Season ONE OFFICIAL TNG Blu-Ray Discussion Thread

[davejames]

Re: The OFFICIAL TNG Blu-Ray Season 1 Discussion Thread

Actually I kinda wish the relationship HAD progressed more between those two. It just seemed silly that these two grown adults-- who were clearly attracted to each other and cared for each other a great deal-- never did anything over the course of 7 long years.

Their acting like a couple of nervous teenagers around each other just seemed awfully forced and contrived after awhile.

 

[Mott the barber]

Re: The OFFICIAL TNG Blu-Ray Season 1 Discussion Thread

Re-watching "The Big Goodbye" last night (excellent episode) and having watched the episodes in order before it to this point, I had forgotten how much they pushed the Picard-Beverly sexual tension so much early on. Unless I'm misinterpreting the intent, Picard initially invited Beverly (and only Beverly) to join him on the holodeck almost as a "date" or in a romantic sense, and it was subsequently suggested to him that he bring Whalen. Later in the episode, Beverly asks to see his office (which was preceeded by their first encounter at the police station where it looks like they're going to kiss) and they both look frustrated when Whalen and Data request to come along.

Add this up with EAF, The Naked Now, and at least one other I can't recall all the moment, and it really seemed like they were heading in that direction with the relationship.

Interesting to think what might have been, and really until "Attached" and "AGT" years later (with the occasional breakfasts), it was not even so much as addressed for most of the series.

Oh no, there were certainly other times it was suggested during the series, though you had to "read between the lines" a bit more to see it. ("Allegiance" comes to mind.)

I was also going to mention that one.

 

[Trekker4747]

Re: The OFFICIAL TNG Blu-Ray Season 1 Discussion Thread

I just watched "The High Ground" again, some Picard/Crusher teasing in there. But, again, much more subtle than it was in the first season but it's there.

 

[tomalak301]

Re: The OFFICIAL TNG Blu-Ray Season 1 Discussion Thread

Now that the Olympics are over, I'm speeding up my viewing of TNG on Blu-Ray and watched up through Home Soil tonight. Some thoughts, since I've been talking about the other episodes:

-11001001 is probably my favorite episode of the season, but it brings up one of my pet peeves in terms of television drama. The countdown to the ship's destruction is a really really slow 5 minutes. I mean does it really take 49 seconds to get from engineering to the Bridge? I don't think so. I really feel bad for the woman who played the role of Minuet at the very end of the episode. I know she was only a hologram, but it's gotta suck to be compared to a much more beautiful woman and being told indirectly that you're ugly. As for the Remastering, I loved what they did with the Starbase. Now fix the audio issues and this episode is probably in my top 2 if I were to judge the episodes based on remastering alone.

-I guess I'm in a minority, but I kind of liked Too Short a Season. The Make Up work was done pretty well, and despite the acting being bad, I still liked the story, especially the end.

-When the Bough Breaks is really not a good episode (Even though, again, Aldaea looks beautiful in HD) but it had 2 cute moments:

1) Alexandra hugging Picard on the planet
2) Alexandra giving Picard the flower. Was that a stuffed tribble she had?

-DS9 gave us Allamaraine, TNG gave us "Ugly Bags of Mostly Water". I wonder in the same vain, what did Star Trek, Voyager, and Enterprise give us in the first season that's as corney as those two phrases.

Seriously though, while Devil in the Dark did so much better, I still really liked the urgency of this one.

Perhaps when everyone is done with the season, we can rank our top 5 episodes based on remastering only. For me, so far I would rank them:

1. 11001001
2. Datalore
3. Encounter at Farpoint
4. Where No One Has Gone Before
5. Lonely Among Us

There really are some episodes where the remastering isn't really as noticeable (Like When the Bough Breaks) as others, but that doesn't negate the job and Care CBS has done with these sets.

