The series critique portion of this review was written by my colleague Martin Sexton as a part of his ongoing “Opinions of a Traditionalist” series.
Space, the final frontier…with these four words Gene Roddenberry started an adventure that would last over 55 years and counting. With an idea that Roddenberry first described as “a Wagon Train to the Stars,” his three-season series would inspire future scientists, doctors, and astronauts.
Star Trek would prove to become an ever-lasting legacy to the man who created it. The show continues in its new television adaptations with Star Trek Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Lower Decks, and now Star Trek: Prodigy. But let’s look back at the one that started it all. What is now known as Star Trek: The Original Series.
When Roddenberry first tried to sell his new show concept, television executives were skeptical. They failed to see how the new show would work amongst sitcoms, dramas, and westerns. Roddenberry was sure it would go over. His original cast included Jeffery Hunter as Captain Christopher Pike (originally Robert April) with a female first officer played by Majel Barrett and a half-Vulcan science officer named Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy.
But when the first pilot (The Cage) was shown to executives, they were underwhelmed. They felt like the show was too cerebral. In addition, they also questioned if viewers would accept a female first officer. Plus, they really didn’t like the character of Spock. However, they saw enough promise that they did something unprecedented. They requested a 2nd pilot from Roddenberry.
This one would have some cast changes. Jeffery Hunter would be replaced by a young Canadian actor named William Shatner as the newly named Captain Kirk. Roddenberry capitulated by removing the female first officer (Majel Barrett would instead play Nurse Chapel in later episodes). However, Roddenberry refused to budge on the character of Spock. Which in time would prove to be wise.
After showing their new, more action-oriented episode, entitled “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” executives gave Roddenberry the green light to begin production. Apparently, Roddenberry had dumbed down the episode enough where they felt that John Q Public could understand it. So began the initial 3-year journey of the U.S.S Enterprise. Starting on September 8th, 1966 and ending on June 3rd, 1969, it Spanned 79 episodes, and produced something that was missing at the time, great Science Fiction.
During those three years, fans would be given some classic stories, with Roddenberry and a collection of incredibly talented writers mixing in social commentary about current events. Some so subtle that till this day, people forget how much Roddenberry slipped in. Subjects like war, bigotry, and social unrest were all interwoven into their episodes, concealed in their Science Fiction drapery. Episodes like “The City on the Edge of Forever”, “Space Seed,” “Amok Time,” “The Squire of Gothos,”and “Mirror, Mirror” would become classics that are still remembered and being adapted into new stories in books and film.
They would also welcome guest stars such as Gary Lockwood, Sally Kellerman, Joan Collins, James Gregory, Ted Cassidy, Elinor Donohue, Jane Wyatt, Mark Lenard, William Windom and Lee Meriwether among others.
After the 2nd Season ended, NBC let it leak out that it would likely be the last for Star Trek. The ratings were just too low. But the network didn’t count on rabid Star Trek fans who would not let their favorite show go without a fight. A letter writing campaign ensued, spearheaded by Bjo Trimble, that reached such heights that NBC relented and brought Star Trek back for a 3rd and final season.
While the third season episodes were not quite to the standards that the first two season’s stories had achieved, they were a testament to the hard work and loyalty of Star Trek fans worldwide. After the show was cancelled, it would become embraced on syndication and gain a whole new audience.
Eventually bringing about new series, like Star Trek: The Animated Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise. As well as the new sets of television series in production now. Not even mentioning the film adaptations. But it all started with Star Trek: The Original Series.
Video Quality
Star Trek: The Original Series – The Complete Series returns to Blu-Ray with the exact same digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in its original 4×3 aspect ratio – just in a new packaging. All of the episodes have been remastered to include updated special effects and other corrections, but the original versions of the episodes are also included as a viewing option for the purists. Overall clarity and detail is stunning, and skin tones are natural and consistent with subtle facial features easily noticeable in closeup. The makeup effects from the various alien species are especially textured in a way that shines through in this transfer. Other physical features such as hair remain well defined without devolving into a splotchy mess. This series remains remarkably consistent throughout its three season run with earlier moments looking just as gorgeous as the later episodes. This transfer maintains the natural film grain that helps with showcasing subtle details in the production design. Every episode takes you to a new location with fun elements to analyze in the background. Colors are well saturated in a pleasing way, and instances of print damage have been cleaned up immensely in a way that you could almost mistake this for a modern show. Minor specks pop up very rarely, but they are still worth noting. Black levels hold up well with crush not serving as an overwhelming issue. This presentation from CBS Home Entertainment is very impressive and serves as the definitive way to view this series.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with a strong DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio track that preserves the artistic intention of the series despite moving away from its mono origins. The original audio track is also provided as an option is lossy Dolby Digital 2.0. The iconic theme music blossoms to life each episode to start the mission off on the right foot. There is never a moment where the music in the series threatens to overwhelm competing sounds, and it maintains a good balance so that dialogue comes through clearly. Atmospheric sounds such as the beeping of instruments on the bridge are rendered well alongside everything else. Despite the surround sound presentation, this track does not go overboard creating new effects to bolster activity in the rear channels. Everything sounds nice and natural, only a bit fuller at times. The low end support is not a barn burner, but it adds some nice texture to moments that need it. There does not seem to be any majorly noticeable instances of age-related wear and tear. CBS has given this series the perfectly preserved audio presentation it deserves.
