Upstairs Downstairs - The Complete First Season (1974) Review

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(More customer reviews)This British series is in a "class" by itself. It's characters are unforgettable, the acting inspired and the backdrop evocative - Edwardian England from 1904 into the 1930s. The story evolves around the aristocractic Bellamy family "Upstairs" and their servants "Downstairs," but it is not a soap opera. It is as genuine, real and honest as any period production, or for that matter, any production, that I have ever seen. The characters grapple with the same struggles that we continue to confront in mordern-day America: love, loss, coming of age, morality, prejudice, death, economics, social responsibility, freedom and the search for life's ultimate meaning - concluding with the horrendous effects of a World War and its devastating aftermath. This unflinching look at history as well as a truly timeless, engaging saga is not to be missed. I genuinely rejoice that such a remarkable treasure is finally available on DVD. Originally broadcast on PBS's Masterpiece Theatre.

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Follow the "upstairs" dwellers, the Bellamys, and their "downstairs" servants through one of television's most loved and lauded series of all time. This collector's set includes the entire first season, all 13 episodes, of the multi-award winning series. Catch a first glimpse of 165 Eaton Place and be enchanted with the saga that captures the essence of life and love in Edwardian England.

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Flavor Of Love - The Complete Second Season (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)Our favorite clock-wearing bachelor, Flavor Flav, is back with 20 more girls vying for his love. Of course there's more lying, back-stabbing & cat-fighting but there's also a porn scandal, the "defacation" incident, more celebrity guests, and the return of New York (and her mother). Flav certainly had his hands full of drama (and booty) this time.
Some of the more interesting girls were:
SUMTHIN - The girl who lost control of her "bodily functions" during the champagne toast after the first elimination. Boy, did Flav give her the perfect name.
NIBBLZ - The "happy, well-adjusted girl who really enjoys sex". For some of the challenges, she used her booty to her advantage (and to Flav's pleasure) but her sexual tactics ultimately killed her chance to win as Flav decided that she wouldn't be a good role model for his kids.
TOASTEE - She earned her nickname as she got "toasted" her first night in the mansion. Her attempt to trash Nibblz backfired horribly when Nibblz went to Flav and told him that Toastee did internet porn. Toastee denied it, of course, so Flav did some "research" to find out the truth, which he revealed during an elimination ceremony to the shock of everyone.
But here's where the drama gets MUCH deeper.
At the end of the 5th elimination, Flav lines up the remaining girls single file and announces a special guest who will help with the next elimination. Through the door walks New York, who is greeted by shocked expressions and declarations of "Oh, Hell No!!!" New York is back in the house (and the competition) and she's brought the drama - cat fights, near fist fights, mind games & tears - to win the love of "her man".
Not to mention that New York's mother is back in the mansion and her discontent for Flav is stronger than ever. Altercations between her & Flav start the moment she sets foot in the mansion and carry on to the explosive final episode.
The word on the web is that this will be the final season of Flavor Of Love but there may possibly be a sequel called "I Love New York", with you-know-who searching for her one true love out of 20 men.


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In "Flavor of Love," 20 single women from all walks of life, selected for their expressed love for Flav, move into a "phat crib" in Los Angeles and vie for his affection.With help and advice from his hip-hop buddies and a lady friend "on the inside", Flavor Flav will date all of the women, weed out the "gold diggers" and "video chicks" who are only after his fame and fortune...and in the end will choose his one true love… for the second time.

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Dream On - Seasons 1 & 2 (1990) Review

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(More customer reviews)Maybe it's true, that if you're just patient, the DVD gods will eventually get around to releasing a true buried gem like this one.
It's hard to imagine how a show like "Dream On" could stay under the radar for so long. It was created by David Crane and Marta Kaufman, the creative team behind "Friends." It was produced -- and many of it finest episodes directed -- by John Landis. It had a remarkable cast doing the best work of their respective careers, playing unforgettable characters, and it benefited from some of the best comedic writing on TV. It provided HBO with its first Emmy. And it paved the way for future HBO episodic comedy series, like The Larry Sanders Show, Sex in the City and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
But when it debuted on HBO in 1990, the concept of a pay-cable station qualifying for "appointment TV" was still in the future. TV critics loved it, but a lot of others remember it primarily because, taking advantage of the freedoms of pay cable, it used language not seen elsewhere on the tube. And it showed a little skin, although not nearly as much as people seem to remember.
"Dream On" follows the life of Martin Tupper, a book editor at a small Manhattan publishing house who's closer to 40 than he is to 30. He finds himself dumped into the dating scene of the '90s when his wife (a pre-"Just Shoot Me" Wendie Malick) divorces him to marry The World's Most Perfect Man. His son (Chris Demetral) is at an age where he's beginning to realize his father doesn't have all the answers. His best friend (Jeff Joseph in the first season, Dorien Wilson afterward) is a self-absorbed talk show host. And his grating secretary (a post-"SNL" Denny Dillon) has him on the verge of homicide.
"Dream On" came about because of Universal's desire to get some benefit from the library of early TV shows and B movies of its affiliate, MCA. It was founded on a gimmick: the "Dream On" concept is explained brilliantly without words, during the opening credits, as we see various stages in the life of young baby boomer, a member of the first generation to have TV as a babysitter. His sensibilities have been developed by what he's watched on the tube, and he finds himself relating to situations in his adult life by flashing on snippets of those old programs. The pairing of old clips and modern situations is usually done to good -- and often hilariious -- effect.
But no show would have lasted six seasons and 120 episodies on the strength of a gimmick. Over time, the "Dream On moments" melt into the general landscape. In the end, "Dream On" is less about sex in the city than it is about life at the end of the 20th Century, relationships and getting by with a little help from your friends and family. It tackles a lot of issues in ways that are not overbearing. And the cast creates characters that you'll end up caring about.
First and foremost of that group is Brian Benben as Martin Tupper. After seeing a few episodes, you'll wonder why you haven't seen more of him. Benben is a fine actor, and there is no better physical comedian working today.
This package of all 29 episodes from season 1 and 2 includes some classics, including the pilot, naturally; "Sole Sister," in which Martin has to come to terms with his sister dating his best friend, who is black; a three-episode relationship with an environmentalist, with whom Martin has nothing in common except in bed; "Play Melville for Me," in which Martin gets a late-night gig hosting a book show on public access cable, only to be stalked by Kathy Kinney ("Drew Carey's" Mimi); and "Calling the Kettle Black," in which Martin's "Just Say No" lectures to his son over marijuana use go up in smoke when his discovery of a joint in the apartment leads him to relive his own pot experiences. Early in the second season, Michael McKean joins the cast as the obnoxious Gibby Fiske, an Australian media executive who becomes Martin's boss and nemesis.
But the highlight of the package has to be the second-season opener, "The Second Greatest Story Ever Told," which follows Martin's agony as he visits the set of a film being produced about the life of his ex-wife's new husband, the impossibly perfect Richard Stone. Even worse, through getting involved with the actors in the movie, he finds himself reliving the end of his marriage. For this hour-long episode, director/producer Landis must have called in all his markers; the guest stars include Tom Berenger, Mimi Rogers and Stephen Furst, with David Bowie as the movie's pompous director and cameos by Sylvester Stallone, Ricardo Montalban and Eva Gabor.
This is the first release in any format for many of these episodes. Columbia included the show in its VHS subscription services a few years back, eventually releasing 40 episodes from the first three seasons, but no more. And, thankfully, these are the uncut versions, not the toned-down versions that were syndicated to Fox and Comedy Central.
For the uninitiated, even the Amazon discount price may appear to be more than they'd want to put down for an unknown quantity. But there's little risk here. By the time this is released in October, you may have had your fill of all the new sitcoms that look just like the old sitcoms, or the new reality shows loosely based on last year's reality shows, or the police dramas that are EXACATLY like last year's police dramas. Why not take the plunge with a well-written, well-acted comedy series that may finally get its due? I'll bet that after watching it, you'll be dreaming on of a third-season DVD release.

