To Boldly Go... Star Trek Discussion Thread

[ELazansky]

That's totally awesome! Man, has it really been 25 years since the series first came on the air. Things like this make me feel really old...

[mae]

Indeed. On the plus side, looks like it will look great, cause the DVDs are atrocious:

[DoctorDodge]

That is something that put me off getting the dvds, tbh: just how grainy the quality seemed to be. But if it's as good as that Enterprise appears to be, I'm definitely saving up for those blu ray sets!

[ICry4Oy]

MAKE IT SO!!!

Wow, 25yrs, really? I can remember arguing with people about whether or not they should start a new Trek series just like it was yesterday.

I have to wonder if they're gonna digitally remove Wesley Crusher!!!??? Okay, hope not wonder...

[Ben Staad]

That's great news maybe now have the incentive to get an HD tv and a blue ray player...

[Yaksha]

That is freaking great. TNG is my second favorite Star Trek series. Now if only we could get a Deep Space Nine HD collection my life would be complete

[mae]

I bet DS9 will be up after TNG. And then also Voyager.

[ICry4Oy]

Speaking of TNG, Sir Patrick Stewart will be at the Dallas Comic Con this coming May!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My inner geek is spazing out!

http://www.scifiexpo.com/DCC/Home.html

[mae]

http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/04/30/st...-ray-season-1/

When Star Trek: The Next Generation debuted on Sept. 28, 1987, it was one of the most ambitious first episodes of television ever produced. No matter how popular the feature films had been with the original cast, bringing Gene Roddenberry’s optimistic sci-fi vision of our future back to TV with an all-new cast and U.S.S. Enterprise was far from a slam dunk. And then there was the scale of the two-hour pilot, “Encounter at Farpoint,” with roughly 200 feature-film-level visual effects.

That ambition, however, was worth it. ST:TNG debuted to nearly 27 million viewers, and the show ran for a robust 178 episodes over seven seasons. And now, to celebrate its 25th anniversary, the series is being remastered for a high-definition re-release on Blu-ray that is, fittingly, just about as ambitious an undertaking as that fateful debut episode.

EW can now reveal exclusively that the full first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation will be available on Blu-ray on July 24. (Three episodes from the series were released on a special preview Blu-ray edition last January.) It is the culmination of over a year’s worth of painstaking work. While the show was shot on 35mm motion picture film, an inherently high-definition format, it was scanned into standard-definition video before any editing or visual effects work was completed.

“This was bleeding-edge back in the day,” says Michael Okuda, a scenic designer and technical advisor on ST:TNG who is overseeing the high-def transfer process as a consultant with his wife, Denise. “[The standard-def process] made it possible to do Star Trek: The Next Generation. It was a far more ambitious series from a technical point of view than the original [Trek] series. But the downside of that is, a quarter-century later, all you have is standard definition.”

To get the show converted for high def Blu-ray, every frame of the original camera negatives had to be rescanned, and each episode has been reconstructed using archived script and editors notes from 25 years ago. The result is truly spectacular, as you can see in this exclusive clip from the episode “Where No One Has Gone Before.” Check it out below (and expand to full-screen view for the complete effect):

The entire process of converting an episode into high def can take anywhere from four to six weeks — some episodes have as few as a dozen effects shots, while others can have over 100. Most of the visual effects were also shot on film, and then assembled in standard def video. But there were many effects that were made using analog painting tools in standard-def only. “We have artists going frame-by-frame, recreating using digital tools what was done on analog video back then,” says Okuda (pictured, third from right, with CBS TV exec Ryan Adams, fellow consultant Denise Okuda, and CBS TV exec David Grant).

With several episodes being converted at any given time, the project has pretty well consumed the Okudas life, from making detailed notes on every effects shot in a given episode before it’s converted, to screening upgraded shots for approval. Michael Okuda says the most difficult episode so far was the first, “Encounter at Farpoint,” but each episode has presented its own challenges. One of the three episodes included in the preview Blu-ray disc — season 3′s “Sins of the Father” — had 13 seconds of original film negative that could not be located, so the disc had to be released using 13 seconds of standard def video instead. A few months later, however, the missing footage was finally found in a mislabeled box.

And as for some of TNG‘s most ambitious, best regarded episodes — like “Yesterday’s Enterprise” and “Best of Both Worlds” — just mentioning them draws apprehensive sighs from the Okudas. “We’re focused on the moment,” says Michael Okuda. “When you called, there was an issue with a planet, making sure the clouds are right. That sounds very trivial, but that’s the issue of the moment.”

