Amazon.com

Whether it's a snowy nude sprint down Main Street, the mysterious appearance of a long-lost relative, or the improbable death of yet another of Maggie's boyfriends, life's never dull in the remote hamlet of Cicely, Alaska. Colorful characters and quirky plots propelled Northern Exposure into the hearts of millions of viewers, earning the CBS "dramedy" series seven Emmy awards between its 1990 debut and its demise six seasons later.

In season 1, we meet Dr. Joel Fleischman (Rob Morrow), an urban New York yuppie who consents to four years of rural servitude after Alaska pays his medical-school tuition. Joel's fish-out-of-water adventures drive the show, but it's the quirky ensemble of characters--Chris, the DJ/philosopher (John Corbett), Holling, the bartender (John Cullum), Maurice, the town patriarch (Barry Corbin), Ed, the filmmaker (Darren E. Burrows), and Maggie, the bush pilot (Janine Turner), among others–-that keeps the series consistently entertaining. The town develops its own offbeat personality as well, a Mayberry-meets-Twin-Peaksblend of Native mysticism, Aurora Borealis-induced dreams, unlikely tales of long-lost family members, and rumors of a Bigfoot-like creature known simply as "Adam."

Northern Exposure provides a utopian escape--a place where life is interesting but never dangerous, everyone's insightful, the mystical becomes real, and nobody's burdened with a mundane 9-to-6 desk job. Cicely is a delightful place to visit, even if it's only for an hour at a time.

A mid-season replacement, season 1 consists of just eight episodes on two DVDs. Each episode includes 5-10 minutes of outtakes and deleted scenes. --Shane Burnett ... Read more

Reviews (167)

Yay! Finally!
With the glut of completely forgettable TV shows and movies flooding onto DVD, it's nice to see a series of great quality, superior writing, memorable characters, and consistent imagination make it finally to DVD! "Northern Exposure" is a true classic! It'll be great to have it available legally in Region 1 NTSC (there have been bootleg Region 2 PAL versions floating around for a couple years already on eBay, but with extremely poor sound/video synchronization).
The first season only has 8 episodes (since it premiered during the summer of 1990. It might have been better to combine the 1st season with the 7 episodes of season 2 (which ran in April/May 1991, for a 15 episode set, but comprehending the mind of marketing 'geniuses' is bound to lead nowehere.) The first 'regular' seasons with 22-24 episodes only began in September 1991.
Let's hope this release signals that after season 1, the next 5 seasons will also soon see the light of day.

Some of the extras promised for this release:

Deleted Scenes
Video Documentary Footage
Mock Movie Footage
"Unexposed" Footage

(and special limited edition "Parka" packaging!)

Where's the Beef?
Norther Exposure is probably one of the best cast, best written, & best Location-scouted TV shows ever aired. My wife & I eagerly awaited for the show's arrival to DVD. When we purchased the show--for an outrageous $50.00--we were shocked at what we received. Yes, the innovative packaging was fun, but it hid the fact that there was nothing inside. As others have noted, the price is horrible when you realize that there were on 8 episodes! What makes it worse is that there is absolutely no information included. No booklet with stills from the show, no list of episodes, nothing at all. On top of that, they do not even give you multiple discs, they give you cheezy 2 sided discs with 2 shows on each side. What were they thinking? Others have noted that seasons 1 & 2 should have been combined. I agree. If you are a fan of the show & want the episodes from season 2, you'll get reamed gain... there are only 7 episodes!

Great TV you can't find these days.
I am giving this DVD 5 stars because that's what the show is worth. You can't find TV like this now days and perhaps never will again. I have watched late night re-runs and fell in love years ago. I cannot wait to revisit Sicily Alaska again.
The 1st season is only 8 episodes so yeah it is a little short. I can guarantee it will only leave you wanting more though. Because the show is so amazing I am not to concerned about price. I am crossing all fingers and toes that they will release the rest of the seasons on DVD or I will be forced to buy the A&E VHS copies.

Northern Exposure--The ultimate TV show!
I remember watching the TV show when it was in it's 2nd or 3rd season and I became completely hooked on it. I'm very glad I got this DVD that contains the entire 1st season of shows and the extra goodies that come with it. I can hardly wait for the 2nd season to be released on DVD.

