Content
Well, it's Season One. Having watched it many times over the years, I can say that certain episodes (Symbiosis, for instance) do not hold one's attention very well. On the other hand, other episodes (Justice, if you can believe it) really benefit from the HD upgrade, making them more appealing as a whole.
If you are somehow a new fan to the series, I still think you should buy this, with the proviso that things get markedly better even with Season Two, and certainly are totally cooking by Season Three. Season One is still a vital piece of TNG, introducing scads of characters and backstories. And there are still some superb episodes to be found (Encounter at Farpoint, Where No One Has Gone Before, Conspiracy, among others), and plenty of average shows, too.
Video
But these reviews aren't for new fans, are they? The question is - is it worth spending $60 or more to buy something you already own? Oh, yes. Yes, yes, yes. Yes!
To start with, overall detail has seen a huge boost, on a comparable or better level with the TOS Blu-Ray set. During facial close-ups, small hairs, pores, beads of sweat, and makeup details are easily visible. Costumes take on a new level of 80s cheesiness, with every crenelation, pleat, sequin, jewel, and bead being crisply defined. Buttons and displays leap off the screen. There is a stable sheen of film grain in most shots, which should make you happy, because it means that we're getting most or all of the detail present on the original negative. Color is another area that is light years ahead of the DVD. The DVD had a mushy, muted color scheme. Here, uniforms are bright, lipstick is ruby red, and spacescapes take on a whole new life.
The two areas of the biggest upgrade are any shots with visual effects in general, and space shots in particular. The way that the show was put together in the 80s, video compositing, led to a huge loss of detail, and the introduction of all sorts of jagged edges and blur. Pieces of 35mm film were essentially run through a VCR and cobbled together at that video resolution (480i). Here, all of the original individual film elements, including live action, visual effects, and model shots, have been rescanned separately and re-composited with modern technology. The result is astounding. Visual effects no longer lead to a degradation of the image. Space shots that were swimming with jagged edges and moire now look as good as current movies and television. The detail on the models is superb - as good as the TOS movies. The happy result is discovering how good many of the effects were, especially on an episode like Farpoint that had the budget to back it up.
Now, some purists will dislike the fact that certain planets have been replaced with CG versions. I think it was a good move, because the planet images in question were really the only "bad" effects on the original, and they would have stuck out like a sore thumb on the Blu-Ray. As with the TOS remastered effects, these planets hew close to the original color schemes and whatever details were in the original. I do wish that the originals were available with an angle switch, but it's really not a huge deal. We're getting the original models and visual effects, just played out over a few new planets here and there. It's not obtrusive and the results always look good.
There are a few episodes (Heart of Glory, Lonely Among Us) that featured many dark scenes, and these don't look great. They still, however, are a big upgrade from the DVD. As a rule, the brighter the episode and the more location shots are featured in it, the more spectacular the show looks. Farpoint and Justice, to my mind, are the real lookers of the set. The average episode presentation is at least as good as any modern HD television show, which is a real treat. And, thank goodness, the episodes are presented in their original 4:3 aspect ratio. Yes, they could have expanded the show out to a 16:9 frame, but the original camera work was composed, framed and matted for 4:3, which means that the extra widescreen space would be filled with lights, boom mics, and hairy union worker @$#-cracks. Do you really want to see those things? Not me.
Audio
Audio is presented in a new 7.1 channel DTS-HD mix. It sounds fine on my 5.1 channel set-up. I am not an audiophile by any means. What I want is an engaging presentation with some low frequency (bass) and surround sounds, but that doesn't drown out the dialogue. This fits the bill as far as I'm concerned. There are some reports of audio sync issues on a few episodes. I didn't notice it myself, but happily, CBS/Paramount is running a free disc replacement program for any users who desire it. Pretty cool if you ask me. Your mileage may vary.
Special Features and Packaging
The "Making Of" and Restoration documentaries would be worth paying ten or fifteen bucks for in a standalone release. That says a lot, I think, about the overall value proposition represented by this set. Both are presented in 1080p widescreen with subtitles. The Making Of doc clocks in at 90 minutes broken into three parts, while the restoration doc runs over twenty minutes on its own. Both are comprehensive and offer looks at things that even the hardest core fans (a class of which I consider myself a member) will not have come across before. The hair and makeup tests were a riot, and I loved seeing some of Andrew Probert's original concept sketches - such as a bi-level bridge with a conference table behind the captain's chair. Also very refreshing is some of the candor present in cast and crew interviews, with many reminiscing not just on the high points, but also the low points of getting Season One off the ground. The restoration doc goes into a very nice level of detail concerning how the original film elements were located and recomposited, what was done to alter certain shots (such as the planets) and why, and it provides copious before and after shots of the two editions.
