What's so great about Blu-ray? In a word, preservation - and there may be no more dramatic an example of how the format can act to enable the rescue and rediscovery of a television series than the work CBS has done with Star Trek: The Next Generation on Blu-ray.
Many believed we'd never see a hi-def presentation of this series, as the show was shot on film and transferred to analog videotape for editing episodes and effects. To present these episodes in HD would require a total rebuilding of each episode, reassembling archival camera negatives and analog audio tape. It was a daunting task to consider and to do it properly would cost a fortune. But inspired by their great success with the Original Series, incredibly CBS had the vision and presence of mind to actually declare, "Make it so." They have done an astonishing job.
Next Gen looks absolutely amazing in Hi-def, and if you don't count some of the hair styles, it looks like it was shot yesterday. Even fans who love the series passionately tend to be quick to dismiss the first season. After all, everyone was still finding their way, and many sofa cushion pundits steadfastly insist that the show wasn't worth watching until they approached The Best of Both Worlds era in 1990. What may surprise you is not just how amazingly vivid and sharp these reconstructed episodes appear, but how compelling and engaging these early stories are. Without a doubt, these episodes deserve a second look and a lot more respect and this first season Blu-ray release allows you to rediscover the origins of Next Gen in the best possible way.
Next Gen premiered all the way back in 1987 - an era of Ronald Reagan, Ishtar, The Cosby Show and Dirty Dancing - and in the here and now with numerous franchise spin-offs, we tend to take it for granted. But back in '87, the idea of "rebooting" another version of a landmark, classic television series was met with tremendous skepticism - and accusations of downright heresy. On top of which, Next Gen wasn't even backed by a network. It was one of the first shows to ever exhibit via a syndicated launch. All of which is revisited in a simply superb three-part documentary, Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek: The Next Generation. This documentary is a landmark behind-the-scenes love letter to the show - I don't think I've ever seen any of this material before. Everybody who had a hand in the inception of the series is interviewed, the entire cast has reassembled to very candidly discuss the show's birth and there's an avalanche of eye-popping production art and archival footage. I won't go into too many details, but here's just a glimpse of some of the jaw-dropping you will experience - "Lando-Geordi's" original Jheri-Curl makeup test...
Trust me - that's just the tip of the iceberg. This documentary takes you through all the origins of the show and it's absolutely fascinating. There's also a terrific behind-the-scenes look at the massive effort to remaster the show for HD that's humbling in its painstaking complexity. All the original material from the previous DVD release has been included as well.
If you're a fan of the series, please don't dismiss these early episodes as you're missing out on the cornerstones of some of the most important and lasting elements of Next Gen mythology - here's a few you may have forgotten:
Encounter at Farpoint - The series pilot, imperfect, to be sure, but fascinating. We meet all the crew as well as John de Lancie's recurring pseudo-antagonist, Q. The pilot looks better than it ever has, thanks to a complete face-lift of the special effects.
The Naked Now - A sequel to the original series The Naked Time, crewmembers are exposed to something that unleashes their inhibitions. Tasha Yar explores the fact that Data is "fully functional..."
Haven - Our introduction to Lwaxana Troi, portayed by Majel Barret-Roddenberry. The Counselor's mother cuts quite a swath trying to enable her daughter's prearranged marriage.
The Big Goodbye - The first real use of the holodeck and the idea is first raised of created "characters" yearning for a life beyond the confines of their simulation.
Datalore - A classic, in which we learn about Data's origins and learn even more about his psychotic brother, Lore. Terrific writing and pacing and a knockout pair of performances by Brent Spiner.
Heart of Glory - The first all-Klingon episode and the beginnings of Worf's journey to reconcile his past and sense of self. Terrific introduction to the Klingon warrior culture.
Conspiracy - A knockout with a plot that would have made a sensational feature film. Alien entities taking over key Starfleet personnel. Easily the goriest of all Next Gen episodes and a lot of fun.
The Neutral Zone - Space travelers are thawed out after nearly 400 years of hibernation along with trouble near the Romulan Neutral Zone make for a rousing 1st season finale.
That's just a sampling, but hopefully shows there's a lot going on in the first season. Without a doubt, imperfections abound - Deanna Troi is a pretty annoying character at first - there is an awful lot of "feeling" going on. A good drinking game might be "Wesley's Sweaters," where participants have to drink each time Wesley Crusher shows up in one of his horrific Cosby Show-plundered saggy creations. Shudder. It's true - in many ways the cast and creators of Next Gen were finding their way in this freshman year. When you watch the documentary, you'll quickly see why they had such a bumpy road getting started. There were many conflicting creative voices and just as many others wanting to see them fail.
Just know that if you have any fondness for Next Gen, these Blu-ray sets are a gift from the gods and will have you appreciating this terrific series in a whole new light. Season 2 should be available by the end of the year, and if this first taste is any indication, we're in for a remarkable rediscovery of this show in the next few years, as CBS continues their resurrection of this beloved era of Star Trek history. Very highly recommended.
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