After having two successful films, Kung Fu Panda made its way onto the small screen as an animated show for Nickelodeon.  Though I wasn’t the biggest fan of the films, I could still appreciate the charm and allure of Po, the Dragon warrior who just so happens to be a Panda.  In the films Jack Black voiced the character of Po, and it’s his goofiness that seemed to make Po so likeable.  But on the small screen, the studios can throw down the healthy chunk of money that the A list actors take in when doing the voice work for the full-length films.  As luck would have it Mike Wingert would take over the voice work of the title character, and he does a remarkable job filling in.

For this DVD release we don’t get an entire season but only seven episodes that include some of Po’s most mischievous foes, the Croc bandits.  Helping me review this batch of awesomeness was my girlfriend’s six-year-old daughter Makayla.  She was a little reluctant at first considering she wasn’t too big a fan of the movies, but after the catchy opening credit music played, she was settled in and ready to watch.

"Life's A Long Song"

That has certainly been true for the iconic British invasion band, Jethro Tull. Their first album came out in 1968, and they made their maiden tour of The United States the next year as the opening act for Led Zeppelin. From that point on the band has experienced both ups and downs, to be sure. Still, they continue to play nearly 100 shows a year throughout the world. Jethro Tull: Around The World offers a peek at their traveling minstrel show over the span of 35 years from 1970 to 2005. It's a rare glimpse into the evolution and, indeed, the aging of a rock classic. One might say that it's about time.

How do you cope with loss? Do you numb yourself so you don’t feel anything? Or do you lash out in anger, making everyone else feel as bad as you? Do you do seek help or do something drastic? Least Among Saints explores that concept, looking at the various types of loss and hurt from different perspectives and age demographics while exploring the way to redemption.

Anthony (Martin Papazian, TV’s 24, and also this film’s writer and director) is an Iraq War veteran whose return to civilian life has not been easy. Suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Anthony drinks to forget the horrors of war and the fact that his ex-wife has a restraining order against him. After a particularly bad day, he decides to end it all. His suicide is interrupted by the frantic cries for help from his 10-year-old neighbor, Wade (Tristan Lake Leabu, Superman Returns), whose mother has overdosed on drugs. Anthony rushes Wade and his mom to the hospital, where she dies shortly after. Realizing Wade has no one and nowhere to go, Anthony convinces Wade’s social worker, Jolene (Laura San Giacomo, TV’s Just Shoot Me!), to let Wade stay with him, against her better judgment. Back at Anthony’s, Wade shows Anthony a postcard from his father and tells him that he wants to find him. Even though Anthony doubts they’ll find him, he agrees. The two set off on a road trip, defying Jolene’s explicit instructions. As they grow closer, Anthony realizes he must overcome his demons if he is to be the father figure Wade needs.

And then there was only one. More than a decade after CSI began to spin itself off to Miami and then New York, the last standing series is the original. And while even the franchise flagship has undergone cast and even style changes, it remains a ratings winner and appears to maintain an appeal the other shows never could quite capture. Not that we can call either of these spinoff adventures a failure. Both saw pretty much a decade, which is far longer than 90% of television shows ever see. Both had their own unique vision and niche that appealed to a broader group of fans. And while I never completely warmed up to the Miami version, I always rather liked the New York version, at times better than the original.

The reason could be found in the person of Gary Sinise. He's a strong actor, and he happen to have fallen into the perfect part. He became Mac Taylor for most of the fans, and it will be a lonelier television landscape without him.