Star Trek: The Next Generation in HD (part2)

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by MilesSmiles, May 1, 2012.

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  1. MilesSmiles

    MilesSmiles Oenologist Thread Starter

  2. DeeThomaz

    DeeThomaz Senior Member

    Location:
    In The Felony Room
    Here's the full press release, complete with the disc-by-disc contents:


    CELEBRATING ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY, LEGENDARY SERIES
    MAKES ITS FULL-SEASON BLU-RAY™ DEBUT


    THE FIRST SEASON BLU-RAY
    New High-Definition Transfer With Staggering Before/After Results Boasts
    Exclusive Special Features Including Never-Before-Seen Archival Footage,
    Brand New Interviews With Key Players, Gag Reel And More!
    Available July 24, 2012


    HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (April 30, 2012) – The enduringly popular sci-fi favorite STAR TREK:
    THE NEXT GENERATION – THE FIRST SEASON makes its Blu-ray debut on July 24 from
    CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Media Distribution. Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2012, the beloved series continues to enthrall fans with its exciting and socially relevant tales of space exploration in the 24th century. STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION – THE FIRST SEASON has been retransferred from original film elements to produce stunning high-definition images, including amazing visual effects that have been painstakingly recreated from the source material, creating before/after results that fans will love. The six-disc Blu-ray set also features 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and a wealth of exclusive bonus
    material, such as archival footage, a gag reel, and an inside look at taking The Next Generation to the
    next level of high-definition. Featuring numerous behind-the-scenes interviews, the new material also
    features Star Trek experts Mike and Denise Okuda, consultants throughout this ongoing project, who
    offer special insights into the countless man-hours dedicated to the upgrade of The Next Generation.


    Featuring one of the most endearing ensemble casts in television history, STAR TREK:
    THE NEXT GENERATION took fans on the remarkable continuing voyages of the Starship Enterprise
    with Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), Commander William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes),
    Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton), Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis),
    Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner), Lieutenant Worf (Michael Dorn), Dr. Beverly Crusher
    (Gates McFadden) and Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton).


    The STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION – THE FIRST SEASON Blu-ray set will be available in
    1080p with English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English Stereo Surround, French Mono, Japanese Mono and
    German Mono (with the exception of “Encounter at Farpoint” which is in German Stereo). The discs also
    include English SDH, French, German, Castilian, Italian, Japanese, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian and
    Swedish subtitles. The Blu-ray is not rated in the U.S. and rated PG in Canada. The disc breakdown is as
    follows:


    Disc One:
    Episodes
    • Encounter at Farpoint
    • The Naked Now
    • Code of Honor
    Special Features
    • Episodic Promos
    • Energized! Taking The Next Generation to the Next Level (HD)
    • Star Trek: The Next Generation Archives: The Launch
    o Introduction to the Series (1987)
    o Promo #1
    o Promo #2
    o Promo #3
    o Season One Promo


    Disc Two:
    Episodes
    • The Last Outpost
    • Where No One Has Gone Before
    • Lonely Among Us
    • Justice
    • The Battle
    Special Features
    • Episodic Promos

    Disc Three:
    Episodes
    • Hide and Q
    • Haven
    • The Big Goodbye
    • Datalore
    • Angel One
    Special Features
    • Episodic Promos


    Disc Four:
    Episodes
    • 11001001
    • Too Short a Season
    • When the Bough Breaks
    • Home Soil
    • Coming of Age
    Special Features
    • Episodic Promos


    Disc Five:
    Episodes
    • Heart of Glory
    • The Arsenal of Freedom
    • Symbiosis
    • Skin of Evil
    • We’ll Always Have Paris
    Special Features
    • Episodic Promos


    Disc Six:
    Episodes
    • Conspiracy
    • The Neutral Zone
    Special Features
    • Episodic Promos
    • Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek: The Next Generation (HD)
    o Part 1: Inception
    o Part 2: Launch
    o Part 3: The Continuing Mission
    • Gag Reel
    • Archival Mission Logs
    o The Beginning
    o Selected Crew Analysis
    o The Making of a Legend
    o Memorable Missions


    CBS Home Entertainment manages the worldwide DVD and Blu-ray businesses for the CBS
    Corporation across all lines of content including current hits and classic series from the vast CBS library,
    as well as new releases from Showtime Video. CBS Home Entertainment products are released on the
    CBS DVD and CBS Blu-ray labels.

    Paramount Home Media Distribution (PHMD) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a
    global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), a
    leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands.


    The PHMD division oversees PPC’s home entertainment, digital and television distribution activities
    worldwide. The division is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment
    content on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount
    Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, CBS and PBS and for providing home
    entertainment fulfillment services for DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment. PHMD additionally
    manages global licensing of studio content and distribution across worldwide digital and television
    distribution platforms including online, mobile and portable devices and emerging technologies.
     
