I think after VOY and TOS, they should release all the animated series on DVD.

------

[ Reply | Quote | Parent ]

Personally I have no desire to purchase any of the Voyager DVD sets. That entire series was a disappointment. After I complete my DS9 set I'll wait for the original series. The jury is still out on whether or not I'll get the Enterprise set if/when its released. I'd be happier if Paramount would turn control of the Trek franchise over to someone like Ron Moore or Ira Steven Behr so that it can return to its days of glory starting with better writing and continuity with the Trek franchise as a whole.

------

[ Reply | Quote | Parent ]

I like the ideas that've popped up so far. Here's my take on the bonus features:

SEASON 1 -- 8 Discs, including:
* "The Cage" unaired pilot
* All 29 Season One episodes with "Sci-Fi Channel Special Edition" Branching Feature
* Audio commentary on select episodes by cast and crew
* Text commentary by Michael and Denise Okuda for all episodes
* "Space... the Final Frontier" -- a 30-minute featurette about the planning of Star Trek up to "The Cage" and reaction to it.
* "... To Boldly Go" -- a 30-minute featurette about the launch of "Star Trek" on TV and its first season.
* "Get a Life" -- a 30-minute featurette on the influence of "Star Trek" on pop culture, including spoofs and parodies on such shows as "The Simpsons", "Saturday Night Live" and (of course) "Futurama".
* Three 15-minute Crew Dossiers: Captain James T. Kirk, Lt. Cmdr. Montgomery Scott, and Yeoman Janice Rand
* Deleted footage and bloopers
* "Episode Log" Archives -- Teasers for the season's episodes.

SEASON 2 -- 7 Discs, including:
* All 25 Season One episodes with "Sci-Fi Channel Special Edition" Branching Feature
* Audio commentary on select episodes by cast and crew
* Text commentary by Michael and Denise Okuda for all episodes
* "The Continuing Voyages..." -- a 30-minute featurette about sophomore season of "Star Trek".
* "Vulcan's Heart" -- a 20-minute featurette on the establishment of the Vulcans, with a focus on "Amok Time" and "Journey to Babel"
* "SOS: Save Our Star Trek" -- a 20-minute featurette on the letter writing campaign to save "Star Trek" from cancellation.
* 3 20-minute Crew Dossiers: Mr. Spock, Ensign Pavel Chekov, Nurse Christine Chapel
* Deleted footage and bloopers
* "Episode Log" Archives -- Teasers for the season's episodes.

SEASON 3 -- 7 Discs, including:
* All 23 Season One episodes with "Sci-Fi Channel Special Edition" Branching Feature
* Audio commentary on select episodes by cast and crew
* Text commentary by Michael and Denise Okuda for all episodes
* "Boldly Going... Going... Gone" -- a 30-minute featurette about final season of "Star Trek".
* "The Human Adventure Is Beginning" -- a 40-minute featurette on the journey from the end of the TV series to the beginning of the motion picture franchise, including test footage from "Star Trek Phase II".
* "Life After Trek" -- a 20-minute featurette on career paths of the cast after the series, including William Shatner's musical endeavours and Leonard Nimoy's directorial efforts.
* 3 20-minute Crew Dossiers: Dr. McCoy, Lt. Sulu, Lt. Uhura
* Deleted footage and bloopers
* "Episode Log" Archives -- Teasers for the season's episodes.

To make these the best possible releases ever, I think that the commentaries should be GROUP SCREENINGS, not this recording them seperately crap. Want to hear a good, fun, interesting commentary? Listen to the "American Pie" commentaries... the commentaries on the Kevin Smith films or from FOX's "Family Guy". Commentary tracks are better when done as a group all at once, not just recycling interview clips as the James Bond and Star Trek 1-3 commentaries have.

The on-screen trivia, including trivia and noting which scenes were cut for syndication.

The "Sci-Fi Channel Special Edition Branching Feature" I mentioned is just a little Starfleet insignia pops up on-screen when there's a "Sci-Fi Channel" snippet to play.

The "Episode Log" archives are just listings of the episodes that you can go through and watch the trailer for the episode.

The Crew Dossiers are just like the ones on the DS9 sets, with new interviews and footage from behind-the-scenes and episode clips.

Each episode would have a "Special Features" menu that would allow you to individually the episode previews and the Sci-Fi channel clips, as well as a complete cast list, including the scores of uncredited actors and actresses who appeared on the series.

Also, I'm in favor of restoring the complete cut of "The Cage" to it's original black and white workprint for the Season 1 set and maybe throwing in the colorized 1988 "syndicated" version on the Season 3 set.

I cannot stress enough that the packaging for the DS9 sets be used for this set (and Voyager). They're so much better than the multi-fold sets like for XFiles and Buffy (and TNG once you open the book-like thing).

Ok, gang... let me hear what you think of all this.

------

[ Reply | Quote | Parent ]

I purchased the 40 volume set and I don't consider myself a "poor bastard". Why? Cause for the first time in my life I had the entire series as it was originally aired in the 60s. WE don't go around calling those folks who bought the whole series for $12.99 EACH EPISODE poor bastards or say Paramount's scamming us for releasing teh show on VHS like that, only to turn around and release it on DVD. Face it, kids... it's the world we live in, where technology evolves at a rapid rate. No one was FORCED to purchase the "bare bones" DVDs. I have them and I'll probably begin selling them off when the new boxed sets come out. But you know what? That won't be till 2006... I have the eps now. I've had them for 2 years now. I figure having them for 8 years is well worth the investment.

------

[ Reply | Quote | Parent ]

I feel really sorry for all those fans who bought 40 DVDs thinking Paramount wasn't going to release boxed sets (since they said they wouldn't). That's about $800. I'd be insanely pissed off.

I'm glad I got a little snooty about Paramount's DVDs. Because they didn't have anything special on them, I never bought any of the "bare bones" movies or TOS discs. I figured Paramount would shaft us and release special editions later on. Looks like I was right.



------

[ Reply | Quote | Parent ]

I guess people will be happy about TOS box sets.

Although, if they are going to package them with documentaries, interviews, or other special features that involve the cast, they need to produce them now. DeForest Kelley is already gone, and, unfortunately, more may be gone by 2006. It would be a real loss if we missed out on any one cast member's perspective. For that matter, the original set crew and production staff might not be around by 2006. Think Matt Jeffries. I would have loved to see him discuss his thinking in designing ships and sets.

Finally. We'll have Voyager on DVD. I might actually buy one of those sets, especially if the later seasons are released in the high-definition, widescreen format that they were rumored to be filmed in.

------

[ Reply | Quote | Parent ]