The Carol Burnett Show’s Most Devoted Fans Will Appreciate The Series’ New VIP Set

Courtesy: Time Life Entertainment/StarVista Entertainment

Time Life Entertainment has in recent years become one of the leading names in home entertainment.  That is thanks to the release of series such as The Real Ghostbusters, and collections from other classic series such as The Dean martin Celebrity Roasts, Hee Haw, The Johnny Carson Show and one of CBS’ brightest gems, The Carol Burnett Show.  Over the course of the past couple of years the latter of that group has seen a number of DVD releases made available courtesy of Time Life Entertainment. Late this summer audiences saw what could very well be the pinnacle of those releases in the form of The Carol Burnett Show: The Lost Episodes VIP Signed Edition.  This 22-disc collection is a set that the series’ most hardcore fans will appreciate.  That is due in large part to the material that is included within the set.  That will be discussed shortly.  The set’s packaging is just as noteworthy as the material contained therein.  That will be discussed later.  Last but hardly least of note in the set is its bonus material.  Each element proves to be important in its own right to the whole of The Carol Burnett Show: The Lost Episodes VIP Signed Edition.  All things considered, this collection proves to be one of the year’s top new box sets for grown-up audiences.

Time Life Entertainment’s recently released Carol Burnett Show box set The Carol Burnett Show: The Lost Episodes VIP Signed Edition is one of this year’s top new box sets for grown-up audiences.  That is due in part to the material that is contained within the collection.  Audiences will note that most prominent inside the box are three of the series’ previously released standalone Lost Episodes collections—Classic Carol, Treasures From The Vault, and The Lost Episodes.  The three sets contain a total of 3,163 minutes spread across 18 discs.  That is a little nearly 53 hours of entertainment for audiences, including not just the sets’ featured episodes but lots of bonus material, too.  The all-important episode guides included in the sets’ original releases are there, too.  As if the inclusion of those sets isn’t enough for audiences, Time Life Entertainment has also included two extra double-disc sets with the set, one of which features the previously released Carol + 2 box set.  That box set also included Once Upon A Mattress, which itself is also included in the new noted box inside this much bigger collection.  It also includes a feature on the origin of The Charwoman, two other featurettes (which this critic will let audiences discover for themselves) and a handful of extra interviews.  The second of the set’s bonus sets includes its own share of extra material.  That extra material includes even more interviews with celebrities who have shared the stage with Burnett and those who have been influenced by her work.  It also includes the second part of a roundtable talk with the show’s writers and even more outtakes for audiences to enjoy.  In the simplest terms possible, the material that is included inside The Carol Burnett Show: The Lost Episodes VIP Signed Edition includes both previously released material and some new material all housed within one much larger set.  Being that it is all housed within one full set, it will save a certain amount of space for anyone who has already spent the money on the previously noted standalone sets.  Speaking of that space-saving, that is another reason that this recently released box set will impress fans of the classic variety series.

The material that is contained within The Carol Burnett Show: The Lost Episodes VIP Signed Edition is in itself a key element to note in examining this recently released Carol Burnett Show box set.  It is not the only element to examine in studying the set’s overall presentation, though.  The set’s packaging is just as important to note as its material in examining its presentation.  The five boxes and 22 discs that make up the body of the box set are contained in a box that is very similar in style to that presented in The Carol Burnett Show: Ultimate Collection, which was released in 2014.  For those that might not be familiar with that packaging style, it is a medium-size rectangular box.  The only thing that separates the two boxes is that the box for the latest Carol Burnett Show collection is slightly smaller than that of The Carol Burnett Show: Ultimate Collection.  It—The Carol Burnett Show: The Lost Episodes VIP Signed Edition—measures roughly 11” X 7.5” X 3”.  What this means is that the box really is not that big.  So it won’t take up a whole lot of space in a fan’s home regardless of where it is stored.  At the time, it isn’t that big, which is good in its own right, but it packs a big punch with all of the material that it houses.  That is because it will, again, allow audiences who purchased the Time Life’s previously released Lost Episodes collections to eliminate them and replace them with this much more extensive box set.  And the box set doesn’t take up that much room despite being a box set itself.  Keeping all of this in mind, The Carol Burnett Show: The Lost Episodes VIP Signed Edition boasts plenty for fans to appreciate.  It still is not all that makes this box set stand out.  The bonus material that is included in the box set rounds out its most important elements.

The material contained within The Carol Burnett Show: The Lost Episodes VIP Signed Edition and the set’s packaging are both key elements to note in examining the set’s presentation. As important as they are to the set’s presentation, they are not its only noteworthy elements.  The bonus material that is included in the set is just as important as those previously noted elements to the set’s presentation.  The bonus material comes in the form of a “Guest Book” presented a la Burnett’s own guest book, which she would have guests at the end of each episode of her hit show.  The guest book opens with an introduction by Burnett herself explaining why it has taken so many decades for any episodes from the series’ first five seasons to finally be available.  The story that she tells is both entertaining and insightful.  Along the way there are quotes from some of television’s biggest stars past and present across the entertainment world and even more tidbits of information about certain skits shown throughout the show’s run.

The stars who are quoted include Tony Benett, Queen Latifah, Jonathan Winters, Bernadette Peters, Lucille Ball and many others.  The information included in the guest book a hilarious interview between comedian Flip Wilson and one of Carol’s audience members, a revelation by Vicki Lawrence about watching Cher perform next door to The Carol Burnett Show’s studio, and notes from Alan Alda (M.A.S.H.) and Burnett about Tim Conway along with Carol Burnett Show writer Gail Parent.  This is hardly all of the information provided within the set’s bonus guest book.  There is so much more for audiences to enjoy when they order the set for themselves.  Between all of its information, the quotes from the stars and the very breadth of stars featured in the guest book, the set’s guest book proves to live up to its title of bonus material.  When it is partnered with the set’s packaging and presented material, all three elements join to show why The Carol Burnett Show: The Lost Episodes VIP Signed Edition is such an enjoyable collection for the series’ most devoted fans.  All things considered, this recently released box set reveals itself to be one more of this year’s top new box sets for grown-up audiences.

The Carol Burnett Show: The Lost Episodes VIP Signed Edition is one of this year’s top new box sets for grown-up audiences.  It is a collection that any of the series’ most devoted fans will appreciate.  That is due in part to the material that is presented within the set.  The packaging that houses that material is just as important to the set’s presentation as the material that makes up its body.  The bonus guest book that is included with the featured material rounds out the set’s most important elements.  When it is partnered with the previously noted elements, all three elements come together to make this collection, again, one of this year’s top new box sets for grown-up audiences. More information on this and other titles from Time Life Entertainment is available online now at:

 

 

 

Website: http://timelife.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TimeLifeUS

Twitter: http://twitter.com/TimeLifeUS

 

 

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Time Life’s Latest Hee Haw Collection Is Small But Packs Lots Of Laughs

