Table of Contents

Body of Review
1. Introduction
2. Background
3. Characters
4. The First Season
5. The Second Season
6. The Third Season
7. The Fourth Season
8. The Fifth Season

Episode Guide
9. The First Season
10. The Second Season
11. The Third Season
12. The Fourth Season
13. Season Five

The DVD
14. Packaging
15. Video
16. Audio

Extras
17. Introduction
18. The First Season
19. The Second Season
20. The Third Season
21. The Fourth Season
22. The Fifth Season

Conclusion
23. Final Thoughts

Stand-alone Reviews
24. The First Season
25. The Second Season
26. The Third Season
27. The Fourth Season
28. The Fifth Season

Introduction: The Slipstream Collection

Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda: The Slipstream Collection is a massive DVD set. It accounts for all five seasons of the television series Andromeda, which make up one-hundred and ten episodes spread across fifty DVDs. The contents of "The Slipstream Collection" (the complete series) are identical to the previous DVD releases of the show. Previously, ADV Films released Andromeda in volume sets. It is similar to how the company handled Farscape and Mutant X. Each volume comprised of four or five episodes, with about five volumes for each season.

"The Slipstream Season" features all of the Andromeda volumes boxed into one package. On that note, it is slightly a shame the contents were not digital repackaged. What I mean is that instead of putting four or five episodes on a dual-layered DVD, two or three episodes are put on a DVD and it means more DVDs. There are five seasons--each season with ten DVDs!

One issue that comes from having more DVDs is physical size. Fifty DVDs is a lot. Fortunately, the DVDs are stored in twenty-five dual capacity slim pack cases and the physical size of the packaging is not unreasonable, nor is the weight. But still, had the episodes been condensed onto less DVDs, the complete series would be about half. The other issue of having two or three episodes per disc means more disc swapping. If you are at all like me and prefer watching your TV on DVD releases in one long sitting, it gets annoying have to swap out the discs every one and a half to two hours. Of course, if you are not planning on watching nonstop disc after disc, it should not bother you.

Final gripe and similar to the past comment made about disc swapping, the special features. There are extras scattered throughout the fifty DVDs, which means lots of disc swapping to watch them all. I prefer to watch extras after I have seen the season sets. It is a pain to go through them this way. Putting the majority of the extras (image/design galleries, cast/crew bios, behind the scenes featurettes, etc.) on a special features only DVDs would have been great.

So, who is this complete series set for? I would point my finger to the fans of Andromeda. However, if you have been an avid collector over the years (volumes or full season sets), "The Slipstream Collection" may not be the best purchase. The fifty DVDs included in this set are the same that were released in the season collections and full season sets. The actual DVDs have different disc labels printed on them signifying they are part of "The Slipstream Collection". In addition, "Season 2, Collection 5" and "Season 2, Collection 6" were combined as a single season collection set for this release. Originally, those two sets were the only to be released with one disc. All other season collection sets had two discs (and two times the MSRP.)

In short, if you have been collecting the series, "The Slipstream Collection" offers nothing new to fans, albeit the DVDs come in a nice looking package. Unless you are a hardcore fan who plans to replay the DVDs a lot or just want a visually appealing way to show off your Andromeda DVDs, I would not recommend double dipping. Now, if you are not a collector and an avid science fiction-goer, then you might be interested in picking up "The Slipstream Collection".

Regardless, I hope you continue to read this review and enjoy its contents.

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Background

For those unfamiliar with Andromeda, it starred Kevin Sorbo (Hercules: The Legendary Journey's), who is also credited as a producer, in a science fiction series created by Gene Roddenberry (Star Trek) with a variety of executive producers: Robert Hewitt Wolfe (The 4400, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Majel Rodenberry (Earth: Final Conflict), Allan Eastman (Star Trek: Voyager), Robert Engels (seaQuest DSV), Jay Firestone (Mutant X, La Femme Nikita), and Adam Haight (Mutant X, Highlander: The Raven). With its diverse crew of producers with extensive experience in science fiction and drama productions, Andromeda put in five solid seasons from 2000 to 2005 and totaled one-hundred and ten episodes.

The show's background presents a diverse universe of alien species, cultures, governments, technologies, and so on. Much of the background information about show is provided in the readable text information found in the DVD extras. But the summary goes something like this. Thousands of years ago a technologically advanced species called the Vedrans in the Andromeda galaxy developed a method of near-instantaneous travel between star systems. The technology was called the slipstream. After the development of the slipstream, the alien race began to form a united federation of planets (similar to Star Trek) with a different cultures and races across six galaxies. This new massive government was called the Systems Commonwealth, or simply the Commonwealth.

Nietzschean factions opposed the Commonwealth's idealisms and three hundred years ago they plunged the massive federation of races into a civil war that resulted in the downfall of the Commonwealth. For three hundred years, the universe went into "The Long Night", a period of darkness with no peace and only chaos. But despite the dissolution of the Commonwealth, one of its most dedicated military officers survived for three hundred years and he returns to rebuild the Commonwealth.

In the early stages of the war with the Nietzscheans, Captain Dylan Hunt of the Commonwealth High Guard and commander of the Andromeda Ascendant became the first casualty of war. He was forced to have his crew abandon ship, but in the final moments the Andromeda was caught in black hole. Dylan and the Andromeda were held frozen in time for three hundreds. It was not until a salvage ship, the Eureka Maru, unintentionally came to Dylan's rescue. When the crew of the Eureka Maru pulled the Andromeda from the black hole, they found Dylan aboard and he recruited the band of misfits to his cause.

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The Characters

Leading the cast is Kevin Sorbo. Sorbo plays Captain Dylan Hunt, a self-righteous man who believes in the cause of the Commonwealth with all his heart. In his former life, he was an officer in the Commonwealth High Guard and soon to be married. Despite the fact he has lost all he loved, he is determined to see part of it restored and peace amongst the stars. On one occasion, he is given the opportunity to reclaim what he once had, but he decides his new mission is more important than his needs and desires.

Beka Valentine (Lisa Ryder) is the captain of the Eureka Maru. She is a rogue, a brigand, and a smuggler who is always more than willing to bend the rules as much as possible. Despite her shady-doings, she is an honorable person who cares for her crew and becomes a staple in Dylan's cause. She joins Dylan as the first officer of the Andromeda.

Seamus Harper (Gordon Michael Woolvett) is the Andromeda's chief engineer. He does not care much for grand ideals like the Commonwealth, but he does like technology, machines, and women. The Andromeda offers him a bit of everything. Mechanically, he is a genius and he assists the crew in a variety of situations. Socially, he is somewhat annoying with a whiny, piercing voice, and an egotistical personality to drive you crazy. But under it all, he is a still a likeable guy.

Lexa Doig plays two characters in the show. She portrays holographic avatar of the Andromeda and uses a name of the same. Andromeda is an unemotional artificial intelligence (A.I.) that interacts with the crew as they need its assistance. Doig also plays Rommie, who is an android that Harper built. Rommie is a robot whose system core is based upon the Andromeda artificial intelligence. But Rommie was made to be more human with has emotions and the capability to love.

In the close of season four, the character Rommie was taken out of the series for portions of season five. Doig was pregnant and they wrote her android character out (not the A.I. character). Temporarily replacing Rommie was Brandy Ledford (who according to an interview featurette she originally tested for the role of Rommie/Andromeda). Ledford plays Doyle, a blonde, newer, better android representation of the Andromeda A.I. that Harper builds after Rommie is nearly destroyed.

Trance Gemini (Laura Bertram) is an alien with purple skin and a tail. She serves in a variety of capacities, which include medical and hydroponics. Her role is similar to Tess in Star Trek: Voyager. In season two, she undergoes a physical change, loses her tail, changes her skin color, and becomes more human in her physical appearance. She has a fairly interesting history and background. She is unlike any other race in the world of Andromeda and an important development to the quest that lies ahead.

Rev Bem (Brent Stait) is the Andromeda's scientist, sociologist, linguist, and spiritual advisor. Rev Bem is not his original name. In his native language, his name is a screeching noise that translates to Red Plague. He is a Magog, but unlike most of his brethren, Rev found religion and became civilized. The name Rev Bem was given to him because of his appearance and religious beliefs. His name is short for Reverend Bug Eyed Monster (according to his character bio), but he also states his name is Reverend Behemial Far Traveler in one of the episodes. Rev Bem appears in the first two seasons as a regular cast member. According to an interview featurette with Stait, he had to leave the show due to the uncomfortable nature of his character--make-up and costume. It is unfortunate the show lost him, as there were some interesting background stories about his struggle dealing with who and what he is.

Tyr Anasazi (Keith Hamilton Cobb) was a regular character for the first three seasons. In season four, he appears as a reoccurring character. Tyr is a Nietzschean and despite his affiliation, he is not welcomed by his brethren. He is the last of his clan and considered to be weak by Nietzschean standards. Tyr was forced to become a mercenary and work with whoever would pay him. He was hired for his muscle on a mission to find the Andromeda. He joins Dylan on his cause, but cares nothing for it. He believes his own wellbeing is the only thing that is important.

Telemachus Rhade (Steve Bacic) is a genetic reincarnation of Gaheris Rhade. Gaheris served as Dylan's the first officer. He betrayed Dylan, the Andromeda, and the Commonwealth to Nietzschean cause three hundred years prior. Telemachus Rhade, however, is a member of the Commonwealth and the Lieutenant Commander of the Andromeda. He joins Dylan and the rest of the Andromeda crew in season four to assist in finding Tyr.

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Review of The First Season

The first season begins with a two-part story "Under the Night" and "An Affirming Flame" about the formation of Dylan and his new crew. Gerentex, a nightsider, hires the crew of the Eureka Maru: Beka, Harper, Trance, and Rev. Gerentex wants them to do a salvage operation and find the fabled Andromeda Ascendant. The ship is worth a lot of money. After a long effort by the crew, they find the Andromeda and tow it from the black hole singularity.

When Beka, Harper, Trace, and Rev board the ship, they find Dylan on board. Gerentex sends a secret assault team, led by Tyr, to kill Dylan. Suddenly, the mission changes and Beka's crew have a change of heart. They want to leave the ship to Dylan, because it is his ship after all. Gerentex does not react happy to the news and he only leaves the ship when it is sucked back into the singularity. Of course, he leaves Beka's crew and the assault team to perish. Dylan inspires the crew to work together to get out of the situation. He saves them, and later reveals to them his desire to rebuild the Commonwealth. Reluctantly, everyone joins him. Not because they believe in his cause, but because it is better than smuggling.

