This year marks the 40th anniversary of the original Star Trek and, in the traditional reaction to that milestone date, it's having some work done.

(Yes, I know this makes three science fiction columns from me in a row, but when you get science fiction you get trilogies. It just happens.)

Paramount is celebrating 40 years of relatively successful franchising by having all 79 episodes -- even the bad ones -- of the iconic 1960s sci-fi series digitally remastered to bring back the color, fix some of the more embarrassing FX gaffes, punch up the music, add some depth to the planet scenes (so horizons no longer look like they're 20 feet away), and CG the space scenes so they look more like, you know, space. Purists gave a half-hearted outcry for the unsullied versions, but since the originals are still easily available -- unlike the original theatrical Star Wars movies, which Lucas finally released yesterday under gunpoint -- it hasn't been that big a deal.

Early reviews say that the new episodes are cleaner and brighter, with Enterprise flybys more suited to a high-def widescreen TV, although Paramount has said they have no immediate plans to release the remastered versions on DVD. (Pause now for a hearty laugh.) But will there be any other changes besides the purely cosmetic? One or two, one or two. . .

In the credits, the name "William Shatner" has been replaced with "Emmy AwardTM-winning William Shatner, best-selling author and star of stage, screen, and recording studio, now on Boston Legal, Tuesday nights on ABC." The other credits will be reduced accordingly, to make room.

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