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Star Trek The Next Generation - The Complete Fourth Season

Star Trek The Next Generation - The Complete Fourth Season

List Price: $139.99
Your Price: $111.99
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Same quality as previous seasons, but layout difference
Review: I've come to expect the same level of quality from each of the season sets for Star Trek: The Next Generation. This one did not disappoint. The box structure and layout remains the same, the foldout holding the DVDs is the same material as the rest. Overall the physical layout of the box set is the same as before.

My only complaint with the entire box set is the layout on each disk. This time, instead of having short clips of all the episodes on the disk play back to back, or having a separate screen for each episode, the disk is split in half, with two screens for clips, each one alternating between two episodes. It makes it harder to follow than previous disks, unless you're familiar with all the episodes on that disk you're not sure where each episode ends and the next begins.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: More "Seasoned" Season
Review: More sure of itself than ever...The fourth season of Star Trek-TNG is known for three things. First, there was the departure of actor Wil Wheaton, and his alter ego Wesley Crusher, from the series. Second, the resolution to last season's cliffhanger finale, "The Best Of Both Worlds", which was very well done and met a summer's long expectation with flying colors. Finally, many key episodes explored a solid story arc for Lt. Worf (Michael Dorn), and the turmoil within the Klingon Empire. Notable Guest Stars in year 4 include John De Lancie, (Q) Jean Simmons (Admiral Nora Satie), Jennifer Hetrick (Vash), Dwight Shultz (Lt. Reg Barclay), Majel Barrett (Lwaxana Troi), and Whoopi Goldberg continues her recurring role as Guinan) Behind the camera, actor Patrick Stewart aka Captain Picard is given an opportunity to direct episode 25, "In Theory". Actor Jonathan Frales (Commander Riker) also continues to direct with the great episodes "Reunion" and "The Drumhead" (2 of my favorite shows from this season) Really great stuff.

The 7 disc DVD box set for the fourth season follows the same pattern of the previous collections There's about an hour of featurettes highlighting season IV. These extras feature MORE "New" interviews this time out, than in the past, which is a plus. Some distance from the season allows for a more "objective" spin, from all those involved. For fans of the show though, there's really no earth shattering revelation presented in these documentaries, that will make you go, "Wow"

The set is another recommendable collection Enjoy. ****and a half stars.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Season 4 - TNG Running at Warp 9.8!
Review: Regarded by most fans of The Next Generation as the series finest hour. Everything about this season seems to gel incredibly well.

This is the season to show non-Trekkies (Trekkers for the purists), and those who say "They never will enjoy it" - I have converted a few myself *grin*

Starting off with the conclusion to the shocking Best of Both Worlds and ending with Redemption Part I, this season is packed full of action, character development and some first rate stories.

This boxed set should be top of your list to purchase - ideally this season and seasons 6 3 and 5, unless you are determined to go in chronological order.

All in all fabulous!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Disk #1 Manufactor Defects
Review: Season 4 is a terrific season for TNG however the low rating is due to manufactors problems with disk 1. I was unable to play the episodes 'Brothers' and 'Suddenly Human' on my DVD player. Both episodes were extremely jumpy. The picture was highly pixilized and the sound came out distorted. I thought it might be the DVD player so I played the disk on my DVD-ROM to see if the same thing would happen and the DVD would not play at all. I tried cleaning the disk and still had the same problems.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Character driven season
Review: Season 4 offers a lot; I'd buy the package for "Brothers," "Family," and "The Drumhead" alone. "The Drumhead" is a bottle show, but it doesn't play like one: it's a searing episode, and one that continues, or at least looks at seriously, the [groundless] investigation of Picard's character and command abilities. I must say, though, it's ahead of it's time - they should have saved it for the end of season 5 after such episodes as "I, Borg" and "Silicon Avatar." Then again, it sets up nicely the possibility that maybe even Picard has seriously dangerous lapses in judgment, as we see later in those two shows. Other gems of the season include "Family," in which Picard returns to Earth after the Borg incident to try and patch up his relationship with his estranged brother while getting some time to sort things out. Picard's brother Robert is a bit gruff but welcoms his brother to their home in France; Jean-Luc, full of self doubt and distraught by his own lack of confidence as a result of his inability to resist assimilation, is tempted to leave Starfleet when he is invigorated by the promising youthfulness of Robert's son. Robert confronts his brother, encourages him to get back where he belongs, get back in the saddle, and they come to terms with their past differences and grudges in an old-fashioned fist fight in the mud behind the house. They laugh about their differences, now behind them, and Picard returns to his Enterprise emotionally healed. "Brothers" is also a gem, and continues the family theme from the aforementioned episode. In "Brothers," Data is reunited with his father, Dr. Noonian Soong, in the wake of a bizarre accident onboard the Enterprise in which a child almost kills his brother. Data learns a lot about himself and his own little family: his father is brilliant and reclusive, alive when thought dead, he never knew his "mother," and his brother (Lore) is opportunistic and maniacal. We're left with the thought that Data, in his own way, is very much human. After Lore shows up and goes on a violent rampage, Dr. Soong is left critically injured. Lore escapes before Data or the Enterprise crew can help, and the old man leaves his emotionless "son" with words that will give you shivers: in your own way, Data, you will grieve. The accident onboard the Enterprise that almost killed the child's brother is attended to, the child is saved, and we're left with Data watching them play.

