The Set:
How is it possible that Star Trek debuted 60 years ago? I remember 1966 just like…
Okay, I don’t remember 1966 at all. I was barely in the womb when Trek hit the airwaves in the fall of 1966 – I’d be born about a month after the end of Season One – so all my memories related to the “Original Series” connect to reruns I watched in syndication as a child in the 1970s.
But those are fond memories, and they established me as a life-long Trek fan. Not a die-hard Trekkie, but still one who has consistently enjoyed the shows and movies over virtually my whole life.
While I take pleasure from most incarnations of Trek, “The Original Series” remains my favorite. One can argue that some of the spin-offs offered better acting and superior production values and whatnot but “The Original Series” simply boasts a dynamic and a vision they others couldn’t top.
“The Original Series” has received umpteen issues and reissues and re-re-re-reissues on various home video formats. Does this 2026 “60th Anniversary” package bring anything new to the table?
Nope. Paramount put out three separate single-season sets in 2009 - linked above - and then collected these into a "Complete Series" box in 2016. The 2026 "60th Anniversary" release re-repackages those discs.
So the only difference stems from a new case - and a higher price. The 2026 edition lists for $104.99, whereas the 2016 version came with an $84.98 MSRP - and currently sells for a little less on Amazon.
Speaking of which, Amazon sells their own "exclusive" that plops the discs in a different case and comes with some added gewgaws like lobby cards and a "tiny vinyl" record with the show's theme. It retails for $139.99.
If you already own all three seasons of "TOS" individually via those 2009 sets or together via the 2009 "Complete Series" package, I can find no reason to recommend the 2026 "60th Anniversary" box. It costs more and offers nothing new.
The Amazon exclusive does come with some unique non-disc-based materials but they seem forgettable at best. As such, the 2016 set remains the best way to get a complete collection of "TOS" episodes.
There's nothing wrong with the 2026 "60th Anniversary" box. It simply brings nothing new to the table and costs more money so I can't find a reason to recommend it over the 2016 version.