Courtesy: Time Life Entertainment/StarVista Entertainment

CBS’ classic variety series Hee Haw is one of the most surprising series in television’s modern history.  That is because of the length of its run.  It initially ran for two years on CBS from 1969 to 1971 before the network dropped the show, which was originally a replacement for another variety show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.  Even after begin cut from CBS’ ranks as part of its “rural purge” the show still managed to stay on the air in a variety of fashions until 1993.  Even after it finally ended its run on television, it still has not stayed dead thanks to Time Life Entertainment.  When the networks relinquished the reins on the show Time Life picked them up and has kept the show alive for yet another generation thanks to its DVD box sets featuring the show’s episodes.  Time Life has been churning out those box sets for a number of years.  And next Tuesday it will release yet another collection of episodes in the form of The Hee Haw Collection: Kornfield Klassics.  The core element of this collection is its episodes.  Unlike so many Hee Haw collections before it, this collection features only enough episodes to fill a single disc.  More specifically it features just two episodes.  But they are still enjoyable in their own right.  That brings up the disc’s second most important element, the content of said episodes.  There’s plenty of country and bluegrass for fans of those genres.  There are also plenty of laughs to be had in the skits that serve as the episodes’ main body.  Last but not least of note in this latest collection of sorts is its collective production values and companion booklet.  These pieces of the disc’s presentation round out its most notable elements.  They play their own important part in the whole of Time Life Entertainment’s new Hee Haw presentation.  Together with the episodes and their overall content all three elements make The Hee Haw Collection: Kornfield Klassics a “collection” that any of the show’s fans should have in his or her own home DVD library.

Time Life Entertainment’s latest “collection” of classic Hee Haw episodes is one more that any of the show’s fans should have in his or her own home DVD library.  This is even with the single disc presentation boasting only two episodes.  Even with just two episodes, the episodes in question are still reason enough in itself for fans of the classic variety show to own this disc.  The episodes in question are both true classics.  They are both lifted from the series’ second season and feature plenty of great music and comedy.  Considering that the show was originally pulled from CBS’ lineup after its second season, this latest pairing becomes all the more important for fans.  It is a document of sorts of the show in its infancy; one that is quite rare nowadays.  That is even with so many other Hee Haw sets having been released over the past decade or so.  Of course the two episodes featured in this latest release are collectively just one important element in its overall presentation.  The actual content presented in each of the episodes is just as important as the episodes themselves.

The episodes that are featured in Time Life Entertainment’s new Hee Haw collection are in themselves an important part of its overall presentation.    They are only one important and notable element of its presentation.  The actual content within the featured episodes is just as important to the presentation of this disc as the episodes themselves.  What audiences get in these episodes is another sampling of what made (and continues to make) Hee Haw such an undervalued series.  Audiences get the classic doctor skit featuring the doc telling his patients not to do what hurts them, the fan favorite front porch skits with grandpa laying out telling jokes with Roy, and so many laugh riot outtakes that audiences themselves will be laughing tears of joy as they hold their sides on the floor.  This is just a miniscule example of what makes the episodes’ content so important to this release’s presentation.  There are also great performances from the likes of Roger Miller, Loretta Lynn, Peggy Little and lots more across both episodes.  Between the episodes’ great tunes, the laugh-a-minute skits and equally riotous outtakes included in the episodes, the whole of their presentation makes up for the fact that there are only two episodes featured in this collection.  Both episodes will keep audiences that well entertained. Keeping that in mind, both the episodes featured in this new Hee Haw presentation and their content prove hugely important to its overall presentation. They are not the disc’s only notable elements either. The episodes’ collective production values and the disc’s companion booklet are the last but hardly least important elements. The episodes’ production values—their audio and video mix—is so important to their presentation in that if there was any re-mastering done within these episodes it is nearly unnoticeable. That being the case, the look and sound of the episodes creates a wonderful, welcome sense of nostalgia for those that grew up watching this timeless series. And for those that are part of the new generation, the “rough” look of the show versus the spit-shined look and sound of today’s TV shows serve as a reminder of the life and soul of TV back in that era. The sound wasn’t rough per se. but at the same time, it’s clear that it didn’t have that “modern” sound either. Together with the original footage both elements together give a viewing experience that is in itself more than enough reason to see both episodes. On a related note, the companion booklet that comes with The Hee Haw Collection: Kornfield Klassics is just as important to its presentation as its collective production values. While there’s no specifics about the episodes’ air dates, audiences do at least get a guide in regards to the episodes’ makeup. More specifically it focuses on the musical performances contained within each episode. Audiences can choose between those performances when they choose the “index” option in the DVD’s main menu. Between the two elements, viewers can pick out from either show with ease which performance(s) they want to see. It would have been nice to choose the skits, too. But in Time Life’s defense, the skits move so fast that separating them out would not have made any real sense in hindsight. To that extent, the companion booklet included with this disc still plays its own important part in the overall presentation of the DVD. Together with the welcome, wonderful nostalgic feel that the footage brings in its production values, the two elements together give one more reason that audiences will want to experience these classic Hee Haw episodes. The same can be said just as easily when setting those elements against the DVD’s episodes and their nonstop, laugh-inciting content. All things considered The Hee Haw Collection: Kornfield Klassics is one more presentation that any Hee Haw fan will want to add to his or her own DVD library.

Time Life Entertainment’s latest Hee Haw presentation is yet another piece that any fan of the classic variety series should have in his or her own DVD library. This is evident through the classic episodes featured on the disc and their hilarious content. The wonderful and welcome feeling of nostalgia that is created in audiences in watching these episodes through their production values adds even more enjoyment to the disc’s viewing experience. The companion booklet that is included with the DVD even plays its own important role, making the process of choosing one classic performance or another all the easier for audiences. Each element plays its own important part in the whole of the DVD. Altogether they make The Hee Haw Collection: Kornfield Classics another must have for anyone that grew up with the classic variety series just as much as for the show’s new generation of audiences. It will be available next Tuesday, February 9^th and can be ordered online via Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Hee-Haw-Kornfield-Klassics-DVD/dp/B018DSA8ZW/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1454689274&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=The+Hee+haw+Collection+Kornfield+Klassics. More information on this and other titles from Time Life Entertainment is available online now at:

 

Website: http://timelife.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TimeLifeUS

Twitter: http://twitter.com/TimeLifeUS

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

StarVista Succeeds Again With The Wonder Years: Season Three

Courtesy: StarVista Entertainment/Time Life Entertainment

It is official. StarVista Entertainment now has two new releases on this critic’s list of this year’s best new box sets for children and families. There is a third release from StarVista that has made this critics list of the best new box sets for grown-ups. But that is a story for another time. Getting back on topic, one of the noted box sets on this year’s list—The Wonder Years Season 2—was released back in February of this year. The other—The Wonder Years Season 3—was just released late last month. It is interesting to note how quickly StarVista has churned out the series’ first three seasons considering that Season One was released as recently as this past October. It’s interesting to note because of how enjoyable each season has proven, including the newly released third season. Typically when companies churn out releases (box sets or DVDs/Blu-rays) the end result is a presentation that is largely forgettable and hardly worth the watch. Thankfully, in the case of The Wonder Years, audiences will be happy to know that the standards established by StarVista in the series’ first two seasons have been maintained throughout the course of this season, too thus making Season Three just as enjoyable as those first two seasons and proving why it is yet another piece from StarVista that is one of this year’s best new box sets for children and families.

