UFO - Volumes 5-8 Collector's Edition [DVD] [1970]

I have the first half of the series in a US edition, and the second half (vol 5 to 8) in the UK edition. Bad idea, stick with either edition, as the US edition had to shuffle some episodes around, and I now have a mismatched set, with "The Responsibility Seat" missing. I have decided to get the UK edition for the first half to complete the UK set. The UK edition's sound would seem not as clear and worked over as the US editions and the menu takes an extra button to push for each episode, but there are more extras about collectibles and other background tidbids, and I prefer the box. I am used to having many books around, so the "cheesy" cardboard case is fine with me. The extra pictures, and post cards in a pocket are worth a gentle treatment, vs the "childproof" ugly American milk tint plastic box any day!
Looking back my first experience with the series was of course watching it as a kid. Back then the hardware was the thing to see for me, who cared about the story. UFO's wings and wheels were available in toystores and I drooled over them and over the space dreams UFO inspired. As an adult man of course I am more than ever impressed with the special effects, since the results of modern bilion dollar computer effects don't seem to do today's outlandish budgets any justice - a credit to the Anderson's quality of work. It is also refreshing to see some old fashioned sexism at work - no excuses, I love the miniskirts and tights, and people that were acting out their genders, sexualities, sensualities, and all the conflicts that come along with it. UFO was actually ahead of its time in addressing all of these these issues on a critical level in a few episodes and I dare say some of the comments stand to this day. Over the course of the series some of the characters develop more flavor and with some of the backgrounds revealed, some of their behaviors become much clearer to understand, but UFO never slides into SOAP territory like later entirely too many new Star Trek episodes did. All this without taking over the plot, now try to get that from any modern production in any medium. The theme stays on focus, which would appear to be humans vs. progress and dehumanization. I know, it's supposedly alien abduction that is being fought by the SHADO people, but look at it for real, and there is constant pondering of technological progress issues and the price we pay. While roughed by some for being too serious, I especially like that the series is not another want-to-be comedy, but instead a hard hitting and appropriately serious action adventure series, that nevertheless blends in the right amount of fun, humor, and irony, to create and develop the human elements of its characters. Life is no party, and neither is UFO, but its professional environment is one I would prefer any day over the one I have in my office at my American phone company.
Finally - all the serious analysis aside - just watch the bloody thing and have some damned cheering fun in you armchair while you turn into your favorite character or buddy up to the one that runs the show (Ed Bishop Cdr Straker) gives em a good bashing (Michael Billington as Col Foster) drives the guys nuts with brains and bodies (maybe Gabrielle Drake as Lt. Ellis, or Dolores Mantez as LT. Nina Barry) runs the aliens through a smart computer treatment (I especially like the slightly spooky Dr Jackson played by Vladek Sheybal) oh heck, I like all of them...

First the positive about this set: For a show that was produced 30 years ago the picture is, due to being digitally remastered, absolutely brilliant ! The sound is good and the menues were designed apparently by an UFO fan, they are great (this is the point where the US version is lacking) ! But why i had to give just 4 out of 5 stars are the extras. How disappointing, only 1 audio commentary, the US set has 3 (!!!) for this second box set alone. Why is there just the Ed Bishop commentary and not the ones from Mike Billington and Sylvia Anderson ? For anyone who has a codefree player my recommendation is to get the US Megaset with all 8 DVD's. It not only has more bonus material but is also in comparison way cheaper than the 2 UK boxes. And it is the same in picture and sound quality (but without the lovingly designed menues).

Some of the extras on this video are quite amazing. Where else can you find out about some of the commercial flops produced by Harlington-Straker Film Studios?...

"..in his cover as managing director of the Harlington-Straker organisation, Straker divides his time between his Shado duties and those as chief executive of one of the UK's major motion picture studios, albeit one with a string of disastrously expensive flops to its name: 'The Rebels of Santa Dominico' (1978), the musical 'Tutankhamun'(1979), 'Lock Up My Wife' (1979), 'Erebus Awakes' (1980), 'The Road to Nuremburg' (1980)and the 1982 remake of 'Citizen Kane'...."

(DVD disk 2 Extras - Straker Bio)

This is a DREAM collection, marred only, as mentioned elsewhere here, by the bizarre design of the packaging - not the graphic design, which is nice, but the fact that it seems PURPOSELY designed to fall to pieces as soon as you take it out of the box.

When first opening either of the two huge collections, Disk 1 of either pack will fall out, so be careful. Just snap it in place like the manufacturers should have when packing it, and it won't fall out again. Then marvel at why the gorgeous quadruple gatefold DVD holders are contained in a box with no bottom. Designed by aliens.

But these are petty quibbles - Carlton has atoned for many sins with this high-effort collection, and -again, as mentioned elsewhere here- the quality is absolutely astounding. Perhaps many TV series of the era wouldn't fare so well under the astonishing detail rendered in these DVDs, but the sky-high production values of UFO can stand it.

If you're just curious, buy one disk and see how you go. But if, like me, you were tortured for years by confused TV schedulers putting UFO on at 11.00pm (1970s), 6.00pm (Bravo, early 90s), and 2pm Saturday (BBC2 late '90s), and NEVER showing all the episodes or getting them in the right order (I've seen three episodes in this collection that I can never remember having seen), then this DVD collection is your answer - don't wait until it's discontinued and you're consigned to the online auctions. This is a must have.