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Created by Gene Roddenberry
Star Trek Season Three 1968 - 69'
Star Trek is a science
fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry that aired from September
8, 1966 through September 2, 1969. Though the title of the original program was
simply Star Trek, it has acquired the retronym Star Trek: The Original
Series (sometimes shortened to ST:TOS or TOS), in order to
distinguish the series from the sequels which followed (all of which comprise
the Star Trek universe or franchise). Set in the 23rd century, Star Trek
follows the adventures of the starship Enterprise and its crew, led by Captain
James T. Kirk (William Shatner), his First Officer Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy),
and his Chief Medical Officer Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley). William Shatner's
voice-over introduction during each episode's opening credits stated the
starship's purpose: "Space... the Final Frontier. These are the voyages of
the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds,
to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone
before." When Star Trek debuted on NBC in 1966, it was not an immediate hit; ratings were low and advertising revenue was lackluster. Even prior to the end of the first season of Star Trek, there were already calls in the network for the cancellation of the series due to its low Nielsen ratings. Bay area Creature Feature host John Stanley in his memoir I Was a TV Horror Host relates how Desilu head Lucille Ball at that time "single-handedly kept Star Trek from being dumped from the NBC-TV lineup." During the show's second season, the threat of cancellation loomed. The show's devoted fanbase conducted an unprecedented letter-writing campaign, petitioning NBC to keep the show on the air. Its fans succeeded in gaining a third season; however, NBC subsequently moved the show to the Friday Night Death Slot at 10 PM. Roddenberry resigned as line producer of Star Trek before the start of the final season to protest the changed timeslot, and was replaced by Fred Freiberger. NBC then substantially reduced Star Trek's budget which brought about a marked decline in the quality of many third season episodes. |
Promo
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Theatrical Release: Season 2, Episode 1: Amok Time - Original Air Date: September 15th, 1967
Comparison:
CBS Paramount - Region 1- NTSC vs. CBS Paramount (Remastered) - Region 1 - NTSC
(CBS Paramount - Region 1- NTSC LEFT vs. CBS Paramount (Remastered) - Region 1 - NTSC RIGHT)
DVD Box Cover |
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Star Trek: The Original Series: The Complete Series [Blu-ray] |
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Distribution |
CBS Paramount Region 1 - NTSC |
CBS Paramount (Remastered) Region 1 - NTSC |
Runtime | 50.26 X 24 - total 21 hours | 50.26 X 24 - total 21 hours |
Video |
1.33:1
Original Aspect Ratio |
1.33:1
Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.3 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate: Original |
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Bitrate: CBS Paramount (Remastered) |
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Audio | English - Dolby Digital 5.1 (remix) | English - Dolby Digital 5.1 (remix), DUBs: Spanish or French mono |
Subtitles | English, none | French, Spanish, , none |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: CBS Paramount Aspect Ratio: Edition Details:
• 6
retrospective featurettes Chapters 8 per episode |
Release Information: Studio: CBS Paramount (Remastered)
Aspect Ratio: Edition Details: • Billy Blackburn’s Treasure Chest: Rare Home Movies and Special Memories Part 3 (9 minutes)
• To
Boldly Go… Season Three (22 minutes) Custom case |
Comments |
As with the remastered Season two (compared
HERE) there are
far too many differences between the original Paramount package of Star
Trek - The Original Season Three and the new remastered one.
This
comparison will help give a general idea.
Hopefully the below captures will give you an idea as to some of the differences. It is essentially the episode openings (and titles) and space and planet orbiting scenes although there has been a general enhancement from those originally offered as two episodes on single-layered DVD. Purists may consider it blasphemy while others judge them as excellent upgrades. I was intrigued simply as one who enjoyed the original series and any minor (or major) visual alternations became a highly amusing curiosity. The new transfers have less noise and are generally more vibrant - sometimes the colors appearing less realistic and they are a shade darker. Certainly the older issues were fairly dull in comparison. I wouldn't say detail is extravagantly improved (in some instances actually lessened - see Spectre of the Gun capture below) but the original had substantial hairs, dirt, speckles and other worn markers that are obviously removed in this new remastered package. Audio-wise the older release actually had a 5.1 remix but the remastered is quite a bit more satisfying being that much cleaner and crisper - plus an occasional new effect (if my memory serves correctly). Unfortunately where the older offered optional English subtitles - the newer has only options for French or Spanish. Extras easily go to the newer release with some of the featurettes duplicated from the 2004 package. What many fans were keen on was the 'Extended version' of The Cage found on the bonus disc (#7.) Unfortunately it is interlaced transferred with visible combing (see below.) All other episodes are progressive - quite a screw-up. The extended version has about 7.5 minutes more including flashbacks to black and white scenes during the episode and a Roddenberry comment at the end.
I enjoyed a few of these Season three episodes - Spock's Brain, Spectre of the Gun, Day of the Dove, The Tholian Web, Whom Gods Destroy, The Way to Eden, The Cloud Minders and The Savage Curtain. I again admit to a fairly high level of anticipation to watching them again in their 'remastered' state with the 'new and improved' visual effects. It was kind of like viewing them for the first time. bastardized? Maybe - but this reviewer enjoyed rehashing the adventures with Roddenberry's wonderfully positive concept of the future leading the premise of each episode. Negatives? I hate the packaging (same as previous with no labels on the discs,) lack of English subtitles (how hard could this have been?) and the mess-up with The Cage extended transfer is a real sign of sloppiness. I still hope these make it to Blu-ray one day with clearly labeled discs holding an entire season's worth of episodes. Gary Tooze |
Remastered set: Disc 1: Season 3,
Episode 1: Spock's Brain, Original Air Date—20
September 1968 Disc 7: The Cage (1:03:26) The Cage Extended version (1:10:54) |
Sample DVD Menus
(CBS Paramount - Region 1- NTSC LEFT vs. CBS Paramount (Remastered) - Region 1 - NTSC RIGHT)
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S
ubtitle Sample (Remastered - RIGHT - has only French or Spanish sub options)
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Screen Captures
(CBS Paramount - Region 1- NTSC TOP vs. CBS Paramount (Remastered) - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)
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(CBS Paramount - Region 1- NTSC TOP vs. CBS Paramount (Remastered) - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)
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(CBS Paramount - Region 1- NTSC TOP vs. CBS Paramount (Remastered) - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)
The Tholian Web
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(CBS Paramount - Region 1- NTSC TOP vs. CBS Paramount (Remastered) - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)
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(CBS Paramount - Region 1- NTSC TOP vs. CBS Paramount (Remastered) - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)
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(CBS Paramount - Region 1- NTSC TOP vs. CBS Paramount (Remastered) - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)
The Empath
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(CBS Paramount - Region 1- NTSC TOP vs. CBS Paramount (Remastered) - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)
Spectre of the Gun
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(CBS Paramount - Region 1- NTSC TOP vs. CBS Paramount (Remastered) - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)
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(CBS Paramount (Remastered) 'The Cage' - Region 1- NTSC TOP vs. CBS Paramount (Remastered) -
'The Cage - extended version) Region 1 - NTSC
BOTTOM)
NOTE
The
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