‘Mission: Impossible’ BD Re-issue Will Appeal To Series’ Most Devoted Fans

Courtesy: CBS DVD/Paramount

Retro television networks are among the greatest networks out there today.  They are free and they offer audiences who grew up during television’s golden age (which ended, sadly in the late 90s) a great, safe alternative to all of the garbage that currently pollutes the airwaves.  From the likes of The Munsters and Emergency! to Betwitched, Black Sheep Squadron, and The Flintstones, networks, such as Me-TV, CoziTV, H&I, and Antenna TV have grown in popularity as worthwhile viewing options steadily decline on broadcast television (and even streaming outlets).  While the retro networks that are out there offer so much great programming, there are still some shows from TV’s golden age that are still not on any of those networks.  One of those shows is the timeless action/adventure series Mission: Impossible.  Luckily though, the series has gotten new life on Blu-ray thanks to the folks at Paramount and CBS DVD.  The series was re-issued Dec. 1 on Blu-ray marking the first time that the series has ever received the Blu-ray treatment.  Its release last week comes more than seven years after the series’ most recent DVD release in 2012.  This latest presentation is as good as the series’ most recent DVD release if not a little better.  That is proven in part through the presentation’s collective audio and video quality, which will be discussed shortly.  The one negative to the set is its lack of any bonus content.  This does detract from the set’s presentation at least to a point.  It will be discussed a little later.  The collection’s packaging is a slight positive that deserves its own examination.  It will be addressed later, too.  All things considered, the new Blu-ray presentation of Mission: Impossible – The Original TV Series a presentation that every vintage television fan will appreciate.

Paramount and CBS DVD’s new Blu-ray re-issue of Mission: Impossible – The Original TV Series is a mostly positive presentation that will appeal easily to fans of real television.  That is proven in part through its production values; its audio and video.  Considering the age of the footage (the show ran from 1966 – 1973 over seven seasons), the audio and video is largely impressive.  There are a few moments here and there in which audiences will find themselves having to adjust the volume as the episodes progress, but those moments are so few that it cannot be said that they really detract from the series’ presentation.  The explosions, car chases and everything else are well-balanced with the dialogue throughout the series.  Adding to the pleasure brought by the audio is the largely high quality in the video.  The colors that were used in the scenery are so rich.  The explosions (everyone’s favorite part of the show) are bright and fully capturing for viewers.  Even ordinary scenes, such as jail cells, hotel rooms in which the team stays on its missions, and car scenes look full.  This is a tribute to those who transferred the footage from the series’ previous standalone season sets and its most recent full-series set.  The full impact of the set’s production sets a strong foundation for this re-issue.  Considering the strength of this aspect and the award-winning series’ equally enjoyable writing, those aesthetic elements collectively give this classic series’ fans plenty to appreciate. 

While the audio and video presentation in Mission: Impossible – The Original TV Series (and the series’ writing) goes a long way toward making the series’ re-issue a success, the set is not perfect.  It is missing any bonus content.  Considering the series’ legacy and impact in America’s pop culture realm, it would have been common sense to have at least discussions on the writing (E.g. how did the writers develop the ideas for the Impossible Missions Force’s adventures).  On another note, the series saw cast changes as it progressed, along with a variety of guest stars.  The series’ first season saw guest appearances from at least two actors who appeared in timeless episodes of The Twilight Zone.  Discussions by the series’ creative heads and/or writers would have enriched this aspect even more for the series’ most devoted fans.  Considering that Mission: Impossible was yet another product of Desilu Productions (which was also responsible for other timeless series, such as The Untouuchables, Star Trek, and of course I Love Lucy) a discussion on those shows and the overall legacy of Desilu Productions would have enhanced the viewing experience even more.  All things considered here, there is so much extra content that could have been included for audiences in this latest iteration of Mission: Impossible – The Original TV Series.  The lack thereof does not make the series’ re-issue a failure, but there is no denying how much it does detract from the series.  Without that content, the re-issue is essentially a bare bones presentation.  Thankfully though, the content in the episodes does manage to make up for that lack of still keep viewers fully engaged and entertained.  Keeping all of this in mind, there is still one more aspect of the set to examine.  That aspect is its packaging.

The packaging for the new Blu-ray re-issue of Mission: Impossible – The Original TV Series is another interesting aspect of the set.  That is because while it is an improvement over that of the series’ DVD release, it is still imperfect.  The previous set contained all of the series’ discs on their own discs inside cans that are themselves inside a bigger package shaped like a stick of dynamite.  The overall packaging was bulky and anything but ergonomic.  What’s more, getting the discs in and out of the inner cases was problematic in its own right.  By comparison, this set’s packaging uses gatefold style packaging for each season.  The slim cases open up to reveal the discs placed inside in their own spots.  This does make the overall packaging less bulky and more space conservative.  The problem here is that while the packaging is more ergonomic, there is nothing securing the discs inside their respective season “cases.”  The result is that the discs can easily slide right out of the “cases.”  That, in turn, increases the chances that the discs can be damaged by scratching.  Yes, it is – again – something of an improvement over the packaging for the series’ DVD set, but still does leave something to be wanted. 

Keeping everything noted here in mind, this latest presentation of Mission: Impossible proves to be such that the most devoted of the series’ fans will enjoy regardless of whether they own the previous DVD set.  That is especially considering the average price point of $118.37.  That price was obtained by taking prices from Amazon, Target, Best Buy, and Barnes & Noble Booksellers.  It was not listed at Walmart or Books-A-Million at the time of this posting.  Amazon’s price listing of $99.99 is the least expensive while Target’s listing of $132.99 easily topped that average price.  Best Buy was able to join Amazon in staying below the average price point, listing the set at $109.99.  Barnes & Noble Booksellers meanwhile was well above the average, listing the set at $130.49.  That low price of $99.99 is a welcome aspect considering, again, the aesthetic value of the primary content and the lack of bonus content.  The series did run, after all, for 171 episodes over seven seasons.  So even without bonus content, audiences will still get their money’s worth at that lowest price.  What’s more considering the series’ long run, there likely will be no perfect answer to the packaging issue.  It will always be there.  All things considered here, Paramount and CBS DVD’s latest presentation of Mission: Impossible – The Original TV Series proves itself to be, again, a welcome presentation for the series’ most devoted fans. 

CBS DVD and Paramount’s new Blu-ray re-issue of Mission: Impossible — The Original TV Series is an interesting new presentation. Audiences will assuredly appreciate the high quality of the show’s audio and video in this presentation. The lack of any bonus content does detract from the series’ presentation in this iteration, but does not ruin the set’s presentation. At the same time, that needed bonus content definitely would have benefited the set’s appeal. The packaging of this set is a step up from that of the series’ DVD set, but still poses its own problem. Keeping all of this in mind, the set’s average price point and separate listings play (primarily those at Best Buy and Amazon) make for some more appeal. Hopefully when and if the series gets its next re-issue, there will be bonus content and more improved packaging.  Regardless, it is not *ahem* impossible (yes, that awful pun was intended) to appreciate this latest presentation of a timeless series that still is not on any of the major retro TV networks.

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‘Gunsmoke’ 65th Anniversary Set Is A Lackluster Celebration Of A Classic Series

Courtesy: CBS DVD/PAramount

CBS’ classic western series Gunsmoke is unquestionably one of the most respected and revered series of any genre in the modern history of television.  The series ran approximately 20 seasons on CBS, and went on to be nominated for 15 prime time Emmy awards, six of which it won.  That is almost half of its nominations, which is not bad, to say the very least.  The series has also never been off of television since it ended its historic run in 1975.  In fact, it still runs on Me-TV to this day.  The wife of a former CBS executive – Babe Paley – is really even to blame for the series’ survival past its 12^th season and the demise of fellow CBS series Gilligan’s Island in its place.  Additionally, Gunsmoke has seen each of its 20 seasons released by themselves between 2007 and this year.  All of those standalone season sets’ releases culminated in May with what is seemingly its first-ever full-series set courtesy of CBS DVD and Paramount in the new 65^th Anniversary edition box set.  Spread across a total of 143 discs, this extensive box set will appeal mainly to the most devoted of the series’ fans.  That is due in pat to the presentation of the set’s episodes.  This will be addressed shortly.  While the presentation of the set’s episodes proves a positive for its presentation, the set’s packaging proves to be a negative that cannot be ignored.  It will be addressed a little later.  The bonus content that accompanies the episode’s primary content – its episodes – is at least slightly positive even though it still leaves audiences wanting for more.  Together with the presentation of the episodes, these two elements and the negative of the packaging make the set a presentation that only the most devoted Gunsmoke fans will appreciate.

