DVD Review: ‘The Best of Star Trek’ Continues Hit Movie Experience

CHICAGO – So you saw J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek” this weekend and you’re getting a little tired of arguing about it its greatness or joining in on the growing backlash to the rave reviews and just want to bask in the glow of Gene Roddenberry’s universe. Get started with “The Best of Star Trek: The Original Series” and “The Best of Star Trek: The Next Generation,” available tomorrow, May 12th, 2009 on DVD.

DVD Rating: 4.0/5.0

Of course, this diehard Trekker would suggest that you check out the “Star Trek: The Original Series” Season One Blu-Ray release that was sadly unavailable for review or the remastered original series DVD sets that are among the best in TV history, but those are for people who already know that they love “Star Trek”.

The Best of Star Trek: The Original Series will be released on DVD on May 12th, 2009.
Photo credit: Paramount

Consider these four-episode releases “sampler sets” for the two most popular “Star Trek” series, the two that spawned ten films and, by extension, the new blockbuster starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Karl Urban, Bruce Greenwood and Eric Bana.

The Best of Star Trek: The Original Series will be released on DVD on May 12th, 2009. Photo credit: Paramount

As anyone who’s seen it knows, the new film contains a multitude of references to the original series, many of which can be immediately paid off by watching the 201 minutes of “Kirk and Spock’s Greatest Adventures”. In other words, the old show will make your new favorite movie better.

The four episodes included on “The Best of Star Trek: The Original Series” are:

“The City on The Edge of Forever”

Kirk, Spock, and Dr. McCoy enter the “Guardian of Forever” archway and are transported to the 1930s, where Kirk falls in love with a doomed peace activist (Joan Collins). If Kirk saves her, he could alter history, doom the Enterprise and trap himself and his crewmates in the past forever.

“The Trouble With Tribbles”

Fights and furballs! The Enterprise finds itself docked at the same space station as the Klingons and tensions soon escalate into a full-scale barroom brawl. Meanwhile, Lt. Uhura buys a small furry pet called a “Tribble’ and brings it back to the Enterprise, where the creatures rapidly reproduce and threaten to overpopulate the entire Enterprise.

“Balance of Terror”

For the first time, the Enterprise crew battle their enemies the Romulans, who have a cloaking device that renders their ship temporarily invisible. Complicating matters, the Romulans closely resemble Vulcans, causing crew members to distrust Mr. Spock. Kirk must fight two battles - one to save his ship and the other to keep his crew united against the enemy outside the Enterprise.

“Amok Time”

A glimpse into Vulcan culture and the series’ most memorable battle. Mr. Spock must mate or die. To save his friend, Kirk orders the Enterprise to the planet Vulcan. However, in a cruel twist of fate, Spock’s bride chooses Kirk as her champion, pitting the Captain against Spock in a fight to the death.

The Best of Star Trek: The Next Generation will be released on DVD on May 12th, 2009. Photo credit: Paramount

Want more “Trek” but you still don’t have the cash flow to dive into the season sets? You could do a lot worse than the four episodes included on “The Best of Star Trek: The Next Generation”:

“The Best of Both Worlds (Part I)”

After a spectacular battle and chase, the Borg cube overtakes the Enterprise and the Borg abduct Captain Picard, taking over his mind and body. A rescue mission to save Picard ensues and the crew of the Enterprise is forced to make a dreadful decision; the opportunity to destroy the Borg and rid the universe of absolute tyranny will also mean annihilating their Captain.

“The Best of Both Worlds (Part II)”

With Riker as Captain, the Enterprise temporarily outwits the Borg, allowing for the rescue of Picard. Back on the Enterprise, the crew is desperately trying to figure out how to stop the Borg from reaching Earth. A still-assimilated Picard utters a single clue: “sleep.” But will it be enough to save the Enterprise…and the planet?

“Yesterday’s Enterprise”

A rift in the space-time continuum brings the Enterprise-C 22 years into the future, where it encounters a transformed Enterprise-D, now at war with the Klingon Empire. As one of only two episodes to feature two versions of the Enterprise, the past and present collide with potentially catastrophic and mind-bending consequences.

“The Measure of a Man”

When the Enterprise docks at a new Starbase, noted robotics specialist Cmdr. Bruce Maddox convinces Starfleet to allow him to disassemble the android Data. Told that Data is merely Starfleet property, Picard calls for a hearing to determine Data’s rights as a sentient being. With Riker as a prosecutor and Picard as Data’s defender, the outcome is literally life or death for Data.

Every episode on both discs is presented in 4:3 full frame and with an English 5.1 audio track.

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com