The third season of The Wonder Years is just as enjoyable for audiences of all ages as the series’ first two seasons. This is the case even though the company released it only about three months after the release of the series’ second season and only seven months after the series’ debut season. It is so enjoyable because those charged with its assembly and release maintained the same standards used within those sets in this one, too. The main standard in question is the inclusion of every one of the season’s twenty-three total episodes in their entirety. The episodes in question are ones that once again are just as relatable for audiences today as they were to audiences in their original run on ABC so many years ago. The set’s first disc is loaded with examples of how those episodes remain so timeless. It opens with “Summer Song” in which Kevin has his first-ever summer romance. While not everybody out there has had that fabled one-time “relationship” enough people have had it even now in the twenty-first century to make it relatable. “Rock ‘n Roll” is just as relatable. Again it is not entirely relatable to every viewer today. But one glance at the teeny-bopper and tweeny-bopper sitcoms and dramas out there today shows just how relatable this episode remains despite its age. Having that teen band is something that so many young people do as part of their “coming of age” even today. Even this critic went through that at one point. “Goodbye” is perhaps one of the most powerful of the season’s episodes in its ability to relate to viewers as it sees Kevin having to face one of the most difficult situations that he would ever face in his life. It is a situation that every young person has to face at one point or another. It is just part of that personal growth that everybody goes through at one point or another as they get older. Staying on that note, the fact that the third season of The Wonder Years continues to present Kevin’s coming of age—his personal growth and his growth as part of a family unit—in whole, it makes the series that much more believable and in turn more memorable from one episode to the next. That alone makes this latest season set that much more of a must have for audiences of any age. In other words it proves even more why it is one of this year’s best new box sets for the whole family.

The presentation of The Wonder Years’ third season in its entirety is the most important aspect to its enjoyment. It is a serial that really is not a serial. The scenarios presented in each episode are timeless mirror images of the real world and vice versa. They are just part of what makes this season another success. Along with including all twenty-three (NOT seventeen) episodes featured in the season’s original run, StarVista Entertainment has once again included a load of in-depth bonuses for audiences. Audiences get to hear from stars Danica McKellar, Fred Savage, and Josh Saviano yet again in another roundtable discussion that focuses on not just Season Three but the show’s other seasons, too. There are also one-on-one interviews with McKellar and her sister Crystal–who played another of Kevin’s romantic interests, Becky Slater—as well as Olivia d’Abo (Karen Arnold) and Jason Hervey (Wayne Arnold). If that’s not enough for fans, StarVista has one again included a companion booklet that serves as not just an episode guide but its own true bonus companion to the season set. It is a bonus because once again, it provides extra behind-the-scenes “secrets” about each episode such as the revelation that Fred Savage’s younger brother (and now fellow famed actor) Ben played Cupid—a.k.a. Curtis Hartsell—in the episode “The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” or that Danica McKellar joined the ranks of greats such as Orson Welles, Frank Sinatra, Eva Marie Satin, Hal Holbrook, Spalding Gray, and Paul Newman in performing in the play Our Town. Sure, it was as Winnie Cooper. But it is still pretty interesting to learn this little tidbit of information. There are even more masses of extras shared throughout the set’s bonus companion booklet that audiences will enjoy learning for themselves. Together with the season’s full complement of fully believable and entertaining episodes it both elements together show quite clearly why this latest release is another of the year’s best new box sets for families. While both elements are equally important to the season’s enjoyment, they still are not all that makes this set so memorable and a must have. The look and sound of the set is another standard that StarVista has maintained in this season.

Audiences that perhaps might not have already picked up the first two seasons of The Wonder Years will be quite pleasantly surprised by the series’ third season box set. That is because it maintains the high standards set by StarVista for itself in the noted box sets in every way. It presents every episode from the classic series’ third season in whole. Added on to that, the episodes continue to keep audiences engaged and entertained because of their reality. The bonus material that was included with the series’ previous standalone sets are just as prevalent here as in those sets. They make the overall viewing experience presented in this box set all the richer for viewers. While both standards go a long way toward making The Wonder Years: Season Three enjoyable for audiences, the collective production values of the episodes (their overall look and sound), are also just as impressive as those of the previous seasons’ episodes. The grainy look of the show from its original run is there. Bu it has been cleaned up just enough to keep the picture clear. The season’s audio mix is just as impressive. This is especially the case with the show’s soundtrack. The songs that make up the show’s foundation sound wonderful whether on a standard television or one with a home theater system. In the same vein, the audio has been handled so professionally that at no point will viewers have to ride their remotes so to speak. In other words, whether in the transitions from dialogue to music and back or from scene to scene in general, viewers will not have to worry about adjusting the volume on their TVs. Yes it seems minor on the surface. But there are those series and movies that suffer dramatically from poor audio management which leads to viewers riding their remotes constantly. It really takes away from the overall viewing experience. Thankfully, again, viewers don’t have to worry about that here. Because they don’t have to worry about making that constant adjustment, viewers will be able to spend their time taking in the stories presented in every one of the season’s twenty-three episodes as well as all of the season’s bonus material. It rounds out the set and shows once and for all why The Wonder Years: Season Three is one of this year’s best new box sets for children and families.

The Wonder Years: Season Three is one of this year’s best new box sets for children and families, in case that point hasn’t already been driven home. It has more than earned this title thanks to the fact that it presents the same high standards established by StarVista Entertainment in the series’ first two season sets. It presents all twenty-three episodes that make up Season Three in their full, joy-filled and often emotional moments. The bonus material boasted by the series’ first two season sets are also present here. Just as impressive is the fact that this season looks and sounds just as impressive as those standalone sets. Whether on their own or collectively, all three elements noted here show without a doubt that the third season of The Wonder Years is one of this year’s best new box sets for children and families. It is available now in stores and online. More information on this and other titles from StarVista Entertainment is available online now at:

Website: http://timelife.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TimeLifeUS

Twitter: http://twitter.com/TimeLifeUS

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

StarVista Shines Again With Its New Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts Sets

Courtesy: StarVista Entertainment/Time Life Entertainment

Every year or so cable network Comedy Central airs a new celebrity roast, honoring and poking fun at a different celebrity. The celebrities in question come from every avenue of the entertainment world. There’s no denying that the roasts in question are entertaining. However, there is also no denying that they are also nothing new when examining the annals of television’s history. From 1973 to 1984, Dean Martin and NBC ruled the airwaves with Martin’s hit series of celebrity roasts. Just as with Comedy Central’s celebrity roasts, Martin’s roasts playfully poked fun at some of the biggest names of the day from every avenue of entertainment. Despite more than four decades having passed since The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts first hit the airwaves, the series of roasts remains just as entertaining today as it was so many years ago. One could even argue that The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts are even better than Comedy Central’s celebrity roasts, having set the precedent so long ago. Thanks to StarVista Entertainment, that argument has been supported quite well in recent years thanks to the release of The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts on DVD. Five separate box sets featuring episodes of the hit broadcasts have been released since 2013. Now two more collections have been released by StarVista Entertainment; one an eight-disc set titled The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts: Stingers and Zingers, and the other a single disc collection focusing on three of the sports world’s greatest names titled The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts: Hall of Fame. Both sets were released in stores and online April 14th. And both are well worth the purchase for anyone that wants a good laugh. The guest honorees and their roasters are obviously the heart of the discs’ enjoyment and success. The jokes that the guests shoot at one another and the honorees are of course at the heart of the sets’ success. They and the guests’ timing in delivering said jokes will leave audiences in stitches, making for even more reason for viewers to purchase either set. On another level, the production values presented in both Dean Martin Celebrity Roast sets presents one more reason that they are so enjoyable. The episodes presented in both sets have been masterfully re-touched. They look and sound wonderful across the board. Such laudable work on the sets’ restoration is deserving of its own share of praise. It proves to be one more reason for any viewer and lover of classic TV to purchase either set. Together with the guests and the nonstop jokes across the board it proves to be one more reason that both belong in the library of any comedy lover and lover of classic TV.

