Rating summary
Movie | | 5.0 |
Video | | 4.5 |
Audio | | 4.5 |
Extras | | 5.0 |
Overall | | 4.5 |
Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 5 Blu-ray Movie Review
TNG's best season?
Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 16, 2013
Star Trek: The Next Generation's fifth season shows a maturity and a comfort with itself that are built on the tremendous success of its
previous seasons. The program shows the confidence to introduce a new character, temporarily bring back an old favorite, and take its established
characters into bolder, more morally and personally challenging and, therefore, more deeply satisfying arcs. Even with around 100 episodes to its
credit, the
program innovates but nevertheless remains much the same at its core, playing up that balance and building on it not just through a series of
well-written, visually exciting, and personally satisfying episodes but expanding its universe, not simply the galaxy the Enterprise physically
explores
but also the complex humanity that makes it all happen. Season five is nothing less than tremendous television and amongst the finest
groupings of episodes in Star Trek history, maybe rivaled only by latter seasons of Deep Space Nine that evolve minute-by-minute
through the desperate battling and political maneuvering of the Dominion War. About the only thing season five doesn't have going for it is a
truly unforgettable finale and cliffhanger, but then again not every season can enjoy the fruits of "The Best of Both Worlds."
She's a beauty.
Season five is home to a good number of terrific efforts, including "The Inner Light," an episode in which Captain Picard lives an entire second life
on an alien world in the matter of minutes. It's the perfect representation of the season, combining a terrific Science Fiction plot device with a
soulful examination of man under extraordinarily unique circumstances. Indeed, the season runs the gamut between classic
Trek-styled
tales of time loops and time travel and alien encounters as the primary story building blocks to
a number of episodes that explore the essence of life, the breadth of the soul, and the boundaries of morality, duty, honor, and family all through
the prism of the futuristic
Star Trek universe. The series remains incredibly well written and expertly acted. Cast cohesion is never tighter
than it is in this season, in part thanks to the four-season run that's built a significant camaraderie but largely due to the many inspired ideas and
the terrific
executions thereof that effortlessly construct each episode's dramatic content and continue to evolve its characters even beyond the major
defining series
moments in previous episodes like "
The Measure of a Man" and "
Redemption".
Season five introduces a few new things, chiefly a semi-regular new character with Michelle Forbes' Ensign Ro Laren, a Bajoran by birth and a
Starfleet officer with a chip on her shoulder. While she's not disrespectful of the concepts of order, duty, and the chain of command, she does
harbor something of a disdain for the
way things or work or, at least, her place in how they work. She's the perfect foil for the much more structured world of the
Enterprise as
seen in previous seasons, seasons certainly not without strife that leads to character enhancement but without that constant edge of conflict
amongst the inner circle. Forbes' character doesn't disrupt the series' winning cast formula but in many ways enhances it, with many thanks to the
writers and
producers and the rest of the
Trek inner circle for feeling comfortable with the idea of inserting a wild card dynamic into an established
familial crew, showing a confidence in where the
series has been and where it's headed. It's unfortunate Forbes is not more of a fixture throughout the season and the remainder of the series.
She
falls into that gray area of "glorified guest star" but certainly benefits the show when she's involved in the story. Season five also sees the return
of Leonard Nimoy's Spock in the two-part "Unification." Considering the show's established success, Nimoy's appearance feels fully complimentary
rather gimmicky as it may have in a previous season while the show was still trying to find its footing.
Season five highlight episodes include:
- Redemption, Part II: For a full review, please click here.
- Darmok: The Federation has tasked the Enterprise with making diplomatic headway with a mysterious alien race known as
the
Tamarians. Previous negotiations have failed due to linguistic incompatibility. Reports suggest the Tamarians are a peaceful race,
seemingly with the best of intentions behind their indecipherable means of communication. When negotiations begin, neither Data nor Troi can
decipher the alien tongue or even the basic meaning behind it.
Suddenly, Picard and his alien counterpart are beamed to a nearby planet, and it appears they’re meant to fight. It quickly becomes clear to
Picard, however, that their meeting is not to be one of violence but rather communication. He slowly deciphers the alien dialect to realize they
communicate through metaphor rather than literal speech. Meanwhile, above the planet, the Enterprise crew works diligently to retrieve
its captain and unscramble the alien dialect.
- Ensign Ro: Picard’s haircut is interrupted when he receives word of an incoming distress call from a Federation outpost situated
near Cardassian territory that has fallen under attack. A suppressed, displaced race known as the Bajorans claim responsibility for the incident, and
the Enterprise is ordered to the region. Meanwhile, the Enterprise receives a new officer, a Bajoran named Ro Laren, a former
Cardassian prisoner and a woman with a negative reputation that proceeds her. She brings with her a hostile attitude that alienates many of the
crew.
