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Television

Wildboyz – The Complete First Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 13th, 2005

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At first glance when watching the MTV show Wildboyz with Steve O and the party boy Chris Pontius, one can easily say that some of the Jackass brethren found a nice little niche for themselves, with a nature appreciation show that could be described as National Geographic under the influence of Nyquil.

There is a quality to this show however that makes it worth revisiting several times, more than even Jackass would warrant. At the most basic element, MTV has given these guys a bunch of m…
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Chappelle’s Show – The Complete First Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 13th, 2005

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Dave Chappelle and I are the same. Well, he’s a year younger than me. And he’s black. But we’re both from Washington DC, but I live in the suburbs, and usually never go into the downtown area unless someone dared me. But he’s a lot funnier than me, and Comedy Central decided to give him a 12 episode commitment on their network after seeing him in such films as Half Baked, Screwed and Undercover Brother.

And quietly, Dave has put together a smart, funny show that everyone instantly dismi…
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Jonny Quest – The Complete First Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 13th, 2005

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This show the bomb diggity yo! Seriously though, Jonny Quest in a way revolutionized cartoons in the sense of realism that they tried to convey. Some of the cartoons that have come out since have done a pretty good job of it, but not too many shows were touching on topics such as laser technology, rockets and other concepts then looked at as “futuristic.” And put up against other shows of that era, the animation on Jonny Quest had an almost comic-book like feel to it, and it was a nice change of pace from the …
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South Park – The Complete Fifth Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 13th, 2005

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I must admit that season 5 of South Park was not one of my favorites. I didn’t mind the more permanent death of Kenny. OK, I did mind losing Kenny, but that wasn’t what really brought the series down. It appears that the crudeness found in season 5 has no other purpose than for shock value which in itself is lost on South Park fans. You just can’t shock us anymore.

An episode with a running counter for how often SHIT appears is a perfect indication of how run down things had gotten. Don’t get me wrong. The…
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Green Acres – The Complete Second Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 13th, 2005

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Synopsis

The set-up for Green Acres is that we have a city couple (Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor) whohave forsaken the big city sophistication of New York for the titular verdant acres near the townof Hooterville. So there’s plenty of fish-out-of-water humour (Albert dressing in a suit in thecountry, Gabor a completely incapable housfrau), not to mention numerous slack-jawed yokels.This is pretty standard late-60s sitcom humour, so we’re not talking enormous sophisticationhere, and the…
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Men Behaving Badly – Seasons One and Two

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 12th, 2005

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No, this is not the NBC series from the mid-90’s starring Rob Schneider. This is the original UK show. All 12 episodes from the first two seasons are available here on 2 discs. In fact, it’s not just a two disc set, but two completely separate releases packaged together.

At first, I was a little surprised that this mediocre show lasted for six full seasons. I changed my mind, however, when I thought about such American staples as Family Matters and Boy Meets World. They are not great monuments…
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Shield, The – The Complete Third Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 11th, 2005

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It’s hard to imagine that just 10 years ago Steven Bochco stirred up a hornet’s nest with the introduction of NYPD Blue. I say hard to imagine because after just three seasons The Shield has taken commercial TV to heights unimagined by anyone 10 years ago. Vic Mackey doesn’t just rough up suspects. He controls the streets he patrols. He’s not even above killing another cop to keep his thumb on crime in the Barrio district of L.A. Michael Chiklis, once known as the fatherly kind cop on The Commish, has t…
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La Femme Nikita – The Complete Second Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 9th, 2005

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Synopsis

As with such other series as The X-Files, this is less about single-episode adventuresthan about a long, complex storyline. As a result, I can’t even pretend to understand what the hellis going on here, and so turn the synopsis over to the box copy: “‘You’re one of us now,’Nikita is told. But has she truly abandoned her compassionate nature and become anunquestioning member of the soulless covert organization called Section One? Or has shemastered the group’s knack f…
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MI-5, Volume 2

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 7th, 2005

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Five discs, ten episodes, one amazing show.