StarVista Entertainment’s latest Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts sets are two more fine examples of everything that once made comedy (and television in larger part) great. They show just how far comedy and television have strayed from their former greatness. One could even go so far as to say that both are so enjoyable that they are deserving of a spot in the library of any comedy lover and classic TV lover alike. The central reason for such praise is the collective list of guests and honorees presented across both sets. The guests featured throughout both sets is a who’s who of the sports and entertainment worlds. Ruth Buzzi, Don Rickles, Bob Hope, Red Button and so many other greats roast their friends Jack Kulgman, Mr. T., and Evel Knievel among so many others. Younger audiences might recognize some of the celebrity guests and honorees. However, older audiences are more apt to know the names featured in each episode. Of course, for those that might not be so familiar with those names, being introduced to them could actually prove beneficial. It could teach said audiences about the figures that remain today some of the most respected in their respected fields. So to that extent, it could be argued that the featured celebrities could actually serve as the starting point for a lesson on the history of American entertainment. Such a rich representation of Hollywood’s greatest ages and of the sports world’s equally rich history is just one reason that audiences will enjoy both of these new Dean Martin Celebrity Roast sets. The jokes lobbed at the honorees and guests alike make for even more enjoyment from both presentations.

The guest and honoree lists that make up both of StarVista Entertainment’s new Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts sets by themselves prove to be plenty of reason in themselves for audiences to purchase either set. Of course, those guest and honoree lists can only do so much in encouraging viewers to pick up either et. The jokes lobbed back and forth between the guests and honorees add even more enjoyment for audiences. In terms of the jokes, Mickey Mantle and other athletes and celebs throw some real heaters at baseball legend Joe Garagiola including jokes about his batting average, and even his ability to swing both on the field and off among other topics. Yes, there is some blue material. And Garagiola isn’t the only victim of that material, either. Needles to say not all of the jokes are proper for some younger viewers. Older audiences though, will get a real laugh from all of that material and more. Gary Coleman dresses up just like Mr. T for Mr. T’s roast. And his joke about wanting to be big like Mr. T gets its own share of laugh, especially with Coleman dressed just like Mr. T. And the jabs thrown at TV legend Monty Hall will have viewers in stitches. These are just some of the examples of how the guest and honoree lists presented in each of StarVista’s new Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts set work in conjunction to make both sets equally enjoyable despite one being a single-disc set and the other an extensive eight-disc set. There are so many examples that could be listed that there is simply neither enough time nor space to go into everything. Needless to say regardless of which example(s) is/are chosen, every one proves to be as entertaining as any others. That in mind, the combination of the guest/honoree lists featured throughout both sets coupled with the jokes makes for all the reason in the world to add either one to any lover of real comedy and/or classic television.

The combination of the guest/honoree lists that compose both of StarVista Entertainment’s new Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts sets make for more than enough reason for any lover of true comedy and classic TV to purchase either set. They will put smiles on any viewer’s face and draw nonstop laughs from any viewer’s mouth. Taking that into consideration, there is only one other element of both sets to examine. That final element is the collective production values of both sets. The production values in question refers to the look and sound of the episodes culled for the sets. StarVista Entertainment made completely certain once again with these sets to note the possibility that there may be some issues with the sets’ production values and for audiences to essentially bear with StarVista. As with StarVista’s previously released Carol Burnett Show releases (and others), audiences will be pleased to know that the disclaimers in question were hardly needed. Those charged with re-mastering each episode for the sets are to be commended for their efforts. That is because as old as the footage is, every episode looks and sounds wonderful, thus making for all the more reason to add either set to any true comedy and classic TV lover’s home library. There are no real noticeable impurities or other issues with any of the footage. It is yet another testament to those responsible for resurrecting this and so many other classic series for StarVista Entertainment and for audiences. Their efforts have resulted in footage that maintains the series’ classic look without sacrificing anything along the way. The end result is footage that will create a welcome sense of nostalgia both among those that grew up with Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts and those that might be first time viewers. It is a feeling that will make any of said viewers want to watch these episodes again and again.

StarVista Entertainment’s new Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts sets may differ in the number of discs that make up each set. It is the only difference between the two sets, though. Audiences will agree in viewing both sets that there is plenty to appreciate in both sets. The guest/honoree lists themselves serve as a great starting point for a lesson about Hollywood’s history and that of America’s sports world. The stingers, zingers, and otherwise laugh-inciting jokes served up by the guests and honorees make for even more enjoyment from both sets. Thanks to the efforts of those charged with re-mastering the classic footage, every episode looks and sounds as good as it did in its original broadcast so many decades ago. Each episode looks and sounds so good that the sets’ disclaimers regarding the episodes’ production values prove to be just as unnecessary as with StarVista’s past classic TV releases. Each element proves highly important to the enjoyment of both of StarVista’s new Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts sets in their own way. Together they make both sets welcome additions tothe home library of any lover of true comedy and classic television. Both sets are available now online and can be ordered online direct via Amazon. More information on this and other titles from StarVista Entertainment is available online now at:

Website: http://timelife.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TimeLifeUS

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/TimeLifeUS

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Mama’s Family Goes Out On Top In Its Sixth And Final Season

Courtesy: StarVista Entertainment

Mama’s Family is one of the sharpest comedies to ever grace any of the television world’s major networks. It can justifiably be said that if not for Mama’s Family, there would likely be no Roseanne. Either that or Roseanne might not have come along until much later than it did. It was Vicky Lawrence’s character of Thelma who paved the way not only for Roseanne Barr, but many other comediennes that would follow in her footsteps for years to come. Originally released in 2006, StarVista Entertainment obtained the distribution rights to the series some years ago and started re-issuing the series in 2013. Now almost two years after StarVista Entertainment re-issued the first of the series’ seasons that run has finally come to an end with the release of its sixth and final season last month. Regardless of audiences’ familiarity with Mama’s Family, every viewer will agree in watching this final season that even twenty-five years after the last episode aired, the series is still just as entertaining today as it was in its first run so long ago. The main reason that it remains so entertaining to this day is its writing. The writers crafted stories that were laugh riots both for themselves and for the sharp, witty one-liners tossed into the dialogue. The execution of those stories and one-liners by the show’s cast adds even more enjoyment to the show’s final season. In other words, the work of the show’s cast in interpreting the writers’ work adds even more to the overall enjoyment of these episodes. Last but not least of all worth noting of this set is the bonus material included in Season Six’s triple-disc box set. This includes both the set’s companion booklet and it’s bonus interviews with the show’s cast and crew. Each element by itself proves the sixth season of Mama’s Family to be a fitting finale for what is one of the greatest sitcoms of the 20th century. It is also one more welcome addition to the collection of any classic TV fan and any Mama’s Family fan, too.