Close, but not enough.
This was great. My friends were able to see how the story all started and I got to see it all over again. But only 8 episodes, I would agree with other reviewers, they should have gave the first two seasons. Definitely better than a lot of other TV to DVD issues out there right now. ... Read more

Description

This 7-time Emmy Award-winning series is a remarkable blend of quirky humor and heartwarming storytelling. With an ensemble cast including Rob Morrow (Quiz Show), John Corbett (TV's Sex and the City, My Big Fat Greek Wedding) and the beautiful Janine Turner (Cliffhanger), Season Two takes us back to the slightly bizarre, yet charming, little logging town in Alaska. Relive the Complete Second Season of the show TV Guide calls "...one of television's truly fine series." ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Awesome
The third season on CYE is the best of the four, though all of them are hilarious. But if you buy only one season, make it the third. Ted Danson is a regular character and is very funny, as always. Its a great season of a great show.

The difinative season of Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm
-Season three episode guide:

301- Chet's Shirt (9/15/02)

302- The Benadryl Brownie (9/22/02)

303- Club Soda and Salt (9/27/02)

304- The Nanny (10/6/02)

305- The Terrorist Attack (10/13/02)

306- The Special Section (10/20/02)

307- The Corpse-Sniffing Dog (10/27/02)

308- Crazy-Eyez Killah (11/3/02)

309- Mary, Joseph, and Larry (11/10/02)

310- The Grand Opening (11/17/02)

The first season of Curb Lacks the kind of overall plot connecting the episodes that the most recent three seasons have had. The second season steered Curb in a very "Seinfeld" direction as Larry begins to pitch a TV series (Starring, initially, Jason Alexander, and later Julia Louis-Dreyfus) to several networks, very similar to Seinfeld's fourth season. Finally, it seems, Curb Your Enthusiasm "found itself", so to speak, with its third season. The third season's plot finds Larry investing in a resturaunt along with several other celebrities.

So finally, after a hectic albeit funny first and second season, the show settled down and focused on connecting and inter-weaving the episodes in really interesting and unique ways while still leaving each open-ended enough to be enjoyed alone. The time Curb saved slimming down non-plot-essential information went into a good deal of critically needed character development. Remarkably, the deepest character in the first two seasons is Larry's manager, Jeff.

Luckily, Larry and Cheryl are at the core of almost every aspect of the third season. Their family lives are fleshed-out in much greater detail, making both seem infinitely more human. And this character-development allowed Curb Your Enthusiasm, in my opinion, to become truly great.

-Colin George

a very wonderful show
this show has been very funny to luagh at. this series is very funny in alot of ways tat are different from any other show. it looks like live television, and looks unlike another show, buit the context of this show is a fortune. yes there arent many episodes a season, but if you watch to many at one time you will get burned out on it. rent first and see if you injoy then buy later like i did. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

You don't have to be a Star Trek fan to enjoy GalaxyQuest, but it certainly helps. A knowingly affectionate tribute to Trek and any other science fiction TV series of the 1960s and beyond, this crowd-pleasing comedy offers in-jokes at warp speed, hitting the bull's-eye for anyone who knows that (1) the starship captain always removes his shirt to display his manly physique; (2) any crew member not in the regular cast is dead meat; and (3) the heroes always stop the doomsday clock with one second to spare. So it is with Commander Taggart (Tim Allen) and the stalwart crew of the NSEA Protector, whose intergalactic exploits on TV have now been reduced to a dreary cycle of fan conventions and promotional appearances. That's when the Thermians arrive, begging to be saved from Sarris, the reptilian villain who threatens to destroy their home planet.

