{"id":8584,"date":"2014-12-13T13:11:08","date_gmt":"2014-12-13T21:11:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/?p=8584"},"modified":"2021-09-04T16:43:45","modified_gmt":"2021-09-04T23:43:45","slug":"review-startrek-tng7-bd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/2014\/12\/review-startrek-tng7-bd\/","title":{"rendered":"Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season Seven Blu-ray Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>While this season, and the series as a whole, had a few clunkers, the vast majority of \u201cStar Trek: The Next Generation\u201d<\/strong> was a fun ride culminating with a satisfying quasi-series finale (Star Trek: Generations<\/em> would be released 6 months later) thanks to a stellar cast who had wonderful chemistry with one another.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

“Star Trek: The Next Generation”: Season Seven<\/span>
\n(1993-94)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

Genre(s): <\/strong>Science Fiction, Adventure, Drama
\nParamount | NR \u2013 1172 min. \u2013 $129.99 | December 2, 2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n <\/b>MOVIE INFO:<\/span>
\nDirected by: <\/strong>Various
\nWriter(s): <\/strong>Gene Roddenberry (created by)
\nCast: <\/strong>Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Marina Sirtis, Brent Spiner, Gates McFaddenDISC INFO:<\/span>
\nFeatures: <\/strong>Episode Commentaries, Featurettes, Deleted Scenes, Gag Reel
\nNumber of Discs: <\/strong>6Audio: <\/strong>English (DTS-HD MA 7.1), French (Dolby Digital 2.0), German (Dolby Digital 2.0), Italian (Dolby Digital 1.0), Japanese (Dolby Digital 1.0), Spanish (Dolby Digital 1.0)
\nVideo: <\/strong>1080p\/Full Frame 1.33
\nSubtitles: <\/strong>English SDH, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish
\nDisc Size: <\/strong>NA
\nCodec: <\/strong>MPEG-4 AVC
\nRegion(s): <\/strong>A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

THE MOVIE<\/strong> \u2013 4.25\/5<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cStar Trek: The Next Generation\u201d<\/strong> ends its epic run after seven seasons and aside from a few bumps in the road, residing primarily in its first two seasons (although I still immensely enjoyed both), it\u2019s been a great ride featuring compelling storylines, some good character development and solid performances all around.<\/p>\n

The seventh season begins with the conclusion of season six\u2019s finale before getting back into gear with mostly stand alone episodes, with some references of course including a new sticky situation involving the ever encroaching Cardassians and potential war with the Federation. As with previous seasons, this year allows the main cast, and in one episode, even background players, to have their own episode for further character development. One of my favorites is \u2018Parallels\u2019 where Worf (MICHAEL DORN), coming back from a Klingon tournament, gets caught up in some kind of vortex and begins experiencing different universes, one where he\u2019s the First Officer, married to Counselor Troi (MARINA SIRTIS) and has children with her; it\u2019s a great quasi what-if storyline. Another episode, albeit a B-storyline, finds Troi expanding her Starfleet career and becoming a Commander with the guidance of Commander Riker (JONATHAN FRAKES).<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Captain Picard (PATRICK STEWART), seems to take backseat save for the incredible series finale, \u2018All Good Things\u2019, which is easily the highlight of this seventh season. In my favorite, two-part, finale, we get a great mutli-timeline story where Picard experiences past, present and future in matter of minutes. Oh, and our old friend Q (JOHN DE LANCIE), makes a return with yet another test of humanity which squarely rests in Picard\u2019s hands (and mind). It\u2019s a great send-off for a (mostly) well written series and features the return of Lt. Tasha Yar (DENISE CROSBY) and a reminder that it was a shame her character didn\u2019t get more development which was the reason why Crosby left the show.<\/p>\n

With the good, there is the bad this year, however. The writing this season wasn\u2019t quite as strong as it was in years 4-6 (or thereabouts); some of the stories were a bit much. One of the worst in the last few years was \u2018Journey\u2019s End\u2019 featuring the polarizing Wesley Crusher (WIL WHEATON), who returns while on break from Starfleet Academy and once again is annoying as all hell but going beyond, gets a visit from The Traveler \u2013 first introduced in Season 1, Episode 5 \u2013 that Wesley is destined for bigger things and features some really laughable scenes further stroking the ego of an already obnoxious character, though I suppose giving Wes that kind of send-off, is quite fitting.<\/p>\n