The two-part story is a pretty exciting introduction to the series. Some of the characters' performances are a bit over-the-top and their ability to instantaneously adapt to using the Andromeda's advanced computer systems and having security codes to launch the massive nova bombs (think nukes in space) is little on the unreasonable side. But, if you do not take the show too seriously, the introductory two-part story is quite fun. Another part I enjoyed about it was the mysterious hints about Trance. She was shot and killed, but miraculously recovered without any medical attention. While she seems like an innocent character with a small part, the writers have some big plans for her as the series progresses.

However, despite the promising two-part series premiere episode, the remaining season one episodes are a mixed bag. For instance, in the immediately following episode "To Loose the Fateful Lighting", I had to force myself to stay awake. The Andromeda finds a High Guard space station. When Dylan, Beka, and Harper board the station, they find a ragtag band of kids in charge. The kids are decedents of the station's original High Guard and they have been taught to kill all enemies of the Commonwealth. They have lots of nova bombs and the radiation from the bombs has student their growth and made them sick. The kids have been waiting for the day to unleash holy warriors (kamikaze pilots with nova bombs) on their enemies, which they call the Day of Lighting. They believe Dylan's arrival is a sign of that day. Dylan has to teach them right from wrong. The story is pretty hokey. The notable portion of this episode is the introduction of the computer AI Andromeda into the humanoid android form Rommie.

Basically, what it comes down to is episodic storylines versus story arcs. When the episodes focus on episodic storylines, they are not as enthralling or exciting as the season's story arcs. There are some exceptions like "Star-Crossed", where Michael Shanks guest stars as Rommie's robot lover, and "The Mathematics of Tears", where the Andromeda finds its sister ship the Pax Magellanic. Episodes like those tend to be enjoyable. However, what really grabs your attention is the season story arc that can be found throughout the episodes. It is about Dylan trying to restore the Commonwealth. This storyline ties into some bigger, grander plot happening with the Andromeda crew tends to be a lot better than the standalone episodes. There are episodes that tie in a super duper bad guy called the Abyss. In "Harper 2.0", the Abyss sends an assassin into the known world to erase its existence. In the season finale "It's Hour Come 'Round at Last", the crew run into a huge ship filled with millions of Magogs. It becomes a very interesting story.

There are also some interesting stories with detailed background into the characters like "Angel Dark, Demon Bright", where the Andromeda accidentally travels back in time to a major turning point in the battle against the Commonwealth and Nietzscheans. Dylan is in a position to change the future forever, but decides against toying with fate. Then there is "The Banks of the Lethe", which puts Dylan back his fiance Sara (Sam Jenkins). Episodes like theses offer insight to the characters, their backgrounds and personalities, and the relationships they have with each other. These developments become a fairly intriguing part of season one (at least more so than some of the episodic storylines). For instance, Tyr is a Nietzschean and cares more about his wellbeing than those he serves with. In several instances, his loyalty and duty to the crew is questionable. Like in the episode "Double Helix".

Overall, the first season of Andromeda offers viewers a decent science-fiction series filled with action, some corny dialogue, over-the-top performances, decent stories, and a cast of likeable characters. While I did not fall in head over heels with the show, I still enjoyed it enough that I think it is worth sitting down. The story arc introduces in the season finale gets pretty exciting.

Advice:	Recommended
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Review of The Second Season

In season two, Dylan's quest becomes more of a reality. The Renewed Systems Commonwealth represents more than just the unity and peace Dylan envisions; it is, as Dylan hunt says, a necessity. In the season one finale "It's Hour Come 'Round at Last", Harper took a look around inside Andromeda's code and found a backup copy of Andromeda's core. He accidentally restored the backup. Andromeda went out of control and took the crew on a top secret mission. To make matters worse, the mission takes the crew deep into Magog territory, where the Andromeda runs into a Magog Worldship. The Worldship is a transportable solar system, with multiple planets and an artificial sun. The Worldship houses trillions of Magog and gives them the power to destroy stars. The Magog are traveling towards the known worlds with plans of conquest and destruction. In the close of the episode, the Magog have overrun the Andromeda and the crew's fate is desperate: Trance, Beka, and Dylan are unconscious and near death, Tyr and Harper are being held by the Magog, Rommie had a pike shoved in her stomach, Rev Bem is being converted to the Magog cause, and the Andromeda Ascendant is in critical condition.

The second season premiere episode "The Widening Gyre" continues where season one left off. Despite the direness of the situation, they overcome their individual situations and manage to free themselves of capture. The real excitement introduced in this story is the notion of the Magog and the Worldship. The Spirit of the Abyss, a being that acts as the Magog's God, is leading the Magog on a quest of utter destruction. This threat becomes a staple for the Andromeda crew to fight off. A Renewed Systems Commonwealth is a necessity. Fortunately for the crew, they have some time until the Worldship reaches space of the known world--two or three years. In the fourth and fifth seasons, the Spirit of the Abyss and the Magog are a major port of the season story arcs. In the meantime, season two has an episode "Into the Labyrinth" with another assassin sent by the Abyss that runs into the crew.

The Magog still are at the front of the stories and a key reason for the new Commonwealth. And Dylan works feverishly to recruit planets to his cause. In the episode "Home Fires", Dylan receives a message from his long dead fiance. After the initial fall of the Commonwealth, a group sought refuge on a planet called Tarazed and for three hundred years, they have survived as the last remnants of the old way of life. Dylan learns that the people of Tarazed and goes to the planet to get them to join the new Commonwealth. They, however, do not. When he arrives at the planet, he finds a familiar face, that of his former first officer Gaheris. But it is a genetic clone named Telemachus Rhade. Dylan and Rhade are hesitant to trust each other. The story takes an interesting turn in the development of the relationship Dylan had with Gaheris, as well as introduces Rhade, who joins the cast in season four.

The episodes "Into the Labyrinth", "Bunker Hill", and "The Prince" are more episodes focused on the restoration of the Commonwealth with the cast in diplomatic missions, facing with spies, political corruption, and other such things. "Into the Labyrinth" sees a Nietzschean clan Saber-Jaguar joining the Commonwealth. In "Bunker Hill" the Saber-Jaguar clan invokes the Mutual Defense Pact, which requires the Andromeda join their side in combat against the Dragan clan. At the same time, Dylan sends Harper and Rommie to Earth to join the resistance movement to free human slaves under Dragan control. In "The Prince", the crew travel to Ne'Holland to save what is left the royal family from being slaughtered. Dylan wants the planet to join the Commonwealth because it is in a key position to defend against the upcoming Magog onslaught. However, in order to get them to join, he has to save its leaders from its own people. But what Dylan did not know was that the royal family's actions have not always been just.

"Ouroboros" is a major episode in the series. It is the first major cast and crew changes. Rev Bem leaves the series as a regular cast member. He apparently went away to find himself. Stait, who plays Rev Bem, talks about the reason he left in his interview featurette. Another change deals with Trance. Harper builds a machine he hopes will help rid him of the Magog larvae that was implanted in him in the season premiere. The machine works, but it also does a little more and bends space and time. The crew is able to glimpse into future versions of themselves. Trance, in particular, meets her future self, who proclaims the future unfolded very badly. The present and future Trance's switch places in hope future Trance can set the timeline in the right direction. The new Trance is physically different, without a tail and has golden skin. The other major change is in the crew. Robert Hewitt Wolfe was released because the direction he envisioned for the series was much different than wanted.

In "Knight, Death, and the Devil", the crew are on the verge of completing the first stage in restoring the Commonwealth. Beka and Harper negotiate with the fiftieth planetary world to join the cause. Dylan, Tyr, and Rommie also find a decommissioned high guard ship. When they interact with the ship's AI Ryan (Michael Hurst), they find out there is a solar system with over fifty other relic ships in hiding. Dylan goes to the solar to convince the ships to rejoin the Commonwealth (remember some AI's have emotions and they were abandoned long ago). Christopher Judge guest stars as one of the AI's.

The season finale "Tunnel at the End of the Light" is a literally explosive episode. Representatives from fifty worlds come to the Andromeda to sign the Commonwealth charter. It is an exciting time to see the Commonwealth officially come back into power. Unfortunately, there are forces that would rather not see the chartered signed. Sabotage hits the Andromeda and the charter signing goes up in flames. It is up to the crew to make necessary sacrifices to see it through.

Overall, I was pretty happy with the second season of Andromeda. Like the first season, I was not in love with this season. The fact remains the show has a cast who over-performs and spouts cheesy dialogue. The storylines from episode to episode offer some enjoyable content, but nothing you should think too hard about. In addition, the story arcs that span the episodes offer intriguing aspects with the formation of the Commonwealth, the Magog, and the Spirit of the Abyss. In the end, I think season two makes for a good watch if you enjoy science-fiction/fantasy oriented shows.

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Review of The Third Season

In the close of season two, the signing of the Commonwealth charter was under attack by mysterious alien forces. The disruption caused chaos and the crew had to make sacrifices to deal with the matter. In the third season premiere episode "If the Wheel is Fixed", the story is concluded. Tyr and Beka were left trapped in another dimension. Dylan frets and considers a way to get them back. He takes the Eureka Maru to reconstruct the events that led to the crew members being sucked into the alternate dimension. He is successful and Tyr and Beka return. Unfortunately, the two are not who they seem to be. Many problems happen on the Andromeda and it eventually turns into a mysterious plot to kill them all--Tyr and Beka are being controlled by a force in the other dimension.

The unfortunate thing about this episode is the direction the story takes. In the end of season two, the story had a lot of promise with aliens from another dimension attacking. However, in the concluding half of the episode, the story gets pretty hokey. I suppose the aliens from another dimension were not the strongest approach itself, but I liked it in the first part. The subsequent episodes also fail to be as strong as they could. This is not to say they are terrible or anything, but rather that they could have been better. The story arcs that ran through the first two seasons start become less significant. The content is more episodic with the Andromeda crew out on missions that are wrapped up in an episode.

"The Unconquerable Man" is a pretty solid episode, but one you do not want to think too much about. The storyline is based on time travel and alternate realities. The episode begins with Harper moving Gaheris Rhade's body and Dylan notices a mark on his hand he had never seen. Then the episode jumps into a point in time when a future Rhade had the opportunity to destroy the time machine Harper built in the season two episode "Ouroboros". Trance is with Rhade and tries to convince him not to do so. Rhade reflects on his life (an alternate reality of the events thus far). In this reality, Rhade killed Dylan and survived for three hundred years in the black hole. He teamed up with Beka, Rev Bem, Trance, Harper, and Tyr to rebuild the Commonwealth. As the episode unfolds, Rhade comes to realize it is Dylan's fate and not his. He sacrifices himself so that the original timeline is restored and Dylan is once again put in charge of the Andromeda.

