Star Trek: Enterprise

Star Trek: U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 High Definition Ship
$50.00
I purchased the "HD" Enterprise model on Amazon. Upon receiving it, it appeared to me to have been previously used. There were several scuff marks on it. In addition, the model appeared to be of the cheap "snap together" variety, with the seams in the engine nacels and the area immediately beneath the hanger deck splitting open. The instructions also indicate that if you press the bridge dome for 5 seconds, the bridge, nacel and running lights will stay on. They do not.

In sum, this appeared to me to be a cheap and poorly constructed product that did not live up to its advertising.

Star Trek Enterprise - The Complete First Season
$69.98
Combining a grittier, more dangerous period of space exploration with the usual "Trek" optimism, the first season of "Enterprise" delivers an entertaining array of often-ambitious stories, likable characters, and generous special effects. On that last point, the show doesn't cheap out when characters have to take a shuttle down to a planet (which happens almost every episode in the show's "transporters only used as a last resort" era) and we get to see many nicely done sequences of the crew heading to and returning from their planetside adventures. A small point to be sure, but the detail was appreciated.

More importantly, the main crew members and their interactions are entertaining and fun, again mixing unpredictability (even Vulcan science officer T'Pol often acts in ways one wouldn't expect, based on our previous experience of the stoic Vulcan race) with the expected loyalty and cameraderie we're used to seeing among previous "Trek" crewmen. Also adding to the unpredictable nature of the show is the fact that the famed "Prime Directive" doesn't yet exist, so solutions to delicate problems are quite varied and freewheeling.

Season one of "Enterprise" looks and sounds great on standard DVD and there are a variety of interesting extra features, along with some commentaries. Be warned, though: A pretty good cliffhanger, capping a solid closing episode, will likely have you ordering season two as soon as you complete this set.

Star Trek: Enterprise: The Complete Series
$249.98
I love the series, but the transfer to DVD is poor. It compares poorly to a regular DVD movie, and also to the quality you will see on HDNET, where I first started watching the series. This tells me the source material is OK but the transfer is sloppy. I think this series was originally shot on film, which means this could be extremely crisp. On the first episode I could see major halos around the uniforms in the scene where Archer was talking Hoshi into coming on the trip while she was in South America. There is a lot of grain and fuzinees to the picture. This has nothing to do with the limitations of the media. It's just a quick and dirty transfer to DVD.

What a waste.

Star Trek - USS Enterprise Iconic Vehicle
$34.99
This toy was bought as part of a collection. It comes full assembled and ready to go as soon as you add batteries. This would be a great addition to any collection or fun for a child to play with.