Episodes (asterisk marking favorites):<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Descent: Part 2*<\/li>\n
  2. Liaisons<\/li>\n
  3. Interface<\/li>\n
  4. Gambit: Part 1*<\/li>\n
  5. Gambit: Part 2*<\/li>\n
  6. Phantasms<\/li>\n
  7. Dark Page<\/li>\n
  8. Attached*<\/li>\n
  9. Force of Nature<\/li>\n
  10. Inheritance<\/li>\n
  11. Parallels*<\/li>\n
  12. The Pegasus*<\/li>\n
  13. Homeward<\/li>\n
  14. Sub Rosa<\/li>\n
  15. Lower Decks*<\/li>\n
  16. Thine Own Self*<\/li>\n
  17. Masks<\/li>\n
  18. Eye of the Beholder<\/li>\n
  19. Genesis<\/li>\n
  20. Journey\u2019s End<\/li>\n
  21. Firstborn<\/li>\n
  22. Bloodlines<\/li>\n
  23. Emergence*<\/li>\n
  24. Preemptive Strike*<\/li>\n
  25. All Good Things…*<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    All in all, hardly the perfect season and a step down from its predecessors in all likelihood due to splitting time between the series and the then upcoming Star Trek: Generations<\/em> feature film. Whatever the case, despite some clunkers and clunky stories, I still enjoyed the majority of the episodes thanks in large part to the cast and the chemistry they share with one another.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    SPECIAL FEATURES \u2013 4.5\/5<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The six-disc set is contained in an HD Keep Case with a slip cover<\/strong>, matching the other six season sets.<\/p>\n

    Episode Commentaries<\/strong><\/span> are available on \u2018Parallels\u2019 with Brannon Braga (2008), \u2018Lower Decks\u2019 with Rene Echevarria (episode writer) and Mike & Denise Okuda and \u2018Preemptive Strike\u2019 with Echevarria, Naren Shankar (story writer) and Mike & Denise Okuda<\/p>\n

    Episodic Promos<\/strong><\/span> \u2013 Each episode comes with the original promo.<\/p>\n

    Disc One:
    \nMission Overview: Year Seven (14:47; SD)<\/span><\/strong> is a simple behind-the-scenes featurette going through the trials and tribulations of the seventh season especially with the filming of a \u201cNext Generation\u201d feature film and the beginning of \u201cVoyager.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Deleted Scenes (14:21; HD)<\/strong><\/span> \u2013 \u2018Decent: Part 2,\u2019 \u2018Liaisons,\u2019 \u2018Gambit: Part 1\u2019 and \u2018Gambit: Part 2\u2019<\/p>\n

    Disc Two:
    \nIn Conversation: Lensing \u201cStar Trek: The Next Generation\u201d (42:13; HD)<\/span><\/strong> looks at the camera work done over the course of the series featuring new interviews with a producer, episode director, director of photographer, and camera operator each of whom had a turn in the director\u2019s chair.<\/p>\n

    Gag Reel (4:53; HD)<\/strong><\/span> \u2013 Here we get the usual line flubs and on-set antics.<\/p>\n

    A Captain\u2019s Tribute (16:31; SD)<\/strong><\/span> \u2013 Patrick Stewart, combination of on-set back in 1994\/95 and in 2001, reflects on his time working on the series and in particular his fellow cast members.<\/p>\n

    Departmental Briefing: Year Seven: Production (15:46; SD)<\/strong><\/span> delves through the challenges of the seventh season with archival interviews with the cast and crew.<\/p>\n

    Deleted Scenes (3:05; SD)<\/strong><\/span> \u2013 \u2018Dark Page\u2019<\/p>\n

    Disc Three:
    \nStarfleet Moments and Memories (30:02; SD)<\/span><\/strong> is an older, but expansive, featurette where cast and crew reflect on their time working on the series set against production photos and BTS footage.<\/p>\n

