Customer Reviews

Star Trek The Next Generation - The Complete Seventh Season

5 star:		(47)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

In the 7th and final season, the crew runs into Hugh the Borg, Picard and DaiMon Bok meet again, we meet Data's mother, Worf's half human brother, Wesley is back, and Tash Yar returns in the final two-part episode.

All 26 episodes are contained on 7 disks.

1) Descent (part 2) - Taken prisoner by Lore and the Borg, the away team consisting of Picard, Troi and Geordi is trapped while the Enterprise is attacked by the Borg ship. Riker and Worf, discover that Hugh, a Borg, is in hiding on the planet.

2) Liaisons - Picard's shuttlecraft crash lands and when he leaves to look for medical aid for the pilot, he meets a woman named Anna, who has apparently been stranded alone on the planet for seven years. Anna won't let Picard leave and he finds out that no there is really alive.

3) Interface - A new interface is being tested by Geordi to control remote unmanned probes. Utilizing his visor implants, Geordi is able to see, hear, and experience whatever conditions the probe encounters.

4/5) Gambit (part 1/2) - Captain Picard is missing and Riker, Troi, Worf and Crusher are searching for him on Desica II. Riker goes to a planet in the Barada system where he finds out that Galen is Picard. Riker joins the Baran's. A Romulan mercenary Tallera reveals herself as an undercover Vulcan security agent, and she earns Picard's trust enough for him to reveal his own identity. Riker is left for dead on the Enterprise by Picard to resume command.

6) Phantasms - The Enterprise receives a new warp-core, which does not work. Data experiences his first set of nightmares that drives him to commit acts of violence.

7) Dark Page - Lwaxana visits the Enterprise along with a small delegation of Icarans, who communicate in telepathic imagery with no verbal elements whatsoever.

8) Attached - Captain Picard and Beverly Crusher Beam down to meet with Kes representatives and they are kidnapped by the Prit, who believe the Kes affiliation with the Federation to be a military pact.

9) Force of Nature - Investigating missing starships, the Enterprise finds that a brother and sister have been misleading and damaging all warp-capable vessels that enter the region of space near their home world. They claim that warp engines are disrupting their space and it's threatened to destroy everything.

10) Inheritance - Dr. Tainer and her husband have joined the Enterprise to help save a planet. She reveals herself to be the ex-wife of Dr. Soong and co-designer of Data and Lore.

11) Parallels - Returning victorious from a Klingon martial arts competition, Worf walks into a surprise birthday party, but notices that something is incorrect aboard the Enterprise.

12) The Pegasus - The Enterprise heads for an asteroid belt between Romulan and Federation space, with Admiral Pressman. It becomes clear that Pressman and Riker have some old business issues that need to be addressed.

13) Homeward - Dr. Nikolai Rozhenko, Worf's human foster brother, sends a distress call from his hidden observation post on Boral II. Worf beams down, disguised as a Boralan, and discover that Nikolai has also been masquerading as a native and providing them technology from his observation post.

14) Sub Rosa - The Enterprise visits Caldos, so Dr. Crusher may attend the funeral of her grandmother. Beverly learns that her grandmother, despite being over 100 years old, had a much young lover.

15) Lower Decks - A promotion is nearing for one of a group of four friends who are junior officers aboard the Enterprise. The Enterprise undertakes a top secret mission, the true purpose of which is unknown to the four friends - though each of them has a piece of the puzzle, and a part to play, in the "exercise".

16) Thine Own Self - Troi returns from her Star Fleet Academy class reunion to find Dr. Crusher in charge of the bridge, and she begins thinking about her own position in the ship's chain of command. Data is on a shuttle mission to retrieve radioactive material.

17) Masks - Studying an ancient comet at close range, the crew of the Enterprise becomes aware of strange objects appearing on board.

18) Eye of the Beholder - A young officer assigned to the Enterprise commits suicide by leaping into the ship's warp core.

19) Genesis - Testing Worf's new photon torpedo guidance system sends a hazardous torpedo off course into deep space, which Picard and Data set off to recover. When they return from their mission, they find that every inhabitant of the ship has somehow mutated into more primitive life form

20) Journey's End - Wesley Crusher, on a sabbatical from Starfleet Academy, has returned to the Enterprise.

