Star Trek the Next Generation! On Blu-Ray!

[Barry]

Star Trek the Next Generation! On Blu-Ray!
 
 
First, for me, the Next Generation, along with the Original Series (already out on Blu Ray) are the two highlights of the Star Trek Universe. Deep Space Nine, Voyager and Enterprise and more for the hard core fan of sci-fi. The Next Generation was enjoyed by girlfriends who were not usually interested in sci-fi.
 
Both with Next Gen and the Original series on Blu-Ray, let’s explain what Blu Ray does to these episodes. It not only upgrades the sound, the picture and the special effects, it redoes the special effects to look better.
 
All movie film even something old such as “Casablanca” was shot in HD. All Video Tape recording for TV were made in Standard Def before the year 2000. Most of the Next Gen, the actor’s and the special effects models, all are on film.  Sadly, most of the special effects were recorded on tape, which was SD. The two elements, film and tape were combined onto SD video tape for the finished product.
 
In a 25 minute documentary, we are shown how CBS digital went back to the original film and remastered that onto HD Tape. Since the original effects were SD they had to be redone to look good in HD.  Today, we have computers that do that, back then, it was a lot more expensive and time consuming. So not only are the “normal” shoots more colorful and more detailed, so are the special effects.  It just looks damn good! Also the two channel sound has been remastered for 7.1 Dolby Digital.
 
The special effects they are very well done, more colorful and sharper.  In “Encounter at Farpoint”, the pilot episode, the creatures at the end are sharper, but NOT THAT MUCH sharper, to keep it in line with the series original intent. They weren’t trying to reinvent the wheel here, just make it rounder.
 
The first season of  STTNG showed that the program was a work in progress. In the first few episodes, the characters are a bit stiff with little chemistry. Actually, there were too many characters, mostly on the bridge without their roles defined. There was an important part of the pilot episode that began the close relationship of the two male leads, Capt. Picard and his second in command, William Ryker.  In a scene that starts out dead serious and ends on a light note, Ryker explains his role of protecting the captain and preventing him from beaming into dangerous situations. This meant that the creators knew exactly where the flaws in the original Star Trek were and they could fix them.  The first few episodes here were not my favorites. “The Naked Now” was an unimaginative update of a Star Trek episode. However, when they got to the 15^th episode entitled  "11001001" the characters, the writing and the chemistry began to take shape.
 
When the second season started there were lots of changes. Denise Crosby leaves the show and Gates McFadden (Dr. Chrusher) was replaced with Diana Muldaur. Of course, Whoopi Goldberg begins her role as Guinan in the second season and the series goes into warp speed.
 
One other interesting part:  For the Season Two Blu-Ray set, the original cast gets together, in current times, to discuss the series. They give us about two or three very enjoyable minutes of this meeting.
 
So should you go out and get the Blu-Ray. If you are a fan and often watch the discs on your 50 inch or bigger screen? Yes.  But if you still have a small set, you’d might want to think about it, but I have been enjoying this.
 
                                                      And the Adventure Continues…

[tripplej]

Thanks for the review Barry. I have to check it out. I can't even remember this series, it has been that long ago.

[AVSCraig]

Which box set do you have Barry ? This one ?

https://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Generation-Complete-Blu-ray/dp/B01BP06ENA/ref=sr_1_7?crid=3VFE10UJBFJ52&keywords=star+trek+the+next+generation+blu+ray&qid=1554236768&s=gateway&sprefix=Star+trek+The+%2Caps%2C203&sr=8-7

[Barry]

My set has different packaging, but the discs seemed to,be identical. People here complain about the packaging but love the discs.

[AVSCraig]

My set has different packaging, but the discs seemed to,be identical. People here complain about the packaging but love the discs.

There's this one for 1/2 as much - 

https://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Generation-Complete-Blu-ray/dp/B00NQXC2YU/ref=sr_1_6?crid=3VFE10UJBFJ52&keywords=star+trek+the+next+generation+blu+ray&qid=1554236768&s=gateway&sprefix=Star+trek+The+%2Caps%2C203&sr=8-6

[TRainH2O]

As much as I love the original series, in some ways I enjoyed TNG better. I suppose it's mainly because TNG had more years to develop. That and TNG was on air later and I remember the anticipation of waiting for next week's to roll around. The original series was done before I really knew about it and luckily, always in syndication somewhere.

Thanks for your thought on this one, Barry. It is a favorite of mine and it brings back some great memories.

[TRainH2O]

There's this one for 1/2 as much -

https://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Generation-Complete-Blu-ray/dp/B00NQXC2YU/ref=sr_1_6?crid=3VFE10UJBFJ52&keywords=star+trek+the+next+generation+blu+ray&qid=1554236768&s=gateway&sprefix=Star+trek+The+%2Caps%2C203&sr=8-6

That one has different region coding, UK, but will play on USA players. Over the years, I have found that some UK releases are less than the USA versions for some reason.

[AVSCraig]

As much as I love the original series, in some ways I enjoyed TNG better. I suppose it's mainly because TNG had more years to develop. That and TNG was on air later and I remember the anticipation of waiting for next week's to roll around. The original series was done before I really knew about it and luckily, always in syndication somewhere.

Thanks for your thought on this one, Barry. It is a favorite of mine and it brings back some great memories.

I too like TNG more than the original series, which was fun, but seems a bit campy now ! 

[tripplej]

Barry,

How would you classify from best to worst?

Something like the below?

Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Enterprise

[Barry]

Jjj, my oder might surprise youna little

ST original
ST Next Generation
ST The Animated Series
sT Voyager
ST Deep Space Nine

Way on the bottom
Enterprise
Discovery

I have the blu ray of Discovery. Looks and sounds great, everything else is really bad.  Hard to sit through.

[TRainH2O]

I tried, really tried to like Deep Space Nine and Voyager. I failed, gave up on both, and got into Stargate and Stargate Atlantis.

I never watched any of the later Star Treks.

[tripplej]

Thanks guys.

I forgot about the animated series.. I have to check that one out.