Is SeaQuest DSV worth getting on Blu-ray?

[Qonundrum]

Is SeaQuest DSV worth getting on Blu-ray? I started the show on Roku, and halfway through the 9th episode, it left Roku for Peacock. I already have a lot of streamers and dunno if I want to take on yet another one. Is this show worth getting on Blu-ray? I have it in my Amazon wishlist. I know the cast changes every season and the show shifts to sci-fi in S2 and grimy war stuff in S3. To those who've seen more than me, are all 3 seasons worth seeing?

If you like the show and like the higher bitrate that blu-ray has, especially if it's no longer available on streaming, then yes. After all, most Babylon 5 fans dislike season 1. B5 season 1's grown on me and I prefer a fair bit of it to season 2. (The payoffs in seasons 3 and 4 are still some of the reasons that make those the best seasons ever, but that's a given.)

Seaquest not my thing, even if they used the Commodore Amiga computer (infamous to Star Trek IV...) to render the CGI, but it's GREAT that these shows are available in HD formats for those who want and rewatch them.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

Season 3 has a lot more political intrigue, and a different captain, so there is a lot more tension and conflict. Think Picard vs. Jellico if Jellico sticks with the ship and Picard left.

I don't like all of it, but it definitely has some good intrigue. Plus, it's Michael Ironside. It's worth a watch for his expressions and general irritable demeanor.

On the Picard/Jellico front, got it. As for Ironside's expressions and general irritable demeanor, isn't that just Ironside being himself and his various acting roles?

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

If you like the show and like the higher bitrate that blu-ray has, especially if it's no longer available on streaming, then yes. After all, most Babylon 5 fans dislike season 1. B5 season 1's grown on me and I prefer a fair bit of it to season 2. (The payoffs in seasons 3 and 4 are still some of the reasons that make those the best seasons ever, but that's a given.)

Seaquest not my thing, even if they used the Commodore Amiga computer (infamous to Star Trek IV...) to render the CGI, but it's GREAT that these shows are available in HD formats for those who want and rewatch them.

What's wrong with the bitrate? It's Peacock, which I don't have, because I pay for 5 streamers already ($33 total), and I just don't want to pay for another one. Alternatively, there's this Xumo thing, but who knows how long it'll be there, and it's hard to navigate: there's no search bar.

 

[fireproof78]

On the Picard/Jellico front, got it. As for Ironside's expressions and general irritable demeanor, isn't that just Ironside being himself and his various acting roles?

I think the upside to seaQuest is he feels like a hard ass with a heart of gold.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

I tried watching original LIS, but it was so bad, it made me break out my Star Trek TOS Blu-rays.
I'm gonna have to give SQ a 2nd go on Xumo and see how that goes.

 

[Qonundrum]

What's wrong with the bitrate? It's Peacock, which I don't have, because I pay for 5 streamers already ($33 total), and I just don't want to pay for another one. Alternatively, there's this Xumo thing, but who knows how long it'll be there, and it's hard to navigate: there's no search bar.

Blu-ray bitrate is generally higher compared to streaming, and also isn't reliant on an internet saturation issue at the end node, packet loss/resends, or server requests overload (think of the disk arrays storing all of those shows...) Streaming bitrate is going to be less than blu-ray's to reduce network usage stress.

Streaming for "HD" has a lower bitrate - more compression is used so the picture isn't as clean, more color bleed can be seen if you're looking, if there's a network issue then everything freezes... never mind if the show disappears from the service.


https://x.com/ponysmasher/status/1316183417197744128 (also has visual comparisons)
https://www.reddit.com/r/4kbluray/comments/121y26n/streaming_vs_uhd_blu_ray/ (also has visual comparisons)
https://www.howtogeek.com/872777/why-even-1080p-blu-rays-are-better-than-4k-streaming-video/
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29787162
https://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/reasons-watching-4k-bluray-beats-streaming/
etc


All that said, I use streaming because the PQ isn't bad, and convenience has value - especially for shows I've never seen. If there's something I know I want to see multiple times in the future, getting the physical media allows multiple benefits.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

Blu-ray bitrate is generally higher compared to streaming, and also isn't reliant on an internet saturation issue at the end node, packet loss/resends, or server requests overload (think of the disk arrays storing all of those shows...) Streaming bitrate is going to be less than blu-ray's to reduce network usage stress.

Streaming for "HD" has a lower bitrate - more compression is used so the picture isn't as clean, more color bleed can be seen if you're looking, if there's a network issue then everything freezes... never mind if the show disappears from the service.


https://x.com/ponysmasher/status/1316183417197744128 (also has visual comparisons)
https://www.reddit.com/r/4kbluray/comments/121y26n/streaming_vs_uhd_blu_ray/ (also has visual comparisons)
https://www.howtogeek.com/872777/why-even-1080p-blu-rays-are-better-than-4k-streaming-video/
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29787162
https://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/reasons-watching-4k-bluray-beats-streaming/
etc


All that said, I use streaming because the PQ isn't bad, and convenience has value - especially for shows I've never seen. If there's something I know I want to see multiple times in the future, getting the physical media allows multiple benefits.

