Electric Shadow

Disc Roundup (Movies & TV) 6 July


Release of the Week - Fresh from Cinemas A Single Man Colin Firth and Tom Ford deserve all of the credit they've gotten for this, one of the few 2009 movies with a really long life ahead of them. Blu-ray shows off the designer's eye of auteur-to-be Ford especially well here. I hope to see more from his guiding hand and creative mind. I don't care if he's an egotist. I don't care who he is in private life. I just want the movie to be good. The extras include a Tom Ford commentary and a making-of piece. I eagerly await the tenth anniversary edition with retrospective docs on Firth and Ford's five Oscars (each).
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Disc Roundup (Movies & TV) 22 June


Release of the Week - New Green Zone I feel it's safe to say that Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon's latest collaboration is one of the most unfortunate victims of "project coding" thus far this year. Calling it "Jason Bourne Goes to Iraq" is lazy, ignorant, and above all, inaccurate. Alleged "critics" who used this language should be brought up in front of a Film Critics' Society Tribunal and stripped of their titles and advertisers. If you've actually seen the movie and stick to that line, then you're just as accurate in saying that State of Play was "Daredevil Goes to Washington".
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Disc Roundup (Movies & TV) 15 June


Release of the Week - New Youth in Revolt After watching Sony's new Blu-ray, I'm really very sorry that I missed this theatrically. This regret is augmented by the early references to both Yasujiro Ozu and Jean-Luc Godard's Breathless, one of my Very Favorite Films. Michael Cera does not unleash his "inner badass" as the cover quote advertises, but rather, his inner anarchistic jerk. There's great work all-around in the movie, and the Blu-ray includes audition tapes, cut footage, and a commentary by director Miguel Arteta & star Michael Cera.
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Disc Roundup (Movies & TV) 8 June

 

 

Non-English Release of the Week
Power Kids
Colleague and friend William Goss is quoted (after some editing) on the cover of this violent Thai movie with Muay Thai-trained children going after terrorists. Mr. Goss is correct to use adrenaline-laced terms to describe the movie. It's a sharp, thrilling little 77-minute thing really gets cooking after the requisite Thai melodrama setup. It truly belongs right next to Ong Bak and Chocolate on my Blu-ray shelf. This movie is one of the reasons I love that Magnet/Magnolia is around. These movies would find no buyer that'd get the movies seen in the US. Here's the trailer, and I defy you to not be interested:

Release of the Week - New
Shutter Island
I liked Shutter Island very, very much, and when I reviewed it after BNAT last year, I invoked the name of HItchcock for a very specific reason. The style of filmmaking evoked that era, and more specifically, the very best of that era. Likewise, the twisting plot echoed those films. Even knowing where it ends, the movie can be enjoyed thoroughly if you can just give in to your trust and doubt everyone and everything at the same time. That is sadly a very difficult thing for modern moviegoers to do. We spoil everything: good, bad, and in-between. Everyone in the Information Age is in a knowledge arms race to appear more aware of more things to others. It became commonplace in the less-connected era to hear "what a twist" about a hit movie. Now, you hear "dude, I saw that coming from a mile away, and never before has a movie relied so fucking much on a twist."

The Blu-ray looks and sounds scrumptious (to be expected) and includes a couple of longish featurettes that total almost 40 minutes. The first is about the adaptation and characterization, and the second is about the real world of psychiatric care in the 50's. That latter piece thankfully talks a fair amount about how itchy a trigger finger docs had to perform lobotomies.

Release of the Week - Catalog Movie New to Disc
Word Is Out: Stories of Some of Our Lives
This now 30-year-old documentary was the first to really talk about the experience of being homosexual in America. The movie is an interesting cultural touchstone in that it really comes from the infancy of not merely what is considered "queer cinema", but the portrayal of homosexuality on film whatsoever. These days, we have gay main characters on sitcoms and dramas that aren't over-the-top, flaming queens. We've come a long way.

The good folks at Millarium Zero (Milestone Films' sister company) have issued a DVD of the UCLA remastering of the landmark doc, complete with a very interesting Word is Out Then and Now: Thirty Years Later documentary that runs just over 25 minutes and revisits the film's 26 subjects. A couple of additional reflective bits in the extras run about nine minutes each, and a quick bit with the Executive Producer is just two minutes long. If you're curious but don't want to outright buy it, then add it to your Netflix queue or ask a local video store (they do exist in some places) to order a copy.

Release of the Week - Catalog New to Blu
Caddyshack
The AV upgrade here is solid, with appropriate grain level throughout and solid detail in the picture. This looks about as good as I think the movie can on this format, considering that style and era in which it was shot and the very celluloid-y look on display here. It's soft in places, but mid-budget comedies from this time period just have those minor telecine flaws. Those few spots are brief and barely noticeable.

All supplemental materials from the previous edition are carried over. The only added extra is an 80-minute Bio Channel documentary on the making of the movie. It's good, though the various "recap after commercial" bits show off just how much regurgitated info we see on TV these days. Today also marks the movie's On Demand/Digital Download premiere.

Release of the Week - Catalog TV (tie)
Ghost Writer Season 1
Family Matters Season 1
Growing up, both of these shows meant a lot to me in that they represented the real USA that I saw all around me growing up, and not the otherwise whitewashed one found on almost all network TV of the 80's and 90's (and even today...look at NBC's mostly-white "More Colorful" lineup). Ghost Writer's premise is kinda weird for a PBS show: a group of kids can communicate with a ghost by writing with special pens. They solve mysteries and all sorts of things. It encouraged those in my generation who saw it to write and be creative, which was wonderful. PBS in Dallas, unfortunately, regularly re-ran the same ten episodes or so all the time.

This is the first time I've seen the original, longest version of the opening. The shorter one everyone remembers is far superior. Family Matters wasn't originally "The Urkel Show" that it became. Jaleel White's annoying neighbor character became ultra-popular in the middle of the first season. Hence, the sitcom saw the family that was supposed to be the focus moved into the background, ironically (or not) portrayed on the cover of the first season DVD. Reginald VelJohnson portrayed one of TV's most indelible father figures of any color as the principled and caring Carl Winslow.

Also notable is that a different actress played little sister Judy in the first episode than the rest of the series. That character went upstairs in a later episode and was never heard from again.

Music Release of the Week
Not The Messiah
I don't really cover music/concert discs, but the Monty Python connection here brought this onto my radar. Imagine Monty Python's Life of Brian put to music in the style of Handel's Messiah. This is well worth a look for opera dorks and Python fans alike. I never thought I'd hear "Biggus Dickus" uttered in the Royal Albert Hall. The extras include a decent "production week" behind the scenes mini-doc.

Movie New Releases
Shinjuku Incident (DVD only)
Doubt Jackie Chan or slander him as you will, but check this out and get ready to eat a feast of crow. I would have liked to see a Blu-ray from the company that invented the technology, but oh well.

From Paris With Love
Bugfuck movie with Travolta and Rhys-Meyers. Worth a rental for the craziness of Travolta's near-Battlefield Earth wacky performance, but it's not a standout in much of any respect.

IMAX Horses
A disc for this one is on its way, and I'll cover it as soon as it arrives.

180 South: Conquerors of the Useless

Direct to Video
The Cry of the Owl
Based on a Patricia Highsmith novel, this movie answers the question "where did Julia Stiles go?". I'm watching it tomorrow and will report back on it later in the week.