21) Firstborn - Alexander nears the age where he must decide whether or not to become a warrior; Worf grows worried that the boy will choose to discard his Klingon heritage ways.

22) Bloodlines - Picard receives a threat from his old Ferengi adversary DaiMon Bok, who still blames Picard for the death of his son.

23) Emergence - Picard and Data are rehearsing a scene from "The Tempest" in the holodeck, when they are nearly run over by the Orient Express.

24) Preemptive Strike - A reception for recent Starfleet Advanced Tactical Training graduate Ro Laren is cut short when the Enterprise responds to a Cardassian ship's distress call. Ro has to face her loyalty to Star Fleet vs. her hatred for the Cardassian.

25/26) All Good Things (part 1&2) - In the past, the EXACT moment in which life is "started" a chemical event fails to happen. The human race does not come into existence.

The seventh season of TNG was a mixed bag; the show's budget had been reduced and many on the writing staff moved over to the new hot property DS9 (in fact The Storyteller episode of DS9 was originally written for TNG). Nevertheless, there were a number of stand out episodes during the seventh season.

I've seen many fans complain about Masks. It's an intriguing and well written episode that allows Brent Spiner shine. It's a little unclear at the resolution what the artifact was attempting to do by transforming the Enterprise into a dead civilization but it still manages to work despite it's shortcomings.

Although Genesis seems to rush to its conclusion (it could easily have been stretched to a two part episode), Gates McFadden's sharp direction creates an errie mood. It's one of the few episodes that recall Cat's Paw from the original series. It's definitely a Halloween type of episode and is filled with interesting make up designs. It's also Reg Barclay's swansong on the series. A pity he wasn't used more during TNG films (although his brief appearance in First Contact was welcome).

Gambit parts 1 & 2 don't quite live up to the potential of some of the previous two-parters. It's a fun but awkward mix of swashbuckling space opera and Trek themes.

All Good Things brings the series to an artful and powerful conclusion. Well written and directed, AGT is what the first TNG film should have been. Patrick Stewart gives a powerful performance as Picard from the time he took command of the Enterprise to his retirement tending grapes in the family vineyard. The effects work is top notch and we get one last glimpse of Q in TNG. The ending suggested that there was (however loose)a 7 year story arc all along. There is a very clever hint during season 6 in a scene between Picard and Q (True Q)as to how the series would be resolved the following year.

While not the best season (season 6 following by 4, 5 & 3 wins that title), season 7 demonstrated that despite fatigue there was still considerable life in TNG. Contrary to other reviews here, season 7 isn't the weakest season (that dubious honor still falls to season 1 closely followed by the improved season 2).

The picture quality is exceptional and the 5.1 remixed sound has details missing from the previous version on video. The extras are very good and show a huge improvement over the season 1 featurettes. The packaging like all the rest of the series is very good although, again, a brief synposis with credits of each episode for the booklet would have been nice.

With all the comments from the cast in the featurettes and the fact that they were together making Nemesis when this was put together, I'm surprised that Paramount doesn't have any episodes with cast/director/writer/producer commentaries. It would have been particularly useful for the final two part episode. Maybe Paramount will get this part right with the DS9 release on DVD.

Descent, Part II -- Picard, Troi and Geordi are held prisoner by Data, who has joined his evil brother Lore in assuming leadership of the Borg. (Stars Jonathan Del Arco who reprises his role as Hugh from Season Five's "I, Borg")

Liaisons -- While the crew plays host to a cultural exchange with some Iyaaran ambassadors, Picard is stranded on a barren planet with a woman who falls desperately in love with him.

Interface -- Geordi defies Picard's commands and risks his life in what appears to be a futile attempt to rescue his missing mother.

Gambit, Part I -- Picard and Riker becomes part of a mercenary ship and crew. (Stars Richard Lynch from Invasion U.S.A., and Puppet Master 3. Also stars Robin Curtis from Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)

Gambit, Part II -- Picard and Riker masquerade as mercenaries in order to retrieve a potentially lethal Vulcan artifact. (Stars Richard Lynch from Invasion U.S.A., and Puppet Master 3. Also stars Robin Curtis from Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)

Phantasms -- Data's first bad dream turns into a real-life nightmare for the rest of the U.S.S. Enterprise crew.