"The Dark Backward" is an exciting episode because it explores Trance's reality. There is a deadly intruder aboard the ship trying to kill the crew. The episode focuses on Trance and one her of mysterious talents. In past episodes, she has offered advice that could only be explained by foresight of some kind. She has the ability to play out situations in many different scenarios in mere seconds. Trance explores different ways to maximize the crew's life and stopping the intruder. It is an interesting episode because it details more about how mysterious and special Trance is as a character.

Another strong episode this season is "What Happens to a Rev Deferred?", where Rev Bem returns. While monitoring the evacuation of Empyrium, a world that is on the brink of destruction, the crew receives a communication from Rev Bem asking to be rescued. To complicate matters, a group of renegades are after Rev. Dylan and crew go to the planet's surface to rescue Rev and witness a miracle. Rev under goes some spiritual phenomena when an unknown entity confronts Rev and he professes his sorrow for all his ill-natured acts as a savage Magog. He is given redemption and physical changed into a new being. Rev Bem has been an interesting character, with his struggles to be "civilized" over "savage", and his ties into the Spirit of the Abyss make him an even more interesting character. It is too bad he is not investigated further.

In the season finale "Shadows Cast by a Final Salute", things take a turn for the worst for the Andromeda crew and the Commonwealth. The assistant minister of war informs Dylan that there is something afoot with the Nietzschean clans in the Commonwealth. There have been rumors going around that they are considering leaving the allied forces and forming their own united front. They are rumors no longer, but fact. Afterwards, Andromeda is put on high alert when an elite strike force of Dragans takes hostages and demands their lives for the bones of Drago Musevini. As the sitatuion unfolds, it becomes evident Tyr's hand had play in the situation. With his son, the genetic clone of Drago Musevini, he plans to unite his people and save the universe. At the end, Dylan and Tyr bid a final farewell to each other with no promise their next meeting will be peaceful. But the situation was more than just Dylan and Tyr, as a plot to stand against the Commonwealth became an important issue. The Nietzscheans and several other forces joined in a battl against the Commonwealth fleet, which ended with the fall of the Restored Systems Commonwealth.

Overall, I was not nearly as impressed with this season as I was with seasons one or two. The episodes were more episodic with Dylan and his crew going on this or that adventure. The overall story arc with the Commonwealth, the Spirit of the Abyss, the Magog, Trance's past, and others were not addressed as they were in the past seasons. The focus was a lot different. While this is not an awful move (the episodes were still entertaining), it just was not as good. The fortunate news is that the pace picks up again with the season three finale and it puts the entire universe of Andromeda in upheaval.

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Review of The Fourth Season

Life is not looking pretty for the Andromeda. In the season three finale, the Andromeda and the Commonwealth fleet were manipulated into a situation that resulted in the apparent downfall of the newly formed federation of planets. Dylan was betrayed by his friend Tyr for a cause that Tyr believes to be more righteous and important than anything else. In the season four premiere episode "Answers Given To Questions", the story is revisited. With the destruction of the fleet, the Andromeda crew decides what to do next. While trying to figure out their situation, they take on an injured pilot who brings Dylan a communication. The message is from a man named Paroo. He tells Dylan that the Commonwealth is no more and that he is holding one of its leaders and will kill her in due time. Dylan responds by chasing after Paroo, who he finds out is the head of Commonwealth security and the real cause behind the massive battle. But Paroo has manipulated the situation so that everyone thinks Dylan is the bad guy. Dylan kills Paroo and shows he was an agent of the Abyss. He then becomes a hero. More good news follows as enough leaders survived that the Commonwealth continues on.

In the remainder of the season, the series story arc dealing with the Magog threat is revisited in full. The majority of the episodes deal with the Andromeda crew caught up in one situation or another that ties into the Magog, the Abyss, and the Nietzscheans. A new addition to the Abyss story arc in this season begins to define Dylan's role in the overall scheme of things. Yes, he is the captain of the Andromeda and leading the cause, but there is more to it than just that. The truth about who and what Dylan is revealed and his role in stopping the Abyss is more important than any of the lives of his crew.

"Waking the Tyrant's Device" is an episode that takes a look at the creator of the Magog Worldship. Nicholas Lea (The X-Files) guest stars as Tri-Lorn, who gives the Andromeda orders to visit a planet. When they arrive, they are attacked. Dylan questions Tri-Lorn why they were sent to such a dangerous place without being told. Tri-Lorn reveals the importance of the mission. They are to stop Kroton, a half man, half robot. Kroton is building a massive army of androids and it is up to Dylan and crew to stop him. The episode itself is not the strongest, but it is still interesting to focus on the creator of the Worldship.

"Soon the Nearing Vortex" and "The World Turns All Around Her" is the two part episode where Telemachus Rhade joins the Andromeda crew on a permanent basis. In the first part, the Andromeda comes to the aid of a Commonwealth transport ship that is under attack from Nietzchean. On the transport is Rhade, who is holding Tyr as a prisoner. The Andromeda fends off the attacking ships and save Rhade's life, but not before Tyr escapes. When Dylan reports back to the Commonwealth headquarters, Tri-lorn demands Rhade be returned to Tarazed so he can be dealt with. Dylan decides not to take him back because he fears Tri-lorn is corrupt. The story continues with the crew facing corrupt politicians, a scheming Tyr, and the Route of Ages, a mystical slipstream that goes to the original Vedran home world.

In the second part of the story, Dylan is ready to take on the Route of Ages. Tyr appears in a ship, with Beka in custody, demanding that Dylan give up the map for Beka's life. Dylan comprises and allows Tyr to follow him on the journey. The Route of Ages is important because it is the key to stopping the Abyss. As the story unfolds, more intricate aspects of the plotline are uncovered, which include Trance revealing who and what she really is to Dylan, an avatar of the Vedran sun. The Abyss also makes a frightful appearance that puts the crew in a race for survival. This episode marks Tyr's final appearance.

Other strong episodes in the season include "The Torment, the Release", where the corrupt Tri-lorn demands Dylan hand over Rhade for prosecution, "The Warmth of an Invisible Light", where Harper's latest invention sends Dylan into an alternate reality, "Fear Burns Down to Ashes", Rev Bem returns with a weapon to stop the Magog, "Lost in a Space that Isn't There", where Beka becomes an agent of the Abyss, and other episodes. For the most part, they all tie into the larger plot and tend to add to the excitement.

The two-part season finale "The Dissonant Interval" is also an episode worthy of noting. The Andromeda goes to a space station called the Arkology when they learn the Magog Worldship is headed right for them. When the crew arrives at the station, they inform its leaders about the upcoming threat. The unfortunate part is that they are unwilling to listen. The people in the Arkology are of a peaceful nature and they believe they will be able to make peace with the Magog. But the Magog are not a peaceful people and they intend to kill everyone. The two-part story puts the crew in a battle with death-defying odds. And despite the odds, they put 110% into stopping the Magog. Unfortunately, as the episode ends, the situation is hopeless with death not far off from the horizon. Dylan is forced to abandon everyone and escape through the Route of Ages.

Overall, I enjoyed season four. The plotlines in the episodes tended to tie the material into a larger plot and it made for a much more intriguing watch. There were also several reoccurring characters like the devilish Nicholas Lea, the guy you love to hate, playing a questionable Commonwealth politician. The storylines touched upon the Abyss and the Magog, the Collectors, turncoat Tyr, and other exciting bad guys. Like seasons one and two, season four produces some exciting stories that are engaging and easy to get lost in. But the content was not as good as seasons one or two.

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Review of The Fifth Season

In season five, the series takes a much different turn in events. At the end of the season four, there was some skepticism as to whether or not the show would continue into a fifth season. Well, the series was picked up for a fifth season, but with a smaller budget. And the budget (or rather lack of) shows in the episodes. The storylines lose the grandeur it once had with the epic space battles and massive story arcs. The series, stories, and character becomes more confined and lose a lot of the appeal found in previous seasons. In a nutshell, watching season five was more of a chore than fun. While there was some decent content, it does not compare to the quality of the past seasons.

In the close of season four, the Andromeda came to the space station Arkology to warn the inhabitants about their impending doom. The Magog Worldship was headed right for them and they need to get out of there. The inhabitants were a peaceful people and believed that they could make peace with the Magog. Dylan and the rest tried to tell them peace is not an option. Of course, they did not listen. When the Magog came, the Andromeda and its crew tried its best to stop the onslaught, but they failed miserably. In the close of the two-part season four finale, Dylan took the Route of Ages in a slipstream fighter and found himself transported into an alternative universe.

The two-part episode "The Weight" kicks off season five. In it, Dylan gets accustomed to his new life in the alternate universe on a planet called Seefra-1, which is one of nine barren wastelands. When Dylan tries to learn more about where he is, he finds little help. But when he meets a mysterious man named Flavin, he begins to get more clues about his situation. He is trapped in an isolated cluster of planets in another universe. Dylan explores Seefra-1 and later runs into a very disgruntled Rhade. Rhade and the others crew members (who Dylan runs into in later episodes) are unhappy with him for leaving them to die. It was through the efforts of Trance that the Andromeda (badly damaged) and her crew were brought into this alternate reality and not left to die at the hands of the Magog. They also blame him for being stuck on Seefra-1. Dylan returns to Flavin to get more information from him. Dylan learns his place is on Seefra-1; he must help the people in the coming days. Flavin also reveals the true nature of the Route of Ages.

After the not-so-exciting season premiere, "Phear Phactor Phenom" has the majority of the season four cast back together in some form or another, Dylan, Harper, Beka, Trance, and Rhade. We learn that Rommie was destroyed and Harper had been on Seefra-1 for over three years while the rest of the crew had only just recently arrived. During Harper's time on the Seefra-1, he was able to rebuild a new android with portions of Rommie's damaged core. The new character is Doyle, a blonde robot who was initially made to think she is human. The season five episodes proceed with the cast getting reacquainted with each other and Dylan trying to get the Andromeda up and running again. Some have changed with their new situation, most notably Trance who lost portions of her memory.

In the episode "Moonlight Becomes You", Trance starts to remember who she is and the season starts to focus on the storyline hinted at in "The Weight". The Seefra system is in jeopardy and the crew must work together to save the inhabitants of the nine wastelands over the next several episodes. But the story really ties into the power that is Trance. Trance is an avatar of the Vedran sun and the actual sun is approaching Seefra-1. When it arrives, the planets in the system (except for Seefra-1) will explode. The episodes "Past is Prolix", "The Opposites of Attraction", "Saving Light from a Black Sun", "Quantum Tractate Delirium", "One More Day's Light", and "Chaos and the Stillness of It" continue to focus on this storyline (uncovering more about Trance, the council of avatars she is a senior member of, and the crew trying to save the inhabitants), which is much more entertaining than the first portion of the season, but it still lacks the same punch the early seasons had.