Special Features
CBS Home Entertainment has provided Star Trek: The Original Series with a sleek new collectible SteelBook packaging that is truly lovely in person. The set comes in a cardboard case that houses three individual SteelBooks representing one season of the show, all of which are separated by a divider to avoid rubbing. Each season features front and rear artwork consisting of still moments from the season in art-deco inspired colors and design. The interior sports an artistic rendering of various characters getting beamed up. Photos of the SteelBook can be found at the end of this review.
Season One
- Starfleet Access: An option to view episodes with a pop-up picture-in-picture video track in which various Star Trek producers, writers, historians and more discuss numerous aspects of the show.
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- Where No Man Has Gone Before
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- The Menagerie, Part 1
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- The Menagerie, Part 2
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- Balance Of Terror
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- Space Seed
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- Errand Of Mercy
- Spacelift – Transporting Trek Into The 21st Century: A 20-minute featurette which takes a look at the efforts that went into the restoration process including video clean-up, re-recording the score, creating updated visual effects and more that is quite compelling.
- Previews: Vintage previews of the next adventure are included as a supplemental part of each episode.
- Reflections On Spock: A 12-minute featurette in which Leonard Nimoy reflects back on his iconic character and career at large.
- Life Beyond Trek – William Shatner: A ten-minute featurette in which Shatner discusses his love of horses.
- To Boldly Go… Season One: A 19-minute featurette in which the cast and crew detail the history of the first season.
- The Birth Of A Timeless Legacy: A 24-minute look at how the series came to be, including an in-depth look at the dual pilot episodes and some of the more iconic episodes in the first season.
- Sci-Fi Visionaries: A nearly 17-minute featurette which takes a look at what makes Star Trek such a great addition to the science fiction genre.
- Interactive Enterprise Inspection: An option to be taken on a tour of the vessel.
- Billy Blackburn’s Treasure Chest – Rare Home Movies and Special Memories: A 13-minute piece in which a bit player on Star Trek recalls his time on the show and provides some behind-the-scenes footage.
- Kiss ‘N’ Tell – Romance In The 23rd Century: An eight-minute piece which gives a spotlight to some of the ladies who appeared on the show and the romance between characters.
- Easter Eggs: On Disc 5, you can find a humorous trailer for the series if you press right when “Communications” is highlighted.
- Trailers: A trailer is provided for the 2009 Star Trek film.
Season Two
- Audio Commentary
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- The Trouble With Tribbles: Writer David Gerrold
- Starfleet Access: An option to view episodes with a pop-up picture-in-picture video track in which various Star Trek producers, writers, historians and more discuss numerous aspects of the show.
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- Amok Time
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- The Trouble With Tribbles
- Previews: Vintage previews of the next adventure are included as a supplemental part of each episode.
- Billy Blackburn’s Treasure Chest – Rare Home Movies and Special Memories, Part 2: A 12-minute piece in which a bit player on Star Trek recalls his time on the show and provides some behind-the-scenes footage.
- Star Trek Animated – “More Tribbles, More Troubles”: Episode 1 of the Star Trek Animated series is provided here in HD with optional Audio Commentary by David Gerrold.
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – “Trials And Tribble-ations”: Season 5, Episode 3 of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is presented here in HD.
- Trials And Tribble-ations – Uniting Two Legends: A 17-minute look into the episode’s concept with copious amounts of interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and more that gives you insight into this one.
- Trials And Tribble-ations – An Historic Endeavor: A 17-minute featurette which takes a closer look at the special effects that brought this episode to life.
- To Boldly Go… Season Two: A 20-minute featurette in which the cast and crew detail the history of the second season.
