Star Trek: The Original Series - Season 3 [DVD]

Excellent remastering of the original STAR TREK SEASON 3 source material. The new CGI Enterprise, planets and stars are seamlessly integrated and the 35mm episodes are given a vivid makeover. It all looks and sounds fantastic and there's no doubt that the visual impact on display here would have been just what the creators had in mind over forty years ago (despite lacking the technology and the budget to make it a reality at the time). Has it been worth the wait, then?

Absolutely...and yet, in the cutting-edge 21st century, there's still a tiny part of me that can't quite let go of the old 15ft long starship model (complete with rubbish matte lines) in orbit above the same old alien world - Alpha 177 - every other week. Nostalgia can be a double-edged sword.

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BEST USE OF CGI DEMONSTRATING
What The Format Stands For: Episode 9 THE THOLIAN WEB

LEAST WELL EXTRAPOLATED
Sounds Of The Future: Episode 20 THE WAY TO EDEN

MOST ALARMING ARGUMENT FOR
The Torture Of Innocents: Episode 12 THE EMPATH

OUCH! WORST CASE EVER OF
Stereotype Reinforcement: Episode 1 SPOCK'S BRAIN

FLIMSIEST-LOOKING SOLUTION TO END A WAR BETWEEN
The Ground And Sky Dwellers Of A Mineral Rich Planet: Episode 21 THE CLOUD MINDERS

LEAST FORGIVING CLOSE-UPS OF A NASTY COLDSORE ON
The Lower Lip Of A Female Guest Artist: Episode 18 THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR

COOLEST EXAMPLE OF SHATNER/KIRK FISTICUFFS DURING
An Alien-Enforced Shootout At The OK Corral: Episode 6 SPECTRE OF THE GUN

MOST UNINTENTIONAL LAUGHS ARISING FROM
The Cliched Depiction Of Mental Instability: Episode 14 WHOM GODS DESTROY

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Despite being hampered by budget cuts - resulting in a bit less action and a bit more standing around explaining things - Season Three is STILL nowhere near as bad as you may have been led to believe. Great fun throughout, in fact. The original STAR TREK remains the best sci-fi series of them all.

VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

I think it's fair to say Star Trek's third season was not its finest, because as many Star Trek fans are well aware there were a number of factors that were conspiring against it - namely budget cuts and a new timeslot resulting in the potential loss of Star Trek's core audience, which also resulted in Gene Roddenberry standing down as producer after he had offered to steer the show to greater things. What he could have achieved had he decided to take a more hands on approach we'll never know, but what we have in this, Star Trek's final season, is a very uneven bunch of episodes - some of which do compare favourably with those from Star Trek first season (which was arguably their finest), and others which are pretty much lacking, whether that's to do with the basic viability of the stories or lack of consistency within the existing premise of the show's main characters. There's also pretty much a cold detachment between the characters in this season which is especially noticeable after watching the warmth and humour which had really began to develop during season two. However, and despite those drawbacks, there are also a few positives to be taken from the many subtle changes within the show's format. There are few, if any parallel earth stories, and little evidence of the computer inspired stories with which Kirk inevitably ends up talking to death - both of which had been done to death during the previous seasons. In fact in many cases the aliens tend to look more alien - especially in 'Is There In Truth, No Beauty?'. The social (moral) themes from the earlier seasons also largely remains intact.

Generally, a mixed bag of stories, and although arguably few of the episodes ever quite attain the greatness of earlier times, more often than not the shows do maintain a high level of enjoyment. 'The Enterprise Incident', 'The Tholian Web', 'Day Of The Dove' and a number of others are truly fine episodes - although Star Trek does plumb new depths with the notorious 'Spock's Brain', The Way To Eden' and 'Whom Gods Destroy'.

This newly remastered DVD version compliments the show's original intentions perfectly, especially with regards to the new special effects - and in particular those of the Enterprise travelling through space. The new enhancements have been handled with real respect and with a sense of dignity in not spoiling Gene Roddenberry's original vision - and for that i'm extremely grateful !

Admittedly not Star Trek's finest hour, yet neither is it lacking in vitality, however misquided some of the plots may be, which is something i could seriously charge some of the later reincarnations of being quilty of. Star Trek still pretty much wore its heart on its sleeve.

having been a fan since the late 60s, i feel able to speak with some persepctive regarding the remastered and CGI editions of the episodes contained on this new release.

The episodes when shown in the 60s and even into the early 80s where very acceptable in their special FX, however since the advent of CGI, we have become accustomed to top quality SFX, and the addition of such to the 1960s episodes of ST have not diminished the experience one bit... i would say it has brought ST into the 21st century. I am aware this grates with the purists who believe the episodes ought to remain untouched.

The episodes are packaged in a metal tin, with "fat" amaray style clear case.

Extras are plentiful and interesting to watch.

All in all a very worth while purchase. Series 1 and 2 are of course better for being under Gene Roddenberry's control, and these episodes are drifting away from his original "feel", but they are not as bad as you may remember them.