CBS DVD and Paramount’s recently released Gunsmoke collection is a mixed bag of a presentation.  It is a presentation that while it does have its positives, it also has its negatives.  The most notable of the set’s positives is the presentation of its episodes.  Considering that the series was released in standalone sets leading up to this full series presentation, it should come as no surprise that the episodes look and sound just as good if not better as they do on television.  Sure, that grainy look is there, but even after being upscaled on a Blu-ray player, they still maintain their integrity, which is certain play well into viewers’ nostalgia.  The sound is impressive in its own right from one episode to the next.  Of course that is again little to no surprise.  That is because likely those behind the set’s assembly essentially just took the already released season sets and put them together into one large box.  That eliminated the need to go back and remaster either element.  So to that end, audiences get the same audio and video presentation here as they would have in the series’ previously released standalone season sets.  Now taking into mind the sets, this is where the set takes a turn for the worse.

Courtesy: CBS DVD/Paramount

The one clear negative to this set is its packaging.  All six of the cases that contain the series’ 635 total episodes are placed into the back of their larger box, which boasts its own artwork on the front and sides.  This is where the problem comes into play.  Audiences who fork over the $200-$300 for this set (depending on the retailer and time of year) will have the set on their DVD/BD racks for storage, or even on another shelf.  Having no backing on the box, it is so easy for the cases to fall out and break, and/or discs to fall out and get damaged in the process.  The bigger box’s artwork is great.  That should not be misunderstood.  The problem is that lack of backing.  It would have made much more sense for the cases to be placed into a box that has a bottom and full box around them.  That guarantees the safety of the separate cases and the boxes therein.  The primary artwork could have been used as a box topper that could have been lifted and replaced.  Sadly that was not the packaging decision made here.

Making things even more difficult in terms of the packaging is the way in which the series’ discs were placed.  Again, the standalone sets used for this full series set are just the previously released standalone season sets.  The discs, in many of the cases, are stacked on top of one another inside the plastic cases.  The old style of multi-disc packaging is used once again here, just as with CBS DVD/Paramount’s full series DVD sets of shows, such as I Love Lucy, The Andy Griffith Show, and even The Twilight Zone.  This packaging method greatly increases the chances that the discs will get damaged by scratching one another or even being scratched by the boxes as they are removed and replaced.  Yes, by using a more “modern” packaging method might have made the box even larger, but audiences likely would forgive that if it meant the safety of the discs.  Keeping all of this in mind, Gunsmoke: The Complete Series 65^th Anniversary’s packaging detracts from the set’s presentation, but does not make the set a total failure.  Its bonus content works with the episodes’ presentation to make the set at least somewhat worth the money.

Courtesy: CBS DVD/Paramount

The bonus content that accompanies the Gunsmoke: The Complete Series 65^th Anniversary set is sadly limited mostly to commercials in which the series’ starts took part and episode promos.  The positive doesn’t really come until Season 15.  It is in this season and each season that follows, that audiences get treated to some history of the show in a feature titled “Ben And Beckey Discuss…”  The low-budget segments are co-hosted by authors Ben Costello and Beckey Burgoine.  The duo sits in front of a drop screen that looks like one of those screens used by Olan Mills for its photos.  The backdrop is anchored by a pair of red curtains on either side, while the duo sits at a table and talks about Seasons 15-20.  Given, some of the content that the pair reveals is at least somewhat interesting, such as the lack of ego among the cast.  Burgoine points out in one of the latter season’s segments that the cast would often offer lines to one another during table reads and that the cast members cared just as much for one another’s safety on set.  The pair also talks briefly during its Season 16 segment, about how the show’s directors would just as often run shoots on single takes.  That is enlightening, and could just as easily serve as a starting point for audiences about directorial styles for directors past and present in television and movies.  During the pair’s discussion in Season 17, it is revealed that there is a direct connection between the Apollo 8 space mission and the series’ cast.  That anecdote will be left for audiences to discover on their own. Additionally, the duo discusses in the Season 20 segment, why Amanda Blake (who played Miss Kitty) did not return to the series in its final season and how that was handled in the writing.  Between all of this and more, the pair’s discussions between Season 15 and 20 will engage and entertain audiences in their own right.  The issue that all of this raises is the question of why there were no discussions in the sets for Seasons 1-14.  Up until that point, the bonus content was relegated to the noted vintage ads and episode promos.  Keeping all of this in mind, the bonus content is positive in its own right, but only to a point.  Even with this in mind, that limited content together with the episodes’ presentations comes together to make the set at least somewhat appealing to the noted Gunsmoke devotees.

Paramount and DBS DVD’s recently released Gunsmoke 65^th anniversary DVD box set is an intriguing presentation.  The audio and video presentation in the episodes is positive.  Again, that is understood just because the content is in fact just the previously released standalone sets released together in one larger box for the first time ever.  The set’s packaging detracts greatly from its presentation, but does not make it a total failure.  The bonus content that accompanies the series’ set is positive in its own right because of the “background” information that is provided to audiences in Seasons 15-20.  The problem is that said bonus content is the set’s only positive bonus content.  One is left wondering why there were no season discussions on Seasons 1-14.  Taking all of this into mind collectively, this new full series presentation of Gunsmoke is sadly a lackluster presentation that will appeal mainly to the series’ most devoted fans, especially considering its price.

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‘MacGyver: The Complete First Season’ Hindered By, But Not Stopped By Content, Pricing Problems

Courtesy: CBS Home Entertainment/Paramount Home Entertainment

MacGyver is officially back.  No, not the new, younger MacGyver, but the man, myth and legend played by Richard Dean Anderson.  Thirteen years after the original MacGyver series was last released on DVD, Paramount Home Entertainment/CBS Home Entertainment has resurrected the first season of the timeless action series on Blu-ray.  It marks the first time that the series has ever been released on Blu-ray, and while it is a welcome re-issue, due to the writing – which will be discussed shortly – it is not a perfect presentation.  That is due to a lack of any bonus material, which will be addressed a little later on.  The set’s average price point rounds out its most important elements, and will also be addressed later.  Each element noted here is important in its own right to the whole of MacGyver: The Complete First Season.  All things considered MacGyver: The Complete First Season is still a good offering from CBS Home Entertainment/Paramount Home Entertainment.

MacGyver: The Complete First Season is a good new offering from CBS Home Entertainment/Paramount Home Entertainment.  That is proven in part through the writing exhibited throughout the series’ debut season.  From the season premiere to the finale, Season One sees Angus MacGyver work taking on a wide range of scenarios around the world (although the whole season was filmed in Los Angeles).  The season premiere took MacGyver to the American Southwest in an attempt to stop a chemical leak at a secret military base, which threatened the whole region’s water supply.  Later in the season’s run, he is hired by a federal witness who is testifying against his own brother, who just happened to be an infamous drug lord.  A little later, it’s up to MacGyver to stop a mad bomber from destroying a cruise ship.  As if all of those adventures are not enough, the action and thrills continue even later in the season, as MacGyver and a young computer wiz have to work together to stop another madman from launching a pair of missiles on a California bridge.  Even closer to the season’s end, MacGyver finds himself having to avert a global crisis after a train is hijacked by Indian terrorists who want vengeance against two men who sold poisoned medicine to the terrorists’ family and friends.  Between these episodes and the 16 others that make up the rest of the season, the stories presented throughout the season offer plenty of variety for audiences, and in turn, plenty of enjoyment.  That variety in the adventures is just one aspect that makes the writing stand out.  The deeper elements of the writing deserve just as much note as the adventures that form the foundation of the writing.

The deeper elements of the seasons writing are, specifically, the seeming deeper messages presented in the adventures.  Case in point is the message of personal pride that the writers deliver in “Ugly Duckling.”  This is the episode in which MacGyver takes a young female computer hacker under his wing after a professor, respected by both figures, is inadvertently killed in an attempt to kidnap him by a group of domestic terrorists.  The young lady is extremely smart in the realm of computers, but has very low self-esteem at the same time, even calling herself ugly.  It takes MacGyver’s honesty and gentility for her to realize she should have every bit of pride in herself, both in regards to her looks and in regards to her talents with computers.  Considering the current feminist era in which Americans are living, this positive message is something that members of the MeToo movement will appreciate.  That is because it sends those messages to women in general, that it is okay to be smart and that they should not be made to feel a certain way about their bodies.  Kudos are in order to the series’ writers for this.

Staying in that vein, “Countdown,” which sees MacGyver working to keep a mad bomber from sinking a cruise liner, sees a female 1^st Officer take over as the ship’s captain after the captain is killed by one of the mad bomber’s intricate devices.  This might not seem like much on the surface, but again, it is one of those deeper elements that deserves being noted.  Putting a woman in such a high position of power was not exactly something prominent on screen back in the late 80s and early 90s (and even before that span).  So seeing her taking control of the ship, and confidently so at that – even working side-by-side so to speak – with MacGyver to save the ship, gives her even more control.  Again, this is something that was before its time, and again is certain to appeal to today’s female audiences.

