Episodes Disc One:
“Descent, Part II”, “Liaisons” “Interface”, “Gambit, Part I”
Episodes Disc Two:
“Gambit, Part II”, “Phantasms”, “Dark Page”, “Attached”
Episodes Disc Three:
“Forces Of Nature”, “Inheritance”, “Parallels”, “The Pegasus”
Episodes Disc Four:
“Homeward”, “Sub Rosa”, “Lower Decks”, “Thine Own Self”
Episodes Disc Five:
“Masks”, “Eye Of The Beholder”, “Genesis”, “Journey’s End”
Episodes Disc Six:
“Firstborn”, “Bloodlines”, “Emergence”, “Preemptive Strike”
Episode Disc Seven:
“All Good Things…”
Stars:
Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent
Spiner, Levar Burton, Michael Dorn, Marina Sirtis, and Gates McFadden
Guest
Stars: Colm Meany, Dwight Schultz, Michelle Forbes, Brian Bonsall, John DeLancie,
Denise Crosby, Shannon Fill, Jonathan Del Arco, Richard Lynch, Caitlin Brown,
Eric Menyuk, Majel Barrett Roddenberry, Kirsten Dunst, Paul Sorvino, Wil
Wheaton, Doug Wert, Patti Yasutake, Terry O’Quinn, Andreas Katsulas, Ben
Vereen, and Michael Des Barres
Writers:
Michael Piller, Jeanne Carrigan Fauci,
Lisa Rich, Roger Eschbacher, Jerry Greenspan, Naran Shankar, Christopher Hatton,
Hilary J. Bader, Nicholas Sagan, John Whelpley, Dan Koeppel, Spike Steingasser,
William N. Stape, Jeanna F. Gallo, Jeri Taylor, Rick Berman, Ronald D. Moore,
Lee Sheldon, Joe Monosky, Maurice Hurley, Thomas Kartozian, Pamela Douglas,
Sheri Goodhartz, Brannon Braga, Timothy DeHaas, Peter Allan Fields, Morgan
Gendel, Edith Swensen, Jean Louise Matthias, Garry Perconte, Peter Allan Fields,
Sara Charno, Stuart Charno, Barry Schkolnick, Michael Horvat, Allison Hock, Ward
Botsford, Diana Dru Botsford, Frank Abatemarco, Ron Wilkerson, Mark Kalbfield,
and Rene Echevarria
Directors:
Rob Bowman, Winrich Kolbe, Gabrielle Beaumont, David Carson, Robert Scheerer,
Cliff Bole, Rob Wiemer, Timothy Bond, Chip Chalmers, Robert Wiemer, Gates
McFadden, Marvin Rush, David Livingston, Tom Benko, Robert Legato, Alexander
Singer, Larry Shaw, Les Landau, Corey Allen, Paul Lynch, Adam Nimoy, and Robert
Iscove
Created
By Gene Roddenberry
Extras:
“Mission Overview: Year Seven”, “A Captain’s Tribute”,
“Departmental Briefings-Year Seven: Production”, “Starfleet Moments And
Memories”, “The Making Of All Good Things…”, “Star Trek: Deep Space
Nine DVD Preview”
Languages:
English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and Dolby Pro Logic Surround Sound
Subtitles:
English Captions and Closed Captions
Packaging:
Digipack Gatefold Within A Box
Chapter
Stops: 8 per episode/ 12 for “All Good Things…”/ 204 total
Sound:
Dolby Digital 5.1Surround Sound and Dolby Pro Logic Surround Sound
Year
of Original Television Broadcast: 1993-1994/DVD Release: 2002
Home
Video Distributor: Paramount Home Entertainment
MPAA
Rating: Not Rated
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
If
there is any doubt left after viewing all seven seasons of “Star Trek: The
Next Generation” on DVD-Video regarding why it is the worthy successor to
“Star Trek: The Original Series” then nothing can change your opinion.
However regardless of whether or not “The Next Generation” is one’s
favorite “Star Trek” TV series or not, one cannot deny that it is one of the
best sci-fi television series to ever air and one that not only set the standard
for the next two “Star Trek” television series, but for much of the non-Trek
science fiction television programming to follow. Of course there have been
shows that set their own standards for sci-fi television and shows that have
built upon these developments and create new standards for genre programming,
but I remember a time when there was no new sci-fi on television at all. Just a
wasteland of television sitcoms and trashy melodramas existed and then with the
exception of “Quantum Leap” (and we all know what show Scott Bakula stars in
now) “Star Trek: The Next Generation” was the only sci-fi TV show on the air
and now I know people who cannot imagine a television season without another new
incarnation of “Star Trek” on the air.
