Star Trek season one

THE SHOW: With no disrespect to the gay community, admitting one is a “Trekkie” is as close as a straight person can get to coming out of the closet. There’s the shock and denial from various family members, the break-up of any “normal” romantic relationships, and the complete immersion into a subculture of society fighting for acceptance despite being dressed in really flamboyant polyester clothes. OK, gay people have better fashion sense. But the principal is the same. And with the release of the long-awaited box set of Star Trek: The Original Series (Season One) on DVD, fans of Kirk, Spock and McCoy will be forced to endure even more discrimination at the hands of bigoted sales clerks who mock them even as they zap their customized Trek Mastercards. But, oh my brothers and sisters, is it ever worth it! True, all the episodes were available previously on individual discs with much the same video quality. But Paramount has gathered up all 29 of them, slapped on a respectful 5.1 remix, and encased them in futuristic packaging for your viewing enjoyment. What’s sometimes lost in all the good-natured ribbing is how truly enjoyable Star Trek: The Original Series really is. It’s a show that reaches for far more than its budget allows, which makes for some cheesy sets and bad makeup. But the ideas are so original; the relationships so deceptively strong for a sci-fi show, that creator Gene Roddenberry’s legacy shouldn’t be tarnished by jokes about Spock’s pointy ears. The first season is surprisingly well developed, with the holy trinity of Spock, McCoy, and Kirk coming together quite well by episode four or five. Some choice work from eminent sci-fi writers like Harlan Ellison and D.C. Fontana grace these early episodes. The crew hops back to the 20th century not once, but twice (most notably so Kirk can romance guest star Joan Collins in City on the Edge of Forever). They endure telekinetic madmen, court-martials, the wrath of Khan and Ohura’s bad improvisational showtunes. But the shows familial bonds and seemingly fearless imagination carry it safely through it all at warp speed. THE FEATURES: Here’s where we separate the Trekkies with one foot on the ground from those hopelessly lost in the Forbidden Zone. There are plenty of extras on here. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. The Birth of a Timeless Legacy focuses mainly on the troubles getting the series off the ground. The pilot was shot twice, once with Shatner and once without. But the footage from the failed pilot was recycled in the first season to meet an airdate deadline. To Boldly Go...is a great overview of selected season one episodes by cast and crew with anecdotes to spice it up. Reflections on Spock features Nimoy trying to back his way out of any negative comments he may have made about the character of the years. It’s nice to see his ingrate days are behind him. Sci-Fi Visionaries introduces some of the high-profile writing talent the show attracted. Pop up Text Commentary by Michael and Denise Okuda appears on four of the original episodes. The only downer is Life Beyond Trek: William Shatner, mainly a kiss-butt vanity piece about Kirk’s double life as a horse whisperer. FINAL SCORE: Enough time has passed since The Original Series has been in syndication that the episodes seem incredibly fresh and daring. This is a show that went out on a limb every week and tried something never attempted before on TV. Will & Grace, eat your heart out!