The 41-Year-Old Virgin Who Knocked Up Sarah Marshall and Felt Superbad About It
This is one of those amalgam "spoof" movies. You know, the ones that have been terrible for almost all of their history. The opening few minutes are full of dildo gags (one literal) and a dig at Sarah Silverman that is so misplaced that it feels like an inside hate-on. I didn't make it all the way through the movie after a bit, just skimming forward.

Lead Bryan Callen was most recently seen by the masses as the Wedding Chapel owner in The Hangover. He's probably best-known from his stint on MadTV. He's a solid comic, and a good guy from those I know who know him or have worked with him. I also remember him as one of the most notable one-off guest stars on Frasier. He was "The Chicken", a shock jock DJ that showed up in the "Radio Wars" episode.

Noureen DeWulf was the best part of Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, and I unfortunately missed her in The Tacqwacores at SXSW. Strand picked up Tacqwacores, so I'll get to see it eventually. She and Callen are really talented people that rise above the Apatow Mashup Spoof material as much as is possible.

Metal Man
A 2008 movie that is, sadly, not all about the Mega Man 2 villain with a buzzsaw on his head.

Catalog Movies New to Disc
TCM Spotlight Charlie Chan Collection (DVD only)
Dark Alibi
Dangerous Money
The Trap
The Chinese Ring
I covered this one here just earlier today.

Animation Express
This includes all the following shorts: Madame Tutti-Putli, Spare Change, Forming Game, The Spine, Hungu, The Man Who Slept, Rosa Rosa, How People Got Fire, Rains, Robes of War, Retouches, Drux Flux, Subservience, Sleeping Betty, Invasion of the Space Lobsters, The Necktie, Sainte Barbe, Come Again in Spring, Paradise, HA'Aki, Vive la Rose, Here and There, Land of the Heads, Flutter, Runaway, Engine 371

Bob Hope Thanks For the Memories Collection (DVD only)
Thanks for the Memory
The Cat and the Canary
The Ghost Breakers
Nothing But the Truth
The Road to Morocco
The Paleface

Catalog New to Blu
Happy Together
The reactions of people who I trust make me feel good about this one.

The Illusionist
Yeah, yeah, it isn't fair to compare this to The Prestige. Life isn't fair, folks. I didn't hate the movie at all, but it felt very much like a Saturday afternoon rental/cable movie then and it does now. Part of what put me off was the Americans-doing-European-accents thing, which I'm on record hating. I'll update this if/when my review copy arrives.

Reissue/Repackaging
Cinema Pride Collection
The Children's Hour
La Cage Aux Folles
My Beautiful Laundrette
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
The Birdcage
Bent
The Object of My Affection
Boys Don't Cry
Kissing Jessica Stein
Imagine Me & You
More on this release and a similarly-packaged Elvis set later this week.

TV New Releases
Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 7
Nip/Tuck (Final) Season 6

UK TV New to Region1
BBC Earth's Oceans (DVD only)
Why in the world any BBC nature doc would go DVD only astounds me at this point.

Catalog TV
The A-Team Complete Series
This comes in a van-shaped box.

Disc Roundup (Movies & TV) 1 June


Release of the Week - Catalog Movie New to Disc Charley Varrick (DVD only) We've seen a fair number of Walter Matthau work hitting DVD in the last year, and that makes me really happy. For years now, very little of his filmography could be found on DVD. Most of what was available was made up of his later-life comedies.
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Disc Roundup (Movies & TV) 11 May

The Disc Roundup is making a comeback, as I want to trim down my overall number of posts, but localize disc coverage and at once make the content more substantive. Standalone reviews and little bits will still pop through, but only as time and merit dictate. Assume that all titles are Blu-ray and DVD unless otherwise noted.

Release of the Week - Catalog New to Blu (tie) M (The Criterion Collection) I'm crowning this title sight-unseen based on recent track record of Criterion's B&W releases. All supplements from the DVD reissue are present along with the English language version, once thought to be lost. Rock N Roll High School (The Roger Corman Collection) Shout! Factory is kicking off their Roger Corman Collection with one of his highest-profile and most beloved movies. Shout! has informed me that a copy is in the mail to me, so I'll follow up once I've had my eyes on it.

Release of the Week - Catalog TV Daria: The Complete Series They had to replace some music due to music rights complications (the plague of many an MTV property). I haven't received a copy yet, but a friend and major Daria devotee assures me that it's every bit as satisfying as MTV's The State collection from last year. Release of the Week - Movies New Release Daybreakers The Speirig Brothers are among the genre filmmakers out there that really know what they're doing. I was shut out of a Fantastic Fest press screening of this movie that I had put on my schedule and was told I was clear for. I was given the thumbs down by the flack at the door, because I hadn't "signed up to do an interview with talent". I said, "fine, I'd love to, I just didn't think I would have time to talk with them and didn't want to abruptly no-show or cancel on you." To that, I got a "sorry, we're all full" from the rep who obviously didn't understand the definition of the word "publicity". Being fully cognizant of how little influence I have as just one guy, I didn't kill myself to get into the public Closing Night screening (which was sold out anyway). I also missed it in first run because there was too much going on at the time. I trusted in the Speirigs putting together something worth watching, and figured that I'd just wait for DVD/Blu. Aside from the eleven million trailers in-between popping in the disc and the main menu, the disc is nicely put together. Extras include commentary with the directors and Steven Boyle (creature designer), a printed note from the directors in the case (a rarity these days), a feature-length Making of Daybreakers doc, Speirig Bros. short The Big Picture, picture-inpicture animatics and storyboards during the feature, and the requisite digital copy. A nice package overall, complimenting a worthy new entry into the vampire genre. [Note: future DR installments will feature more mini-reviews like this]
From Hammer Films' Sword of Sherwood Forest
Release of the Week - Catalog Movie New to Disc Bandit of Sherwood Forest (1946) Prince of Thieves (1948) Rogues of Sherwood Forest (1950) Sword of Sherwood Forest (1960) Sony put together four of the 52 film incarnations of Robin Hood in concert with the Ridley Scott-ified version of the legend premiering at Cannes this week. I'll have a screencap-laden spread on these titles tomorrow. Movie New Releases Edge of Darkness I dearly love the original miniseries starring Bob Peck, which Warner put out last year. I didn't catch this one in first run, and plan on spinning it in the coming days. North Face (DVD only) Legend of the Tsunami Warrior Tidal Wave Malice in Wonderland (DVD only) Magnolia & Magnet have this trio of curiosities out today. Tsunami Warrior and Tidal Wave are South Asian titles that interest me, but I'm just aware of their existence. Into the rental queue they go. Legion This is worthy of skipping according to friends. I can't see making the time, myself. Catalog New to Blu The Karate Kid Collection (The Karate Kid I & II) I have a healthy amount of nostalgia attached to these movies, as I re-watched them many, many times on VHS as a kid. The AV transfers are solid, and it recreates the theatrical experience as best as I'd gather is possible. All previous extras from the most recent DVD editions are preserved. Added for Blu-ray is a fact/trivia track. I'll have more to say relative to these movies and the upcoming Chan-headlined remake. The Edge Mamet, Baldwin, Hopkins, and Bart the Bear: a wonderful combination. I haven't gotten my hands on this disc, though I was told I'd have it by now. Such are the troubles associated with moving and being of a million different comp lists. The Magnificent Seven Collection (The Magnificent Seven, Return of the Magnificent Seven, Guns of the Magnificent Seven, The Magnificent Seven Ride!) I've only seen the first two in the series, but have to say I'm tremendously impressed with MGM/Fox Home Video putting them all out in HD simultaneously. I haven't managed to get my hands on this yet, so I can't speak to the transfer quality on them. They're westerns, so I'll end up tracking the box down sooner or later. Hang 'Em High Ditto for this one: gotta have it as both a solid Eastwood-headlined western and as an enjoyable revenge movie. The Man in the Iron Mask (1998) I have no interest in revisiting this, one of the big stunt casting bores of the 90's. Marked For Death (1990) These are Seagal's finest 94 minutes. Reissue/Repackaging Kid With the Golden Arm (1980) The original US DVD edition of this was apparently taped off of a TV screen. This has to be some sort of improvement, right? Robin Hood: Men in Tights History of the World Part 1 High Anxiety Blu-rays of these all came out as part of the Mel Brooks Collection. Now you can get them separately. The box set comes out cheaper per disc if you want all the movies in it. Catalog Movies New to Disc One Deadly Summer (L'ete Meurtrier [1983]) "French movie arrives on Region 1 DVD for the first time": a headline not often written. The Cantinflas Collection El Circo El Senor Fotografo El Gendarme Desconocido El Mago Si Yo Fuera Diputado A Volar Joven Los Tres Mosqueteros The "Mexican Chaplin" Cantinflas' movies have been available on extremely poor quality bootlegs in the US for years, but Sony has finally released them properly. I haven't been able to look at these discs in advance, but I've not seen a terrible DVD or Blu mastering job by Sony in years. More titles will come to their Cantinflas series this summer. TV New Releases Raising the Bar Season 2 Catalog TV The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Season 5 I'm prepping a short Will Smith then and now bit for tomorrow (emphasis on short). Larry McMurtry's Streets of Laredo Larry McMurtry's Dead Man's Walk thirtysomething Season 3
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Disc Roundup (Movies & TV) 19 Jan 2010


