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Star Trek: The Original Series - Season 3 Remastered | 
 enlarge | Actors: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Deforest Kelley, Nichelle Nichols, James Doohan
Studio: Paramount
Category: DVD
List Price: $84.98
Buy New: $58.97
You Save: $26.01 (31%)
New (37) Used (11) Collectible (1) from $50.99
Rating:  10 reviews
Sales Rank: 2568
Format: Ac-3, Box Set, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Full Screen, Original Recording Remastered, Subtitled, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Dubbed), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 7
Running Time: 1320 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 6.8 x 5.5 x 2.2
MPN: PARD138704D
UPC: 097361387048
EAN: 0097361387048
ASIN: B001DHXT3Y
Release Date: November 18, 2008 (New: Last 30 Days)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 11/18/2008
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| Customer Reviews: Read 5 more reviews...
 The Final Season on the Final Frontier November 26, 2008
Hank Drake (Cleveland, OH United States)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I reviewed most of The Original Series episodes during the initial DVD release which began in 1999. So, the comments here focus on this new, remastered, edition.
Doubtless, Paramount will eventually release these episodes on Blu-ray. But even at standard definition, the picture has never looked better. The colors pop off the screen, scratches have been removed, and grain, while noticeable, has been reduced to a bare minimum. Unfortunately, with the improved picture, flaws in the original production are also more noticeable: shadows from boom microphones are occasionally detectable, and the 3rd Season budget cuts show in some of the temporary sets. Still, the picture shows the obvious care taken with the lighting and composition of the original shots (very different from today's flatly-lit, smash & grab style of television filming).
Of course, the primary feature of this new release is the new CGI visual effects. Season Three had a number of effects heavy episodes, including "The Tholian Web" and "The Enterprise Incident," and they benefit the most from the new effects. Most of the new space shots are very convincing, remaining in the original spirit of the series. Only a few of the shots are major deviations from the originals, such as when the shuttle is seen exiting the Enterprise from the outside. Restraint seems to be the watchword here, and I would have liked to have seen a little bit more done, such as the replacement of some very dated tricorder screen graphics in "The Empath", and some faulty dialog looping in "The Cloud Minders." But the enhanced castle in "Requiem for Methuselah" is simply stunning, and the expanded backgrounds seen in "Spock`s Brain" and "The Way to Eden" (two otherwise weak episodes) are subtly done. By the way, my uncle, James Drake, was a background extra and can be seen in "The Way to Eden" as an orderly in sickbay. Blink and you'll miss him as a red shirt in "Turnabout Intruder".
Also included here is a totally remastered and restored version of "The Cage", the original, rejected, pilot which was shot in 1964 and starred Jeffrey Hunter. 64 minutes in length, it almost looks like a feature film, and in tone is more like an episode of The Next Generation than the Original Series. The new CGI visuals feature a slightly different version of the Enterprise (based on the original pilot model) than seen later in the series. The unrestored version, in alternating color and black & white, is also included.
With the exception of The Cage, the episodes also include audio tracks in Spanish and French, although my partner (fluent in Spanish) tells me many of the Spanish translations are not faithful to the English originals. As for bonus features, most are carried over from the 2004 reissue, but the real highlight is Billy Blackburn's behind the scenes movies, which show the actors in costume but out of character - a real treat.
Good remastering and quality, but poor packaging November 21, 2008
A. Eastwick
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
This set is a very nicely done DVD set. There are not a huge amount of extras, and the lack of commentary will probably annoy die-hards, but this is a good DVD set. The episodes look great and this is probably the best that they have ever looked. Unless you have a Blue-Ray DVD player, a 1080p TV and 60/60 eyesight, you will probably not notice any difference if you hold out for Blue-Ray.
Overall, the only reason that this did not get 5 stars is because the packaging is not the greatest. I've bought all three of the remastered seasons, and 2 of them have had some type of problem. Season 1 had a broken plastic case, and this set had a busted up DVD holder.