“Slow Death,” which sees MacGyver dealing with Indian terrorists, presents its own deep content as MacGyver tells the group’s head that killing someone else out of vengeance for the death of one’s own people is not justice, but in fact pride, and thus its own sin.  The sequence in which this discussion takes place is no more than perhaps about five minutes in length.  Yet, even in that short time, this deep discussion on ethics and religion makes for its own interest in this case, showing yet again why the deeper content in the writing is just as important as the season’s stories.  It is most certainly not the last example that can be cited in proving the importance of the writing’s deeper elements.  The very discussion in the season premiere on the military’s weaponization of so much technology, and the discussion on family loyalty in ‘The Prodigal’ brings even more proof of the importance of the intrinsic elements of Season One’s writing.  When this is considered along with the deeper elements of the season’s other episodes, and the stories’ primary elements, the whole is unarguable proof that the writing in Season One is the most important of its overall elements.  Of course for all the good that the writing does for MacGyver’s debut season, the lack of any bonus content, does just as much bad for the set’s presentation.

A close watch of Season One’s Blu-ray re-issue reveals that there is no bonus content included in the set.  It is not the first time that the first season has lacked any bonus content either.  Research into the most recent re-issue of Season One (a DVD release from 2005) revealed that the noted set also lacked any bonus material.  This is a negative in that there is so much that could be presented, not the least of which is that deeper material included in each episode’s writing.  It would have been interesting to learn how those elements were woven into each episode.  That is because it honestly added so much heart and overall substance to each episode.  That heart is something that is so sadly lacking in so many television shows and movies today.  Also that would have been welcome is some audio commentary talking about the variety in MacGyver’s adventures connected with select episodes.  What’s more, it would have been nice to have had some kind of discussion comparing ABC’s original series to the series’ recent reboot from the vantage point of lead star Richard Dean Anderson and the rest of the cast and crew.  One could even argue in favor of discussions on shooting locations, making places around Los Angeles and the rest of the west coast look like other parts of the world.  Simply put, there are so many discussions that could have been included as secondary items to the set.  They honestly could have also added so much depth to the set’s overall presentation, especially being that Season One’s previous DVD release also lacked any bonus material, too.  Presenting Season One again sans any of those discussions detracts noticeably from the set’s presentation.  In turn, it makes the set imperfect, despite the enjoyment offered through the writing.  It also plays directly into some concerns over the set’s average price point.

The average price point of MacGyver: The Complete First Season in its new Blu-ray re-issue comes to approximately $45.61.  That price is found by averaging prices from Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Barnes & Noble Booksellers.  A search of Books-A-Million did not turn up any sign of the set.  Keeping in mind what has been noted of the season’s writing and its lack of bonus material, that average price point is slightly questionable.  It is not money wasted, considering the enjoyment offered throughout Season One’s 22 total episodes.  However,  that lack of bonus content leads one to wonder if that price point could be less expensive.  Given, it is not the nearly $80 that consumers had to pay when The Andy Griffith Show: The Complete First Season and I Love Lucy: Season One and Two were released on Blu-ray, or even when each of Star Trek: The Next Generation’s seven seasons were originally released.  Those prices have long since been reduced dramatically.  Regardless, even with 22 timeless adventures featured here, complete with plenty of substance within each adventure, one would think a price perhaps $10 less would be more fitting since that bonus material is so lacking here.  To that end, PHE/CBS Home Entertainment’s new re-issue of MacGyver: The Complete First Season is a good offering from the companies, but it could have been better.

CBS Home Entertainment/Paramount Home Entertainment’s recently released Blu-ray presentation of MacGyver: The Complete First Season is a good offering from the two companies.  It offers plenty of action and adventure that is, honestly, fun for most of the family, unlike so much of today’s television.  That is evidenced through the adventures on which MacGyver embarks in each of its 22 episodes.  The secondary content that ties into each adventure adds even more enjoyment to each episode.  It collectively gives audiences plenty to appreciate.  While the episodes and their writing do so much to make this set enjoyable for viewers, the set’s lack – once again – of any noticeable bonus material detracts from the set’s presentation.  In direct connection, the average price point of $45, considering that lack of any bonus material, creates its own concerns for the set, too.  If the bonus material that the set is lacking was present in the set, that price point would not be an issue.  However, not having it there means that the price point should be at least $10 less expensive.  Keeping all of this in mind, this latest re-issue of MacGyver: The Complete First Season is not a miss for CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment, but it is not a hit, either.  It is available now and can be ordered online at http://cbshe.com/MacG1.

 

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‘The Beverly Hillbillies: The Official Fifth Season’ Is Another Welcome Addition To Fans’ Collections

Courtesy: Paramount/CBS/CBS Home Entertainment

The 1960s is one of the greatest eras of the television industry.  It was during this great age that American audiences were treated to what has since become some of the most memorable television series of all time over just three networks.  ABC had Bewitched, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and Batman.  NBC had Star Trek, Bonanza and Get Smart.  CBS meanwhile was the real powerhouse, turning out The Andy Griffith Show, Gilligan’s Island, The Beverly Hillbillies and so many other major hit series.  Thanks to a partnership between Paramount and CBS Home Video, many of those classic series have recently been released and re-issued on DVD and Blu-ray, either in part or in whole in recent years.  Nearly 40 years after the series was canceled as part of what has since become known as “the rural purge,” fans of The Beverly Hillbillies finally started getting proper, official releases of that award-winning series with the release of the series’ second season.  Almost five months after its release, Season Three got its first-ever official release.  Seasons Four and One would follow in 2014 and 16 respectively, and now on Oct. 2, Season Five finally will make its DVD debut thanks to that partnership between CBS and Paramount.  The fifth season of The Beverly Hillbillies is another enjoyable offering for audiences.  That is due in part to the work of the series’ writers.  This will be discussed shortly.  The work of the series’ cast is just as notable as that of the show’s writers, and will be discussed a little bit later.  The set’s average price rounds out its most important elements.  Each element is important in its own way to the set’s presentation, as will be pointed out here.  All things considered, they make The Beverly Hillbillies: The Official Fifth Season another welcome addition to the home library of any of this classic series’ fans.

The first-ever release of The Beverly Hillbillies: The Official Fifth Season is a welcome addition to the home library of any of the classic series’ fans.  That is even with the release being a bare-bones set lacking any bonus features.  Even with that lack, it still proves a success overall.  That is due in no small part to the work of the series’ writers, as is evidenced throughout the season’s 30-episode run.  Right from the season’s outset, audiences get a nonstop laugh riot as Jethro tries to install a party line for Granny, so that she can be nosy.  It’s obvious in watching this episode, that it played a distinct influence in so many telephone jokes used in another of series creator Paul Henning’s series, Green Acres.  What makes this episode so entertaining is that it is still just as relevant today as it was way back in its debut on Sept. 14, 1966.  Every neighborhood, whether rich or not, has that one person who is a busybody and thinks that he or she just has to be all up in everybody’s business except for their own.  The result offers plenty of laughs.  The season’s Christmas episode, “The Christmas Present” is another wonderful example of why the writers’ work is still deserving of kudos to this day.  The Clampetts turn Christmas on its ear this time as they end up selling Mrs. Drysdale’s clothes; clothes that she was going to donate.  Of course, the Clampetts don’t know that she was going to donate the clothes.  Their whole purpose is to use the money to buy a present for her, so obviously, the comedy of errors (of sorts) that happens as a result offers its own share of laughs.  “Super Hawg,” which comes late in the season’s run, is yet another fun, original offering from the series’ writers this season.  This time out, the Clampetts discover a hippo for the first time and mistake it for a giant pig.  Of course, it just so happens that it’s in the Drysdales’ back yard because they are using it for another of Mr. Drysdale’s many schemes.  On a side note, one can’t help but think many of the same people who wrote for The Beverly Hillbillies must have written for Bewitched considering that Darrin’s boss, Larry Tate always had some scheme up his sleeve, and was very much like Mr. Drysdale in terms of his personality.  Getting back on track, the episodes noted here are just a few examples of what makes this season’s writing so enjoyable.  Even among the seemingly endless stream of stories centered on Granny trying to marry off Ellie May, Jethro trying to get a girl, and Jed having to play peacemaker in it all, there is still some originality this time.  One could cite the laugh riot episodes, “The Flying Saucer,” (which played on the B-movies of the time, and was also very similar to a certain episode of another hit CBS show, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.) “Jed in Politics” and “Granny Retires” as three more examples of that continued originality.  When all of the episodes noted here are coupled with the rest of the season’s episodes, it becomes clear why the writers behind The Beverly Hillbillies deserve their own share of credit in this season.  Of course their work is only some of the work that deserves praise.  The cast’s work on screen deserves its own share of credit, too.

