Disc Two:

Disc Three:

Disc Four:

Disc Five:

Disc Six:

Disc Seven:

This ultimate collector’s box set not only includes all 26 episodes with their original 60’s era effects, but also the remastered effect with seamless branching, so with the tap of the angle button on your remote you can instantly travel across 40 years of time and special effects technology. While many of us think that newer is better there are Star Trek purists out there who swear by the original effects, so it was a nice touch to include both versions of the original series in this set.

Each disc starts with an Enterprise flyby before the bridge console and viewing screen appear as your menu interface. Here, you can access episodes individually, choosing whether to watch them as they originally aired or with updated effects (you can switch on the fly), or you can access the Communication menu for a variety of disc-specific bonus features. Also, on two of the seven discs you have a Starfleet Access episode. These two episodes have been singled out for special treatment with PiP interviews and behind-the-scenes production notes.

The second season of Star Trek saw several changes. Pavel Chekov was added to the bridge crew. This hip, young Russian officer was an obvious nod to the Cold War events of the time and an attempt for Gene Roddenberry to say that we would all be getting along in the future. Chekov also was intended to appeal to the female demographic with his Beatles/Monkee's mop-top and thick accent that he used to deliver some of the funnies lines in the series.

We also met Spock's parents and learned much about Vulcan culture in Amok Time and Journey to Babel. Obsession dived into Kirk's past as a young officer, Mirror, Mirror showed us a much more hostile parallel universe. The Prime Directive became a major focus of several episodes. It seems Kirk was either skirting around this rule or patching things up after somebody else violated it. There were a lot more themed episodes with gangsters, Nazi's, Greek gods, and even Jack the Ripper, plus one of my favorite episodes, Assignment: Earth, featuring Teri Garr when she was only 21. Disc 4 is worth special mention as it is home to all things Tribble related. Not only does it contain the original "The Trouble With Tribbles" episode, complete with PiP commentary, you can also find two additional Tribble-themed episodes, one from the animated series (also with commentary), and my favorite DS9 episode of all time. Throw in some Tribble-related bonus features and you have a disc exploding with Tribble material.

Also of special interest to fan with iPhones, Season Two supports Mobile Blu, a new application you can download to your iPhone for free then use it as a remote control for your Blu-ray player or to access special "Content to Go". The only stipulation is that your iPhone and Blu-ray player must be on the same wireless network. The remote control works and looks pretty cool, but I already have a remote so this seemed gimmicky at best, but the portable bonus content was pretty awesome. Exclusive Mobie Blu content includes: Writing Spock (disc 1), Creating Chekov (disc 2), Listening to the Actors (disc 3), and Spock's Mother (disc 4). There are also three special features that are also available on Mobile Blu; Billy Blackburn's Treasure Chest (disc 1), To Boldly Go... (disc 5), and Star Trek's Great Trio (disc 7). I have only a few complaints with Season Two and they are the same ones I had with Season ONe. The DVD case is still asking for trouble with six of the seven discs hanging on a plastic hinge just waiting to snap off. While my copy of Season Two arrived fully intact - this time - I'd be careful if you are having this box set shipped to you, and if buying in a store, gently shake to make sure nothing has broken loose.

My only other complaint is with the menus. You have to navigate an extremely clumsy interface to go from episode to episode. Apparently they don’t think there are any Trek fans with the stamina to endure four episodes in a row because there is no “play all” feature. I will give them kudos for making the opening credit sequence its own chapter, so I could skip forward from the pre-credit teaser to the actual show.

I have to admit that I stopped watching the original series repeats when Next Generation came around. I had heard they were remastering the old series but I was never able to track it down when those episodes started their new run, so getting to watch Kirk and his crew on this stunning Blu-ray box set was like going home and visiting with long-lost relatives. While I’m not a huge fan of every episode in this box – actually Season Two has several forgettable episodes in my opinion - I eagerly watched my favorites and was continuously amazed at the new special effects and just how seamless they were slipped into the existing live action and just how much they enhanced the storytelling.

Filmmaking: 10
Gene Roddenberry was so far ahead of his time in 1967 we are still trying to catch up to his genius. The Enterprise was not only a ship but also a representation of a multi-cultural Earth that was only starting to become the melting pot it is today. And under the guise of science fiction, he, along with other numerous and noteworthy sci-fi authors were able to address topics and issues that were taboo and off limits back in those days, at least as far as TV was concerned. Gene painted a positive and hopeful future that mankind is still aspiring to reach even today.