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Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca)Release Date: 10/12/2004

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Have Gun Will Travel - The Complete Second Season (1957) Review

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(More customer reviews)Richard Boone stars as Paladin in this six-disk dvd set of the first season of HAVE GUN, WILL TRAVEL (1957-1958).
CBS broadcast an incredible thirty-nine episodes that first season, each episode lasting 23 to 25 minutes. Most episodes begin with the spiffily dressed Paladin (we're never given a last name) scouring the thick stacks newspapers brought to him by the ever helpful Hey Boy (Kam Tong), bellboy at Paladin's residence, the Carlton Hotel in San Francisco. Eventually Paladin reads of a missing child in Colorado, or a rash of robberies occurring in Montana. Paladin slips his business card - a chess knight with the legend Have Gun, Will Travel, Wire Paladin, San Francisco - into an envelope and mails it to the injured party.
Slowly enough as we wend our way through the first year we learn something of Paladin. He has a passion for justice and a taste for the good things. His going rate is $1000, although he will take on a pro bono job if the cause is just. In town he dresses to the nines and in sundry other ways consumes conspicuously. When traveling with a gun he dresses in black. Somewhere along the line he picked up a military education, quotes Shakespeare and Pliny, savors a first-edition of Dryden. His taste in and knowledge of fine wines is commented upon in a couple of episodes....
I don't know if any of this matters, but going through fifteen hours of HGWT over a week or so it's kind of fun to have an aha moment or two. Paladin is an enigma, and Boone, a little more credible as the gunslinger than the city dandy, was an inspired choice to play him. Boone has a commanding presence and, believe me when I tell you buckaroos, was pretty darn quick on the draw.
Twenty-three minutes is a pretty tight box to fit a action story in, which might explain why we don't waste a whole lot of time on Paladin's backstory. Of course, the storytelling is made a lot easier when you consider the talent involved. The talent rundown has to start with Boone, who was nominated Best Leading Actor as Paladin in 1959 and 1960. The great majority of the first season episodes were directed by action veteran Andrew McLaglen (son of actor Victor McLaglen), although a couple were helmed by Oscar winning director Lewis Milestone. Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry wrote a few scripts for the first season as well. Sam Peckingpah even co-wrote one episode (The Singer).
The talent in front of the camera was as formidable as that behind. Major established stars like Victor McLaglen and John Carradine appeared in episodes - weak ones, in my opinion, especially the McLaglen episode (directed by son Andrew) in which the old actor played a construction foreman threatening to cut a town off from its source of water. McLaglen simply wasn't getting around very briskly and it's a little painful to watch. Another major movie star fares much better. Charles Bronson wasn't established yet, but he plays a robber who more or less forces Paladin into a gunfighting showdown in an episode that paints fatal violence as both regrettable and, sometimes, unavoidable. Strother Martin (Cool Hand Luke) appears in two episodes, once as an unscrupulous frontier lawyer and earlier in a more affecting role as a high wire walker who'd lost his nerve somewhere along the way. Warren Oates plays one of the bad offspring in a truncated take on King Lear.
That's just the beginning. Future television stars appear in almost every episode. Pernell Roberts and Dan Blocker (Bonanza) appear as scruffy tough guys in relatively small roles in separate episodes. Jack Lord (Hawaii 5-0) is a cowardly kidnapper. June Lockhart (Lassie, Lost In Space) appears twice as a frontier doctor. Angie Dickinson (Police Woman) plays a young woman whose brother was murdered and threatens to incite a lynch mob. Mike Connors (Mannix) plays a cattle rustling bad guy in one of the early episodes.
Okay, I'm enthusing here. Still haven't got to the best stuff. What gave me the biggest kick was watching the people I'd never heard of. Peter Whitney, who the intro blurb that precedes each episode tells us made a film career out of playing slow-witted big guys and menacing big guys, plays a mentally challenged ranch hand who's goaded into placing a burr under boss's Stuart Whitman's saddle, with dire consequences, in "The Last Laugh." The diminutive B-western star Bob Steele plays a crooked mine boss in "The High Graders" - the Wire Paladin blurb tells us Steele had developed a quick draw during his B-career, which McLaglen pays homage to in a draw down between his character and Paladin. My favorite discovery, though, has to be Marian Seldes, a tremendous actress who is featured in two episodes. First as a mail order bride who Paladin escorts to her new home in "The Bride" and later as a small town teacher who the local bullies try to intimidate in "The Teacher."
Very strongly recommended, especially for fans of traditional westerns.