For those that are unaware, MI-5 (or Spooks, as it is called in the UK) is a popular spy series set in London. While some similarities will inevitably be drawn to ABC‘s Alias, MI-5 is an excellent show in its own right. I highly recommend that those that are new to the series start with Season One of the show and work their way up. Starting in the middle of a series cliffhanger is never a good idea, as I learned all-too-late. Of course,…
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Gilligan’s Island – The Complete Second Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 6th, 2005

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There are two kinds of men on the planet; those that are fans of Gilligan‘s Island, and those that are not. Now, every man will gladly participate in the Ginger vs. Mary Ann debate, but as for actually liking the show for it’s intended purpose, that‘s something different altogether. I must admit, I am not a fan. I find the show unbearably lame, and have a hard time putting aside my desire for quality programming to enjoy the campy and carefree nature of the classic series.

There are a whopping 32 epi…
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Coupling – The Complete Fourth Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 4th, 2005

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The complete fourth season of the UK’s hit show Coupling arrives on DVD in 6 exciting episodes.

Wait a minute…did I just say “complete season” and “6 episodes” in the same breath? Unfortunately, yes. Now, I can’t really blame the DVD producers; they’re just putting out content that has already been made. Television seasons are short in the UK… what are you going to do? The rumor is that season five has been ordered for production by the BBC, but the show is currently on hiatus, so there is no guarant…
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Hogan’s Heroes – The Complete First Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 2nd, 2005

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Synopsis

Do you really need an introduction? If you’re reading this review, you know the series, don’tyou? You know this is the story of Stalag 13, where the unfortunate Colonel Klink and the idioticSergeant Schultz are the straight men to the madcap antics of Colonel Hogan (Bob Crane) andhis men. Hogan and company are prisoners in name only, constantly ferrying out other POWsand otherwise creating chaos for the German war machine.

As a war sitcom (the premise is, of course,…
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Sweet Valley High — The Complete First Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 2nd, 2005

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Synopsis

Here you go, 22 episodes of something that feels like a sitcom version of Beverly Hills90210). At the centre of the stories are twin sisters Elizabeth and Jessica (Cynthia andBrittany Daniel). Both are gorgeous blondes, but one is shallow, image-obsessed and stuck-up,while the other is bookish and kind. And don’t ask me which one is which; I can’t keep themstraight. Neither can anyone else, which leads to all sorts of misadventures (with ValuableLessons Learned). The…
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Greatest American Hero – The Complete First Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 25th, 2005

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Every now and again a show comes along that on the surface probably isn’t that great. Still, something about it endears itself to you, and you might never completely understand it yourself. The Greatest American Hero is one of those shows. Created by the same man who created James Rockford, Stephen Cannell, The Greatest American Hero was a welcome change to the run of hero shows that preceded it. Robert Culp is pure genius as “by the book” FBI agent Bill Maxwell. Connie Sellecca delivers a little more than scenery or…
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Charmed – The Complete First Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on February 25th, 2005

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There’s gotta be some reason why Charmed has stuck around for as long as it has. What started as a show created by Aaron Spelling, starring Shannon Doherty (Beverly Hills 90210) and goddess to internet pervs everywhere in Alyssa Milano (Embrace of the Vampire) has been a staple in the WB lineup for its 7th season now. Even though the show did have to change out Doherty several seasons ago, replacing her with Rose McGowan, the adventures of the Halliwell sisters are still going strong.

Dukes of Hazzard – The Complete Second Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on February 25th, 2005

In the midst of Hollywood rehashing old TV shows from the 70s and 80s, they’ve been working on a big screen version of The Dukes of Hazzard. I will repeat that because I think that it bears repeating. Somebody in Hollywood greenlit a movie with Stifler and Johnny Knoxville as Bo and Luke Duke, and Jessica Simpson as their cousin Daisy, as they taunt and evade Boss Hogg played by, wait for it….Burt Reynolds. Someone should be brought up on charges for this, because that sound you’re hearing is Hollywood scrapin…
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Angel – The Complete Fifth Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 20th, 2005

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In the world of television spinoffs it is rare that the newer material will live up to that which spawned it. All In The Family holds the record for number of spinoffs and coincidentally produced the most memorable. Frasier was an instant hit after Cheers. But how many of you remember After-MASH or Beverly Hills Buntz?