Can actors rise to the challenge and play their roles for real? The Thermians are counting on it, having studied the "historical documents" of the Galaxy Quest TV show, and their hero worship (not to mention their taste for Monte Cristo sandwiches) is ultimately proven worthy, with the help of some Galaxy geeks on planet Earth. And while Galaxy Quest serves up great special effects and impressive Stan Winston creatures, director Dean Parisot (Home Fries) is never condescending, lending warm acceptance to this gentle send-up of sci-fi TV and the phenomenon of fandom. Best of all is the splendid cast, including Sigourney Weaver as buxom blonde Gwen DeMarco; Alan Rickman as frustrated thespian Alexander Dane; Tony Shalhoub as dimwit Fred Kwan; Daryl Mitchell as former child-star Tommy Webber; and Enrico Colantoni as Thermian leader Mathesar, whose sing-song voice is a comedic coup de grâce.--Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (394)

An good fun entertainment film.
This was one of the few good surprises that came out in December, last year. The film has good story which is clever and well written. Nice visual effects done by Industial Light & Magic(They also did all of the Star Trek films). Good Cast:Tim Allen(Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story Films), Sigourney Weaver(The Alien Series), Alan Rickman(Die Hard, Dogma), Tony Shalhoub(The Siege), Sam Rockwell(The Green Mile) and another cast in the supporting roles are engaging. Directed with a nice sense of humour by Dean Parisot(Home Fries) makes the film works with a lot of characters are fun to look at and some hilarous moments. Stan Winston(Aliens, The Terminator) did once again an incredible make-up and good looking alien designs.

DVD has good anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1)picture quality and excellent dolby digital 5.1 sound also got the alien dubbed track for dolby surround track! is quite funny to listen. Seven deleted scenes. A small behind the scenes featurette and Omega 13, you have to watch the movie first to make it worth.

Travia:In one of those deleted scenes has Dian Bachar(Baseketball, Orgamzo) has a comic scene with Tony Shalhoub. Bachar is credited as Nervous Tech Alien. Is also in the film, cast like as a extra. You can spot the actor in a couple of scenes only. Grade:B+. Panavision.

But What Happened After The Convention?
"Galaxy Quest" is a lighthearted satire of the whole sci-fi world, especially the "Star Trek" gang (here called "Quest-arians"). A group of TV actors now make their living from appearances and autograph signings, after being on the cult favorite TV show, "Galaxy Quest". Real aliens then come and need their help to save the aliens' planet. Tim Allen is positively Shatneresque as Commander Peter Quincy Taggert (shades of Captain James Tiberius Kirk!) Sigourney Weaver (playing actress Gwen DeMarco who plays Lieutenant Tawny Madison) has only one job to do - as she says, "Oh my God, I'm repeating the computer!" Tony Shalhoub is hilarious as Tech Sergeant Chen, sort of a Scotty-on-tranquilizers.... in a deadpan voice, "Commander, they tell me that the engines are about to blow...just a FYI..." Alan Rickman as Alexander Dane playing "Doctor Lazarus" gives a great performance as a classically trained Shakespearean actor who has been typecast as the Spock-like alien of the show. He's known for just one line ("If I have to say that line again I'll throw up!") But since The Show Must Go On, he does say it again and again. "By Grapthar's Hammer, I will avenge you!" One question for the fellow Quest-arians out there. The movie ended (SPOILER WARNING! SPOILER WARNING!) with our heroes taking part of the real alien ship and landing it pretty hard in the convention parking lot and convention hall! That is, scattered cars, busted walls, torn-up stage flooring all over the place! Now how are they going to explain this?

Wonderful Spoof Of Both Trek AND Trekkies!
Dean Parisot's GALAXY QUEST (1999) was released at around the same time as some very big, high-profile, Oscar-nominated films during the Holiday season, advertising itself as the light in the midst of all the dark. Starring Tin Allen, who at that time had starred in films ranging only from cute (THE SANTA CLAUSE--1994, TOY STORY--1995) to lame (JUNGLE 2 JUNGLE, FOR RICHER OR POORER, both 1997), I had the sickening feeling from the trailer that this would prove to be the latter. I was encouraged by the presence of Sigourney Weaver, although unsure of her blond-bimbo role, Tony Shalhoub and Alan Rickman. But still, I wasn't sure...