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HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL follows the story of professional gunfighter Paladin who, after the Civil War, settles into San Francisco's Hotel Carlton where he awaits responses to his business card.Upon receipt of $1,000, Paladin will leave his suite to chase down whatever mission of mercy or justice his clients commission.Featuring a photo of a white knight chess piece, the business card simply says "Have Gun - Will TravelWire Paladin, San Francisco."

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NYPD Blue - Season 2 (1993) Review

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(More customer reviews)I found this on "tvshowsondvd.com", dated 7/01/2004:

They often say, "No news is good news," but that's not the case when it comes to DVDs. If a studio has been releasing a show on DVD and then you don't hear anything about a subsequent season, the assumption is that the sets were selling poorly and no further sets are planned. When Fox removed the January 13th listing for season 3 from their consumer site, things were looking grim for the series. We all assumed the worst: that Season 3 wouldn't be released.

Earlier today we got some good news from Fox; they plan on releasing the set, they're just looking for a good time to do so. With the TV-on-DVD schedule becoming crowded, Fox wants to find a release date where the title will get good exposure and sell enough copies so they can continue releasing the series. We don't know when that'll be, but we wanted to bring NYPD Blue fans some good news, since our previous news was rather depressing.

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A Touch of Frost - Season 1 (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)A Touch of Frost is an outstanding British mystery series, and it is high time it was released on DVD. This set contains the entire first series--three 100-minute episodes entitled "Care and Protection", "Not with Kindness", and "Conclusions." At the time of writing, series two is also available (for preordering), and I only hope that the video company will see fit to release the entire series.

David Jason (Only Fools and Horses, The Darling Buds of May, Open All Hours, Micawber), who personally is one of my favourite British actors, stars as Jack Frost, a dedicated, single-minded detective inspector with a nose for ferretting out criminals. Frost is a bit like a dog with a bone when he sets his mind on something, and he doesn't worry too much about letting little things like rules, procedures, tactfulness, or even legality get in the way of finding out the truth--if he can get away with it, that is. This is a man whose loathing for the criminal element--for those who hurt or destroy the lives of others--verges on the personal. At the very least, his dedication to duty is more than just a job for him, it's his whole life--his raison d'etre. Certainly, his personal life suffers greatly from his dedication--indeed obsession--with his work.
The series opens with Frost's wife on her deathbed. Even in such a situation (perhaps, indeed, because of it--for Frost does not handle personal tragedy well), he is unable to spend the time at his wife's side that is expected. While this may sound rather morbid and depressing, I must emphasize that overall the series is not. Certainly, the crimes that are committed are serious and tragic, but like the Inspector Morse series (a series with which this one compares well), the episodes are punctuated by quite a healthy dose of humour, and like Morse it is primarily character humour. In other words, it arises out of the idiosyncrasies in the inspector's character, which become more apparent as we become more familiar with the character. In Frost's case, apart from his questionable tactics, he's extremely disorderly, and his dedication to his work is matched only by his loathing for paperwork--a trait which often has him at odds with his punctilious boss, Superintendent Mullett. Indeed, Frost is perennially ducking into doorways or skipping out of the office in attempts to avoid the unwelcome confrontations. One thing Frost does not have, unlike Inspector Morse, is a regular "Sergeant Lewis" in tow; rather, he has a different sergeant assigned to him for almost every episode.
One aspect which, in my opinion, makes A Touch of Frost such a good series is the powerful punch of irony that usually occurs at the end of each episode. Often one can really sympathise with the killer or at the very least understand his or her motivation. Sometimes we find that it's one trifling incident--someone in the wrong place at the wrong time--or a petty misunderstanding that sets the wheels in motion for a tragic outcome. Often it seems that the bringing of the criminal to justice is the greatest injustice.
In conclusion, this is a well-acted and an extremely well-written mystery series--one with quite hard-hitting stories, thus making the comic relief all the more welcome. It is a series which I recommend very highly to fans of British mysteries in particular--if you enjoy shows like Inspector Morse, for example, or have enjoyed PBS's erstwhile Mystery! series, I'm sure you'll enjoy this one. I would, however, go so far as to recommend this series to anyone looking for a superior quality mystery series, British or otherwise. Personally, I've always wondered why it was never made a part of PBS's Mystery! series, for it was certainly worthy of inclusion.