Demian Bichir in his alternately chilling and thrilling portrayal of Fidel Castro in Steven Soderbergh's Che
New Release of the Week Che: The Criterion Collection (Blu-ray & DVD) Review (22 Dec 2009) Catalog DVD Release of the Week Chantal Akerman in the Seventies: Eclipse Series 19 Foreign Language Release of the Week My Fuhrer (DVD only) Catalog Blu-ray Upgrades of the Week Boogie Nights & Magnolia (Boogie has been Best Buy-exclusive since 15 Dec 2009) Specialty Release of the Week Red Cartoons: Animated Films from East Germany Catalog New to Blu-ray Smokin' Aces Catalog New to DVD Robert Altman's Streamers Kingdom of the Spiders starring William Shatner Direct to DVD/Blu-ray Smokin' Aces 2: Assassin's Ball The Keeper (DVD only) New Release (Blu-ray & DVD) Whiteout Pandorum Gamer I Can Do Bad All By Myself The Burning Plain According to Greta No Impact Man Across the Hall New Release (DVD only) Outrage Chevolution Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging Blood Creek Blu-ray/DVD "Flipper" Double-dips The Bourne Identity The Bourne Supremacy The Bourne Ultimatum Downloading Nancy Goliath Onimasa The Drummer Frontrunner a l'aventure Like Stars on Earth Catalog TV Release of the Week (tie) Renegade Season 1 21 Jump Street Season 1 They tied because now there's proof they existed. TV New Release of the Week Aziz Ansari: Intimate Moments for a Sensuous Evening (Blu-ray & DVD) TV New Release (Blu-ray & DVD) Weeds Season 5 Artie Lange: Jack and Coke TV New Release (DVD only) Defying Gravity Season 1 Damages Season 2 BBC New Tricks Season 2 BBC Waking the Dead Season 4 The Game Season 2 TV Catalog (DVD only) BBC Cranford: The Collection (Cranford & Return to Cranford) BBC Return to Cranford BBC Jonathan Creek Season 4 thirtysomething Season 2 Law & Order Season 7 Dallas Season 12 Disc Roundup is posted each week and updated as reviews are posted on individual titles. Unless otherwise noted in the linked reviews, assume that screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio.
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Disc Roundup (Movies & TV) 12 Jan 2010


8 1/2 screen capture from DVD Beaver's review
Catalog Blu-ray Upgrade of the Week 8 1/2: The Criterion Collection Top New Releases of the Week The Hurt Locker (Blu-ray & DVD) Review The Brothers Bloom (Blu-ray & DVD) Review Moon (Blu-ray & DVD) Catalog New to Blu-ray Cliffhanger Last Action Hero Billy Jack Direct to DVD Wrong Turn at Tahoe New Release (Blu-ray & DVD) In the Loop Fame Halloween 2 Post Grad I Can Do Bad All By Myself The Burning Plain New Release (DVD only) Big Fan Departures Passing Strange Amreeka By the People: The Election of Barack Obama The Reluctant Saint Downloading Nancy Goliath Onimasa The Drummer Frontrunner a l'aventure Like Stars on Earth Universal Vault Series (Amazon.com-Exclusive DVD Manufactured On-Demand) 40 Pounds of Trouble A Bronx Tale A Good Man in Africa The Black Shield of Falworth Blue Collar The Brass Bottle The Chalk Garden Death Takes a Holiday Dragnet (1954) Gambit Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain The House of the Seven Gables The Incredible Shrinking Woman Kitten with a Whip The Last Remake of Beau Geste The List of Adrian Messenger The Perfect Furlough Pure Luck Resurrection Ruggles of Red Gap Shout Shoot Out (1971) Spawn of the North Stick Tell Them Willie Boy is Here

TV New Release of the Week The Simpsons Season 20 (Blu-ray & DVD) TV New Release (DVD only) BBC Robin Hood Season 3 Top Gear Season 11 Top Gear Season 12 Kathy Griffin: She'll Cut a Bitch Jon & Kate Plus Eight Season 5 Make It or Break It Season 1 Volume 1 10 Things I Hate About You Season 1 Volume 1 TV Catalog (DVD only) ER Season 12 Becker Season 3 Transformers Season 2 Volume 2 Disc Roundup is posted each week and updated as reviews are posted on individual titles. Unless otherwise noted in the linked reviews, assume that screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio.
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Disc Roundup (Movies & TV) 05 Jan 2010

Disc Roundup is going through a substantial paring-down in 2010 so that I can focus on individual title coverage and get these posted in a more timely fashion. Since I don't get my hands on every disc in advance of release, I'll come back and add a link to individual reviews of titles once they're posted.