Dark Page -- Troi must probe her mother's psyche when a traumatic secret causes a psychic breakdown that threatens Lwaxana's life.

Attached -- Imprisoned and telepathically joined by an alien race, Picard and Beverly are forced to face the deep feelings they have always had for each other.

Force of Nature -- An alien brother and sister resort to desperate measures to prove their theory that warp drive is destroying the universe.

Inheritance -- A routine mission to save an endangered planet brings Data face-to-face with a woman who claims to be his mother.

Parallels -- Returning to the U.S.S. Enterprise from a competition, Worf finds reality changing, and is troubled when no one else seems to notice. (Stars Wil Wheaton who reprises his role as Wesley Crusher)

The Pegasus -- Riker is torn when his former commander, now an admiral, orders him to hide the real purpose of a risky mission from Picard. (Stars Terry O'Quinn from Stepfather 2 - Make Room for Daddy, and Tombstone)

Homeward -- Worf's foster brother violates the Prime Directive in an effort to save a doomed alien race. (Stars Paul Sorvino [father of Mira Sorvino] from Goodfellas, The Rocketeer, Nixon, William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, Money Talks, and Bulworth.)

Sub Rosa -- Shortly after her grandmother's death, Beverly falls under the spell of a ghost lover who has been in her family for generations.

Lower Decks -- While enduring the promotion evaluation process aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise, four junior officers find themselves involved in a top-secret mission.

Thine Own Self -- Having completely lost his memory, Data is stranded on a primitive planet where the inhabitants fear he is carrying a deadly plague.

Masks -- While an alien archive transforms the U.S.S. Enterprise into its ancient society, Data is taken over by several different personalities from the extinct civilization.

Eye of the Beholder -- While experiencing empathic visions after an officer's mysterious suicide, Troi becomes romantically involved with Worf.

Genesis -- Picard and Data return to the U.S.S. Enterprise to discover that the entire crew has de-evolved into prehistoric beings.

Journey's End -- While Picard is forced to relocate a group of North American Indians from a planet they have settled, one of the colonists causes Wesley to re-examine his future. (Stars Eric Menyuk as The Traveler from Season One's "Where No One Has Gone Before")

Firstborn -- A mysterious family friend arrives to help transform Worf's reluctant son Alexander into a warrior. (Stars Armin Shimerman as Quark)

Bloodlines -- Picard learns that he has a son, and that the young man has been targeted for murder by an old enemy in search of revenge.

Emergence -- The lives of the U.S.S. Enterprise crew are endangered when the ship suddenly develops its own intelligence.

Preemptive Strike -- Ro Laren is forced to choose between her loyalty to Picard and her hatred toward Cardassia when she accepts an assignment to infiltrate the Maquis.

All Good Things... Part I -- Picard finds himself traveling between the past, present, and future while attempting to prevent the destruction of humanity ... by his own actions. (Stars Denise Crosby who reprises her role as Tasha Yar)

All Good Things... Part II -- Picard finds himself traveling between the past, present, and future while attempting to prevent the destruction of humanity ... by his own actions.. (Stars Denise Crosby who reprises her role as Tasha Yar)

Season 7 is well worth waiting for; in my view it's the best season of TNG, slightly better than seasons 3, 4, and 6. By-the-technical-manuals-fans often reject such epsiodes as "Masks," "Emergence," and "Genesis," but these are some of my favorite episodes; they're highly apolitical, bend reality, and come off as being fairly Voyageresque and sci-fi to the core. Brannon Braga and Joe Menosky are my favorite TNG writers by far, and they have a lot going in this season. Don't miss "Bloodlines" either, as it's one of the best of the season. Bok is back at another shot at revenge from season 1's "The Battle," and this time the scenario is much more interesting and suspenseful. Bok actually comes off as dangerous here - probably because the script makes him smarter.

One of the obvious things in season 7 is that the staffers had fully learned how to make the most with a budget. Bottle shows in season 7 don't even seem like bottle shows - there is much tension in every one of these scripts. Action fans will still like a lot of these, such as "Preemptive Strike" and "Gambit," maybe "Parallels" as well. But clearly, I think, the term "bottle show" gains respect in season 6 and becomes admirable in season 7. Besides season 4's chiller "The Drumhead," bottle shows have mostly been confined to trivial plots with layers of subplots revolving around shipboard dieases, someone trapped on the holodeck and can't get off, or Lwaxana Troi chasing Picard while someone's in sickbay while the universe and time continuum are being swallowed up in a temporal flux anamoly, or something like that. Season 7 (as well as 6) illustrates that they are beyond those "formulas" for bottle shows with the least amount of tension possible and where Picard's final lecture proves all too predictable. Season 7 IS Star Trek the Next Generation.