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Route 66: Season 3 Volume 1 Review

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(More customer reviews)After all the praise I gave Infinity Entertainment for listening to the desires of the consumer with the release of Route 66 - The Complete First Season and Route 66 - The Complete Second Season, they backslide with a half-season release of Season 3, Volume 1. This is early news and perhaps a full season issue would be not far behind. Either way Infinity Entertainment is light years ahead of the dullards at CBS/Paramount.
With further thought, Season 3 was a transitional season with the mid-season departure of primary performer George Maharis due to illness. With Maharis out and Glenn Corbett in AND being 31 episodes long, a 2-Vol. set is semi-acceptable; just barely:)!
Either way, we do praise Roxbury/Infinity Entertainment for continuing marketing of this fine classic anthology.
UPDATE: 07.21.09
Here's a scoop on what to expect.
This 16 episode set is housed in a plastic clam-shell; two discs staggered per side. The discs themselves are pictures of the cover art with a large 1, 2, 3 and 4. The audio quality is extra crisp while the picture quality is superb, retaining the original Aspect Ratio of 1.33:1. The DVD intro splash menu is really clever with a PLAY ALL or EPISODES options. And I stand corrected as Original Episode Commercials are listed under the EXTRAS option on Disc 4.
The only cons are that there are no listings of the episodes in the clam-shell or cover box; only on the EPISODES option. Also the cast and bios feature from S.1 & S.2 are missing.
For me, quality picture, audio and story content top everything! And as a neat surprise, the 1st episode is a superb story starring every one's favorite "Fugitive", David Janssen! Enjoy!
UPDATE: 07.22.09
Possibly some bad news here with QA/QC problems. I noticed that Discs 1 & 4 make a rumbling sound in my best DVD player; a Panasonic burner. But all seem to play okay in my computer drive and an old RCA player. I'd like to know if anyone else is experiencing this problem.
UPDATE: 07.23.09
And now we hear reports that all discs on the S.3-V.2 are bad! What in the world is going on here? I really thought when Infinity released both S.1 & S.2 as whole season releases we would be rid of defective discs, phony wide-screen video, etc. Some people should lose their jobs because of this!

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Item Name: Route 66: Season 3, Vol. 1; Studio:Roxbury Ent

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Route 66 - The Complete Second Season Review

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(More customer reviews)The five-star rating is for the series itself, thanks in large part to the exceptionally realistic storylines from Stirling Silliphant and guest scriptwriters. The on-screen chemistry between Martin Milner as Tod Stiles and George Maharis as Buz Murdock is superb as they criss-cross America working odd jobs in search of themselves and helping others find their purpose in life. Great show from television's golden age. Highly recommended.
The episodes featured in the second season (1961-1962) include:
"A Month of Sundays" -- Buz falls for starlet Arlene Sims (Anne Francis), unaware that she has a terminal illness.
"Blue Murder" -- Tod and Buz attempt to recapture a wild horse which has apparently killed its new owner.
"Good Night, Sweet Blues" -- A dying jazz singer (Ethel Waters) enlists Tod and Buz to search out and reunite her old combo.
"Birdcage on My Foot" -- Tod and Buz try to help a heroin junkie (Robert Duvall) kick the habit.
"First Class Mouliak" -- When a young woman is found dead, the chief suspect (Robert Redford) is the son of Tod and Buz's employer.
"Once to Every Man" -- Tod seems ready to finally settle down and tie the knot with the daughter of a shipyard owner (Janice Rule).
"The Mud Nest" -- After discovering a family that resembles him in a small Maryland town, Buz goes to Baltimore to search for the woman who may be his mother.
"A Bridge Across Five Days" -- The boys try to help a woman recently released from a mental hospital adjust to life in the outside world.
"Mon Petit Chou" -- Tod becomes enamored of a lounge singer, but finds an obstacle in her intensely jealous manager (Lee Marvin).
"Some of the People, Some of the Time" -- Tod and Buz work for a fraudulent beauty contest promoter and become hucksters in the process.
"The Thin White Line" -- Tod goes on a one-man rampage through Philadelphia after inadvertently drinking a beer spiked with a powerful hallucinogenic drug.
"And the Cat Jumped Over the Moon" -- A social worker (Milt Kamen) who is a former mentor of Buz is killed playing a dare game with a gang leader (Martin Sheen).
"Burning for Burning" -- Tod and Buz work for a wealthy family with a dead son. When their daughter-in-law pays a visit with their grandchild, the family treats her with open hostility.
"To Walk with the Serpent" -- The F.B.I. wants Tod and Buz to infiltrate a neo-Nazi group.
"A Long Piece of Mischief" -- A rodeo clown nurses a love for a trick rider while fending off sadistic cowboys.
"1800 Days to Justice" -- An ex-con (John Ericson) who was framed takes over a small Texas town and holds a kangaroo court to pass judgment on the real culprit (DeForest Kelly).
"A City of Wheels" -- Working in a veterans hospital brings Tod and Buz into the life of an embittered invalid.
"How Much a Pound Is Albatross?" -- Free-spirited motorcycle rider Vicki Russell (Julie Newmar) arrives in Tucson and turns it - and the lives of Tod and Buz - upside down.
"Aren't You Surprised to See Me?" -- A religious fanatic with a biological weapon kidnaps Buz and threatens to kill him, unless the entire city of Dallas abstains from sin for 24 hours.
"You Never Had It So Good" -- As part of a power play, a female executive promotes day-laborer Buz to a high administrative position.
"Shoulder the Sky, My Lad" --Tod and Buz come to the aid of a young Jewish boy, who has a crisis of faith after his father is killed in a mugging.
"Blues for the Left Foot" -- Tod helps a dancer - his first love - get a tryout with a major television network.
"Go Read the River" -- Tod finds that his new employer, a designer of speedboat engines, is an exceptionally driven and desolate man.
"Even Stones Have Eyes" -- Buz contemplates taking his own life after a construction accident leaves him without his sight.
"Love is a Skinny Kid" --A young woman (Tuesday Weld) stirs up a small Texas community by arriving in town wearing a frightful mask, which she refuses to remove.
"Kiss the Maiden, All Forlorn" -- An international fugitive (Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.) risks recapture by returning to the U.S. to visit his daughter.
"Two on the House" -- A young boy pretends to be the target of kidnappers in order to get attention from his business-obsessed father.
"There I Am - There I Always Am" -- Buz attempts to rescue a young woman who gets her foot stuck in the rocks of a Southern California beach, with the high tide coming in.
"Between Hello and Goodbye" -- Tod becomes involved with a reckless blonde and her reserved brunette sister.
"A Feat of Strength" -- Tod helps introduce a legitimate Hungarian wrestler (Jack Warden) to the American version of the sport.
"Hell is Empty, All the Devils Are Here" -- Tod's employer (Peter Graves) is an animal trainer plotting revenge against the man he believes responsible for his wife's death.
"From an Enchantress Fleeing" -- Tod goes in search of a henpecked runaway husband.
Roxbury Entertainment's mastering of the series to DVD remains to be seen. Whether the series will be digitised to wide screen format -- as was the case in Season 1/Volume 2 - remains merely a guess.

