Description

Episode 14--"Guy Walks into a Psychiatrists Office": In the long-awaited season opener, the more things change, the more they stay the same--and create agita for Tony Soprano.
Episode 15--"Do Not Resuscitate": When Pussy goes to the doctor for steroid injections in his back, the person leafing through old magazines in the waiting room is FBI Agent Skip Lipari. As they drive home afterwards it's revealed that Sal Bompensiero, AKA Big Pussy Bompensiero, made man and life-long friend of Tony Soprano, is facing a heroin possession charge and has become an informant for the Feds.
Episode 16--"Toodle-F***ing-oo": Big brother of the late, great Jackie Aprile, Richie has just finished ten years in prison and is looking to pick up where he left off. He figures it should be pretty easy, too. After all, the jerky kid he used to look out for in the old neighborhood has grown up to be none other than the current Boss, Tony Soprano.
Episode 17--"Commendatori": Tony goes to the old country to conduct business while Carmela stays home and contemplates the nature of marriage.
Episode 18--"Big Girls Don't Cry": Watch out, New Jersey, Furio Giunta has arrived. The latest addition to the Soprano crew is safely in the States and now that his operation has some new talent, the Boss can make a few organizational changes.
Episode 19--"The Happy Wanderer": Now that he's back with Dr. Melfi, Tony tells her that he's angry with all the "happy wanderers" in the world: the people who manage to get through life "with a clear head." At the moment, however, he doesn't have time to explore this anger. He's got to organize the "Executive Game."
Episode 20--"D-Girl": On the eve of Anthony, Jr.'s confirmation, uncertainty abounds. A.J. has discovered Camus and Nietzsche and thinks life is meaningless. Christopher has a tryst with his cousin's filmmaker fiancee and thinks he would rather be a player in Hollywood than New Jersey. And Pussy must decide whether the threat of thirty years in prison can force him to wear a wire into Tony's house.
Episode 21--"Full Leather Jacket": Worried about Meadow's college prospects, Carmela asks her next-door neighbor, Jean Cusamano, for help. Richie makes a peace offering to Tony. Christopher's friends, Sean and Matt, seek to improve their status by pledging allegiance to Richie through an enterprising plan.
Episode 22--"From Where to Eternity": Christopher, clinically dead for a moment during surgery, has a textbook out-of-body experience. Paulie consults a psychic. In therapy, Dr. Melfi tells her psychiatrist about her complex relationship with Tony, and discusses her growing substance abuse problems.
Episode 23--"Bust-Out": Richie complains to Tony about his business situation, and seeks an alliance with Junior. Tony decides to spend more quality time with Anthony Jr., with mixed results. Tony orchestrates the bankruptcy of David Scatino's sporting goods store, while Carmela hires Scatino's virile brother-in-law Vic to wallpaper the Soprano powder room.
Episode 24--"House Arrest": After dodging a legal bullet, Tony is advised by his lawyer to spend more time at his legitimate business interests. Junior relieves the tedium of house arrest in the company of widow Catherine Romano. Tony confronts Richie over drug sales. Stressed out Dr. Melfi gets into a public altercation.
Episode 25--"The Knight in White Satin Armor": What's to be done about Richie Aprile? It's not a rhetorical question. And it's going to have to be answered soon because he's rapidly running out his string with Tony. Richie's not the only one with whom Tony would like to sever ties. He's been trying to break up with Irina, his Russian goomah, but she's not the kind of girl you can just shove a pie at, Junior-style. Meanwhile, Pussy's grown increasingly resentful of the Boss' treatment of him since his return. Is Pussy's resentment strong enough that he'll finally give Tony up to the Feds?
Episode 26--"Funhouse": The last episode of the season finds things going pretty well for Tony. Business-wise, things are great. But despite his success, one night Tony's doubts about Pussy keep coming up--along with the chicken vindaloo he ate in an Indian restaurant. Tony wakes up determined to find out the truth about Pussy, one way or the other.

(c) 2003 Home Box Office.All rights reserved.HBO(r) and The Sopranos(r) are service marks of Home Box Office, Inc. ... Read more

Reviews (86)

The Second Season: Nearly as Great as the First
THE SOPRANOS had a tough act to follow after that remarkable first season. With so many characters having gotten wacked by the end of the first season, the show faced the always-tricky challenge of integrating new characters into the mix.

Although there are some lulls early in the second season, the show ultimately surfs the transition extremely well. Episode 14, the first of the second season, reveals what became of Big Pussy Bonpensiero; it also introduces us to Janice, Tony's ne'er-do-well sister from the West Coast. In episode 16 we get a blunt introduction to Richie Aprile (brother of the late Jackie Aprile Sr.). Richie has just been released from prison, and we immediately know that he's going to be a nasty thorn in Tony's side. But frankly, you could skip over episodes 17 and 18 and you would barely miss a thing. By far the most significant long-term development in those episodes occurs when Tony brings Furio back after a "business trip" to Italy.

Things really start cooking in episode 19 when we meet Tony's high school buddy and "degenerate gambler" David Scatino, brilliantly played by the underrated actor Robert Patrick. (Frank Sinatra Jr. has a cameo in this episode). It would be unfair to newcomers to detail any more plot twists beyond this point.

The sessions between Tony and Dr. Melfi remain the prism through which the entire show is filtered. One of their best and most pointed exchanges occurs in episode 22. Dr. Melfi asks Tony if he believes that his nephew Christopher will burn in hell because of his mob activities. Who among us really belongs in hell? "The serial killers, the people who kill for pleasure, the child molesters, the Hitlers, the Pol Pots. Those are the [...] who belong in hell, not my nephew," Tony responds (I'm paraphrasing a bit). After all, "Rockefeller and J.P. Morgan were crooks and killers too." But those Gilded Age elites needed Italian immigrants "to build their cities and dig their subways and make 'em richer." The rise of La Cosa Nostra early in the twentieth century, Tony concludes, was simply a class struggle in which the hard-working sons of Italian immigrants claimed their rightful "piece of the action." Not even Dr. Melfi can stomach this much moral equivalence. In one of the few times that she blows her stack at Tony, she angrily asks, "Does that justify EVERYTHING you do?"

The show's little touches are almost as impressive as the big ones. For example, episode 23 begins with an eyewitness telling the cops about a murder. Later we see him at home, sipping wine and reading ANARCHY, STATE AND UTOPIA. This episode also reveals Richie and Janice's unorthodox (and hysterically funny) lovemaking techniques, which only the two of them could have dreamed up.

One could go on and on about what makes this show so special. The key to the show's success, I believe, is that it tends to be character-driven, whereas too many other shows are strictly plot-driven. That explains why THE SOPRANOS almost always rings true. Thank God this show is on HBO and not regular network TV.

Every time I think I'm out, it pulls me back in!
Things are going pretty well for Tony Soprano at the beginning of the second season of "The Sopranos." With most of his enemies safely sidelined, he is the unchallenged boss of the New Jersey mob, with lots of lucrative business opportunities presenting themselves. Yet, as always, new problems present themselves. His kids Meadow and A.J. are as rebellious as ever, and wife Carmela is increasingly fed up with Tony's absences, infidelities and fits of temper. Janice, his hippie-dippy sister, shows up unexpectedly. Richie Aprile, a mobster so greedy and violent that he scares even Tony, is released from prison and starts muscling in on Tony's business. Dr. Melfi, Tony's shrink, refuses to talk to him. And then, as always, there are the feds... As always, "Sopranos" creator David Chase and his superb team of writers cook up a fascinating, mesmerizing witch's brew of money, murder and various misbehaviors, enacted by what may well be the best ensemble cast in the history of television. (If there were a Nobel Prize for TV acting, James Gandolfini and Edie Falco certainly would be on the short list every year.) Once again, if you're offended by rough language, nudity and violence, stay away. Otherwise, be prepared to get hooked.

The 21st Century Is Awesome, So Is This Cable TV Show
Thank God for the 21st century, we live in a great time of great
movies like The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, Crouching Tiger
Hidden Dragon, A Beautiful Mind, and Chicago. A great time of
great music like: Linken Park, and Fisher Spooner. A great time
of miniseries: Band Of Brothers, the miniseries of Ken Burns, and Angels In America. A great time of Books: Film books, and
all other types of reading. And also a great time of great TV:
HBO's Oz, Deadwood, Six Feet Under, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Family Guy, and of course The Sopranos. What I love about this show is everything, it is completely flawless from the fascinating storylines to the outstanding performances from
everyone involved. James Gandolfini not only plays mafia family
man Tony Soprano with character and depth, but with his persona-
lity he captures the works of Hollywood legends Robert De Niro,
and the late Marlon Brando, who was such a legendary actor with
classic films like The Godfather and On The Waterfront (I coulda
been a contender) which De Niro used for his Jake La Motta role
in the flawless masterpiece Raging Bull. Edie Falco brings
human emotion to her role in the show as Carmella Soprano, and
another standout is Michael Imperolli (Who played Spider in
Goodfellas). This is what TV should be. Five Stars.