The effects are also much better than in years past from footage of the ship itself down to phaser beams and the shimmering effect inside of them. Who can forget the dark, lifeless Enterprise looping slowly and uncontrolled through space in "Genesis?" Or Data as a Frankenstein like character in "Thine Own Self." Speaking of Data, he gets some good stuff in this season. Interesting things happen when Data goes haywire: "Phantasms." He's also a good captain and a leader, "Gambit, Pt. II."

Every one of these episodes is a gem, but the crown jewels are: "Bloodlines," "Genesis," "Emergence," "Masks," "Preemptive Strike," which actually features a space battle, "Sub Rosa," "Eye of the Beholder," "Phantasms," "Parallels," and "Descent, Part II." If you are one of those fans who finds yourself saying things like, "Well they can't fire phasers while the warp nacell flow sensors are in back flux from the..." you will likely think some of these shows go too far. The creepiness of the Braga/Menosky scripts is like a breath of fresh air when compared to some of the earlier episodes where the environment was wound up so tight and so by-the-books that characters couldn't even have personal differences amongst themselves! De-evolving the crew would positively absolutely never have happened before; neither would "Gambit," which features space pirates. I wish TNG could have been like this from the beginning.

Season 7 really has caught a lot of flack from fans, but I have to say I loved this season, as it contains some of my all-time favorite ST episodes. So despite the fact the series was winding down and gearing up for the big screen while DS9 and Voyager would take over on the small screen, this final season of TNG still delivered the great entertainment I expected and then some.

Descent, Part II- C. Admittedly, not a great start to the season since I've never been a fan of watching the Borg act out of character.

Gambit- B+. An entertaining two-parter that gives Picard the opportunity to pose as a criminal. The final scene is one of the funnier Data moments I've seen.

Phantasms- A-. TNG has almost always done an excellent job with their horror-oriented episodes, and this one is no exception. There are plenty of creepy moments, and the scene where Data "calmly" attacks Troi is one of the creepier moments I've seen in Star Trek.

Attached- B+. Though nothing special plot-wise, the Picard and Beverly connection/chemistry really shines through here, and the episode even has a great sense of humor as we see the two deal with reading each other's thoughts.

Parallels- A. Definitely rates as one of my all-time favorite Star Trek episodes, Parallels is a terrific example of great sci-fi. The plot is intriguing and suspenseful, and the last fifteen minutes provide a lot of really cool "what if?" moments. It's also great to see Worf get the spotlight in such a pure "sci-fi" episode.

The Pegasus- B+. A fun episode as we see Riker struggle with his conscience while going on a secret mission with his former captain.

Homeward- B+. I actually found this one rather underrated. It's nothing outstanding, but its premise and execution kept me entertained.

Sub Rosa- C-. Pretty lame, but I don't think Beverly Crusher has ever looked lovelier.

Lower Decks- A. Another one of my favorite episodes. Lower Decks is a warm and very witty look into the lives of the Enterprise's ensigns. This episode does a wonderful job of making these characters into likeable personalities, while also delivering lots of great humor (it's one of the funnier TNG episodes I've seen) and a surprisingly moving ending.

Masks- C-. Brent Spiner gets the opportunity to overact in this lazily plotted episode that initially intrigues but fails to develop any suspense or sense of urgency.

Eye of the Beholder- B-. Not a bad mystery, but it could have been executed with a bit more intrigue and suspense.

Genesis- A. One of TNG's best horror episodes. The dark atmosphere, the creature f/x, and the use of sound (loved hearing the creatures' howls in the background as Picard and Data explore the ship) all come through to make this one satisfyingly scary episode.

Bloodlines- B-. Picard finding out he has a son seems interesting enough, and it mostly plays out that way, but the climax is burdened with too many contrivances.