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Now you can own all 32 episodes of season two of this treasured television classic, digitally remastered for the highest quality picture and audio possible in the original, full frame 4.3 aspect ratio. Famous for its catchy Nelson Riddle theme song, intriguing characters, top-drawer writing and stellar guest star appearances, Route 66 was one of the most highly rated shows of the era, establishing the Corvette as an American icon. Filmed in locations from coast to coast, the adventures continue for Tod Stiles (Martin Milner), an intellectual who has led a privileged and sheltered life, and Buz Murdock (George Maharis), a tough young man, raised in Hell's Kitchen, struggling his entire life just to survive.The duo encounter folks good and bad even chance encounters with love in shipyards, chicken farms, cattle ranches, rodeos, hospitals, courtrooms, hotels, amusement parks, wrestling rings, religious retreats and wild animal parks.Guest starring in the sophomore season is a renowned list of stars, including Robert Redford, Douglas Fairbanks, Robert Duvall, Suzanne Pleshette, Lon Chaney Jr., John Astin, James Caan, Lee Marvin, Martin Sheen, Ed Asner, DeForest Kelley, Marion Ross, Peter Graves, Jack Warden, Tuesday Weld and Julie Newmar, among others. One special episode features several of Maharis relatives.

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Tales of Tomorrow: Collection One (1951) Review

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(More customer reviews)Not long ago, I had only heard about the television show Tales of Tomorrow just twice: once as a passing reference as an inspiration of Rod Serling's Twilight Zone in his PBS documentary, and once more when I saw the episode "All the Time in the World" at the Museum of TV and Radio in NYC when I visited there last August. I had always liked TZ and I was happy to see one of it's predecessors which had left the air before my parents were even born. I was not disappointed as the episode was another example of intelligently wielded suspense and science fiction, the kind of show that they just don't make any more (well UPN tried, but let's not talk about that right now). There were other available episodes, but my family and I had to leave the museum, but imagine my happiness when I heard that a DVD boxset of Tales was coming.
Tales of Tomorrow: Collection One is a series of selected episodes from the first season of televisions first sci-fi anthology series (including the one I previously mentioned); many of us are used to full season sets but after all, some episodes may no longer be accounted for. There are no extras at all except for scene selection, though somehow I doubt there could be things like deleted scenes or creator commentaries (since many of the creators are probably no longer with us).
I'm giving this collection 5 stars not because these episodes are timeless classics but because they are a rare and fascinating window into television's early history. The shows feature commercials recorded on the same film as the show, and it's also apparent that TV producers at the time weren't big advocates for reshoots as they could be called today. Actors badly flub their lines in many shows but keep on going. Lon Chaney gives a well-known and confusing scene as Frankenstein where he hefts a chair in rage, calmly puts it down, then pantomimes smashing it. My favorite is from the "Miraculous Serum" where a doctor listens for a dying woman's breathing without putting the stethoscope in his ears first. Ha!
But these stories don't deserve to be laughed at. Seeing these shows made so long ago with such clarity is one of the greater gifts of the DVD revolution and I would recommend "Tales of Tomorrow" to anyone who loves television in general. I'd love to see another installment, perhaps with a documentary. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

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Alfred Hitchcock Presents - Season Three (1955) Review