In the two-part series finale "The Heart of the Journey", the series come to a close by wrapping up the series story arc with the Abyss. While on Seefra-1, Harper receives a message transmission for Dylan. It is from Flavin, who had been killed by the Abyss, telling Dylan he is the last hope for the survival of the known worlds. The Council intends to destroy the galaxies of the known world in order to snuff out the Abyss. They, however, give Dylan and his crew the opportunity to return before their utter demise. Once back in their universe, they find only four days have passed since the Magog Worldship attacked. The Andromeda has to face the Nietzchseans and the Abyss. The situation that appeared dire ends with a happy ending and the destruction of the Abyss in a battle that is far from epic.

Overall, I really did not care for this season. The level of grandeur in the storylines was significantly diminished. The big flashy effects were part of what made the sci-fi series so much fun were gone. The show tended to have very isolated stories with limited character development. In the end, I did not see much in this season that made it worthwhile. Sure, there are some decent episodes, but they fail to compare to the past seasons. Despite my lack of enthusiasm, I give it a rent it recommendation on the pure basis that it concludes the series and there are a few decent episodes to follow.

Advice:	Rent It
Contents:
Replay:

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1. Under the Night: Captain Dylan Hunt and his ship the Andromeda Ascendant are rescued by the Eureka Maru, an opportunistic salvage ship, after being trapped in the event horizon of a black hole for 300 years.
2. An Affirming Flame: Dylan and the crew of the Eureka Maru agree to join forces and become one team aboard the Andromeda Ascendant as they set forth on his mission to restore the Systems Commonwealth.
3. To Loose the Fateful Lightning: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) inadvertently gives a group of child warriors power to destroy a solar system.
4. D Minus Zero: Beka (Lisa Ryder) and Tyr (Keith Hamilton Cobb) square off against Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) for leadership of Andromeda during a dangerous face-off with an unknown enemy.
5. Double Helix: Captain Dylan Hunt (Kevin Sorbo) must save the Andromeda from the Nietzcheans, who are trying to persuade Tyr (Keith Hamilton Cobb) to help them destroy the ship and rebuild his Nietzchean life. His new life would include a wife to carry on his lineage.
6. Angel Dark, Demon Bright: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) is faced with a difficult decision when Andromeda slipstreams back in time -- days before the climactic battle of the Nietzschean Revolution where the Commonwealth was defeated and the Nietzschean Alliance was destroyed.
7. The Ties That Blind: Beka's (Lisa Ryder) con-artist brother unexpectedly shows up claiming to be a devout Wayist making the Andromeda a prime target for Restorian attack.
8. The Banks of the Lethe: Finally, after 300 years and a black hole keeping them apart, Captain Dylan Hunt (Kevin Sorbo) reunites with his true love, Sara (Sam Sorbo).
9. A Rose in the Ashes: With their communication with the crew of the Eureka Maru completely cut off, Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) and Rommie (Lexa Doig) are forced into exile on a prison planet and must befriend fellow inmates to attempt any escape.
10. All Great Neptune's Ocean: Tyr (Keith Hamilton Cobb) and Rommie (Lexa Doig) are framed for the assassination of the Castalian president (Allan Morgan).
11. The Pearls That Were His Eyes: Beka Valentine (Lisa Ryder) receives a distress call from her beloved Uncle Sid (John de Lancie), but to her disdain realizes that he has become Sam Profit, a big business tycoon.
12. The Mathematics of Tears: Andromeda (Lexa Doig) encounters her damaged sister ship, the Pax Magellanic, that leads the crew of the Andromeda Ascendant on an eerie mission.
13. Music of a Distant Drum: A crash landing on a strange planet leaves Tyr (Keith Hamilton Cobb) with a complete loss of memory and a mystery crate to protect from not-so-brotherly Nietzcheans.
14. Harper 2.0: Harper (Gordon Michael Woolvett) finds himself overloaded with information when a dying Perseid (Mike Desabrais) transfers data into his brain.
15. Forced Perspective: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) is taken captive and forced to admit that he killed the Mobius leader and overthrew the Mobius government more than 300 years ago.
16. The Sum Of Its Parts: A humanoid robot (Matt Smith) visits the Andromeda crew, helps them fight off a culture of organized machines and learns what it means to be a living being.
17. Fear and Loathing in the Milky Way: Trance (Laura Bertram), Harper (Gordon Michael Woolvett) and their former employer Gerentex (John Tench) are unwilling partners on a wild ride to find a valuable artifact.
18. The Devil Take the Hindmost: Rev Bem (Brent Stait) gets a call from a Wayist friend (Mark Holden) in need of his help to save the Hajira and its settlement, Serendipity, from being taken over by slavers.
19. The Honey Offering: An arranged marriage between two rival Nietzschean Prides puts the Andromeda Ascendant in danger when Captain Dylan Hunt (Kevin Sorbo) agrees to transport the bride (Kimberly Huie) to the wedding.
20. Star-Crossed: Rommie (Lexa Doig) falls in love with a surviving android (Michael Shanks) of a destroyed ship, only to be betrayed as he turns out to be the ultimate enemy.
21. It Makes A Lovely Light: Beka (Lisa Ryder) jeopardizes the crew when she takes a mind-altering drug while attempting an exhaustive piloting mission that could bring Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) to his long-lost home planet.
22. Its Hour Come Round At Last: Andromeda's (Lexa Doig) memory of her current crew is wiped out when an old core personality is accidentally re-installed.

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1. The Widening Gyre: With the ship severely damaged, Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) leads the crew of the Andromeda Ascendant in a battle against the largest and deadliest enemy they have ever encountered.
2. Exit Strategies: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo), Beka (Lisa Ryder), Rev Bem (Brent Stait) and Tyr (Keith Hamilton Cobb), pursued by a gang of Nietzscheans, are forced to make a crash landing on an icy planet.
3. Heart for Falsehood Framed: The crew of the Andromeda replaces a sacred relic with a fake, attempting to negotiate peace between two battling parties.
4. Pitiless as the Sun: Trance (Laura Bertram) is held captive, while Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) and the rest of the crew try to uncover the source behind mysterious attacks on cargo ships. Guest starring William B. Davis.
5. Last Call at the Broken Hammer: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) leads members of the crew to a desert wasteland in search of a former government leader.
6. All Too Human: Rommie (Lexa Doig) discovers prejudices toward A.I.s while attempting to expose the nefarious plots of the Machenites.
7. Una Salus Victus: The crew of the Andromeda battles with the Neitzchean Drago-Kazov pride in an attempt to deliver medical supplies to an ailing colony.
8. Home Fires: A stranger with a message from Dylan's (Kevin Sorbo) long-dead fiancée arrives onboard Andromeda, leading the crew on a diplomatic mission.
9. Into the Labyrinth: The Andromeda hosts a conference of allies to the Commonwealth, while Harper (Gordon Michael Woolvett) is lured by unknown evil forces.
10. The Prince: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) and the crew of the Andromeda assist the sole survivor (Steve Grayhm) of a massacred royal family in his quest to regain the throne.
11. Bunker Hill: Captain Dylan Hunt (Kevin Sorbo) allies with the Sabra-Jaguar Pride to wage war against the Dragans, while Harper (Gordon Michael Woolvett) launches a revolution on Earth.
12. Ouroboros: The crew of the Andromeda faces a sudden distortion of space and time.
13. Lava and Rockets: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) hijacks a tourist ship to escape the evil Ogami, a culture of mercenary killers.
14. Be All My Sins Remembered: Beka (Lisa Ryder) is forced to face her past when an old friend (Costas Mandylor) resurfaces.
15. Dance of the Mayflies: The Andromeda is invaded by a mutant species.
16. In Heaven Now Are Three: Beka (Lisa Ryder) leads a mission to find a legendary artifact.
17. The Things We Cannot Change: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) hovers near death in an alternate reality.
18. Fair Unknown: The Andromeda crew discovers a species that existed during the time of the Commonwealth.
19. Belly of the Beast: The crew of Andromeda encounters a creature once thought to be mythological.
20. Knight, Death, and the Devil: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) attempts to save a group of captured High Guard ships.
21. Immaculate Perception: When Tyr (Keith Hamilton Cobb) races to save his wife (Dylan Bierk) and her colony from attack, he discovers he is a father.
22. Tunnel at the End of the Light: Aliens from an alternate universe attack the crew of Andromeda.

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1. If The Wheel is Fixed: Energy from a dimensional tunnel takes control of two crewmembers.
2. The Shards Of Rimni: Commonwealth Security considers Dylan the prime suspect in a murder investigation.
3. Mad To Be Saved: The Andromeda encounters problems after picking up a group of mentally imbalanced refugees.
4. Cui Bono: Andromeda transports Sid Barry (John De Lancie), who is running for the top government office in the newly reformed Commonwealth.
5. The Lone And Level Sands: The Andromeda crew encounters a spacecraft from Earth, which set out to explore deep space hundreds of years ago.
6. Slipfighter The Dogs Of War: The Andromeda crew stops the evil rulers of the planet Marduk from making weapons of mass destruction.
7. The Leper's Kiss: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) goes on a mission to seek out "The Leper" in order to prevent Marshall Man Ka-Lupe's assassination.
8. For Whom The Bell Tolls: The Andromeda is haunted by a crew member who died over 300 years ago.
9. And Your Heart Will Fly Away: Tyr (Keith Hamilton Cobb) encounters a long lost love and the man who had hired him to kill her.
10. The Unconquerable Man: Gaheris Rhade sets out to reshape the universe according to his will and restore order amid the chaos.
11. Delenda Est: The Andromeda crew must thwart an invasion from a mysterious enemy.
12. The Dark Backward: Trance (Laura Bertram) runs through a series of possible outcomes in order to save the crew from a deadly intruder.
13. The Risk All Point: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) and the crew rescue the passengers of a doomed High Guard ship.
14. The Right Horse: Beka (Lisa Ryder) puts her feelings for a past love ahead of the safety of her crew and endangers an entire planet.
15. What Happens to a Rev Deferred?: The crew receives a cry for help from the long lost Rev Bem (Brent Stait).
16. Point of the Spear: The crew battles against the Pyrians in order to save the planet Samsarra and avoid a galactic war.
17. Vault of the Heavens: Dylan is beckoned to a far off planet by the voice of a mysterious woman.
18. Deep Midnight's Voice: Dylan and the crew search for a Nietzschean slip-scout carrying a probe that enables one to map every meter of the slipstream.
19. The Illusion of Majesty: Dylan and the crew take a wrong turn ending up in the Prolon System where they discover a princess who is not what she appears to be.
20. Twilight of the Idols: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) and the crew set out to find a colony that disappeared. Unbeknownst to them, they are not the only ones looking.
21. Day of Judgement, Day of Wrath: Rommie's (Lexa Doig) old lover takes over her mind and a new High Guard ship.
22. Shadows Cast by a Final Salute: Tyr's (Keith Hamilton Cobb) disloyalty spawns the destruction of the Commonwealth.