What really shines through in these special features is the love that the creators and the restoration team had for the material. The whole production just oozes detail-oriented care, and really makes you, the viewer, who has just laid down some serious scratch for the set, feel good about what you've purchased. The icing on the cake is the inclusion of all the original DVD featurettes. So basically, you can sell your old DVDs on Amazon, donate them to an old folks' home, or use them as swank coasters.
The packaging is very similar to the TOS sets. The discs are in a blue plastic case with plastic "pages" holding discs. Irritatingly, the same flaw exists from the TOS sets - the discs do not list episodes on them, and the package insert only lists them on the inside, covered by discs in the case. I flipped mine around so that the episode list shows on the outside.
The package graphics are attractive. Picard, Riker and Data are inset on a Federation logo (no love for the ladies yet, alas), with some red graphics in the background. Presumably, the color scheme will match the DVD progression of colors, which will be nice for those of us who were used to them.
Conclusion
I think this is a must-buy for any fan with an HDTV, personally. The experience is markedly better than DVD, and light years beyond the original airing in the 80s and 90s. It looks better now than it ever has, and it looks comparable to a modern television show. The space shots especially look as good as most big budget movies. When you see the opening title sequence of Farpoint and the first in-episode shot of the Enterprise, you will be sold, I promise you.
The extra features are at a very high level of production and content quality, and lead to what I consider to be a strong value proposition. For the price you're likely to find this at online, you're getting an extremely strong audio-visual experience, with enough new material to really feel like a complete package, even for die-hard fans.
So, and you'll forgive me, if the question is "to buy or not to by," the answer is: make it so!
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Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season 1 [Blu-ray]
IMDb8.7/10.0
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Additional Blu-ray options | Edition | Discs | Price | New from | Used from |
Blu-ray
February 23, 2021 "Please retry" | Standard | 6 |
—
| $30.93 | $14.97 |
Blu-ray
July 24, 2012 "Please retry" | — | 6 |
—
| — | $17.16 |
Watch Instantly with | Per Episode | Buy Season |
Genre | Science Fiction |
Contributor | Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis, Levar Burton, Patrick Stewart, Michael Dorn, Brent Spiner, Gates McFadden, Will Weaton, Denise Crosby See more |
Language | English, Spanish, German |
Number Of Discs | 6 |
Runtime | 19 hours and 44 minutes |
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Product Description
Set in the 24th century, the exploits of the U.S.S. Enterprise continue as it explores the universe, seeking new life and new worlds.
Product details
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- MPAA rating : PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
- Product Dimensions : 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 7.2 ounces
- Item model number : 504888068450
- Run time : 19 hours and 44 minutes
- Release date : July 24, 2012
- Actors : Levar Burton, Jonathan Frakes, Michael Dorn, Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner
- Dubbed: : English, Spanish
- Subtitles: : Spanish, German
- Studio : Paramount
- ASIN : B0083TUEHY
- Number of discs : 6
- Best Sellers Rank: #64,778 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
- #897 in Science Fiction Blu-ray Discs
- #5,041 in Action & Adventure Blu-ray Discs
- Customer Reviews:
Customer reviews
4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
3,553 global ratings
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5 Stars
Sci Fi Classic
I have always loved Star Trek and TNG was really my favorite modern version. I love all the characters and most of the stories still hold up almost 30 years later. Now that they made them as close to HD as they can they are so much more enjoyable to watch on my 60" HDTV too.If you are a lover of Sci-Fi in space you'll enjoy watching these again. Plus this was back when seasons had 20-26 episodes rather than today's idea of a season as 10 episodes or less!
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Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2012
Reviewed in the United States on February 29, 2024
Cool series.
Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2014
I'm a huge TNG fan. The first episode aired when I turned 13 and I stayed with it through re-runs, Time-Life VHS club, and DVD. "Why buy the Blu-ray?" If you're a freak fan, like me, you know why you have to. Because this is THE SHOW!
I got this in the mail, opened the packaging, and put it in. There were tears, my friends. It literally felt like I was watching it again for the first time. I can only liken it to Geordi being granted sight for the first time when Riker was endowed with the power of the Q (Episode 10 "Hide and Q). He was like, "Tasha, you're so beautiful." Yes, my friends. When you watch that episode, you'll be like, "Geordi, (sob) I know how you feel!" The cheese factor is 75% reduced. No. Joke.
What, no HD TV you say? I don't have one either. I have a huge honkin' 36" SD TV with a Blu-ray player attached (yes it is possible). It might not be "HD" per se, but you don't need an HD TV to benefit from the enhancement.
Maybe you're thinking, "Yeah, but I bet they changed everything and made it all weird with new stuff, like the original Star Wars trilogy." YOU'RE WRONG! They didn't change a darn thing. They just made it beautifully clear, in all its beautiful HD clearness. All of the ship scenes were shot on 35mm film, so what you see IS the original footage (yes, the non-HD versions are ripping you off). A lot of the CG effects, however, were not up to HD snuff, so they respectfully added very similar things like planets, and explosions. I had pause for caution here as well.