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(More customer reviews)Three of the episodes in the third season of ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS were directed by Hitchcock himself: "The Perfect Crime," "Lamb to the Slaughter" and "Dip in the Pool." The rest were overseen by a number of fine directors, including Robert Altman, Arthur Hiller and Don Taylor. MCA/Universal's large talent pool supplied the many fine actors who appeared in this and all the other seasons the show was in production.
By season #3, ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS had really hit its stride. This DVD set is a terrific package of some of the finest programming the Golden Age of Televison ever produced. The first two years of the show are also available in complete season box sets.
For a fine bargain-priced compilation of Hitch's British-era movies, try the ULTIMATE HITCHCOCK COLLECTION. It offers 18 vintage titles as well as two TV episodes.
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This program list is sequential by airdate. Included on it are 1 to 10 viewer poll ratings, titles and the most prominent actors for each episode.
(9.1) (.#1) The Glass Eye (10/6/57) - Billy Barty/William Shatner/Jessica Tandy
(8.6) (.#2) The Mail Order Prophet (10/13/57) - Jack Klugman/E.G. Marshall
(8.3) (.#3) The Perfect Crime (10/20/57) - Vincent Price/James Gregory
(8.6) (.#4) Heart of Gold (10/27/57) - Daryl Hickman/Nehemiah Persoff/Mildred Dunnock
(9.0) (.#5) Silent Witness (11/3/57) - Don Taylor/Patricia Hitchcock
(8.9) (.#6) Reward To Finder (11/10/57) - Oskar Homolka/Jo Van Fleet/Claude Akins
(9.0) (.#7) Enough Rope For Two (11/17/57) - Steven Hill/Jean Hagen/Steve Brodie
(8.6) (.#8) The Last Request (11/24/57) - Harry Guardino/Cara Williams/Hugh Marlowe
(9.0) (.#9) The Young One (12/1/57) - Carol Lynley/Vince Edwards/Jeanette Nolan
(8.8) (#10) The Diplomatic Corpse (12/8/57) - Peter Lorre/George Peppard/Mary Scott
(8.8) (#11) The Deadly (12/15/57) - Phyllis Thaxter/Craig Stevens/Frank Gerstle
(8.8) (#12) Miss Paisley's Cat (12/22/57) - Dorothy Stickney/Raymond Bailey
(8.8) (#13) Night of the Execution (12/29/57) - Vinton Haworth/Pat Hingle
(8.8) (#14) The Percentage (1/5/58) - Don Keefer/Walter Woolf King/Carole Mathews
(8.8) (#15) Together (1/12/58) - Joseph Cotten/Florence MacAfee/Christine White
(8.3) (#16) Sylvia (1/19/58) - Ann Todd/Phillip Reed/John McIntire/Raymond Bailey
(8.8) (#17) The Motive (1/26/58) - Skip Homeier/Carl Betz/Kay Stewart
(8.3) (#18) Miss Bracegirdle Does Her Duty (2/2/58) - Mildred Natwick/Gavin Muir
(8.4) (#19) The Equalizer (2/9/58) - Leif Erickson/Martin Balsam/Norma Crane
(???) (#20) On the Nose (2/15/58) - Jan Sterling/Carl Betz/Holly Bane
(8.9) (#21) Guest for Breakfast (2/23/58) - Joan Tetzel/Scott McKay/Richard Shepard
(8.2) (#22) The Return of the Hero (3/2/58) - Jacques Bergerac/Susan Kohner
(8.7) (#23) The Right Kind of House (3/9/58) - Jeanette Nolan/James Drury/Robert Emhardt
(8.5) (#24) The Foghorn (3/16/58) - Barbara Bel Geddes/Michael Rennie
(???) (#25) Flight to the East (3/23/58) - Gary Merrill/Harvey Stephans
(7.4) (#26) Bull in a China Shop (3/30/58) - Dennis Morgan/Estelle Winwood/Ellen Corby
(8.6) (#27) Disappearing Trick (4/6/58) - Robert Horton/Raymond Bailey/Jack Albertson
(9.0) (#28) Lamb to the Slaughter (4/13/58) - Barbara Bel Geddes/Harold J. Stone
(???) (#29) Fatal Figures (4/20/58) - John McGiver/Vivian Nathan
(???) (#30) Death Sentence (4/27/57) - James Best/Steve Brodie/Frank Gerstle
(???) (#31) The Festive Season (5/4/58) - Richard Waring/Carmen Mathews
(7.6) (#32) Listen, Listen! (5/11/58) - James Westmoreland/Adam Williams/Kitty Kelly
(9.0) (#33) Post Mortem (5/18/58) - Steve Forrest/Joanna Cook Moore/James Gregory
(8.0) (#34) The Crocodile Case (5/25/58) - Denholm Elliot/Patricia Hitchcock
(7.9) (#35) Dip in the Pool (6/1/58) - Keenan Wynn/Fay Wray
(???) (#36) The Safe Place (6/8/58) - Robert H. Harris/Jerry Paris
(8.2) (#37) The Canary Sedan (6/15/58) - Jessica Tandy/Gavin Muir
(???) (#38) The Impromptu Murder (6/22/58) - Hume Cronyn/Doris Lloyd
(8.8) (#39) Little White Frock (6/29/58) - Herbert Marshall/Tom Helmore/Julie Adams


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Perry Mason - The Third Season - Vol. 2 (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)[Note: I entered this same review for Season 3, Vol. 1, too.]
I appreciate the reasons for consumer gripes regarding the Perry Mason DVD releases. Like other Amazon reviewers, I'd like to pay less and see complete seasons rather than half-seasons released at a time.
I'd also like two-dollar gas, killer abs, and a winning lottery ticket, but they're not gonna happen either, so I'll just say here and now that Paramount has done a superb job of remastering the PM series for us diehards, and I encourage the company to stick with the project.
When I look at the quality of the prints, that the episodes have been restored in their entirety, that the episodes are generally longer than most of today's popular dramatic series, and the plain fact that paying several bucks for each episode of one of my all-time favorite shows is no big hit on my wallet when it's spread out over months and years, I'm okay with the pricing and staggered releases. (And no, I don't work for or represent Paramount, and yes, like everyone else I have only so much disposable income in any given month.)
I even bought the PM 50th Anniversary set for its extras and for the lovely Barbara Hale (sometimes joined by series producer/director Arthur Marks) providing the intros. It was worth the price and the duplication of episodes.
I expect many of my fellow Amazon reviewers will take the time to skewer me for my take on Paramount's approach, and that's okay. It's all a matter of opinion and perspective. But for me, the fact that Paramount is providing us fans with such great prints of the PM series is cause for celebration. "You get what you pay for," the saying goes, and my money is being well-spent.

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Perry Mason is an attorney who specializes in defending seemingly indefensible cases. With the aid of his secretary Della Street and investigator Paul Drake, he often finds that by digging deeply into the facts, startling facts can be revealed. Often relying on his outstanding courtroom skills, he often tricks or traps people into unwittingly admitting their guilt.