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1. Answers Given To Questions Never Asked: The crew must rescue one of the Triumvirate in order to save the Commonwealth.
2. Pieces of Eight: A contractor for the Commonwealth tries to get rid of Dylan.
3. Waking The Tyrant's Device: The crew must stop the maker of the Magog World Ship from unleashing his android army.
4. Double Or Nothingness: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) must escape two cruel gamblers' virtual game of death.
5. Harper/Delete: Harper (Gordon Michael Woolvett) risks his life trying to disarm a deadly weapon.
6. Soon The Nearing Vortex: An encounter with ex-crew member Tyr Anasazi (Keith Hamilton Cobb) brings revelations about the universe.
7. The World Turns All Around Her: Trance's true nature is revealed after the crew explores an ancient portal in space.
8. Conduit to Destiny: Fate brings Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) full circle to fulfill a planet's destiny three hundred years in the making.
9. Machinery of the Mind: The crew thwarts an assassin's attempt to steal the minds of the Commonwealth's most brilliant scientists.
10. Exalted Reason, Resplendent Daughter: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) hunts down a notorious outlaw who has kidnapped a Commonwealth leader's daughter.
11. The Torment, The Release: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) is arrested and tried by the Collectors and Triumvirs for high crimes against the Commonwealth.
12. The Spider's Stratagem: The crew intercepts a smuggler's stash of mysterious bio-armor on its way to a war-torn galaxy.
13. The Warmth Of An Invisible Light: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) is transported to an alternate reality where Harper's (Gordon Michael Woolvett) evil counterpart has overthrown the Commonwealth.
14. The Others: The crew steps in to mediate an apocalyptic war in order to halt genocide and cure a fatal disease.
15. Fear Burns Down To Ashes: The Collectors trap Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) in a life or death test using a former crew member as bait.
16. Lost In A Space That Isn't There: The Andromeda is put in danger when the Abyss posesses the mind of a crew member.
17. Abridging The Devil's Divide: An enemy from the crew's past forces Harper (Gordon Michael Woolvett) to build a time travel device.
18. Trusting The Gordian Maze: The Triumvirate sends a beautiful spy to tempt Dylan and retrieve the Star Map.
19. A Symmetry Of Imperfection: Rommie's (Lexa Doig) emotional decisions sever her connections with the ship's systems, leaving the Andromeda vulnerable to a Magog attack.
20. Time Out Of Mind: The Abyss sends agents to murder the True Collectors and find their hidden library.
21. The Dissonant Interval, Part 1: The crew attempts to rescue a peaceful society from the path of the Magog worldship.
22. The Dissonant Interval, Part 2: The crew makes a last stand against the Magog onslaught.

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1. The Weight, Part 1: Upon discovering the truth of planet Seefra-1, Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) must free its people and reunite his crew.
2. The Weight, Part 2: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) and Rhade (Steve Bacic) pick up a distress signal from Beka (Lisa Ryder) only to find her scheming with a trade mogul who has claimed Andromeda for himself.
3. Phear Phactor Phenom: The crew reunites with Harper (Gordon Michael Woolvett) when they confront a scientist bent on controlling the system.
4. Decay of the Angel: Doyle (Brandy Ledford) learns her real identity with the help of a mysterious visitor.
5. The Eschatology of Our Present: Beka (Lisa Ryder) is offered a mysterious prize and a vision of her past by Seefra's elusive Virgil Vox.
6. When Goes Around...: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) is pursued by a mysterious stranger who holds the link between the past and Seefra's troubled present.
7. Attempting Screed: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) begins to learn the extent of his new powers as a Paradine.
8. So Burn The Untamed Lands: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) and Rhade (Steve Bacic) fight to free indentured slaves from a cruel labor camp.
9. What Will Be Was Not: Trance's (Laura Bertram) misadventure into Seefra-1's tunnel system exposes the guardian of an ancient Vedran secret.
10. The Test: The crew is tormented by a mysterious stranger who accuses them of murder.
11. Through A Glass Darkly: An old friend who Harper (Gordon Michael Woolvett) thought was dead returns to help the crew in a battle for Seefra-5.
12. Pride Before The Fall: A deadly enemy from the past returns with plans to create an elite warrior race.
13. Moonlight Becomes You: When Trance (Laura Bertram) becomes attracted to a mysterious young man from her past, the reunion causes her to begin regaining her memories.
14. Past Is Prolix: Trance (Laura Bertram) sun looms on the edge of the system, threatening to destroy all of Seefra unless the Vedran design can be mended.
15. The Opposites Of Attraction: A woman from Dylan's (Kevin Sorbo) forgotten past returns to claim him at any cost.
16. Saving Light From A Black Sun: The crew travels to the core of Seefra's sputtering sun on a treacherous repair mission.
17. Totaled Recall: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) finds himself trapped after an explosion sends him into an inter-dimensional loop.
18. Quantum Tractate Delirium: Rommie (Lexa Doig) turns on the crew after she is rebuilt to help evacuate Seefra's planets.
19. One More Day's Light: The evacuation of Seefra-5 faces deadly peril when religious fanatics resist the crew's efforts to save them.
20. Chaos And The Stillness Of It: The crew scrambles to rescue Trance (Laura Bertram) and Harper (Gordon Michael Woolvett) against the ticking clock of the Vedran sun.
21. The Heart Of The Journey, Part 1: Trance's (Laura Bertram) family of avatars has declared war on the Abyss, but at the cost of every life in the three galaxies.
22. The Heart Of The Journey, Part 2: The final battle for the Known Worlds begins as the Nietzscheans move on Tarazed while The Abyss pursues the Andromeda and her crew.

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The DVD

Packaging

Andromeda: The Slipstream Collection contains the complete series of Andromeda, which is five season and one-hundred and ten episodes. The episodes are spread across fifty DVDs, which are stored in twenty-five double slim pack cases. The slim packs are housed in a heavy duty cardboard shell that features front, back, side, top, and bottom pictures of the Andromeda, as well as Kevin Sorbo. The spines of the slim packs make up another picture of the Andromeda. Here are a few pictures of the box set: scan of the slim pack spines, slim packs stacked, and box set profile view.

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Video:
The video in this release is given in an anamorphic 1.78:1 ratio widescreen color format. The picture quality is quite good. It suffers from a slight grain, but detail remains to be sharp and clear. The grain is most noticeable during the darker scenes. In addition, there is noticeable ghosting/aliasing during high-motion action sequences. The series incorporates a lot of visual effects with computer graphics and green screen, which sometimes look real, but most of the time feel slightly out of place.

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Audio:
The audio track in this release is in English 2.0 Dolby digital stereo sound. In general, the sound quality is very good and it provides an audible and clean track. The dialogue is usually a little flat while music and sound effects come fairly off rich and vibrant. The stereo capability is put to the limit with lots of scenes taking advantage of the left and right channels.

There are no subtitles included, but there is support for closed captioning.

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Extras:

Andromeda: The Slipstream Collection contains all of the extras found in the individual season collection volumes and full season sets. Each disc is packed with extras from readable text information (cast & crew biographies, information about the series) to image galleries to audio commentaries to behind the scenes featurettes to interview featurettes to bloopers. Each disc also contains other extras like TV spots, TV teasers, and trailers for other ADV Films releases. Note: the TV spots/teasers and trailers are not listed in the disc-by-disc extras breakdown.

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Commentary is an audio commentary for the episode "Under the Night" with Kevin Sorbo and Allan Eastman. Character Profile: Dylan Hunt is readable text information about Kevin Sorbo, the character Dylan Hunt, Hunt's costume, and a live interview. Alternate Takes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "An Affirming Flame, Scene 15", this alternative version features a different alien than the one used in the broadcast, "To Loose The Fateful Lightning, Scene 6", Dylan passes out force lances to the crew, "To Loose The Fateful Lightning, Scene 75", a short scene featuring Rev and Trance in a reflective moment. Image Gallery: Creation of the Andromeda is an image gallery with concept artwork: "Andromeda Bridge Concept", "Pilot's Chair Concept", "Service Conduit Elevations", "Elevations Int. Andromeda", and "Wide Set drawing". Some offer full size and close up views. All Systems University 101: Fighting Ships of the High Guard is readable text information about the fighting ships of the High Guard: "Fleet Organization", "Weapon Systems and Platforms", "Sensor Systems", and "Andromeda Ascendant Specifications". Glossary of the High Guard A-D is readable text information with definitions of key terms from A to D.

Behind the Scenes: The Andromeda Idea is a three minute featurette with cast and crew talking about the series' premise. Character Profile: Andromeda is readable text information about Lexa Doig, the character Andromeda/Rommie, Andromeda's costume, and a live interview. Alternate Takes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "D Minus Zero, Scene 75", alternative version of the basketball game between Dylan and Tyr, "Double Helix, Scenes 41-42", Dylan and Rev talk about trusting Tyr, then Seamus and Andromeda talk about trusting Dylan, "Double Helix, Scene 65", Tyr and fellow Nietzschean Guderian discuss betrayal and revenge. Bloopers is two and a half minutes of goofs and outtakes. Timeline of the Commonwealth: The Imperial Era is readable text information about the Commonwealth's history from 112 BIE to 2937 CY. Prop & Set Concepts is an image gallery of concept artwork: "F-Lance Extensions", "Eureka Maru Concept", "Eureka Maru Bridge", "Dylan's God Board", "Olma's viewing monitor", and " Tyr & Freya's Arm Bracelet". Production Biography: Robert Hewitt Wolfe is readable text information about Wolfe.

