Blu-ray Review: 'Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season Five'

“Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season Five”

Over the past few years, the Blu-ray division of CBS Studios has released the entire seven season-run of Gene Roddenberry’s “Star Trek: The Next Generation” (TNG)  in high definition. The seminal Season Five, which connects the series with Roddenberry’s 1966-1969 “Star Trek,” is one of two complete season sets released in 2013. This six-disc collection features some of TNG’s finest episodes, including “Darmok,” “Unification, Parts I & Ii,” and “The Inner Light.”

To Boldly Go….

Capt. Picard: Space... The final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no one has gone before.

The fifth season of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” is considered by many “Star Trek” fans to be among the series’ three best years. The season kicked off with the action-packed “Redemption - Part II,” in which Worf (Michael Dorn), Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), and Lt. Cmdr. Data (Brent Spiner) fend off Romulan intervention in a Klingon civil war. Co-starring former TNG cast member Denise Crosby as Romulan operative Sela, “Redemption, Part II” features lots of Klingon-related drama and resolves some of the issues introduced in “Sins of the Father.”

[Data has been assigned to command the USS Sutherland]

Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Hobson: Excuse me, sir. I'd like to request a transfer.

Lt. Commander Data: May I ask why?

Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Hobson: I don't believe I'd be a good first officer for you.

Lt. Commander Data: Your service record to date suggests you would perform that function adequately.

Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Hobson: No, no, no, that's not what I mean. I don't think I'd be a good first officer for *you*.

Lt. Commander Data: Why?

Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Hobson: Frankly, sir, I don't believe in your ability to command this ship. You're a fellow officer and I respect that, but... no one would suggest that a Klingon would be a good ship's counselor or that a Berellian could be an engineer; they're just not suited for those positions. By the same token, I don't... think an android is a good choice to be captain.

Lt. Commander Data: I understand your concerns. Request denied.

“Redemption, Part II” also sets up the story for the season’s most-watched offering, the two-part “Unification.”  Featuring a guest appearance by Original Series’ actor Leonard Nimoy as Spock, “Unification” marked “Star Trek’s” 25th anniversary and linked TNG to its TV forebear by a subtle hint of the then-upcoming “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country’s” pivotal storyline.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard: I have come on an urgent mission from the Federation. I'm looking for Ambassador Spock.

Spock: Indeed. You have found him, Captain Picard

Other key episodes of TNG’s Season Five include “Darmok,” in which Picard and an alien captain (Paul Winfield) bridge a cultural gap  even though they have a hard time understanding each other at first, and “Ensign Ro,” the episode in which actress Michelle Forbes joined the series as the titular recurring character. “Ensign Ro” not only dared to show a rebellious Starfleet officer with a knack of getting in trouble with superiors, but it also introduced a new race to “Star Trek”: the Bajorans.

Another fan favorite from Season Five is “The Inner Light,” in which an alien probe somehow enables Picard to experience almost the entire lifetime of a man named Kamin. This episode is a tour-de-force for Patrick Stewart, who for once got to play the role of a man with a wife, children, and grandchildren.

Capt. Picard: I always believed that I didn't need children to complete my life. Now I couldn't imagine life without them.

Sadly, series creator Gene Roddenberry would not be around to see how “Star Trek: The Next Generation” finally received “Trek cred” from fans of the Original Series. Roddenberry died on October 24, 1991, shortly after a special screening of the recently-completed “Star Trek VI” feature film at the Paramount Studios’ theater. Due to his failing health, Roddenberry had stepped back from his role as TNG’s hands-on executive producer a year earlier and handed the reins to Rick Berman and Michael Piller.

 

The Blu-ray Set

CBS Blu-ray released "Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season Five on November 19, 2013. The set’s six Blu-ray discs come in a slim Blu-ray jewel box package. Its cover art features TNG’s Starfleet insignia against a blue backdrop. Within the Starfleet delta are portraits of Capt. Picard, Security Chief Lt. Worf, and Counselor Deanna Troi. The background art depicts an aft view of the Enterprise-D cruising near a planet, with  a planet or  lying further away.

“Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season Five” is simply stunning on Blu-ray with 1080p high definition picture. Experience enhanced special effects rebuilt from the original film elements and surround yourself with the digitally-remastered 7.1 sound (or choose the original broadcast audio). In a season that garnered four Emmy Awards, you’ll be plunged into the 24th Century for some of the series’ most thrilling moments, including Captain Picard’s (Patrick Stewart) pursuit of the rogue Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy) into enemy Romulan territory and the return of Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) in “The First Duty.” Also discover all-new, never-before-seen special features as you join the USS Enterprise on the ultimate voyage. - Season Five package blurb

CBS Video/Blu-ray did not upgrade the 1991-1992 Season Five’s special effects with 21st Century updates as they did with the remastered 40th Anniversary DVDs of “Star Trek: The Original Series.” They digitally cleaned up the images directly from the original film elements used during the show’s production. The result: a vast improvement in video and audio quality that doesn’t compromise the vision of the original directors and effects supervisors.

In a similar fashion as the Season Four set, "Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season Five" features a plethora of bonus features. Some are carryovers from the earlier DVD releases, but quite a few  are all-new  in this Blu-ray edition. The Mission Logs for Year Five in each of the six Blu-ray discs are from the 2002 DVD editions, but there are several behind-the-scenes presentations that were produced  for this Blu-ray set.

Season Five set’s extra features include several new documentaries produced by CBS Home Entertainment, including the two-part retrospective “Requiem: A Remembrance of Star Trek: The Next Generation” and “In Conversation: The Music of ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation,” an interview with several “Star Trek” composers, including Dennis McCarthy and Jay Chattaway.

These documentaries and other bonus offerings give viewers an insightful look at the various creative processes that made “Star Trek: The Next Generation” an important element in the continuing success of the “Star Trek” franchise.

My Take:

Even though I was a fan of TNG from its premiere in 1987, I wasn’t sure if it would gain acceptance by the larger “Star Trek” fan community even after the quality of the writing improved during the third season. However, guest appearances by Mark Lenard as Sarek in Season Four (in “Sarek”) and Five gave viewers more of an emotional connection between Roddenberry’s  two shows  Leonard Nimoy’s presence as Spock  in “Unification, Parts I & II” gave TNG more “Trek cred” and, consequently, more loyal viewers.

Of course, gimmicks such as Nimoy’s one-time guest appearance or clever tie-ins to the last of the movies with the Original Series cast only went so far. “Star Trek: The Next Generation” had to stand on its own dramatic feet, as it were, in order to survive as a syndicated TV series.

Fortunately, Roddenberry’s creative heirs had a talented group of writers and artists on hand, and Season Five’s treasure trove of excellent episodes helped ensure TNG’s success in the ratings. More importantly, the series finally earned what Roddenberry had sought since its inception - a place in the hearts of “Star Trek” fans.

Disc 1

• "Redemption II"
• "Darmok"
• "Ensign Ro"
• "Silicon Avatar"
• "Disaster"

Special Features

• Episodic Promos

Archival Features

• Mission Overview, Year Five (2002)

Disc 2

• "The Game"
• "Unification I"
• "Unification II"
• "A Matter of Time"
• "New Ground"

Special Features

• Episodic Promos
• Deleted scene from "New Ground"

Archival Features

• Departmental Briefing Year Five: Production

Disc 3

• "Hero Worship"
• "Violations"
• "The Masterpiece Society"
• "Conundrum"
• "Power Play"

Special Features

• Episodic Promos

Archival Features

• Departmental Briefing Year Five: Visual Effects

Disc 4

• "Ethics"
• "The Outcast"
• "Cause and Effect"
• "The First Duty"
• "Cost of Living"

Special Features

• Episodic Promos
• Audio commentary with Brannon Braga and Seth MacFarlane on "Cause and Effect"
• Audio commentary with Ronald D. Moore and Naren Shankar on "The First Duty"
• Deleted scenes from
• "Ethics"
• "The Outcast"
• "The First Duty"
• "Cost of Living"

Archival Features

• Memorable Missions

Disc 5

• "The Perfect Mate"
• "Imaginary Friend"
• "I Borg"
• "The Next Phase"

Special Features

• Episodic Promos
• Audio commentary with Rene Echevarria and Mike & Denise Okuda on "I Borg"
• Deleted scenes from "The Perfect Mate"

Archival Features

• A Tribute to Gene Roddenberry
• Intergalactic Guest Stars
• Alien Speak

Disc 6

• "The Inner Light"
• "Time's Arrow"

Special Features

• Episodic Promos
• In Conversation: The Music of Star Trek: The Next Generation
• Requiem: A Remembrance of Star Trek: The Next Generation
• Part One: The Needs of the Many
• Part Two: The Needs of the Few
• Audio commentary with Morgan Gendel and Mike & Denise Okuda on "The Inner Light"
• Deleted scenes from "The Inner Light"
• Gag Reel