That is, until I began reading the reviews, and then saw the film as soon as it came out on DVD. This is one of those movies that I can't believe has taken me this long to write about on these pages. Make that rave about: GALAXY QUEST is one of the funniest films I have ever seen, and would be in my Top 30 Listmania List if I were allowed to go to 30. It does help that I'm a STAR TREK fan (although not quite a Trekkie; please read my review of the documentary TREKKIES for more exposition on this point), but I honestly think that anyone with a good sense of humor will like this movie. It is written with a knowing wink to the Trekkie phenomenon as well as to Star Trek, and has smart dialogue courtesy of David Howard; unbelievably enough, this was his first---and still his only---film for which he has written.

The film opens with a convention for the immensely popular "Galaxy Quest" series, which starred full-of-himself screen hog Jason Nesmith (Allen) as Cmdr. Peter Quincy Taggart (not dissimilar to James Tiberius Kirk), Gwen DeMarco (Weaver) as Lt. Tawny Madison, former Shakesperean actor Alexander Dane (Rickman) and former child actor Tommy Webber (Daryl Mitchell) as Lt. Laredo, the ship's (very) young Navigational Officer. Nesmith secretly hates the Conventions, but plays up to the shows' fans, whose attention he monopolizes at every turn. Naturally, this long-established practice has alienated him from his co-stars, who hate his guts but like participating in the Conventions (except for Alexander Dane, who rues the day he became more famous for his character, and his character's famous rallying cry, than for being a 30+ year veteran of the Shakespeare stage). Nesmith finally loses his cool when being overly nagged by a teenaged nerdy fan (Justin Long), and yells at him in a manner that instantly recalls the "Get a life!" mock admonition that William Shatner gave in a 1986 Saturday Night Live skit. However, on the next drunken-hangover morning, Nesmith is visited by a strange-looking and talking man (Enrico Colantoni) who introduces himself as Thermian Cmdr. Mathesar, whose people are under attack by an evil alien leader named General Sarris (Robin Sachs). He pleads for Taggart's assistance, having seen the "historical documents" of his crew's many victories over greater enemies. Nesmith hazily just assumes that this is another nerdy fan with no life and goes along with him just to appease, and perhaps he has nothing better to do at this point. But then he finds out...

Of course, Mathesar and the Thermians are real aliens who had picked up the TV-wave transmission of the "Galaxy Quest" show and, in their childish impressionability, have assumed that the crew, the ship, everything was real. They have replicated the ship in full, both inside & out (since you know, for example, that Star Trek has always been so detailed that exact replicas of the Enterprise have numbered in the thousands) and have modeled their society from their example. Nesmith exitedly gets back to his fellow cynical and unbelieving actors, who go along only because they think it may be a well-paying job. Then they find out...

GALAXY QUEST is smart, funny and has a lot of fun with the TREK phenomenon, as portrayed through this fictional TV show and its characters. It also has fun with all the conventions (that is, *customs*) of Sci-Fi TV shows, such as gigantic, death-defying devices being present in a starship's engine room, or that the fate of our heroes comes down to one final second. It nudges & prods at all of these (plus more) with a complete love for the Sci-Fi genre. It also manages to convey a *sense of wonder* through visual effects that are really excellent. As for the acting, everybody---yes, including Tim Allen---gives a terrific performance, including Sam Rockwell as a minor "Galaxy Quest" character who constantly fears for his life during the actors' real mission, because nobody knows his last name, which, of course, is a sure sign that he is going to die, just like his character did on the one episode of the TV show! Enrico Colantoni's performance as Mathesar is infectious, and is perhaps the biggest revelation in the entire film; it can be argued that he may have deserved an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Robin Sachs creates an evil presence as the murderous, slimy alien General Sarris. Best of all, everybody's in on the joke.

GALAXY QUEST is a great buy on DVD. The "On Location In Space" feature is entertaining and informative. The deleted scenes are a hoot! All in all, this film is a great way to entertain the entire family, as it is among the few comedies that are intelligent yet can be viewed by children. I wholeheartedly give it a "thumbs-up"---wait, no, that's the other guy! In other words, I deem this movie to be

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED; AGES 8 & UP

MISCHIEVOUSLY CLEVER AND SLICK SCI-FI SATIRE
If you have seen the earlier episodes of "Futurama", you'll know how effective a cleverly done sci-fi satire can be.

