7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Patrick Stewart is again back to reprise his iconic role. Captain Jean-Luc Picard is once again confronted by Q and must repair the timeline and restore Starfleet as a benevolent force in the galaxy. With the aid of old friends such as Seven of nine, Guinan, Elnor, Christobal Rios and Raffi Musiker.
Starring: Patrick Stewart, Alison Pill, Isa Briones, Harry Treadaway, Michelle HurdSci-Fi | 100% |
Adventure | 65% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
German: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Italian: Dolby Digital 5.1
Japanese: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish
Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (3 BDs)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Picard's second season is no stranger to the preestablished story themes, plot arcs, and characters (beyond the title Picard) that have shaped some of its finest entries of decades past. Broadly, of course, the season is reminiscent of classic Star Trek time travel shenanigans, notably the "modern day" setting that was central to the popular Star Trek IV. The season also recalls the theme of time's forward march that shaped the larger, overarching theme that ran through Star Trek II. Much of the season also centers on the Borg Queen (First Contact) and Q (who was the villain in TNG's innagural episode and several other memorable episodes thereafter). Yet for all of the borrowed concepts, recurring themes, familiar faces, and a general lack of structural novelty, the season proves fairly engaging as it explores not strange new worlds but rather the most complex and formidable space yet: man's very essence, what makes him tick, what drives him forward, and what holds him back.
Picard's second season arrives on Blu-ray with a 1080p transfer that is marred by significant banding. Certainly, this issue is pervasive, but it is not constant. Its intensity when present, however, counts it as a fairly sizeable issue overall. Otherwise, the image is in good shape. Bright daytime exteriors – the 34-minute mark of episode two, for example – show an image that is as clear, stable, and well detailed as any other on the Blu-ray format. Viewers will see skin and clothing textures with ease as the picture shows every line on Picard's face, Rios' thick facial hair, and the Borg Queen's makeup and prosthetics with all of the tactile clarity one could want at the 1080p resolution. Colors are healthy, too, whether greens in low light abord the ship or thriving tones in 2024 Los Angeles where bright sunny exteriors allow colors to thrive with plenty of intensity and vividness. Black levels hold stable though sometimes with a modest dark gray push. Whites are appropriately bright and skin tones look healthy across the season's diverse character roster. Beyond the aforementioned banding, there are no significant source or encode maladies to report.
This second season Blu-ray release of Picard beams onto Blu-ray with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Much like the video presentation, everything is generally good to go, though with a caveat here or there that lowers the score from perfect. Chief amongst the relatively minor concerns is that the track is a little timid and not full throttle at reference in some early moments, but the track accelerates quite a bit later on. In fact, the track can get fairly intense, never to the point of pounding out extreme bass, but certainly with enough low end kick to give necessary weight to modern gunfire, phaser fire, and some various high yield impact audio cues. Surround content is very good. In fact, it's great with several incredible discrete effects that present a specific sound in a specific place with transparently lifelike efficiency; listen for localized back-end voices about 20 minutes into episode five, the 21-minute mark in episode seven when heavy beatings on a door emerge through the background, and the 26:50 mark of the final episode for a wonderfully discrete back-channel example. Music is clear with solid front end stretch, immersive but never overpowering wrap, and seamless clarity. Dialogue is clear, centered, and well prioritized for the duration.
This three-disc Blu-ray release of Picard's second season contains extras on all three discs.
Disc One:
Picard has been renewed for a third season, but season two certainly ends in a way that satisfies this season's particular arc with unforgettable closure. While season three will certainly be influenced and impacted by what happens through season two, it has plenty of opportunity to chart its own destiny and to see what's out there for the future of Star Trek. Paramount's three-disc Blu-ray set delivers solid video and audio and a nice selection of bonus content. Recommended.
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