It may be a slightly sub-par season of Trek, but it's a real hum-dinger of a Blu-Ray
The Program:
Since the A/V quality of the episodes is quite similar to the previous two sets, I will spend a little more time on the episodes in this set. Season 3 is generally regarded as the weakest of the Original Series (TOS), and I won't offer much argument. Several episodes have rather silly premises. But that said, there are still several gems, the actors all still give it an earnest go, and the characters they have created carry the day. Season 3 is still entertaining and charming, if not as cerebral as the prior two seasons. Here are the episodes you get, with my own humble opinion and ratings (out of 5).
Disc 1
Spock's Brain - a decent SF premise marred by silly execution. Spock as a radio controlled automaton is just a bit hard to take seriously. 2/5
The Enterprise Incident - A classic show in which Kirk and Spock infiltrate a Romulan vessel to steal vital technology. 5/5
The Paradise Syndrome - Kirk loses his memory on a planet with a...
The Final Season on the Final Frontier
I reviewed most of The Original Series episodes during the initial DVD release which began in 1999. So, the comments here focus on this new, remastered, edition.
Doubtless, Paramount will eventually release these episodes on Blu-ray. But even at standard definition, the picture has never looked better. The colors pop off the screen, scratches have been removed, and grain, while noticeable, has been reduced to a bare minimum. Unfortunately, with the improved picture, flaws in the original production are also more noticeable: shadows from boom microphones are occasionally detectable, and the 3rd Season budget cuts show in some of the temporary sets. Still, the picture shows the obvious care taken with the lighting and composition of the original shots (very different from today's flatly-lit, smash & grab style of television filming).
Of course, the primary feature of this new release is the new CGI visual effects. Season Three had a number of effects heavy...
Weaker season, still amazing blu ray
Though I've never been a huge fan of the third season, I must say that watching them in beautiful blu ray really makes it an entertaining experience. The transfer, like the previous seasons, continues to impress. You can tell whoever worked on the show really loved what they were doing when they made the blu ray, as it looks spectacular. In fact, its so clear, little nuances can be notice that weren't seen before, details in aliens skin, or special effects that were little more than blurry are now easy to see, and so clear you'll never want to stop watching.
As to the season, it was pretty evident that budget cuts had severly limited certain episodes, but were still largely good. What makes up for the clunkers (spock's brain comes to mind) are the amazing special features, which include no less than three versions of "The Cage" and a never-before-seen variation on "Where No Man Has Gone Before." Even if you have reservations for getting the "weaker" star trek season,...
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