Star Trek season 2 (remastered) (1 Viewer)

CBS/Paramount have officially confirmed that the remastered version of Star Trek season 2 will be released August 5th according to TVShowsOnDVD.com

Star Trek DVD news: Official Announcement for Star Trek - Season 2 (Remastered) | TVShowsOnDVD.com

Then there's this quote reprinted from the press release ...

The series is set in the 23rd century where Earth has survived World War III then moved on to explore the stars.

Since when? When did Gene Roddenberry ever claim this series took place after World War III? Is this some kind of revisionist press release based on seven years of saber-rattling and fearmongering?

For those of us who grew up reading Ray Bradbury, watching Star Trek, 2001:A Space Odyssey, or even Space 1999, it's sad enough that space travel never really happened when we thought it would. Or might EVER happen. Who knew the resources of our planet were actually quite limited. Who knew our priorities would shift so dramatically (and probably logically). Who knew there would be no duplicating the immense sacrifice, committment, and innovation that revolutionized NASA between 1960 and 1969.

I live 35 miles from Cape Canaveral, where they just announced layoffs probably exceeding 7,000 within the next couple years as the Shuttle system is quietly retired. And the launch system to follow? Flawed and not yet workable. It would vibrate astronauts to death upon lift-off. Who knew?

So to think that some kind of evolutionary leap to the stars would happen AFTER a devastating World War, when our progress in space can't even happen AFTER four decades of "relative" peace and prosperity seems quite absurd, and not born out of the Roddenberry playbook.

But that's just my take. And my memory fades.

Anyone else have a reaction to that? Or some Trekkie database of knowledge on the subject? An episode where they referred to World War III (specifically - not some other regional war)?

Personally, I don't mind the CGI touch-ups as long as they don't touch the stories. And I'll probably Blu-ray-place my existing set. But don't tell me the concept for this series was born out of war between the countries of Earth, when peace and cooperation can prove an even greater catalyst to the stars and beyond.

Maybe the Eugenics Wars referred to in "Space Seed" are being considered WWIII? Spock does refer to them as "your last so-called world war".

Well, according to Memory Alpha, WWIII happened. Lots of references throughout all televised incarnations of Trek. I do agree, though, it's odd for Paramount to throw that into the press release. If WWIII happened during S1, then fine. But for S2? Um...?

Consider me illuminated on the subject of the Eugenics wars (WWIII?). And who knew they still had "movies" in 2153 (you'd think technology would have advanced in all arenas). But was this WWIII in any way part of Roddenberry's original concept, or is this just "add-ons" from writers along the way throughout the Star Trek canon in all its manifestations and sequels?

My guess is that it was an add on; however, Roddenberry did see these scripts fairly regularly (and I think he had last dibs, so to speak), so who knows?

"Space Seed" is from the first season of the Original Series, and "Bread and Circuses" is from the second season of the Original Series, so the references to the Eugenics Wars and WWIII came pretty early in the real world creative timeline.

Not to mention I think it was explicitly stated in Star Trek: First Contact.

Thanks all for the reference points. I even picked up a new term I'd never heard of ... retcon.

A reference in the Deep Space Nine episode "Doctor Bashir, I Presume?" suggests that the Eugenic Wars instead took place in the 22nd century. According to writer Ronald D. Moore, this was not an attempt at a retcon, but a mistake.[56]

Retcon meaning "retroactive continuity." I guess that would have been the proper term for my original question about the mention of WWIII in the press release - was that retcon to Roddenberry's original concept?

But now we've moved on, and can discuss one piece of amazing technology from Star Trek TOS that didn't require any upgrade CGI for the remaster ... Shatner's toupee. How come he had a far better hairpiece back in 1964 (and even in Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Twilight Zone earlier) than he did in either T. J. Hooker or Boston Legal? I mean it was almost seamless and quite well woven in with his existing sideburns, versus the helmet rugs he just slaps on ever since.

Pretty much all of the Federation's history is retcons, in the strictest sense, in that it was created as needed by a given episode.

It was good, wasn't it? Although in our remastered era (even in SD) you can see the color difference if you look for it.

I think he might not yet have needed one in the earlier shows you mention. My hunch is that he wasn't all that bald during TOS, but rather just needed a little help to look "heroic". My guess is that Kirk's receding hairline in "The Deadly Years" was the state of Shatner's own at the time.

In Herb Solow and Bob Justman's book, they mention the fact that they had a couple of very expensive hairpieces made for Shatner, because his own personal "rug" didn't look all that good. They also had a wig made for Nichelle Nichols.

Before the third season, Nichelle's wig "disappeared" and Shatner's toupee. Bob and Herb suggested that both actors took them home. I would guess that if Bill's toupee was really that much better than what he wore off the set, he probably saw nothing wrong with keeping one for himself.

As for Bill's current hairline, I'd have thought with his money, he's probably gone for something a bit more permanent than a toupee by now?

I always thought Kirk's third season hair looked quite a bit different. I think it was even darker.

I wasn't sure what this thread's focus was on, the second season DVD set, or toupees or the third World War/Eugenics Wars discussed in the series. (By the way, the back of the toupee is seen lifting in What are Little Girls Made of)

But if you want to talk about the Remastered Second Season DVD's, the details and box art are up now at TVShowsonDVD: Star Trek DVD news: Box Art & Extras for Star Trek - Season 2: Remastered DVD Edition | TVShowsOnDVD.com

Pricing is $99.00, no surprise there. trekmovie.com reports it can be pre-ordered for $68.00 at DVD Empire, no sign of it at Amazon. I'm sure still too high for some.