Along with the high-def episodes, new interviews with cast and crew members will be included in the Blu-ray edition. “We have interviews from people who are telling stories that we’ve never heard before,” says Denise Okuda with a laugh. “That’s pretty hard to do. We’ve been immersed in this universe for I don’t know how many years. I think people are really going to be happy.”

http://trekmovie.com/2012/04/30/box-...son-1-blu-ray/

This afternoon CBS provided TrekMovie with the scoop on their upcoming season one release of Star Trek: The Next Generation on Blu-ray, due July 24th. See below for the official box art, and full disc by disc details on what you can expect for this major release.



Box art and details on Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 1 Blu-ray

Just in time for the 25th anniversary of the series, TNG is getting a brand new look in HD. The set also features brand new special features, interviews, archival footage and a gag reel. The new material also features Star Trek experts Mike and Denise Okuda, consultants throughout this ongoing project, who offer special insights into the countless man-hours dedicated to the upgrade of The Next Generation.

Set Details

The STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION – THE FIRST SEASON Blu-ray set will be available in 1080p with English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English Stereo Surround, French Mono, Japanese Mono and German Mono (with the exception of “Encounter at Farpoint” which is in German Stereo). The discs also include English SDH, French, German, Castilian, Italian, Japanese, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish subtitles. The Blu-ray is not rated in the U.S. and rated PG in Canada.

The disc breakdown is as follows:

Disc One:
Episodes
• Encounter at Farpoint
• The Naked Now
• Code of Honor

Special Features
• Episodic Promos
• Energized! Taking The Next Generation to the Next Level (HD)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation Archives: The Launch
o Introduction to the Series (1987)
o Promo #1
o Promo #2
o Promo #3
o Season One Promo

Disc Two:
Episodes
• The Last Outpost
• Where No One Has Gone Before
• Lonely Among Us
• Justice
• The Battle

Special Features
• Episodic Promos

Disc Three:
Episodes
• Hide and Q
• Haven
• The Big Goodbye
• Datalore
• Angel One

Special Features
• Episodic Promos

Disc Four:
Episodes
• 11001001
• Too Short a Season
• When the Bough Breaks
• Home Soil
• Coming of Age

Special Features
• Episodic Promos

Disc Five:
Episodes
• Heart of Glory
• The Arsenal of Freedom
• Symbiosis
• Skin of Evil
• We’ll Always Have Paris

Special Features
• Episodic Promos

Disc Six:
Episodes
• Conspiracy
• The Neutral Zone

Special Features
• Episodic Promos
• Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek: The Next Generation (HD)
o Part 1: Inception
o Part 2: Launch
o Part 3: The Continuing Mission
• Gag Reel
• Archival Mission Logs
o The Beginning
o Selected Crew Analysis
o The Making of a Legend
o Memorable Missions

[BigSchu22]

I would love to get a copy of the series in HD! The first 2 seasons would be really hard to get through again though with the horrible re-used Phase II scripts and some of the ones Gene wrote. Also, Picard was a complete dick in the first 2 seasons. Luckily, it got a great deal better. I'm still a huge fan of TNG, especially 'Cause and Effect,' 'The Best of Both Worlds,' and 'All Good Things,' one of the best series finales ever!

[RainInSpain]

TNG in HD - fantastic!
This may just be the argument for getting a blu-ray player sooner.

[mae]

Some stunning restoration comparisons (note the restored shots are not sourced from the actual blu-ray):

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/122482
http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/122484
http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/122558
http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/122559
http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/122560
http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/122561
http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/122562
http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/122563
http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/122564
http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/122802
http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/122803
http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/122806
http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/122807
http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/122809
http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/122811

[noal]

Brilliant news!

I was going to borrow the DVD's from my friend but I will wait for these now, haven't watched them for years.

[ICry4Oy]

Speaking of The Next Generation, I met these guys yesterday at the Dallas Comic Con:

[BigSchu22]

Speaking of The Next Generation, I met these guys yesterday at the Dallas Comic Con:

Wow, that's amazing! I'm a huge John De Lancie fan, he's a great actor. It's unfortunate what they did to the Q character on Voyager... seems Voyager ruined a lot of things. Weird since I was just watching SF Debri's Q reviews right before I saw this post!

[DoctorDodge]

This made me chuckle:

[mystima]

Android smartphone with unlimited Data?

[DoctorDodge]

Now watching season 1 of TNG on blu ray. And yep, it really does look amazing.

Although I'm still amazed that it's barely a few minutes in and Troi's already had her first Captain Obvious moment. After Q freezes a man, her observation?

"He's frozen!"