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Gunsmoke - The First Season (1955) Review

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(More customer reviews)I applaud this release of the entire first season of Gunsmoke on DVD, and hope the remainder of the best TV western ever made will also be released.
Gunsmoke, the longest running western in TV history (or TV drama for that matter at 20 years and 635 episodes), is complex and textured, dealing with mature themes and unforgettable characters that became part of our culture. It was billed as the first `adult western.'
I grew up watching the series, which debuted in 1955 as a half-hour black and white show then progressed to an hour in its seventh season, and began being produced in color in 1966.
The original opening depicted the Marshall in a fast-draw gunfight against a villain he killed, but this was toned down years later after groups complained of violence. As a result, rather than seeing the villain fall dead, the camera instead stayed only on Dillon as he drew his `peacemaker.' In the 70's, the opening eliminated the gunfight altogether and depicted Dillon riding quickly across the range. In the 1960's, early episodes of the series were rebroadcast as `Marshall Dillon.'
The much-honored and beloved show went off the air in 1975. Thirty-nine glorious black and white half-hour shows comprise this incredible set.
Few need to be told what his western depicted: It's the story of Marshall Matt Dillon (played to perfection by James Arness) who tamed the lawless Dodge City, Kansas, in 1873. He did so not only with his six-shooter but with his courage, sense of honor, justice and irreproachable integrity behind the badge.
A radio show predated the TV series and aired from 1952 to 1961. The radio Marshall was voiced by William Conrad (who later portrayed the lead role of the portly private investigator `Cannon' in the 1970's.) When CBS decided to produce a TV series, Conrad wanted the role, but wasn't chosen because of his girth. The rumor that western icon John `Duke' Wayne was offered the pivotal role of Dillon, but he turned it down and instead recommended his good friend Arness, has largely been debunked.
In addition to Dillon, the core characters are Miss Kitty Russell (Amanda Blake), owner of the Longbranch Saloon and Matt's long-time love and lover; the crusty but sensitive Doctor Galen Adams (Milburn Stone); and Deputy Chester Goode (Dennis Weaver). Burt Reynolds also had a recurring role as Quint Asper from 1962-1965. Ken Curtis replaced Goode as `Matthew's' Deputy Festus Haggen, who portrayed the loveable deputy who couldn't read from 1959 through the end of the series. Gunsmith then deputy Newly O'Brien (portrayed by Buck Taylor) moved to Dodge City in 1967 and remained until the show went off the air. Pat Hingle portrayed hard-nosed Doctor John Chapman for six episodes in 1971 when Milburn Stone left briefly for health reasons.
Arness and Stone remained through the series entire 20-year run, while Blake brilliantly portrayed the red-headed Kitty for 19 seasons.
Weekly guest stars represented the cream of the acting crop for decades! Here's an example: Bette Davis, Victor French, Morgan Woodward, Jack Elam, Denver Pyle, Jeanette Nolan, Jim Davis, Warren Oates, Jacqueline Scott, George Kennedy, Ed Nelson, Michael Learned, Forrest Tucker, Paul Fix, Slim Pickens, Bruce Dern, Harry Morgan, Steve Forfest, Richard Kiley, Beverly Garland and Leonard Nimoy.
Here are the episodes included in this boxed set: Matt Gets It (Debut); Hot Spell; Word of Honor; Home Surgery; Obie Tater; Night Incident; Smoking Out the Nolans; Kite's Reward; The Hunter; The Queue; General Parcley Smith; Magnus; Reed Survives; Professor Lute Bone; No Handcuffs; Reward for Matt; Robin Hood; Yorky; 20-20; Reunion '78; Helping Hand; Tap Day for Kitty; Indian Scout; The Pest Hole; The Big Board; Hack Prine; Cooter; The Killer; Doc's Revenge; The Preacher; How to Die for Nothing; Dutch George; Prairie Happy; Chester's Mail Order Bride; The Guitar; Cara; Mr. and Mrs. Amber; Unmarked Grave; and Alarm and Pleasant Valley.


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Marshall Matt Dillon is responsible for keeping the law and respectability in Dodge City in this western action-drama.Gunsmoke captured the courage, character and spirit of the Western Frontier.

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The Rockford Files - Season Five Review

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(More customer reviews)Season Five continued the fine writing and impeccible acting that defined The Rockford Files as one of televisions best ever offerings.
In addition, this season has some fantastic guest stars: Rita Moreno, Bo Hopkins, Tom Selleck, Abe Vigoda, Robert Loggia, Jason Evers, Robert Alda, Kathryn Harrold, Mary Fran, Erin Gray, Ted Shackelford, Paul Koslo, Dennis Dugan and Harold Gould to name just a few.
A few of my favorite episodes from this season include:
White on White and nearly Perfect - Wherein Jim works with Lance White (Tom Selleck), a goody two shoes Detective who always comes up smelling like a rose, usually at Rockford's expense.
Black Mirror - A two parter where Jim protects and falls in love with a blind psychologist played by the scrumptious Kathryn Harrold.
A Different Drummer - A strange but absorbing tale that has Rockford on the trail of a sociopath who is harvesting organs from live donors.
Episode list and original air dates are as follows:
Heartaches of a Fool 9/22/1978
Rosendahl and Gilda Stern Are Dead 9/29/1978
The Jersey Bounce 10/6/1978
White on White and Nearly Perfect 10/20/1978
Kill the Messenger 10/27/1978
The Empty Frame 11/3/1978
A Three-Day Affair With a Thirty-Day Escrow 11/10/1978
A Good Clean Bust With Sequel Rights 11/17/1978
Black Mirror (1) 11/24/1978
Black Mirror (2) 11/24/1978
A Fast Count 12/1/1978
Local Man Eaten by Newspaper 12/8/1978
With the French Heel Back, Can the Nehru Jacket Be Far Behind? 1/5/1979
The Battle-Ax and the Exploding Cigar 1/12/1979
Guilt 1/19/1979
The Deuce 1/26/1979
The Man Who Saw the Alligators 2/10/1979
The Return of the Black Shadow 2/17/1979
A Material Difference 2/24/1979
Never Send a Boy King to Do a Man's Job (1) 3/3/1979
Never Send a Boy King to Do a Man's Job (2) 3/3/1979
A Different Drummer 4/13/1979
What a shame there's only one more season (and a truncated one at that) of the Rockford files to go after this. Hopefully they'll include all the reunion shows with the 12 episodes of Season Six.
Oh and don't forget "At the tone leave your name and number, I'll get back to you."