All Good Things- A+. Best Trek ever. All Good Things is everything I love about Star Trek wrapped into a 92-minute romp that brilliantly mixes sci-fi, mystery, adventure, and character drama into one perfectly satisfying series finale. With its high production values and slick direction, this could easily have been a big-screen adventure for the TNG crew. No question for me, this is my favorite Star Trek episode ever.

I know that may seem a grandiose claim but Season 7 of Star Trek:The Next Generation truely represents the conclusion of an era in Star Trek that should never have been allowed to end.TNG was the most well realized and conceptualized of all the Star Trek spin off's thus far,as well as being probably THE most intellectually challanging.I would've though my endless exposure to these episodes over the years would've destroyed much of it's appeal.But that hasn't happened.So....I could give a review to every respective episode featured here but since that has been done by one too many I will focus my comments on specifics.This season offers up a lot of family oriented stories such as 'Inheritence' which explores Data meetin his "mother","Journey's End" about Wesleys fate and "Birthright" about Alexander's fate.This season also explores a number of very interesting story lines such as the real life ghost story of "Sub Rosa" all the way to the entire crew de evolving from a synthetic T-Cell defect in "Genesis".And since TNG began with one of the best Star Trek pilots ever it ended with probably the best finale ever in "All Good Things",which actually references the beginning,finding everything coming full circle,right down to an appearance by Denise Crosby as Tasha Yar.As far as the DVD it looks great;the picture is presented well and because the last several seasons were obviously filmed on state of the art film they were far easier digitally remastered then...say Star Trek The Next Generation - The Complete First Season, a lot of which was filmed in 1987.I spent many a year wondering why a series like TNG,which presented the most thoughtful science fiction I've ever seen on TV,almost to the point of having the "fiction" part removed and being merely space drama,decided to make movies and not remain on TV for another four seasons or so.I believe it could've gone on that long;I really do.As much as I loved most of it 'Deep Space Nine' and even some of 'Voyager' showed heavy where and tare on quality in their later seasons;the quality of Star Trek in general was starting to slip around 1996-1999 but TNG was during a time where Star Trek could do no wrong and this really captures that spirit so well.Having TNG in 5.1 surround sound is great,as well as having the shows presented with the image quality of a theatrical film.In addition to having bonus features any lover of TNG will want to have this DVD in their collection and to anyone unlucky enough never to have seen it in it's original timeframe?Well I would;it's a significant moment in television history I wonder will ever be succeeded again,by Star Trek or anyone else.

Strangely enough I'd found myself approaching this season on DVD the same way I'd approached it when it was first airing, anticipation and a sort of dread that there would be no more except for the movies. Ultimately, had there not been a great demand for these characters to move on to the silver screen the series could've easily had three or more years. It is amazing to think what the producers did during this final season as they were producing STNG's seventh season, DS9's second season, in pre production on Voyager's first season and ramping up for Star Trek Generations, STNG's first feature film. Kudos to all for a job well done.

Season seven was in many ways not the best of the series but it stands out as a season where the producers brought family to the forefront by introducing characters only previously mentioned or altogether new ones. This worked beautifully for the series as it was always about family whether it be the family of the original nine and later seven main characters or the family members of these great characters. Although the late Gene Roddenberry had passed away a couple years earlier I believe he would've been very proud of the series taken as a whole and the work that Rick Berman and company did.

A brief synopsis of the "stand out" episodes:

Interface - In this marvelous episode we're introduced to Geordi La Forge's father played by Ben Vereen and his mother played by the late Madge Sinclair.

Gambit parts I & II - This fantastic two part episode plays out beautifully as Picard is on an "archaeological" vacation but stumbles into a group of mercenaries and is captured by them. He is then forced to become a member of their crew. The crew then must find a way of finding Picard and extracting him from this situation.

.Attached - This episode is clearly one of the most well written and performed episodes of the season. Resounding poignantly of the relationship between Picard and Crusher, this episode is a masterpiece in every way. Picard and Crusher attempt to beam down to a planet that is seeking Federation membership but they're diverted to another location where a device is put on them linking them both mentally.

Parallels - From a science fiction standpoint this is the best episode of the season as we see Worf returning from a bat'telh contest and then some extremely odd things start happening to him and his surroundings. Among the finer points of this great episode, this is where the Worf/Troi relationship has it beginnings.

