Fan Collectives - Worth It?

[Plomeek Broth]

I have just recently started getting the Star Trek movie and tv DVD's and wondered if the Fan Collectives are worth it or not. Since I am just starting out, I don't have a lot yet so the Fan Collectives look tempting because they have a little of every ST series. However, it could be a waste if I end up getting all of the complete seasons eventually (a long time from now $$$$). Do you think I should get one (Alternate Realities- 4 eps each from all 5 shows!) or just hold off until I get the complete season box sets?

 

[I am not Spock]

I have the Borg, Klingon, and Time Travel ones. They're not bad, the episode selections are quite good, and they come with episode commentaries, but you do still miss out on some key episodes. Why wasn't Reunion on the Klingon set, for example? That's a major part of Worf's discommendation arc.

Eventually, I'll probably end up getting the proper box sets as well. but, if you're on a budget (like me), you could do worse than picking one up. Think of it like a CD single, or a game demo. It's like a teaser of the final product ahead of getting the full thing. Or kind of like a greatest hits album. You'll get a lot of the popular songs (or episodes, in this case), but not neccessarily your own personal favourites.

That said, I am tempted to get the Alternate Realities one, rather than waiting and saving for the full seasons (damn, why do Paramount get away with making them so expensive?)

 

[dreadpiraterose]

I think if you have any intention of ever buying the seasons (even if it isn't for a few years), then its not worth buying them. Considering how much cheaper the seasons have been getting, I think you're getting more bang for your buck by snatching those up instead.

 

[The Wormhole]

It really depends on the sets. There is the problem of double dipping throughout, however.

The Borg set is pretty decent.

The Time Travel set is okay, although they double dip on Endgame, which was on the Borg set, and All Good Things, which is on the Q set.

The Q set contains every episode of Star Trek that ever featured Q. All other sets are fan-voted favourites, but this includes every Q episode. Therefore, it's a decent set for Q fans who haven't bought complete seasons.

The Klingon set is kind of meh. I question why Broken Bow, The Trouble With Tribbles, and Trials and Tribble-Ations were included since they aren't really Klingon centred episodes, they only feature Klingons. Plus Trials and Tribble-Ations was already on the Time Travel set. Enterprise, TOS, and DS9 had other Klingons centred episode that could have been used instead.

The Captain's Log set has good episode selection. Although it includes The City on the Edge of Forever, which was already on the Time Travel set. Voyager's Flashback is an odd choice considering it's a Tuvok centred episode, not a Janeway one. And then you have the really strange oddity of TATV being on it as a fan-voted episode. Scott Bakula even expresses his surprise that there are fans who liked the episode in his interview on the DVD.

The Alternate Realities set is kind of strange. First, when the voting was first announced, they promised all MU episodes would be included anyway. But DS9's The Emperor's New Cloak was left out. Then there are episodes that have nothing to do with alternate realities, like The Enemy Within, Turnabout Intruder, and Frame of Mind. And finally, the fact that the TOS episodes on this set are remastered versions of the episodes is something I don't approve of.

 

[dreadpiraterose]

It really depends on the sets. There is the problem of double dipping throughout, however.

The Borg set is pretty decent.

The Time Travel set is okay, although they double dip on Endgame, which was on the Borg set, and All Good Things, which is on the Q set.

The Q set contains every episode of Star Trek that ever featured Q. All other sets are fan-voted favourites, but this includes every Q episode. Therefore, it's a decent set for Q fans who haven't bought complete seasons.

The Klingon set is kind of meh. I question why Broken Bow, The Trouble With Tribbles, and Trials and Tribble-Ations were included since they aren't really Klingon centred episodes, they only feature Klingons. Plus Trials and Tribble-Ations was already on the Time Travel set. Enterprise, TOS, and DS9 had other Klingons centred episode that could have been used instead.

The Captain's Log set has good episode selection. Although it includes The City on the Edge of Forever, which was already on the Time Travel set. Voyager's Flashback is an odd choice considering it's a Tuvok centred episode, not a Janeway one. And then you have the really strange oddity of TATV being on it as a fan-voted episode. Scott Bakula even expresses his surprise that there are fans who liked the episode in his interview on the DVD.

The Alternate Realities set is kind of strange. First, when the voting was first announced, they promised all MU episodes would be included anyway. But DS9's The Emperor's New Cloak was left out. Then there are episodes that have nothing to do with alternate realities, like The Enemy Within, Turnabout Intruder, and Frame of Mind. And finally, the fact that the TOS episodes on this set are remastered versions of the episodes is something I don't approve of.

I take it you don't approve of them remastering them at all?

 

[The Wormhole]

I'm not going to get dragged into a debate of whether or not the should have remastered as we'll only get bogged down in arguing over the merits of Greedo shooting first. However, I will say that I am not impressed in the end results of remastered TOS and prefer the original versions of the episodes. Believe it or not, I think they look better.

 

[Marie1]

If you're going to buy the box sets, skip the collections. You'll be able to buy the sets that much sooner.

(I can say this as I do not believe there's a Dominion collection... )

 

[Infern0]

Generally people don't like all seasons, so the fan collectives will have some eps you are not interested in.

 

[Marie1]

True, but its quite limiting, to only a certain villain or whatever. I can't imagine that'd work for most people.