The cast’s work on camera, even despite some of the recurring story lines, shows why the series continued to be a leader on television even five seasons in.  Case in point here is Buddy Ebsen’s handling of Jed in ‘The Indians Are Coming.’  This episode, which came about halfway through Season Five, is one that clearly was so politically incorrect that there’s no way it would ever be on television today.  The episode sees Granny concerned that Native Americans want to take over the Clampett’s land back in the Ozarks, when in reality the issue is just a minor land dispute.  Jed, always having to play peace keeper, has to try to convince Granny that there is nothing to be concerned about.  His straight-man persona, set against Granny’s manic, close-minded character, makes for one of those classic odd-couple performances that makes classic television in general so beloved.  As the episode progresses, Mr. Drysdale, in his own uneducated mindset, dresses up as a Native American Chief to greet the two Native Americans who have come to Beverly Hills to discuss the land boundary issue.  Raymond Bailey (Vertigo, Tarantula, Picnic) does a spectacular job here displaying how close-minded and uneducated Americans of European descent were about Native Americans and their culture.  Sadly, many Americans are still somewhat uneducated and close-minded about Native Americans to this day.  To that end, Drysdale’s presence in this moment is another of those moments that is just as relevant today as it was in its original presentation.

A little earlier in the season’s run, a marketing scheme from Mr. Drysdale in “The Flying Saucer” leads to another outstanding performance from the series’ cast.  This time, Drysdale has hired a group of height-challenged (is that the correct term to use?) Italians to pose as aliens for yet another of his marketing schemes to promote his band.  Of course, being that the scheme is under wraps, Granny and Jethro (Irene Ryan – The Woman on the Beach, Petticoat Junction, Will You Stop! and Max Baer, Jr. – Macon County Line, The Wild McCullochs, Ode To Billy Joe) believe that the trio really is from another world.  Baer’s reaction, taking his suitcase out to the front of the Clampett mansion, waiting to be “picked up” is another of those classic moments because he really believes that other aliens are on the way to Earth.  Ryan’s take on Daisy/Grandma is equally entertaining as she is rather scared.  Again, there is that contrast of personalities.  The juxtaposition of Jethro and Granny’s reactions ensures audiences’ engagement, and again shows the continued talent of the series’ cast, give seasons into the show’s run.  It’s just one more example of the cast’s talent this season.  “Jed in Politics” is yet another example of that continued talent, as is “The Soup Contest” and “The Dahlia Feud.”  Between all of these noted episodes and those not noted here, it is clear from the season’s premiere to its finale, that the cast offers audiences just as much to appreciate as the show’s writers.  When the two elements are coupled, they form a solid foundation for The Beverly Hillbillies: The Official Fifth Season.  When one takes into consideration this season’s average price point, it proves to be money well-spent.

Using prices from Walmart, Best Buy, Target and Amazon, the set’s average price point comes to $21.48.  The most affordable price seems (at the time of this posting) to be from Amazon, at $20.59.  Considering that the set is a bare-bones presentation that lacks any bonus features, one might think that even $21.48 is a little expensive.  But taking into consideration the enjoyment that all 30 episodes offer audiences, that lack of bonus material can actually be overlooked.  What’s more, the very fact that audiences are presented with 30 episodes (instead of the current standard of 12-13 episodes presented in today’s shows), that leads to nearly 12 hours of enjoyment for audiences of all ages.  That enjoyment will lead audiences to agree that even without any bonus material to compliment the episodes, that noted average price of almost $22 is in fact actually quite affordable and worth paying in the end.  Keeping all of this in mind, that affordable price point, set alongside the entertaining writing and acting, makes The Beverly Hillbillies: The Official Fifth Season another enjoyable addition to the home library of any of this classic series’ fans.  More information on this and other titles from CBS Home Entertainment is available online now at:

 

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‘Zoo: Season 3’ Release Date Announced

Courtesy: CBS Home Entertainment

The third and final season of CBS’ hit drama Zoo is coming home.

Zoo: Season Three is currently scheduled to be released Tuesday, Dec. 12 in stores and online. Season three originally aired on CBS between June 29 and Sept. 21, 2017 and featured 13 episodes.

This season sees a number of stories including the revelation about who might have created the killer animals in “Welcome To The Terra Dome” and the revelation that Jackson can communicate with the hybrids in “Stakes on a Plane” along with the continuing the hunt for The Shepherds’ leader and much more.

Zoo: Season Three will retail for MSRP of $29.99 and can be pre-ordered online now. Its total run time is nine hours, 15 minutes. More information on this and other titles from CBS Home Entertainment is available online now at:

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‘Peanuts’ Movies Are New Again…Sort Of

Courtesy: CBS DVD/Paramount

Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang are coming to Blu-ray for the first time ever next week with the re-issue of two classic Peanuts movies—Peanuts: Snoopy Come Home and Peanuts: A Boy Named Charlie Brown.  The two new re-issues will be released Tuesday, September 6^th in stores and online. While not the first time ever that the specials have been released to the masses (they were released on their own standalone platforms and in a pair of multi-movie sets just last year along with the full-length Peanuts movies Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown and Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (And Don’t Come Back) ) these latest re-issues are a good fit for anyone that might not have been lucky enough to get their hands on the specials’ DVD re-issues.  That is due at least in part to each movie’s general presentation. That will be discussed shortly.  The story behind each movie is just as important to note as each movie’s presentation.  That will be discussed later.  The movies’ pricing rounds out each presentation’s most important elements.  It brings everything full circle in the movies’ overall presentation. As important as they are to note, audiences should also keep in mind that CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount will be re-issuing them again later this fall in a new Blu-ray dual movie presentation just as they were last year in DVD format.  Keeping that in mind, while these re-issues are enjoyable in their own right, audiences might be better served to wait for that upcoming re-issue and hold off on these.

CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount’s new Blu-ray presentations of Peanuts: Snoopy Come Home and Peanuts: A Boy Named Charlie Brown are enjoyable new re-issues for anyone that might not already own the movies’ DVD presentation.  That is due at least in part to the movies’ general presentations.  The movies’ new Blu-ray presentations are exactly the same as that of their DVD counterparts.  Audiences get in each movie just the movies, nothing more, nothing less.  In other words they are bare bones releases just like their DVD counterparts.  This is important to note because there are so many studios out there who make each of their titles’ re-issues different from one another in one way or another.  That isn’t the case here.  The movies’ Blu-ray presentations are mirror images of their DVD counterparts except for their platforms.  Keeping that in mind, the stories behind the movies are just as important to note as the movies’ presentations.

Courtesy: CBS DVD/Paramount

The general presentation of Peanuts: Snoopy Come Home and Peanuts: A Boy Named Charlie Brown are key to note for each.  That is because each movie’s presentation is a mirror image of its DVD counterpart save for the fact that they are now on Blu-ray platform.  That means audiences both with and without the movies’ previous DVD re-issues will be on the same level in terms of what each title offers for entertainment.  Keeping that in mind, the movie’s stories are just as important to note as the presentations themselves.  Peanuts: Snoopy Come Home follows Snoopy as he suddenly packs up and leaves Charlie Brown one day without any explanation whatsoever.  At first everyone is left wondering why Snoopy left.  The final revelation as to Snoopy’s disappearance is one that will move audiences of all ages to both smiles and tears.  Peanuts: A Boy Named Charlie Brown is the first of the Peanuts movies to ever be created.  The movie follows Charlie Brown as he wins his school’s spelling bee and is sent to New York City to compete at a national level.  Meanwhile Charlie’s best friend Linus is in search of his beloved blanket after it “mysteriously” disappears.  Things seem to be going well for Charlie Brown at first.  But when the big day arrives, things don’t turn out quite as he (and his friends) had hoped.  The story still has a happy ending of sorts when it’s all said and done.  That being the case, its story is just as enjoyable as that of Peanuts: Snoopy Come Home. When the movies’ stories are set against their general presentation, the two elements join together to show even more why these new Peanuts Blu-ray re-issues are just as enjoyable as their recently released DVD counterparts.  The stories are general presentations of each movie are not the movies’ only key elements to consider.  Each movie’s pricing rounds out their most important elements.

The general presentation of Peanuts: Snoopy Come Home and Peanuts: A Boy Named Charlie Brown and the movies’ stories are both key elements of the movies’ new Blu-ray re-issues.  While each element plays its own important part in the movies’ collective presentation they are not the movies’ only important elements.  The movies’ pricing in their new Blu-ray re-issues are just as important to note as the other, previously noted elements.  Each movie’s retail MSRP is a little more than $17 each in its new Blu-ray platform.  That is according to Amazon.com, where audiences can order each movie online.  Wal-Mart lists each movie at the same price online. Best Buy has each movie listed at $17.99 in its new Blu-ray platform while Target doesn’t have either one listed.  Odds are when and if Target opts to include the movies in its online listings, that price will likely be close to the same if not the same as those listed here.  One can only hope that those prices will be lower in store.  Considering that each movie is presented in exactly the same fashion as their DVD counterparts, those prices far too high.  Given the price will be high simply because they are presented in Blu-ray.  But by comparison the movies’ pricing on DVD is only about eight dollars each.  That should make the movies’ Blu-ray platforms no more than $10 or $11 at the most…maybe $15, but no more than that.  Keeping this in mind, the movies’ pricing is perhaps their only downfall.  That is especially the case being that CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount are going to re-issue them again later this fall on a double-movie Blu-ray combo set; a set that will likely be an equal price for the two together as for just one movie on Blu-ray.  All things considered, CBS Home Entertainment’s Blu-ray re-issues of Peanuts: Snoopy Come Home and Peanuts: A Boy Named Charlie Brown are both enjoyable in their own right.  But any true Peanuts fan that doesn’t already own either movie on DVD will be better served to wait for the movies’ upcoming double-movie BD re-issue or to just pick up the movies’ DVD re-issues since they are the same as these re-issues and cheaper.

CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount’s new Blu-ray re-issues of Peanuts: Snoopy Come Home and Peanuts: A Boy Named Charlie Brown are both enjoyable in their own right.  Any true Peanuts fan will agree with that.  At the same time, true Peanuts fans will also question-along with this critic—if they were even needed.  That is because the general presentation of each movie is the same here as in their 2015 DVD re-issues.  There is no more or less in these re-issues as was presented in the movie’s 2015 DVD re-issues.  And the story presented in each movie is exactly the same as before, too.  The movies’ MSRP across the board in their new Blu-ray re-issues puts the final nail in their proverbial coffin.  While the movies are enjoyable thanks to their stories and their hand-drawn animation, that pricing—and the other  previously noted elements–proves that true Peanuts fans would be better served to purchase the movies in their DVD platforms if they don’t already own them.  Those that do already own the movies have no reason to purchase them again in these latest re-issues.  All things considered, even those that don’t already own these movies on DVD would be better served to purchase them on DVD (especially in their four-movie set) unless they can’t find them on DVD.  That is about the only reason that audiences should even consider purchasing them in their new Blu-ray platforms.

More information on these and other Peanuts releases is available online now along with all of the latest Peanuts news and more at:

 

 

 

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Matlock: Greatest Cases Is A Great Set For Dramaphiles And Matlock Fans Alike

Courtesy: CBS DVD/Paramount

Courtroom dramas today are so boring. The reason being that there are so many of them. And among that mass of legalese there is little to no originality among said series. Thankfully those that love the genre but hate the general lack of choices have another option thanks to the people at CBS DVD and Paramount. That option comes in the form of the new Matlock compilation set Matlock: Greatest Cases. The three-disc collection was released in stores this past March. And regardless of viewers’ familiarity with the series this recently released collection proves to be one that any courtroom drama fan will enjoy. This is especially the case for those looking to escape all of the cookie cutter series on television today. The main reason for this is the collection of episodes featured throughout all three discs. There are eleven episodes featured in this set, one of which is a two-part episode. What’s more, each of the series’ nine seasons is represented through the episodes. This will be discussed shortly. It is just one reason that the collection proves so interesting for audiences. The writing behind each of the featured episodes is just as much to note as the episodes themselves. Audiences will note a clear difference between the overall content of these episodes and those of nearly every other courtroom drama that has been on television since it ended its run. Last but hardly least of note in this set is the work of the show’s cast, most notably of lead actor Andy Griffith. The intensity that seems so prevalent among casts of today’s courtroom dramas is nowhere to be seen at any point in these episodes. Yet the cast (including the guest stars) still keeps viewers entertained and engaged from beginning to end in each. It shows that even today dramas don’t have to be so overly dramatic in order to be entertaining. It rounds out the ways in which Matlock: Greatest Cases proves to be such an entertaining new collection of episodes from the classic series. Together with the featured episodes and their writing, the collection in whole shows clearly why dramaphiles and Matlock fans alike will want to pick up this box set.

Matlock is one of the best courtroom dramas of the 20th century. It ran for a total of nine seasons from 1986 to 1995. That run is actually as long as CBS’ classic courtroom drama Perry Mason. THAT series ran for nine seasons from 1957 to 1966. Earlier this year, CBS DVD and Paramount teamed up to release Matlock in its entirety in one complete series box set. It marked the second time since 2013 that the series had been released in one complete box set. Along with that collection CBS DVD and Paramount also released the much smaller compilation Matlock: Greatest Cases ahead of the show’s full-series re-issue on March 10th. This collection is a good representation of what made Matlock such a hit series for so long regardless of viewers’ devotion to the series. The main reason for this is the collection’s featured episodes. Matlock: Greatest Cases features a total of eleven episodes, one of which was a two-part episode. That brings the episode list to a total of twelve spread across three discs. The episodes themselves are just part of what makes them important. A closer look at the set reveals that all nine of the series’ seasons are represented through these episodes. That means that while it may only present eleven (or twelve depending on how one decides to count it) episodes, the collection in whole paints a relatively rich picture of the series and what made it such a fan favorite in its initial run on television. That being the case, the episodes that are featured throughout this collection show clearly why they are an important part of the collection’s overall presentation. They are not the set’s only important element, either. The writing behind the episodes is just as important as the episodes themselves.

The episodes that were culled for Matlock: Greatest Cases are in themselves an important part of the presentation’s whole. That is because they paint a relatively full picture of the series. The picture in question succeeds in showing in its own way what made (and continues to make) Matlock such a fan favorite. Of course without solid writing, the episodes wouldn’t be worth the presentation. It is safe to say in regards to the series writing that it is definitely solid. As a matter of fact, it is far more solid (and enjoyable) than that of so many courtroom dramas that have come along since Matlock ended its initial run. That is exemplified in every one of the collection’s episodes. That is because the show depicted within each featured episode is one that was more soft-boiled than hard. To illustrate that comparison, it is more akin to the like of Perry Mason than Law & Order or other more modern courtroom dramas. That is exemplified primarily through the set’s lead episode “The Judge.” Guest starring legendary entertainer Dick Van Dyke, the episode sees Van Dyke’s character Judge Carter Addison on trial after the murder of his lover Joanne Leigh (Bobbie Eakes–The Bold and the Beautiful, All My Children, One Life To Live). Most of the story takes place in the courtroom. There is no time wasted with investigators running around searching for evidence and interviewing possible suspects here, there, and everywhere. What this does is it allows for more character and story development. In turn, the noted character and story development will keep viewers fully engaged from beginning to end. It’s just one example of the importance of the series’ writing in this collection of episodes. “The Last Laugh” is another example of the importance of the series’ writing.

“The Judge” is in itself a key example of what makes Matlock’s writing so important even in this three-disc episode collection. “The Last Laugh” is another example of its importance. While subtle the episode’s title is one way in which the writing proves to be so important not just here but in every episode. The episode’s title, as with each featured episode’s title, is short and straight to the point. It tells the episode’s story without trying to be kitschy in its delivery or too simplistic either. The story’s execution is just as important as its title. In this episode, Matlock has to defend comedian Harvey Chase (Milton Berle) after Chase is accused of murdering another comic that had insulted him in front of an entire audience. The case looks to be cut and dry until Harvey accidentally reveals an important piece of evidence that could in fact prove his innocence. Not even Harvey had thought about the key piece of evidence. The ultimate reveal at the story’s end makes the whole adventure worth the watch. That is because at no point in the story’s run does Berle (who co-wrote the episode with Stephen Lord) make the answer obvious to audiences. Rather it keeps audiences guessing right up to that moment. In other words, Berle and Lord keep audiences engaged with ease from beginning to end yet again. They show just as much here as in any of the series’ other episodes that it is possible to have an enjoyable mystery without the dark, gritty content that is so prevalent in so many of today’s crime and courtroom dramas. It is not the last example of what makes the featured episodes’ writing so important even as impressive as it is here. “The Debt” is another example of the importance of the writing behind Matlock even in this collection of episodes.

“The Judge” and “The Last Laugh” are both key examples of what makes Matlock’s writing so important in the series’ latest collection of episodes. That is thanks in large part to the stories’ execution. The same can be said of Season Seven’s “The Debt.” This episode sees Matlock’s daughter Leanne having to defend her ex-husband Peter MacIntyre after he is accused of murdering his friend and boss. The accusation stemmed from the discovery of Peter kneeling over said individual’s dead body, which had a large knife sticking in it. While not an overly used plot element, the use of an estranged couple being forced into one another’s lives in a difficult situation is not necessarily new to the entertainment world. Nor was it new at the time of the episode’s airing. That aside it was still handled quite well here. It was nice to see Leanne not just giving in to Peter as he begged her to represent him even as he tried to seduce her. Female viewers will be proud to see her stand up to Peter and remind him that he is with another woman and she will not fall for his attempts. In the same vein, it is interesting to see something of a different side to Matlock in this episode, too. He shows a certain vulnerability when Leanne tells him that she is going to represent Peter. As the story proceeds audiences see a change in Matlock’s view of his one-time son-in-law. That is because Peter’s sense of morality begins to kick in and even he grows. That overall character development ties directly in to the episode’s overall script and helps the story in whole advance with ease. Because it does, it will keep viewers just as engaged as any of the other episodes featured in this box set. It is one more example of the importance of the writing behin Matlock in the series’ new box set. It is not the only other example of said importance either. There is still a handful of other episodes in this collection that could just as easily be cited in illustrating the importance of the series’ writing. Regardless of whether one cites those episodes or the ones noted here, it can be said of each episode within this collection that each one shows in its own way the importance of the series’ writing. All combined, the writing with each of the set’s featured episodes proves why dramaphiles and Matlock fans alike will want to add this box set to their own DVD libraries.

