Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Complete Series (DVD Box Set)

I’ve never gotten a complete box set of any show before but, because I loved Deep Space Nine and the individual seasons were ridiculously expensive (even used) and previous complete sets were insane, when I saw this new edition of the complete series for less*, I ordered it from an internet dealer you may have heard of. The set arrived with one disc off the hub, which was scratched very badly. After I complained, they sent me a new set (they couldn’t send a single replacement disc) and a mailing label (so I could send the other set back without paying postage) and the replacement set isn’t exactly perfect but seems okay. Hopefully it’ll play properly.

*Edit: Wow. I just checked the current listing of that dealer. Pre-ordering can be a good idea. Sometimes the product you pre-order never materializes (which is why I don’t usually do it) but sometimes you save over fifty bucks.

As long as they do work, I’m really happy to have them and look forward to watching them but, as a warning to anybody considering buying the set, the packaging is truly horrific. There’s a single cardboard box which holds three clear plastic cases. Two large cases hold seasons 1-3 and 4-6. The third mid-thickness case holds season 7. The labels on each of the cases looks like someone screwed up the graphics on their home computer, washing them out and making them look somewhat cartoonish, and then printed them on their home printer or something. Point is, they look pretty bad. There is no booklet or anything like that. Just an episode list printed on the inside of the paper that is obscured by the DVDs on the backs of two of the three cases (see below). Worse still, each of the large cases holds a giant thing of hard plastic (liable to break) with pages like a book with two overlapping DVDs on each “page” or each side of the “sheet.” I hate overlapping DVDs (if you want disc B you have to take out disc A to get to it) and I didn’t think they even made them anymore. And these things aren’t even attached to the cases. The cases’ inner spines are just smooth and blank and the “pages” just come right out of the case. But worse still the DVDs do not come right out of their hubs. Again, the hubs and teeth are very hard plastic and sharp and grip so hard that it’s very difficult to get the DVDs out, causing them to bend in most cases before they’ll finally snap free, despite applying cutting pressure with the thumb on the teeth. (Is there a trick to this?) And there are only two teeth, meaning if one breaks, you’re completely screwed. The second and third cases both contain an odd number of discs, meaning there’s one disc stuck on the back of the plastic cases (which are at least somewhat softer and less prone to break). The third case is unlike either of the first two in that the pages are attached to the spine and the discs are not overlapping – there’s one on each side of the three plastic “sheets,” though the seventh is on the back of the case like the last disc of the second case.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Complete Series DVD set

So the physics of the thing just flat sucks. It’s an inconsistent, inconvenient mess that is several kinds of accidents waiting to happen. I assume the version released several years ago that cost an insane amount came in better packaging. Seems like it’d be cheaper and easier and better to just re-manufacture all the individual seasons (assuming they were any good) and stick ’em in one big box rather than specially designing and manufacturing this crappy packaging. But enough of that.

As far as the video itself, based on “Emissary,” it looks okay. I’ve seen better, but I’ve definitely seen worse. There are four episodes to the disc unless there aren’t four left for the last disc, in which case there are also some special features – I don’t usually care about those too much, but many do).

I guess that about covers it: an expensive but reasonable price for this 2017 edition (I guess… at least compared to what they cost before) but horrific packaging. But decent DVDs, which is the most important thing.

In the coming days, I may occasionally write up my impressions in some posts as I rewatch the series, somewhat (very somewhat) as tor.com did.