Galaxy Quest mines a shuttle-full of sci-fi cliches for its banter, and while I don't remember anything laugh-out-loud rip-roarious, there is a good deal of congenial charm that permeates throughout. Which makes it a perfect family flick to watch on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Apart from the spoof gags, what took me by surprise were the superb special effects, as octopodal aliens morph effortlessly into humans and back again in articulately designed space (the interior of the spaceship itself borrowed its staid cardboard looks from Star Trek of yore, perhaps as an intentional sardonic effect)

Overall, the film's affection for its audience (especially those weaned on Lost in Space, or The Next Generation, etc) and for the characters it parodies covers up for the gaping blackholes in its highly implausible and goofy plotline.

Great rental, and even a good buy because it lends itself easily to repeat viewing.

A terrific sci-fi spoof
"Galaxy Quest" was woefully ignored at the box-office, which is a crying shame because it's one of the best films of its kind to come down the pike. Writer David Howard did a tremendous job in drafting a film that is equal parts spoof and homage to science fiction television shows, most notably Star Trek, but there are hints of other shows as well. You can tell that Howard is obviously a fan of science fiction because as a sci-fi film, Galaxy Quest stands on its own two feet proudly; but he also appreciated the cheese that went into the shows as well, everything from the ship's commander who loses his shirt in every episode to that irritating line that gets repeated so often the actor who utters it comes to abhor it (think "Live long and prosper" or "He's dead, Jim").

The premise is simple enough. "Galaxy Quest" was a TV show that rode the success of "Star Wars" in the late 70s to join "Battlestar Galactica," "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century," and "Star Trek: The Next Generation" as the popular programming of the time. But like those shows, "Galaxy Quest" didn't survive through the early 80s, and now the cast is a bunch of washed-up has-beens who are lucky to be earning paychecks from convention appearances and electronics store openings. That is, until they are approached by a group claiming to be Thermians needing assistance with the interstellar bully in their quadrant of the galaxy. The cast takes the Thermians and their leader, Mathesar (Enrico Colantoni, "Hope and Gloria"), as ardent fans of the show wanting a private appearance of the cast, but the truth is, the Thermians are real aliens with a real problem; it seems the Thermians are a very naive race, believing the television signals from Earth to be real historical accounts of the NSEA Protector and it's gallant crew, and at the same time, gifted scientists and engineers capable of recreating the NSEA Protector as a real spaceship. But they aren't warriors, so they come to Earth looking for the "real" crew of the original Protector to man their version, and to help them in their negotiations with General Sarris (Robin Sachs, TV's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"), the resident bully.

The actors that played the original Protector's crew are lead by Jason Nesmith (Tim Allen, TV's "Home Improvement" and the "Santa Clause" series), who played Cmdr. Peter Quincy Taggart, a character not unlike the original Star Trek's Capt. Kirk, constantly mugging for the camera and sleeping with every alien princess. Gwen DeMarco (Sigourney Weaver, the "Alien" series) played Lt. Tawny Madison, the buxom blonde kitten whose only real job on the show was to look sexy and repeat everything the computer said. Alexander Dane (Alan Rickman, "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" and the "Harry Potter" series), a Shakespearean actor, is Dr. Lazarus, the alien science officer. Fred Kwan (Tony Shalhoub, TV's "Monk") is the laid-back engineering officer, Tech Sgt. Chen. Tommy Webber (Daryl Mitchell, "Sgt. Bilko") is the actor who as a child played the Protector's helmsman, Lt. Laredo. And Guy Fleegman (Sam Rockwell, "Matchstick Men") was Crewman #6, who died in his lone episode (in the original Star Trek, Fleegman would have been the crewman in the red shirt on the away mission), but who tags along on the mission anyway, constantly fretting that he'll die in real life on this mission just as his character died on the show.

These guys are in no way heroes. For example, none of the other actors can stand Jason Nesmith, for example, because of the constant attention he gets being the commander (which does much to fuel an already sizeable ego), but especially Alexander Dane, who sees him as a scene-stealing hack with no talent, and Gwen DeMarco, who's simply tired of him hitting on her all the time. Are you reading this, William Shatner? In the end, though, the prima donnas find their inner-strength and succeed against Sarris, but that much you already knew going in, right?