The episodes that make up the body of Matlock: Greatest Cases, and the writing behind each episode clearly show together why this three-disc set is one that any dramaphile and Matlock fan will want to add the collection to his or her own home DVD library. They are just part of the reason why said audiences will want to pick up this recent release, too. The work of the show’s cast is also of note in the set’s featured episodes beginning with lead actor Andy Griffith. While Griffith isn’t playing Andy Taylor in Matlock, each episode here shows that he still carried over some of that down home personality that made him so beloved during his days on The Andy Griffith Show. Yet at the same time, there is a certain serious element to his portrayal of Ben Matlock. Thanks to boasting both character elements, Matlock comes across as the kind of person that anyone would want should they ever end up in court. He is a lawyer with heart. And it’s not the overly pious and emotional heart that is so common among lawyers on today’s courtroom dramas. The guest stars are just as enjoyable to watch in this collection, too. Dick Van Dyke showed that he was just as capable as a villain in “The Judge” as he was a comedic actor in The Dick Van Dyke Show or even a more serious actor in Diagnosis Murder. It goes to prove his versatility as an actor in simpler terms. And Milton Berle is just as entertaining in his guest role in “The Last Laugh.” Given, he was type cast for the role. But even considering this, Berle (It’s A Mad Mad Mad Mad World, Batman, The Love Boat) still handled his role with the utmost seriousness and expertise. When Harvey is forced to admit that his career is near its end, the emotion in his voice and on his face is so powerful. With his acting experience, it would have been so easy for him to just phone it in and even ham it up. But he didn’t go that route, opting instead to really give his best possible performance. It is just one more portrayal that proves the work of the show’s cast (main and otherwise) to be just as important as th episodes themselves and the writing behind each featured episode. Th combination of all three elements together makes Matlock: Greatest Cases a collection that dramaphiles will enjoy just as much as the series’ original fans.

Matlock: Greatest Cases may not be as big as the recent re-issue of the show’s full-series DVD box set. Regardless it is still a collection that any of the show’s original fans will enjoy just as much as any dramaphiles in general. The main reason for this is the set’s featured episodes. The episodes that were culled for the three-disc set represent each of the series’ nine seasons on television. The writing behind each of the featured episodes sets the show completely apart from all of the overly gritty hard-boiled courtroom dramas. The writing makes it more akin to the likes of Perry Mason than Law & Order. The work of the show’s cast in each of the featured episodes is just as important as the episodes and their writing. All three elements together make this collection whole and wholly entertaining to dramaphiles and the show’s original fans alike. It is available now in stores and online. More information on this and other titles from CBS DVD and Paramount is available online now at:

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I Love Lucy: The Ultimate Season Two More Than Lives Up To Its Title

Courtesy: Paramount/CBS DVD

Next Tuesday, Paramount and CBS DVD will release the second season of CBS’ classic sitcom I Love Lucy on Blu-ray. It comes a little more than a year after the release of the series’ first season on Blu-ray. Its release marks the first time ever that Season Two has been released in this format. Now, it is easy to question the importance of the show’s fans having this collection in their home collections considering the number of networks on which it currently airs–TV Land, Hallmark Channel, Me-TV, and possibly others. That is a lot of coverage. However, not everybody out there has access to each of the noted networks for one reason or another. That being the case and that it’s not always that easy to find the DVD box sets at the likes of Wal-Mart or Target (one has to be lucky enough to find them at either retail outlet), it increases the importance of this latest collection by quite a bit. It is just one element worth noting in regards to why audiences will appreciate this latest release even despite the one major issue of its price. The writing behind each of the set’s thirty-one episodes is one more reason and by relation the work of the series’ cast within each episode. Last but most definitely not least worth noting to the set’s positives is the massive amount of bonus material included throughout the five-disc set. From the episode-specific commentaries to the multiple viewing options of the set’s timeless season premiere “Switching Jobs” to the multiple viewing options of each episode overall, these bonuses and many more complete the positive viewing experience of I Love Lucy: The Ultimate Season Two. Each element in its own makes this collection well worth the addition to any I Love Lucy fan’s home collection. Collectively, they make it an ultimate tribute to a series and the series’ fans even despite its rather high price tag.

Paramount and CBS DVD’s upcoming release of I Love Lucy: The Ultimate Season Two marks the first time ever that the series’ second season has seen the light of day on Blu-ray (say that two times fast). Being that the series has already been released both in a full-series set and in its own standalone season sets, one can’t help but wonder why one would want to add this new standalone season set to one’s home collection. The answer is simple. It is the first of a number of reasons that it is worth the purchase even despite the relatively high price tag. While the noted DVD sets are currently available for purchase, one must get lucky to find any of the sets in question in any retail outlet. This means that it is easier for audiences to purchase said sets online. Here’s the problem with that. Not everybody shops online. Whether it be for concerns of security, which are fully justified especially in this day and age, or simply for lack of internet access, shopping online is not for everybody. The next argument is one of the show’s coverage on television today. Currently, I Love Lucy runs on no fewer than three networks–Hallmark Channel, TV Land, and Me-TV–on television. That could be argued to be plenty of reason for audiences to not pick up this set. The rebuttal here is that as with the online shopping option, not everybody has access to one or more of said networks. In some regions, issues with certain carriers has eliminated access to Viacom’s networks, thus eliminating TV Land. In others, a network such as Hallmark Channel is considered a premium channel available only via a digital tier. And in regards to Me-TV, it is growing every day in its reach. However still not every household in America has access to Me-TV. Considering all of this, it makes the presentation of Season Two in its complete all the more important for fans of all ages. Add in the fact that not everybody shops online and its upcoming release in stores makes it all the more important while it is available. These issues are in themselves strong arguments in favor of adding I Love Lucy: The Ultimate Season Two to fans’ collections. It is hardly the only argument in favor of the brand new box set. The work of the series’ writers in Season Two adds even more fire to the argument in its favor.

The issues with the access to I Love Lucy’s DVD box sets both in stores and online make a solid argument in favor of adding I Love Lucy: The Ultimate Season Two to audiences’ personal home libraries. Those issues are only the tip of the iceberg in the argument in favor of the brand new box set. The work of the series’ writers this season and by correlation the series’ cast adds even more strength to that argument. Season Two sees some of the most memorable episodes of the series’ entire six-season run including the beloved, timeless season premiere “Job Switching” and the multi-part story arc that follows Lucy’s pregnancy. “Job Switching” is one of the most beloved of I Love Lucy’s one hundred and eighty episodes if not its single-most beloved and timeless episodes. It is a clear example of why the work of the show’s writers is just as pivotal in Season Two as any of the series’ other seasons. This classic battle-of-the-sexes episode sees Ricky and Fred change places with Lucy and Ethel. The prior become the stay-at-home figures while the latter go out to find work. While Lucy and Ethel’s scenes trying their hands as candy makers are the episode’s most memorable of the episode, they are just part of what makes this episode such a laugh riot. The writers’ ability to make Ricky and Fred into just as much a pair of bumblers keeps the men and women on the same level. Audiences will be left in stitches as they see Fred completely char a cake he was trying to bake and Ricky completely losing track and control of a pot of rice. In the same vein, Ricky trying to clean the chickens (yes, he actually tries to clean them) makes for just as many laughs. On the other side of the proverbial coin, watching Lucy and Ethel sitting at the employment agency, trying to get a job in the first place is well worth its share of laughs, too. On another level, the manner in which the writers switched up the couples’ gender roles even before everything unravels (both literally and figuratively) will have viewers laughing just as uproariously. Fred and Ricky both sporting frilly aprons is hilarious in itself. Lucy reading the paper, drinking her coffee and ignoring Ricky is even funnier. And then there is Fred’s comment about Ethel not kissing him goodbye as she and Lucy leave. This is yet another great moment. The commentary about this moment and so many others throughout the episode show even more why the efforts of the show’s writers make this episode such a laugh riot. Said commentary will be discussed later. Getting back on topic, this episode is just one, rich example of how the work of the show’s writers makes this season of I Love Lucy well worth the watch. The multi-part story arc following Lucy’s real life pregnancy is another pivotal example of the importance of the writers’ work.