Angel, to anyone living under a rock, dates back to the pilot episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. I recently took another look at that maiden appearance. Who says vampires don’t age? This i…
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Brady Bunch – The Complete First Season, The

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on February 17th, 2005

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Synopsis

So here we go with Season One, presumably before Florence Henderson and Barry Williamswere carrying on behind the scenes (one hopes). Here is the pilot episode (wherein the LovelyLady and the Man Named Brady tie the knot). The first season also has such episodes as theone where the parents switch roles in looking after the kids, the one where Peter’s pride in beinga hero drives everyone else nuts, and the one where the kids try to convince prospective buyersthat their home …
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Kung Fu – The Complete Second Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on February 15th, 2005

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Kwai Chang Caine is back for another season of mayhem and mistaken-accusations on the second season of Kung Fu. How is it that trouble never ceases to track this guy down? It seems that every episode begins with Caine walking along, minding his own business, and the next thing you know, he is accused of murder. It would be ridiculous, if it wasn’t so fun to watch!

The themes of these episodes have evolved from the basics covered in season one. In the first season, racism was a dominant theme of the s…
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Arrested Development – The Complete First Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on February 13th, 2005

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I may have been late to the rapidly growing bandwagon of admirers of the TV comedy Arrested Development, though it was kinda cool to see David Cross (Mr. Show) get onto a network show that would have appeared to been lucky to stay around for a whole season, in a sitcom where the main character was played by Jason Bateman. I mean, Jason Bateman! A guy who was known as Justine’s brother who bounced around from sitcom to sitcom and was virtually off the radar, playing bit parts in other harmless comedies. …
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Soap – The Complete Third Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on February 3rd, 2005

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Soap is a curious soap opera parody from the late 1970?s. It has a quality ensemble cast, Richard Mulligan, Robert Guilliaume, Katherine Helmond, and much younger Billy Crystal (to name a few). Soap was a bit groundbreaking for its time, as it tackled some hot button issues (homosexuality being one). But the show is committed to its ridiculousness; alien abductions, demon possession, and prison breaks confirm Soap?s bizarre and wacky charm.

Audio

The Dolby Digital 2….
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Taxi – The Complete Second Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on February 2nd, 2005

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There is cause for joy for TV sitcom fans. Taxi‘s second season is now on DVD. It’s an important season to own, since the show develops more memorable characters like Reverend Jim and Simka (played by the great Christopher Lloyd and Carol Kane). But series regulars, like Alex, Latka, Louis, Nardo, Tony, and Bobby Wheeler, all show more depth here. Taxi really came into its own in the second year, and its multiple Emmy awards were justified. All 24 episodes are here. Farcical but human, Taxi…
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Star Trek Voyager – The Complete Seventh Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 30th, 2005

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In Season Seven, Voyager returns home and like Deep Space Nine and The Next Generation, the third Star Trek spin-off wraps up. The final episode “Endgame” is not as dramatic as the finales for the other shows. I guess it becomes anticlimactic when you have known for 7 years how this was going to end. The f/x are some of the best in Trek TV history, however. This is truly a visually stunning episode. The season is about on par with Season 6. Stories continue to grow stale. Even the Seven of Nine s…
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I Love Lucy – The Complete Third Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 26th, 2005

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Synopsis

Season Three of the much-loved series, and the ad copy can describe what’s here better thanI could. I quote: “Laugh out loud as Lucy and Ethel rip each other’s dresses to shreds during theirtelevised duet of Cole Porter’s ‘Friendship.’ Watch the fireworks when Lucy has to go 24 hourswithout telling a fib. Follow Lucy as her quest to recover a contest-winning dollar bill lands herin a giant starch vat.” And so on. This is the series that pretty much set the standards for sitco…
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Carnivale – The Complete First Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 22nd, 2005

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To put it succinctly, HBO has done it again. The network simply has no fear. It prides itself on bringing groundbreaking programming to the masses, laughing in the face of such cookie-cutter faire as American Idol and Two And A Half Men. First there was Sex and the City, then the behemoth that is The Soprano’s, and now we have Carnivale.

I love TV shows that feel they don’t have to explain themselves, and this series is certainly that. Think “David Lynch vs. the Jim Rose C…
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