Oh goodie, so I'm not crazy thinking Blu-ray beats streaming then.

 

[JD]

What's wrong with the bitrate? It's Peacock, which I don't have, because I pay for 5 streamers already ($33 total), and I just don't want to pay for another one. Alternatively, there's this Xumo thing, but who knows how long it'll be there, and it's hard to navigate: there's no search bar.

You could always do what I do and just rotate through several every few months.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

You could always do what I do and just rotate through several every few months.

It would cost more money than my current setup. Through my phone carrier, I pay $20 for the ad-version of Disney+, Hulu, Max, and Netflix. I have Paramount+ for $13. A friend lets me log into his Amazon. Roku is my go-to freebie streamer.

 

[rivkah]

I don't remember whether I have DVD or BluRay for DSV, but I do have the set along with all my Trek, some 80s shows, and a ton of movies. Love collecting physical media! I would think the quality being better, along with the ability to watch whenever offline no matter what the streamers have in their catalogues, would tip the scales in favour of buying for anyone who finds the show.

 

[JD]

Just an FYI for anyone who watches it on Peacock, I was looking on there the other night, and they have it as two different series. They have the first 2 seasons together as Seaquest DSV, and Season 3 as Season 1 of Seaquest 2032.

 

[rivkah]

Just an FYI for anyone who watches it on Peacock, I was looking on there the other night, and they have it as two different series. They have the first 2 seasons together as Seaquest DSV, and Season 3 as Season 1 of Seaquest 2032

I keep forgetting about that title change. The sets would sell as the whole thing under one title, but I could see that streaming might split it up. Really, the original title was sufficient...

 

[fireproof78]

Just an FYI for anyone who watches it on Peacock, I was looking on there the other night, and they have it as two different series. They have the first 2 seasons together as Seaquest DSV, and Season 3 as Season 1 of Seaquest 2032.

It's a title change.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

Just an FYI for anyone who watches it on Peacock, I was looking on there the other night, and they have it as two different series. They have the first 2 seasons together as Seaquest DSV, and Season 3 as Season 1 of Seaquest 2032.

That is bizarre that they sheared off S3 as a separate show.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

I don't remember whether I have DVD or BluRay for DSV, but I do have the set along with all my Trek, some 80s shows, and a ton of movies. Love collecting physical media! I would think the quality being better, along with the ability to watch whenever offline no matter what the streamers have in their catalogues, would tip the scales in favour of buying for anyone who finds the show.

Agreed, long live physical media!!! I'm gonna be marathoning the old Planet of the Apes films over the next few days, then SeaQuest might be next.

 

[JD]

It's a title change.

Yeah, but a lot of times even with the title change they'll still have all of the seasons together. This is one of the only shows I've come across where they actually separated them like that. Hulu has all three seasons of The Orville together, even though they added New Horizons to the title with Season 3, and Disney+ has all 5 seasons of the Avengers Assemble animated series together even though Seasons 3 - 5 all had different subtitles. I'm pretty sure I've seen other examples, but those are the only ones I can remember.

 

[Rowdy Roddy McDowall]

Agreed, long live physical media!!! I'm gonna be marathoning the old Planet of the Apes films over the next few days, then SeaQuest might be next.

Apes, apes, apes!!! I'm sick of hearing about apes!! Do you want to know how I feel your apes?????

I apologize for that. I was just remembering my current signature, and things got a bit.....hairy.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Unfortunately it was not as popular explaining the shift in tone to a more action oriented show

Sounds like the same thing that happened to the syndicated War of the Worlds (1988-90).

 

[Avro Arrow]

I've seen this thread before, but haven't commented, because I've never seen SeaQuest DSV.

However, I happened to notice this today when looking for something else, so I just thought I'd mention it: if anyone is considering buying it, the Complete Series blu-ray set looks to be 70% off on Amazon US right now, listing for $25.37. Out of curiosity, I checked on camelcamelcamel, and that seems to be its best price ever (from Amazon itself, a Marketplace seller has apparently had it a few dollars cheaper at some point).

 

[Guy Gardener]

I've seen this thread before, but haven't commented, because I've never seen SeaQuest DSV.

However, I happened to notice this today when looking for something else, so I just thought I'd mention it: if anyone is considering buying it, the Complete Series blu-ray set looks to be 70% off on Amazon US right now, listing for $25.37. Out of curiosity, I checked on camelcamelcamel, and that seems to be its best price ever (from Amazon itself, a Marketplace seller has apparently had it a few dollars cheaper at some point).

Ted Rami and two Deluises.

Everything else is just noise.