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Degrassi Junior High - Season 3 (1989) Review

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(More customer reviews)I discovered Degrassi in the dark years when my parents canceled cable and I was relegated to public television in the afternoons. What I've rediscovered is that when you watch one episode, you can't stop...you have to keep going through 4 or 5. This season was excellent, though Stephanie Kaye is sorely missed.
The old school Degrassi far exceeds the "next generation" for one simple reason: it's painfully honest. You look at them and remember when you had an outfit that bad, or braces that shiny, or a crush on a guy who actually wore tight jeans... The Next Generation is too slick and too good looking - part of the allure of the old Degrassi is that it shows that adolescence is brutal and awkward, but it does get better.
Some behind the scenes features and interviews would be awesome - it'd be interesting to see what the old bunch is up to now and what they think of the show.

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Go to school with the show in a class by itself--and get real! Hailed as "groundbreaking," "powerful," and "totally authentic," Degrassi Junior High confronts it all- friendship, puberty, rumors, sports, studies, and more- with a refreshing ensemble cast and a unique teen's-eye-view of life. Sometimes moving, sometimes shocking, but always believable, Degrassi Junior Highis a classic for teens of all ages. All your favorite characters and storylines are waiting- find your seat- school's open!Includes all sixteen episodes of Degrassi Junior High from Season 3: Can't Live with ‘Em, Parts 1 and 2; A Big Girl Now; Season's Greetings; Loves Me, Loves Me Not; He Ain't Heavy; The Whole Truth; Star-Crossed; Food for Thought; Twenty Bucks; Taking Off, Parts 1 and 2; Making Whoopee; Black and White; Pa-arty!; and Bye-Bye Junior High.

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Jake & The Fatman: Second Season (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have a lot of free time while I'm sitting in motels. I like taking these old crime shows with me because I can simply watch one show, or several. Joe Penny is great in almost everything he does. The Fatman adds a little humor to the crime show.

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Item Name: Jake & The Fatman: Second Season; Studio:Paramount

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Leverage: The Complete Second Season (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)After the success of their freshman season, the gang from Leverage: The First Season are back and have relocated to Beantown to right the wrongs committed against regular people who have nowhere else to turn. They have all found that after doing good deeds, crime just isn't what it used to be. Whether it's tangling with the Irish mob, dealing with a shady boxing promoter, returning a corrupt investment banker's ill gotten gains, or ensuring that an inheritance goes to the rightful heir, all exhibit the savvy wit and quirkiness that has become the Leverage signature.
Thank goodness for TNT - which produces some of the best dramas on television. With plenty of nail biting action, humor, great music soundtrack, and ripped from the headline stories, the momentum just keeps building. And the chemistry among the cast is first rate, seamlessly adding Jeri Ryan to the cast late in the season when Gina Bellman (Sophie) took a hiatus due to her pregnancy. One of my favorite scenes is in the first episode when hacker Hardison introduces himself and Parker as detectives Costigan and Costello - an homage to the outstanding film The Departed (Widescreen Edition). My only gripe? The seasons are much too short.


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Police Woman - The Complete First Season (1974) Review

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(More customer reviews)In 1975, this became the hottest show in the United States and many other countries, and ALSO became the first successful drama series in TV history to feature a woman in the title role.
And although this may sound like faint praise, in an era where Emma Peel had regrettably become a faded memory, if it hadn't been for "Police Woman", there literally would have been no (albeit more-fanciful) "Charlies Angels", "Wonder Woman", "Bionic Woman" or, a few years later, muscular "Cagney & Lacey".
But suffice it to say that Season 1 of "Police Woman" is easily its best year: the show was, for the period, edgy and focused, with Angie Dickinson (then) chewing the scenery with a mesmerizing blend of toughness and effervesence; and her chemistry with co-star and onscreen boss Earl Holliman is very good as well... In this freshman season, "Police Woman" often felt like a taut, foreboding movie, both dark and sun-streaked... No wonder it went to Number One for a few months.
Subsequent seasons weren't quite the same... There was pressure to tone down Miss Dickinson's almost effortless sex-appeal, and in so caving to pressure, the series wound-up squelching her personal power and strength as well, and so the show went off-track a bit: as a result, only about 50% of the episodes of seasons 2 and 3 are really up to par, and season 4 contained just a small handful of good installments.
Perhaps all that's why the show seems to have disappeared from view for quite a while...
Regardless, season 1 is an absolutely great '70s cop show classic-- funny, dramatic, a bit shocking for TV (at the time) in places, with a moody and often-cinematic '70s flavor--- and Angie Dickinson and Earl Holliman NEVER had such a good vehicle.
4/17/06: Unfortunately, no one seems to know it's on DVD, and the mediocre sales reflect that. Plus, it hasn't been available much for a while, so the kids haven't seen it.

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Smart and sexy, tough and brassy. Meet Sergeant Suzanne "Pepper" Anderson, LAPD's top undercover cop. A member of the Criminal Conspiracy Unit, Pepper works the wild side of the street, where she poses as everything from a gangster's moll to a streetwalker to a prison inmate. Join Golden Globe-winner Angie Dickinson and guest stars Cathy Rigby, Larry Hagman, Pat Morita, Bob Crane and Philip Michael Thomas for 22 episodes and the 2 hour pilot of explosive crime-fighting action and excitement in POLICE WOMAN: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON.

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