Movies New Release of the Week Lorna's Silence (DVD only) New Release Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Blu-ray and DVD) Review The Final Destination (Blu-ray and DVD) Review 50 Dead Men Walking (Blu-ray and DVD) Trucker (DVD only) Loren Cass (DVD only) Catalog New to Blu-ray 10 Things I Hate About You 10th Anniversary Edition (also DVD) Review The Green Berets Dogtown & Z-Boys Riding Giants Cheaper by the Dozen 2 Television New Release of the Week American Experience: The 1930's Catalog Release of the Week Super Friends! Season 1 Volume 1 Catalog Blu-ray Upgrade of the Week Battlestar Galactica Season 1 New Release Chuck Season 2 Big Love Season 3 The Philanthropist Complete (UK) Catalog Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures Complete Disc Roundup is posted each week and updated as reviews are posted on individual titles. Unless otherwise noted in the linked reviews, assume that screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio.
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Disc Roundup (TV) November 2009

With this post, we bid adieu to the month of November's disc releases (with the exception of individual reviews I've got coming). Adieu until, of course, I complete the Discs of the Year series of posts for 2009. Week of 11.03 Catalog Release of the Week Disney Treasures: Zorro Seasons 1 & 2 (DVD only) This is the kind of treatment a show of this stature deserves. I've found that the cases are extremely prone to scratching. New Release of the Week (tie) The Genius of Charles Darwin Some thoughts on this one are coming rather shortly. G.I. Joe: Resolute (DVD only) If the live-action Joe movie had the balls Warren Ellis put on this cartoon, I'd have been half-interested. I said as much in my review. New Release Clone Wars Catalog Mission: Impossible Season 7 Fraggle Rock The Final Season Fraggle Rock Complete Series Here's Lucy Season 2 The Donna Reed Show Season 3 The Shield Complete Series Spin City Season 3 Edge of Darkness Complete Series Week of 11.10 Catalog Release of the Week G.I. Joe Complete Series (DVD only) I would have lost my mind as a kid to have been able to get my hands on this set. New Release Stories from the Vaults Season 2 Tom Cavanagh guides viewers on a tour of things that aren't often seen when you visit the Smithsonian on vacation. I wish I had this channel on the entry-level tier Digital Cable package I pay Time Warner Cable too much for each month. One of the featurettes on the DVD set covers the premiere of Night at the Museum 2. I found a single episode of this show more entertaining than that entire movie. Catalog The Untouchables Season 3 Volume 2 Week of 11.17 Blu-ray Upgrade of the Week Rome Complete Series (Blu-ray & DVD) All the existing DVD extras from the separate Seasons 1 & 2 sets are carried over here. Newly-added is an optional historical fact track. The Blu-ray set was on sale at Amazon yesterday for $60. New Release of the Week A Very Sunny Christmas (Blu-ray & DVD) It takes a very special show to make modern episodic TV worth watching. A review is coming in an all-Christmas-themed post. New Release The Little Couple Season 1 My wife and I love this show. Dr. Jen Arnold and her husband Bill are very interesting people, and this TLC show that documents their newlywed life together bucks the trend of most reality TV. Catalog The Steve Coogan Collection I'm dying to get my hands on this. I've seen bits and pieces of various shows included in this thing. Andy Barker, PI Another dead Andy Richter show, Andy Barker wasn't as good as Andy Richter Controls the Universe. Glad it's out there and available now. Week of 11.24 British Import of the Week Life on Mars Season 2 (DVD only) Acorn Media has brought the second half of Life on Mars to DVD in Region 1 at last. This one is part of this week's first Discs of the Year installment: The Best of British TV on Disc. Catalog Release of the Week Alfred Hitchcock Presents Season 4 (DVD only) This is one of my favorite shows I've ever seen. Blu-ray Upgrade of the Week The Sopranos Season 1 (DVD only) Like I said the other day, "Considering that I never watched the show, I could see digging right in to it right away. Yes, I realize that I'm probably the only person in the world who hasn't watched The Sopranos." New Release of the Week Three Sheets Season 4 (DVD only) This show is the rare little show that could. Originally shown on a network I'd never herd of (let alone watched), its dedicated fanbase of pub crawl enthusiasts petitioned it all the way to the Fine Living Network. New Release Kobe Doin' Work This game-in-the-life piece was directed by die-hard Lakers fan Spike Lee. Individual coverage for this coming this week. Law & Order: Criminal Intent Season 4 I don't recall if this is the season when Jeff Goldblum joined the show or the one just before. Catalog Superman: The Complete Animated Series Hogan's Heroes: The Komplete Series Kommandant's Kollection The Best of Spike Jones The Jerry Lewis Collection TV on Disc is generally posted a few days after the corresponding week's Disc Roundup (Movies) and covers the week's TV releases on DVD & Blu-ray. Unless otherwise noted, assume that screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio.
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Disc Roundup (TV) 12.01 & 12.08.09


Blu-ray Upgrade of the Week Catalog Release of the Week New Release of the Week New Release Catalog New to Blu Catalog New to Region 1 Reissue/Repackage TV on Disc is generally posted a few days after the corresponding week's Disc Roundup (Movies) and covers the week's TV releases on DVD & Blu-ray. Unless otherwise noted, assume that screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio.
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Disc Roundup (TV) 10.20 and 10.27.09


British TV Release of the Week (10.27) Trial & Retribution: Set 3 (DVD only) Behind the Scenes documentary [46:00] with cast & crew interviews, bio of series creator Lynda La Plante Lynda La Plante, auteur of the hugely successful ITV series Prime Suspect, designed the show as what she would move on to from PS. As with so many TV products of the UK, T&R uses a brilliant strategy of airing halves of each two-hour episode on consecutive evenings. Thus, a season of the show has generally been 3 or 4 episodes (6 or 8 hours of material). The shooting style is high-tension, with plenty of split-screen and lots of different POV choices, from people to inanimate objects to omniscient observer points. More thrilling than most of the generic, repainted old procedural templates used in "new" American shows. It's taking some time to dig into this one, but jumping in on Season 3 hasn't proven difficult without seeing the earlier episodes.

New Release of the Week (10.27) Three Sheets: Seasons 1-3 (DVD only) over an hour of cut footage and outtakes A lovely show that's not much more than a big pub crawl from show to show, but that's why it's good to watch. Host Zane Lamprey goes from town to town all over the world finding the best drinks and best places to consume them. It originally aired on iNDemand Networks' MOJO HD, and the new season ran on the Fine Living Channel, which I don't think I get on my multi-hundred channel cable package. You've probably never heard of this show (as I hadn't), but it's really better than the majority of random crap I find on the cable channels I get from Time Warner.

