![Star Trek: The Next Generation - Next Level [Blu-ray]](http://cdn.hometheaterforum.com/1/1b/50x50px-ZC-1bd81280_B0064NLQYG-51LcKn3iO8L.jpeg)
Paramount Pictures and CBS Home Entertainment undertook a restoration and clean-up of arguably one of the most influential television series of all time with Star Trek: The Original Series. Cleaning up the film and recreating the many visual effects, it sought to present that groundbreaking series to a faithful fan base and many more who would discover – or rediscover – the wonder that gave birth to the Star Trek phenomenon in high definition. It was a marvelous success. The faithful preservation of the three season and presentment of both the newly realized visual effects (and stunning 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio) and the original versions earned my deserved praise and would eventually beg the question: Would Star Trek: The Next Generation be next? Rumors murmured for years until work leaked that tests were being performed to see what it would take to preserve the second crew to take the U.S.S. Enterprise into the wide unknown of the universe.
Star Trek: The Next Generation
The Next Level
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Year: 1987-
US Rating: Not Rated
Film Length: 3hours and 2 minutes
Video: MPEG-4 AVC 1080P High Definition
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 (4:3)
Audio: English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS-HD Master Stereo 2.0,French/Spanish/German/Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish, Japanese, German, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish
Release Date: January 31, 2012
Review Date: January 18, 2012
“Space – The final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no-one has gone before.”
The Film
4/ 5
In 1988, the world changed for me. In England, I was hanging around the video store just about every day and one day, in the new release section, was something called Star Trek: The Next Generation: Encounter at Farpoint. I was already a life-long (at 13 years old) fan of Star Trek: The Original Series (as it is now often referred to), but this video case had a fancy looking Starship Enterprise on the cover with a cast of new characters that was as diverse and interesting as I remember the original crew looking. Needless to say, I was excited. I rented the video and was floored by the excitement and the high quality special effects (good for its day and markedly better than what the original series had been able to produce). I was hooked. The series had premiered on US television the year before and was only available to me (and our 4 television channel household) on VHS. Episodes were released infrequently and a few at a time – but I patiently followed the show.
Star Trek: The Next Generation is the most successful of the now five Star Trek series, and for good reason. It was serious minded, exciting, and bolstered by wonderful visual effects for a Television show (thanks to ILM’s terrific stock effects and other talented folk) and an earnest dedication to the evolved sensibilities of our possible future created by Star Trek creator, Gene Roddenberry. It featured a rich cast of characters which included a strong first officer, a Klingon security officer, an android commander, an empathic counselor and a gifted ship’s doctor with her even more gifted son. The cast ranged from superb actors to moderately skilled, but each added a flavor and distinctness that are every bit an integral element in the fabric of the show. Patrick Stewart stars as the English accented, French born Jean-Luc Picard, Jonathan Frakes as the handsome first officer, William T Riker, Brent Spiner is unique and beloved as the android Commander Data, LeVar Burton, with his special visor is solid as Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge, Marina Sirtis mostly good as the half-betazoid, half human ships counselor Deanna Troi, Michael Dorn interesting and impressive as Worf, the lone Klingon aboard, Gates McFadden limited and under-written as the ship’s doctor Beverly Crusher and Wil Wheaton as the often ill-placed Wesley.
The crew, captained by Jean-Luc Picard, explores space in the Enterprise D, a Galaxy Class starship, housing over 1000 crew and their families. They encounter evolved beings, mysterious anomalies, aggressive and amenable species and other assorted magnificent wonders out the great unknown. The stories from the seven seasons for which this show ran feature impressive, intelligent and exciting tales that deliver allegorical thought-provokers and good old fashion science fiction fun. It is a show that has grown and prospered from the success of what the original series (in syndication and in feature films) provided. The Next Generation was different from the days of Kirk, Spock and McCoy in tone, technology and tenor – but fundamentally born of the same spirit of exploration, tolerance, social stories and intellect. This collection of four episodes represents a nice variety of what the show delivered during its tenure. This isn’t a collection of the very best episodes (though such collections are highly subjective), but rather a real taste of how this show varies its storytelling and mixes amounts large and small of visual effects, set work, Matte paintings, and solid stories.
The Episodes:
Encounter at Farpoint: Parts 1 & 2: In this impressive pilot we are introduced to the new crew of the Starship Enterprise. Dispatched to investigate Farpoint Station (on Denib IV), the new Captain Picard is accosted by a powerful and omniscient being known as Q who seeks to try, judge and administer punishment upon his crew as representatives of the entire human race. The savvy Picard petitions the court of Q’s construction that humanity has evolved beyond its brutal infancy and that he and his crew should be allowed to demonstrate how much humans have grown. Relenting, the U.S.S. Enterprise continues its mission to uncover the mission of Farpoint station and demonstrate that the human race is far more than the sum of its history.