Spoiler:

NO SHIT, SHERLOCK

[mae]

[ICry4Oy]

Not Next Generation, but a Star Trek captain! I look like I've gotta shit or something because he was squeezing me so hard and laughing after I told him they should have killed all those damned Kardashians(sic)...

[needfulthings]

U.S.A.1st EDITION OCT 1987




U.K. 1st EDITION FEB 1988

[pathoftheturtle]

*BUMP*

So, in Star Trek: Generations we learn

Generations

that Captain Kirk has been inside "The Nexus" since the launch of Enterprise B -- a trans-temporal reality entered through a cosmic string which moves through space. Picard enters and convinces Kirk to return to regular history, where he gives his life to make a difference.

At the end, Picard muses

Generations

Someone once told me that time was a predator that stalked us all our lives. I rather believe that time is a companion who goes with us on the journey and reminds us to cherish every moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we've lived. After all, Number One, we're only mortal.

It's interesting that "What You Leave Behind" is the title of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's series finale in which Captain Sisko

DS9

goes inside "The Celestial Temple" -- a trans-temporal reality entered through the Bajoran wormhole.

Also of great interest to those considering the continuity of ST continuity is the Temporal Cold War that played a major role in the Star Trek: Enterprise series.
http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Temporal_Cold_War

[pathoftheturtle]

Come on... where all my Trekkies at?

kk: Here's some food for thought, right on track for this thread:
http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/t..._best_why.html

[mae]

http://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/62...-alex-kurtzman

CBS Television Studios announced today it will launch a totally new Star Trek TV series in January 2017. The new series will blast off with a special preview broadcast on the CBS Television Network. The premiere episode and all subsequent first-run episodes will then be available exclusively in the United States on CBS All Access, the Network’s digital subscription video on demand and live streaming service.

The next chapter of the “Star Trek” franchise will also be distributed concurrently for television and multiple platforms around the world by CBS Studios International.

The new program will be the first original series developed specifically for U.S. audiences for CBS All Access, a cross-platform streaming service that brings viewers thousands of episodes from CBS’s current and past seasons on demand, plus the ability to stream their local CBS Television station live for $5.99 per month. CBS All Access already offers every episode of all previous “Star Trek” television series.

The brand-new Star Trek TV series will introduce new characters seeking imaginative new worlds and new civilizations, while exploring the dramatic contemporary themes that have been a signature of the franchise since its inception in 1966.

Alex Kurtzman will serve as executive producer for the new Star Trek TV series. Kurtzman co-wrote and produced the blockbuster films Star Trek (2009) with Roberto Orci, and Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) with Orci and Damon Lindelof. Both films were produced and directed by J.J. Abrams.

The new Star Trek TV series will be produced by CBS Television Studios in association with Kurtzman’s Secret Hideout. Kurtzman and Heather Kadin will serve as executive producers. Kurtzman is also an executive producer for the hit CBS television series “Scorpion” and “Limitless,” along with Kadin and Orci, and for “Hawaii Five-O” with Orci.

“Star Trek,” which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2016, is one of the most successful entertainment franchises of all time. The original “Star Trek” spawned a dozen feature films and five successful television series. Almost half a century later, the “Star Trek” television series are licensed on a variety of different platforms in more than 190 countries, and the franchise still generates more than a billion social media impressions every month.

Born from the mind of Gene Roddenberry, the original “Star Trek” series debuted on Sept. 8, 1966 and aired for three seasons – a short run that belied the influence it would have for generations. The series also broke new ground in storytelling and cultural mores, providing a progressive look at topics including race relations, global politics and the environment.

“There is no better time to give ‘Star Trek’ fans a new series than on the heels of the original show’s 50th anniversary celebration,” said David Stapf, President, CBS Television Studios. “Everyone here has great respect for this storied franchise, and we’re excited to launch its next television chapter in the creative mind and skilled hands of Alex Kurtzman, someone who knows this world and its audience intimately.”

“This new series will premiere to the national CBS audience, then boldly go where no first-run ‘Star Trek’ series has gone before – directly to its millions of fans through CBS All Access,” said Marc DeBevoise, Executive Vice President/General Manager – CBS Digital Media. “We’ve experienced terrific growth for CBS All Access, expanding the service across affiliates and devices in a very short time. We now have an incredible opportunity to accelerate this growth with the iconic ‘Star Trek,’ and its devoted and passionate fan base, as our first original series.”

“Every day, an episode of the ‘Star Trek’ franchise is seen in almost every country in the world,” said Armando Nunez, President and CEO, CBS Global Distribution Group. “We can’t wait to introduce ‘Star Trek’s’ next voyage on television to its vast global fan base.”

[killjoy72]

I'm in! I love Star Trek. TNG's my fave.