The sixth and final season of  Mama’s Family is a fitting finale for what is not just itself a great sitcom, but also one of the greatest sitcoms of the 20th Century. As with its first five seasons, it proves this yet again thanks to the efforts of the show’s writers. The writers crafted in the sixth season of Mama’s Family twenty-one episodes that are just as ripe with laughs as any of the episodes from the series’ first five seasons. They are so funny both because of the premises of the stories themselves and for the jokes incorporated into each story. For example, in “An Affair to Forget,” Thelma suspects Vinton of cheating on Naomi with his new trainee Heather. The result sees Thelma and Iola end up spying on him only to find out that Naomi and Heather are actually good friends and that nothing was going on between Heather and Vinton after all. Of course they have to save face, so they get out of dodge real fast so to speak. Their reactions throughout the entire story right up to that final moment are a laugh riot. The writers’ sharp, witty commentary about the role of men and women in society in “Mr. Wrong” will have audiences laughing just as hysterically. When Iola’s boyfriend Bert introduces himself to Thelma’s family, his sexist mindset comes out, forcing Thelma’s tongue and her hand. She compares Bert to Pee-wee Herman when Iola says Bert is humorous and outgoing. Thelma shoots back that so is Pee-wee Herman, but she wouldn’t date him. Then she goes on to call Bert a liar, a blowhard, and a pig, to which Iola responds, “alright. So he’s not perfect.” This back and forth is a moment that will have both men and women alike laughing. Ironically enough even today there are still men like Bert. That’s what makes Thelma’s commentary so funny. The related jokes about her grandson trying to find love through a “romance line” will have audiences laughing just as much. And even the dream sequence that makes up “The Big Nap” will please any classic crime films and TV shows. Seeing Lawrence dressed up as an old-time detective is itself funny. The use of the sepiatone effect for the dream sequence and the acting on the part of the cast shows just how much fun everybody had making this episode. The episode’s story, which centers on a handful of recipes, is so funny in itself that one can’t help but watch and see what happens. It’s one more example of how the work of the writers behind Mama’s Family managed to so easily keep this sitcom such a laugh riot for so long. Now with the re-issue of the series’ final season, its original fans and possibly even a whole new generation of fans will see this for themselves. With any luck, in seeing this, it will turn audiences of all ages away from all the serials out there today and back to the joy that is another wonderful classic sitcom.

The work of the writers behind Mama’s Family proves to be just as entertaining in the series’ sixth season as in its first as has been evidenced already. Thelma’s jokes and biting social commentary are just as relevant and laugh-inciting today as they were in the series’ original run so long ago. While the writers are to be commended just as much today as they were then, the cast is to be commended, too. Vicky Lawrence’s timing is spot on from one episode to the next. It is almost as rapid fire as Groucho Marx with the same sharp wit as Carol O’Connor in his days on All in the Family. Ken Berry’s Vinton remains the perfect comic relief. And straightwoman Iola plays off of Lawrence’s Thelma just as well. The pairing of the two creates its own share of laughs from the season premiere to its finale. Interestingly enough, Beverly Archer plays the role so well that one can’t help but feel kind of sorry for Iola. That’s because Archer makes her such a simpleton yet someone who has a good heart. It makes her a great contrast to Thelma’s much more quick-witted personality. And it really plays on the old adage that opposites attract, which is why the pair works so well on-screen especially in Carol Burnett’s departure from the show. Even Dorothy Lyman adds her own comic element to the show as Vinton’s ditzy wife Naomi. She is especially entertaining because even today, every viewer knows somebody like her. Those same sorts still exist today. And they are quite like her. In many cases, actors whose series have been on air so long have a tendency to phone it in so to speak and just go on cruise control. But the cast of Mama’s Family is one cast that maintained its professionalism right to the end. The end result is one more season that shows exactly why Mama’s Family remains in its sixth season just as entertaining as any of today’s current offerings if not more so. And it is one more reason that anyone looking for real comedy with heart and soul should add this season of Mama’s Family to their own home DVD collection.

Bot the work of the writers and the cast of Mama’s Family proves just as solid in this the series’ final season as its debut season only years before. Both are equally important to the overall enjoyment and success of the set. But they aren’t all to be considered. The companion interviews and booklet included with Mama’s Family Season Six rightfully lives up to the title of bonus material. It rounds out the elements that make this season so enjoyable and such a success. The companion booklet offers a short but concise look at some of the season’s highlights courtesy of freelance writer Andrew Whitenack. The booklet also offers a full episode list for each of the set’s three discs. The bonus interviews offer just as many laughs as the episodes themselves and just as much insight into the show. Vicky Lawrence sits down with Writer/EP Rick Hawkins for discussions on the show’s guest stars, the addictive nature of the show, working with Harvey Korman and so many other topics. Jim Evering discusses working on both The Carol Burnett Show and Mama’s Family. And writer Manny Basanese offers up his own thoughts on the show, too. He notes that he came on in the last season. Considering how young Basanese looks, such a comment coupled with the fact that he notes he watched the series himself before coming on means he had to have been pretty young when he watched it. That in itself is a bold statement. Despite some of the show’s language and topics even six seasons in, it shows how much the show appealed to younger audiences even in its original run. It’s a subtle yet bold statement. And it’s yet more proof of why the bonus material included in the sixth season of Mama’s Family makes this box set so enjoyable and the set in whole such a success.

The bonus material included in the sixth season of Mama’s Family proves in its own way why this final box set is such a joy for anyone looking to break away from the monotony of television’s current offerings. The laughs and insights offered through the both the companion booklet and the bonus interviews will have audiences laughing just as much as with the episodes themselves. Speaking of the episodes, the combined work of the show’s writers and its cast six seasons in will have audiences laughing till they cry tears of joy. This is quite the statement especially when these episodes are compared to television’s current bland offerings. The combination of all three elements together shows clearly why the sixth season of Mama’s Family is a must have for any classic TV fan and a must have for anyone looking to escape the monotony of all the crime dramas, medical procedurals, and serials currently polluting the television spectrum today. Mama’s Family Season Six is available in stores and online now. More information on this and other titles available from StarVista Entertainment is available online at:

Website: http://timelife.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TimeLifeUS

Twitter: http://twitter.com/TimeLifeUS

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

StarVista’s New Carol Burnett Set Is A Good First Set For Any Fan’s Collection

Courtesy: StarVista Entertainment/Time Life Entertainment

StarVista Entertainment released its latest collection of classic episodes from The Carol Burnett Show last week in the new single-disc DVD presentation The Carol Burnett Show: Together Again.  The DVD features three classic episodes from what is one of television’s greatest sketch comedy/variety shows.  While the episodes have already been presented in StarVista’s previous Carol Burnett Show box sets, there are those audiences that have not picked up said box sets to this day or have not been able to add those box sets to their own personal collections.  Keeping that in mind, The Carol Burnett Show: Together Again proves to be a good starting point for any viewer regardless of said viewer’s familiarity with The Carol Burnett Show.  While it is for all intents and purposes a re-issue of three previously released episodes the episodes presented on The Carol Burnett Show: Together Again serve as a good starting point for anyone that has yet to start their collection of Carol Burnett Show episodes.  The reason that the episodes included on this disc prove to be a good starting point is the collective work of the show’s writers and its cast.  The largely family-friendly sketches will leave audiences of all ages in stitches at some points and move them deeply at others thanks to the work of all involved.  And the inclusion of a fully in-detail episode guide completes the presentation.  The guide in question has been a standard of every one of StarVista Entertainment’s Carol Burnett Show releases.  They have always been a highly important part of each presentation, too.  That is still the case even in this presentation.     Because it has been included once again here along with so many wonderfully entertaining moments, it is one more part of the whole of The Carol Burnett Show: Together Again that makes this DVD a welcome watch for anyone looking to start their Carol Burnett Show collection.