“Job Switching” is in itself a clear example of why the work of I Love Lucy’s writers is so important to the show’s overall success and enjoyment. It is just one example of why their work is so important, too. The multi-part story arc that follows Lucy’s pregnancy is another prime example of the importance of their work. Lucy’s real life pregnancy marked the first time ever that a TV series’ heads had allowed an actress’ pregnancy to be played out on television. Discussing pregnancy in general at the time was considered a major taboo for TV. Men and women at the time couldn’t even sleep in the same bed on television thanks to the censors. So to have her pregnancy directly addressed and even tied into the series is in itself is hugely important. The manner in which the writers handled her pregnancy makes these episodes even more key. Audiences will find themselves laughing just as much in the arc’s lead episode “Lucy Is Enceinte” as they will any of the arc’s others. There is a lot of truth even today in “Pregnant Women Are Unpredictable.” Lucy gets mad at Ricky here because she thinks he loves their baby more than her only to turn and get mad at the episode’s end because he had made no mention of the baby. The setting in which this moment happens makes for its own share of laughs even today. Men and women both will laugh because, again, they know that there is a lot of truth here. Even more to the positive is the fact that the writers handled the issue with such tact and playfulness. Much as with “Job Switching” the writers poked fun at both the mood swings that many women experience in pregnancy and the general inability of men to comprehend or even handle them. It is yet another example of everything that was once great about comic writing, proving again why the work of the show’s writers is so important to the overall enjoyment and success of I Love Lucy: The Ultimate Season Two. It is not the last example of the importance of their work, either. “Lucy Becomes A Sculptress” is yet another example of what makes Season Two such a hit.

“Lucy Becomes A Sculptress” is another prime example of the importance of the work of I Love Lucy’s writers for not just one reason but two. The first reason is that it is actually a two-part episode in itself. It is part of that multi-part story arc that followed Lucy’s pregnancy. But it is also its own standalone episode that put Lucy into one of so many outrageous situations. In the case of this episode, Lucy decides to try her hand at sculpting art and even goes so far as to get an art critic to come in and judge her *ahem* work. As any fan knows, she becomes her work, leading to what is one of the all-time greatest episodes in the history of both “I Love Lucy” and of television in whole. Lucy’s initial attempts at creating art are in themselves worthy of more than their share of laughs, again putting the talents of the series’ writers on full display. It is just one more of so many ways throughout Season Two’s thirty-one total episodes in which the writers’ talents are put on full display. All thirty-one episodes considered together, they show with the fullest clarity why the writing behind the second season of I Love Lucy is so important to its general effect. Even with all of the laughs that the writing brings in each episode, the work of the writers is just one element that is worth noting. The work of the show’s cast is just as worth noting.

The work of I Love Lucy’s writers in the show’s second season led to what are considered today to be largely some of the series’ best episodes and some of the most timeless episodes in television’s history in whole. Of course, as impressive as the writing proves to be , it would have been nothing without the work of the show’s cast yet again. The work of the cast–Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, and William Frawley–is perfect from the season’s premiere to its finale. That is obvious in the season premiere when Lucy and Ethel struggle to keep the chocolates from getting past them on the conveyor belt. It is just as evident in this episode when Lucy and Ricky switch their household gender roles. Lucy is spot on as she sits at the table reading the paper and drinking her coffee, not paying any attention to Ricky as he talks. There is a lot of truth to that scene even today some six decades plus later. The truth is on both sides. The back and forth between Ball and Vance as Lucy and Ethel vie for head of the Wednesday Afternoon Fine Arts League is another example of the importance of the cast’s work. The lengths that the pair reaches in its attempts to obtain that elusive leadership position is so hilarious not so much because it is this pair in question but because it is a situation that could apply both to women and men alike. It just so happened that in the case of this episode it was Lucy and Ethel that went toe to toe over the group’s position of leadership. Another example of the importance of the cast’s work this season comes early on in Lucy’s pregnancy as Lucy wants to initially tell Ricky that they are going to be parents. His reaction after learning he has to sing a song to an expecting couple is wonderful. He goes from table to table, singing happy birthday, becoming increasingly nervous as he tries to find out who the lucky couple is. The ultimate reveal that it is in fact him and Lucy will put a smile on any viewer’s face both from joy and the laughter at his reaction as he tries to solve the riddle so to speak. It is one more way that the work of the show’s cast throughout this season makes the season so enjoyable and a must have for any of the series’ fans.

Everything noted already in regards to I Love Lucy: The Ultimate Season Two makes a solid argument why fans of this timeless sitcom should have the brand new Season Two standalone box set in their own home libraries. For all of the importance of each already noted element, there is still one more element worth noting in regards to this set. That final element is the massive amount of bonus material included with the set. As with the previously released Season One box set, Season Two includes among its bonus features: multiple episode-specific commentaries for starters. One of the commentaries in question centers on the season premiere. Audiences will be interested to learn in this episode that Ricky’s bumbling around in the kitchen was just an act. He was, as is revealed, in fact quite the accomplished chef. Just as interesting is the scene in which Lucy and Ethel prepare to leave and look for a job. Fred tells Ethel that she forgot to kiss him goodbye here. It is a great switching of gender roles. Even more interesting is the revelation in the commentary is that this moment was actually wiped from the episode. According to the commentary, it was not the censors that had it eliminated. Rather it is inferred that it might have been Vivian Vance herself who had it removed. If in fact it was her who had it removed, one can’t help but wonder why. Perhaps there was tension off camera between her and co-star William Frawley. It’s anyone’s guess. Regardless, it is definitely an intriguing tidbit to learn. These are just a couple of extras that make the work of the series’ writers so enjoyable this season. It is just one more reason that the commentary included in this episode proves to be a bonus in every sense of the word. It is not the only episode that receives the bonus commentary treatment, either. There are others throughout the season’s run that get their own commentary, too. The commentaries are only the tip of the iceberg in regards to the bonus material included in this box set. Audiences get to see “Job Switching” both in their own standalone black-and-white presentation and color presentation. There is also an option to watch the episode with its own French-Canadian presentation, which included its own special opening and closing graphics, and French-Canadian audio track. This is just the tip of the iceberg in regards to the set’s bonus material. There is far more to discuss including other episode viewing options.

The multiple viewing options offered for Season Two’s premiere are bonuses in their own right and fully deserving of being called bonuses. They are however anything but the only bonuses included in this set. Audiences are also treated to the option of watching every episode with or without their original opening and closing sponsor segments from Phillip Morris. The Phillip Morris segments even include a clear disclaimer noting the now known dangers of smoking and that neither Paramount nor CBS DVD advocate smoking in any form. Both companies are to be highly commended for taking this measure along with giving viewers the season’s run in its original presentation. On the same note, audiences can watch each episode with or without their original “heart” openings. As if all of this isn’t enough, Paramount and CBS DVD have also included with this set, the entire story arc involving Lucy’s pregnancy in the special Lucy movie I Love Lucy: The Movie as well as even more installments of the beloved radio series My Favorite Husband. Audiences will note in the select commentaries included throughout this season that it was My Favorite Husband that led to many of its episodes as well as episodes from other seasons of I Love Lucy. There is much more to note, including a sketch from the Red Skelton Show, guest profiles, an episode guide printed on the indie front and back of the set’s case, and so much more. But to go into each one would take far more time and space than is available. Considering that and everything already noted, it is safe to say that the bonus material included in I Love Lucy: The Ultimate Season Two more than lives up to its title and in turn shows yet again why this season in whole also lives up to its name even despite its rather high price tag.

I Love Lucy: The Ultimate Season Two shows in so many ways why it lives up to its title. Its very availability versus that of the series’ previous DVD releases lies at the heart of the ways in which it lives up to its name. The collective work of the show’s writers and cast once again makes for so many laughs and even heartfelt moments from beginning to end. The material included in the set as bonuses more than lives up to its title, too. The end result of all of these factors together is a box set that is in fact the ultimate Season Two experience for any fan of I Love Lucy. I Love Lucy: The Ultimate Season Two will be available in stores and online Tuesday, August 4th. More information on this and other titles from Paramount and CBS DVD is available online now at:

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CBS DVD, Paramount Announce Release Date, Specs For I Love Lucy: The Ultimate Season Two

Courtesy: Paramount/CBS DVD

America’s favorite redhead will return again this summer when Paramount and CBS DVD release I Love Lucy: The Ultimate Season Two.

Paramount and CBS DVD have announced that I Love Lucy: The Ultimate Season Two will be released on Blu-ray on Tuesday, August 4^th. The upcoming re-issue will include many of the features that were also included in the series’ previously released Season One Blu-ray box set. They include all thirty-one Season Two episodes spread across five discs complete with their original sponsor openings and closings. Audiences will have the option of watching each episode with the series’ original “heart” openings and closings without commercial interruption. As if that isn’t enough, audiences will also have the option of watching one of the most famed episodes of I Love Lucy in a variety of formats. The episode in question is the famed “Job Switching” episode in which Lucy and Ethel get a job at a chocolate factory and ends up struggling at a conveyor belt carrying chocolates. Audiences will have the option of watching this timeless episode in its original black-and-white presentation or its newly colorized presentation. It can be viewed with or without commentary. There is even an option to watch the episode in its French Canadian presentation, which included its own special opening and closing graphics and French-Canadian audio track.

