[DVD Review] Stargate Atlantis Season 3 Vol. 1 and Stargate Infinity
Since the pre-release DVDs arrived today, I give you a couple of reviews. SG-1 reviews to follow...
Click images within to view full-size. Cover-art scrounged from Play.com. Menu screencaps taken by yours truly.
Stargate Atlantis Season 3 Volume 1
Due for UK release: August 27th, 2007
Season Three's opening four episodes plus bundled extras.
In brief:
Episodes - 'No Man's Land', 'Misbegotten', 'Irresistible' and 'Sateda'.
Extras - 'Mission Directive - Sateda'. 'Inside the Stargate Atlantis Visual Effects Department'. Commentaries on all episodes. Photo Gallery. DVD opens with a preview of SG-1's 'Ark of Truth'.
The DVDs:
Episodes are presented in widescreen and 5.1, with some improvement in picture quality over the Season Two offerings. The disc I was provided with however, disappointingly only featured English as both spoken language and subtitles, which is a distinct step down from previous seasons, if this is to be the released version.
The extras give two pretty informative mini-documentaries in the form of a 'Mission Directive' for 'Sateda' and a look inside the Visual Effects department of Stargate Atlantis. Informative is the key word - while there are as few fun moments in the former, both lack the humour of some of the extras from the preceding seasons. The total running time for both is just a little over half an hour, something I think they could improve on.
Commentaries are informative, if a little disappointing due to the absence of cast member participation. While learning things about the process that brings the show to our screens is cool, as is hearing the perspectives of the writers and directors, et al; my preference is for the generally more entertaining cast commentaries. From information already released, this is how the following four Season Three volumes will be too. Hopefully this will not be a recurring trend for Season Four.
I would comment on the Gallery, however, it seems that some of the features on the check discs aren't completed yet or that this portion of the DVD doesn't work on my copy. Galleries offered are the standard Stills and Production Design boards.
Menus this season are much the same as previous seasons, however the blue has been replaced with what I personally find to be quite a hideous shade of green. Aesthetics aside, they remain fairly easy to use, though not always logical.
Some of the season's better episodes - 'Irresistible' aside - let down by a set of extras that despite their information value, are bland and not particularly entertaining.
One I'd definitely only take off the shelves to watch episodes.
Stargate Infinity 4-disc Boxset
Due for UK release: August 13th, 2007
Animated spin-off from Stargate SG-1, not considered a part of the overall series canon.
In brief:
The boxset comprises 25 episodes, set some 30 to 40 years into the future from the first episode of SG-1, in which time the stargate is public knowledge. By this time, there are aliens who are residents of Earth, the Goa'uld have been defeated, and the Tlak'khan are the new hostile aliens on the block. After being framed by an infiltrator, Maj. Gus Bonner leads a team of Air Force cadets through the gate, going from planet to planet to seek evidence to clear his and his team's name.
The DVDs:
To be fair, this animated series was never really of much interest to me - its appeal mainly lies in a much younger pre-teen age group, for which it is probably a good introduction to some aspects of the Stargate universe, regardless of its acceptance in canon or not. The show was never really that popular when it aired - though Sky certainly got a lot of mileage from it, showing repeats periodically - a shame, since its mix of entertainment and education is fairly watchable and is certainly no worse than any other animated spin-off.
The downfall in this boxset is the lack of any accompanying materials - there is nothing more than the episodes, with audio and subtitles in three languages in the case of the preview set I've been given. I'd have honestly expected there to be more educational type extras in a boxset of this kind - most kids TV shows and even films usually have some kind of 'fun whilst learning' activities on their DVDs.
I know Disney it ain't, but for what this is, it is pretty disappointing.
From a technical standpoint, the menus are clear and ordered, and pretty easy to use, and the picture quality is pretty good compared with some animated DVDs of the same ilk.