  3. *Zod*

    *Zod* Forum Resident

    Location:
    New England
    I don't think I'll be getting season one. Already have the DVD set, and there are only 3 or 4 really good episodes that are on the level of the following seasons. They were finding their sea legs, though the cheesiness factor is kind of infectious.

    Anyone want to speculate as to the price??
     
  4. Classicolin

    Classicolin ‘60s/‘70s Rock Fanatic/Crown Kingdom Guitarist

    Location:
    Ohio
    Wow. I'm amazed and SO excited!! I'm guessing it'll be around 80 US dollars, like the TOS sets?!? Or maybe more, because TNG is more recent and probably more popular. I'd now say anywhere from 70-100 dollars, IMO. Either way, I'm emptying my wallet for this baby!
     
  5. BeatleJWOL

    BeatleJWOL Senior Member

    http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/TNG_Season_1_DVD
    It appears that the old special features will be ported over with some new ones. Hope that continues with the remaining seasons.
     
  6. kevintomb

    kevintomb Forum Resident

    While Season One and Two are for sure the least inspired, Ive recently gone back and watched most of the episodes on Netflix in preparation for the new Blu-Rays and honestly they were overall NOT as bad as I had figured in my mind. Sure there are a handful of honestly "bad episodes in each of the first 2 seasons, but overall there were for sure enough good things to keep my interest.

    Wesley was not as bad as I remember him seeming, upon initial viewing back in the 80s and overall most of the episodes were at least "Sorta decent".

    The thing that annoyed me most, was honestly Troi and her emotional "outbreaks" every time she '"sensed something" about to happen etc.

    The music was a far cry from what they used in later seasons also, BUT they took some bigger risks in the first season doing really unique camera shots at times with the bridge and how they filmed the characters at times. A different look overall for sure, but not horrible as I remembered.
     
  7. Meng

    Meng Forum Resident

    In season one he was - not so bad from then on - but I forgive Wil Wheaton having met him once, and then watching him in The Big Bang Theory. :)

    I, too, will be digging into my (non-existent) wallet for this and the rest of them.
     
  8. *Zod*

    *Zod* Forum Resident

    Location:
    New England
    I would never group season 2 in with 1. IMO there is a huge difference between season 1 and all the others. Season 2 actually contains some of the finest episodes, such as Q-Who? (the first Borg episode).
     
  9. kevintomb

    kevintomb Forum Resident

    Good point. To me season one is far different than the others. But I didnt get the sense that they settled on a style that really worked up until season 3 sometime.

    There are still a handful of pretty good episodes in season one though!

    The first half of Season one is pretty shaky for sure.

    The 2nd half contains a handful of good to very good episodes!
     
  10. *Zod*

    *Zod* Forum Resident

    Location:
    New England
    worst thing about season 2 is Pulaski. She can get annoying at times to say the least. Bevery coming back might was huge.
     
  11. kevintomb

    kevintomb Forum Resident

    Haha, Pulaski was just about the only shaky character. I dont get what the point of her was.

    At times in the early episodes Wesley and Troi can be annoying. Worf acts odd at times, as if they hadnt settled how his character would be for sure. By Season 3 or so, they are all acting like they are really real people...:righton:
     
  12. Vidiot

    Vidiot Now in 4K HDR!

    Location:
    Hollywood, USA
    I tried watching some of the 1st season episodes when the show was first on, but I could never get into it and just gave up. In the 1980s, we had a saying: "there are SF fans who liked the original Star Trek, but hate TNG. Then there are TNG fans who prefer that." I'm in the former category.

    Maybe I should give the second season a chance sometime. I know someone who closely worked with the show, and his inside take was, "the show got better, the less Roddenberry had with the day-to-day running of it."
     
  13. I hate to say it but once Roddenberry passed away the show really blossomed. It had started in that direction before he died (and the day-to-day running of the show was handled by others).

    I think that once Ron Moore, Brannon Braga (yes, I know there are those who dislike him and he's a bit of a dick from what I hear but his writing on "TNG" is really good) were on board the show hit its stride.

    Roddenberry introduced Pulaski as a McCoy like character to spar with Data and Picard. It worked the first time it didn't the second.

    Besides, Gates McFadden was hot.

    Roddenberry was a good producer, great with concepts but he was very much a hot and cold writer.
     
  14. GreenDrazi

    GreenDrazi Truth is beauty

    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    Diana Muldaur (Pulaski) was smart and lovely in the couple of episodes that she made on the original ST, but she was terribly mis-cast/written for TNG.
     
  15. apileocole

    apileocole Lush Life Gort

    The first two seasons are not as bad as they're often characterized. A number of weak episodes, but a lot of sincere effort from many departments with plenty to commend it.

