What do you think of the remastered Star Trek TOS?

[Orrex]

I have basic cable, and my only chance to see any Trek is @ 1:30AM on Monday--not my ideal viewing time.

I've caught bits of two episodes, which between them showed about eight seconds of recreated SFX shots. But I did notice that the overall picture was considerably clearer and brighter.

What are your thoughts? I admit that I'm intrigued by the idea, but I recognize the potential for charges of blasphemy, too...

[Book Lover]

1. Charming and well done, IMO

The Gorn's eyes now blink and planets now have atmospheres. And I agree as to the overall cleanup: what a contrast to those wretched first-issue DVDs...

[Deja Q]

2. Oddly, I was hoping for a few more tweaks...

Making the season 1 ep. titles look the same, maybe a couple small gratuities with space effects -- not always a total copy of the original footage but making a few small, logical, improvements... But, dayum!

I like the unfettered originals though. Good for the time...

But unlike Star Wars we don't have altered scenes or premises. SW did NOT need to have to go there.

But the cleaned up versions will make a HD version feasable... I haven't seen the cleaned up video quality (only fx shots on youtube) but if they got rid of all that visible grain it'd really pack a whollop...

A fully clean and grainless Star Trek TOS with the new effects would be reason alone for me to go to HD DVD... the effects look cooler but do retain that original 60s zest and surreal color... the purist in me is iffy, but overall I do like the changes.

[Greyskye]

3. What station?

Is it in High Def, as well as being remastered?

I've been catching some of the old UFO series from the 60's in High Def, and it looks fantastic!

[Frank Cannon]

4. No blasphemy. The changes so far have been tasteful and well-done.

The updates really enhance the show and don't detract. For the most part, they are little touches like putting the reflection of the phaser beams on the underside of the saucer when they fire. Sometimes they get more elaborate by having the Enterprise fly through a nebula or something. They manage to make it look awesome but not so flashy that it seems out of place with the rest of the show.

And the CGI NCC-1701 really brings out how gorgeous that original ship was. It was, IMHO, the coolest of all Enterprises. This "remastered" show really shows how well Matt Jefferies' original designs have held up after forty years.

[YankeyMCC]

5. I'm always skeptical of these kinds of 'updates'

Particularly after Star Wars. But so far so good. I have enjoyed and will continue to enjoy what they have done. It truly is just a cleaning up, enhancement, nothing has changed the tenor, style or tone of the stories. At least nothing I've seen or heard of so far.

That said I'm glad I have DvD's of the originals because I think there is something to be enjoyed and understood by seeing how the original producers and writers dealt the the limitations they had at the time.

And I say I'm glad I have the originals because the one complaint I do have even with well done updates as these appear to be is that eventually all we will have is the updated versions. I mean when my grandchildren (anticipated :) ) go looking for videos in whatever medium is in style at the time of the original Star Trek TV shows what they'll likely find is these updates. The true originals will be just a few collectors items in old format video.