Can you survive thirteen episodes with The Sopranos?
I was totally looking forward to this second series of The Sopranos. Its amazing writing and compelling story lines are the finest ever to emerge from TV. Never as a TV show had the same effect on you as a movie does.

Series Two is a lot better than series one and contains more depth in the characters. If the Sopranos just went about killing one another we wouldn't really care about it, but because it could almost be described as a psychological drama (with guns) it is fantastic. I'm Italian American and don't mind one iota at some of the humor in this and appreciated every second this DVD had to offer.

If the creator David Chase is reading this (ha) then when The Sopranos finishes, how about a prequel/spin off with JOHNNY 'BOY' SOPRANO in the fiftys? It'll be a sure hit.

It's a Family Thing....
The Sopranos is one of HBO's greatest achievements (although I admit that I think it lost some of its momentum and spark with seasons three and four). When I first saw the show, I was hooked. I'd watch anywhere from three to four episodes a day. One of the great things about first watching this show on DVD was that I could watch any number of episodes instead of just watching one per week.

"The Sopranos: The Complete Second Season" has to be my favorite season. As much as I love the first one, this was when things were really funny, intense, dramatic and involving. The season doesn't let us down when it comes to Tony having more problems than ever before. Both in his Mafia Family and his immediate family, Tony can never get a break. His wife gives him grief while his kids keep doing things that upset him. And don't get me started on his ill mother and self-centered sister. Life isn't much better in his Mafia Family when the brother of Jackie is released from prison and is giving Tony a hard time both personally and professionally. Not to mention that his long time friend, Big P. comes back from a long hiatus when he was first suspected of turning rat to the Feds. All of this leads to one incredible and unpredictable season that showcases the show like none other.

For me, this was the most entertaining season of them all. I loved the characters, the constantly changing storylines, and the personal and business life of Tony Soprano, which is superbly balanced in this season. There's still the much appreciated humor in these episodes that were found lacking in the next two seasons. It doesn't feel like a soap opera, but a more enhanced look into the Mafia world. There's plenty of action as well as dramatic storylines that will make everybody happy for the most part.

This season comes in a set of four discs, totaling at 13 episodes. The great thing about the show is that it is presented to us in a widescreen format that is enhanced for widescreen TVs. This really makes the show that more effective because you feel like you're actually watching a movie rather than a show on cable. The picture and sound quality is great and really shows. There are some nice little extras, such as featurettes, brief previews and recaps of episodes, web-links and more.

"The Sopranos: The Complete Second Season" is a bundle of laughs, suspense, drama, action and surprises. You're always on your toes and you never know what's coming next. One thing's for sure; this is the most unpredictable season out of the four seasons (the fifth one looks pretty promising thus far). While you'll want to start with the first season if you've never seen the show before, you'll know that you will have something special to look forward to once you get to the second season. In my opinion, this is where Sopranos is flawlessly at its best. -Michael Crane ... Read more

Amazon.com

Conventional wisdom prior to season one of The West Wing was that the only successful television shows were half hour sitcoms and hour long police, legal, or medical dramas. Building on surplus ideas from his film The American President and the walk-and-talk style of comedy and drama from his critically acclaimed television show Sports Night, Aaron Sorkin bucked the trend and created his masterpiece, one of the most memorable American political depictions to reach the big or small screen. Season one introduces viewers to a Nobel Prize-winning economist and unabashed intellectual president Jed Bartlet (Martin Sheen) and his key staff members, a newly elected Democratic administration trying to find its footing amidst the corridors of the White House's west wing. To the credit of its cast and their brilliant ensemble acting, The West Wing manages to immediately conjure nearly a dozen distinct and memorable characters. Perhaps the greatest star of all is Sorkin's rapid-fire dialogue, especially as delivered by Press Secretary C.J. Craig (Alison Janney), Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford), Deputy Communications Director Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe), and Chief of Staff Leo McGarry (John Spencer). They carry on conversations while stalking purposefully and unhaltingly down corridors, around corners, and through doorways, and all of it unfurls with the choreographic precision of a classical ballet and the pace of an Olympic ping-pong rally.

What emerges is more than a collective liberal dream of an impassioned administration battling back ultra-conservative bogeymen ranging from the religious right to bigots to gun-toting militants. Wonderful episodes like "The Pilot" and "In Excelsis Deo" portray a government led by heroic, intelligent, and decent men and women. Whether or not one regards that as a political fantasy, it's a remarkably refreshing and appealing vision of politics and its practitioners, one that the public embraced with consistently strong television ratings. In a country whose citizens are used to viewing their elected leaders with mistrust and cynicism, that might be The West Wing's greatest accomplishment. --Eugene Wei ... Read more

Reviews (131)

Best Show on TV
This DVD has the first eleven episodes with a bonus of interviews with the writer Sorkin and most of the cast.

West Wing is one of the better ensemble dramas ever screened on television. However it was only after seeing the interviews of Sorkin and the cast members that one realised how it was done. Sorkin is clearly highly intelligent and his scripts are powerful and the basis of the show. This becomes clear when you hear the cast members talk. They lack the presence of their on screen personalities and although they are talented actors one realises that it is the structure of the plot and their lines which creates the characters.

Sorkin also indicates how in reality the plots have a high level of sentimental resolutions. One doesn?t pick this up in watching it. Sorkin explains how he uses humour to break up the flow of the story and to prevent the material becoming mawkish. He also indicates that although the White House portrayed is a Democrat one, he interplays conservative and liberal story lines. On first viewing the show it appeared to be moderately liberal but on re-watching the episodes on the CD Sorkin is right. The second episode is highly nationalistic and the last scene is the character played by Martin Sheen regretting that Americans cannot walk the earth with the same protection that was afforded the ancient romans. In other episodes the character Donna argues strongly the Republican line on taxation.

Watching these eleven episodes after watching them on TV some years ago, one is still struck by the strength of the characters, the frantic pace of the action and the fact that the scenes are seldom static. Even though one begins to see that there is a sentimentality which initially slips by you, one can still be moved when Toby arranges the funeral and honour guard for the homeless war veteran. It is however the humour and intelligence which is the driving force of the series and what makes it so watchable.

Best DVDs I've bought... Too bad they're the UK version
By this point there should be no doubt as to the quality of the television programming captured on these DVDs. Every review I've read, both on Amazon and elsewhere, and my own immense enjoyment of the set attests to its quality.

How disappointing then that US fans of this show must look outside their own country to buy the DVD set. I went to Amazon.co.uk (the British local site for Amazon) and found the West Wing Season 1 set there. Be forewarned, however: These are Region 2 discs, meaning they can be readily played only by folks in Europe, the Middle East and Japan. If you are in the US, with a standard (i.e., non-region free) US player, you are out of luck. Your only recourse is to buy a "Region Free" player (many Web sites hawk modified low market players that can play any disc), modify your own player (don't even think about it), or try getting your computer DVD drive to play it.

This last option is what I've accomplished, and though I'm happy to be able to watch these West Wing episodes whenever I like, it's a bummer to have to view them on my computer monitor. C'est la vie, I suppose.

Excellent!
I watch a lot of TV, too much really, and the vast majority of the time I feel guilty about it. But the one show that I never feel guilty watching is The West Wing. There's not a character I don't like, or an episode that does not make me laugh then cry. The writing is at times humorous and at other times inspiring. Finally, I learn something new about government, or people, or the world at large every episode. Makes you feel better about watching all that tv.

Simply the BEST
I missed WW on TV. When I heard about it I rented the first season DVDs. What a show! It is just great. It will make you laugh and make you cry. This has got to be one of the best shows out there.
And, I have seen a lot of movies. One of the few movies that I agree with the critics on.

Warning: Be carefull, if you buy it or rent it you will be hooked. Very difficult not to start watching the next episode when the previous one ends.

The series deals with many current issues and shows us how the people behind the politics really try to do their best (in most cases). Not that this is real life, mind you. But could sure serve as an inspiration to those that serve as our elected officials and those that aspire to serve in that capacity in the future.

What else can I say. Buy a copy, rent a copy but you just have to see this series. Then let us all know what you think.

I was blown away. I think you will be too.

