Enterprise, meet the Borg by Gord Lacey (All reviews)
5/12/2002
Gee, it seems like a month ago I was reviewing the first season. Wait a second...it was a month ago! Keeping up with their aggressive release schedule, the second season for "Star Trek: The Next Generation" has been released 6 weeks after the first season set. What a wonderful treat to all those Trek fans that endured the release of the original series over 28 months.
This second season set is almost identical to the first season set, although it only contains 6 discs (22) episodes due to the Writer's Guild strike that year.
The show underwent a few changes in it's second season. Dr. Crusher is replaced by Dr. Pulaski (Diana Muldaur), Riker has grown a beard, Worf is the head of Security, Geordi is the Engineering Chief and Whoopi Goldberg joins the cast as Guinan. We're also introduced to....The Borg.
The Packaging
As expected for a 6 disc set, the package is very large. There's a custom case that opens to hold a 7 panel fold out containing the discs and a booklet with character information and a list of episodes in alphabetical order, the disc they appear on and the original airdate. Each disc lists the episodes and the production number.
Menus
The menus are setup to look like the computer screens found on the Enterprise and even feature little blips from the computer. Very nice.
Video
Like most TV shows, "Star Trek: TNG" was broadcast in full frame (1.33) and is presented that way on these discs. Shot on film, the print displays some dust and grain. A few of the scenes are fuzzy, some of the space scenes display shimmering and this second season still suffers from contrast problems found in the first, although not quite as often. Effects shots are fuzzy due to the effects work being done to tape masters and not back to film. The video is slightly better than the first season.
Only "Manhunt" has an incorrect chapter this time around. Hopefully season three will be 100% correct. It seems like a silly thing to bring up, but it's also silly that it wasn't set properly.
Audio
We get a very nice Dolby Digital 5.1 track on this release, along with a Stereo track. I listened to the 5.1 track for this review, and overall I was happy with it. It's really cool to hear the ship zipping by you in the opening credits. The rears are mostly used for music, the ship zipping by and the ambient hum in some scenes. Overall it's a very nice mix. English subtitles are also included.
All the extras in the set include English subtitles. Interview dates are also included in all the featurettes.
Mission Overview (14:41)
Cast and crew talk about the second season of the show, focusing on: Diana Muldaur, Whoopi Goldberg, Ten Forward and Gene Roddenberry.
Selected Crew Analysis (13:45)
Cast members reflect on the changes their characters go through in the second season.
Starfleet Archives (17:32)
Penny Juday has the job millions would love; she's in charge of the props for the Star Trek franchise. Penny gives us a tour of the giant warehouses that hold everything from the massive Enterprise models to phaser rifles and Klingon disruptors. As she puts it, "I have a hobby for a job." I thought this was the best featurette included in the set.
Departmental Briefing (17:30)
We hear from various members of the Star Trek crew covering production, writing costumes and music.
Memorable Missions (16:32)
Cast and crew share their memories of: "Loud as a Whisper", "The Icarus Factor", "Up The Long Ladder", "The Dauphin", "Elementary, Dear Data", "Manhunt" and "The Measure of a Man".
Summary
I really enjoyed going through the 16 hours of material in this set. Look for these actors guest staring in the second season episodes: Billy Campbell (The Rocketeer, Once and Again), Teri Hatcher (Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman), Kieran Mulroney (From the Earth to the Moon), Joe Piscopo (Saturday Night Live, Wise Guys), William Morgan Sheppard (Max Headroom), Barbara Alyn Woods (Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show), Brian Thompson (Kindred: The Embraced, X-Files), Mädchen Amick (Twin Peaks), Dana Sparks (J.A.G), Sam Anderson (Perfect Strangers, Angel), John Tesh (Entertainment Tonight), Nikki Cox (Nikki), Daniel Benzali (The Agency, Murder One, A View To A Kill), Mick Fleetwood (Fleetwood Mac), Diedrich Bader (The Drew Carey Show), Anne Ramsay (Mad About You) and Glenn Morshower (C.S.I.).
