Season 1 Blu-ray Questions

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

Star Trek (original) is the one broadcast-era series I'm least familiar with. As a kid, I only saw random reruns. When DVD was new, I only had 3 of those 2-episode DVD's. I had the series on DVD (the 3 colorful season sets) which I watched once or twice (I think) back when I first picked them up. A while ago, I upgraded the series to Blu-ray and gifted my 3 DVD sets to a friend. Anyway, that's my history with the show. The Blu-ray sets I bought a while ago, I'm only just recently diving into the series. I've finished S1, D2 on Blu-ray, so I am 9 episodes into the show now. I'm watching with "original effects" rather than the remasters. I love that they give this option so you can pick which version to watch. Everything looks and sounds great. I remembered the 2nd pilot (Where No Man Has Gone Before), the twin-Kirk episode (The Enemy Within), and Mudd's Women (who can forget Harry Mudd?), all great episodes. The other 6 might as well have been first viewings. I know I've seen all 80 episodes, but I'm also sure I've just completely forgotten most episodes beyond each episode's gimmick. I am honestly having too much fun with a TV show that's 20 years older than I am.

I do have one question though: did they screw up the theme song? I am 9 episodes in, and it sounds like an electronic recording of the original theme, it doesn't sound like it was done by an orchestra, and where is that uuhh aaahhhh AHHH AAAAAAHHHH!!!! singing? My CD soundtrack to "The Cage" and "Where No Man Has Gone Before" theme song does NOT match the theme song that played for the Blu-ray version of "Where No Man Has Gone Before."

9 episodes in, and my only criticism so far: where is that epic theme song?

 

[David cgc]

I'm not 100% on how the blu-ray handles it, but there were several recordings and arrangements of the opening theme that were switched in and out over the run of the show, though the big ones are that season one doesn't have the vocals over the second half, and season two and three do. The remaster re-recorded the opening credits music (but only in those two variations), but I don't think those would play if you were watching the original visual effects version.

 

[Ray Hardgrit]

Yeah, they put the extra effort in and created multiple different versions, so the (rerecorded) vocals should return for season 2, and they're more subdued but present in the season 2 end credits as well.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

Do either of you have the old soundtracks on CD? I have three 2-episode soundtracks, so I can quickly whip out the original TOS theme and play it if the Blu-ray theme doesn't sound right for comparison. Do you feel the rerecorded themes for S1 and S2-3 do the show justice? I listened to the 2nd pilot theme on CD, and it's so lively and epic and cinematic! Then on the Blu-ray, it's just so... has that "someone remixed a TV theme for YouTube" sound.

 

[Methuselah Flint]

I believe - though could be wrong:

Season 1 original broadcast - first number of episodes up to perhaps Conscience of the King - electronic arrangement, no vocals (Where No Man has no narration)

Second part of Season 1 episodes - violin arrangement, no vocals.

Seasons 2 and 3 - new arrangement per season, with vocals.

Then:

Season 1 remastered - re-recorded with vocals, but one consistent version throughout.
Seasons 2 and 3 remastered - re-recorded with vocals, as per the original. Not sure if 1, 2 and 3 vary, or are the same.

All end titles had vocals I believe.

And of course the 2nd pilot's theme was not used in the broadcast version. Where No Man was edited to match the series proper.

Finally - it's entirely possible that some season 1 episodes on the blu ray do not have the correct arrangement, but the original broadcast does change around about Conscience of the King.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

Season 1 on Blu-ray: I finished watching Disc 1 (4 episodes) and Disc 2 (5 episodes), so I am now 9 episodes in. The remastered theme intro has Kirk's intro (except for Where No Man Has Gone Before), but there are zero vocals in the intro nor the outro. The intro and outro also lack the vibrancy of what's on my CD soundtracks. The Blu-ray themed just feels so very watered down.

 

[Ssosmcin]

I believe - though could be wrong:

Season 1 original broadcast - first number of episodes up to perhaps Conscience of the King - electronic arrangement, no vocals (Where No Man has no narration)

Second part of Season 1 episodes - violin arrangement, no vocals.

Seasons 2 and 3 - new arrangement per season, with vocals.

Then:

Season 1 remastered - re-recorded with vocals, but one consistent version throughout.
Seasons 2 and 3 remastered - re-recorded with vocals, as per the original. Not sure if 1, 2 and 3 vary, or are the same.

All end titles had vocals I believe.

And of course the 2nd pilot's theme was not used in the broadcast version. Where No Man was edited to match the series proper.

Finally - it's entirely possible that some season 1 episodes on the blu ray do not have the correct arrangement, but the original broadcast does change around about Conscience of the King.

Well, kinda.

Broadcast order:

First "few episodes" had the original Electric Violin theme. How many had it is still being debated. As little as 4, possibly 5 or maybe 7. The blu rays get them mostly wrong. Where No Man Has Gone Before is correct for the opening and closing credits (the only episode to correctly have the electric violin theme at the end). The blu rays also have the electric violin theme on The Corbomite Maneuver, but it was replaced by Fred Steiner's cello arrangement by then (the Roddenberry Archives blu ray corrected that). Balance of Terror has the 2006 rerecording on both audio tracks.

Only the 2nd and 3rd season had vocals in the end titles. The first season only had the orchestra.