Extras look good, 9 featurettes and bonus Tribble episodes from TAS, "More Tribbles, More Troubles" and DS9, "Trials and Tribble-ations". And more Billy Blackburn home movies. 5.1 audio and 4:3 aspect ratio.

Packaging looks like the HD-DVD box set, except the cardboard is blue.

Stand out episodes this Second Season, plus the Remastering enhances most of them such as The Doomsday Machine, Amok Time, The Ulitmate Computer and Jouney to Babel, while The Immunity Syndrone was an okay CGI effort.

And no word on a Blu Ray version yet. My guess is still sometime mid 2009. And I'm betting Season 3 of Trek Remastered will be available near the 2008 Holiday season.

Let the discussion begin that there will be no-sale til Blu-Ray arrives, or the price is too high still....oh yeah, must have original effects and title music too.......

Actually, I think a $100 MSRP is pretty reasonable for Star Trek especially considering the amount of money that went into the new effects.

Well I paid close to $99 for the HDDVD Set so no way I'm gonna shell out the same retail, I want these on HD so I'll wait for the inevitable Blu Ray, thenn maybe I'll rebuy S1 and the rest. I'll rent the DVD's on Netflix thou maybe.

I think it's reasonable compared to the all the previous Trek sets, which would tend to retail at like $120-130, and then you could find it for around $99. (on initial release). Now if I were to take into account the "money" they "spent" on the new effects, I'd expect it to retail for 99¢.

Thanks, Nelson, for getting us back on track (but I did find the discussion of Shatner's toupee fun and interesting and I thank the responders who provided additional details).

I just don't see who buys this. They match the packaging of the HD-DVD release, but it's not an HD product. It's just a stop gap release. And many of us paid near $100 ($84, for me, I think) when the standard releases first came out. If I'm going to spend that again, no way would I buy anything but the Blu-ray HD version.

If fans don't show up for this product, don't you think Paramount will prioritize the Blu-ray release of the season sets and get them out faster? Or would they misinterpret that as diminished demand and it has the opposite effect?

Hi Wayne- No disrespect was intended and I gathered no one was offended by my post with discussion back on the DVD's

I agree those topics; the toupee, Eugenics Wars and the current state of our Space Program would make for three fun and great threads! There's been stories on the news about going back to the Moon and then Mars, and I read on another forum Shatner could have had hair transplants done. And have you ever noticed his hair is really thin in the second season, and then the hairline is receeded in the third? Again, I digress.

Regarding the Second Season DVD set. The news of this kind of release will of course irltate the majority of the Home Theater and tech enthusiasts. I think Paramount/CBS know this. I also think they know that the majority of American homes do not have Blu-Ray and that for many typical homes, they don't care and are happy with standard def DVD's. So this release is aimed at the majority of the buyers, and many Star Trek fans could fall i that catagory who are still happy with standard DVD. It is a stop gap as you said.

And I think that Paramount CBS probably feel that since the HD-DVD release of the First Season of TOS has the standard def verison on there, you're good to go with that set so all that's left is the Third Season out later this year or early next.

It would be interesting to find out the statistical data from people who track the sales figures of these sets and how they track with the previous 2004 Trek releases of TOS. It could appeal to a smaller hard core crowd, not sure though as I haven't seen the reactions to the Remastered Episodes from non-fans. Paramount CBS is a business, so I think diminished sales for those waiting for the Blu-Ray could be regarded as diminished demand. But there's so many factors in play here, the number of Blu-Ray buyers is probably small. The fan base is well known to the bean counters at Paramount CBS. And like I said above, the standard def buyer (Many who are fans) is much larger then the high def buyer.

For me, being a Star Trek fan and a Home Theater fan, I have to admit that I'll buy this set. I have to complete my Trek collection.

I think the biggest factor impacting the release of these seasons on Bd is that they have other product to exploit in their place (when the film arrives) that will be much less of a burden getting out on that format- namely the first series of films. I didn't get the feeling Paramount was excited by the sales of the HD DVD combos...even with Toshiba bankrolling a large part of it and promoting the way they did. The longer they wait to release these on Bd, the better off they'll be (larger broader base, lower production costs, etc). Being a casual fan , I was looking forward to these last year in HD and did enjoy the first season , tho not as much as I expected. I would be up for the next two, but $99 MSRP/$6X.xx retail doesn't make me enthusiastic for them. I'll likely wait for a good sale before I ever pick them up.
One other thing- those cases were the worst aspect of the first season release. I would rather see them redesigned than go forwar with them. Hard to find one at retail that wasn't chipped, cracked, or ripped.

I think the biggest factor impacting the release of these seasons on Bd is that they have other product to exploit in their place (when the film arrives) that will be much less of a burden getting out on that format- namely the first series of films. I didn't get the feeling Paramount was excited by the sales of the HD DVD combos...even with Toshiba bankrolling a large part of it and promoting the way they did. The longer they wait to release these on Bd, the better off they'll be (larger broader base, lower production costs, etc). Being a casual fan , I was looking forward to these last year in HD and did enjoy the first season , tho not as much as I expected. I would be up for the next two, but $99 MSRP/$6X.xx retail doesn't make me enthusiastic for them. I'll likely wait for a good sale before I ever pick them up.
One other thing- those cases were the worst aspect of the first season release. I would rather see them redesigned than go forwar with them. Hard to find one at retail that wasn't chipped, cracked, or ripped.