Visuals: 9
Several years ago CBS dug into the vaults and found the original masters for all three seasons of original episodes, had them digitized, touched up, and color corrected, but then something wonderful happened. Somebody had the great idea to give all the special effects a 21st Century facelift. Season Two showcases more adventures in space so we get fantastic remakes of the Doomsday machine as well as a new vision of the K7 space station and our first glimpse of a Klingon vessel. But even in the most standard of shots, the digital artists have gone in and correct glitches and artifacts on the backgrounds and characters, often frame by frame. Colors really pop now, and Star Trek is still known for introducing color into modern day TV.

The Blu-ray box set offers a stunning 1080p, 1.33:1 transfer so HDTV owners can expect back bars on each side of the picture. I’m not sure if it was grain or some serious noise reduction going on, but the episodes looks really grainy on a 40” Sony Bravia played on a Sony BD player using HDMI. Those same episodes looked nearly flawless when played on my Samsung 58" plasma and PS3. The more obvious artifacts and errors due to aging have been cleaned up nicely. The extreme clarity of this release will often reveal imperfections in set construction, paint, and even wardrobe. The vibrant and colorful lighting used frequently in the ship’s halls really pops in this remastered edition. I’m also a big fan of lighting just the character’s eyes in the extreme close-ups.

While I avoided viewing the old effects for the first several episodes I eventually became quite adept at using the angle button to toggle between old and new versions, especially in episodes like Who Mourns for Adonais and The Doomsday Machine that received extreme updates. Sure, the series still has some dated visuals, both in set and costume design, but I challenge you to find a 40-year-old TV series that looks better than this on any format. Actually, any of these remastered episodes looked better than the Deep Space Nine episode they included on Disc 4.

Sound: 8
I was surprised to find that Star Trek was using a lossless DTS-HD MA 7.1 mix for a show that was originally recorded in mono. Star Trek was more drama than science fiction with lots of character driven events and dialogue, which has all been expertly mixed and presented with crystal clarity from the front channels. The music finds its home in those same channels, as well as a few incursions into the rear, but always at perfect volumes to heighten the drama or the action or both. It’s also worth noting that the opening credit theme by Alexander Courage was totally remastered in 7.1 with a fresh orchestra of the same size and mix as the original and included several musicians from the contemporary Trek spin-offs.

Sound effects are as clever as they were 40 years ago and they are all clearly audible although without much separation across the channels. The most obvious use of surround sound is the exterior space shots with the Enterprise flybys that swoosh from front to rear or vice versa. The sub-woofer seldom gets a workout, even during combat.

Value: 8
While there are a lot of extras in this box I just couldn’t give this section a perfect score. Most of the extras are extremely dated, some interviews going back nearly ten years, and hardly any of it is in HD. The one HD feature I found most enjoyable is on the first disc and talks about giving Star Trek a Spacelift into the 21st Century. This 20-minute feature goes into great detail on what it took to remaster the series for a new generation of Trek fans. To borrow a phrase from Spock, I found it “fascinating”.

They really cut back on the Starfleet Access episodes this time. The first season gave us 5 episodes but now we only have two, which adds to the overall feeling that there just isn't much fan service on this second season box. The two Starfleet Access episodes, Amok Time and The Trouble With Tribbles, are excellent, and have writers, producers, special effects guys, and even members of the cast talk about their part in that episode or the series in general. Michael and Denise Okuda are frequent members of this PiP cast, as they are still the recognized authorities on all things Star Trek. Other dedicated, or more focused features include a piece on Leonard Nimoy and his life beyond the character and his love of photography, and Nichelle Nichols and her career before and after the original series. There is also a great piece on the magical chemistry shared by the Kirk, Bones, and Spock trinity. And for the most rare and insightful look into the production of Star Trek, be sure to check out part two of “Billy Blackburn's Treasure Chest: Rare Home Movies and Special Memories” found on the first disc. This actor was in numerous episodes as numerous characters and he has some great home movies to document his career.

Overall: 9.0
Season Two gets a slightly lower score than the first season for two reasons. The first, and more personal, is that I simply didn't enjoy as many of the episodes in this box set, but the ones I did enjoy are some of my favorites. The second reason is less subjective and is due to an overall lack of special features. While I appreciated the inclusion of the two Tribble episodes from other Trek spin-offs, I simply wanted more PiP Starfleet Access material. There was just a lot of missed opportunities with the Season Two box.

Even so, anyone who considers themselves a Star Trek fan and owns a Blu-ray player must immediately head to their nearest video store at maximum warp and purchase Star Trek: The Original Series: Season 2. This is the definitive collection, or at least the second of three box sets that are going to resurrect the 60’s like no other series can. Whether you choose to watch these episodes as they originally aired or with the new updated visual effects, these characters and the stories they tell are timeless examples that exemplify the best of mankind.