Ultimately, I'd say this was one for the Stargate fans who are sticklers for completion, who have kids, or who actually did watch when it aired and are interested in owning it. Not something I'd purchase myself.
Click images within to view full-size. Cover-art scrounged from Play.com. Menu screencaps taken by yours truly.
Stargate Atlantis Season 3 Volume 1
Due for UK release: August 27th, 2007
Season Three's opening four episodes plus bundled extras.
In brief:
Episodes - 'No Man's Land', 'Misbegotten', 'Irresistible' and 'Sateda'.
Extras - 'Mission Directive - Sateda'. 'Inside the Stargate Atlantis Visual Effects Department'. Commentaries on all episodes. Photo Gallery. DVD opens with a preview of SG-1's 'Ark of Truth'.
The DVDs:
Episodes are presented in widescreen and 5.1, with some improvement in picture quality over the Season Two offerings. The disc I was provided with however, disappointingly only featured English as both spoken language and subtitles, which is a distinct step down from previous seasons, if this is to be the released version.
The extras give two pretty informative mini-documentaries in the form of a 'Mission Directive' for 'Sateda' and a look inside the Visual Effects department of Stargate Atlantis. Informative is the key word - while there are as few fun moments in the former, both lack the humour of some of the extras from the preceding seasons. The total running time for both is just a little over half an hour, something I think they could improve on.
Commentaries are informative, if a little disappointing due to the absence of cast member participation. While learning things about the process that brings the show to our screens is cool, as is hearing the perspectives of the writers and directors, et al; my preference is for the generally more entertaining cast commentaries. From information already released, this is how the following four Season Three volumes will be too. Hopefully this will not be a recurring trend for Season Four.
I would comment on the Gallery, however, it seems that some of the features on the check discs aren't completed yet or that this portion of the DVD doesn't work on my copy. Galleries offered are the standard Stills and Production Design boards.
Menus this season are much the same as previous seasons, however the blue has been replaced with what I personally find to be quite a hideous shade of green. Aesthetics aside, they remain fairly easy to use, though not always logical.
Some of the season's better episodes - 'Irresistible' aside - let down by a set of extras that despite their information value, are bland and not particularly entertaining.
One I'd definitely only take off the shelves to watch episodes.
Stargate Infinity 4-disc Boxset
Due for UK release: August 13th, 2007
Animated spin-off from Stargate SG-1, not considered a part of the overall series canon.
In brief:
The boxset comprises 25 episodes, set some 30 to 40 years into the future from the first episode of SG-1, in which time the stargate is public knowledge. By this time, there are aliens who are residents of Earth, the Goa'uld have been defeated, and the Tlak'khan are the new hostile aliens on the block. After being framed by an infiltrator, Maj. Gus Bonner leads a team of Air Force cadets through the gate, going from planet to planet to seek evidence to clear his and his team's name.
The DVDs:
To be fair, this animated series was never really of much interest to me - its appeal mainly lies in a much younger pre-teen age group, for which it is probably a good introduction to some aspects of the Stargate universe, regardless of its acceptance in canon or not. The show was never really that popular when it aired - though Sky certainly got a lot of mileage from it, showing repeats periodically - a shame, since its mix of entertainment and education is fairly watchable and is certainly no worse than any other animated spin-off.
The downfall in this boxset is the lack of any accompanying materials - there is nothing more than the episodes, with audio and subtitles in three languages in the case of the preview set I've been given. I'd have honestly expected there to be more educational type extras in a boxset of this kind - most kids TV shows and even films usually have some kind of 'fun whilst learning' activities on their DVDs.
I know Disney it ain't, but for what this is, it is pretty disappointing.
From a technical standpoint, the menus are clear and ordered, and pretty easy to use, and the picture quality is pretty good compared with some animated DVDs of the same ilk.
Ultimately, I'd say this was one for the Stargate fans who are sticklers for completion, who have kids, or who actually did watch when it aired and are interested in owning it. Not something I'd purchase myself.