Star Trek: Discovery – Season 4 is available now on DVD, Blu-Ray™ and Limited-Edition Blu-ray™ Steelbook®.
Synopsis
Season four of STAR TREK: DISCOVERY finds Captain Burnham and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery facing a threat unlike any they’ve ever encountered. With Federation and non-Federation worlds alike feeling the impact, they must confront the unknown and work together to ensure a hopeful future for all.
Review
Recently I complete a re-watch of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in celebration of that series’ 30th birthday. It was, in fact, the first time I had gone back to DS9 following its first run on TV in the 90’s. The thing which immediately struck me was how much the narrative style has clearly influenced Discovery.
In its fourth season the series has shrugged off the shackles of the past and is fully embracing its place in the future timeline. Having sewn up many of its plot threads following the time-jump, the series is now able to focus itself fully on telling a story which impacts on the here and now.
Each season Discovery has shifted its tone. In season 4 there is an even more renewed sense of hope and levity. Whilst facing huge apocalyptic odds, the sense of family and cooperation amongst the crew of the USS Discovery has never been more present on screen. The overarching story of season 4 also pushes the boundaries of Trek-lore, venturing outside of known space and pitting the Federation against a truly huge-scale enemy.
The fourth season arrives on Blu-ray with all 13 episodes spread across four BD-50 discs. The series colour palette has been fairly consistently grey across the first three seasons. In season four, with new uniforms and the aforementioned levity, there’s a lot more colour on screen to liven up the image.
The HD transfer picks up fine detail in costuming and set design, showing off the incredible work of the series’ production team. Bridge scenes are a highlight as the light from computer screens brightens the traditional Starfleet shades of red, blue and yellow in crew uniforms. The murkiness of space brings occasional noise and banding but that is to be expected for a series set in the cold, dark depths of space.
Season 4 lands on Blu-ray with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The soundscape more than capably fills the canvas with both beautiful score and robust effects. Phasers and photon torpedoes echo around the channels during space battles whilst Jeff Russo’s rousing score underpins the action. Dialogue is crisp and clear, placed perfectly in the centre channels, even when alien languages are being spoken.
Special features included on the season 4 release are:
- STAR TREK: DISCOVERY: THE VOYAGE OF SEASON 4 – A continuation of the series, this behind-the-scenes featurette includes writers and producers as they discuss how their visions were realized by the cast, sets, costumes and props in Season 4.
- BEING MICHAEL BURNHAM: THE CAPTAIN’S LOG – From Sonequa Martin-Green, fans are taken through her personal journey as Captain Michael Burnham. Follow Martin-Green, as she sits in the Captain’s chair and shares intimate videos taken throughout the season, behind-the-scenes moments and interviews.
- CREATING SPACE – Fans can explore the VFX department to see their use of an AR wall for the immersive on-screen experience created for The Holodeck, which utilizes the largest AR wall to date.
- THE TOLL IT TOOK – From the writer’s room and prop building to costume fittings, the production stage and post, the cast and crew discuss the toll COVID took during the development of Season 4.
- COMMENTARY: EPISODE 413 – COMING HOME (Exclusive)
- DELETED SCENES (Exclusive)
- GAG REEL (Exclusive)
As always, Star Trek never fails to impress with its bulky behind-the-scenes content. The Voyage of Season 4 runs to almost a full hour and dives incredibly deep on the construction of the series. With cast and creator interviews there’s barely any stone left unturned in defining how season 4 came to be.
As with recent releases for Picard and Lower Decks, a similar level of care and attention has been put in to the bonus features as is put in to the production itself. Featurettes pick up on specific details which fans will excitedly enjoy dissecting and exploring further. In this case, The Toll It Took goes as far as to really explore how the COVID pandemic impacted on the production of the season. Of course it all culminates in a gag reel which, whilst hilarious, also spotlights the camaraderie between the cast both on and off screen.
Verdict
With a bold new vision, high stakes and a robust presentation, Star Trek: Discovery season 4 arrives on home video ready to delight fans with its bountiful bonus features.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