- Easter Eggs: On Disc 5, you can find a humorous minute-long anecdote from Story Editor/Writer D.C Fontana about the Vulcan Neck Pinch if you press right when “Communications” is highlighted. On Disc 6, you can find a quick reflection on the series from Writer David Gerrold which you can access the same way. On Disc 7, there is a brief interview with Star Trek: The Next Generation Assistant Director Charles Washburn.
- Designing The Final Frontier: A 22-minute featurette which looks at the iconic set design that is featured throughout the three-season run.
- Star Trek’s Favorite Moments: A 17-minute featurette in which fans and the cast and crew of various Star Trek series reflect on their favorite episodes and the impact the show had on their lives.
- Writer’s Notebook – D.C. Fontana: An eight-minute piece in which the writer dives into the process of developing a script and the importance of the creatives behind the narrative.
- Life Beyond Trek – Leonard Nimoy: A 12-minute featurette in which the actor discusses his life since Star Trek.
- Kirk, Spock & Bones – Star Trek’s Great Trio: A seven-minute look at the chemistry between these three characters throughout the series, as well as the bond they have off the screen.
- Star Trek’s Divine Diva – Nichelle Nichols: A 13-minute piece in which the actor looks back on her character Uhura and the impact it had on her life and the culture at large.
- Star Trek: TOS On Blu-Ray: A ten-minute featurette in which Niel R. Wray, Denise and Michael Okuda, Dave Rossi, and Writer David Gerrold discuss what went into making this Blu-Ray set a reality.
Season Three
- Previews: Vintage previews of the next adventure are included as a supplemental part of each episode.
- Life Beyond Trek – Walter Koenig: An 11-minute piece in which the actor who plays Chekov discusses how Star Trek impacted his life.
- Chief Engineer’s Log: A six-minute vintage piece with James Doohan in which he discusses his role as Scotty, his life and career, his relationship with the fans and more.
- Memoir From Mr. Sulu: A nearly nine-minute interview with George Takei in which he discusses how Star Trek has impacted his life and the historic nature of his role.
- Captain’s Log – Bob Justman: A ten-minute featurette in which the cast and crew reflect on the crucial contributions of the series producer along with interviews with Justman himself.
- “Where No Man Has Gone Before” (Rare And Unaired Alternate Version): The original 52-minute pilot version of this episode is presented here for the first time preceded by details about the production history.
- David Gerrold Hosts “2009 Convention Coverage”: A nearly 20-minute piece which shows the famed writer attending Star Trek conventions where he interviews cast members, talks to fans, rummages through memorabilia and more.
- “The Anthropology Of Star Trek” Comic-Con Panel 2009: A four-minute excerpt of a Comic-Con panel in which a professor discusses how the show interacts with our society.
- “The World Of Rod Roddenberry” Comic-Con 2009: A seven-minute featurette in which Gene Roddenberry’s son and others discuss the lasting impact of the series.
- Billy Blackburn’s Treasure Chest – Rare Home Movies and Special Memories, Part 3: An 11-minute piece in which a bit player on Star Trek once again recalls his time on the show and provides some behind-the-scenes footage.
- To Boldly Go… Season Three: A 22-minute featurette in which the cast and crew detail the history of the final season.
- Collectible Trek: A 14-minute piece in which Star Trek archivist Penny Juday and others delve into the world of collectibles from the show.
- Star Trek’s Impact: A nine-minute featurette in which Gene Roddenberry’s son Rod reflects on the legacy and impact of the show on his life.
- Easter Eggs: On Disc 1-4, you can find a brief discussion with Niel R. Wray, Denise and Michael Okuda, Dave Rossi, and Writer David Gerrold if you press right when “Communications” is highlighted.
Final Thoughts
Star Trek: The Original Series is discussed with reverence for launching one of the most iconic entertainment franchises ever, but it should be remembered just as well for being an amazingly entertaining series with powerful themes. The chemistry between the crew members of the Enterprise is a feat of magic that the world was lucky enough to experience. Throughout the three-season run, there are episodes that do not knock it out of the park, but the amount of stone cold classics is just too much to ignore. Plus, even the “bad” episodes can be a lot of fun. CBS Home Entertainment has released a new Blu-Ray set in a stunning SteelBook packaging which features a stellar A/V presentation and a wonderful amount of special features. If you do not own these sets yet or just want this series to look as spiffy as possible when displaying them on your shelf, this is one of the best options for fans. Highly Recommended
Star Trek: The Original Series – The Complete Series is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray in SteelBook packaging.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: CBS Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this set 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.