Commentary is an audio commentary for the episode "Banks of the Lethe" with Kevin Sorbo and Allan Eastman. Character Profile: Beka Valentine is readable text information about Lisa Ryder, the character Beka Valentine, Valentine's costume, and a live interview. Alternate Takes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "Angel Dark, Demon Bright, Scene 28", Rommie curses at an alien, "Angel Dark, Demon Bright, Scene 64", Harper brings Rommie flowers and apologizes, "Banks of the Lethe, Scene 2 (partial)", Tyr and Harper interact with the Perseids, "Banks of the Lethe, Scene 9 (partial)", Harper explains to Beka how the teleporter works, "Banks of the Lethe, Scene 22B", Harper works on the time machine and he talks to Rommie about sending Dylan back in time, "Banks of the Lethe, Scene 40-42", Tyr and Dylan have a one-on-one chat, Harper and Beka talk about sending a watermelon back in time, and Rommie tries to put Dylan's actions into perspective, "Banks of the Lethe, Scene 51", Beka and Tyr have a discussion at gunpoint, and "Banks of the Lethe, Scene 65A", the Perseids try to talk to Dylan. Image Gallery: The Eureka Maru is an image gallery with concept artwork of the Eureka Maru (inside and out). All Systems University 101: Commonwealth Transportation is readable text information about transportation ships: "Cargo", "Couriers", "Governmental Craft", "Military and Combat-Capable Craft", "Passenger Service", and "Private Craft". Glossary of the High Guard E-J is readable text information with definitions of key terms from E to J.

Behind the Scenes: E! Celebrity Profile: Kevin Sorbo gives a tour of the Andromeda set. It runs for a little over eleven minutes. Alternate Takes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "All Great Neptune's Ocean, Scene 24", Dylan receives Rommie's alert that a Castalian fleet is headed for the Andromeda, and "All Great Neptune's Ocean, Scene 29", Andromeda's crew prepares for the approaching Castalian fleet, who believe Tyr has assassinated their president. Bloopers is two and a half minutes of goofs and outtakes. Timeline of the Commonwealth: The Imperial Era is readable text information about the Commonwealth's history from 4150 CY to 4352 CY. Prop & Set Concepts is an image gallery with concept artwork: "Dyaln's Cuff","Wayist Monastery Asteroid - Beka's Arrival", "Sword For Wall Decoration", and "Kibbles & Bits Dispenser". Production Biography: Allan Eastman is readable text information about Eastman.

Character Profile: Tyr Anasazi is readable text information about Keith Hamilton Cobb, the character Tyr Anasazi, Tyr's costume, and a live interview. Alternate Takes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "The Mathematics of Tears, Scene 21", Dylan and Beka discuss Dylan's plan to have dinner with Lieutenant Pearce of the Pax Magellanic. Image Gallery: Cast Shots is an image gallery with pictures of the cast posing. All Systems University 101: Life Forms is readable text information about races in the show: "Artificial Life", "Humans", "Magog", "Nietzscheans", "Nightsiders", "Perseids", "Than-Thre-Kull", and "Vedrans". Glossary of the High Guard K-O is readable text information with definitions of key terms from K to O.

Behind the Scenes: Visual Effects is a short two minute featurette about computer graphics used in the show. Bloopers is a little less than two minutes of goofs and outtakes. Timeline of the Commonwealth: Growth & Peace is readable text information about the Commonwealth's history from 6811 CY to 9760 CY. b>Image Gallery: Cast Shots is an image gallery with pictures of the cast posing. Production Biography: Majel Roddenberry is readable text information about Roddenberry.

Character Profile: Rev Bem is readable text information about Brent Stait, the character Rev Bem, Rev's costume, and a live interview. Alternate Takes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "Forced Perspective, Scene 17 Extended", Dylan talks to the security architect Venetri and Rhade about a paranoid dictator, and "Forced Perspective, Scene 19 Extended", Rhade tries to put the situation into perspective for Dylan and Venetri, Ferrin must die. Image Gallery: Costumes is an image gallery with concept costume artwork: Dylan, Beka, Tyr, Trance, and Rommie. All Systems University 101: The Government of the Systems Commonwealth is readable text information about different aspects of the Commonwealth government: "A Representative Monarchy", "The Conclave", "The Legal System", and "Freedom". Glossary of the High Guard P-R is readable text information with definitions of key terms from P to R.

Behind the Scenes: Alien Make-Up is a three minute featurette about the special effects make-up process. Alternate Takes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "The Devil Take the Hindmost, Scene 68", in this alternate end to the action at the Hajiran settlement Serendipity, one of the Magog offspring thanks Dylan and Rev Bem for their help and for his life. Bloopers is two minutes of goofs and outtakes. Timeline of the Commonwealth: Conflict & Renewal is readable text information about the Commonwealth's history from 9766 CY to 9781 CY. Prop & Set Concepts is an image gallery with concept artwork: "Ammonia ocean surfing rig", "The Eureka Maru engine room", "Armor", and "Computer screens". Production Biography: Jay Firestone is readable text information about Firestone.

Character Profile: Seamus Harper is readable text information about Gordon Michael Woolvett, the character Seamus Harper, Harper's costume, and a live interview. Alternate Takes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "Star-Crossed, Scene 30", in this alternate scene, Rommie and the deceitful android Gabriel passionately kiss. Image Gallery: Technology is an image gallery with concept technological related artwork. All Systems University 101: Engineering, Science & Technology is readable text information about engineering and science: "A Basic Introduction to Terms", "Slipstream", and "Genetic Engineering". Glossary of the High Guard S-Z is readable text information with definitions of key terms from S to Z.

Behind the Scenes: On the Set of Andromeda is an eight minute featurette of behind the scenes footage of filming an episode. Character Profile: Trance Gemini is readable text information about Laura Bertram, the character Trance Gemini, Trance's costume, and a live interview. Alternate Takes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "It Takes a Lovely Light, Scene 20", Harper and Rommie discuss Beka's fitness as a pilot. Bloopers is two minutes of goofs and outtakes. Timeline of the Commonwealth: The Long Night-The Fall of the Commonwealth and Its Aftermath is readable text information about the Commonwealth's history from 9784 CY to 10087 CY. Prop & Set Concepts is an image gallery with concept artwork: "Gabriel's Prosthetic Piece", "Shura's Cockpit Set", "Harper Laser Tool", "Beka's Jury Rigger Pilot Station in Slipstream Core", and "Blood Mist's Armour". Production Biography: Adam Haight is readable text information about Haight.

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Commentary is an audio commentary for the episode "A Heart For Falsehood Framed" with Lisa Ryder and Richard Lewis. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "The Widening Grye, Scene 14", with the rest of the crew missing or unconscious, a frightened Trance tries to figure out what to do, "The Widening Grye, Scene 21", Dylan and Beka discuss who should go to the Magog Worldship to rescue Tyr and Harper, and "A Heart for Falsehood Framed, Scene 18 (partial)", Dylan, Miskich, and clarion of Loss tour the Chichin museum, almost foiling Harper and Trace's theft of the Hegemon's Heart. Behind the Scenes with Gordon Michael Woolvett runs for five minutes. In it, Woolvett gives a tour of the set. Design Gallery is a video clip of stills of matte paintings.

Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "Pitiless as the Sun, Scene 29", in the final version of this episode, Gadell, the Pyrian informant, enters Machine Shop 5, but what he discovers there is not revealed until later--this deleted scene explicitly shows his discovery, reducing the suspense, and "Last Call at the Broken Hammer, Scene 11", inside the Broken Hammer bar, Hsigo whispers to another patron as Tyr lurks nearby. Bloopers is three minutes of goofs and outtakes. Conceptual Drawings is a video clip of concept artwork stills: "Pre-Viz New Bridge", "Hegemon's Hearts", Binoculars", "Flashlight", and "Exotic Matter Lens".

Commentary is an audio commentary for the episode "All Too Human" with T.J. Scott, Richard Lewwis, Ashley Edward Miller, and Zack Stentz. Behind the Scenes Interview with Allan Eastman runs for twenty-four minutes. It is a long interview with Eastman. Behind the Scenes with Gordon Michael Woolvett is another twelve minutes of Woolvett talking about more aspects of the set. Alternate & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "All Too Human, Scene 8", in this very brief scene, Tyr interrupts Rev Bem's meditation.

Behind the Scenes Interview with Richard B. Lewis runs for twelve minutes and features Lewis talking about various production related topics. Behind the Scenes Interview with Toni Rutter runs for eight minutes. In it, Rutter focuses on costume design. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "Home Fries, Scene 75", Dylan is questioned by Tyr and Beka about his decision to leave Tarazed after the failed election, "Into the Labyrinth, Scene 7", Harper's search for the All Systems University database is interrupted by Rommie, and "Into the Labyrinth, Scenes 24 & 25", Tyr refuses a job offer from the sexy spy, Satrina. Design Gallery is an animation for episode "Home Fries" of a spaceship battle. There are also concept artwork stills: "Nova Bomb", "Nova Bomb detail" (multiple), and "Suit Concept".

Commentary is an audio commentary for the episode "Ouroboros" with Laura Bertram and Gordon Michael Woolvett. Behind the Scenes Interview with Kevin Sorbo features Sorbo in giving a nine minute interview about casting, filming, and storylines of season two. Behind the Scenes Interview with Gordon Verheul runs for seven and a half minutes. Verheul, director of photography, talks about filming. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "The Prince, Scenes 5 & 6", in this scene onboard Andromeda, Trance tries to stabilize the severely injured Yanos, the royal family's retainer, "The Prince, Scene 24", Tyr chides Prince Erik for revealing his anger to Archduke Constantijn, and "The Prince, Scene 34", Beka and Harper prepare the technology that will prevent Prince Erik's assassination. Design Gallery is a video clip for concept animations: "The Prince" animatic, "Bunker Hill" matte painting, "Bunker Hill" animatic, and "Ouroboros" character concept designs.

Behind the Scenes Interview with Laura Bertram features Bertram talking about her role in the show, the character, make-up, and so on. The runtime is eleven minutes. Behind the Scenes Interview with Anji Bemben runs for five minutes and contains details about character hairstyles. Behind the Scenes Trance's Make-Up is four minutes that focus on Bertram's character Trance and putting on her make-up. Design Gallery is a video clip for concept animations: "Lava and Rockets" animatic. Bloopers is two minutes of goofs and outtakes.

Behind the Scenes Interview with Lisa Ryder runs for fifteen minutes and it features Ryder talking about her character and the show. Behind the Scenes Interview with Jim Finn is twelve minutes with Finn, the visual effects supervisor discussing season two visual effects. Design Gallery is a video clip of concept artwork stills: "Nova bomb", "Nova bomb - detail" (multiple), "EVA suit", and "EVA suit - detail" (multiple).

