Enterprise: Season One doesn't fare nearly as well as its original series and Next Generation Blu-ray counterparts, a shame considering it's by far the newest program. Presented in its original 1.78:1 aspect ratio, the image fluctuates between looking presentable and appearing downright sloppy, finding a middle ground that only slightly favors the positive side of the ledger. Generally, it's a decent enough image, though certainly not at all what Trek fans want. Details are often muddy and flat. The image takes on a fairly smooth and sometimes overly soft appearance, leaving faces without much in the way of real, tangible texturing, whether human or bumpy alien. It's quite noisy in places, and grain fluctuates from spiky to practically nonexistent. Black levels can be pale, and flesh tones somewhat uneven. Colors are largely dull. Andorian baby blue skin lacks brilliance and the navy blue crew uniforms are bland. The cold, metallic feel of the ship's interior looks as it should, but even the nearly constant flat backgrounds can't accentuate many of the splashes of color in the show. The scene in Brazil in Broken Bow does offer some nicely brilliant greens, and certainly some scattered traces of good, honest colors are seen throughout, but mostly this is a very uninspired palette. The image does seem to tighten up, even if it's only ever-so-slightly, as the season moves along. By the time it reaches Shockwave, Part 1, viewers will see more stabilized and filmic details but still catch remnants -- and often more -- of the problems plaguing the entire season run. The special effects remain presented in standard definition; they shimmer, take on jagged edges, and lack crisp details. Hopefully, a remastered set with HD visual effects and a more consistent presentation will one day materialize.
Enterprise: Season One's audio presentation fares better than its video counterpart, but not by significant leaps and bounds. This is a workmanlike multichannel lossless presentation that handles some elements well, some questionably, but none terribly. The controversial theme song has never sounded better. It's rich, full of life, and with well-defined vocals and precise instrument clarity and reproduction. Much of the action on board the NX-01 is brought to life by the subtle, deep hum of the engines and the little odds and ends sound elements that define the atmosphere. The track creates a big, believable stage that places the listener on the bridge, down in the engine room, in the mess, or in captain's quarters with ease. It's never quite so authentic as similar ambient effects heard in The Next Generation's Blu-ray release, but there's little room for complaint. Action effects are a little more hit-or-miss. Some of the fisticuffs and crashing debris during the initial struggle between the crew and the Andorians in The Andorian Incident come across as somewhat muffled, but some of the phaser fire scattered throughout the season streaks through the soundstage with a force and sense of faultless movement that listeners might want to duck for cover. Some of the explosions lack punch, some are suitably potent. Dialogue is steady and even, playing smoothly from the center. This isn't a great track, but neither is it in any way a bad one. It gets the job done with occasional flair and suitable stability
