Travel to the spectacular undersea world of SeaQuest DSV with all 57 groundbreaking episodes from all 3 seasons. The amazing adventure begins in the mid-21st century, as humankind expands its undersea colonization efforts and a tenuous world peace is enforced by the United Earth Oceans (UEO). In order to protect the fledgling underwater colonies from unknown dangers and hostile invaders lurking in the depths of Earth’s last frontier, the UEO recruits Captain Nathan Bridger (Roy Scheider) to command the high-tech battle submarine SeaQuest and its diverse and eclectic crew. Along for the ride are a roster of stellar guest stars, including Charlton Heston, William Shatner, Seth Green, Kellie Martin and Kent McCord. Now on Blu-ray for the first time ever, the Emmy®️ Award-winning show is sure to make waves with thrill-seekers everywhere!
For thoughts on SeaQuest DSV: The Complete Series, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
SeaQuest DSV makes an admirable debut on Blu-Ray in the United States with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in its original 4×3 aspect ratio. Mill Creek releases can often suffer from compression issues, and this release is no exception with 57 episodes on 10 discs. This release is far from perfect, but it is a fairly strong release for a show with such a rocky production history and a following far smaller than other sci-fi shows of the era. Clarity and detail remains incredibly strong along with skin tones that are natural and consistent with subtle features easily noticeable in closeup. This transfer has not been slathered with DNR so physical features such as hair remain well defined without devolving into a splotchy mess. Elements of the carefully crafted production design are textured in a way that shines through in this transfer.
This series remains consistent throughout its three-season run with earlier seasons looking just as fetching as the later episodes, save for a few elements in the pilot and the final disc which crams seven episodes onto one disc. This also means that the drawbacks within the show remain consistent, as well. This transfer delivers natural film grain that helps with showcasing subtle details in the production design. Colors are vibrant and saturated well in a pleasing way, and instances of print damage have been cleaned up immensely in this high definition master provided by Universal. You still get some minor specks, but nothing too unsightly.
Where the show begins to hit a snag is when it comes to the dated early CGI and special effects shots that were created and have not been remastered like they were in a more prestige series such as Star Trek. These moments can be quite jarring when compared to the rich HD transfer of the natural film. There are also moments of B-roll footage that likewise look pretty shoddy. These issues can be traced back to the source material, but it is the Mill Creek compression issues which cause some blocky moments which can be a bit unsightly. Black levels also falter with some crush popping up as an issue. This new presentation from Mill Creek Entertainment is not perfect, but should prove to be really enjoyable for fans with the right expectations.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with a pleasing DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that preserves the artistic ambition of the series really well. Where this show really shines is its music, and you can tell you are in good hands as soon as you hear the opening notes of the soaring theme. This music is used to complement the narrative and it never threatens to trample any competing sounds. Everything sound maintains a good balance so that you do not miss any of the dialogue. There does not seem to be any majorly noticeable instances of age-related wear and tear or distortion. The bass support adds some nice texture to kinetic moments that need it. Atmospheric sounds such as waves and mechanical noises are rendered properly alongside everything else. This presentation is as solid and straightforward as originally conceived. Mill Creek has done a fine job with this audio for this one.
Special Features
- Deleted Scenes: Unused scenes are provided here in standard definition which seem to mostly be cut for good reasons, but it is interesting to see from a fan perspective.
- To Be Or Not To Be (8:18)
- The Devil’s Window (0:59)
- Treasure Of The Mind (3:04)
- Nothing But The Truth (3:25)
- Greed For A Pirate’s Dream (1:29)
- Hide and Seek (2:13)
- The Last Lap at Luxury (1:10)
- Abalon (5:41)
- Such Great Patience (1:33)
- Creating SeaQuest with Rockne S. O’Bannon: A new 10-minute interview with creator Rockne S. O’Bannon interspersed with various clips in which he discusses his inspiration for the series, pitching his idea to Amblin, the elements that made the show unique, trying to keep the show as realistic as possible within its vision of the future, focusing on corporate malfeasance rather than geopolitical issue for the show’s conflicts, the initial writing team and more.
- Directing SeaQuest with Bryan Spicer: A new 11-minute audio interview with Spicer over various clips in which he discusses getting involved with SeaQuest at the behest of Spielberg, utilizing the technology of the time, creating something that was motion picture scale for the small screen, amusing moments with Roy Scheider, the personal tales from Spielberg brought to the screen, the mixture of practical and digital effects for the dolphin, the production design and more.
- Directing SeaQuest with John T. Kretchmer: A new 14-minute interview with Kretchmer interspersed with various clips in which he discusses using his experience on Jurassic Park to get involved with SeaQuest at the behest of Spielberg, the cutting-edge technology of the time, building on the visual style of the directors who preceded him, shooting largely on studio sets, the attempts to retool the show and boost the ratings, and more.
- Directing SeaQuest with Anson Williams: A new 12-minute interview with Williams interspersed with various clips in which he discusses his professional history with Spielberg, having the world open up to him on the set of Happy Days thanks to Garry Marshall, directing a young Brad Pitt on his first television series, getting the opportunity to work on SeaQuest, his experiences directing on the show, his focus on storytelling, bringing on Michael Ironside and more.
- Maiden Voyage – Scoring SeaQuest: A new 13-minute interview with composer John Debney interspersed with various clips in which he discusses the projects that led him to scoring SeaQuest, the inspirations he brought to the project, capturing the hope of the show within its title theme, how he landed on specific sounds and more.
Final Thoughts
SeaQuest DSV never ascended to the A-tier of sci-fi television, but it was a solid bit of escapism which offered adventure and a sense of wonder each episode. Yet, the series was far from mindless, as it wore its heart on its sleeve when it came to championing the environment and creating an optimistic look at our future. The creative hiccups from season to season created some obstacles to reaching the same level of enjoyment as the early days, but there is never a point when it feels like a chore to watch. The performances are really fun and the storytelling does the trick, which is the least you want when you want to invest some time into a show. Mill Creek Entertainment delivered a Blu-Ray collection that is sure to please fans. The label delivers the entire series on 10 discs at a price that is pretty reasonable, and the A/V quality is fairly strong all things considered. Not only that, but this set provides a good amount of new and archival special features that sweeten the deal. It is a wonder that this show made it to Blu-Ray, but we are glad that it did. Recommended
SeaQuest DSV: The Complete Series is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Mill Creek Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.