All I can say, it "Wow"
I was skeptical about buying the series before I've even seen it but I've always been a fan of movies with a theme like this one. "The American President", for example. While deployed with the US Military, I took a chance and didn't buy just the first season, but both season I and II at once. I was hooked within the first few minutes of the pilot episode. The mix of drama, suspense and humor have been done with expert precision and I couldn't wait until I saw the next episode. The clifhanger from season I to II had be ripping the disk from my computer just to plow the next one in. All I can more is I really wish Season III was available as I have so much more time deployed and really want to watch more of this show. Several of us at work are now watching it as well. This show has my backing! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

They can't release it soon enough
So, this is it. The final episodes of the final season of Sex and the City. Yes, it is expensive buying all of these DVDs, but what fan can afford NOT to relive the experience? It all ends with a trip to Paris that cannot be missed....with a late-breaking return of Mr. Big....or perhaps not? How will it end and who will it be? Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha say goodbye to their fans in these final episodes. This is a must-see DVD--for those who already know how it ends and desperately need to relive it, and more importantly, for those who didn't get to see it the first time around.

A fitting farewell
I think Sex in the City is such good girl-therapy. This series is seriously about how important female relationships are. Guys came and went through the series, but the constant remained...the friendship of Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha. I loved how they didn't always agree with each other, but they were supportive 100% of the time. These DVDs are worth the money...they will supply hours of laughter, tears and hope. It was so fun to see what everyone wore and how many pairs of Manolo's Carrie went through in a season. It was a fun, feel good series....and I will miss it.

A Perfect End To A Perfect Show
I am VERY MUCH looking forward to this last collection. I watched all 8 of the last episodes with sadness and joy.

Carrie continues her relationship with "The Russian" and in the end finds true love where she didn't expect it.
Charlotte finally has the relationship she wants and gets her "baby" in a unexpected way.
Miranda finally settles down with Steve and by the end of the season becomes the beautiful woman we always new she could be.
Samantha deals with cancer and finds true love and monogomy with Smith.
Big finally opens up his heart and goes to drastic measures to get the woman he really loves.

It's a wonderful end and I hope that there will really be a movie that we can go see in the theaters. Here's hoping!!

End of an era
I love all of these DVD sets. I have them all. I started watching them while stationed overseas where I could not get the current seasons and I couldn't stop watching them on after the other. I was deployed during this last part of season 6 and have been dying to see it ever since. I am deployed again and keep checking the internet to find out when it will be released.

I was disapointed that the season was split in two. I bought part I thinking that it was the whole season and refused to watch it until I got to my current location. I was so disapointed that I didn't have the complete season.

So what about the price.. I love these sets and this is the last one.

SATC Season 6; part 2
Look, I moved and lost HBO at the most critical moment... Right before the remaining season 6; part 2 episodes started. I love all of it. Not just for the very funny comedy, incredible fashion, and life antidotes, but for the clear display of social commentary!
I've purchased all seasons 1-6 thus far and I need to complete my collection. The money I've spent is worth the soon-to-be classic television. I don't want it to be lost forever, so please keep your negative comments to yourself! If you don't like it, just ignore it and leave the rest of us SATC fans to our peace! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Ouch! If you dont mind corny....
Pitiful, pitiful, pitiful. I don't think this is the type of thing anyone could like but judging from the other reviews I'm wrong. The humor is blank and bland. The acting is terrible. DONT SEE IT EVER. Don't do it you will never want to watch a movie again.

The Dukes of Hazzard- The Complete Third Season
This is the best season yet, I hope they bring out the other seasons

How do you write a review for something not yet released??
As I write (end of April), CMT has been airing the third season of The Dukes each night at 7 and 11 PM EST. So I've been actually watching, and enjoying, the episodes described in those previous reviews that were actually helpful.

I loved this show as a kid, I would sneak out and watch from the top of the stairs when it was still past my bedtime to see this show.Back then something like TV was big time important in life.If nothing else this show always reminds me of those times, when the show was fun and holes in the plot or really hokey writing and situations just didn't get noticed.And it got it's last revival (when TNN was The Nashville Network and not this Star Trek, err Spike TV stuff) when I was in college (it was only then that I noticed at least a couple episodes made with Coy and Vance were virtually identically remade when Bo and Luke returned to the show). I even remember seeing at least one episode of "Enos" when it aired (did they even rerun that show?It didn't last more than maybe half a dozen episodes, if that).So if nothing else this series always reminds me of good times and being a kid again.

Now, granted, this isn't exactly on the level of Shakspearian playwriting - but the worst TV ever made?Not likely.More than likely that's some show made north of the border that is so bad no one has seen it since it originally aired. Or else it's some of the Cartoon Network's original programming in their Adult Swim block.My opinion is if you don't have a sense of humor, you can't watch this show. While I kind of wish it could have run in the later slot for at least another full season, a lot of potential for darker storylines there and the first season to me was the best of the bunch, it still is enjoyable - and something you can watch with kids and not have to worry about swearing, extreme violence or sexual situations...what does come up is in such a campy way, even I knew as a kid it wasn't real.

Hopefully they have some good extra material on this disc - I would think the cartoon series or the Enos series would make a good bonus to one of these sets, maybe the next season or so with the "replacement" Duke boys (ratings had to be pretty bad if they thought they could make the same episodes all over again with Schnieder and Wopat; so you'd expect the DVD sales would be lower too).

A true one-of-a-kind television show...
In the late 70's and early 80's, television viewers fell in love with The Dukes Of Hazzard, a weekly foray into the fictional setting of Hazzard County, Georgia. Cousins Bo and Luke Duke (John Schneider and Tom Wopat) spent each episode trying to do good, while the loveable "Boss" Hogg (Sorrell Booke) concocted various schemes for making money and having the Duke boys (who always foiled his plans) thrown in jail for violating their probation (the result of a deal with the federal government to end the centuries-old Duke family tradition of bootlegging).

Joining Bo and Luke are their Uncle Jesse (Denver Pyle), a grandfatherly figure who owns the family farm, and Cousin Daisy (Catherine Bach), whose skimpy shorts coined the cultural term "daisy dukes". Along with "Crazy" Cooter (Ben Jones), the local mechanic, they create a formidable threat to the money-making shenanigans of Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane (James Best) and the owner of seemingly every business entity in Hazzard County, "Boss" Hogg.

But critics will argue that the true star of the show was the General Lee, Bo and Luke's bright orange Dodge race car with the Confederate flag pasted on its roof...

The Dukes Of Hazzard (Season 3) DVD provides a number of famous episodes, including guest appearances by musicians Tammy Wynette, Roy Orbison, and The Oak Ridge Boys. Sheriff Little of Chickasaw County (Don Pedro Colley) makes his first of many appearances on the show in Season 3. With Waylon Jennings's weekly narrations as "The Balladeer" (performing artist of the show's legendary, chart-topping theme song), The Dukes Of Hazzard provides hours of family-friendly programming as Boss and Roscoe match wits with the Duke clan...

Below is a list of episodes included on The Dukes Of Hazzard (Season 3) DVD:

Episode 37 (Carnival of Thrills: Part 1)
Episode 38 (Carnival of Thrills: Part 2)
Episode 39 (Enos Strate to the Top)
Episode 40 (The Hazzardville Horror)
Episode 41 (And in This Corner, Luke Duke)
Episode 42 (The Late J.D. Hogg)
Episode 43 (Uncle Boss)
Episode 44 (Baa, Baa, White Sheep)
Episode 45 (Mrs. Roscoe P. Coltrane)
Episode 46 (The Great Santa Claus Chase)
Episode 47 (Good Neighbors Duke)
Episode 48 (State of the County)
Episode 49 (The Legacy)
Episode 50 (Duke vs. Duke)
Episode 51 (My Son, Bo Hogg)
Episode 52 (To Catch a Duke)
Episode 53 (Along Came a Duke)
Episode 54 (By-Line, Daisy Duke)
Episode 55 (The Return of Hughie Hogg)
Episode 56 (Bye, Bye, Boss)
Episode 57 (The Great Hazzard Hijack)
Episode 58 (The Hack of Hazzard)
Episode 59 (The Canterbury Crock)

The DVD Report

Third Season got the highest ratings of its Seven-year run
This is the peak of "The Dukes of Hazzard" series reaching second behind "Dallas".