Catalog Release of the Week (10.20) Blackadder: The Complete Collection Remastered (DVD only) I covered this one a few days ago. The price is lower, the picture is better, and there's a pile of new extras. New to Blu Catalog Release of the Week (10.27) The Prisoner: Complete Series (Blu-ray only) The previous DVD release of The Prisoner looked terrible. According to all reports, the transfer on this new edition is absolutely stunning. New Release (10.20) Numbers: Season 5 (DVD only) Cast & Crew Commentary on 3 episodes, Blloper Reel, Deleted Scenes Featurettes: Crunching NUMB3RS: Seaosn 5, Celebrating 100 I have never been a follower of this show, but whenever I find myself flipping around on a Friday night and land on it, I can jump right in. The show follows an FBI agent (Rob Morrow) and his genius math professor brother (David Krumholtz) teaming up so that the FBI can apply statistical math to their cases, resulting in an arithmetic dork (me) losing his Friday night watching the show. It's easy to say it's got the elements of a Law & Order-style cop procedural mixed with an episode of House, MD, which is a really appealing fusion of style for me. This season, the show hit the magic "syndication milestone" of 100 episodes. If there's a formula for plugging holes in network schedules, the guys who created the show worked it out. The L Word: (Final) Season 6 (DVD only) Featurettes: 11th Annual Women's Event of the New York LGBT Community Center, Generations, The L Word Photos from Jennifer Beals Via Ebridge Technology: first two episodes of United States of Tara, first two episodes of The Tudors S3, a chapter from Marlee Matlin's biography I'm not the only one who thinks the tagline for the final season of this show ("going down...in history") is hilarious, right? This three-disc set from Showtime/Paramount contains the final 8 episodes. The description of what happens in this conclusion to the show makes it sound like a soap opera crossed with a suspenseful murder mystery. Catalog New to DVD (10.20) (all DVD-only) It's Garry Shandling's Show: The Complete Collection Shout! Factory has at long last put out the precursor to The Larry Sanders Show all in one box. Haven't touched this one yet, but it's going on my lengthy "to get" list. Vega$: Season 1 Vol. 1 Episodic Promos on select episodes Michael Mann created this show that starred Robert Urich as private eye Dan Tanna, and it's finally on DVD. Tony Curtis plays the owner of a hotel called the Desert Inn. Slim Pickens, Cesar Romero, Kim Basinger, Maureen McCormick, Doc Severinsen, and various others guest starred during the show's first season. This release collects the 11 episodes that make up the first half of Season 1. The Transformers: 25th Anniversary Matrix of Leadership Edition The extras on this are extensive, and I've had it for a couple of months, since it was exclusively available via mail order from Shout! directly. A comprehensive review will follow by the end of the week. The Judy Garland Holiday Show This is Judy Garland's 1963 special that featured Jack Jones, Liza Minnelli, Lorna & Joey Luft, Mel Torme, and Tracy Everett. This show really came at the height of her fame, and includes enjoyable versions of "Consider Yourself", "Steam Heat", "Where is Love?", and "Wouldn't it be Lovely?". Hawaii Five-O: Season 7 Episodic Promos on select episodes This set collects all 20 hours over 24 installments and six discs of the seventh season and includes the "next week" promos on some episodes. The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour: The Best of Season 2 Peanuts 1970's Collection Volume 1 Reissue/Repackage (10.20) Fawlty Towers: The Complete Collection Remastered Covered here along with Blackadder. Homicide: Life on the Street Complete Series There's nothing new here, they just re-did the packaging so that it's more compact and sturdy. New Release (10.27) Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer's Cut) (Blu-ray & DVD) This three-part documentary on the life and legacy of Monty Python aired on the IFC channel here in the US. Catalog New to DVD (10.27) The Guardian: Season 1 The Guardian aired for three seasons on CBS, and it's only just now on DVD, largely thanks to star Simon Baker (The Mentalist) exploding in popularity thanks to his new hit show. Aussie Baker's American accent is sharp here as it is in his new show. He plays Nick Fallin, a big-deal attorney who gets busted on drug charges and is sentenced to 1500 hours of community service. His punishment turns out to be a boon for the lawyer who had lost his purpose in life. It's always good to see Dabney Coleman, who co-stars as Fallin's dad. There aren't any extras on this set, but I'm glad I can at least watch a show I honestly never knew was on the air. Simon Baker's asking price will finally go through the roof when someone puts him in the right film project, but who knows when that'll happen. Family man Baker seems happy with the stationary, regular world of TV, since he isn't bending over backwards to accept feature film gigs like so many other small screen actors. Mannix: Season 3 On the Road with Charles Kuralt: Set 1 The grandfather of This American Life originally aired on the CBS Evening News and recently got repackaged and ran on the Travel Channel with some "update bits. Acorn Media's first set of the show includes over six hours of the show, as well as some "update" segments and a bio of host Charles Kuralt. I'll have some more to say on this one come Friday. TV on Disc is generally posted a few days after the corresponding week's Disc Roundup (Movies) and covers the week's TV releases on DVD & Blu-ray. Unless otherwise noted, screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio. If you think I've missed something, feel free to send me an email.
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Disc Roundup (TV) 10.13.09


New Release of the Week Legend of the Seeker: Season 1 (DVD only) Deleted Scenes, Audio Commentaries Featurettes: Forging the Sword: Crafting A Legend, Words Of Truth: A Conversation With Terry Goodkind Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series of books was originally set to be adapted as a miniseries, but it became a full-blown ongoing series. Legend of the Seeker is one of the sole fantasy TV series on the air (or at least the only one that's any good). I've been a sucker for decently-crafted fantasy TV shows like Hercules: The Legendary Journeys ever since I first got into that show. The fact that Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert are on-board this series as executive producers is a good sign indeed. The first episode is promising in that I may have found a program that airs on ABC Family that I'll actually watch. Catalog Release of the Week The Mighty Boosh: Special Edition (DVD only) There's a whole new disc of extras on this on top of what was already on the three individual season discs. New Release

Flashpoint: Season 1 (DVD only) Commentary on Pilot by series creator Featurettes: Behind the Scenes, "The Human Cost of Heroism" Flashpoint stars Enrico Colantoni as the lead negotiator for Toronto PD's Strategic Response Unit. I'll spare you a refrain of my weakness for police drama. The show's gimmick is that each show has to do with a hostage situation, bomb threat, or "guy with a gun". The name among the supporting cast that stuck out was none other than Amy Jo Johnson, a fine actor in her own right, but who will forever be remembered as the original Pink Power Ranger. It's unfortunate they list Colantoni as Just Shoot Me's Enrico Colantoni, but hopefully the residual checks are nice and fat.

Nick Swardson: Seriously, Who Farted? (DVD only) Beardo & Dirt Nasty Performance, 8 Drinks Later Trailer, Timeless Comedian Featurette, A Very Terry Christmas This guy is best known as the gay rollerskating prostitute Terry on the now-cancelled Reno! 911, but he's totally straight and very much of the video game-playing, gross-out humor-loving Sandler school. This standup special was recorded at Austin's very own Paramount Theater, and there were only a few moments that made me laugh out loud. It's a better showcase of his ability to stay focused and tell a story, which isn't just a key to being a good comic, but a believable actor. The pattern he falls into throughout was quick anecdote, re-enactment using a few funny voices, and a little physical He's also remarkably candid about things like a hidden "Asian Massage Parlor" that he went to only once. A rather good standup special overall compared to many I've suffered through on Comedy Central over the last few years, but he falls into the same drunken fratboy style that Dane Cook made marketable. Girlfriends: Season 7 (DVD only) Selected Audio Commentary with creator Mara Brock Akil The seventh season of one of the few shows on TV featuring non-whites. It is "colorful" in ways that NBC's fall season is not, contrary to their ad campaign.

