Hey, Nice Package (UPDATE)

Top: 2022 reissue. Bottom: Original 2018 release.

My copy of Kino Lorber’s 2022 reissue of The Outer Limits: Season 2 Blu-ray has arrived, and I’ve given it the once-over. 

Happily, the “Soldier” audio is fine... sorry I doubted you, Kino (not that they would’ve released the defective discs into the wild a second time, but mistakes do happen...!) Not so happily, I can confirm that there is indeed no booklet. That wonderful sprawling essay by David J. Schow? Gone. That helpful episode guide? Gone. 

Left: Original 2018 release. Right: 2022 reissue.

The back of the outer slipcase is the same as the original edition, except for the new MGM logo (as well as the removal of the 20th Century Fox logo) and the removal of the blurb touting the booklet. The Season 2 reissue is extremely similar to the previous DVD edition---- it too was packed in a single standard case nestled inside a slipcase with no booklet. I’d forgotten that point---- for Season 2, only the Blu-ray came with a booklet (which was a bit of a slap in the face for the non-HD folks, eh?) 

The episodes are listed on the back of the case sleeve, with air dates and--- this is new--- quick blurbs describing the plots. It would’ve made more sense to identify who’s doing the audio commentary for each episode (which was done in the episode guide section of the MIA booklet)... as it stands, the members of the Commentary Crew are only listed on the back of the outer slipcase. You have to physically load up each disc and open the Extras menu to find out who’s behind the mic for each episode. 

While I do prefer the standard Blu-ray cases over those horrible, fragile Digipack things, this reissue is a disappointing downgrade from the original release. My advice? Skip it! 

Next time: Who's Zoomin' Who?