Season Three consist of 22 episodes, they are as follows:

#37 Carnival Of Thrills- (Sept. 16th, 1980)
(Special Two-Hour Episode)
#38 Enos Strate to the Top - (Nov. 5th, 1980)
#39 The Hazzardville Horror- (Nov. 7th, 1980)
#40 And in this Corner, Luke Duke - (Nov. 14th, 1980)
#41 The Late J.D. Hogg - (Nov. 21st, 1980)
#42 Uncle Boss - (Nov. 28th, 1980)
#43 Baa, Baa, White Sheep- (Dec. 5th, 1980)
#44 Mrs. Rosco P. Coltrane - (Dec. 12th, 1980)
#45 The Great Santa Claus Chase- (Dec. 19th, 1980)
#46 Good Neighbors Duke- (Jan. 2nd, 1981)
#47 State of the County- (Jan. 9th, 1981)
#48 The Legacy - (Jan. 16th, 1981)
#49 Duke vs. Duke- (Jan. 23rd, 1981)
#50 My Son, Bo Hogg- (Jan. 30th, 1981)
#51 To Catch a Duke- (Feb. 6th, 1981)
#52 Along Came a Duke- (Feb. 13th, 1981)
#53 By-Line, Daisy Duke- (Feb. 20th, 1981)
#54 The Return of Hughie Hogg- (Mar. 6th, 1981)
#55 Bye, Bye, Boss - (Mar. 13th, 1981)
#56 The Great Hazzard Hijack - (Mar. 27th, 1981)
#57 The Hack of Hazzard- (Apr. 3rd, 1981)
#58 The Canterbury Crock - (Apr. 10th 1981)

Out of a total of 145 episodes we will surely own 58 episodes, only Four seasons consisting of 87 episodes are left and I hope all of them will be released very shortly. ... Read more

Description

All 68 Episodes of the Landmark Series On 20 DVDs! Upstairs, the Bellamy family negotiated the scandals and successes ofthe English aristocracy. Downstairs, their loyal and lively servantsshowed far less reserve when confronting the challenges of their lives.Together, their stories made TV magic.

When UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS debuted, network executives fretted that theseries was "not commercial" and viewers would "switch off in thethousands." More than thirty years later, it is universally recognizedas one of the most successful and important shows in television history,seen by over 1 billion people worldwide and the winner of 9 Emmys, aGolden Globe and a Peabody, among many other awards.

Take a final journey back to 165 Eaton Place with this comprehensive setfeaturing all 68 episodes of the unforgettable masterpiece, digitallyremastered for presentation on DVD. The collection also includes therarely-seen retrospective Upstairs Downstairs Remembered: The 25thAnniversary Special. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Simply Put: The Best Drama Ever
Often, when one of those "Top 100 Television Shows Ever Created" lists comes out, 'Upstairs, Downstairs' is listed as Number One, usually just above 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' and 'I Love Lucy.' Well, now I know why. This show stunned me with its quality and vivid characters!

For those unaccustomed to a British accent, it may take a few minutes of viewing before your ears adjust. And I kindly suggest that you do NOT watch the 25th Anniversary documentary until you've first seen all the episodes (I wished I hadn't -- it gave away a lot of great twists and surprises).

This show is so subtle and respectful of its viewer. For instance, there are characters who are smitten with each other yet who never say or act upon that love: the show doesn't dare to condescend to you by telegraphing it in any obvious or official way.

Many fans cite the fourth season (about the Great War) as the show's best, but frankly and guiltily I must confess that I prefer the real soapy elements of the show that have less to do with world events and more to do with the interpersonal relationships and mini moral dilemmas of the householders.

There is one notorious episode called 'The Swedish Tiger' that is quite awful and that made it into the series by mistake (fans already know the whole story) so please don't judge the other 67 great episodes by the one awful one!

My personal favorite episode is the one that focuses on the Irish scullery maid's forbidden crush on another great family's footman. It's sounds pedestrian, I know, but that's the genius of the show. It crafts seemingly simple situations with so many nuances and facets that you feel as if you're standing in the kitchen with these people!

Simply Put: The Best Drama Ever!
Often, when one of those "Top 100 Television Shows Ever Created" lists comes out, 'Upstairs, Downstairs' is listed as Number One, usually just above 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' and 'I Love Lucy.' Well, now I know why. This show stunned me with its quality and vivid characters!

For those unaccustomed to a British accent, it may take a few minutes of viewing before your ears adjust. And I kindly suggest that you do NOT watch the 25th Anniversary documentary until you've first seen all the episodes (I wished I hadn't -- it gave away a lot a great twists and surprises).

This show is so subtle and respectful of its viewer. For instance, there are characters who are smitten with each other yet who never say or act upon that love: the show doesn't dare to condescend to you by telegraphing it in any obvious or official way.

Many fans cite the fourth season (about the Great War) as the show's best, but frankly and guiltily I must confess that I prefer the real soapy elements of the show that have less to do with world events and more to do with the interpersonal relationships and mini moral dilemmas of the householders.

There is one notorious episode called 'The Swedish Tiger' that is quite awful and that made it into the series by mistake (fans already know the whole story) so please don't judge the other 67 great episodes by the one awful one!

My personal favorite episode is the one that focuses on the Irish scullery maid's forbidden crush on another great family's footman. It's sounds pedestrian, I know, but that's the genius of the show. It crafts seemingly simple situations with so many nuances and facets that you feel as if you're standing in the kitchen with these people!

Expensive and worth every cent
The most amazing aspect of this collection is how well it holds up after all these years. Having initially seen in the 70s, I wasn't prepared to be surprised. After all, didn't I know all the plots and characters? But what I found was, while I remembered most of it, there were huge chunks that I couldn't account for. I've watched the entire series now, some five times, all the way through, and it only gets better. The writing alone is worth the price of admission, but couple this with excellent acting, stellar camera work, and knockout sets, and you've got the superb drama that is UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS. Please, don't call this a soap opera--this is an insult to the writers and actors. This is great drama that just happened to be spread out over a couple of years. Here are just a few examples of what I'm talking about:

THE WRITING: The characters are not cardboard cutouts, but real, fallible people. Lord Bellamy, for all his wisdom and charm, does make some bad decisions (the stock tip scandal, the attempted bribe of the parents' whose infant Mrs. Bridges has abducted), and this only makes him more likeable. Who wants a stodgy old Edwardian man that's perfect? Then there's the subtle references to what's come before, so that if you've missed an episode or two, you'll still know what the characters are talking about. References to Lady Marjorie and the Titanic, the previous maids and footmen who have come and gone, etc. While this is somewhat standard in television and series writing, the deft handling of these references makes this series unique.

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: One of the finest examples of this is Edward, the footman. Always joking and playful, his is probably the most dramatic change during the series. When WWI breaks out, he's off to the front, only to come back shell-shocked. His transformation from a rollicking and randy young man, to that of a worn-out and scared soldier is remarkable. The one scene where Bellamy finds him on the stairs and comforts him in the morning room is worthy of an award. Reminiscent of "All Quiet on the Western Front," the performance Christopher Beeny gives in only a few minutes is one of the best ever seen on television.

THE SETS: With exquisite tastefulness, the sets on "Upstairs, Downstairs" are the best example of Edwardian decor ever to grace the screen. Never mawkish or overblown, they nevertheless hark back to a tasteful Victorian era without all the fuss, yet embrace the Edwardian era and the "moving forward" theme that permeates the series. It's amazing what one expertly placed kentia palm will do for good drama.

CASTING: This one's a no-brainer. Whoever did the casting deserves a gold star. The regulars are loveable with faults, and the guest appearances add just enough spice to the affair to keep you on your toes. Especially liked was the character of Alfred---surly, evil, comic, and dramatic, he's one of the highlights in the collection.

My only dislike of this series was that it eventually ended. It was a mark of genius to show the period from 1904 to the stock market crash, with WWI being the centerpiece. Overall, this is probably the best series ever created for television, and like all great works of art, the formula probably won't be repeated in our lifetime. There aren't enough stars for this one.

Unforgettable Masterpiece - Wonderful Characters
This is one of the best shows ever created for television. The acting was incredible, the scripts thought provoking and the period details were amazing.

Angela Baddely's Mrs Bridges and Gordon Jackson's Mr. Hudson are 2 of the most unforgettable characters in TV history. They were so real they really were the glue that held this show together. Add to that Jean Marsh as Rose (how could you not love her) The whole cast was incredible - even some members (like Pauline Collins as Sarah) who weren't in all the episodes are unforgettable.

The show is just incredible and you don't think it can get any better. Then the war years happen and the show is even better than it was before. These war episodes are classic. There is some great acting by the "upstairs" characters in those years (Simon Williams as James, Lesly Anne Down as Georgina & Meg Wynn Owen as Hazel especially) - also "downstairs" Christopher Beeny as Edward just breaks your heart in these.

This is a must have if you love drama on television. I am so jealous of someone who has never seen them before.

Some of the color quality on the DVD isn't great and some of the sound. I think this is because the series is older. I don't think it takes away from how great the show is or your experience watching it. Ignore the other reviews and enjoy this great show.

