
It's becoming clear that if you plan on buying every season of a TV show, at least the more popular ones, you might want to wait a couple of years (if you can wait, that is). They're coming out with more and more "complete sets" and if you buy the sets individually you're probably paying more (and missing out on some extras, though that's not always the case).
Here's another one. CBS/Paramount will release a complete set for Star Trek: The Next Generation on October 2, to celebrate the show's 20th anniversary.
The set will include all 176 episodes plus a ridiculous amount of extras: a new feature titled "TNG's Impact: 20 Years Later," "Legacy: 2007," a feature on the visual effects used on the show, making-of featurettes, cast and crew profiles, behind the scenes info on the production of certain episodes, movie trailers, even a poster, all encased in special collector's packaging.
OK, CBS/Paramount, you had me at hello.












Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
9-20-2007 @ 3:30PM
Eric said...
HD-DVD please
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9-20-2007 @ 3:31PM
Scott said...
You might also mention that your fellow TV Squad blogger, the infinitely cool Wil Wheaton, who writes those outstanding reviews of TNG episodes here from time to time, shot special new documentaries (with John deLancie) for this set.
...And that the suggested retail price for this whole thing is a mere $440 :-D
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9-20-2007 @ 3:40PM
Tim Dorr said...
Amazon is doing it for a "mere" $305: http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Next-Generation-Complete/dp/B000RZIGVS/
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9-20-2007 @ 3:41PM
Tim Dorr said...
Amazon.com is doing it for a "mere" $305... :P
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9-20-2007 @ 4:02PM
Hank said...
All I think is...TNG is 20 years old?
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9-20-2007 @ 4:02PM
Wil Wheaton said...
There's a preview/teaser trailer for our special features at Startrek.com.
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9-20-2007 @ 4:10PM
Wil Wheaton said...
Hrm. Looks like my comment got borked. Let me try again.
There is a preview trailer of the special features John deLancie and I did for this set online at Startrek.com: http://www.startrek.com/startrek/videoview?id=2306903
I agree with everyone else that this damn thing is grossly overpriced, but I wouldn't wait for HD versions or remasters, because of the way we shot and edited these shows in the late 80s and early 90s, remastering is apparently very difficult and expensive.
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9-20-2007 @ 4:14PM
Anastasia said...
What?! No "Christie's Auction" coverage!? They could have thrown that in too! It's so exciting to see all the memorabilia and how much people paid for them :)
(The flute Picard learned to play in "The Inner Light" episode went for $40,000! That's a piece I'd love to have hehe :) )
I think this is great though :) Now maybe I'll finally buy the series. I've been holding out for something like this :)
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9-20-2007 @ 4:36PM
iamhoff said...
Wil,
Didn't you cover this 1 or 2 months ago at WWdN:IX? Surely you got word to them about it back then
(say it with me...)
"I did get word to them, and don't call me Shirley"
(and get those damn kids off my lawn!)
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9-20-2007 @ 5:39PM
Kel said...
I'm with Hank (#5).
I can't believe it's been 20 years
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9-20-2007 @ 5:54PM
Oreo said...
Can they even be in HD if the show is 20 years old?
I wish they would improve some of the special effects they had in the first few seasons, it was terrible. :)
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9-20-2007 @ 6:42PM
Upset said...
How different is this set from the other TNG complete dvd set? http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Next-Generation-Complete/dp/B00062RCBW/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-4728051-5808704?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1190327827&sr=1-1
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9-20-2007 @ 6:54PM
Kenban said...
This is my understanding from what I have read. Paramount even tried to convert a single episode of TNG into HD. The problem is the edited shows quality is just not high enough to turn it into HD. The show was shot on film as were the models but to produce the show in HD would require going back to the original film stock and scanning every frame and then re-edit and re-composite the entire series to match the original. Some effects such as shields and phasers would have to be redone as well. Its not quick, easy, or cheap but it is possible.
If the HD set of The Original Series sells well I suspect that The Next Generation will be done.
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9-20-2007 @ 6:54PM
Oreo said...
The new one is $5 cheaper and includes a lot of extras. :)
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9-21-2007 @ 8:20AM
horsenbuggy said...
Even though $305 seems like an exorbitant price, it's really not that bad. If I calculate how much I spent buying the Stargate DVD sets one season at a time (most of them at big box retail stores), I hit that $305 mark around season 7.
All-in-all, $305 isn't horrible for the full series with special extras. But it *would* be nice to get a "I know (or, rather, I stalk) Wil Wheaton on the internet" discount. :-)
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9-21-2007 @ 8:47AM
laura nason said...
305$ isnt bad really, its not great, but if you consider the cost of buying all seven seasons alone, tis a bargain. By the way Wil, when are you going to do more reviews? I love them! just like i love reading your blog.
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9-21-2007 @ 9:32AM
BStu said...
No, $305 IS bad. Its outpriced for the market. The fact that Paramount started out pushing these sets for twice that still doesn't justify it. I can 6.5 seasons of Buffy for only $164, and it was much less on sale when it first came out. 5 seasons of Angel are available for less than $100. I just got Heroes, a new single season for less than $35, far less than I'd still be paying per season for TNG. Forget about Voyager which remains insanely priced at over $600 for the complete series. With a new movie coming out, Paramount should be trying to expand the audience by giving casual fans a reason to buy their series sets. Instead, they insist on maintaining an absurd and arbitrary price point that makes it hard-core fans only. Very disappointing.
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9-21-2007 @ 12:13PM
theConundrumm said...
no offence, but why get a tvsquad person to shoot documentaries for the dvd set, surely some of the actors that were in the show still have valid opinions, ideas and memories, yes?
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9-21-2007 @ 1:17PM
Robobagins said...
theConundrumm I must have missed something because I know you're not talking about Wil Wheaton.
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9-21-2007 @ 2:21PM
iamhoff said...
Umm, they did. Wil "Ensign Crusher" Wheaton writes for TV Squad and starred in the show.
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