 

[Maxwell Everett]

Re: The OFFICIAL TNG Blu-Ray Season 1 Discussion Thread

Interesting little exchange on Twitter:

Robert Meyer Burnett ‏@BurnettRM
@MMSnodgrass Homegirl gonna' be finding some #TNGS2
extended goodness in her mailbox tomorrow. Fully remastered in HD
with NEW VFX...

Melinda M. Snodgrass ‏@MMSnodgrass
@BurnettRM Very excited also nervous. Will it stand up? Haven't
watched it in years.

Robert Meyer Burnett ‏@BurnettRM
@MMSnodgrass The Twitterverse expects you to tweet all your
reactions. #TNGS2 #measureofamanextended

Melinda M. Snodgrass ‏@MMSnodgrass
@BurnettRM IPad in one hand. Popcorn in other. Will be ready to
Tweet. Can't believe grown woman just typed that.

Robert Meyer Burnett ‏@BurnettRM
@MMSnodgrass Hey...guess what Melinda...WE ALREADY DID!
It's ON like Donkey Kong!

Robert Meyer Burnett ‏@BurnettRM
@MMSnodgrass Why not make it a twitter event? MMS, the writer
of MEASURE OF A MAN, LIVE-TWEETS her reaction to the
EXTENDED VERSION!

Robert Meyer Burnett ‏@BurnettRM
@MMSnodgrass We'll hit up EVERY TREK website. How cool
would that be?

Robert Meyer Burnett ‏@BurnettRM
@MMSnodgrass NO ONE has ever done that...and you'll be the
first to see it. Let's make it 8:00 PM Pacific Time THIS FRIDAY NIGHT.

Melinda M. Snodgrass ‏@MMSnodgrass
@BurnettRM Okay, sure, why not. I can pause and type, and do a
face palm, watch some more. Tweet some more.

Robert Meyer Burnett ‏@BurnettRM
@MMSnodgrass Radical. I'm tuning in.

Melinda M. Snodgrass ‏@MMSnodgrass
@BurnettRM I love you.

Robert Meyer Burnett ‏@BurnettRM
@MMSnodgrass Tell me that again over dinner after we record
your commentary with director Robert Scheerer and
@mikeokuda

Melinda M. Snodgrass ‏@MMSnodgrass
@BurnettRM @mikeokuda It's a date.

Michael Okuda ‏@MikeOkuda
@MMSnodgrass @BurnettRM Make it a double-date!

 

[Mott the barber]

Re: The OFFICIAL TNG Blu-Ray Season 1 Discussion Thread

Wow. Great find! Extended edition plus remaster plus effects plus commentary!?

 

[bullethead]

Re: The OFFICIAL TNG Blu-Ray Season 1 Discussion Thread

-DS9 gave us Allamaraine, TNG gave us "Ugly Bags of Mostly Water". I wonder in the same vain, what did Star Trek, Voyager, and Enterprise give us in the first season that's as corney as those two phrases.

What? We should be promoting the fact that Trek came up with the most accurate way to describe politicians when TNG aired 25 years ago

 

[tomalak301]

Re: The OFFICIAL TNG Blu-Ray Season 1 Discussion Thread

Wow. Great find! Extended edition plus remaster plus effects plus commentary!?

I guess that definitely answers the "Will TNG on Blu-Ray" include any commentaries question. That's great though they got the original writer to do commentary on one of TNG's classic episodes, and it's the extended cut.

 

[Mott the barber]

Re: The OFFICIAL TNG Blu-Ray Season 1 Discussion Thread

Wow. Great find! Extended edition plus remaster plus effects plus commentary!?

I guess that definitely answers the "Will TNG on Blu-Ray" include any commentaries question. That's great though they got the original writer to do commentary on one of TNG's classic episodes, and it's the extended cut.

You literally can't get any better than that.

Makes me nuts to think what they may do for BOBW, although it's sad that Piller is gone.

Maybe there is some previously unseen footage of him discussing the two-parter.