The episodes that have been collected for StarVista Entertainment’s new Carol Burnett Show compilation are nothing new for many fans of the classic sketch comedy/variety series.  There are those out there that have wasted no time criticizing StarVista for this.  Those same people have not taken into consideration that not every fan of The Carol Burnett Show own any of StarVista’s previous Carol Burnett Show compilations or even the show’s complete series collection.  Anyone that takes this into consideration will hopefully see that even though the episodes on this disc have been previously released, they make for a good start for any Carol Burnett Show fan that has yet to start their collection of episodes.  Because the episodes culled for this compilation have already been presented before, it can obviously be said that they are presented exactly as they were presented in their original broadcasts on CBS back in 1973 and 1978.  And just as in their previous resurrections, all three episodes look and sound just as good as they did in their original broadcasts.  So anyone that has not yet started their collection will understandably be impressed at least by this much.

The quality presentation of the episodes chosen for The Carol Burnett Show: Together Again is by itself plenty of reason for the series’ fans to pick up this DVD or order it online.  It’s just part of the reason for fans that are looking to start their collection to purchase this collection.  The work of the writers across all three episodes gives even more reason for fans to pick up this DVD if they haven’t already purchased any of the series’ previous DVD sets.  Even roughly thirty years or so after their original broadcasts, these episodes will still have audiences laughing uproariously at some points, and moved almost to tears at others.  Some of the laughs even come as a result of the writers’ tributes to Hollywood’s golden era as in the set’s final episode “High Hat.”  The skit pays homage to the great films of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.  It actually takes its name directly from the pair’s 1935 hit film Top Hat.  Ken Berry even provides a surprisingly entertaining tap number and his own singing performances.  Anyone that is a fan of Top Hat or classic song and dance films in general will truly appreciate this sketch for both its historical and its comic value.  The sketch “Raised To Be Rotten” offers just as many laughs as it spoofs all of the trashy soap operas of the day.  Ironically enough, it could even be considered a spoof of many of the soap operas of the past twenty years or more.  That continued relevance and comic value make it yet another prime example of how the work of the writers on this show makes these episodes so entertaining even today and in turn why their work makes this collection so enjoyable for anyone looking to make the first of maybe many additions to their Carol Burnett Show collections.  On the opposite end of that spectrum, Carol’s portrayal of her beloved Charwoman character in Show # 705 is certain to put both a smile on fans’ faces and maybe even a tear in their eyes.  The Charwoman discovers in this episode’s sketch “Silence is Golden” an old seemingly abandoned room loaded with classic silent films and even a projector that magically seems to work.  When turned on, the projector seems to transport the Charwoman into what is supposed to be a classic Charlie Chaplin film.  In this case, actress Gloria Swanson (Sunset Boulevard) plays the part of Chaplin.  And she does so quite convincingly, too.  There’s something about both Swanson and Burnett’s acting here that makes this sketch enjoyable and charming in so many ways.  The Charwoman’s reaction in realizing she might actually have been in the film and her interaction with “Chaplin” in realizing it makes for a truly sweet moment that is sure to have any viewer tearing up at least a little bit.  Whether for that moment and the more lighthearted laughs offered in the sketch, the smiles and laughs brought on by the tribute to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, or any of the laughs and smiles brought on throughout the presented episodes, every single episode and every sketch proves in its own inimitable way why the work of the writers behind The Carol Burnett Show makes this compilation just as worth the purchase as any of the show’s previous DVD releases.  This is especially the case for anyone that has yet to start their collection of Carol Burnett Show collections.

The episodes that StarVista chose to include as part of the whole that is The Carol Burnett Show: Together Again, their presentation, and the work of the writers in each episode collectively shows why this new DVD release is a good starting point for anyone looking to take the first step in starting their collection of DVDs from what is one of the greatest series in the modern history of television. While the noted elements each make for so much enjoyment, one more element should be noted of the whole package that adds to its enjoyment. The element in question is the disc’s companion booklet. The booklet included with the DVD is, like the episodes themselves, nothing new for StarVista’s Carol Burnett Show DVD sets. The companion booklet outlines each show in just enough detail to give viewers a relatively vivid idea of each episode and sketch. It outlines the highlights of each show and notes the title and cast of each sketch within the episodes. It even notes each show’s original air date as part of the full outline. All of the details noted of the disc’s companion booklet are also part of the booklets included with each one of StarVista’s previously released Carol Burnett Show collections. This is so significant because it shows once more the careful approach taken by those charged with assembling the episodes and the package in whole. It shows that those people wanted to pay proper respect to the show and its legacy one again as well as to the show’s legions of fans, too. So many television shows’ DVD collections either come with standard, straight-forward episode listings or nothing at all. Those that do include the list include no background or any other extras for fans. That’s not the case for any of StarVista’s Carol Burnett Show DVD sets including this single-disc presentation. And it continues to show in this situation, too. The end result of such lengthy efforts being taken to honor both the legacy of the Carol Burnett Show and the fans of The Carol Burnett Show is one more layer of depth to what on the surface seems a simple DVD yet is a DVD in which audiences and critics alike will find plenty to like.

The fact that those charged with assembling The Carol Burnett Show: Together Again would go to such lengths to continue paying homage to both the legacy of what is one of television’s great modern series and to its fans says plenty about those individuals and of StarVista in whole. The same can be said of all involved merely by examining the episodes included in the set in terms of their writing and their production values. By themselves, each of the noted elements plays an important role in the enjoyment and success of the DVD in whole. Collectively, they prove once and for all why this disc is a wonderful starting point for anyone looking to take that first step in building their Carol Burnett Show collections. The Carol Burnett Show: Together Again is available now in stores and online. More information on this and other titles available from StarVista Entertainment is available online at:

Website: https://timelife.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TimeLifeUS

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TimeLifeUS

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to https://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

StarVista Shines Bright Again Thanks To The Wonder Years Season Two

Courtesy: StarVista Entertainment/Time Life Entertainment

ABC’s The Wonder Years was one of the most successful and popular programs on television in its original run on ABC from 1988 – 1993.  Even after more than two decades since it finally came to an end, it still remains one of the most beloved series in television’s modern history.  As beloved as the series continued to prove to be since it ended its original run, it wouldn’t be until last year that devotees of The Wonder Years would finally be rewarded for their loyalty to the series.  The complete first season of The Wonder Years finally got its first ever full, proper DVD release last fall courtesy of StarVista Entertainment.  And this week, StarVista Entertainment has followed up that release with the series’ complete second season.  Season Two picks up where the series’ first season left off in every sense of the phrase, presenting wonderful, timeless episodes that are just as relatable today as they were in their original airings.  The acting on the part of the cast remains just as impressive as in Season One.  And the mass of bonus material including the companion booklet and the on-disc bonuses impresses yet again in its own way.  Each of the noted elements—the writing, acting, and bonus material—that went into the second season of The Wonder Years plays its own pivotal role in making this long-awaited box set so impressive.  All three together make the second season of The Wonder Years another must have for any of the series’ original audiences.

