Initially, their efforts centered primarily on digitally remastering the original show's negatives. As worked progressed, they re-recorded the scores in 5.1 surround stereo. Perhaps most dramatically, the production team re-imagined and re-shot all the special effects. Despite these changes, the episodes retain every story element and piece of dialogue from the originally-aired viewings, staying faithful to the intent of the creators. This is no Star Wars, where Lucas added additional scenes, reinterpreted, and often changed the intent of the original stories. These new versions are both vintage and fresh.

This eight-disc set contains complete remastered second season, ten documentary shorts, and two bonus episodes. Much like the Season One remastered set, most of the extras previously appeared elsewhere. "Bill Blackburn's Treasure Chest Part 2," the most entertaining and interesting extra, continues (from the previous set) bit actor Blackburn's behind-the-scene "home movie," this time concentrating on the second season.

Disc five focuses entirely on the most famous ST:TOS episode, the light-hearted "The Trouble With Tribbles." Bonus material includes the dreadful, unfunny sequel from the animated series, "More Troubles, More Tribbles," and the inventive Deep Space 9 crossover "Trials and Tribulations." Two documentaries chronicle the unique aspects of the DS9 episode to round out the disc.

Beginning with the classic Theodore Sturgeon-scripted "Amok Time" and culminating with the introduction of Gary Seven in what was to have become its own series "Assignment: Earth," the second season builds upon the groundwork of the first. While several first-season episodes rank among the finest, this set offers a number of top notch stories: "Mirror, Mirror," "I, Mudd," "Journey to Babel," "Friday's Child," and "Wolf in the Fold" along with a small selection of inferior tales, most notably "Catspaw" (surprisingly poorly written by Robert Bloch!), "Who Mourns for Adonis," and "The Apple."

The fundamental element of Star Trek's success, the relationship between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, fully blossoms during the second season. So when the alternate reality events of the fourth episode ("Mirror, Mirror") unfold, we respond with proper shock at the mirror world incarnations of the established characters. When Kirk and McCoy convince the bearded, alternate Spock of the logic of allowing them to return to their own dimension -- much like the behavior of the established Spock, we are also unsurprised.

As with the first remastered set, the new spit-and-polish not only enhances the episodes but creates the feeling of watching a new show, regardless of prior familiarity with the material. This second collection continues to usher the proud Star Trek franchise into the 21st century and is a must for any fan of the show.