Fans of Star Trek are well known. They are devoted to the
ideas professed by creator Gene Rodenberry that began with the original series
and then carried over into every other incarnation. It was the idea that man
would find peace with his fellow man, that people would accept one another for
who they were, how they looked and that the boundaries of borders would no
longer matter. It was a story of hope; hope that mankind would seek to find new
worlds and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before.
The original series was short lived but the fans were not.
So much so that they original cast came back to star in multiple films that
gathered big box office. So much for what Nielsen ratings could tell. That
series has found its way to homes via DVD and later blu-ray. The blu-ray
editions are amazing featuring cleaned up prints with enhanced special effects.
Now the same thing will happen to the second series, STAR TREK: THE NEXT
GENERATION. But before they release that they wanted to give fans a taste of
what to expect thus this new release.
THE NEXT LEVEL offers three episodes of the series that went
on to last longer than the original. They've chosen three episodes that are
considered to be among the best with the hopes that once they are viewed here,
people will be more than willing to collect the series itself when released.
Again we're presented with the cleanest possible prints available as well as
enhanced special effects. These are not replacing the original effects but
cleaning them up and making them the best technologically they can be.
The first episode here is "Encounter at Far
Point", the first episode of the new series that introduces the new cast
as well as a recurring character from the series, Q. Here Q questions the
ability of man to soar the heavens and to investigate space, to cross paths
with creatures and civilizations unknown to man. He places Captain Picard
(Patrick Stewart) on trial to defend mankind and to show that they are not the
primitive beings that he thinks they are. It is up to Picard to demonstrate
that we are not the savages Q believes us to be.
The second episode is "Sins of the Father" in
which Warf, the Klingon representative on the Enterprise discovers a brother he
never knew existed and must return to his home planet to defend the honor of
his father and family. Accused of being a traitor, a heinous crime in the honor
bound beings of Klingon, Warf must discover the truth behind the accusation and
who is actually responsible. But when he discovers this truth, will he be
strong enough to do the right thing?
The last episode included here is "The Inner
Light". This offered a very different role for Stewart as Picard. An
encounter with an alien satellite emitting a beam of sorts results in Picard
being hit with a ray that can't be disconnected. While others try to save him
on the ship in his mind he is taken elsewhere, to another planet and another
life where he slowly watches as that planet begins to fall apart. It doesn't
happen in days but in years and with each passing year we see him marry, have a
family and age. Is it really happening or is it something else?
STAR TREK in any incarnation was a science fiction series
beyond any made. Not only was the dream of a peaceful world sending out people
to explore the cosmos there but it offered so much more. It offered drama that
focused on family which the crew soon became. It showed us that there were
bigger things out there to worry about then our own petty squabbles. It showed
that while we could be a violent race we could also offer peace as well.
Fans of THE NEXT GENERATION will be glad to have this tidbit
to tide them over until the series comes out on blu-ray. For those unacquainted
with the series, it's a good way to see what it was all about. This is a worthy
addition for any blu-ray collection. The only bad thing about it is the wait
for the entire series to arrive.
Click here to order.
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