This movie should have been an instant classic. Seeing actors playing actors is always loads of fun, as we get a peek at how Hollywood really views itself. The sci-fi spoofing is dead-on accurate, and it really is an homage to the classic series as well, most notably "Star Trek." There are also great bonus stuffs on the DVD, including a "making of" special, deleted scenes that made me wonder why they were deleted, and an alternate soundtrack in the Thermian bark-and-squawk language.

If you love "Star Trek," you'll love "Galaxy Quest." If you hated "Star Trek," you will also love "Galaxy Quest." ... Read more

Amazon.com

Like its fellow HBO series Sex and the City, this half-hour comedy broke some TV rules and went from critics' darling to an award-winning series in three years. Curb Your Enthusiasm is the brainchild of star-creator Larry David who co-created Seinfeld and was the basis for the easily rattled George Costanza (who was played by Jason Alexander). Like George, David has a tendency to speak too much, blow things out of proportion, and, most often, fail in the end (and often liking it that way). David's new show is also like its predecessor: it's about "nothing" except following the day-to-day ramblings of a sometime writer and comic (this time in L.A.). Eternal questions stemming from universal daily dilemmas are honed to perfect comedic absurdity. A notable exception is the show is only scripted by plot; much of the action is improvised. The first season starts with a one-hour mockumentary following David's return to stand-up for the first time in years; the other 10 episodes follow a more traditional sit-com setup. David plays "himself" (as does his friend, Richard Lewis) although his manager and wife are played by comedians Jeff Garlin and Cheryl Hines. Although this first season is a comedic gem, one can't take more than an episode or two at a time--it's acidic, biting comedy. The episodes are often built like a house of cards, which the irritable David will surely collapse by the end. Like another caustic TV character, Dabney Colman's Buffalo Bill (1983-84), Larry David is not for everybody.

The second season is more of the same, and for fans, that's a good thing. The closest thing to an arc is David's season-long pitch to the networks for a new show starring former Seinfeld stars Jason Alexander and Julia-Louis Dreyfus. Each network is lampooned, especially HBO, which David has a bad history with in this alternate world. Sure to repel those with soft funny bones, Curb's acerbic comedy allows jokes where David is accidentally framed--if ever so briefly--as a child molester, wife abuser, or murderer. But for those who do love his shtick, there are big laughs, especially when we bump into characters as unbridled as David, like a fellow writer who is quite protective over his dad's invention, the Cobb salad. Many comic actors pop up, some as "themselves" (Richard Lewis, Rob Reiner) and others as characters (Rita Wilson, Ed Asner) along with the delights of co-stars Cheryl Hines as David's wife and his affable manger, Jeff Garlin. There are several touchstone bits: what a thong brief can do to a relationship, a run-in with pro wrestler, Larry's first baptism, and one very collectible doll. To pick one episode to capture this second season--and its grandstanding nature--it would be "Shaq," in which the NBA star is accidentally tripped, changing David's usual bad luck with gut-busting results. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Amazon.com

He's the Wild Blue Yonder, and The Tick is back to show why this outlandishly funny TV series should never have been canceled! After proving his mettle in comic books and animated TV, creator Ben Edlund's blue-insect superhero made his auspicious debut on Fox (in November 2001), portrayed in live action (in a buff-muscled rubber suit) by Patrick Warburton, the popular Seinfeld guest star (as "Puddy"), who instantly perfected the role he was born to play. In his appreciative commentary track, co-executive producer (and Men in Black director) Barry Sonnenfeld calls the pilot episode "the best thing I've ever directed," and it's easy to agree: wide-angle lenses, stylized sets, hilarious dialogue, and a comedically gifted cast make the episode (and the entire series) a perfect summation of Sonnenfeld's wacky style. Edlund concurs, observing that The Tick is "something you get or you don't," and the impatient Fox executives obviously didn't get the show's expert blend of absurdity, stupidity, and good-natured irreverence. They axed the series after eight of these nine episodes aired, only proving that The Tick was too hip for their bean-counting mentalities.

