“Star Trek: The Original Series” follows the five-year mission of the starship USS Enterprise in the 23rd century to explore deep space, make contact with new civilizations, and defend the United Federation of Planets.
As a child of the ’70s and ’80s, “Star Trek: The Original Series” was always playing on TV. I loved the show as a kid because watching the Enterprise fly through space and encounter strange beings and new worlds blew my young mind. Among all the show’s imagery, the closing credits left the most lasting impression on me. Two, in particular, have stayed with me to this day. The first was a wide-eyed, grimacing dummy face, and the second was an image of Susan Oliver as Vina in her green Orion slave-girl makeup from the pilot episode “The Cage.” These two images, more than anything else from the entire show, have stayed with me all these years.
Since the show’s first episode, “The Man Trap,” aired on NBC on September 8th, 1966, it has spawned thirteen TV series and thirteen feature films, all set in Gene Roddenberry’s optimistic, humanist vision of the future. While many prefer the original series over anything that has come since, fans exist for every big- and small-screen iteration, with “The Next Generation” coming a close second. Having watched many of these earlier series, I remain partial to the original, perhaps because its influence has lingered since childhood and is not easily forgotten. However, the show is very dated in many ways, but its core elements remain timeless, largely because it evokes a sense of possibility and wonder from my youth. The sets, creatures, and shoddy special effects were all taken in stride, with no judgment because I was too young to know any better.
Not many people know that one episode of the original series was very controversial at the time. In the episode titled “Plato’s Stepchildren,” season 3, episode 10, Uhura (played by black American actress Nichelle Nichols) and Captain Kirk (William Shatner) kiss. The episode is often cited—incorrectly—as the first interracial kiss on television. It was, however, the first instance in which a kiss between a black person and a white person on a regular U.S. television show was scripted. The episode aired one year after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down nationwide laws prohibiting interracial marriage.
Watching the original series again in its entirety was a breath of fresh air, especially given recent small-screen adaptations that, in my opinion, haven’t recaptured the sense of wonder and excitement of their predecessor. I am also a fan of the six original movies that continue the Enterprise’s missions, made with bigger budgets and improved special effects, but the original series will always have a soft spot for fans like me because it retains a particular charm rooted in the awe and fascination I felt as a child.
This box set features every episode from the three seasons in 1080p high definition with enhanced visual effects, original audio options, and 7.1 surround sound. It also includes over nine hours of previously released archival bonus content, including interviews, unaired pilot episodes, and behind-the-scenes featurettes. The Amazon exclusive version adds a 4-inch mini vinyl record playing the show’s theme music and iconic sound effects, plus a set of nine premium lobby cards that combine to form the 60th-anniversary logo.
If you are a die-hard Star Trek fan, I would highly recommend this box set. There is also a standard 60th Anniversary box set that many fans say basically recycles old content without offering a true definitive upgrade. The on-disc episodes and CGI-enhanced visual effects are the same older transfers previously released, meaning collectors who already own past Blu-ray™ editions get nothing new. The Amazon Exclusive edition reviewed herein will boldly allow you to go back to where it all began – celebrating the stories, characters, and vision that inspired generations. From the bridge of the Enterprise to the far reaches of the universe, the adventure continues to inspire.
Now available on Amazon Exclusive Limited Edition Blu-ray™
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