    The TNG folks deserve props for being open minded enough to try being inclusive of characters which varied from the formula on a conceptual level. They could have played 100% safe and familiar, but they chose to include several elements which at the least progressed diversity. Not token diversity either, but all (initially, at least) having substantial points to their characters and inclusion into the mix.

    There are females in key ranks (Beverly, Troi, Tasha). Tasha was placed in charge of everyone's physical safety. Beverly and Troi present an attempted inclusion of aspects of health often held separately or in conflict in the our times: physical medicine, science, psychology and the "fringe" or the unexplored, as in telepathy and such, all working together. There is the youth (Wesley) brought into the realm of the adults, with the youth interacting with this world and the adults having to accommodate; this was raised by adding an element of natural precocious talent versus earned authority, skills and wisdom. There is the product of science and technology (Data) taking a place alongside humans. In Geordi there is someone with what could be considered a physical difference working successfully alongside everyone else. There is the once-enemy race (Worf) merging into the lives of a formerly enemy civilization, in a position where responsibility and respect are crucial. Clearly, a lot went into the creation of the key cast.

    The potentials there are very strong indeed. The implementation of some of those points were scant and usually weak, with the men, Worf, Data and to a lesser extent Geordi, faring best. Roddenberry's pre-set choice to avoid in-crew conflict is a major factor. A majority of face time went to the most conventional parts and the guest(s) of the week. Picard of course, complete with his non-hero-stereotype looks, was the Number One face and Stewart was well up to the task. He gave us a person the viewer and not "just" his crew could care for and respect. I've always liked Riker, he's honest and can assert his position or personality without deliberate irritation or brashness.

    Overall it was a very good production for television and even fares well compared to plenty of movies. There were weak areas (often playing lightly with non-standard characters and pouring on the technobabble for instance) and weak episodes (especially in the first 2 seasons), but it does usually take a high road to commendably good results and did so for 7 seasons with over 20 episodes each. It holds up very well all these years later when a lot of contemporary television frankly isn't worth watching. Well worth keeping available. Paramount deserves some solid merit points for investing back into the program to give the buyer a quality product and presenting it in its best possible form.
     
    benjaminhuf likes this.
  16. Michelle66

    Michelle66 Senior Member

    The first season of TNG features one of the darkest episodes in the entire series - "Conspiracy".

    Creepy as hell, with a disgusting ending that is still shocking.

    It's too bad the series never did a follow-up episode, as the parasitic aliens were as unique as the Borg.
     
  17. Agreed...that wonderfully gritty episode was written by singer Mel Torme's son Tracy, btw. He also wrote the Season One holodeck episode that introduced Picard's gumshoe alter-ego, Dixon Hill!!!:wave:
     
  18. progrocker71

    progrocker71 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    I'd start with Season 3, that's really when the show completely clicked.
     
  19. HGN2001

    HGN2001 Mystery picture member

    I'm conflicted. I'd love to own the Blu-Rays, but I have the DVDs and am not looking forward to the expense of upgrading.

    Harry
     
  20. daglesj

    daglesj Forum Resident

    Location:
    Norfolk, UK
    I always switched off the minute Troi 'got a headache'. You knew it wasn't going to be an action packed episode.
     
  21. When I purchased the DVDs back in the day I sold the first two seasons. The second season had some good notable episodes but, aside from the pilot, I felt that the first season was really weak with recycled stories, not enough conflict, etc.

    Frankly, when the pilot for "TNG" aired back in the day I was disappointed in it but stuck with it because there wasn't much decent science fiction on at that time.

    "Conspiracy" was one of the better episodes AND it was designed to set up a story arc that they never followed up on becoming a stand alone.
     
  22. Al Kuenster

    Al Kuenster Senior Member

    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV - US
    I'm in the same boat, I bought all of the Star Trek Series TOS thru Enterprise on DVD. Rebuying all these is not in the cards for me, money is tight right now, guess i will just be content with the DVDs for now.
     
  23. kevintomb

    kevintomb Forum Resident

    Ya but "Coming of age" is what starts this story, then it goes into "Conspiracy".....or do you mean even further episodes?
     
  24. Luke The Drifter

    Luke The Drifter Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    "Conspiracy" is easily in my top ten. There are others from season 1 also.

    As far as characters, don't forget the pilot for TOS had a woman as the 1st officer.

    Rodenberry really just recycled the same character ideas (for much of the TNG crew), although in different positions:

    Riker=Kirk (swashbuckler/womanizer character)
    Data=Spock (Super strength/Super intelligence/alien/no emotion)

    etc., etc.
     
  25. Vidiot

    Vidiot Now in 4K HDR!

    Location:
    Hollywood, USA
    He did have more women in positions of authority, which he claimed had always been his goal, though the network had discouraged it. My biggest beef with TNG was always that Roddenberry felt that the future would be utopian and all the crewmembers would get along; I say that 500 people confined on a spaceship for years at a time would really get on each other's nerves after awhile.
     
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