There is one caution: It's presented in HD 4:3 ratio (I know, what the hell does that mean?) Well, you know what Widescreen is, right? Those black bars on top and below? Well, it's got those, but it also has 2 vertical bars on the right and left sides. This makes it look like the picture is encased in a black frame all around. This was done because the ORIGINAL footage was filmed for standard definition, broadcast television, which is a 4:3 ratio.
What does that mean, man? You're talking in riddles. Well, they ACTUALLY staged the sets, props, etc as if they were only filming for normal TV back in the 80s, the kind we all used to grow up with. So to include a full widescreen HD presentation would mean that you would see lights, c-stands, random crew members (other reasons are fully explained on the Blu-ray extras).
Yeah, it made me sad not to see my full screen filled, but it also made me angry that our original Star Trek episodes were hacked and resized to fit those standards. So, if you DO have an HD TV, you probably have the option to zoom the picture to fill the screen. For SD TV owners, well, believe me, I've gotten used to it, and it really doesn't diminish the experience for me.
I got this in the mail, opened the packaging, and put it in. There were tears, my friends. It literally felt like I was watching it again for the first time. I can only liken it to Geordi being granted sight for the first time when Riker was endowed with the power of the Q (Episode 10 "Hide and Q). He was like, "Tasha, you're so beautiful." Yes, my friends. When you watch that episode, you'll be like, "Geordi, (sob) I know how you feel!" The cheese factor is 75% reduced. No. Joke.
What, no HD TV you say? I don't have one either. I have a huge honkin' 36" SD TV with a Blu-ray player attached (yes it is possible). It might not be "HD" per se, but you don't need an HD TV to benefit from the enhancement.
Maybe you're thinking, "Yeah, but I bet they changed everything and made it all weird with new stuff, like the original Star Wars trilogy." YOU'RE WRONG! They didn't change a darn thing. They just made it beautifully clear, in all its beautiful HD clearness. All of the ship scenes were shot on 35mm film, so what you see IS the original footage (yes, the non-HD versions are ripping you off). A lot of the CG effects, however, were not up to HD snuff, so they respectfully added very similar things like planets, and explosions. I had pause for caution here as well.
There is one caution: It's presented in HD 4:3 ratio (I know, what the hell does that mean?) Well, you know what Widescreen is, right? Those black bars on top and below? Well, it's got those, but it also has 2 vertical bars on the right and left sides. This makes it look like the picture is encased in a black frame all around. This was done because the ORIGINAL footage was filmed for standard definition, broadcast television, which is a 4:3 ratio.
What does that mean, man? You're talking in riddles. Well, they ACTUALLY staged the sets, props, etc as if they were only filming for normal TV back in the 80s, the kind we all used to grow up with. So to include a full widescreen HD presentation would mean that you would see lights, c-stands, random crew members (other reasons are fully explained on the Blu-ray extras).
Yeah, it made me sad not to see my full screen filled, but it also made me angry that our original Star Trek episodes were hacked and resized to fit those standards. So, if you DO have an HD TV, you probably have the option to zoom the picture to fill the screen. For SD TV owners, well, believe me, I've gotten used to it, and it really doesn't diminish the experience for me.
Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2023
I always start to feel old when I realize I watched this in the 90’s and how most new stuff isn’t as good
Top reviews from other countries
Daniel Gendron
5.0 out of 5 stars
Star Trek The Next Generation: Season 1
Reviewed in Canada on January 9, 2024
This is the best star trek series I would recommend to all
chris
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ovviamente Top
Reviewed in Italy on April 24, 2023
Ovviamente Top
ドイツ語教師
5.0 out of 5 stars
フランス人の艦長が人種の平等、内政不干渉という非アメリカ的な原則を代表する
Reviewed in Japan on April 8, 2022
なつかしい作品だ。90年代に日本語吹き替え版を見ていた。後に2000年前後、ウィーンでドイツ語版を見たこともある。日本では一部のファンしか見ていなかったと思うが、ドイツ語版は広く受け入れられていた。全編ブルゲンランド方言で語られる方言映画『ヒンターホルツ8』の主人公は窮地に陥ると「転送!」と言って逃げ出すのである。90年代には「ひどく退屈」という印象しか受けなかったが、30年も経て見直すと印象も変わってくる。
この作品を見直すきっかけとなったのは、アマゾン・プライム・ビデオで見た新作「スタートレック・ピカード」だ。ここでなつかしい艦長に再会し、昔の作品も見たくなったのだ。以前はピカード艦長がフランス人であるのは何故なのか気にしたことはなかったが、いまではそうでなくてはならないと思う。艦長が代表するのは、「すべての生命体(人種)の平等」「内政不干渉」という非アメリカ的な原則である。湾岸戦争の時期に放送されたTNGでアメリカ人の艦長が「内政不干渉」という原則を掲げていたら、作品全体が偽善的で滑稽なものになっていただろう。ブッシュ政権、トランプ政権とアメリカの政治的モラルが最悪を更新し続けている21世紀においてピカードが代表し続けた非アメリカ的原則は以前にもまして意義深くなっている。この原則の非アメリカ的性格を強調するためにも、ピカードがフランス人であることを強調すべきだったと思う。「ピカード」と英語風に発音するのではなく、フランス語で「ピカール」と呼ぶべきだったのではないだろうか。ドイツ語版では、ドイツ訛りのフランス語で「ピカー」と呼ばれていた。(フランス語なのだから、最後の子音Dは発音しないし。ドイツ語では語尾のRをサイレントにする。)
30年たって印象が変わったのはピカード艦長だけではない。ピカードを演じたパトリック・スチュアートもそうだ。以前、パトリック・スチュアートを名優と思ったことはなかったし、スタートレック以降、ハリウッドのB級作品で彼を見かけても、いいと思ったことはない。「あっ、艦長だ」と思っただけだ。しかし今見ると、品格のある俳優に見える。ピカードが中心となったエピソードにはInner Light, Tapestry. Lessonsなど印象深いエピソードが多いのは、重厚なストーリーがパトリック・スチュアートの演技に支えられているからだろう。
この作品を見直すきっかけとなったのは、アマゾン・プライム・ビデオで見た新作「スタートレック・ピカード」だ。ここでなつかしい艦長に再会し、昔の作品も見たくなったのだ。以前はピカード艦長がフランス人であるのは何故なのか気にしたことはなかったが、いまではそうでなくてはならないと思う。艦長が代表するのは、「すべての生命体(人種)の平等」「内政不干渉」という非アメリカ的な原則である。湾岸戦争の時期に放送されたTNGでアメリカ人の艦長が「内政不干渉」という原則を掲げていたら、作品全体が偽善的で滑稽なものになっていただろう。ブッシュ政権、トランプ政権とアメリカの政治的モラルが最悪を更新し続けている21世紀においてピカードが代表し続けた非アメリカ的原則は以前にもまして意義深くなっている。この原則の非アメリカ的性格を強調するためにも、ピカードがフランス人であることを強調すべきだったと思う。「ピカード」と英語風に発音するのではなく、フランス語で「ピカール」と呼ぶべきだったのではないだろうか。ドイツ語版では、ドイツ訛りのフランス語で「ピカー」と呼ばれていた。(フランス語なのだから、最後の子音Dは発音しないし。ドイツ語では語尾のRをサイレントにする。)
30年たって印象が変わったのはピカード艦長だけではない。ピカードを演じたパトリック・スチュアートもそうだ。以前、パトリック・スチュアートを名優と思ったことはなかったし、スタートレック以降、ハリウッドのB級作品で彼を見かけても、いいと思ったことはない。「あっ、艦長だ」と思っただけだ。しかし今見ると、品格のある俳優に見える。ピカードが中心となったエピソードにはInner Light, Tapestry. Lessonsなど印象深いエピソードが多いのは、重厚なストーリーがパトリック・スチュアートの演技に支えられているからだろう。
luthiel
5.0 out of 5 stars
Next Gen saison 1
Reviewed in France on May 23, 2014
Cette série était réputée pour avoir mal vieilli visuellement, et il semble que cette édition ne soit pas la version dite restaurée. La qualité demeure très convenable, au niveau des images et du son. Bien sûr, c'est à conseiller essentiellement aux" trekkies", car la saison 1 démarre assez lentement. On y retrouve déjà ce qui fera le sel de la série suivante, la très excellente Deep Space Nine.
Pieter Joziasse
5.0 out of 5 stars
Der Start einer der erfolgreichsten Serien aller Zeiten
Reviewed in Germany on July 10, 2013
Ich LIEBE Star Trek und Patrick Stewart - das sind die besten Gründe für den Kauf dieser DVD Box!
Die Qualität ist akzeptabel - man fühlt sich einfach in die Zeit hineinversetzt! Logisch: ist nicht auf HD oder sowas aber ist auch im Jahr 1987 produziert worden - wäre unrealistisch und unauthentisch wenn alles gestochen scharf wäre.....
Daher nur für richtige Fans - so wie ich
Die Qualität ist akzeptabel - man fühlt sich einfach in die Zeit hineinversetzt! Logisch: ist nicht auf HD oder sowas aber ist auch im Jahr 1987 produziert worden - wäre unrealistisch und unauthentisch wenn alles gestochen scharf wäre.....
Daher nur für richtige Fans - so wie ich