I actually kinda love the Ipod style of TMP and wished we saw more of it, although they were a real bitch to wear according to everybody. Not easy to go to the bathroom either.
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Yes I see your point, its not easy to designate rank, and the auxiliary uniforms look kinda shit. But Shatner looks so good in white and blue. I do wonder what the lore for the belts are.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=yKKD26OOoT8:29
https://youtube.com/watch?v=OmR6PqV4x0c:693
I just have such an appreciation for all the fat they trimmed from the directors cut. There's no pointless reaction shots and distracting effects. The new scenes previously cut out actually add to the tension and mystery elements too. There's much more focus on the danger of this thing and how utterly screwed they are if they have to fight it.
Plus There's a lot of little things I like such the enterprise's warp nacelles in window shots. They put in a lot of effort to make it feel more tight and concise.