Lower Decks - This episode is another great highlight for the season and it doesn't even primarily concentrate on any of the primary characters. Focusing mainly on some of the junior officers of the Enterprise and their desires and hopes for promotion. One of the junior officers, a Bajoran named Sito Jaxa who had been part of the cover up Wesley Crusher was involved in at the Academy in "The First Duty," is given a secret mission which unfortunately resulted in her loss.

Masks - What is there to say about this episode other than it gave Brent Spiner the opportunity to show what an outstanding actor he is and that he has an unbelievable range of characterizations to draw from.

Journey's End - In this outstanding episode, we're treated to the circumstances that setup many things to come in DS9 and the setup of Voyager's beginnings. The Federation and the Cardassians have come up with a treaty that leaves citizens of both sides on the wrong side of the border and this of course creates descent on both sides and becomes for the catalyst for the creation of the Maquis which is explored thoroughly in both DS9 and Voyager. Along with this, we're treated to the return and a better departure for the Wesley Crusher character.

Firstborn - This is another of and the final TNG Klingon episode that we as fans had come to love so much. Alexander, Worf's son is coming of age and due to take his first right of ascension unfortunately, much to Worf's chagrin he doesn't wish to do so. In an attempt to kindle the warrior spirit in his son, he takes him to a Klingon outpost where they're celebrating the Kot'baval festival. While there, Worf is attacked and helped by who he believes is a trusted family friend K'mtar.

Preemptive Strike - This is another of the finest episodes of the season as it gives the character Ro Laren a fitting closure. It also delves deeply into the Maquis issue once again as Ro Laren is tapped to go undercover as someone wishing to become a member of the Maquis in order to secure their trust and then bring them out into the open. Both Ro Laren and Picard are extremely surprised by the final outcome though.

All Good Things... - I would have to say that the staff might've been hard put to come up with a better finale to the series than this one. It was simply brilliant to use Q to book end the series and the entire premise is absolute genius to have three different Enterprise crews attempting to fix and by that same nature be the cause of the problem in the first place. The final scene with Picard joining the rest of the group for a game of poker was pure brilliance. {ssintrepid}

Special Features:

Mission Overview: Year Seven
A Captain's Tribute:
Departmental Briefing: Year Seven-Production
The Making of All Good Things...
Starfleet Moments and Memories:
Star Trek Deep Space Nine DVD preview

Bonus DVD:

Special Profiles: John de Lancie as Q and Majel Barrett-Roddenberry as Lwaxana Troi
Dressing the Future:

Episode list:

Descent, Part II
Liaisons
Interface
Gambit, Part I
Gambit, Part II
Phantasms
Dark Page
Attached
Force of Nature
Inheritance
Parallels
The Pegasus
Homeward
Sub Rosa
Lower Decks
Thine Own Self
Masks
Eye of the Beholder
Genesis
Journey's End
Firstborn
Bloodlines
Emergence
Preemptive Strike
All Good Things...

To me, Star Trek-The Next Generation was the very best of the entire Star Trek genre. The others were good, but TNG had the most memorable characters and the best actors. TNG, in its day, had superior special effects, better than any other show at the time. The stories were well written, mostly dramatic but some had a definite comical bent to them. I was really dissapointed to see this series end. The 7th season has many great stories and is well worth owning for any TNG fan. I am slowly collecting all the seasons as I'm sure many fans are. This set is technically well done with an outstanding video quality and the 5.1 sound is fantastic. A must have for any TNG fan.

The final season of Star Trek: The Next Generation rounds out the collection nicely. All seven seasons look great on a bookshelf, and this season has the same layout and quality of the first season.

Season seven has the same interior layout as seasons one and six, with the single screen playing clips of all four episodes. The most interesting feature is noticing that you get a fly-by view of the captain's ready room and the screen he uses to receive transmissions there. It's a variation on the other seasons, which included the communications panels, holodeck, and sick bay.