ROCKS!
Often, when one of those "Top 100 Television Shows Ever Created" lists comes out, 'Upstairs, Downstairs' is listed as Number One, usually just above 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' and 'I Love Lucy.' Well, now I know why. This show stunned me with its quality and vivid characters! For those unaccustomed to a British accent, it may take a few minutes of viewing before your ears adjust. And I kindly suggest that you do NOT watch the 25th Anniversary documentary until you've first seen all the episodes (I wished I hadn't -- it gave away a lot a great twists and surprises). This show is so subtle and respectful of its viewer. For instance, there are characters who are smitten with each other yet who never say or act upon that love: the show doesn't dare to condescend to you by telegraphing it in any obvious or official way. Many fans cite the fourth season (about the Great War) as the show's best, but frankly and guiltily I must confess that I prefer the real soapy elements of the show that have less to do with world events and more to do with the interpersonal relationships and mini moral dilemmas of the householders. There is one notorious episode called 'The Swedish Tiger' that is quite awful and that made it into the series by mistake (fans already know the whole story) so please don't judge the other 67 great episodes by the one awful one! My personal favorite episode is the one that focuses on the Irish scullery maid's forbidden crush on another great family's footman. It's sounds pedestrian, I know, but that's the genius of the show. It crafts seemingly simple situations with so many nuances and facets that you feel as if you're standing in the kitchen with these people! ... Read more

Reviews (105)

A Wonderful, magical movie about the power of love.
I recently saw "The Notebook" and am so glad I did. This is my new favorite movie. I've never seen another like it. It's a wonderful adaptation of the book by Nicholas Sparks. It's cinematography is beautiful as well as the script and the acting is unforgettable. Ryan Gossling and Rachel McAddams are wonderful in this and give tour de force performances as the young lovers. They have a great chemistry together that electrifies the screen. Let us not forget James Garner and Gena Rowlands they are wonderfully cast as the older lovers. Sam Sherpard and Joan Allen also turn in wonderful performances in their roles. I cannot recommend this movie enough. It is moving and poignant, there wasn't a dry eye in the theatre when the movie ended. I think it is rare to see a movie that can be that affecting. GO SEE THIS MOVIE!!!!!!! You will not regret it in fact you'll probably want to see it again.

Sweet, Sappy, Romantic, Beautiful
I got to see the sneak preview of this movie this past Saturday (6/12/04) and I absolutely loved it. I've seen Ryan Gosling on television before (Breaker High), but I hadn't seen Rachel McAdams until now. Their characters were so real and so believable. Even though the end may be predictable, this film lacks the typical structure of most romantic movies I've seen. It was interesting to see how the characters evolved and came together.

The film begins with James Garner reading pages out of a notebook to alzheimer(?) patient Gena Rowlands. As the story unfolds, we meet Allie and Noah. Allie comes from a wealthy Southern family. Noah works in the lumber yard. We see their joys as well as their struggles. Though they seem like complete opposites, they fall in love only to be torn apart when Noah leaves for World War 2 and Allie becomes engaged to another man.

I won't spoil the ending, but the two lovers reunite and Allie is faced with the decision of whether to keep her promise to her fiance or to go back to the man she left behind.

my fav. movie of all time
I loved the movie The Notebook. After I saw it for the first time I immediately felt the need to see it again, I ended up going to see it 5 more times that week even though the prices were so high. I havent seen a movie this good in a long time. I laughed, I cryed, and so much more. I felt as if I was experiancing the same things I wanted to be Ali, I wanted to be there. I even fell in love with the cast every 1 that played the roles were perfect. It was just a great movie.

Excellent!!!!
I thought this movie was exellent! I rate it five stars because I don't cry much in films and this was a tissue grabbing type of movie! It had three generations of girls in my family crying all at one time!

Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling were fabulous together I thought. They had great chemistry on screen. I love the true fairytale type romance and this was def. a movie that made people wish they were the lead role! I also enjoyed the hints of humor in the movie, even if it was a serious part they made it enjoyable! I think this is a def. buyer! To anyone out there who hasn't seen it, go, you won't be dissapointed! Also, check out Nicholas Spark's books. Nicholas Sparks also wrote the book A Walk to Remember which is now a film as well with Mandy Moore as the lead actress.

The actors were incredible
The plot was mediocre, I won't lie about that, but the one ingredient that saved this movie from being just a disastrous chick-flic was the acting. Rachael McAdams, Gena Rowlands, and James Garner were moving and the movie was remarkably poignant. Ryan Gosling was convincing, to say the least, but I prefer to see him in more intense roles, like The Believer.

If romances are your type of movies, go for it. Chances are you will enjoy it. Bring tissues if you're a crier. Actually, bring them even if you aren't. I've been described as "unsensitive" and I cried for the last 30 minutes. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Hollywood's film archives overflow with the carcasses of dismal movies based on lame '60s and '70s television shows, a syndrome that shows no sign of abating. But here's evidence that the reverse effect, turning a movie into a TV series, can have surprisingly positive results. Indeed, based on the 21 episodes produced for the first season of Stargate SG-1, it could be argued that this show is significantly better than the 1994 feature it's derived from.

The central conceit of the original Stargate--the existence of an artificially created "wormhole" through which one can travel to different worlds light years away from Earth--was an intriguing one. In seizing on the obvious possibilities for expanding on that premise, series executive producers-writers Jonathan Glassner and Brad Wright have smartly retained some of the film's basic elements (its amalgam of myth and theoretical hokum, or the ongoing clash of wills between scientists and soldiers), while adding a variety of fresh ideas (including new characters, new locations, and a welcome dose of humor, much of it supplied by Richard Dean Anderson, MacGyver himself, who replaces Kurt Russell in the central role of Colonel Jack O'Neill). The result is a show with multidimensional heroes and villains and consistently compelling story lines (many of them introduced in the pilot and carried forward through subsequent episodes) balancing excellent special effects and production values. All this and full frontal nudity, too (at least in the aforementioned pilot). Who can resist?

The first season is spread out over five DVDs; the 100-minute pilot shares the first volume with two other episodes, while discs 2 to 5 contain anywhere from three to five shows each. Sound and visuals (in widescreen format) alike will take full advantage of any home system's capabilities. But aside from language and subtitle options, bonus features are limited to brief featurettes that play like commercials and provide little in the way of background information or insight (there are no features at all on the first disc). Then again, if you really want to know what that symbol on Teal'c's forehead means, or why the nasty, parasitic Goa'ulds look a lot like the fledgling stomach monsters in the Alien series, there is no doubt a Web site out there just for you. --Sam Graham ... Read more

Reviews (235)

A Great Start...
The Stargate SG-1 Season 1 Box Set is a great introduction to this excellent sci-fi series. Although the first season had its share of clunkers (as is only normal with any new series trying to find its footing), SG-1 succeeded in quickly establishing its characters and unique plotlines, and definitely had a much better first year than most series.
While I do feel that the few aforementioned bad episodes were among the series' all-time worst (most notably, "Emancipation" and "Brief Candle"), these are easily excused since the high quality of most of the rest of the season more than makes up for it.

Among my personal favorites of the first season:

Children Of The Gods: A great follow-up to the movie, introducing us to characters both old and new. Lots of action and great special effects. My only complaint with the pilot episode is the inclusion of gratuitous and unnecessary nudity in the scene in which Sha're is possessed by the Goa'uld Amonet.

Thor's Hammer: The series' first mention of the Asgard, who will become a major ally for Earth in later seasons. Also introduces the first ones, the Unas.

The Torment Of Tantalus: A moving and awe-inspiring episode dealing with loneliness and the thirst for new scientific discoveries.

Enigma: SG-1 rescues a few members of the Tollan race, who are vastly technologically superior to Earth but refuse to share their knowledge. Also introduces SG-1's NID nemesis, Colonel Maybourne.

There But For The Grace Of God: Still one of my all-time favorite SG-1 episodes, this outing finds Daniel Jackson transported to a frightening alternate universe in which Earth is under attack from a devastating Goa'uld onslaught!

Within The Serpent's Grasp: One of the show's best season-ending cliffhangers, in which SG-1 defy orders and risk all to prevent a vicious attack on Earth by Apophis.

All in all, Stargate SG-1's first season did a great job in setting the tone and groundwork for the incredible years to follow. This box set is a great primer for this awesome science fiction series!