 

[tomalak301]

Re: The OFFICIAL TNG Blu-Ray Season 1 Discussion Thread

Coming of Age is one of the most underrated gems of the first season in my opinion. Two different plots, and both of them worked. We had the start of the conspiracy plot (Which I wish was a lot larger than two episodes) and I think this was also the episode where Wes turned the corner from "wonderkd" to young teenager who isn't perfect. I think we see more of it in Season 2, but I really do wonder if the writers decided to dial it back by not having him attend the academy on the first try. Of course that also had to do with Weaton being in a contract for the show, but it is still good to stick with on-air meanings.

Something I am starting to notice about the remastering (And this is by no means a criticism) is that it seems like the planets turn out to be the same. If there was one thing I had wished they might have done was do like they did with some of the Star Trek remastering and give a planet it's own personality. Also, was there a light on Murdock's breathalyzer thing in the original (Before HD) episode? I don't remember that light being there before.

Still, great episode.

 

[Dick_Valentine]

Re: The OFFICIAL TNG Blu-Ray Season 1 Discussion Thread

New Fx?

Does the extended version require some FX work that doesn't just involve sitting around a space station and talking?

Did they cut out a whole sub-plot of Maxwell's proto-Data's arriving on a warship which the space station and the Enterprise had to defend themselves from?

I joke, of course, but even if there were some new FX needed you have to imagine reusing establishing shots of the Enterprise
in Station Orbit would've been enough, what could they possibly have to create for a mainly talking ep?

Unless....they did fix the scaling stuff by changing the type of Space Station the ep is set on?

 

[Maxwell Everett]

Re: The OFFICIAL TNG Blu-Ray Season 1 Discussion Thread

New Fx?

Does the extended version require some FX work that doesn't just involve sitting around a space station and talking?

Did they cut out a whole sub-plot of Maxwell's proto-Data's arriving on a warship which the space station and the Enterprise had to defend themselves from?

I joke, of course, but even if there were some new FX needed you have to imagine reusing establishing shots of the Enterprise
in Station Orbit would've been enough, what could they possibly have to create for a mainly talking ep?

Unless....they did fix the scaling stuff by changing the type of Space Station the ep is set on?

Mostly mundane stuff, like the transporter effect and viewer images. These are the extra scenes that can be found in the teleplay:

• Picard, Admiral Nakamura & Maddox beam aboard
• Following corridor/turbolift conversation with Picard, Riker, Nakamura & Maddox
• Picard talks to Nakamura on viewer in Ready Room
• Maddox shows up at Data's farewell party
• Gymnasium scene between Picard (who's fencing) and Riker
• Picard prepares Data for trial in Data's quarters

Here's a copy of the teleplay with the additional scenes in bold:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/a22yu4

 

[Falcor5]

Re: The OFFICIAL TNG Blu-Ray Season 1 Discussion Thread

Wow. Great find! Extended edition plus remaster plus effects plus commentary!?

I guess that definitely answers the "Will TNG on Blu-Ray" include any commentaries question. That's great though they got the original writer to do commentary on one of TNG's classic episodes, and it's the extended cut.

I am really excited at the prospect of commentaries! Would be really cool if they did a few every season going forward!

 

[Mott the barber]

Re: The OFFICIAL TNG Blu-Ray Season 1 Discussion Thread

Okay, I got around to "Angel One" last night. I know it's dogged a lot around here, but after seeing it for the first time in years, it's not THAT bad. Yes you have the awkward moments, but it was cool seeing Geordi (and then Data) in command as well as Riker having to think on his feet in giving a "Picard-like" speech to Beata without the help of Picard who was incapacitated.

Some more general thoughts on Season 1: I'd forgotten how much Troi and the Doctor were relied upon so early on. By this point the Doctor has cured Picard of about three different types of diseases and Troi has really been Picard's "right-hand woman" (I'd forgotten how much she took charge in Angel One).