However, her insight into the Bajoran crisis proves invaluable to the mission while relating to the Enterprise crew the truths behind her
people’s plight.
- Silicon Avatar: On an away mission, Riker, Crusher, and Data encounter the dangerous "Crystaline Entity." They and a number of colonists are
forced underground out of its way. They are rescued by an away team soon thereafter, and the Enterprise receives Kila Marr, an expert on
the entity
who is all too eager to get up close and personal with the destruction and to interview the survivors. The Enterprise pursues the entity.
Marr’s belief that Data is in some way connected to the entity is revealed, frustrating the investigation when she refuses to work with the
Starfleet android. However, when Marr
learns Data may hold a key to better understanding her past, their relationship changes in an instant.
- Disaster: The Enterprise crew is enjoying a well-deserved break from strenuous duty. With the bridge crew scattered about
the ship, disaster strikes. An injured Picard finds himself trapped in a damaged turbo lift with several schoolchildren. Geordi and Crusher are stuck
in a cargo bay packed with a volatile payload. On the bridge, ranking officer Troi is forced to take command, employing the help of Chief O’Brien
and
Ensign
Ro. In Ten-Forward, Riker and Data establish a plan of action for assessing the damage and locating survivors. There, Keiko O’Brien goes into
labor with only Lt. Worf left to delivery the baby.
- Unification, Parts I and II: For a full review, please click here
- A Matter of Time: A type-c asteroid has struck an unpopulated continent on a world, and the Enterprise has been dispatched
to help. En route, Worf detects a temporal distortion. Suddenly, a flamboyant man by the name of “Rasmussen” beams aboard the Enterprise.
He claims to be a time traveler from the 26th century on a mission to study Picard and his crew,
on a specific day and for a specific purpose. He’s vague but wiggles his way into command’s inner circle. Of course, as is so often the case with
people like him, there’s more to the story than he's willing to reveal.
- New Ground: A new method of propulsion is begin developed, and the Enterprise has been sent to be amongst the first to
test the new technology. Meanwhile, Worf receives a message from his mother, who announces she and Worf's son, Alexander, are preparing to
beam aboard. His mother
informs him that Alexander has grown distant and disobedient. He needs his father, she says, and leaves him on board. Worf quickly
realizes he knows little about his son. Alexander’s presence interferes with his ability to carry out his duties, and Worf must come to terms with
the realization that his
son is not a boy who understands neither the value of honor nor his Klingon heritage.
- Hero Worship: The Enterprise is dispatched to investigate a research vessel that has fallen silent. They discover the vessel
severely damaged and
adrift. Riker, Geordi, and Data beam aboard and, in the wreckage, discover a single survivor, a young boy. The rescue effort proves dangerous,
leaving Data only capable of making the attempt. The rescue is successful. No other survivors are discovered, and the boy's parents are found
amongst
the
dead. The boy quickly takes to Data. Troi recommends the two spend more time together, both for the boy’s own well-being and to help further
the investigation into the disaster. Soon, he models himself after Data, attempting to become more android and less human in an effort to
suppress
the
emotional toll of the tragedy.
- Conundrum: Subspace signals indicate potential new alien life for the Enterprise to investigate. En route, the ship
encounters an alien vessel with advanced scanners that penetrate the Enterprise’s shields and effectively wipe the crew’s memory, leaving
them capable of communicating and performing ship’s functions but absent their memories of themselves and of one another. Worf assumes
command but
clashes with Picard, who advises taking a more cautious, by-the-book approach to the problem rather than preparing the ship for a possible fight,
as Worf suggests. It soon
becomes apparent to the crew that the Enterprise is a key piece in a long-standing war against a mysterious alien race.
- Ethics: Worf is severely injured in a cargo bay accident. He awakens in sick bay and learns that his spinal cord has been crushed,
leaving him paralyzed. Dr. Crusher informs him that there is no chance of recovery from his injury. A visiting medical specialist recommends an
advanced,
experimental procedure that may restore Worf's mobility. Meanwhile, Mr. Worf chooses Riker to help him perform a Klingon suicide ritual, fearing
the life of "pity
and shame" that he is sure will befall him.
- Cause and Effect: The Enterprise is severely damaged. She's venting drive plasma and losing attitude control. An
evacuation is
ordered, but she explodes, killing all on board. Suddenly, everything returns to a time hours before the incident. The Enterprise crew
begins to experience vague recollections of repeating incidents. It soon becomes clear that the Enterprise has become stuck in a time loop
that ends with the ship's destruction prior to the reset.
