVD box set, all the noted elements make this collection a must have for any Star Trek fan. Those elements coupled with the set’s packaging and companion bonus material, the set in whole proves to be one of the best of this year’s crop of new re-issues.
Paramount and CBS DVD’s new DVD presentation of Star Trek: TOS–The Complete Series is one of the best of this year’s new re-issues. Its episodes look just as impressive today as they did in their original run on television. In some cases they even look better thanks to the work of those that re-mastered the series for its presentation here. The writing and acting that went into each of the series’ nearly eighty episodes make the set in whole even more of an enjoyable presentation. The set’s packaging, while a necessary evil, partners with its bonus material and those already noted elements to make Star Trek: TOS–The Complete Series a must have for any Star Trek fan that does not already own the series’ Blu-ray box set. Not only that but they combine to make Star Trek: TOS–The Complete Series one of the best of this year’s crop of new re-issues, if not the best. It is available now in stores and online. It can be ordered online now via Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Original-Leonard-Nimoy/dp/B013Q1BVIE/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1448647397&sr=1-1&keywords=star+trek+the+original+series. More information on this and other Star Trek DVDs and Blu-rays is available online now along with all of the latest Star Trek news at:
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