My Little Pony: Twinkle Wish Adventure (DVD only) Six sing-alongs, Waiting for the Winter Wishes Festival prequel, Elefun And Friends animated short, downloadable coloring sheets and activities So why the hell am I reviewing this? My wife grew up on My Little Pony and told me to ask for it. The MLP of her youth is truly very far gone. The design of the "ponies" has taken on the dyed-hair Bratz look. The plot, as described by the press release "follows Pinkie Pie and all her pony friends on a fun-filled adventure as they discover that friendship can make wishes come true. All the ponies can't wait for the Winter Wishes festival where the Wishing Star grants each pony one special wish. But when the Wishing Star disappears, they go on a journey to find it. Will they make it back in time for the festival? Find out by joining Pinkie Pie and all her pony friends on this magical journey of discovery." It's the same type of story as the original show, but the aesthetic is catering as much as possible to stylistic...dare I say...sexualization of My Little Pony. The "ponies" all have dyed hair and accessories. I'm sure they'll wear high heels in future installments. Reissue/Repackage Land of the Lost: Season 1-3 This time out they're available individually rather than all in one lunchbox. Futurama: The Complete Collection TV on Disc is generally posted a few days after the corresponding week's Disc Roundup (Movies) and covers the week's TV releases on DVD & Blu-ray. Unless otherwise noted, screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio. If you think I've missed something, feel free to send me an email.
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Disc Roundup (TV) 10.6.09


James Nesbitt as Detective Tommy Murphy

The majestic and under-appreciated Bryce Canyon National Park
British Release of the Week Murphy's Law Season 1 (DVD only) This is a really strong police procedural starring the excellent (and under-appreciated) Irish actor James Nesbitt (Bloody Sunday, Match Point). Nesbitt plays Detective Tommy Murphy, who goes to work for the Metropolitan Police undercover. He's stubborn, a hard drinker, and great to watch. I'm just a couple of episodes in, but I'm sure I've easily found a new show with which to be obsessed. It's gritty, meaty, and very well-written. Normally only 5 episodes of a show would seem like a rip off, but realize these episodes are 90 minutes long apiece and comprise an entire season of episodes from the British style (quality over quantity). New Release of the Week The National Parks: America's Best Idea (Blu-ray & DVD) The rundown of everything on this release is here. I can't recommend it enough for fans of Ken Burns' work or just those with an interest in the National Parks. Catalog Release of the Week Mr. Ed Season 1 (DVD only) It's about time this one showed up on DVD. God bless you, Shout! Factory. New Release

Red Dwarf: Back to Earth (Blu-ray & DVD) Covered here. Medium: Season 5 Featurettes: The Making of Medium Season 5, Script to Screen: "Apocalypse...Now?", Jake and Patricia Q&A, Curious Maria The final season of Medium on NBC apparently vastly outperformed other shows in its terrible timeslot. I've never been into the show, but the story of it getting saved by CBS was thrilling. Bones: Season 4 (Blu-ray & DVD) Catalog

From the new retrospective documentary on the Complete Series set.
Ally McBeal: The Complete Series (and Season 1) (DVD only) It was yet another show that made a bunch of careers explode (Calista Flockheart, Jane Krakowski, Lucy Liu, and Portia de Rossi among others) and helped revive others (Robert Downey, Jr.). Fox has made a wise choice in offering the entire series in a box and then releasing individual seasons. This logic works for all shows that are over and done. If you want it all, it's right there. If you checked out after season X or Y, grab the individual ones you want. There's a pile of new and vintage extras. The Mary Tyler Moore Show: Season 5 (DVD only) In the fifth season of the show, Mary tries her hand at producing (the horror! men's work!), Lou Grant becomes her neighbor, and Ted Baxter starts a rumor that he's dating her. I just realized that Michael Scott on The Office US is a poor man's Ted Baxter. Get Smart: Season 4 (DVD only) TV on Disc is generally posted a few days after the corresponding week's Disc Roundup (Movies) and covers the week's TV releases on DVD & Blu-ray. Unless otherwise noted, screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio. If you think I've missed something, feel free to send me an email.
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Disc Roundup (TV) 9.29.09


Catalog Release of the Week Traffik: Remastered 20th Anniversary Edition (DVD only) Interviews with writer Simon Moore and Brian Eastman, Extended UK Broadcast version of Episode 6, Photo Gallery, Production Notes, Cast Filmographies The brilliant Channel 4 miniseries from 1989 that inspired Steven Soderbergh's Traffic has been re-mastered and reissued by Acorn Media. The new DVD edition includes the full five hour series as it originally aired along with an interview with the series' creators. With the majority of the new TV season disappointing big-time, it's a good chance to catch up on really good, solid storytelling. New Release of the Week Yellowstone: Battle for Life (BBC Earth) (Blu-ray & DVD) Featurette: The People of Yellowstone Paraphrased from my recently-posted impressions: BBC Earth has put together yet another reference-quality nature documentary, this time about the first National Park. The 2.5 hour doc follows the wildlife of Yellowstone surviving through the seasons and highlights the stunning beauty of the park itself. I hope the fact they didn't put the bears, wolves, and bison on the cover doesn't mean people will pass it up on the shelf. New Release Life on Mars (US): The Complete Series Featurettes: To Mars and Back, Sunrise to Sunset With Jason O'Mara, Flashback: Lee Majors Goes to Mars Blooper Reel, Deleted Scenes, Audio Commentaries This US version of the dynamite UK series failed to catch on with audiences or critics. Critical opinion seemed to really revolve around the "why remake it? what was broken?" topic. Having recently started my way through the original (Acorn Media released Series 1 in July, Series 2 coming in November), I have to agree that nothing was broken with it and it stands on its own. I love it and it's wonderful. At the same time, the US version isn't bad at all, and it was the best way to get the story to US audiences. By no means am I a remake-loving heretic, but it's in the nature of the storytelling tradition that things be recycled and done over. There are places here and there that the US version nails it (dare I say?) better than the original. It's like knowing the answers to the test in advance. The single reason I'm most glad the remake happened is that it means more than just the anglophiles out there like me will be exposed to the property and (I hope) see the original. I've already had the ending of the original spoiled for me, and I've received confirmation that the US version went a wildly different direction entirely with a similar device. O'Mara, Mol, Imperioli, and Keitel deserved better. The Real Story: Part 1 The Real Story: Escape From Alcatraz The Real Story: The Amityville Horror I routinely find myself trying to find something on the hundreds (thousands) of channels I pay for each month and see something interesting on the Smithsonian Channel, only to realize that it's one of a few channels I don't have. I'm glad I'm getting the chance to sample their programming by reviewing discs like this on for this column. In the world of shows purporting to be "the truth behind" some event, The Real Story is among the better put together I've run into. It's filled with re-creations, interviews, and voice of God narration relating the facts of legends like, in this case, the escape from Alcatraz and The Amityville Horror. Both of them have been plumbed for inspiration for various movies over the years, and the shows Smithsonian made about them are really pretty good. Kings: The Complete Series Deleted Scenes, Audio Commentary I heard very, very bad things about this show toward the beginning that turned to outright disgust only a couple episodes into the first and only season. I'm not sure when or if I'll crack this one open and watch it, after finding the following in the synopses of Disc 2: "David is torn between his family and his king the peace treaty with Gath threatens his homeland." I know the show is dead and buried, and I've seen typo-ridden booklets and packages for TV shows, but whaaa? How I Met Your Mother: Season 4 The Unit: Season 4 Catalog The Patty Duke Show: Season 1 Cagney & Lacy: The Menopause Years I just love the title of this set. TV on Disc is generally posted a few days after the corresponding week's Disc Roundup (Movies) and covers the week's TV releases on DVD & Blu-ray. Unless otherwise noted, screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio. If you think I've missed something, feel free to send me an email.
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Disc Roundup (TV) 9.22.09