While
there are seasons that might have had the most memorable episodes, I think by
now the quality of writing for “Star Trek” under Executive Producer Rick
Berman was in it’s prime. The theme of season seven focused in more ways than
one on “family” and wrapping up storylines developed since the show’s
first season while paving the way for “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” to take
over at least temporarily as the sole first run live action “Star Trek” on
broadcast television until the launch of “Star Trek: Voyager” in 1995. While
ending “The Next Generation,” continuing “Deep Space Nine,” and
launching “Voyager” was occurring within the background among the talents
behind “Star Trek” the crew of “The Next Generation” was making there
first leap onto the big screen with “Star Trek: Generations.” Sadly while I
can excuse some of the silliness in “Generations” because of all of the
behind-the-scenes action and the feature film that followed “Star Trek: First
Contact” was definitely better than “Generations” in part because it was
made during a less turbulent time behind-the-scenes, I think that judging from the latest and possibly last big
screen voyage for “The Next Generation” cast shows that hiring new hands
unfamiliar with “Trek” will not necessarily make for a better or fresh new
take on the “Star Trek” experience and perhaps a new guiding force is needed
if the franchise as a whole is to survive.
Notable
episodes in this seventh season DVD set include “Descent, Part II,” which is
the last television appearance for “The Borg” on “The Next Generation”
and the final episode to feature Brent Spiner as Data’s brother “Lore.”
“Dark Page,” which features and very young Kirsten Dunst as well as an
exploration of the history mother/daughter relationship between “Lwaxana Troi”
and “Deanna Troi.” “Parallels” features an uncountable amount of quantum
Enterprise-D starships, including one where “The Borg” had succeeded in
assimilating the Alpha Quadrant. Guest stars like Terry O’Quinn and Paul
Sorvino also illuminated character back stories in select episodes. Other must
see season seven “Next Generation” episodes include “Lower Decks,”
“Genesis,” “Journey’s End,” “Firstborn,” “Bloodlines,” and
“All Good Things,” which is arguably better than most of the “Next
Generation” feature films.
These
season seven episodes look excellent with brand new digitally mastered English
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and an English Dolby Pro Logic Surround
Soundtrack with optional English Captions and Closed Captions for the hearing
impaired and an outstanding digital picture quality presented in the (1.33:1)
presentation of their original television broadcast. The menus on these discs
feature the “Ready Room” with interactive menus reflecting Mark XXI Torpedo
Device, a Nano Device, and a Spatial Distortion Diagram and all of the
interactive menus are easy to navigate.
The
extra feature materials include the “Mission Overview: Year Seven” (14:45),
which explores in some greater detail the hectic behind-the-scenes action that
took place during the production of season seven, which is largely due to all of
the other projects related to the franchise going on as I have noted above. In
addition there is an extended interview with Patrick Stewart with retrospective
thoughts on the relationships with his “Next Generation” colleagues that has
developed into friendships in “A Captain’s Tribute” (16:28). The
“Departmental Briefing” on “Production” (15:43) explores in no small
detail the writing by Brannon Braga, directing by Gates McFadden,” and Make-Up
Designer Michael Westmore’s collaboration for the episode “Genesis.” Other
episodes explored include “Parallels” and “Bloodlines.” A collection of
old and newly filmed retrospective cast and crew interviews are included under
“Starfleet Moments And Memories” (29:58).
“The
Making Of All Good Things” (17:41) and a “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” DVD
preview (4:52) wraps up the extra features in this DVD set. A brief note from
Executive Producer Rick Berman is included within the foldout insert featuring
the usual alphabetical listing of season seven’s episodes and a montage of the
crew circa season seven.
What
Paramount Home Entertainment has succeeded in accomplishing is nothing short of
unprecedented in this brief history of TV on DVD by releasing all seven seasons
of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” in less than one year. While I wish
there were a few additions like the original episode TV spots and whatnot
included within the sets, I think as a whole that Paramount Home Entertainment
has set a new benchmark in providing a popular television series on DVD-Video
that deserves special recognition. That is one of the reasons why “Star Trek:
The Next Generation: The Complete TV Series: Seasons 1 Through 7 On DVD” is my
pick for the “Best TV On DVD Video Of 2002 As Reviewed At GENRE ONLINE.NET.”
“Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Complete Seventh Season On DVD” is now
available and look for the complete 7 season release of “Star Trek: Deep Space
Nine” to debut on DVD-Video this year beginning with the first season on
Tuesday, February 25, 2003 from Paramount Home Entertainment.
©
Copyright 2003 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
The Top Ten TV On DVD-Videos Of 2002 As Reviewed At GENRE ONLINE. NET