The Star Trek Collection is a worthy hobby and certainly the largest of the television series DVD Collections (The Original Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager and Enterprise). At around 1100 minutes per box (a few hours less than the TOS seasons) we are still looking at approx 30 boxes with 700 hours of viewing. That is 1 month of non-stop Star Trek. No DVD series comes remotely close to that. Get going collecting right now and build up on each succession over the years. By the end you will have a very serious anthology that defines the word awe. This is the kind of item that requires 1 hour a day of your time for the next few years. It is a cherished memory that served your fathers and will serve your children also. Our very planet, Earth, has advanced because of Gene Roddenberry's admirable concept. Roddenberry nailed the premise of the series when he said that he wanted to create a show with characters that we could look up too. `The Bridge' members are like our family. Watch what they do. Then go and spend your life striving for the same on Earth. What engineer, medic, scientist, teacher, worker can not say that Star Trek has not influenced them? The show is this significant in the development of our species. Even Christians respect and quote its authority and it is not hard to see why. The DVD case is not quite as fancy as the TOS (The Original Series) cases. The TNG case is supposed to resemble a TNG crew briefcase. The case opens to reveal the disc booklet inside a sleeve. Sliding the disc booklet out of the sleeve and flipping it open reveals a spread of 7 discs. There are 4 episodes per disc. However the last disc, disc 7, only has two episodes, for a grand total of 26 episodes (TOS has 8 Discs, 30 episodes). The rest of disc 7 is devoted to Star Trek interviews and trailers with the usual expected extras...and then some more. The episodes are ordered not in the sequence they where filmed, but in the sequence that they aired, however each episode has been numbered according to the order they where filmed in. This means on one disc you have shows 4, 2, 12 and 1, in that order although Season Three was aired fairly much according to the chronological produced order except for episode one and two which are switched around. The sound has also been remastered to 5:1 Dolby Digital! Since the show was shot in full frame, these dimensions are retained.

Star Trek, The Next Generation (TNG) had an amazing impact when it was first broadcast. An instant hit and a milestone in television serials (it ran for 7 seasons unlike its predecessor that ran for 3), its characters and new look Enterprise had us glued to the TV with the first computer generated images of our solar system as Captain Picard utters the immortal words... `To baldly'... I mean... `To boldly go where no man'... I mean... `To boldly go where no one has gone before.' Star Trek: Season 7 is of course winding down to a conclusion, making way for some Star Trek films, but in reality it is Deep Space Nine: Season 2 (DS9: Season 1 starts in star date chronological order with TNG: Season 6) that is the new trek. Fans of Star Trek got their twofold measure of these series through 1993 and 1994 making it an exceptional SF TV era. The conclusion of "Descent, Part II" has the finale of Lore. Most of the main characters from Season Two are here, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Commander William T. Riker, Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge, Lieutenant Commander Worf, Commander Deanna Troi, Lieutenant Commander Data and Dr. Beverly Crusher. Ensign Wesley Crusher (who departed from Season Four half way and has a recurring role instead of a main character in the remaining seasons) returns for one episode. While Ensign Ro Laren, a Bajoran, was supposed to replace him, she only appears in one episode in Season 7, although the episode is a major one focused on her. Colm Meaney shows up again as Miles Edward O'Brien for the last episode. Whoopi Goldberg's Guinan is gone without explanation (see the movie "Star Trek: Nemesis" on her). Alexander Rozhenko is back. Keiko O'Brien, (Miles O'Brien's wife) is not here either (after leaving for DS9). Lieutenant Reginald Barclay, engineer, is back again. Season 6 of TNG is mostly about Lore, emotional studies, interfaces, mercenaries, nightmares, psychic trauma, Beverly and Picard, warp travel environmental damage, data's mother, alternate realities, the Pegasus, Worf's human brother, incubus, top secret missions, radiation sickness, deities, Troi and Worf, reverse evolution, Wesley and the Traveller, Klingon right of ascension, Picard's son, abiogenesis, Ro Laren and time travel. While there are some hit and miss episodes and a really terrible one ("Masks" for example is one of the worst of the entire franchise) most are well above average and some are incredible. Memorable episodes include, Gambit, Forces of Nature, Inheritance, Lower Decks, Thine Own Self, Journey's end and Bloodlines. The Pegasus is probably the best episode of the Season, but the finale "All good things..." is really where it is at with some good aging effects, a possible future with an older looking cast and an futuristic Enterprise to die for. The series ends very warmly and with a nicer note about the possibilities of looking within instead of charting stars and galaxies for a newer greater trek. In short there is nothing like ST:TNG. It evolved TV serials into mega media and ran for a full span of 7 years. It set a new benchmark and placed the bar as high as the stars.