Release of the Week Star Trek: The Original Series Season 2 (Blu-ray) These classic Trek seasons on Blu-ray are reasons to own the player in and of themselves. The remarkable picture quality from the first season set is also present here, as is the multi-angle option allowing you to toggle between the original effects shots and the "remastered" ones. Some of my favorite episodes are in here, including "The Apple", "The Doomsday Machine", "By Any Other Name", and "The Ultimate Computer". These sets are like Warner's Blade Runner Blu-ray release in that I can't really fathom why I'd ever have to buy it again in some new format. CBS has already shown a good deal of dedication to actually using BD-Live as incentive, unlike other outfits that aren't even trying. Others and I heap all kinds of hate on BD-Live's slowness and uselessness, but on these Trek titles, I don't really mind the wait because the content's worth it. New to this release compared to the other is the Mobile Blu feature, which lets you use your iPhone or iPod Touch as a remote and download exclusive content to it. I haven't tried it, but I haven't seen any complaints thus far, so I assume it's a-ok. The entirety of Disc 4 is dedicated to the episode "The Trouble with Tribbles," and it includes both the Animated Series and Deep Space Nine episodes that involve the furry little buggers. It's a well-produced disc all on its own, but it just made me yearn all the more for DS9 on Blu-ray with new featurettes. Speaking of, featurettes are semi-sparse on the first few discs, but Disc 7 is pretty supplemental heavy, so it evens out. On top of that, it turns out CBS/Paramount has hidden twelve featurettes across the set, and I don't mind spoiling how to find it all since the vast majority of these aren't things you'd stumble across by chance. Here are the keys to the kingdom, as provided to The Digital Bits by the studio: All 12 are brief interview featurettes (short, but well worth finding). For the Easter eggs that require you to enter a code, simply go to the disc's main menu screen and enter the numbers with your remote. Disc 1 #1 - (Enter 4-digit number) - The year Star Trek first aired on TV. Disc 2 #2 - (enter 4-digit number) - The first year of the Enterprise's five-year mission. #3 - (navigate right from Communication) Disc 3 #4 - (enter 4-digit number) - Spock's Birth Year #5 - (navigate right from Communication) Disc 4 #6 - (enter 4-digit number) - Original air date (month/day) of "The Trouble With Tribbles" Disc 5 #7 - (enter 4-digit number) - Registry number of the Enterprise #8 - (navigate right from Communication) Disc 6 #9 - (enter 4-digit number) - The year Shakespeare died (from "By Any Other Name") #10 - (navigate right from Communication) Disc 7 #11 - (enter 4-digit number) - The year the crew returns to in "Assignment Earth" #12 - (navigate right from Communication)" The thing that drove me mad more than anything was that I was in the thick of Fantastic Fest when the review copy of this set arrived and as a result didn't really have a chance to dig in to it until I fell ill just following the festival. Star Trek: The Original Series Season 2 is not only the top TV release of the week of 9.22, it's one of the best releases of the year. New Release

The Mentalist Season 1 (DVD only) Unaired Scenes on 3 episodes, Gag Reel Featurettes: Evidence of a Hit Series, Cracking the Crystal Ball: Mentalist vs. Psychic This show is in ink at the top of my "I should get into that show before it's cancelled after two seasons for no good reason" list. I'll have something more than a witty one-liner by the end of the week now that I have it in my hands. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Season 2 (Blu-ray & DVD) Commentaries on 4 Episodes (including finale) with Exec. Producer Josh Friedman and Cast & Crew, Unaired Scenes, Gag Reel Featurettes: The Continuing Chronicles: Terminator 8-part featurette gallery, The Storyboard Process, Cameron vs. Rosie Fight Rehearsal Blu-ray Exclusive: Collision with the Future: Deconstructing the Hunter Killer Attack I hope the reference to "cancelled after two seasons for no good reason" above relating to this title isn't too glaringly obvious or looks like a slam. I never kept up with this show during its run, and I'd feel guilty about that if there weren't seventeen other shows from the last few years that I've defended until after they're dead. It's a shame there's one less capably-produced science fiction show on TV. I need some more time to get to this one too, so check back at the end of the week. 30 Rock Season 3 (Blu-ray & DVD) 1-900-OKFACE commercial, Audio Commentary on select episodes, Deleted Scenes, Behind-The-Scenes With The Muppets, The Making of "He Needs a Kidney", Table Read of the Season Finale, Photo Gallery I went over this one here yesterday. It's infinitely re-watchable for me, at least. Brotherhood The Final Season (3) (DVD only) This good side/bad side family drama started with a bang in the ratings and all but disappeared without a trace by the end, with people jumping on other bandwagons. This final season DVD set has no extras on it, but it's got the final 8 episodes of the show on it, so you can safely line up the whole show in a Netflix queue now. Mitch Fatel is Magical (DVD only) Interviews with Fans, Special Mitch Animation, Outtakes, Photo Shoot Mitch Fatel was co-headlining a college tour with Mitch Hedberg shortly before Hedberg died (many conveniently forget, of an overdose). That tour swung through Tallahassee, where I lived at the time, and the universal consensus was that Hedberg was ok, but that Fatel was actually a great deal funnier. I've never really warmed to his stuff, most of which is about his penis and things that happen during events that involve his penis. His fans love him for being "the perverted guy who talks about it and isn't ashamed." Castle Season 1 (DVD only) Bloopers & Outtakes, Audio Commentaries Featurettes: Whodunit: The Genesis of Castle, Write-Along With Nathan Fillion I hope that anything with Nathan Fillion in it succeeds on principle. That said, I think I need more time to warm to Castle. In it, Fillion plays a crime novelist whose books are being used as source material by a copycat killer. The NYPD pair him with an all-business real-life cop to try to prevent the crimes before they happen. They fight crime. Repeat. I'm in a detective story mood of late, so I'll give this show another shot when I can. The Ghost Whisperer Season 4 (DVD only) The Other Side III Webseries Featurettes: Season 4: Love Never Dies, The Jamie Kennedy Experiment, Scoring the Spirit World Interactive Features: Haunted Dollhouse puzzle game, Grave Mistakes game, Fashion Style Guide Now part of the Paranormal Phenomena Friday block on ABC that I will likely find myself far too often accidentally watching, Ghost Whisperer is a somewhat rare breed: it's a show about the paranormal that I really can't get into. The reason for this is probably the same as why Twilight makes me sigh and and check my watch: I just don't have the patience for this volume of longing stares and lovelorn protagonists. I do particularly admire the Other Side III webseries, which leverages webisode format programs as universe extension rather than cutting room floor gags or advertising like many other shows do. This is the third year they've been doing it, and I'm more interested in Other Side than Ghost Whisperer. Jamie Kennedy joined the cast and Jennifer Love Hewitt's real life love life this season, for better or worse on both fronts. And yes, the Fashion Style Guide interactive feature has to do with all the pretty clothes the people in the show wear. Law and Order SVU Season 10 (DVD only) I think they intentionally keep the price of these sets so high that I can't afford them to make sure I watch all the repeats that come on. SVU keeps me hooked, even ten years later. Ugly Betty Season 3 (DVD only) Look Who Keeps Popping Up pop-up video commentary Featurette: Coming Home to New York City MODE After Hours Webisodes, Betty Bloops (Gag Reel), Deleted Scenes, Audio Commentary Ugly Betty has long since departed from the original Betty La Fea it's based on. They're alternate realities of one another rather than one acting as an adaptation of the other, really. The third season saw the show transplanted from L.A. to NYC, and as a result, this is actually a good jumping-on point for new viewers. Catalog