Yeah, it's really THAT da##ed good.
Having watched only a few episodes prior to getting the first season box set, I wasn't entirely sure that I would enjoy the show. But I tend to make big jumps based on intuition, and Stargate: SG1 looked very promising.
What I found: The shows themselves are entertaining, although the first few episodes have some rough moments. Mostly, those are linked to Captain Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) and Dr. Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks) trying to "correct" the behavior of a given society. Colonel O'Neill (Richard Anderson) is a good balance-point for the scientists, giving a more pragmatic view of things. His sarcastic comments lighten a lot of tension, and create a pretty enjoyable humor thread that Jackson (Shanks) can play off of. Teal'c (Christopher Judge), an honored warrior for the enemy Guaould (spelling?), is impressive. For a guy wearing mascara, he does a remarkable job of being both formidable and remote when appropriate. When called upon to play an emotional scene, however, Christopher Judge is amazingly convincing. And few people have played the warrior character as well. General Hammond (Don. S. Davis) is a fantastic counter-balance to the maverick attitudes of O'Neill and the rest of SG1. His observations about orders and duty are the reminders of what the goal of SG1 is supposed to be, and still he maintains a commander's loyalty to his teams. He's a great character, and vastly under-used, in my opinion.
The stories: Variations on a theme, of course. Star Trek well-explored the elements of contacting alien races, and Stargate: SG1 has not much room left to play that angle. I must note that their tones and moods are usually quite different than Star Trek (any of them) tended to be, and that's interesting (there are times, however, where either you or your co-watchers will want to scream at the SG-1team, and sit them in front of a Trek marathon. Should be a part of their training...). The distinction is in how the show relates to Earth and it's various pantheons. In the first season, the writers touch upon Greek, Norse (Asatru) and, of course, Egyptian pantheons in what I thought were some interesting ways.
The DVDs: Well, the first one of the series was damaged on the last episode, and I can't return the one without sending the whole lot back. But the rest have been fine, and the sound and visual clarity are excellent. Of course. We as consumers expect no less these days. But I thought I'd mention it.
Warning: Box set ends with the season, and that's a cliff-hangar. If waiting makes your stomach tense, your knuckles ache and your eyes melt, wait until they release season two (Hurry up! Hurry... up!!). Otherwise, grab your sci-fi friends and/or your significant other, curl up, and prepare to be entertained.

Okay, it's not bad.
Well the Stargate idea works a bit better as a TV show then it does a movie. The casting, writing, visual effects, production design, cinematograpghy, and types of stories that they do is not bad. In fact it works better then most any other science fiction Tv show I ever seen. Better then Alien Nation, X-Files, Galactica, V, Buck Rogers, Quantum Leap, the 70's Hulk TV show, the Six Million Dollar Man, and the more recent Outer Limits Tv show. Stargate is better then all of them.

stargate sg-1 season 1 review
Stargate Sg-1 is one of the few shows I'll watch over and over again. It is one of my all time favorite shows, up there on my list with the Simpsons.

Episode 1: Children of the Gods 5/5 This is the very first episode of the series and it picks up where the movie left off. Colonel O'Neill is called back to duty to find out what is attacking the Earth stargate. He and his team are eventually captured on the planet Chu'lac where they must find a way to escape. A great start to the series.

Episode 2: The Enemy Within 4.5/5 On their last mission, Kowalsky, the leader of Sg-2, was taken over by a Goa'uld larva. Desperate to find a way to save him, they try a surgery and ask Teal'c, a former Jaffa, for advice. Meanwhile, Teal'c's loyalty is being tested by the U.S. government who want to know what information he has to offer.

Episode 3: Emancipation 4.5/5 Sg-1 visit a planet where the women are treated poorly, and Carter gets kidnapped. Carter is determined to change the quality of life for the women of the village, who, in her opinion, are treated as property. The rest of Sg-1 sides with her, and they embark on a quest to help a young couple face old traditions.

Episode 4: The Broca Divide 5/5 Sg-1 visit a planet with both a primitive side and a civilized side. The team quickly learns that there is some kind of illness going around, making some of the villagers "touched" and others "untouched" But they spread this disease to the base, where the SGC is nearly shut down, until the newly introduced Dr. Frasier finds a way to solve the problem.

Episode 5: The First Commandment 4/5 One of the more lackluster episodes on season one, where Sg-1 is sent to bring back another Sg group, only to find that they have taken advantage of the residents of that planet.

Episode 6: Brief Candle 5/5 Sg-1 encounters a planet where the people age at a rapid pace. Colonel O'Neill is infected with whatever it is that causes the villagers to age fast, and Sg-1 must find a way to save both O'Neill and the Argosians. One of the better episodes on this season.

Episode 7: Cold Lazarus 4.5/5 This episode brings out more information about Colonel O'Neill and his family. The orginal O'Neill is knocked out by what appears to be a large crystal structure, and the SGC meets another race taken advantage of by the Goa'uld.

Episode 8: Thor's Hammer 5/5 On a quest for weapons, Sg-1 encounters the people of Cimmeria, where they find out how the planet has escaped being taken over by the Gau'uld. But they destroy the device the Cimmerians use, and have no means to contact the race that built the weapon.

Episode 9: The Torment of Tantalus 5/5 Wile researching the old SGC archives, Dr. Daniel Jackson learns that they opened the Stargate and sent a man through in 1945. He also learns that the man who went through worked for Katherine's father, and Sg-1 goes on through the gate to rescue the fallen hero who never made it home. This episode delves more into the character of Dr. Daniel Jackson.

Episode 10: Bloodlines 4.5/5 Teal'c confesses that he has family on Chu'lac, and determines to save his son from becoming a Jaffa. Introduces Teal'c's family and friends, and goes more into the character of Teal'c.

Episode 11: Fire and Water 4/5 Daniel Jackson is taken prisoner by the sole survivor of an aquatic race who wants to learn more about what happened to his mate.

Episode 12: The Nox 5/5 Sg-1 encounters the Nox on a planet known for animals that can become invisible. The only trouble is, Apophis is there as well, and Sg-1 fears for the quiet, peace loving race of people who are not what they seem.

Episode 13: Hathor 4.5/5 Release from her prison, the Gau'uld queen Hathor makes her way to the base, where she plans to take over the world. The only problem is that she seems to have power over the men on the base, and it's up to Samantha Carter and her fellow female colleagues to save the day.

Episode 14: Cor-ai 4/5 Teal'c returns to a planet he visited while first prime of Apophis, and is faced with murder charges. Now its up to Sg-1 to prove how he's changed.

Episode 15: Singularity 5/5 Sg-1 saves a girl from a planetary plague, only to learn that the Gua'uld Nirrti let her survive to destroy the Tauri, via a bomb implanted in the girl's chest.

Episode 16: Enigma 5/5 Sg-1 rescues the Tollan, whose home world was destroyed. Only problem is, the Tollan need a new home world, and consider themselves too advanced for the worlds the SGC has to offer.

Episode 17: Tin Man 5/5 The only survivor of a planet turns Sg-1 into robots to serve him, but there's more than their seems on this planet.

Episode 18: Solitudes 5/5 O'Neill and Carter find themselves stranded on an ice planet while the SGC attempts to find them.

Episode 19: There But For the Grace of God 5/5 Dr. Jackson encounters a mirror that transports him to an alternate dimension where the SGC is under attack.

Episode 20: Politics 4/5 The government decides to close the SGC instead of taken Dr. Jackson's advice that the Gua'uld are on their way.

Episode 21: Within the Serpent's Grasp 5/5 First of a two-part adventure. Sg-1 disobeys orders and goes to the address Dr. Jackson got, and learns that Dr. Jackson was right: Apophis is on his way to destroy Earth.

A great start to an even greater series. 5/5 overall.

Stargate SG1: Really, it's a show for everyone
So, this is how I discovered the beauty that is "Stargate". Only the first season has made its way to the network channels here in Sweden and that was a couple of years ago. I remember tuning into the first 6-7 episodes, but there wasn't really that much that held my interest. I remember seeing "The Nox" (or as I referred to them at the time - "the Cirque the Soleil people"), "Brief Candle" (or "the one where O'Neill gets really old, really quick") and "Tin Man" ("Hey, there's two of them!"). Like I said, I didn't feel like this was a show that had much to say, it didn't feel interesting enough.

How wrong was I? Well, I feel really bad that I let it go so quickly because I stumbled across it again lately and what can I say...? I love it. I really do. Actually, I'm *in* love with it, and *very* few tv-shows make me feel this way ("Firefly" is one of them). So, on the plus side I now have a whole sea of seasons worth of catching up to do.

So, what made me change my mind? Well, the first answer to that question would be the character of Daniel Jackson and Michael Shanks' portrayal of him. The character is passionate, caring, curious, intelligent and so much more. And, let's face it, in my eyes that makes him damn attractive, too. (And it gets even better in the seasons to come). I actually watched the movie "Stargate" and thought that Jackson (then played by James Spader) was my absolute favorite aspect of that movie. Same with the series, I adore the character.

Then there's the wonderful wit and charisma of Jack O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) who thankfully took a different direction with the character than Kurt Russell did in the movie. Not that Russell was bad, but RDA's many, *many* one-liners are part of what makes the show so enjoyable to watch. That, and the interaction between the "core four" (Jack, Daniel, Sam and Teal'c). Oh, the witty and wonderful dialogue. Oh, the sarcastic comments. Oh, the hilarious banter between Jack and Daniel.