Though without the polish of later seasons, Encounter at Farpoint accomplishes a great many things. It successfully introduced a diverse new crew helming the grand, impressive new Galaxy Class vessel, with all her improved capabilities (a separating saucer, family-friendly quarters, holodecks, and food replicators). This two-episode series starter, once the stiffness of the actors stretching into their characters is overlooked, remains solid entertainment, with a little wit, solid visual effects (even more impressive now), and Rodenberry’s optimistic vision of our possible future firmly on display
Sins of the Father: Of the series many superb episodes that explored the Klingon race – a species that holds an uneasy alliance with the federation – sins of the father proved to be an excellent showcase for Michael Dorn (Worf) and the increasing nuances of the warrior race. First Officer Commander Riker steps aside as part in an exchange program allowing Kurn, first officer aboard a Klingon Bird of Prey, to act as First Officer of the Federation’s flagship. Once aboard the Enterprise, Kurn reveals himself to be Lieutenant Worf’s half-brother and persuades Worf to defend their father’s honor. Their father, now deceased, is accused of having betrayed the Klingons at the massacre at Khitomer. The accuser is Duras, a dishonorable Klingon with considerable power and reach within the Klingon Empire.
The political machinations that unveil themselves throughout this episode are deeply intriguing and would have ramifications later in the series. The Klingons in The Next Generation were developed as a complicate ally for the federation – far more than the single-minded aggressors from the original series – and were a staple of every season. Worf’s character was not intended to be as prominent, but Dorn’s portrayal so unique (and Denise Crosby’s departure after just 13 episodes so abrupt) that the stars aligned just so, and the legendary sole Klingon member of Starfleet was given ground to grow
The Inner Light: Perhaps the most beloved of the 178 episodes, The Inner Light is the intimate story of Captain Picard, struck by an alien probe and debilitated, who wakes up having lived a different life, with a wife, in his home, in a drought-impacted village, on a strange world. Back on the Enterprise, Dr. Crusher attends to the fallen Captain on the floor of the bridge as he is connected to the alien artifact. Unable to disconnect the beam affected him, Picard lives out the golden years of this other life.
There is a haunting quality to this episode which has resonated with audiences for years. A simple story lovingly shot and very well acted by the guest actors, and complimented with composer Jay Chattaway’s sweet and dramatic score, including the memorable theme played by Picard on the flute, The Inner Light is a triumph of superb science-fiction storytelling. The Next Generation achieved a great balance of drama, action and science (not always convincingly, but…) and this episode, aired between the concept-heavy The Next Phase and the first part of the time travel adventure Times Arrow, The Inner Light is a silent gem emanating a bitter-sweet science fiction conceit nestled amidst character-centric storytelling. A real favorite!
The Video
4.5/5
Transferring this series to high-definition is a mammoth undertaking. The show’s visual effects were shot on film requiring every sing visual effects element to be re-compositioned (rather than suffer an unconversion from videotape). This requires re-cutting over 25,000 film reels, meticulously rebuilding the episodes and preserving the original episodes in lush detail transferred to high-definition detail. This effort will show off details from the episodes that none of us have seen before (from the original broadcast, the mediocre and soft DVD release or in reruns over the last 20 plus years).
So how does it look?
Wow!
This is an exquisite experience. After watching this series for years in a soft, even blurred presentation, revisiting this collection of quite different episodes is like seeing this show for the first time. Details are beyond words, colors are bold and fresh, flesh tones incredibly natural and visual effects shots revealing of the painstaking artistry (by ILM and others) that went into this bold television series. Encounter at Farpoint is perhaps the most impressive. This Pilot, consisting of two episodes, holds up better than I could have hoped. Set details do not reveal cardboard hallways and dubious uniforms but rather reveal impressive craftsmanship, expense and details.
The Sound
4/5
The 7.1 DTS-HD track is a winner. The whoosh of the enterprise in the opening credits (whooshing towards and past the camera) fills the surrounds completely and Jerry Goldsmiths reconfigured theme from Star Trek: The Motion Picture fanfares gloriously. The hum of the ship (and the beeps and other electronic noises that abound on the bridge) is clear and present and other sounds such as phaser fire, the echo of the Klingon halls and the roaring crowd of a faux-court (courtesy of Q) are all superbly presented on this Blu-ray disc.
Also included is a DTS-HD 2.0 track that more closely resembles the stereo presentation of its original airing.
The Extras
2 / 5
Included on this disc are three trailers, a full-HD version of the teaser and comparison trailer, and Star Trek Padd – iPad App promo spot.
Final Thoughts
Star Trek: The Next Generation is all brand new! This teaser disc is a real treat to begin the year and holds great promise for what the full-first season set – due to be released later in 2012 – will bring. How will episodes like Best of Both Worlds parts I & II look, how will Yesterday’s Enterprise fare, how will The Measure of a Man hold up, how will Spock look in Unification parts I & II, how about Cause and Effect, All Good Things, Galaxy’s Child, Parallels, Darmok, and scores of other classic episodes that I am sure are dear to more fans out there than just me.
If this collection is representative of what we have in store, 2012 is going to be a fantastic year for Trek fans. I recommend this collection if you can’t wait to see what TNG in HD looks like, if $14.99 is a sweet enough price to see what Paramount and CBS have been able to do with this show, or if you are like me and both those reasons made this release of TNG in HD a must own!
Overall (Not an average)
4/5
Neil Middlemiss
Kernersville, NC
