Digital Bits reviews TNG 20th anniversary box set.

[ktanner3]

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/reviews3/spinsheet092607.html#sta

It seems strange now to think that Star Trek: The Next Generation first debuted some 20 years ago, but there it is - there's no denying it. I was in college at Wisconsin when the first episode, Encounter at Farpoint, appeared on the air. I'd been watching reruns of The Original Series for as long as I could remember, so at the time it was a thrill just to have Trek back on the air. The sets, the ships, the technology - it all seemed so sleek and futuristic back in 1987. So it's somewhat shocking, all these years later, to realize just how dated The Next Generation seems today. Unfortunately, of all the Trek TV series - including The Original Series - this is the one that's suffered most the passage of time.

This new complete series box set from CBS and Paramount offers the exact same discs that were included in the previous DVD full-season box sets, right down to the same menus and special features. The only thing that's different about them here is the artwork on each disc. The video quality is generally decent - certainly better than the original broadcasts, and in the original 4x3 full frame aspect ratio. As I noted before, all the episodes (particularly the early seasons) have a slightly digital look due to the post-production process used at the time, along with a slight softness that comes from having been finalized in analog format. However, color and contrast are excellent. The audio is remixed in Dolby Digital 5.1 from the original stereo. The soundfield is surprisingly active and ambient, with nice directional play for effects. Dialogue is clean and centered, balanced nicely with the music. There's good low frequency as well. The A/V quality isn't especially noteworthy, but it's certainly solid enough.

There's talk that Star Trek: The Next Generation may soon be given the same "remastered" treatment by CBS Digital that The Original Series has received, to update the effects and bring the show into the high-def era. It was hinted at Comic-Con this past summer that tests on the series have already been done. I hope this is true, because this series REALLY needs updating. It'd be a helluva lot of work - CBS would have to rebuild each of these episodes almost from the ground up - but I think the result would be worth the effort.

Did anybody pick this up? I can't imagine any TNG fan getting this since I'm sure they already purchased them back in 2002. And knowing paramount, I'm sure there will be a remasterd series after their thru with TNG.So why pick this up?

 

[2of1million]

I won't be getting the box set. I already have 4 of the season sets so I'll continue to collect those.

 

[ktanner3]

You can get them each for $50.00 at amazon.com.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/002...ld-keywords=TNG

 

[BriGuy]

If the price was right, I'd buy it. I don't have any TNG season sets. Just a few of the fan collectives, the Picard collection... only have TOS and Ent season sets.

I doubt the price would be right. And I can't imagine buying that many discs at once.

 

[CaptainStoner]

Maybe this will have an added effect of pushing down the price a bit on the earlier release sets. If you hang back and watch ebay you can get that set, authentic of course, for around $250 u.s. george washington dollas

I don't think I agree with the reviewer that TNG has aged less gracefully than TOS. They are each good reflections of their eras, TOS has a distictive late 60's visual style, TNG late 80's.

 

[StewMc]

Got mine through the post on Tuesday. For once the UK gets the better deal, its 'only' around £100 from most online retailers, so about £14/$28 per season.

 

[KayArr]

7 seasons is just too much--there's just too much that isn't great in 1-3 and 7. I've got the collectives and the Picard collection (so I have Farpoint, Q-Who, BOBW Part I, and All Good Things)--the only thing I'm sad to miss is Measure of a man. I'm planning to buy seasons 4, 5, and 6 one by one over the next year--they're $50 at Amazon (except 6), but I'm waiting a bit to see if they go half price if the big set sells well.

 

[Salinga]

Unfortunately, of all the Trek TV series - including The Original Series - this is the one that's suffered most the passage of time.

TNG looks more dated than TOS?

 

[number6]

^Actually TNG does look way more dated.

 

[Outpost4]

I won't get into the visual asthetics and art design of the two shows. That's debateable. What can't be questioned is that the video tape of TNG hasn't aged well. The picture for TNG is poor. The series definitely looks more dated than TOS for that reason alone. My bet is that the video tape itself is deteriorating and the reason a remastering is so necessary.

To see this, look at these two screen caps from Trek Core. The top one is from Relics. The bottom one is from the TOS episode it was lifted from, This Side Of Paradise.

 

[Chess Piece Face]

Salinga said:

Unfortunately, of all the Trek TV series - including The Original Series - this is the one that's suffered most the passage of time.

TNG looks more dated than TOS?

Yes, it does. "Dated" doesn't mean "older." It means it looks like it was done in that era. TOS definitely looks like it was done in the late 60's but it has such a distinct style that the look has BECOME Star Trek. Watch other stuff from that era and it is much more dated. Dated also means "doesn't hold up well", which TOS does, very much so.

TNG, on the other hand, especially the first couple seasons looks very 80's. That's not so bad. What's bad is that it looks 80's with no sense of style. Even the Enterprise D model itself on the exterior looks a lot more goofy than it should.

Bottom line - TOS holds up, has its own style and was ahead of its time visually. TNG, not as much.

 

[TV's Frank]

I already own all 7 seasons of TNG and while I am intrigued by the additional extras, I'll have to just live without them. However, as for the question of remastering the episodes with new FX, I really only find this would be applicable in the first 2 seasons. Once you hit season 3 and on, the FX still look good today. Are they up to par with LORD OF THE RINGS? No, but there is some fine model work displayed which should never be replaced. The FX in "Evolution", "BOBW", "Gambit" and "All Good Things" and so many others are still impressive, never detracting from flow of the story. But I gues since TV technology keeps advancing by way of HD and so on, it brings to light the differences in how it all used to be achieved...