Season 4 is slightly unusual in that it hits the ground running and maintains its momentum throughout. Other goodies include: "Final Mission," "Legacy," and "Future Imperfect." "Devil's Due" is a romp, much like "Qpid" and "The Nth Degree," where after encountering an alien probe Lt. Barclay's I.Q. is increased by hundreds of times. He connects himself to the computer, debates quantum physics and advanced math with Albert Einstein, and bests him. "The Nth Degree" features some cool visuals as well. "Legacy" is a good action episode and stirs up old memories for the crew when they visit the planet tasha Yar grew up on to recover a downed shuttle.

There really aren't any shows that this season could do without; most seasons have at least one junk episode, but this one does not, along with season 7. All of the characters get their own showcase epsiode this season, and some get more than one. Data gets "Brothers," "Data's Day," and "In Theory." Picard gets "Family," "Final Mission" along with Wes Crusher, and several other episodes. Troi is showcased in "The Loss," and it's great to see her get to develop Troi from here on out; she's far above and beyond the cheerleader of seasons 1 and 2. Dr. Crusher and Wes get "Remember Me," and Worf is showcased in "Reunion" and "Redemption, Part I," two episodes that sort of ignite his "family honor/Gowron" theme that returns throughout the series. Riker's character gets to shine in "First Contact" and "Future Imperfect."

I highly recommend season 4 and it's lineup of intriguing, emotionally charged stories. Character development is finally and thankfully made the driving force of the year. While season 3 was a colossal leap forward, year 4 was the pay off of the first 4 seasons.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Warp engines engaged Captain!
Review: Season four, what a treasure. This is the first full season where, when you watched every show all you could say to yourself was "that was great." This is the season where, as stated above, their warp engines were fully engaged. The writing staff did a great job with every episode. Patrick Stewart just continue to shine as Captain Picard. We start off with the climatic, yet somewhat melodramatic ending of "Best of Both Worlds." All summer long between the seasons, I kept asking myself, how are they going to get out of this one? What a great two part episode, that honestly could've been on the silver screen. The only problem I had with this season, was a personal one. It was right at the beginning of Desert Shield and I could only get taped shows. Season four was also truly the season of family, we finally get to meet so many people who had only been briefly mentioned. The most poignant episode of the season "Family." They had to address everything that Captain Picard would be feeling after becoming Locutus and doing the things he was forced to do. Truly a fine episode. Some highlighted episodes of season four:

Best of Both Worlds Part 2
Brothers
Family
Remember Me
Reunion
Furture Imperfect
Final Mission
Data's Day
The Wounded
First Contact
Galaxy's Child
Nth Degree
Qpid
Half a Life
The Mind's Eye
In Theory
Redemption Part 1

One of the true gems of the season was Chief Miles O'Brien getting more airtime, which led to his inclusion in Deep Space Nine. He is one of the best Star Trek characters to date. Overall a great season and more than just a taste of what's to come in the following years.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Middle of the series and all is well
Review: Starts out with the second half of the cliffhanger with the borg.Dr. Crusher returns and Wesley Crusher leaves for Star Fleet Academy.The season finishes up with another cliffhanger concerning the Klingon leadership.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Encore! Season 4
Review: The 4th season starts out with a bang with "Best of Both Worlds Pt. 2" and goes to the tear-jerking "Family". Includes Bev Crusher's episode "Remember Me". Lots of good episodes this time around.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: TNG Fourth Season...The Best Continues.
Review: The fourth season of TNG begins with the rescue of Picard from the Borg collective, and ends with Worf leaving the Federation to join his people during the Klingon Civil War. In between these two landmark shows, lies a fourth season drenched with superior stories and consistently good character development. Star Trek really established itself in the third season and it never looks back as we go forward through the fourth. I liked this season only slightly less than the third, only because of a couple of episodes I didn't care much for. I didn't like "Remember Me," and "In Theory." Data falling in love was good for a subplot, but not the main story. Still, we get top-notch entertainment as the crew continues to explore places no one has gone before. High-lights include, "Reunion," "The Drumhead," "Qpid," "The Mind's Eye," "First Contact," "Clues," and "Future Imperfect." We meet Tasha Yar's sister in, "Legacy." We meet Data's father in, "Brothers." Also, while the Klingons and Romulans still play vital parts, we finally meet the devious Cardassians in, "The Wounded," where O'Brien finally has his moment to shine. All and all, this is a superb DVD set and I highly recommend it to any fan, whether you are a diehard Trekor or just getting started.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: TNG Fourth Season...The Best Continues.
Review: The fourth season of TNG begins with the rescue of Picard from the Borg collective, and ends with Worf leaving the Federation to join his people during the Klingon Civil War. In between these two landmark shows, lies a fourth season drenched with superior stories and consistently good character development. Star Trek really established itself in the third season and it never looks back as we go forward through the fourth. I liked this season only slightly less than the third, only because of a couple of episodes I didn't care much for. I didn't like "Remember Me," and "In Theory." Data falling in love was good for a subplot, but not the main story. Still, we get top-notch entertainment as the crew continues to explore places no one has gone before. High-lights include, "Reunion," "The Drumhead," "Qpid," "The Mind's Eye," "First Contact," "Clues," and "Future Imperfect." We meet Tasha Yar's sister in, "Legacy." We meet Data's father in, "Brothers." Also, while the Klingons and Romulans still play vital parts, we finally meet the devious Cardassians in, "The Wounded," where O'Brien finally has his moment to shine. All and all, this is a superb DVD set and I highly recommend it to any fan, whether you are a diehard Trekor or just getting started.


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