Commentary is an audio commentary for the episode "The Fair Unknown" with Kevin Sorbo and Richard B. Lewis. Behind the Scenes Interview with Karen Wookey runs for eleven minutes. Wookey, the supervising producer for fireworks entertainment talks her role on the show and how she got there. Behind the Scenes Interview with Lexa Doig has Doig talking about her character Andromeda/Rommie. It runs for eight and a half minutes. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "The Fair Unknown, Scene 5", after seeing a recording of a Vedran fighting on the Kalderan ship, Dylan and Beka discuss Vedran history and culture. Design Gallery is a video clip for concept animations: "The Things We Cannot Change" matte painting, and stills "Suit concept" and "Spear". Bloopers is under two minutes of goofs and outtakes.

Behind the Scenes Interview with Gordon Michael Woolvett runs for seventeen and a half minutes. It contains a detailed interview with Woolvett and he talks about his character, role on the show, and other related items. Behind the Scenes Interview with Don Buchannan has Buchannan, the props master, talking about Andromeda's props. It runs for five and a half minutes. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "The Kneasoight, Death, and the Devil, Scene 12 (end)", Dylan and Ryan, the former avatar of a missing High Guard troopship called the Clarion's Call, discuss why Ryan allied himself with the Nightsiders, and "The Knight, Death, and the Devil, Scene 19", Dylan prepares to board the Nietzschean-controlled warship The Wrath of Achilles. Design Gallery is a video clip for concept animations: "Bely of the Beast" animatics (multiple), and stills "Cetus concept" (multiple).

Commentary is an audio commentary for the episode "The Tunnel at the End of the Light" with Lisa Ryder and Gordon Michael Woolvett. Behind the Scenes Interview with Keith Ham "Thilton Cobb stars Cobb talking about his character Tyr. It runs for fourteen minutes. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "The Tunnel at the End of the Light, Scene 14" , Beka and Tyr search the corridors for the mysterious Severin, a Nietzchean disguised as a human, who they believe has sabotaged the ratifying ceremony of the Commonwealth Charter. Design Gallery is a video clip for concept animations: "Immaculate Perception" animatic, "Tunnel at the End of the Light" animatic, and stills: "Genite Concept" (multiple), "Alien ship", and "Charter Signing Sushi Platters". Bloopers is one and a half minutes of goofs and outtakes.

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Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "If the Wheel is Fixed, Scenes 13-15", Harper and Trance talk about the difference of being scared and sensible while they investigate the unknown, "If the Wheel is Fixed, Scene 85", a sad Tyr inquiries about his friendship with Dylan, "If the Wheel is Fixed, Scene 85", Rommie asks Beka talk about where she was, "The Shards of Rimni, Scene 16", Dylan flirts with someone, and "The Shards of Rimni, Scene 66", Beka requests someone's help. Design/Conceptual Art Gallery is a video clip of assorted concept artwork stills, prop stills, and CG animatics.

Kevin Sorbo's Gags and Bloopers is ten minutes of goofs and outtakes with Sorbo. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "The Lone and Level Sands, Scene 8", Tyr runs into some guards, "The Lone and Level Sands, Scene 9", Harper makes a sleazy comment, "The Lone and Level Sands, Scene 9A", Rommie and Harper annoy Tyr by singing, "The Lone and Level Sands, Scene 33", Harper leaves Beka and Trance to get something to drink when they need his help, "The Lone and Level Sands, Scene 33B", the crew discusses their current situation, "The Lone and Level Sands, Scene 34", Harper talks one of Metis' crewman about defecting, and "The Lone and Level Sands, Scene 49", Beka and Trance great Rommie, Tyr, Harper, and Dylan as they return to the Andromeda. Design/Conceptual Art Gallery is a video clip of assorted concept artwork stills, prop stills, and CG animatics.

Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "The Leper's Kiss, Scene 4", Dylan asks for the crew's assistance to help a friend. Meet the Cast: Kevin Sorbo is an interview with Sorbo talking about filming and acting, his motivation, and other things. It runs for almost twenty-one minutes. Design/Conceptual Art Gallery is a video clip of assorted concept artwork stills, prop stills, and CG animatics.

Commentary is an audio commentary for the episode "For Whom the Bell Tolls" with Kevin Sorbo and Philip Segal. Lisa Ryder's Gags and Bloopers is four minutes of goofs and outtakes with Ryder. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "And Your Heart Will Fly Away, Scene 23", Rommie asks Bartolame Naz about his physical handicap. Design/Conceptual Art Gallery is a video clip of assorted concept artwork stills, prop stills, and CG animatics.

Meet the Cast: Lisa Ryder is a fifteen minute long interview with Ryder, where she gives you a chance to get to know her better. Design/Conceptual Art Gallery is a video clip of assorted concept artwork stills, prop stills, and CG animatics.

Behind the Scenes: Production Design is a featurette with production designer Richard B. Lewis season three related production designs. He shows computer graphic models of characters/scenes and discusses them. Laura Bertram's Gags and Bloopers is two minutes of goofs and outtakes with Bertram. Design/Conceptual Art Gallery is a video clip of assorted concept artwork stills, prop stills, and CG animatics.

Meet the Cast: Lexa Doig is an interview with Lexa Doig about her character Rommie. She talks specifically about the character and the visual effects related aspects when she plays the holographic version of herself, Andromeda. It runs for eight minutes. Meet the Director: Allan Harmon is an interview with the director of the episode "Point of the Spear" and it runs under three minutes. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "The Right Horse, Scene 38", Rommie gives Beka shocking news. Design/Conceptual Art Gallery is a video clip of assorted concept artwork stills, prop stills, and CG animatics.

Behind the Scenes: Stunts and Fights is an interview with student coordinator Ernest Jackson. It features six and a half minutes of Jackson talking about the stunts and fight scenes. Exclusive Students Training Footage is footage of stunt fighting and runs for five minutes. It features Kevin Sorbo and Ernest Jackson providing commentary. Gordon Michael Woolvett's Gags and Bloopers is four and a half minutes of goofs and outtakes with Woolvett. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "Deep Midnight's Voice, Scenes 22 (partial) & 23", on the bridge Harper blows up in front of the crew and consoles in Trance, and "Deep Midnight's Voice, Scene 65", Dylan and Tyr talk about Gaiton's death. Design/Conceptual Art Gallery is a video clip of assorted concept artwork stills, prop stills, and CG animatics.

Meet the Cast: Gordon Michael Woolvett is an interview with Woolvett about his character, interaction with other cast members, writing for the show, and so on. It runs for eighteen and a half minutes. Meet the Director: Peter DeLuise is an interview with the director of the episode "The Illusion of Majesty". It runs for twenty-seven minutes. Lexa Doig's Gags and Bloopers is five and a half minutes of goofs and outtakes with Doig. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "Twilight of the Idols, Scene 15", Tyr tells Harper to listen more and think less, "Twilight of the Idols, Scene 36", Rommie, Harper, and Tyr on the bridge talk about the success of Tyr's ploy, and "Twilight of the Idols, Scene 47 (partial)", Beka prepares to fire weapons and Harper complains. Design/Conceptual Art Gallery is a video clip of assorted concept artwork stills, prop stills, and CG animatics.

Behind the Scenes: Tour of the Andromeda Set is an interview with director of photography Gordon Verheul. It runs for twelve and a half minutes. In it, Verheul shows the set and talks about different aspects of filming. Behind the Scenes: Toni Rutter is an interview with costume designer Toni Rutter talks about designing different clothes for the characters. She shows real samples and sketches in her notebook. It runs for thirteen minutes. Gags and Bloopers from Season 3 Guest Stars is four minutes of goofs and outtakes with various guest stars. Design/Conceptual Art Gallery is a video clip of assorted concept artwork stills, prop stills, and CG animatics.

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Meet the Cast: Laura Bertram is an interview with Bertram. It runs for seventeen minutes. She talks about her character's role, personality, and interaction with the other characters. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "Answer Given to Questions Never Asked, Scene 11", Trance treats someone who is injured, "Pieces of Eight, Scene 2", surveys a planet system to Dylan and the crew, "Pieces of Eight, Scene 37", Dylan wins a fight, "Pieces of Eight, Scene 38", Trance and Romie question Beka's perception, "Waking the Tyrant's Device, Scene 7", Dylan, Beka, and Rommie talk about Beka's fines, and "Waking the Tyrant's Device Scene 26", Dylan asks Rommie what's for dinner.

Behind the Scenes: Visual Effects is an interview with visual effects supervisor Bruce Turner. He talks about some of the spaceship battle segments, big colorful explosions, etc. It runs for eight and a half minutes. Kevin Sorbo's Gags and Bloopers is four minutes of goofs and outtakes with Sorbo. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "Double or Nothingness, Scene 19", Trance tells someone to be careful, "Double of Nothingness, Scene 30", Trance asks Andromeda about navigation status, "Double or Nothingness, Scene 32", Trance investigates a noise, "Double or Nothingness, Scene 35", Dylan gets his bearings while Molly washes up, "Double or Nothingness, Scene 45", Trance is talking to Andromeda while the power cuts out, "Harper/Delete, Scene 23", three Andromeda dialogues, and "Harper/Delete, Scene 101-102", the crew talks about the aftermath of their latest mission. Costume Design Sketches is a video clip of costume design sketches.

Meet the Cast: Steve Bacic is an interview with Steve Bacic, who plays Telemachus Rhade. It runs under nineteen minutes and he talks about his character and role on the show. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "Soon the Nearing Vortex, Scene 14A", Harper outlines a confusing situation to Rommie.

Behind the Scenes: Bob Engels is an interview with executive producer and head writer Bob Engels. Engels talks about season four episodes and storylines. It runs for about twelve and a half minutes. Bio: Bob Engels is readable text information about Bob Engels. Lisa Ryder's Gags and Bloopers is five and a half minutes of goofs and outtakes with Lisa. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "Machinery of the Mind, Scene 36", Rommie and Trance un-boost Harper's ego.

Meet the Cast: Brent Stait is an interview with Brent Stait, who plays the Magog Rev Bem. It runs for eighteen and a half minutes and Stait talks about his character, problems he had with make-up/costume, leaving the show and coming back, etc. Meet the Director: Richard Flower is an interview with Richard Flower, the director of the episode "Exalted Reason, Resplendent Daughter". It runs for nine and a half minutes. Character Bio: Dylan Hunt is readable text information about Dylan. Character Bio: Beka Valentine is readable text information about Beka. Andromeda Guidebook: Slipstream is readable text information about the slipstream.

Behind the Scenes: Make-Up is an eight minutes featurette with Kari Cox and Francesca von Zimmerman talking about special effects make-up for the season, the process, the characters, etc. Cast Bio: Kevin Sorbo is readable text information about Sorbo. Cast Bio: Lisa Ryder is readable text information about Ryder. Andromeda Guidebook: Power the Andromeda Ascendant is readable text information about the Andromeda Ascendant. Gordon Michael Woolvett's Gags and Bloopers is four and a half minutes of goofs and outtakes with Woolvett.

