 Star Trek: Picard's third and final season arrives on blu-ray and delivers a thrilling and emotionally satisfying conclusion to the epic journey of Jean-Luc Picard and his crew... for now! The season explores the consequences of the Dominion War and brings back The Next Generation together again to save their own and the Federation. The camaraderie and genuine connection among the cast members elevate the storytelling, creating a powerful and memorable viewing experience for Trekkie and newcomer alike.
The blu-ray is fitting for a journey that has spawned over thirty five years packed with special features and insight offering a mix of behind-the-scenes content, deleted scenes, audio commentaries, and even a hidden Easter egg. In an era where behind-the-scenes materials are readily available online if at all, the five vignettes included in the set provide insights into the production of Season 3. However, it's noted that some previously released behind-the-scenes segments from The Ready Room are missing once again on a Star Trek home video release. The highlight of the behind-the-scenes features is "The Making of the Last Generation," a 42-minute documentary covering the entire final season. It includes interviews with writer-producers Jane Maggs and Brian Tatosky, providing a comprehensive look at the production, writing, and performances that shaped the iconic season. Another standout is "Villainous Vadic," a detailed interview with Amanda Plummer and various producers, shedding light on bringing the character of Vadic to life and her personal connection to the franchise through her father Christopher Plummer who made an unforgettable appearance in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. "Rebuilding the Enterprise-D" explores the design of the iconic starship, featuring insights from production designer Dave Blass and art director Liz Kloczkowski who recently appeared on our podcast, The A24 Project.. The Blu-ray also includes a 42-minute Q & A panel with key cast and crew members, providing additional context and discussions held before the April finale IMAX screenings. The set includes relevant deleted scenes, such as those from episodes like "The Bounty," "Dominion," "Surrender," "Võx," and "The Last Generation." These scenes offer additional depth to the narrative, providing insights into characters like Data, Lore, Worf, and others. The deleted scenes are considered notable, with some viewers wondering why certain scenes weren't included in the final episode edits. The Blu-ray's strength lies in its five full-length audio commentaries, a rare treat for fans. Showrunner Terry Matalas participates in all commentaries, and notable contributors include Jonathan Frakes, Jeri Ryan, Todd Stashwick, Gates McFadden, Michelle Hurd, LeVar Burton, and Brent Spiner. The commentaries cover episodes like "The Next Generation," "Seventeen Seconds," "The Bounty," and "The Last Generation," providing both spirited and introspective discussions on the series' highlights. Lastly, the release includes a hidden Easter egg, "One More Hand," a 6-minute extended recording of the Ten Forward poker game that closed out "The Last Generation." The Blu-ray edition not only delivers a fantastic set of episodes that marks a generations final journey but come packed with extras that offer an exclusive peek behind the scenes, providing a deeper appreciation for the creative process and the evolution of the beloved characters. Now bring on Star Trek: Legacy! 5/5 Star Trek: Picard - The Final Season Arrives on DVD, Blu-Ray and Blu-Ray Steelbook on November 20th. - Lee Hutchison |
|
