It's funny to think that the Next Generation became so beloved and perhaps even moreso than the original Star Trek even though the first season or two are regarded are some of the weakest in Trek lore. In fact, many say if they were to air now, then TNG wouldn't have made it past its first season. As it happens, it not only made it past the first season but ended up with seven seasons, 178 episodes, and spawned four movies. It remains the longest running Star Trek series in history.

The most important thing about this Blu-ray release of the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation is not the quality of the stories or the acting, but the restoration process and quality of transfer. This is one Blu-ray boxset that you'll be purchasing for the medium rather than the show itself. Along with The Twilight Zone, I would put this up there at the top of the chart for classic television shows. There's no doubt that this is by far the best TNG has ever looked and sounded, and Trekkies will be astounded by the improvements. Not only Trekkies in fact, but newbies to the Star Trek universe can jump right in here and see the show how it always should have been.

Launching in 1987, TNG had a lot to live up to. By that point Star Trek had become a classic show with a devout following. Two decades after Star Trek, there had been numerous big screen outings, and Paramount were ready to move forward with a spin-off with new actors. With a $1.3m budget per episode, TNG led with Patrick Stewart (X-Men, American Dad), a man who was more known for his Shakespeare on stage than science-fiction on network television. Many credit his performance as Captain Jean-Luc Picard as what pulled TNG through the earlier ropey seasons. A number of the bridge crew had other regular roles - Michael Dorn (Worf) in CHiPs, and LeVar Burton (Geordi La Forge) in Roots - but the majority were not well known before joining the USS Enterprise.

And it was the cast that truly made TNG the show that has become so beloved over the years. Despite a few dodgy episodes and some so-so special effects, the characters won the fans over. It's worth picking up this set to see how their journeys began - especially Picard's 'feud' with Q (John de Lancie) that continued right to the final episode of TNG, Data (Brent Spiner) exploring humanity from his life as an android, and of course the inevitable relationships between the crew on board the ship. This was no series just about aliens, but also involved more soap-opera elements and the occasional humour. It's no bad thing - TNG managed to make Star Trek accessible to a wider audience without dumbing down the science-fiction.

Episodes such as the memorable first trip Encounter At Farpoint, Hide and Q, The Big Goodbye and Datalore are all strong stories with heart, action, amusing moments and most of all a genuine Trek feel to them. There's a real sense of adventure and exploration, especially in the Q and Holodeck episodes. TNG has a much wider scale to it than the original series ever did. Even after all these years, it's the stories that hold up to audience scrutiny, and the writing - when good - is some of the best in sci-fi history.

Though no matter how brilliant the stories can be, you'll be mesmorised by the detail in the new Blu-ray release. If you've seen the episodes before, you'll be left astonished at just how good the special effects look now. The love and attention this show has been given is second to none, and it has truly been given a new lease of life. The documentaries included on the restoration process are nearly as good as the job done themselves, and present a fascinating insight into the efforts involved. Hearing from cast and crew years later shows a genuine affection even now, just like the dedication Trekkies have to this day.

I can't recommend this release enough. Some may not see the point in an upgrade to any Blu-rays, but this TNG release has to be the flagbearer for such a move. This blows everything out of the water, and it's one purchase you certainly won't regret. I look forward to completing my collection with future releases, as the episode quality gets even better. This Blu-ray release proves once again why Star Trek: The Next Generation is regarded so highly as one of the best sci-fi shows in history.