The Next STAR TREK Original Series Blu-Ray Set Will Feature An Alternate Version Of An Important Episode?!

Merrick here...
The third and final Blu-Ray boxset of the original STAR TREK series - featuring restored third season episodes viewable with both original visual effects and/or "remastered" effects - will be available shortly before Christmas. Interestingly, the set will also include an episode which is not from the series' third season... TrekWeb says an extended version of the second pilot filmed for the show - called "Where No Man Has Gone Before" - will be presented in this set. Chronologically, this the first episode to feature ShatnerKirk - although TREK's early episodes were not aired in the order intended/shot, so this ended up not being the first episode actually shown. This extended version represents the version Roddenberry submitted to NBC, who tweaked the ep before it went to air. The resulting excised footage has been on the Net for a while now, but this is the first time it's been made available on a home video release. The broadcast version of this episode has already been included on the Season 1 set.

According to author Allan Asherman in his The Star Trek Compendium resource book, there are actually two different versions of "Where No Man Has Gone Before", only one of which has been televised and it is available on VHS and DVD. The unaired, extended version is the one that Gene Roddenberry submitted to NBC and will be included on the Blu-Ray set.

...says TrekWeb HERE. Jump over to TrekWeb for a list of the differences between the Roddenberry version & the edit that eventually made it to air (which include a voice-over set-up by Kirk). A crude YouTube featuring the changes discussed at TrekWeb can be found here: Larger/clearer/smoother versions of the same can be found HERE, HERE, and HERE. LOVE the vibe of these earlier episodes (looking the the ceiling panels down into the corridor, for example). Check out the original closing credits music...that's trippy as hell, but kinda fun. The TREK Blu-Ray set are truly spectacular in nearly every regard, and can't be recommended highly enough. If you've never had a chance to see The Original Series all the way through, never seen these episode uncut (they're been systematically abbreviated for syndicated broadcast), or if you've never seen them in HD (which is eye-poppingly awesome on these sets) - check them out. The third season set, containing the alternate ct of "Where No Man Has Gone Before", can be pre-ordered HERE. Season 1 of the show can be located HERE, and Season 2 can be ordered HERE.