And it arrives just in time to beam under your tree or give as a gift on one of those eight crazy nights.
Between the epic Lower Decks crossover episode "Those Old Scientists" and the first-of-its-kind musical spectacle "Subspace Rhapsody," Strange New Worlds second season arrives on physical media just in time to give to your favorite Trekkie for the holidays-or yourself; nothing wrong with a bit of therapy shopping.
What's in the Box?
Strange New Worlds hits shelves with four different versions to choose from: a four-disc DVD set (29.95), a four-disc Blu-ray set ($34.95), Limited Edition four-disc Blu-ray Steelbook ($39.95), and finally, the Limited Edition three-disc 4K UHD Steelbook ($49.95, and the primary focus of this review). A standard 4K UHD set is scheduled to be released later this month but is currently a lot more expensive than its Steelbook counterpart, presently listed at $56.99. Those prices usually go down, though, so you may want to wait a bit.
The Strange New Worlds season two 4K UHD Limited Edition Steelbook
If you ordered either Steelbook edition, you'll get four Steelbook sized character poster magnets that you can use to customize the cover of the set. The four to choose from include Number One, Uhura, Chapel, and Spock. While the concept itself was a cool idea, unfortunately, the fit isn't quite right and ends up just making the set look a little cheap. The best place for these magnets is, unfortunately, on my fridge.
The Steelbook set also comes with a small "Subspace Rhaposdy" poster, which, by the time you open and unfold it, has so many creases it really wouldn't look good pinned up anywhere. Once again, I commend Paramount Home Entertainment for the thought of adding a few extras in the set, but overall, they feel like a miss.
Video:
Like season one's 4K release, Strange New Worlds season two is presented in Dolby Vision. There's no doubt the show looks absolutely stunning. Watching a show or a movie on physical media should always be your first choice, as nothing is being lost between your TV and internet connection when it comes to compression and other factors.
That said, I don't know if I've just become spoiled or that my eyes can't tell the difference anymore, but I found the 4K quality of this set lacking a bit compared to its predecessor. I almost guarantee there is no difference between each transfer, but it's something my eyes noticed. You may have a completely different experience.
A transport shuttle arrives at Athos Colony in "Under the Cloak of War"
And don't get me wrong, I was still quite impressed, most notably during episode 208, "Under the Cloak of War." The war-ravaged surfaces of the moon of J'Gal looked so detailed on the 4K set, as did every detail, whether that was weapon fire, a shuttle flying low, or long shots of battles raging in the distance.
Sound:
While the set includes Dolby Vision for video, there is no Dolby Atmos audio track. Instead, the SNW season two release drops with a DTS-HD Master Audio track that more than gets the job done. Once again, "Under the Cloak of War" is an excellent reference for not only how good this set looks but how good it sounds.
Special Features:
Listen, when you've seen one featurette on a special features disc, you've seen them all. Some of the Strange New Worlds season two featurettes are better than others. The costuming feature is, unfortunately, just a rehash of the the costuming segments shown on the Ready Room show with Wil Wheaton.
"The Gorn" feature, however, really expands on how the production team brought the reptilian baddies to life through 3D printing, puppeteering, and full-bodysuit stunt acting.
The "Singing in Space" featurette is also lovely, with Kay Hanley and Tom Polce going deep into the nitty-gritty of each track from "Subspace Rhapsody," along with commentary from Anson Mount, Ethan Peck, Celia Rose Gooding, and Jess Bush. At one point, Kay Hanley says, "I don't know if I've ever cried writing a song before, and I ripped my guts out to write the lyrics to that song" when talking about "Keep Us Connected." And I just sat there thinking, 'How could you not?' It's the most powerful song from the historic musical episode.
A feature on prop making and exploring the new worlds of season two also rounds out the collection, along with a good amount of deleted, expanded, and alternate scenes. These are always good to see, and there was one particular cut scene from "Charades" between Spock and Una that I wish had made it into the episode!
Overall:
The Strange New Worlds season two home media release doesn't do anything to change the game or improve upon prior Trek releases, but it also doesn't need to. It simply gets the job done. Much like those previous releases, it will make a fine addition to your collection, even if it has some shortcomings. Strange New Worlds season two is now available to order or purchase from your preferred retailer!