Coincidentally, Gates wouldn't be back next season (although for other reasons, as discussed) and Marina was marginalized/written out of about 4 or 5 episodes later in the season and feared she would get the ax too.

 

[Ghostface1701]

Re: The OFFICIAL TNG Blu-Ray Season 1 Discussion Thread

I didn't find Angel One to be so bad, but then I've never had to sit through it before. I was expecting something boring or grossly offensive, but it was just a standard Season 1 ep, IMHO.

Maybe seeing the episodes on blu-ray is colouring my opinion. I didn't even find Justice that horrible this time.

Last night though, I got round to seeing Too Short A Season for the first time. Wow...that is a bad, bad, bad, bad episode. One of the worst I've seen from any series. Awful make-up, awful acting from the guest stars, barely a plot to speak of. I was dozing off ten minutes into the episode.

 

[Jeyl]

Re: The OFFICIAL TNG Blu-Ray Season 1 Discussion Thread

Okay, I got around to "Angel One" last night. I know it's dogged a lot around here, but after seeing it for the first time in years, it's not THAT bad. Yes you have the awkward moments, but it was cool seeing Geordi (and then Data) in command as well as Riker having to think on his feet in giving a "Picard-like" speech to Beata without the help of Picard who was incapacitated.

For someone who is very, VERY sensitive on the depiction and treatment of women in entertainment, Angel One felt like an episode that tried to tell a clever gender story and not really succeeding. For starters, TNG didn't come off as a gender equality amongst it's characters even though we're supposed to be dealing with an enlightened humanity. Men are still primarily the ones in charge and women are the doctors and councilors. I know the series had Tasha Yar as the head security officer, but Picard rarely respected her. Remember the episode Haven when she made the suggestion to disable a ship that was about to endanger an entire planet? Picard's reaction was simply "And then what, Lieutenant?". This is the chief of security on the Federation flagship trying to help a planet, and Picard just openly calls her very logical plan as incompetent in front of the whole bridge crew.

With all of that and other episodes that literally state that women are not important, I can't help but feel this episode to be a little bit ironic in trying to show how far humanity has come. Also, it doesn't help that the rebellious survivor who we're supposed to sympathize with is acting like a smug jerk the whole entire time.

 

[Trekker4747]

Re: The OFFICIAL TNG Blu-Ray Season 1 Discussion Thread

I dunno, I think that's a bit unfair to how women were treated in TNG.

Anyway, Angel One I've always found to be a decent episode and I've never seen much problem with that others seem to have. The only real problem I have with it is that it goes a little overboard in depicting the men of Angel I to be the "weaker sex" and overboard in how little women on the planet regarded the intelligence and capability of men, including the men from an alien race.

 

[Harvey]

Re: The OFFICIAL TNG Blu-Ray Season 1 Discussion Thread

Well, I'll say one thing about women on the series. For all the hay Roddenberry made about NBC rejecting a female first officer because a 60s audience wasn't ready for a woman in a position of authority (of course, nonsense), it's amusing that with a relative free hand and an 80s audience, Star Trek: The Next Generation chose to put men in charge.

 

[Kryten]

Re: The OFFICIAL TNG Blu-Ray Season 1 Discussion Thread

Having just watched Haven this evening I do have to wonder if they checked the product at all before they sent them out to the retailers. The first two minutes sounds like the sound was recorded in a bathroom and the second half of the episode is full of echoes. Picture looks very nice though.

 

[Warped9]

Re: The OFFICIAL TNG Blu-Ray Season 1 Discussion Thread

Late to the party here. I just received my set this afternoon. I've only watched Encounter At Farpoint so far as well as some of the supplementary materiel.

The new images are really nice with the added clarity, detail and true colour. In terms of sound, though, I found it better not to listen to it in 7.1.

I'm pleased enough so far to think I'll be replacing my dvd sets with these.