Friday the 13th The Series The Final Season (DVD only) My mother did not let me watch shows like this when I was in the first grade, so this is my first exposure to Friday the 13th: The Series. As indifferent as I am to the Friday movies, the show is interesting to me since it's really just a creepy things and fighting evil show that's "F13" in name only. The show primarily concerns itself with the main characters locking away cursed items that will bring about untold evil. Taxi Season 4 (DVD only) I miss this show being in syndicated rotation. I could always switch it on and say to myself, "life could be a lot more boring with a much worse day job," and in the same breath remind myself, "and there's no way it'd be as interesting of a terrible job as the guys driving taxis in this show have." Compared to much of what has ever been on TV in the 70's and early 80's, I don't think a show ever quite nailed casting the way Taxi did. Reissue/Repackage The Judy Garland Show Volume 2 (DVD only) Outtakes I'm positive this must have been released previously. When I worked at Barnes & Noble, Teddy the newsstand manager came over to ask me about The Judy Garland Show arriving on DD what seemed like every other day. This second of thirteen volumes features two 50-minute episodes that feature guests like Ray Bolger, Ethel Merman, and The Smothers Brothers. TV on Disc is generally posted a few days after the corresponding week's Disc Roundup (Movies) and covers the week's TV releases on DVD & Blu-ray. With the exception of Law and Order SVU Season 10, screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio. If you think I've missed something, feel free to send me an email.
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Disc Roundup (TV) 9.15.09


"The Bride Possessed" from One Step Beyond

Moss and Roy hatching a plan A-Team-style in The IT Crowd
New Release of the Week The IT Crowd Season 3 (DVD only) Audio Commentary with Graham Linehan, An Interview with Graham, Set Tour, Deleted Scenes, Outtakes, Original Title Sequence Animatic My favorite sitcom on television does not air on an American station that I get on my cable package (IFC). The most recently-completed season contains my new favorite episode, wherein Jen (the IT manager who knows nothing about com-puters) is named employee of the month and the B plot features boss man Douglas romancing a woman with..."a past". A fourth season is being written as we speak, and I can't wait. Catalog Release of the Week One Step Beyond Season 1 (DVD only) Extended Pilot Episode (The Bride Possessed), Next Episode Promos, Alcoa Sponsor Version Opening, 1990s Rerun Opening, Archival Audio Interview with Dan Mankiewicz There are super-cheap, super-shite public domain versions of this show on DVD that are low-quality, incomplete, and out of order. CBS has properly remastered and restored this paranormal TV fiction classic five decades after it originally aired. Just ten months before The Twilight Zone hit, host & director John Newland's show began its first year on the air. Different than Twilight Zone, One Step Beyond dealt specifically with paranormal cases substantiated to have actually happened. Like Twilight Zone and Night Gallery, and the Alfred Hitchcock Hour/Presents, One Step Beyond is still thrilling to watch thanks to a solid creative team in front of and behind the camera. Catalog

Bonanza Season 1 Vol. 1 & 2 (DVD only) Volume 1: Archival Interviews w/ Creator-Producer David Dortort, Galleries of Extensive Episodic and Rare Behind-the-Scenes Photos, Original Network logo/bumpers/RCA promo on A Rose For Lotta, 1953 Fireside Theater episodic Man of the Comstock, Original Promos on selected episodes, Early Credits Concept Drawings Volume 2: Archival Interviews w/ Creator-Producer David Dortort, Galleries of Extensive Episodic and Rare Behind-the-Scenes Photos, Original Network logo/bumpers/RCA promo on A Rose For Lotta, Original Promos on selected episodes Similar to One Step Beyond, CBS has properly remastered these episodes for official release on DVD and included some better-than-you'd-expect extras. I've only ever watched Bonanza out of order in reruns. At this point, anything Western is actually a bit of a rarity, and I never thought I'd find myself saying this, but: I can't wait to dig into Bonanza from the beginning.

X-Men Volumes 3 & 4 (DVD only) These two volumes roughly comprise the third and fourth seasons of the highly-regarded X-Men animated series from the 90's. The reason I say "roughly" is that episodes are out of order (based on airdate) and enough are missing so that a Volume 5 release won't seem lacking with only the ten episodes produced for the afterthought fifth season. The fact there are no extras on these sets doesn't bother me in the least, but it would have been nice to see a "how it was all made" doc or set of featurettes. Those minor quibbles are small in the face of the quality presented here, which is rather impressive compared to the VHS copies that included two episodes each (!). The X-Men cartoon handled classic storylines and characters loads better than Fox has in any of their four live action attempts. Fox only had a hand in the show's success by airing the episodes in their Saturday morning kids' block, since Saban Entertainment teamed with Marvel to produce X-Men. Buena Vista Home Entertainment handled the DVD release of these two volumes and their predecessors, which reminded me of the fact that pending tons of hurdles get cleared, Disney will have an active hand in actually producing X-Men and other Marvel properties in animated form. Just the possibility of that thrills me. The Transformers Season 2 Volume 1 (DVD only) This set includes the first 28 second season episodes from the original Transformers animated series. If you're a fan but aren't interested in the gigantic complete series set coming to more than direct mail order soon, this is a good set to pick up. It includes the "Dinobot Island" episode among other notable ones. These episodes are from what many fans consider the "sweet spot" in the series, before robot (toy) proliferation made the show more of an advertisement than a narrative. Reissue/Repackage

Fame Seasons 1 & 2 (DVD only) Fame: Then and Now featurette (Season 2) The delightful thing about this release is that many fans of the show will want the DVDs no matter what and have their trip to see the do-over/remake subsidized and guilt-free. The attached Movie Cash voucher lasts until the end of October. The first season was previously released separately and discontinued. New Release Grey's Anatomy Season 5 (DVD only) Unaired Scenes, Outtakes, 100th Episode: Tales from the O.R., Extended Episode ("Stairway to Heaven"), featurette Heaven Sent (Jeffrey Dean Morgan talks about popularity of his character) I've never really had the time to get fully invested in Grey's Anatomy, and it's one of those very type of shows: the kind you have to invest a great deal into. This season saw the addition of the wonderful Sara Ramirez, which makes me wish I were into it. There's a seasons 1-4 recap that seems to pretty capably get me up to speed, but the last thing I need is one more show to keep up with. Private Practice Season 2 (DVD only) Deleted Scenes and Bloopers, Extended Episodes ("Crime and Punishment", "Nothing to Fear"), Life Through the Lens: The Pictures of Chris Lowell, Patient Confidentiality: Examining Season 2 As tough as it is for me to fathom getting in to yet another show, it's more difficult to conceive getting into a spin-off of yet another show. A cast including Audra MacDonald, Taye Diggs, and Amy Brenneman makes it tempting. Anyone remember when lead actress Kate Walsh had but a two word part in Anchorman ("Mr. Burgundy!"...or was that in Wake Up, Ron Burgundy or the trailer?)? CSI: Miami Season 7 (DVD only) Audio Commentaries: Episodes 6 & 8 Featurettes: Miami Classified, The Miami Sound Machine, The New AV LAB, CSI Miami - Heating Up Season 7 David Caruso's still stringing things along in the Florida-based CSI spinoff nearly a decade later. I find myself watching about half an episode before deciding I should just get ready for bed. I invariably come back about 15 minutes later. Disc Roundup (TV) is generally posted a few days after the corresponding week's Disc Roundup and covers the week's TV releases on DVD & Blu-ray. Unless otherwise noted, screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio. If you think I've missed something, feel free to send me an email.
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