When i first heard that they were going to add new CGI amd remaster these shows (yet again) i was cynical about it all.

I was wrong.

This dvd set is great, the new cgi is tastefully and seamlessly done. It segs in nicely with the old footage. I have a lot of these episodes on previous incarnations, but to be honest if i want to watch any episodes i dip into these newly mastered discs instead. The box and packaging are better than the HD version it looks more professional and fits in better with my other dvd collection.

In comparison the new CGI fits in beautifully and there is no self conscious extra footage so the pace of the episodes is not interrupted. The remastered normal footage looks cleaner and less grainy with more detail, scratches have been removed and there is a better contrasting color balance, the sound is slightly improved over older versions. The opening sequence has been re recorded and Shatner's opening line remastered. The remastered segments are mainly matte backdrop effects ie cities, planets and shots of ships, the rest is intact, so all the rubber monsters and often shaky sets are retained whether good or bad.

The remastering is a big improvement over the previous one and the new CGI pays great homage to the original team that designed and made the show. Forget the negative nay sayers, this is how the show should have been remastered in the first place. The standard definition version looks good, but it is well worth forking out the extra money if you want blu ray definition. The old cgi footage is there if you really want to watch it. The episodes which gain most from the new cgi are "Doomsday machine" "Ultimate Computer" and "Amok Time"

The 4 stars is just for the content. The 2nd series was good but a small proportion of the series wasn't up to the standard of series 1.

The show has never looked better. Recommended.