- The First Duty: Picard and the Enterprise crew are returning to Earth. Picard is to address the Starfleet Academy
commencement gathering and reunite with Wesley Crusher. En route, the Enterprise receives word of an accident involving Wesley and his
flight squadron. All five ships are destroyed following a collision. One of the group is killed. However, Wesley and his surviving squad
mates choose to hide the truth rather than admit their fault in breaking protocol.
- Imaginary Friend: A young girl named Clara lives on board the Enterprise and enjoys the company of an imaginary friend
named Isabella. Her father has hopped from ship to ship for his duties. Counselor Troi believes Isabella to be a natural reaction to earning and
losing friends. With time on the ship, Troi believes, Isabella will simply disappear. While studying a spacial phenomenon, a small alien probe
enters the ship and creates a
very real and very dangerous manifestation of Isabella.
- I, Borg: An Enterprise away team makes a startling discovery: wreckage of a Borg vessel and a single Borg survivor. Dr.
Crusher insists the being be brought aboard in hopes of saving it. Picard devises a plan to use the being to "infect" the Borg collective and
eliminate the threat. However, Crusher works towards repairing the Borg. It's fed and repaired and begins communicating with the crew. The
Borg is named "Hugh" and effectively and becomes more human as it grows to understand life away from the collective.
- The Next Phase: The Enterprise is responding to a distress call from a Romulan vessel. LaForge, Ro, Riker, and Worf beam
over to lend assistance. A return transport of Ro and LaForge goes wrong, and their patterns are lost. They materialize on the ship, but are
effectively rendered invisible to everyone but one another.
- The Inner Light: For a full review, please click here
- Time's Arrow, Part I: The Enterprise has been recalled to Earth on a priority mission when work crews unearth artifacts
dating back hundreds of years. Tricorder readings indicate a rare energy source that could only be extraterrestrial in origin. The
Enterprise's place in the mystery becomes clear when the final artifact — Data’s head — is revealed. Analysis shows it to be Data, not his
brother Lore,
and that the head has been on Earth for nearly half a millennia. Though the crew attempts to protect Data from his fate, an away mission requires
his presence and forces him backwards in time and into the window of his demise.
Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 5 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
Nothing new or out of the ordinary here. Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season 5 looks marvelous on Blu-ray, just as do the previous
seasons before it. Paramount's restoration remains nothing short of breathtaking and a testament to both the franchise's profitability and fan demand.
Even through five seasons, it never gets old to behold the Enterprise in all her high definition glory, to revel in the intricate ship details and the
gloriously vibrant colors on it, whether the blue and red nacelle and deflector colors or the lighting inside each window. Image clarity is fantastic and
it's usually sharp as a tack with only the occasional softer shot interspersed throughout. Uniform textures are fantastic, with close-ups revealing little
imperfections and fabric details both. Alien makeup reveals secret seams, textures, and details that were before practically invisible in standard
definition; Paul Winfield's character in "Darmok" is particularly noteworthy in that regard. The image is so well defined that little flaws on consoles,
carpeting, and props stand out almost to a fault, but the improved definition is certainly worth the tradeoff in the sacrifice of just a little bit of the
illusion. Colors are extraordinary. The image handles the bright red command uniforms nicely, ditto the more reserved blue and mustard tops. Black
levels -- particularly outer space -- are nicely defined, and flesh tones never present any major problems. The image does show a bit of noise, at
times, but is otherwise nearly off-the-charts excellent.
Notes:
"Power Play" contains approximately 1 minute and 44 seconds of standard definition footage unconverted to high definition.
"The First Duty" contains approximately 37 seconds of standard definition footage unconverted to high definition.
Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 5 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season 5 warps onto Blu-ray with the series-typical DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack. As always,
it's excellent. The opening title music enjoys high volume but rich details, full stage spacing, and pinpoint instrument clarity. The stage becomes
awash in the sound of the Enterprise swooshing throughout. Basic sound dynamics rate highly. The Enterprise interiors spring to life
with a sense of size and strength with the low hum of the engines filling in the background on the bridge or, particularly of note, in engineering.
Console beeps, alarms, and other ship-specific sound effects play with flair and accuracy in every instance. Minor planet-side environmental ambience
in episodes like "Darmok" and "The First Duty" are also beautifully integrated into the track. "Disaster" sports some of the most aggressive bass and
action-oriented sound effects the season has to offer. "Cause and Effect" enjoys a symphony of sonic Star Trek chaos. Every time the track
rises above simple dialogue, it excels. Even those quieter scenes -- exchanges in Picard's ready room, for example -- are handled expertly. General
dialogue flows from the center with a natural, lifelike texture. This is a fantastic sound presentation in all areas of concern.
Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 5 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season 5 contains a large amount of quality bonus content spread across the entire set. Note that every
episode features an optional "episodic promo" (SD, ~ 0:30), fun little retro advertisements for the episode in question. Below is a disc-by-disc
breakdown of what's included:
Disc One:
- Mission Overview Year Five (SD, 17:54): An overview piece that begins with a look at Leonard Nimoy's guest appearance and the
two-part "Unification" episode and moves on to briefly cover the creation and themes of "Darmok," "The Inner Light," and "I, Borg."
Disc Two:
- Deleted Scene (HD, 1:30): A cut scene from "New Ground." The supplement begins with a text blurb setting the scene for the
footage.
- Departmental Briefing Year Five: Production (SD, 15:17): The piece begins with some insight into "The Inner Light" (and returns to it
later with a look at the episode's music) and follows with discussions of "Ethics," "Cause and Effect," and "The First Duty."
Disc Three:
- Departmental Briefing Year Five: Visual Effects (SD, 17:47): A vintage supplement that takes a look at series' special effects, the work
of Image G on the show, and the process of creating a few specific visual effects, including the holodeck and the title sequence.
Disc Four:
- Deleted Scenes (HD): Bonus scenes from "Ethics" (1:45), "The Outcast" (1:58), "The First Duty" (3:16, two scenes) and "The Cost of
Living" (3:45, two scenes). The scene are again included with an establishing text card.
- Audio Commentaries: Writer Brannon Braga and Star Trek Fan Seth McFarlane discuss "Cause and Effect" and Writers Ronald
D. Moore and Naren Shankar cover "The First Duty."
- Memorable Missions (SD, 18:03): Brief looks at and anecdotes from "The Game," "Hero Worship," "The First Duty," "Power Play," "The
Perfect Mate," and "Disaster."
Disc Five:
- Deleted Scene (HD, 1:56): An extra scene from "The Perfect Mate." A text introduction is again included.
- Audio Commentary: Writer René Echevarria and Star Trek Experts Mike & Denise Okuda discuss "I, Borg."
- A Tribute to Gene Roddenberry (SD, 28:23): Interview clips with Roddenberry and assorted members of the Star Trek family
are included with several clips from a building dedication on the Paramount lot in Roddenberry's honor. Topics include Roddenberry's personality,
cast and crew's fond memories of his presence on the set, and his passing. Stay tuned through to the end for a fun moment with Captain Picard.
- Intergalactic Guest Stars (15:50): Cast and crew look back at some of the series' most famous guest stars and the characters they
played.
- Alien Speak (SD, 12:49): A short look at alien language development for the screen. Vulcan, Borg, and Klingon are the focus.
Disc Six:
- Audio Commentary: Writer Morgan Gendel and Star Trek Experts Mike & Denise Okuda discuss "The Inner Light." Note that
this commentary was not included with the previously released sampler that featured "The Inner Light."
- Deleted Scenes (HD, 7:00): Five scenes from "The Inner Light."
- Gag Reel (HD, 7:33).
- In Conversation: The Music of Star Trek: The Next Generation (HD, 1:14:21): Jeff Bond, Author of The Music of Star
Trek, sits down with Composers Dennis McCarthy, Ron Jones, and Jay Chattaway. They deliver a fascinating chat on not only the music of
Star
Trek but also the world of music in entertainment. This is another first-class Star Trek Blu-ray supplement
that's well worth the time investment.
- Requiem: A Remembrance of Star Trek: The Next Generation Part One: The Needs of the Many (HD, 29:58): The piece begins
with Gene Roddenberry discussing the role of entertainment artists in commentating on the world through their craft. Ronald D. Moore, René
Echevarria, Brannon Braga, Naren Shankar, and Morgan Gendel discuss the unique brand of conflict within the Star Trek universe, the
Moore-Braga collaboration, bending the Prime Directive for dramatic value and better organizing and delivering a specific theme, the writing process,
the place of science in the show, Roddenberry's vision for the future, the franchise's place in history, and more.
- Requiem: A Remembrance of Star Trek: The Next Generation Part Two: The Needs of the Few (HD, 28:59): René Echevarria
discusses a personal moment from his only meeting with Gene Roddenberry and follows to take a look a Roddenberry's legacy through a segment
from Entertainment Tonight. Cast and crew remember Roddenberry's death, his place in their lives, and his funeral. The piece continues to
look at
Michelle Forbes and Colm Meaney's roles in the series, Wil Wheaton's growth on the show, creating the explosion for "Cause and Effect," and the
success of "The Inner Light."
Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 5 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
TNG's fifth season may very well be its finest. Considering its maturity, nearly endless string of quality episodes, a brief return for Spock, and
stories that cover a wide range of styles and themes, it's certainly amongst the great seasons in Star Trek history, if not the single greatest of
them all. Paramount's Blu-ray release of Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season 5 offers the expectedly splendid video and audio
presentations to go along with a mountain of bonus content, both new and vintage. This release earns my highest recommendation.