    Deleted Scenes (11:27; SD)<\/strong><\/span> \u2013 \u2018Inheritance,\u2019 \u2018Parallels\u2019 and \u2018Sub Rosa\u2019<\/p>\n

    Disc Four:
    \nSpecial Profiles (15:18; SD)<\/span><\/strong> goes through the guest stars featured in season seven including John de Lancie (Q) amongst others.<\/p>\n

    Deleted Scenes (5:55; SD)<\/strong><\/span> \u2013 \u2018Thing Own Self,\u2019 \u2018Masks\u2019 and \u2018Genesis\u2019<\/p>\n

    Disc Five:
    \nClosed Set: A Tour of the Real Enterprise (11:23; SD)<\/span><\/strong> is a cool featurette on the set of the \u201cThe Next Generation\u201d with a camcorder video shot by Mike Okuda in what was a rare glimpse.<\/p>\n

    Inside Starfleet Archives: Dressing the Future (10:27; SD)<\/strong><\/span> looked at the costume designs.<\/p>\n

    Deleted Scenes (12:36; SD)<\/strong><\/span> \u2013 \u2018Journey\u2019s End,\u2019 \u2018First Born,\u2019 \u2018Bloodlines\u2019 and \u2018Preemptive Stike\u2019<\/p>\n

    Disc Six:
    \nThe Sky\u2019s the Limit: The Eclipse of \u201cStar Trek: The Next Generation\u201d (1:28:40; HD)<\/span><\/strong> is a three part retrospective covering the legacy of the series and features new cast and crew interviews. As with the previous season sets, this one is absolutely enthralling giving some good background on the series.<\/p>\n

    Journey\u2019s End: The Saga of \u201cStar Trek: The Next Generation\u201d (45:23; SD)<\/strong><\/span> is an older, and cheesy, featurette that goes into the history of the series over the course of its seven seasons.<\/p>\n

    The Making of \u2018All Good Things…\u2019 (17:44; SD)<\/strong><\/span> is an older featurette on the series finale from the writing, direction and acting.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    VIDEO \u2013 4.75\/5<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    \u201cStar Trek: The Next Generation\u201d: Season Seven<\/strong> once again shows the incredible restoration work done. Presented with a 1.33 full frame aspect ratio, the picture has solid detail levels, colors are bright and when compared with any airing on BBC or online, it\u2019s like night and day. The HD transfer done by CBS is outstanding and never looked better especially when you look at the uniforms, LED lights and overall environments. Black levels are also impressive showing a nice starkness and no obvious signs of artifacting or pixilation.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    AUDIO \u2013 4.75\/5<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Each episode is accompanied with a depth-filled 7.1 channel DTS-HD Master Audio track particularly showcasing the show\u2019s soundtrack\/score including the iconic theme while dialogue sounds nice and clear and the rear channels get good usage for ambient noises including the humming of the Enterprise\u2019s engines and even the odd audio from otherworldly planets.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    OVERALL \u2013 4.5\/5<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Overall, while this season, and the series as a whole, had a few clunkers, the vast majority of \u201cStar Trek: The Next Generation\u201d<\/strong> was a fun ride culminating with a satisfying quasi-series finale (Star Trek: Generations<\/em> would be released 6 months later) thanks to a stellar cast who had wonderful chemistry with one another. The Blu-ray released by Paramount once again has incredible video\/audio transfers and a plethora of bonus material, though the limited number of commentaries was disappointing.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    The Movieman
    \n<\/em>Published: <\/strong>12\/13\/2014<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    While this season, and the series as a whole, had a few clunkers, the vast majority of \u201cStar Trek: The Next Generation\u201d was a fun ride culminating with a satisfying quasi-series finale (Star Trek: Generations would be released 6 months later) thanks to a stellar cast who had wonderful chemistry with one another.    <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[801,2203,2181,2177,2178,2180,2179,1769,2046],"class_list":["post-8584","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blurayreviews","tag-brent-spiner","tag-gates-mcfadden","tag-gene-roddenberry","tag-jonathan-frakes","tag-levar-burton","tag-marina-sirtis","tag-michael-dorn","tag-patrick-stewart","tag-star-trek"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8584","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8584"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8584\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27009,"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8584\/revisions\/27009"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8584"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8584"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8584"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}