In the title role, Warburton (with highly expressive antennae) hits all the right notes of dimwitted innocence and brute-force gallantry, aided immeasurably by his moth-costumed sidekick Arthur (David Burke), wannabe lothario Batmanuel (Nestor Carbonell), and buxom beauty Captain Liberty (Liz Vassey). Attentive to the more mundane aspects of superheroism, The Tick offers outrageous villains (like the nefarious "Destroyo") and eccentric allies (like Ron Perlman's hilarious "Fiery Blaze") while showing that even crimefighters have everyday problems and desires. Brilliantly conceived and executed, The Tick can now be enjoyed by an audience it never had a proper chance to cultivate. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (57)

You face....The Tick!
"The Tick" was another one of those great, edgy television shows that Fox simply didn't give a chance (along with "The Critic," "Greg The Bunny" and others). The casting was absolutely perfect...Warburton does an excellent job as the Wild Blue Yonder, and Nester Carbonell (of "Suddenly Susan" fame) was the perfect Batmanuel.

The DVD is, sadly, not perfect. The extras are pretty worthless, and I'm at a loss as to why it needed to be a 2-DVD set with three episodes on one disc and six on the other. They all easily could have fit on one disc and left the annoying "extras" out.

I cannot criticize the content, however; the show is just as hilarious as I remember it. The episodes "The Funeral," "Couples" and the wonderful pilot (with Christopher Lloyd in an uncredited role as Mr. Fishladder, Arthur's former boss) are the shining points of the series. And from the viewpoint of a hearing-impaired person, it's a joy to watch a DVD that is properly closed-captioned, with no spelling mistakes, few omissions and without the annoying all-caps some DVDs insist upon.

This show was funny, edgy and irreverant...completely different from anything else on TV at the time. In the words of the Tick himself: "When the world says jump, we say pass the salt!"

The Wild Blue Yonder
He has melted viewers' hearts, and from this day forth, he will spread his buttery justice over their DVD players' every nook and cranny. He is the Tick, the mysterious and insane crime fighter who will teach the forces of evil the Lesson... of Metcalfe. (Don't ask, it's a series in-joke)

Mild-mannered accountant Arthur (David Burke) quits his job in order to don a spandex moth suit and fight crime. When he's attacked by inept Communist agents, he's suddenly rescued by... the Tick (Patrick Warburton), a dimwitted innocent who lives in a world of his own. Reluctantly recruited by the Tick as a sidekick, Arthur accompanies his bizarre, superhuman friend through a strange array of crime-fighting scenarios

With the wannabe Latin lover Batmanuel (Nestor Carbonell) and patriotic amazon Captain Liberty (Liz Vassey), the Tick attacks the eccentric evil of the world: fire-spewing Apocalypse Cow, 112-year-old supervillain The Terror, formerly pudgy ballerina Destroyo, Arthur's relatives, and robots who are trying to kill Jimmy Carter. In the meantime, Our Heroes have to deal with dogs, mixed dating (superhero/ordinary person), porn shoots, Captain Liberty accidently killing the poorly-named celebrity-superhero Immortal (in the sack, no less!), the snobby League of Heroes, and the Tick's search for his true identity.

It doesn't get much goofier than "Tick," which spoofs the sort of comic book heroes like Superman and Batman. The villains are over-the-top (check out Destroyo's tanklike exoskeleton), the heroes are more often insane than not, and sidekicks form little clubs to complain about how their heroes treat them. The writing is full of tortured metaphors and strange scenarios (the scene where Captain Liberty and Batmanuel try to explain the Facts of Life to the Tick is priceless -- "blah blah blah").

He's the tiny diamond in a sea of rhinestones, a peach in a barrel of bad apples; Patrick Warburton is outrageously funny as he rolls off the corniest and dumbest dialogue imaginable ("A secret message... from my teeth!") without cracking the tiniest smile. Burke serves as the hapless brain Arthur; Carbonell is quite entertaining as the womanizing Batmanuel, who only fights crime once in the whole series. And Vassey is fantastic as a frustrated 21st-century Wonder Woman who sometimes seems to be the only really sane one there.