The only reason this does not get the highest rating is because the first season is still a work in progress, but the chemistry between all the characters is definetely there and that's what makes the show so entertaining to watch. ... Read more

Description

The object of many pre-pubescent lads' desires, Mrs. Emma Peel - as brought to light by Dame Diana Rigg - dazzled television screens on both sides of the Atlantic from 1965 - 1967. Now, for the first time anywhere, all 51 of the enduringly classic adventures featuring the dynamic duo of Steed and Peel are gathered together in one massive collection. The Complete Emma Peel Mega-Set is a one-stop haven for DVD collectors, with all episodes remastered and bolder than ever, with the digital clarity only DVD can deliver! It also includes galleries of extremely rare, high-quality production stills culled from the archives of The Avengers. Contains all 51 Avengers episodes ever made featuring Dianna Rigg as Mrs. Emma Peel. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

A rigg-lover's dream come true
The immensely popular ABC series called "The Avengers" has long since achieved legendary status since it appeared back in January 1961. Since then there have been 161 episodes, which break into four major sections. We have the early episodes (1-26) with Patrick Macnee as John Steed and Ian Hendry as Dr. Keel. Then the "Cathy Gail" series (27-78) with Honor Blackman as Cathy Gale, the man-tossing, leather-covered intellectual who broke new ground for female characters on television. Even more popular was the black and white series (79-104) with Diana Rigg and Emma Peel (read "M[en] appeal "), which led not unexpectedly to the color series with Rigg (105-129). Then the final section with Linda Thorson as Tara King (129-- in which she co-starred with Rigg-161).
As of this writing, the early episodes in the Gale series and all of the King series are not yet available. However, A&E has just released all of the Rigg entries, both the black and whites and the color, in a wonderful boxed set called "The Avengers: the Complete Emma Peel Mega-Set." And Mega, I suppose, is as good as any adjective to describe the enjoyment value of the contents therein. We have here all the Rigg episodes, including the transition entry in which Tara takes over for Emma, on 16 DVDs, each holding 3 episodes with an occasional 4th as a "bonus."
Those who have never seen them before will want, of course, to watch them in order. Others will want to jump to their favorite episodes, which is pretty easy on DVD. You will notice that the black and whites were less studio-bound and the sets in general more realistic. With the first color episode, the series took a strong science fiction bent; and the sets, as the producers admitted, were more a view of England as the Americans would like to think it is.
You will also have a lot of fun spotting stars-to-be. There is Donald Sutherland, Brian Blessed and Charlotte Rampling in "The Superlative Seven," Peter Bowles in "Dial a Deadly Number" and "Escape in Time," Geoffrey Palmer in "A Surfeit of H2O," and Christopher Lee in "Never, Never Say Die." It was a policy that no actor could appear more than once a season, so Bowles and Lee, for example, would have to wait for the King series to play other characters. In fact, the only characters as such to reappear in the color Rigg series from the black and whites is the bumbling Brodny (Warren Mitchell) who can be found in "Two's a Crowd" and "The See-Through Man" and the evil assistant (Frederick Jaeger) to the Cybernaut-master.

And for more fun, see how many actors from "Are You Being Served?" you can spot? There are three in all.
The most frequent repeat actor seems to be comedian Roy Kinnear, who also has the honor of being in the very last King episode in the role of Bagpipes Happychap. And then we have rotund Patrick Newell who was murdered in the very first Rigg entry, drugged in a color one, and wound up as Mother in the King series.
But all in all, it is the interplay between Macnee and Rigg that really made this program work. Unlike Cathy Gale, who seemed actively to dislike Steed when she was not merely tolerating him, Mrs. Peel had a genuine fondness for him and was not averse to stirring his tea (anticlockwise, as he preferred it). And as for the question of Peel and Steed being lovers, recall that they are fictional characters and have no life off the screen.
The dialogue was light hearted, and you seldom if ever saw blood after a mere trickle in their third episode. You also never saw a policeman, an element that for some reason the producers thought would be a jarring note. (You figure out why; I cannot.)

The best episodes? There is no question that "The House That Jack Built" leads the pack. This is the one in which Emma finds herself in a house designed to drive her mad and Steed appears only at the start and end. The worst? Possibly "Silent Dust." The silliest? That has to be "Epic." The most serious? "Murdersville." So what if the package costs a small fortune? You could purchase them separately, of course; but think of what you would be missing.

Steed Sets A Moral Trend - Emma Shows Appeal
This DVD set consists of the best episodes The Avengers had to offer - the entirety of the Emma Peel years, which (to most Americans, anyway) was virtually the whole of the series, itself.

For the uninitiated: John Steed and Emma Peel were the coolest, suavest, hippest, sexiest pair of crimefighting secret agents ever to grace T.V. He was old-school British upper-crust orthodoxy and money, she was the chic young-blood, hip-flip, proto-feminist karate expert in boots, leather pants and miniskirts. Together, Steed ("top professional") and Mrs. Peel ("talented amateur") weekly "avenged crimes against the people and the state," which ranged from evil plots by average Cold War Russian spies to ambitious megalomaniacs to everyday organized killers-for-profit. Their foes included makers of murdering robots, terrorists manufacturing atom bombs in department stores, clandestine military invaders and/or saboteurs from foreign shores, and even a mind-controlling plant from outer space. The show was part spoof, part parody, part sci-fi, and a lot of straightforward supersleuthing action/adventure. It was clever and colorful, smart and fashionable, funny, witty, and even thrilling.

There are very few bad episodes in this entire bunch, and even the worst of them is elevated by the phenomenal chemistry between the two stars, Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg, whose witty repartee and general unflappability were always the most genuine magic of the whole series. The bond between the two's characters is formed of the noblest qualities: courage, patriotism, moral fortitude, mutual respect and devotion, and the willingness to risk their own lives for each other and the safety of the world at large, if need be.

Sadly, the recent badly-made movie severely damaged the desire of a new generation to see what all the grand fun of the original series was all about; but believe me, it's well worth rediscovering, and every bit as good today as it was when it debuted, almost forty years ago.

Treat yourself. Meet "The Avengers," and discover how fast they come to feel like old friends.

Time for middle-aged women to chime in...
I first watched the Avengers when I was in grade school in the mid-sixties, and I fell in love with both the show and Steed and Mrs. Peel. I felt compelled to respond to the Viewer from Ohio, and anyone uninitiated into the Avengers Fan Club. First, the Avengers never proclaimed to be "realistic." Its tongue-in-cheek send-up of the burgeoning secret agent genre made it far more enjoyable than any of the other offerings of the time. What makes these episodes (and I admit to being partial only to the Mrs. Peel years) is the marvelous, seductive yet unstated sexual energy and outstanding chemistry between Steed/Macnee and Rigg/Peel. Their double-entendre delivery is worth the price of this spectacular set. The character of Mrs. Peel offered the young American girl the first real feminist hero on television---smart, strong, brave, yet with no doubt about her femininity and sexual identity. As for Patrick Macnee: I'm sorry, Viewer from Ohio: he presented a charming and very attractive character, and the relationship between the 2 leads fueled the fantasies of many peri-pubescent girls (I'll let the boys speak for themselves). And, I've met Mr. Macnee: he's a very nice man indeed.
For fans of the series, this set is a must. For newcomers, I still believe it is the most enjoyable series I've ever seen and I recommend it to everyone, but know what the show is about before spending a couple of bills on 16 DVDs! But if you DO know, then this is a set worth owning. I'd rather watch this (and do!) than almost anything on TV in THIS century!

I'm in love with Diana Rigg
Sorry, but I just had to get that out of the way. Dame Di spent her teen years in my home town of Leeds in the UK. Swoon.

Emma Peel was an incredibly important female role model at a time when blond bimboes were pouting, being dumb and twisting their ankles while being led by the heroes as they fled from the bad guys.

Emma Peel, warrior woman, took on the bad guys, and usually won. Xena: Warrior Princess, played so masterfully by Lucy Lawless - also 5'10", owes a great deal to Mrs. Peel, who was immortalized by the insanely talented, classically-trained actress, Diana Rigg.

I actually loved the black and white episodes - apart from the stories themselves being intriguing, they have an Art House quality about them.

Likewise, the color episodes, which are of superior quality, are just as magical in their own way. The Avengers, even down to the score by Laurie Johnson and unmistakable indidental music, was just flawless, with Macnee and Rigg beng every bit as magical and compelling a screen couple as Bogie and Bacall.

Absolutely wonderful to have these as a single package. If I recall, the name Emma Peel came from the time when they were trying to develop a female character who would have Man Appeal or M-Appeal... hence Emma Peel.

Whatever the reality, in Diana Rigg's Emma Peel, they succeeded mightily. Possibly the most perfect woman who ever walked the Earth.

Did I say 'possibly'? Tsk tsk.

