The first season of Halo has finally been released on 4K UHD and I’m here to let you know if it’s worth checking out.
Given the iconic status Halo has held among gamers for the last twenty years, it’s fair to say quite a few heads were turned when it was announced that Halo would be getting a live-action television series. But at the same time, fans were understandably nervous.
Could a game as iconic as Halo be adapted to television? Would it include Master Chief? Would it be a straight adaptation of one of the games? With so many questions and more swirling in the minds of fans, there’s no doubt this series could’ve gone terribly wrong.
Which makes the final result so much more satisfying to watch.
Have no fear, the first season of Halo hits all of the right notes. If ever there was a video game brought truly to life, it’s happened with this series. While my encounters with the Halo game franchise are still somewhat limited, I’ve seen enough to recognize that the general designs of the sets and costumes come straight out of the video games. Plus there’s all the little details, the sound effects for example, those really help to complete the illusion that this is the game world made real.
The best part of all has to be Master Chief himself. From the moment of his introduction in the first episode, you have little trouble believing this is the iconic video game character. It’s all there, the look, the move set, even the brief first-person glances from Master Chief’s POV like in the game, I couldn’t ask for a better adaptation of Halo.
On top of the first season of Halo being absolutely incredible, what makes the 4K UHD set really worth picking up is that all 9 episodes of the first season can be found in this gorgeous steelbook in addition to five whole hours of extra content, which I’ve listed below. That’s a lot of content for one TV season, but given this is adapting one of the most iconic video game franchises of all time, it’s definitely worth it.
Halo Season One Special Features (Physical):
- Dissecting the Battle of Madrigal – The Halo crew takes you behind the scenes to dissect one of the most important moments of the show, the Battle of Madrigal.
- Becoming Spartans – Our larger-than-life heroes introduce one another and share their thoughts on the process of becoming Spartans. Master Chief, Kai, Riz, Vannak and Soren recollect their memories from training and early bootcamp to the epic result we see on screen. Showrunner Steven Kane and director Otto Bathurst join the Spartan team to reveal the challenges and joy of creating near-perfect superhumans encountering imperfectly human emotions for the very first time.
- Creating the Costumes of Halo – Costume designer Giovanni Lipari brings insight into the creation of the 5 different worlds shown in HALO: SEASON ONE. Giovanni shares not only the process of creating the costumes and styles for each of the planets, but provides background and history for the different groups and their connection to one another.
- Weapons and Vehicles of Halo – Master Chief’s assault rifle or the sound of a warthog? Two emblematic tools of the Halo universe. Property Master Andrew Orlando leads us through the steps of the realization of Covenant and Spartan weapons from initial design to final construction. Sophie Becher, Production Designer, joins in to share details about the newly invented spaceships of this one-of-a-kind universe. There is no Halo without the sound and look of warthogs, and Picture Vehicle Coordinator Parádi Sándor Jr. joins to tell us how it and other Halo vehicles were conceived.
- The World of Halo – Join us for an inside conversation with Executive Producer Kiki Wolfkill, Director Otto Bathurst, Showrunner Steven Kane, Pablo Schreiber and other cast members as they break down how the story and characters of this sci-fi epic game were brought to the screen.
- Adapting Halo – The Halo production teams give viewers an inside look at how visual effects, artful direction, and purposeful set design were used to create the show’s other worldly look and feel. They share how each setting is unique and immersive, and built on a massive scale.
- The Culture of The Covenant – Take an exclusive tour alongside remarkable talent, visual effects artists and production teams who show us how they brought to life the setting and aliens that make up The Covenant.
- The Lake of Eternal Life: A Song from Halo’s Score – A behind-the-scenes look at the studio recording of the funeral song, “The Lake of Eternal Life” sung by Jaram Lee.
- The Making of Cortana – Actress Jen Taylor discusses her character’s emotional journey throughout the series and reveals how the filmmakers brought Cortana to life on screen.
- Halo The Series: Declassified 101 – 109
- 101 – In this premiere episode of Halo the Series: Declassified, Sydnee is joined by the Master Chief himself, Pablo Schreiber, Master Chief’s highly advanced A.I., Cortana, and AEW professional wrestler Adam Cole.
- 102 – Host Sydnee Goodman takes viewers behind the scenes of Episode 2(“Unbound”) with actor Bokeem Woodbine, Director Otto Bathurst, as well as some lucky fans who got to attend the red-carpet premiere of Halo the Series.
- 103 – We dive into Episode 3, “Emergence.” Here, host Sydnee Goodman talks with star Charlie Murphy (Makee). Plus, see how the show built one of its most impressive sets and meet some of the most passionate Halo fans in the world.
- 104 – Host Sydnee Goodman welcomes Cortana herself, Jen Taylor! They discuss Jen’s longtime role as Master Chief’s fan-favorite A.I and how bringing the character to life on TV brought new challenges. Plus, get a lesson in the Covenant language of Sangheili from the linguists who created it. Then, passionate Halo fans explain what Master Chief means to them. Finally, get a special look behind the scenes of the incredible visual effects of Halo the Series, including how the talented artists brought Cortana to live action.
- 105 – In this installment of Halo the Series: Declassified, host Sydnee Goodman talks with Kate Kennedy (Kai-125). Plus, behind the scenes of the stunts and weapons of Halo the Series and a look at the world’s largest Halo collection.
- 106 – Host Sydnee Goodman is joined by Natascha McElhone (Dr. Halsey) to explore the complicated nature of Halsey’s work with the Spartans. Plus, we visit Spartan bootcamp, talk with composer Sean Callery, and more.
- 107 – Host Sydnee Goodman chats with actress Yerin Ha (Kwan Ha) about her character’s journey from average kid to freedom fighter. Plus, enjoy a visit from actor Wil Wheaton, a closer look at iconic Halo vehicles, and plenty of Easter eggs.
- 108 – In this installment of Halo the Series: Declassified, host Sydnee Goodman welcomes star Olive Gray (Dr. Miranda Keyes) to discuss their approach to a character that has complicated relationships with everyone around her. Plus, behind the scenes with Director Jonathan Liebesman, a cosplay tutorial, and more.
- 109 – On the finale installment of Halo the Series: Declassified, host Sydnee Goodman welcomes Executive Producer Kiki Wolfkill and Executive Producer/Showrunner Steven Kane to dive deep into all the big events, so far. Plus, enjoy a thank you from the cast and crew and an enlightening discussion about reflecting the real world in sci-fi.
In conclusion, I can confirm that the first season of Halo is absolutely worth picking up, especially if you can get your hands on the 4K set. This is a show that definitely deserves to be seen in the highest quality possible.