“Job Switching” is just one of the most notable episodes featured in I Love Lucy: The Ultimate Season Two. This season also features the equally famed “pregnancy episodes.” The episodes were controversial at the time of their original broadcast because of the view of talking publicly about pregnancy and sex. It made having an actual pregnancy on-air that much more taboo. So it made the “pregnancy episodes” groundbreaking moments in television history. Now audiences will get to see each of the episodes in their entirety along with the more light-hearted “Job Switching.”

AS if all of the noted episodes are not enough for audiences, I Love Lucy: The Ultimate Season Two also includes I Love Lucy: The Movie, which was made up of three episodes from the series’ first season. The episodes in question were spliced together with some extra material to make one seamless storyline. Its presentation here marks the first time ever that I Love Lucy: The Movie has ever seen the light on day on DVD or Blu-ray. Also included among the set’s bonus features are: Scenes from Stars in the Eye–a CBS special that originally aired in November 1952–which featured the cast of I Love Lucy, an original I Lov Lucy sketch original aired on The Red Skelton Show in May 1953, select episode galleries, production notes, radio broadcasts, guest cast profiles and more.

I Love Lucy: The Ultimate Season Two will be available Tuesday, August 4^th and will retail for MSRP of $130.00 in the United States and $150.00 in Canada. Every episode will be presented in full 1080p high-definition with subtitles in both English SDH and Latin American. The episodes’ audio will be English Mono Dolby Digital and Spanish 5.0 Dolby Digital.

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Captain Kirk’s Boldest Missions Are Also Some Of The Original Series’ Greatest Episodes

Courtesy: CBS DVD/Paramount

When NBC first brought Star Trek to the airwaves in 1966, it was not the only sci-fi series to come to audiences at the time.  The Twilight Zone ran on CBS from 1959 – 1964.  ABC responded in 1963 with The Outer Limits.  From 1964 to 1968, ABC took audiences beneath the waves in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, which itself stemmed from the 1961 big screen feature of the same name.  CBS also had Lost in Space from 1965 – ’68 and My Favorite Martian from 1963 – ’66.  From 1967 – ’68, ABC also ran The Invaders.  Looking at all of this, it goes without saying that Gene Roddenberry’s series had its fair share of competition in its original run on television.  And interestingly enough, it actually ran for about the same amount of time—three seasons—as those other series.  In some cases, it ran longer than its competition.  Yet having only run three seasons it has gone on to become the most successful of all of the franchises that came before and after.  From the time of its original broadcast on NBC, Star Trek has gone on to spawn no fewer than six big screen features, five more series, four more movies linked to one of those series, and countless video games, books and box sets.  The latest of those box sets—Star Trek: The Original Series—Captain Kirk’s Boldest Missions—was just released this past March.  More specifically, it was released March 17^th.  Regardless of audiences’ familiarity or loyalty to Star Trek: TOS, this latest collection of episodes proves itself a worthwhile addition to any fan’s Star Trek collection.  The main way in which it proves itself a worthwhile addition to any fan’s collection is through the episodes culled for the collection.  From playing a game of cat and mouse in “The Corbomite Maneuver” and “Balance of Terror” to facing off against a device that could destroy entire worlds, Kirk and company face some huge odds in the episodes collected for the set.  And these are just a few examples of what fans have to expect from this set.  There is much more for audiences to enjoy from these and the set’s other episodes in whole, proving why the episodes collected for the set are the foundation of its enjoyment.  The bonus commentary included with the set adds even more enjoyment to the set even as limited as it proves to be.  It is one more reason that audiences should check out Captain Kirk’s Boldest Missions.  Last but not least worth noting of this collection is its collective production values.  The episodes presented here look and sound just as impressive as in their previous DVD and Blu-ray releases with the other episodes from the series’ full season sets.  That means that all eight episodes prove just as enjoyable to watch here as in the series’ full-season sets.  And it solidifies Captain Kirk’s Boldest Missions as quite the bold outing itself.  It is a collection that Star Trek fans of all ages should have in their collection regardless of whether they already own the previously released stand-alone full season sets or not.

Star Trek: The Original Series—Captain Kirk’s Boldest Missions is obviously not the first collection of classic Star Trek episodes to have been released since the series first hit the airwaves in 1966.  It is however a great addition to any Star Trek fan’s personal collection regardless of their familiarity or loyalty to the series.  It holds its own quite well against all of the other TOS collections that have come before (including the stand-alone full-season sets).  The main way in which it holds its own so well is through its featured episodes.  It features eight total episodes spread across two discs.  The episodes culled for this set are not just some of Captain Kirk’s boldest missions but also some of the most memorable episodes of the series’ overall.  Disc one sees Kirk and company playing a high stakes game of cat and mouse in “The Corbomite Maneuver” and “Balance of Terror.”  They also come face to face with Khan for the first time in “Space Seed.”  “The Conscience of the King” features an interstellar murder mystery of sorts.  Disc Two presents just as much entertainment for audiences.  It offers up two alternate timeline/universe stories in the form of “The City on the Edge of Forever” and “Mirror.”  Both stories are classic alternate universe stories in their own right, too.  “Mirror Mirror’s” alternate story sees Kirk thrust into a universe in which the crew of the Enterprise is anything but honorable.  “The City on the Edge of Forever” sends Kirk and company back in time to an Earth that is ruled by the Nazi party.  And it’s up to them to change that.  “The Doomsday Machine” is just as gripping and thought provoking.  That is because the machine in question was a humanly created machine meant solely for warfare.  And it has gone rogue so to speak.  Now it’s yet again up to Kirk to lead his crew and stop the machine before it destroys the Enterprise.  “Return To Tomorrow” offers its own interest as it raises the question of whether or not beings from other worlds visited Earth eons ago. The manner in which the show’s writers raised this discussion is itself short. But it definitely opens up the door for that discussion. And it’s just another way in which the episodes featured in Captain Kirk’s Boldest Missions prove themselves the most important part of the set’s enjoyment.

The episodes collected for Kirk’s Boldest Missions each offer audiences their own share of enjoyment, showing from one to the next why they sit at the center of this set’s enjoyment. As enjoyable as each episode proves itself to be, the episodes can only go so far on their own merits. Luckily for fans, there is additional commentary included with the set, too. Of course it is limited. There is no commentary within the episodes per se. But there is still commentary included on both discs. The most extensive commentary precedes “The City on The Edge of Forever.” William Shatner and co-star Joan Collins (who guest stars on the episode in question) discuss the importance of the episode and the implications of World War II’s outcome. It drives home the importance of what the Allied Forces accomplished in stopping Hitler’s Nazi regime. Didn’t think that sci-fi could be so deep? It most certainly can be. And as in this episode, it most certainly is deeper than many people think. Speaking of that depth, Shatner offers even more depth in the bonus commentary included in the set’s first disc as he discusses the importance of the captain keeping a log on Star Trek and how that mirrors a person keeping a personal journal in real life. He also relates the characteristics of a good captain to a good leader in real life, and the legacy left behind by Captain Kirk. Yet again, he makes a real world comparison to the legacy that people leave in their own lives. These discussions continue the depth presented in the one episodic commentary included in the set’s second disc. All of the commentaries combined, they offer their own insight and entertainment for audiences. Those commentaries added to the episodes prove even stronger why Kirk’s Boldest Missions is a great addition to any Star Trek fan’s collection even if said fan(s) already own the series’ stand-alone season sets.

The bonus commentary and episodes featured at the center of Captain Kirk’s Boldest Missions collectively give Star Trek fans plenty of reason to add the compilation to their own DVD libraries. Having noted both elements, there is still one more element to note to its positive. That last element is the look and sound of the episodes, or its overall production values. The episodes culled for Captain Kirk’s Boldest Missions look and sound just as good as they do alongside the series’ other episodes in its previously released stand-alone season sets. As lacking as this seems in terms of importance to the whole, it is actually rather important. There are some companies out there that try to churn out compilations such as this one for other series without trying at all to make them look or sound even presentable. Those companies will remain nameless here. But they do exist. Luckily for fans, those at Paramount and CBS Video have made certain to make these episodes look and sound their best once more for fans regardless of whether or not fans already own the series’ standalone sets. Because the episodes sound and look as good as they do, they make for all the reason for fans to watch the episodes and commentary and add this set to their personal Star Trek collections.

Star Trek: The Original Series—Captain Kirk’s Boldest Missions offers the series’ fans plenty of reason to add this collection to their own personal DVD libraries. It offers audiences eight episodes that are not only some of Captain Kirk’s greatest (and boldest) missions, but eight episodes that are also fan favorites. On top of that, it also includes some rather in-depth commentary form Captain Kirk himself. Topping of the ways in which this set proves itself worthy of Star Trek fans around the world is its collective production values. The episodes presented here look and sound just as good as in their previous presentations. All three elements combined together prove this double-disc set one that every Star Trek fan of every age will appreciate with every watch and should have in their own home DVD collection. It is available now in stores and online. It can be ordered online direct from CBS Home Entertainment at http://cbshe.com/STKirk. More information on this and other titles available from CBS Home Entertainment is available online now at:

 

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