If anything has been lost in the translations, it’s only the idea of each episode as historical document of 60s technology and techniques – not the spirit of the story. The show feels – and largely looks – exactly as it always has. Mercifully, the classic transporter effect appears to have been left untouched, as have the actual sound effects themselves, proving that – at last – a remastering team was able to show some restraint, rather than attempting to fix what isn’t broken.Īlthough the remastered episodes do differ slightly from the originals, it’s worth noting that these aren’t complete re-edits – the intentions of each scene and effect have been preserved at virtually every turn. The soundtrack has been remixed, including a stereo version of the theme tune, and all live-action segments have been re-shot in HD from the original negatives, giving the clearest, cleanest picture yet, even when viewed in standard definition media.
And, finally, William Shatner’s face has been digitally replaced with Chris Pine’s, to ensure that the movie and series match up for new viewers (that last one might be a joke.)Īlongside the new special effects, other areas of the show have also been improved. Phaser effects that once varied from episode-to-episode have been made more consistent. In some shots, what was previously an obvious matte painting has been replaced with an animated CGI cityscape offering far greater depth, and more believable perspective. The new effects are subtle, if noticeable, but never out of place. Thankfully, CGI has gotten to the point where it can integrate fairly seamlessly with the past.