When it was finally released last year, StarVista Entertainment’s release of The Wonder Years: Season One proved in so many ways to be well worth the two-decade plus wait.  One of the main reasons that it proved so well worth the wait was the writing behind its episodes.  Much the same can be said of the writing in Season Two’s episodes.  The series’ writers continued in Season Two to present a series that was a serial without actually being a serial.  It followed the Arnold family’s growth.  But unlike today’s series, it didn’t require audiences to dedicate the amount of time that said series require of audiences.  It’s a model that sadly hasn’t been seen since the days of Home Improvement, Wings, The Cosby Show, and 3^rd Rock From The Sun just to name a handful of series.  It’s just part of what continues to make the writing so impressive in the series’ second season.  The ability of audiences to so easily relate to the series concepts in these episodes makes the writing just as strong.  Every viewer will relate to the fallout from Kevin and Winnie’s breakup at the end of Season One because every viewer has navigated those same troubled waters in their own lives whether as children or teens.  In the same vein, the growing complexities of Kevin and Paul’s friendship throughout Season Two are just as real.  The strain put on the pair’s friendship when Paul starts dating in “Steady As She Goes” is a situation to which any viewer can relate.  It’s a situation to which both men and women can relate as both boys and girls go (have gone) through at some point in life.  And the emotional strain caused by a divorce as in “How I’m Spending My Summer Vacation” is just as much an issue to which so many audiences can relate.  It’s just one more example of how the writing behind Season Two makes its episodes just as enjoyable as those that made up the series’ first season.  There are plenty of other examples of why the series’ writing this season remains so solid.  From the special message in “Christmas” to the tensions which every married couple has had at some point even today in “Pottery Will Get You Nowhere,” to the already noted episodes, audiences will see from episode to episode just why the writing behind Season Two’s episodes is central to the set’s success and enjoyment.

The writing behind the second season of The Wonder Years is the center point of its success and enjoyment.  Even now in the twenty-first century, the situations presented throughout each episode are situations to which any family can relate.  That is because every viewer has found himself or herself in at least one of the given situations if not most.  That having been noted, the work of the show’s cast in terms of interpreting Season Two’s scripts adds to the episodes’ enjoyment.  At no one point does it ever feel like the cast is going over the top.  Maybe the reason for that is that the situations presented in Season Two were just as timeless then as they are today.  They were (and are) so real that it made interpreting their scripts that easy.  It is so easy to believe Kevin’s heartbreak when he learns that Winnie hasn’t fallen back in love with him and when he is struggling to keep his parents from fighting after Jack gives Norma no support as she takes a pottery course.  The frustration of the Arnolds in trying to keep up with the times in “Christmas” is just as real and believable.  Even today, it’s so easy for any family to see itself in the position of the Arnolds as they feel left behind by technology and those with the latest technology.  That reality made the acting just as easy for the cast just as the reality of divorce made the acting in the season finale so easy.  And because the acting in these (and all of Season Two’s episodes) is so believable, it makes the episodes in whole more believable and that much more enjoyable for audiences.  The believability of the cast’s acting coupled with the work of the script writers makes collectively for a big reason that The Wonder Years: Season Two is a must see for any fan of this classic series.

The work of the cast and the writers in The Wonder Years’ second season make up a big part of the reason that any fan of the show should check out this new box set from StarVista Entertainment.  While both elements are of equal importance to the set’s success, there is still one more element to note of the set that will impress audiences just as much.  That final element is the set’s collective bonus material.  The bonus material includes not just the bonus interviews and featurettes on the set’s fourth disc but the set’s companion booklet, too. The material included on the set’s fourth disc includes more interviews with Fred Savage’s TV parents Dan Lauria and Alley Mills as well as an interview with narrator Daniel Stern (Home Alone, Home Alone 2, Bushwacked). There is also a look back at the turbulent era in which The Wonder Years’ second season took place. The era in question was the late 1960s and early 1970s. It was a time of great social change for America, and as audiences will see in “The Times They Are A-Changin’: The Era” those changes were reflected directly in the episodes. They were part of the previously noted writing that made Season Two so enjoyable. Along with all of that, there is also a roundtable discussion with Fred Savage, Danica McKellar, and Josh Saviano in which the trio looks back on the events of Season Two and what those events meant to each one of them. The companion booklet that is included with Season Two maintains the standard set by the booklet included in Season One’s box. Simply put, it is more than just an episode guide. It outlines the episodes and gives some background on the episodes as well as some history behind the show and other little important tidbits such as current events and music history in relation to the episodes’ settings. The fact that the people at StarVista entertainment would strive to maintain that high standard even with the set’s companion booklet shows that they wanted to continue honoring the series and those that made it so great, and the show’s fans. Such an in-depth booklet coupled with equally in-depth bonuses included on-disc show together why the bonus material included in The Wonder Years: Season Two is just as important to its presentation as the episodes and the work of the cast. By themselves, the bonuses included in this set make for plenty of reason for the show’s original fans to add this set to their home library. Together with the work of the cast and the writers, audiences are presented with a set that is in every way a definite must have.

The Wonder Years: Season Two is available now in stores and online. It can be ordered direct online via Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Wonder-Years-Season-2-4DVD/dp/B00OGD8PX6/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1423063498&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Wonder+years+Season+2. More information on this and other titles from StarVista Entertainment is available online at:

 

Website: http://timelife.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TimeLifeUS

Twitter: http://twitter.com/TimeLifeUS

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Time Life, StarVista Announce Release Date, Specs For New Carol Burnett Show Compilation

Courtesy: StarVista Entertainment/Time Life Entertainment

StarVista Entertainment and Time Life Entertainment will release another new set of episodes from the beloved Carol Burnett Show next month.

The Carol Burnett Show: Together Again will be released Tuesday, February 24^th on DVD. The single-disc release will boast three more episodes from the classic variety/sketch comedy series. All three episodes are presented exactly as their aired in their original broadcasts on CBS in 1973 and 1978. This means that all three episodes will be completely uncut. The included episodes in question are Episode #705 (Original airdate: September 29, 2973), Episode #712 (Original Airdate: December 15, 1973), and Episode #1115 (Original Airdate: January 8, 1978). The episodes included in the upcoming DVD feature some of the greatest names from television’s golden era. Those stars include: Roddy McDowell (Cleopatra, Planet of the Apes Series, Fright Night), Ruth Buzzi (Laugh-In, The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts), Gloria Swanson (Sunset Boulevard, The Gloria Swanson Hour), Richard Crenna (Judging Amy, JAG, Rambo series), and Ken Berry (Mama’s Family, F Troop, The Andy Griffith Show).