Behind the Scenes: Filming Andromeda is behind the scenes footage of filming the episode "Fear Burns Down to Ashes". It has rehearsal footage for several scenes. Runtime is eleven minutes. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "Fear Burns Down to Ashes, Scene 4", Beka and Rhade land on the surface of Joku, "Fear Burns Down to Ashes, Scene 12", Saguro plots against the Andromeda crew, "Fear Burns Down to Ashes, Scene 16", Harper and Andromeda discuss productivity (or rather Harper's lack of), "Fear Burns Down to Ashes, Scene 18", Trance talks about her feelings to Rommie, and "Fear Burns Down to Ashes, Scene 30-32", Beka and Rhade meet the collector. Character Bio: Trance Gemini is readable text information about Trance. Character Bio: Seamus Harper is readable text information about Harper.

Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "Lost in a Space That Isn't There", Rommie reports to Dylan. Cast Bio: Laura Bertram is readable text information about Bertram. Cast Bio: Gordon Michael Woolvett is readable text information about Woolvett. Lexa Doig's Gags and Bloopers is four and a half minutes of goofs and outtakes with Doig.

Meet the Director: Jorge Montesi is an interview with the director Jorge Montesi of the episode "Trusting the Gordian Maze". It runs for under eleven minutes. Kevin Sorbo's Gags and Bloopers is three minutes of goofs and outtakes with Sorbo. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "A Symmetry of Imperfection, Scene 46", Trance and Rhade search for the crew. Storyboard/Scene Comparison for a Symmetry of Imperfection is a short video clip of concept art shown side-by-side of the live action footage. Character Bio: Rommie is readable text information about Rommie. Character Bio: Telemachus Rhade is readable text information about Rhade.

Steve Bacic's Gags and Bloopers is under two minutes of goofs and outtakes with Bacic (Rhade). Guest Star's Gags and Bloopers is under two minutes of goofs and outtakes with season four guest stars. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "The Dissonant Interval, Part I, Scene 48", Dylan and Trance analyze a sample from Rev, "The Dissonant Interval, Part II, Scene 62", Dylan tries to inspire the inhabitants of the Arkology fight for their lives, and "The Dissonant Interval Part II, Scene 65", Dylan and Trance report to command. Alternate Ending to Season Finale is an alternate ending for "The Dissonant Interval, Part 2" with comments from Kevin Sorbo and Bob Engels. Storyboard/Scene Comparison for the Dissonant Interval is a short video clip of concept art shown side-by-side of the live action footage. Season 4 Visual Effects: From Concept to Completion is nine minutes of various concept animatics and the related live footage. Cast Bio: Lexa Doig is readable text information about Doig. Cast Bio: Steve Bacic is readable text information about Bacic.

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Meet the Cast: Kevin Sorbo is an interview with Kevin Sorbo. It features Sorbo talking about the beginning of the show, his first day, memorable episodes, challenges, etc. It runs for twenty-one and a half minutes. Visual Effects: From Concept to Completion concept animatics and the related live footage. Image Gallery is a slide show of various stills from the episodes in this collection.

Behind the Scenes: Bob Engels is a ten and a half interview with executive producer Bob Engels. Behind the Scenes: Gordon Verheul is an interview with directory of photography Gordon Verheul. It runs for fifteen and a half minutes and he gives a tour of the set. Visual Effects: From Concept to Completion concept animatics and the related live footage. Bloopers is six minutes of goofs and outtakes. Image Gallery is a slide show of various stills from the episodes in this collection.

Meet the Cast: Lisa Ryder is an interview with Lisa Ryder and she talks about her character (Beka): background, personality, boyfriends, relationship with the other crew members, etc. It runs for fourteen minutes. Meet the Cast: Brandy Ledford is an interview with Brandy Ledford. Ledford plays Doyle and she talks about her history with the show: she originally tested for Andromeda and played a filler for Andromda/Rommie while she was pregnant during the filming of season five. Ledford also talks about her character and the stories she is in. It runs for twelve minutes. Visual Effects: From Concept to Completion concept animatics and the related live footage. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "Attempting Screed, Scene 9", Harper serves Rhade a drink while working at a bar and some demanding customers come in, "Attempting Screed, Scene 32", Doyle and Rhade converse while someone listens in, "Attempting Screed, Scene 44", Doyle gets paid off, and "So Burn the Untamed Lands, Scene 42", the crew lead a group of people to safety. Image Gallery is a slide show of various stills from the episodes in this collection.

Behind the Scenes: Bruce Turner is an interview with visual effects supervisor Bruce Turner and he talks about some of the effects for this season. It runs for twelve minutes. Visual Effects: From Concept to Completion concept animatics and the related live footage. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "What will Be Was Not, Scene 8", Harper nurses his black eye with a piece of meat and pours drink for Doyle, Beka, and Rhade. Bloopers is a little over seven minutes of goofs and outtakes. Image Gallery is a slide show of various stills from the episodes in this collection.

Meet the Cast: Lochlyn Munro is a five minute interview with guest star Lochlyn Munro. Behind the Scenes: David Winning is under six minutes of interview footage with director David Winning. "It's Never Easy" - 100 Episodes and Beyond! is a thirteen minute long featurette with cast and crew interviews and behind the scenes footage for the one hundredth episode. On the Slate: Filming "Pride Before the Fall" is thirteen and a half minutes of more behind the scenes footage. Visual Effects: From Concept to Completion concept animatics and the related live footage. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "Pride Before the Fall, Scene 3", Dylan is caught between a rock and a hard place, "Pride Before the Fall, Scenes 17-19", Dylan request Beka to return to the Andromeda from Peter's ship, "Pride Before the Fall, Scene 42", Trance gives Doyle advice. Image Gallery is a slide show of various stills from the episodes in this collection.

Meet the Cast: Laura Bertram is an eighteen minute long interview with Laura Bertram. Bertram plays Trance. Visual Effects: From Concept to Completion concept animatics and the related live footage. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "Past is Prolix, Scene 2", Sembler has flashbacks about his bar that Harper has been running. Bloopers is under three minutes of goofs and outtakes. Image Gallery is a slide show of various stills from the episodes in this collection.

Meet the Cast: Gordon Michael Woolvett is a twenty-one minute long interview with Woolvett (Harper). He talks about his character, some of the season five storylines, and so on. Visual Effects: From Concept to Completion concept animatics and the related live footage. Bloopers is two and a half minutes of goofs and outtakes. Image Gallery is a slide show of various stills from the episodes in this collection.

Behind the Scenes: Brian Kane is an interview with production designer Brian Kane. It runs for approximately nine minutes and features Kane talking about different set designs. Behind the Scenes: Francesca von Zimmerman is an interview with make-up artist Francesca von Zimmerman. It runs for nine minutes and also features some behind the scenes footage of Zimmerman applying special effects make-up. Visual Effects: From Concept to Completion concept animatics and the related live footage. Image Gallery is a slide show of various stills from the episodes in this collection.

Meet the Cast: Steve Bacic is an interview with Steve Bacic. Bacic plays Rhade and in this interview featurette, he provides some insights to his character, role on the show, and the series in general. It runs for ten and a half minutes. Behind the Scenes: Don Buchanan is an interview with props manager Don Buchanan. He shows off some of the props used and where they are stored. It runs for four and a half minutes. Image Gallery is a slide show of various stills from the episodes in this collection.

Behind the Scenes: Toni Burroughs-Rutter is an interview with costume designer Toni Burroughs-Rutter. It runs for twenty-eight minutes. The first part is a standard interview and the second part is a tour of various costume designs. "And Night Falls: Farewell to Andromeda" Featurette is a final farewall to the series. It begins with comments from the cast, circa 2000. It continues with follow-up comments, circa 2005. It gives a beginning and end perspective. Next is footage from the 100th episode celebration, featuring cast and crew: Nancy Wenn, Sherry Gorval, Samantha McKinnon, Val Halverson, Leslie Cairns, Toni Burroughs-Rutter, Bob Dennett, Steve and Caroline Bacic, David Winning, Brandy Ledford, Michele Morand, Gordon Michael Woolvett, Brent Stait, Lisa Ryder, Ari Cohen, Bob Engels, Marco Ciccone, Terry Jarrett, Gordon Verheul, Lexa Doig, Laura Bertram, and Kevin and Sam Sorbo. The featurette also includes a behind the scenes clip of Andromeda's final scene with a speech from Sorbo. The total runtime is under thirteen and a half minutes. Image Gallery is a slide show of various stills from the episodes in this collection.

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Final Thoughts:
My opinions about the Andromeda: The Slipstream Collection are a mixed bag. On an individual per season basis, I enjoyed seasons one, two, and four. The strengths about these seasons are simple. Season one is advantageous because it is exciting getting to know the cast in their first twenty-two episodes together. In addition the season benefits from some engaging story arcs that spill into later seasons. Season two has a multitude of story arcs that help make the content a delight to watch. Season four also benefits from using many story arcs, as well as developing some of the character's key aspects.

The other two seasons fail to meet these standards. Season three is full of decent episodes, with some focus on the characters, but far too many episodic plots about doing this or that. It adds nothing to the grand scheme of things. But season three does have a great ending. On the other hand, season five falls short on a couple levels. First of all, the entire space adventure aspect disappears and the Andromeda crew is stuck on a planet and the stories are not nearly as impressive as the past seasons. Secondly, they push the end of the series, which has a rather unimpressive ending. While it is worth watching (especially if you invested the time to watch the previous seasons), it is not the most exciting moments in the Andromeda universe.

In terms of the content quality alone, I would give "The Slipstream Collection" a recommended rating. While two of the five seasons are weak, the overall story is engaging and exciting enough to keep you entertained. In addition, the DVDs are packed with special features, although as the seasons progress they lose their appeal (far too much readable text information). The commentaries are of note. The ones with Kevin Sorbo and Lisa Ryder are solid. The two are engaging to listen to as they talk about random things, specifics to the episode, and the series in general. I would have really loved to see some additional commentaries. Heck. I would have even appreciated some exclusive content included with "The Slipstream Collection".

However, I do realize there are financial considerations to be made here. "The Slipstream Collection" has a MSRP of $169.98, which is quite a lot of cash. But if you think about it, it is only $33.99 per season. Chances are an online retailer will have the set discounted. In conclusion, I give this "The Slipstream Collection" a recommended recommendation, but if there is any doubt in your mind I urge you to rent season one, collection one, disc one and watch the two-part story "Under the Night" and "An Affirming Flame" to get a feel for what kind of adventure you are in for with the crew of the Andromeda.

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