The DVDs have the electric violin theme on the first 10 production episodes. This is incorrect in number and in some of the episodes. And, again, only WNMHGB has the end title music with the electric violin theme. However, the DVDs are the only place you'll see the correct "created by Gene Roddenberry" opening credit on The Man Trap and Charlie X. The blu rays did not restore those or the internal credits (i.e., removing Roddenberry's credit from the end of the episode and restoring the original font).

The VHS/Laserdiscs standardized all of the first season main and end theme music (other than WNMHGB) with the Steiner cello music, which is where this mess all began.

I've discussed this with Neil S. Bulk and his theory is the electric violin theme is supposed to be on the following episodes:

The Man Trap
Charlie X
Where No Man Has Gone Before
The Naked Time (which was locked in too soon after the new theme was recorded to use for airtime)

Now, I am pretty sure I remember the electric violin theme on The Enemy Within and Mudd's Woman, but I cannot prove it or back it up in any way. And human memory is unreliable. It makes sense that they would want to use the theme as soon as they were able to, and I can accept it being on Mudd's Woman, but have a hard time with The Enemy Within. The last time I saw these episodes unaltered was 1985ish on a public broadcasting station which ran them uncut before Paramount replaced them with pre-cut episodes and the music standardized.

To this day, I am searching for VHS tapes of those early 80's broadcasts or some collector with the episodes on 16mm syndication prints.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

Why does the theme on the S1 Blu-ray sound watered down but the theme on the soundtrack CD's sound so much fuller, richer, and more musically cinematic? It doesn't sound like an orchestra; it sounds like a cheap YouTube electronic remix.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

This is the TOS theme as I remember it, but this isn't what's on my S1 Blu-ray. This is the watered-down theme on Blu-ray. Blech! OK, now here is the TOS theme as I remember it. Is this different from the Blu-ray theme? Am I crazy? Maybe it's subtle pitch or something? Am I just bonkers?

 

[Ssosmcin]

because you're listening to the 2006 re-recording sound mix. Switch it over to the mono track, and you'll hear the theme you're used to.

 

[Ssosmcin]

Season 1 on Blu-ray: I finished watching Disc 1 (4 episodes) and Disc 2 (5 episodes), so I am now 9 episodes in. The remastered theme intro has Kirk's intro (except for Where No Man Has Gone Before), but there are zero vocals in the intro nor the outro.

Just to reiterate, they didn't start using Loulie Jean Norman's vocals until the second season. The first season was all orchestra.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

because you're listening to the 2006 re-recording sound mix. Switch it over to the mono track, and you'll hear the theme you're used to.

Oh, really? I'll play around with this when I pop in Disc 3. Thank you!!!

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

Just to reiterate, they didn't start using Loulie Jean Norman's vocals until the second season. The first season was all orchestra.

Any idea why they put it on the soundtrack CD for the 2 pilot episodes?

 

[Ssosmcin]

Because they re-released most of the music that was included on the big box set from 2012. That was just something they still had to include. The version with the soprano should have been on one of the albums as well since they were both in the box set

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

Because they re-released most of the music that was included on the big box set from 2012. That was just something they still had to include. The version with the soprano should have been on one of the albums as well since they were both in the box set

My soundtrack to "The Cage" and "Where No Man Has Gonne Before" is on CD and from 1985. This is what I have.

 

[Ssosmcin]

My soundtrack to "The Cage" and "Where No Man Has Gonne Before" is on CD and from 1985. This is what I have.

Ah okay I know what you mean. The Cage had the tune used in the series and yes, they did have a singer on there - sorry, I forgot about the pilot, I thought you were just talking about the main series. They didn't use the singer in the first season but got her back for the 2nd and 3rd.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

Ah okay I know what you mean. The Cage had the tune used in the series and yes, they did have a singer on there - sorry, I forgot about the pilot, I thought you were just talking about the main series. They didn't use the singer in the first season but got her back for the 2nd and 3rd.

Did they just goof with the 2nd pilot or give it S1 theme for simplicity's sake?

 

[Ssosmcin]

Is this the version you have?

Star Trek: The Original Series – Television Soundtrack Volume 1 [CD]

While the music here was created for the above titled episodes, it was used again and again in other episodes, and these cuts capture much of the signature feeling of those early days of Trek.

store.gnpcrescendo.com

That only has the pilot scores. Or so you have a compilation or unofficial release?

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

Is this the version you have?

Star Trek: The Original Series – Television Soundtrack Volume 1 [CD]

While the music here was created for the above titled episodes, it was used again and again in other episodes, and these cuts capture much of the signature feeling of those early days of Trek.

store.gnpcrescendo.com

That only has the pilot scores. Or so you have a compilation or unofficial release?

That is the version I have. The "Where No Man Has Gone Before" theme music from the soundtrack (released 1985) does not match the theme music for the same episode on Blu-ray.

 

[Ssosmcin]

That is the version I have. The "Where No Man Has Gone Before" theme music from the soundtrack (released 1985) does not match the theme music for the same episode on Blu-ray.

Okay follow up question....are you talking about the aired or unaired version on the blu ray?

On disc one, episode 3 of the first season, they run the episode edited for broadcast with the main theme recorded when they did the score for The Man Trap. On the last disc of season 3, the unaired version of the episode has the original main theme never used in the series. That is the version on the CD - from the unaired pilot.