The Carol Burnett Show: Together Again will be available in stores and online Tuesday, February 24^th. It will retail for MSRP of $12.95. It can be ordered online via Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Carol-Burnett-Show-Together-Again/dp/B00NUSWZ9I/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1421421317&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Carol+Burnett+Show+Together+Again. More information on this and other releases from StarVista Entertainment and Time Life Entertainment is available online at:

Website: http://www.timelife.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TimeLifeUS

Twitter: http://twitter.com/TimeLifeUS

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

MLB World Series Takes Top Honors In The Phil’s Picks 2014 List Of Best New Box Sets For Grown-Ups

The days are officially ticking away to the end of another year. That means that all of the critics out there are now putting out their annual “Best Of” lists. This critic is still working on some of those lists while others are official. The jury’s still out on some right now such as the year’s Best New Documentaries, Independent Movies, Re-Issues, and Best New Movies overall. The lists for all the new music are still in the works, too. So while those lists are being completed, Phil’s Picks offers to everyone to start off the year, a look at the Top 10 Best New Box Sets for Grown-Ups. This year’s list is capped by a box set featuring the entire 2014 World Series, courtesy of Lionsgate, A&E Home Video, and MLB Productions. Also on this year’s list are some blasts from the past and some imports from our neighbors across the pond, and one surprise entry in the Honorable Mention list. The box sets’ packaging, bonus material and more were collectively taken into account in building this (and the other lists to come). Only 15 titles total could make the list. So there were some that didn’t make the list such as the sixth and seventh seasons of Star Trek The Next Generation on Blu-ray or the full six-season run of Ancient Aliens among others. It goes without saying that this was not an easy list to build. But it feels right. So without further ado, here is the list of 2014’s Top 10 New Box Sets For Grown-Ups.

2014 Best New Box Sets For Grown-Ups

1. 2014 MLB World Series Collector’s Edition

2. Endeavour: Series 2

3. Here’s Lucy: The Complete Series

4. The Carol Burnett Show: Carol’s Crackups

5. The Dean Martin Show: Fully Roasted

6. The Roosevelts

7. Inspector Lewis: Series 7

8. Psych: The Complete Series

9. Secret Agent (A.K.A. Danger Man): The Complete Series

10. The Wonder Years: Season 1

Honorable Mention

11. The Red Skelton Show: The Early Years–1951 – 1955

12. The Almighty Johnsons: Season 1

13. Hell on Wheels: Season 3

14. The Definitive WWI & WWII Collection

15. I Love Lucy: Ultimate Season 1 (BD Re-Issue)

Tomorrow, Phil’s Picks looks into the list of the year’s best new box sets for Children and Families. Stay tuned! To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

StarVista, Time Life Announce Release Date, Specs For The Wonder Years Season 2

Courtesy: StarVista Entertainment/Time Life Entertainment

Kevin, Paul, Winnie and the rest of the characters from ABC’s beloved classic drama The Wonder Years are coming back.

StarVista Entertainment announced Monday that it will release the complete second season of The Wonder Years on DVD on Tuesday, February 3^rd, 2015. The series’ second season consists of seventeen half-hour episodes spread across four discs. Also included in the upcoming second season set are a number of bonuses for fans. There are also more than four dozen classic songs from artists such as: Bob Dylan, Carol King, Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, Cream, Bing Crosby, Joni Mitchell, Simon & Garfunkel, Traffic, Diana Ross and the Supremes, James Taylor, Nat King Cole, The Miracles, Judy Collins, Donovan, and a number of others. The full list of songs and artists featured in season Two is noted below.

“Heart of Darkness”

• You Make Me Feel So Young
• Sunshine of Your Love-Cream

“Our Miss White”

• Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)-The Temptations
• The Times They Are A-Changin’-Bob Dylan

“Christmas”

• Jingle Bell Rock-Instrumental
• White Christmas-Bing Crosby
• River-Joni Mitchell
• Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas-Instrumental

“Steady as She Goes”

• Yellow Bird-On-Screen Character Performance
• Somewhere-On-Screen Character Performance
• Ooo Baby Baby-The Miracles
• The Thrill Is Gone-B.B. King
• Will You Love Me Tomorrow-Carole King

“Just between Me and You and Kirk and Paul and Carla and Becky”

• I Am a Rock-Simon & Garfunkel
• Someday We’ll Be Together-Diana Ross and the Supremes
• Some Enchanted Evening-On-Screen Character Performance

“Pottery Will Get You Nowhere”

• It’s Not Unusual
• When I Fall in Love-Nat King Cole

“Hiroshima, Mon Frère”

• Wild Thing-The Troggs
• Brother, Brother-Carole King

“Loosiers”

• You’ve Got a Friend-James Taylor
• Sweet Georgia Brown-Brother Bones

“Walk Out”

• I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man-Muddy Waters
• The Tracks of My Tears-The Miracles
• I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-to-Die-Rag-Country Joe and the Fish
• Give Peace A Chance-On-Screen Character Performance

“Nemesis”

• My Girl-The Temptations
• Theme from The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

“Fate”

• Born under a Bad Sign-Cream
• Respect-Aretha Franklin

“Birthday Boy”

• Happy, Happy Birthday Baby-The Tune Weavers
• Bookends-Simon & Garfunkel
• Yummy, Yummy, Yummy-On-Screen Character Performance
• Hava Nagila-Karmon Israeli Singers

“Brightwing”

• Subterranean Homesick Blues-Bob Dylan
• In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida-Iron Butterfly
• You Can All Join In-Traffic
• Catch the Wind-Donovan

“Square Dance”

• Star Flicker-Houston Ramblers
• Turkey In The Straw-Ralph Pierce
• Comin’ round the Mountain-The Sundowners Band

“Whose Woods Are These?”

• Happy Days Are Here Again-The Banjo Barons
• In My Life-Judy Collins

“How I’m Spending My Summer Vacation”

• The Theme from “A Summer Place”-Percy Faith and His Orchestra
• Smoke Gets in Your Eyes-The Platters
• Never on Sunday-The Chordettes
• I Only Have Eyes for You-The Flamingos
• La Vie En Rose-Edith Piaf
• Scarborough Fair/Canticle-Simon & Garfunkel

The second season of The Wonder Years sees Kevin, his friends, and his family all grow together as throughout all of the turmoil of the age. Kevin’s personal growth comes as he starts standing up to his older brother Wayne (Jason Hervey) and as he takes part in a class walkout to protest the Vietnam War. He, Paul (Josh Saviano), and Winnie (Danica McKellar) also fight to stop developers from plowing over Harper Woods, where the trio shared many of their favorite childhood memories.

The bonus materials included on the upcoming Season 2 box set are noted below.

BONUS FEATURES 

• School Days: Roundtable with Danica McKellar, Fred Savage and Josh Saviano
• Featurette: The Times They Are A-Changin’: The Era
• Interviews with: Dan Lauria (Jack Arnold), Alley Mills (Norma Arnold), Daniel Stern (Narrator)

The Wonder Years: Season Two will retail for MSRP of $39.95. More information on the box set’s upcoming release and other titles from Star Vista Entertainment and Time Life Entertainment is available online at:

Website: http://timelife.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TimeLifeUs

Twitter: http://twitter.com/TimeLifeUS

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.