Incredible
I am a HUGE fan of this series, specifically the Emma Peel years, I find all of the Avengers good but when Diana Rigg did the show it became a classic. In this set is the complete set. Worth EVERY penny and any Avengers fan shouldnt live without this amazing set. The picture quality is simply stunning the dvds themselves are packed quite nicely also. I won't try to be all witty like some cheesballs do.....but simply, Buy this it is WELL worth it! ... Read more

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Although it's not as bold as Oscar darling Chicago, The Phantom of the Opera continues the resuscitation of the movie musical with a faithful adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's blockbuster stage musical. Emmy Rossum glows in a breakout role as opera ingénue Christine Daae, and if phantom Gerard Butler isn't Rossum's match vocally, he does convey menace and sensuality in such numbers as "The Music of the Night." The most experienced musical theater veteran in the cast, romantic lead Patrick Wilson, sings sweetly but seems wooden. The biggest name in the cast, Minnie Driver, hams it up as diva Carlotta, and she's the only principal whose voice was dubbed (though she does sing the closing-credit number, "Learn to Be Lonely," which is also the only new song).

Director Joel Schumacher, no stranger to visual spectacle, seems to have found a good match in Lloyd Webber's larger-than-life vision of Gaston LeRoux's Gothic horror-romance. His weakness is cuing too many audience-reaction shots and showing too much of the lurking Phantom, but when he calms down and lets Rossum sings "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" alone in a silent graveyard, it's exquisite.

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Those who consider the stage musical shallow and overblown probably won't have their minds changed by the movie, and devotees will forever rue that the movie took the better part of two decades to develop, which prevented the casting of original principals Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman. Still, The Phantom of the Opera is a welcome exception to the long line of ill-conceived Broadway-to-movie travesties.

DVD Features
The two-disc edition of The Phantom of the Opera has two major extras. "Behind the Mask: The Story of The Phantom of the Opera" is an hourlong documentary tracing the genesis of the stage show, with interviews by composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, director Harold Prince, producer Cameron Macintosh, lyricists Richard Stilgoe and Charles Hart, choreographer Gillian Lynne, and others. Conspicuously absent are stars Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford. Both do appear in video clips, including Brightman performing with Colm Wilkinson at an early workshop, and Crawford is the subject of a casting segment. Other brief scenes from the show are represented by a 2001 production. The other major feature is the 45-minute making-of focusing on the movie, including casting and the selection of director Joel Schumacher. Both are well-done productions by Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group.

The deleted scene is a new song written by Lloyd Webber and Charles Hart, "No One Would Listen," sung by the Phantom toward the end of the movie. It's a beautiful song that, along with Madame Giry's story, makes him a more sympathetic character. But because that bit of backstory already slowed down the ending, it was probably a good move to cut the song. --David Horiuchi

More on The Phantom of the Opera

The Phantom of the Opera (Special Extended Edition Soundtrack) (CD)	The Phantom of the Opera (2004 Movie Soundtrack) (CD)	The Phantom of the Opera (Original 1986 London Cast) (CD)
Evita (DVD)	Andrew Lloyd Weber: The Royal Albert Hall Celebration (DVD)	Visit the Andrew Lloyd Webber Store

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Reviews (659)

RJ from Blacksburg, VA
Excellent!!The movie is much better than the Broadway production - better character development, better acting, better singing.Madame Giry is a much more intriguing character in the film.Christine's attraction to the Phantom is more understandable and believable. Plus, we get to see the Phantom's past and why he is the way he is.

In response to the comment about the sword fight:The Phantom would know very little about fencing because he's lived alone beneath an opera house all his life.You must practice fencing to become good at it.

All of my family members (ages from 10 to 47) highly recommend the film version of The Phantom of the Opera.(good music, comedy, suspense, romance, lavish costumes and sets)

Beautiful film, great transfer to DVD
I am not going into a long detailed explination of the script, acting, or performances, they are all what the producers wanted, and it all works very well, the film is gorgeous to look at, and the transfer to DVD is the best I have seen so far, it even surpasses the Lord of he Rings trilogy, and that is saying something, the effect is so good it's three dimentional (an almost impossible task when viewed on a 73" screen), my one gripe, and it's a big one, is intelligibility. or rather the lack of it, there was a time when film studios and record companies went to great lengths to make sure every word could be understood, in recent years this is a rarity, this film has far to much of the massed voices recorded so that way to much of it can't be understood, considering the quality of todays recording equipment, I find this to be a disapointment, if not downright disgraceful, but at least there is an english subtitle track, which of course most likely means they know it's the only way to be sure that all the dialog is understood, complaints based upon seeing the stage production just don't fly with me, what works on stage rarely if ever work on film, if it did, Producers could save millions and just film the stage production, view stage productions filmed for PBS, of the many I have seen the only two that have been successful at it are The Merry Widow, and Oklahoma

Film rivals book!
*gasp*

Dare I say it?

Yes, Webber's production is much better than Leroux's novel.

Will everyone agree with what seems to be my very deluded opinion?Of course not!

Perhaps I think like this because while reading Leroux's novel, I couldn't imagine a horrifying, stenchy Erik aka phantom...
forgive me but I just couldn't.I tried, and I shed a couple of tears when Daae ripped off his mask and he taunted her with his ugliness, but that's because I felt sorry for him.

The kidnapping part in the film ROCKED! it had so much action and suspense! while in the book the lights simply go out...*yawn* The chandelier falls in the movie! it also does in the book but while Carlotta is belting out her toad voice.

He horrifies Daae in the book, while in the film he seduces her.Both make sense, and I really can't argue on behalf.

The ring Daae wears as a gift from the phantom should have been included in the film.This makes Erik less of a lunatic.
He actually gave her permission to leave him so long as she didn't take the ring off or lose it.

The sword fighting scene was awesome! it totally makes sense how the phantom would lose to the viscount Raoul de Chagny.
This guy was trained to swordfight, while the phantom's department is music.Yeah it probably makes him look like a sore loser but it makes sense...he loses christine what's losing to a swordfight right?

Now for what I thought about the casting.

Emmy Rossum did a very sweet and innocent Christine. She has a very sweet voice!no complaints except for 2 major details.
1)While Rossums voice could charm a bird out of its nest, it's hard to believe that with such a voice you're expected to believe this girl to be visited by the so-called angel of music who gives her free voice lessons.Don't get me wrong, Rossum has an exquisite voice, but to say that it sounds inhuman is impossible.
There are MANY women out there who are privileged to posess inhuman pipes.I expected something ethereal, haunting, beautiful, jawdropping, INHUMAN, as the book mentions.
2) Perhaps it's because she was only 16 when she filmed the movie, or perhaps she does need to improve on her acting.
I didn't believe for a second that she was hypnotized at the sound of Erik's voice (but then again, who would be listening to Gerard sing right?) I really wasn't convinced that she was Christine Daae, I merely saw her as Emmy Rossum.I think she did good, but I expected for the second star of the movie to be more believable, real.

Patrick Wilson may have the voice, but the guy needs to relax those shoulders and ACT.You'd think he'd know since he's done broadway but then again stage isn't the same as camera.
I forgive him.

*sings* As for our star Mr. Gerard Butler...lol
Let's just say that in my opinion, he BECAME the phantom.
He became Erik.I would've never guessed it!
While his singing leaves much to desire, his acting is among the best around!I was impressed! He delivers presence, emotion, mystery, charisma, sensuality, menacy...
The man is spell-binding in this film.He manages to seduce both Daae and most of the female audience! At the same time, he manages to inspire compassion and a tear here and there.
He's very real!

Webber failed to clue us in on the name! so what's the phantom of the opera's name? As if murdering cold bloodedly and having a disfigured complexion weren't enough to subtract from his humanity.Now he's nameless? he's not an IT you know.

Regardless, it's a very dark and seductive film.
I recommend it any day at any time.Now if you're like my buds who've turned it down for seeming too lovey dovey, weird, or just because it's a musical...you're missing out BIG TIME!

Beautiful and sad!!
Anyone who doesn't like this movie probably doesn't like much of anything.It is visually beautiful and full of emotion.I have the soundtrack of the original play with Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman; I also saw the play on Broadway with other actors.Frankly, I think the movie is better.Emmy Rossum sings like the innocent she is portraying and her voice is clear and sweet.Patrick Wilson has a nice tenor and is believable as her young suitor, ready to conquer the world for her. (Loved the hair!!)However, it is Gerald Butler who steals the show; he should be called the "Man of a thousand faces" and looks different in every movie I've seen him in.He freely admitted in an interview that he's not a singer; in fact, he had to take a crash course in vocalizing to sing the part.Given that bit of information, I think he did a fine job and his acting is superb. The only complaint is that it must have been hard to make him look bad, given his Scottish good looks. I was rooting for the Phantom for most of the movie, and I wouldn't mind if he wanted to lock me up in his dungeon. He is extremely seductive in the part, and I can't think of anyone in Hollywood who could have done a better job. With his mask, the Phantom is powerful, commanding, fearsome and magical.Without it, he is like most of the rest of us in the world--weak, vulnerable, and emotionally fragile.Minnie Driver was a bit of comic relief, as were the 2 owners of the opera, who made a fortune in "scrap metal" (junk). So far, I have watched the DVD 5 times since I got it, and I reach for the tissues at the