Otherwise, it's great to see how well this show has held up over the past 40 years. I remember watching these on WPIX, NY and thinking that they were pretty good when I was a kid. They look really good with the new effects, which hasn't changed the feel of the show at all, IMO. To date, this is the most complete way to get the original series of Star Trek and you should enjoy it.
 Blu-ray here we come...but be prepared to be ripped off again by Paramount November 18, 2008
Anton Karidian (Toronto)
4 out of 17 found this review helpful
Finally they've released the 3rds season of yet another STANDARD DVD release.
As hardcore Star Trek fans buy up this release, you can bet Paramount have begun to plan for the release of the Blu-ray version.
Knowing Paramount, there may be TWO Blu-ray releases:
1. Blu-ray of the ENHANCED Star Trek...once everyone replaces the current release
2. A Blu-ray version of the remastered ORIGINAL version (digitally cleaned up) for the Star Trek purists.
Of course, if Paramount was a "normal" company, they would release both on the same release, as a kind of a bonus...but we're talkin' about Paramount here. You know it wount be reasonably priced so be prepared to be ripped off.
However, on the bright side they may actaully ADD extras such as cast commentaries...they have to.... if they hold off any longer, most of the original cast will be dead.
 I'm wating for Toshiba to release the rights to Blu Ray November 18, 2008
J. Cummings (Seattle, WA United States)
4 out of 10 found this review helpful
Word is that Toshiba funded the remastering of this series to showcase in their HD-DVD format. Now that they've lost the HD war, they're refusing to give up the rights for Blu Ray distribution. Since I own a PS3, I'm just going to sit this out until Toshiba gets over their bitterness and lets it go to Blu Ray.
 Final season of the original "Trek" with new visual effects arrives on regular DVD November 13, 2008
Wayne Klein (My Little Blue Window, USA)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
Although not as well regarded as the first two seasons of "Trek", the third season still has some gems. Gene Roddenberry got his wish to have the show renewed but the show was moved to Friday evenings when their core audience would be out on dates or in bed. Roddenberry wasn't as involved in the third season as previous ones and the loss of Gene L. Coon was noticable even if he did contribute some good scripts (and one particularly bad one that appeared under Coon's nom de plume "Lee Cronin" that I suspect was drastically rewritten by new producer Fred Frieberger entitled "Spock's Brain"). What's odd about the third season is that it's almost like the characters don't know each other in some episodes where Kirk refers to Spock as "science officer" or just calls "Bones" doctor. I really never noticed this when it was in syndication.
The third season like the previous two looks extremely good and the new visual effects are a highlight in episodes such as, "Spectre of the Gun", "The Tholian Web" and "The Enterprise Incident". In "Gun" the art director uses imaginative surreal set designs consisting of the facades of buildings and the insides present without walls or ceilings which add to the surrealistic element of the episode.In the latter the "new" Klingon designed Romulan War Birds sport the traditional "warbird" painting on the bottom of the ships adding details that no doubt would have pleased Roddenberry.
The third season set also includes the original pilot episode for "Star Trek" starring Jeffrey Hunter with new visual effects and titles. As with the previous set, the original version with the introduction by Gene Roddenberry is included. The latter version is cobbled together from a B&W print of the pilot episode. The only two new extras are a tribute to Associate Producer Robert Justman and "Billy Blackburn's Star Trek Treasures" which features behind-the-scenes home video footage of the cast rehearsing, clowning around on the set and some footage of make up tests. The remainder of the special features are ported over from the previous set although it should be noted that not ALL of the special features were brought over (which is a bit bizarre).
I still really dislike the packaging as the plastic holder I received was broken (and it was a chronic problem with my second season set). Still, the image quality is very good with nicely cleaned up episodes and new, sharp looking visual effects. A pity there was no way for Paramount to include the original episode visual effects as part of the DVD. My guess is that we'll see that when the show receives a high def transfer to Blu-ray as an extra.
For hardcore fans, the third season is highly recommended even with the weaker episodes. I am disappointed that Paramount chose NOT to have any commentary tracks. I'm sure
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