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Andromeda 1.3
Volume 1.3 of Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda picks up the first-season episodes where the previous volumes leave off; viewers who haven't seen the earlier episodes will want to take a look at Vol. 1.1 and Vol. 1.2 as well. The four episodes in Vol. 4 show a distinct step upward in the overall story quality of Andromeda, from straightforward entertainment to the possibility of a deeper, more textured story. More than just a set of random adventures, the episodes of Vol. 4 build on past events and start to leave certain plot threads open, suggesting that Andromeda is building up a larger story arc.
At this point, Andromeda has succeeded in shaking off any suggestions that it's Star Trek's little brother. This space opera has a style of its own, perhaps best encapsulated in the invented quote that appears at the start of each episode. Variously attributed to future-history leaders, philosophers, or just the wisdom of the common folk, these titles, appearing in stark white on the black background, have a certain charming pretentiousness. Andromeda has a good sense of style and a pleasing self-confidence, along with a quirky sense of humor.
The inclusion of Beka Valentine (Lisa Ryder) and her ex-mercenary crew as key players gives the show an angle into a grittier, potentially darker view of the future, suggesting some beneficial influences from Babylon 5 or some parts of the original Star Wars films. The Andromeda Ascendant is a sparkling, top-of-the-line, lavishly-equipped starship, but Andromeda does manage to convey the idea of the skeleton crew rattling around inside a vessel that's too big for them by far.
The general craftsmanship of the Andromeda episodes is quite high. Take, for instance, "Music of a Distant Drum." At its core, it's a straightforward adventure episode with Tyr (Keith Hamilton Cobb) in trouble on an alien planet, but in execution it becomes a very interesting and engaging story. By starting in the middle of the action and letting the viewers piece together the beginning through flashbacks and hints, this episode becomes more than the sum of its story elements. Also to its credit is the fact that the episode draws on plot elements mentioned in an earlier episode, and leaves open avenues for the future as well.
All four of these episodes are, in fact, very entertaining. "The Pearls that Were His Eyes" gives Beka a turn in the spotlight in an interesting story centering around a three-year-old message from her Uncle Sid (John DeLancie) that may end up raising a few skeletons from the Valentine family closet. "The Mathematics of Tears" is a slightly creepy, moody episode in which the Andromeda Ascendant goes in search of a fabled "ghost ship" that may be a derelict High Guard vessel. The episode takes a page from the mystery handbook in adding some "whodunit" elements to the story, to very good effect.
The closing episode, "Harper 2.0," is by far the most intriguing in its promise of greater things to come. Without spoiling anything in the plot, I can say that this episode suggests that certain events that the Andromeda crew had taken for well-understood history might have a deeper, and darker, significance. I'm very interested to see where Andromeda takes this in Vol. 1.4.
Video
Andromeda continues to amaze me with the outstanding quality of its transfer. ADV Films presents the episodes are presented in a glorious anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen image, which is the original aspect ratio. Colors, contrast, and detail are all superb, and there's no edge enhancement to be found. Live-action and CGI shots are blended imperceptibly, with the CGI looking completely realistic; the outside shots of the Andromeda Ascendant and the Eureka Maru in particular always look fantastic. The only thing holding back Vol. 1.3 from a perfect five stars is that in "Music of a Distant Drum" there are a few outdoors scenes that show a tiny bit of grain and a hint of noise. That's it, though: even the pickiest of viewers will find Vol. 1.3 to be a visual treat.
Audio
The Dolby 2.0 soundtrack supplied for Andromeda is very clean and clear, able to carry dialogue, music, and sound effects faithfully without any background noise or distortion. The various layers of the track are well-balanced, and the overall audio experience is pleasing. Andromeda could certainly benefit from a 5.1 track, but the 2.0 is handled quite well.
Extras
Volume 1.3 follows the same pattern of special features as the two preceding volumes, except that there are no commentary tracks offered in this volume. Short featurettes offer a character profile of Tyr Anasazi and a behind-the-scenes look at visual effects. Alternate takes, a blooper reel, prop and set concept drawings, and a photo gallery are included, along with teaser trailers for the show and for other ADV productions. The ongoing "Glossary of the High Guard," "All Systems University," and "Timeline of the Commonwealth" include further additions to the text information on the show's setting; a biography of executive producer Majel Barrett Roddenberry is also included.
Rather annoyingly, Volume 1.3 only contains four episodes, which means that ADV plans to release the first season spread out over five volumes. This might benefit those viewers who want specific episodes only, but given that the quality of the show has been fairly consistent, it seems to me that anyone who would be interested in buying some episodes would want to buy them all. ADV's release strategy means that Andromeda is going to take up a lot of shelf space and be quite costly; if ADV wants to treat its viewers right, it'll release subsequent seasons in full-season sets (or at least in partial sets with more episodes per volume).
Final thoughts
I found Andromeda 1.3 to be a very enjoyable set of episodes, offering fun space opera in an interesting and distinctive universe. The open plot threads definitely piqued my interest, so I'll be looking forward to getting my hands on Andromeda 1.4. I recommend Andromeda 1.3 as a purchase for science fiction fans, especially if you can get it for a decent discount.
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