All too short and all too sweet, "The Tick" wasn't given the long life on television that it deserved. However, fans can now enjoy the nine hysterical episodes of madness, mayhem, Metcalfe, and steaming hot cups of justice. Long live the Big Blue Lug.

an amazing comic made into an amazing show
I was a fan of The Tick comic books ( all, what, 13 of them?) and they are amongst my most prized posessions. I was very nervous when I heard a live action show was being made of the The Tick. However, I absolutely loved the show and the DVD set. I've already watched them through three times. A great buy!

Terrific Tick
I never watched the series when it was on the air, or watched the cartoon, comic book...but I was always told they were funny and be something that I would enjoy. I have to admit that I thouroughly enjoyed this series. The episodes got better as the season went on. My favorites are "Arthur, Interrupted", "The Funeral", "The Big Leagues", & "The Tick vs. Justice", although they were all pretty good! Patrick Warburton did an incredible job as the Tick. Many actors who portray comic heroes fall flat but Patrick was utterly convincing as the Wild Blue Yonder. David Burke, Nestor Carbonell, & Liz Vassey were all hillarious in their portrayals. It is sad that this series did not continue, one could only imagine what heights of levity could have been wrought if only this brilliant show was not terminated!
I wished this DVD could have had more extras...I couldn't find the DVD rom link either, but maybe I'm looking in the wrong places...and deleted scenes or TV spots would have been nice!
It would be great if a MOVIE gets produced...I would definitely Watch it!

"A secret message from my teeth!"
Ben Edlund's oft-licensed, off-beat creation was never in finer form than Patrick Warburton's jut-jawed portrayal of The Wild Blue Yonder himself. Matching the goofy heights reached by the excellent cartoon in a measly nine half-hour episodes, there's no telling what Sonnenfeld and company could have done with this series. Unfortunately, it looks like there never will be any telling, as the show was unceremoniously canned before the last episode even aired. Still, there's mirth aplenty in this strangely sparse 2-DVD set; Christopher Lloyd guest stars in an episode, as do Ron Perlman (Hellboy) and John de Lancie (Star Trek: TNG's Q). Warburton's Tick seems right at home alongside David Burke's Arthur, as well as new Edlund creations Batmanuel and Captain Liberty (ably acted by the hilariously oversexed Nestor Carbonell and the ever-serious Liz Vassey, respectively). Commentary tracks with Barry Sonnenfeld (who produced the series and directed the first episode) and Ben Edlund (who wrote the comic book back when it was an underground sensation) are available for nearly every episode, and a few poorly-selected trailers are on the second disc. Buy it for the show, chum. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's more of the same for Larry David's sitcom from HBO, and for fans, that's a good thing. The show--largely extemporized--follows suit of David's former series, Seinfeld: it's a show about nothing, just the everyday life of the star going about his pseudo-real world. But David's show has far more edge (thanks, in part, to airing on cable TV) with all the bad luck, embarrassing situations, and dreadful behavior as its premiere season. The closest thing to an arc is David's season-long pitch to the networks for a new show starring former Seinfeld stars Jason Alexander and Julia-Louis Dreyfus. Each network is lampooned, especially HBO, which David has a bad history with in this alternate world. Sure to repel those with soft funny bones, Curb's acerbic comedy allows jokes where David is accidentally framed--if ever so briefly--as a child molester, wife abuser, or murderer. But for those who do love his shtick, there are big laughs, especially when we bump into characters as unbridled as David, like a fellow writer who is quite protective of his dad's invention, the Cobb salad.

Many comic actors pop up, some as "themselves" (Richard Lewis, Rob Reiner) and others as characters (Rita Wilson, Ed Asner) along with the delights of co-stars Cheryl Hines as David's wife and his affable manger, Jeff Garlin. There are several touchstone bits: what a thong brief can do to a relationship, a run-in with pro wrestler, Larry's first baptism, and one very collectible doll. To pick one episode to capture this second season--and its grandstanding nature--it would be "Shaq," in which the NBA star is accidentally tripped, changing David's usual bad luck with gut-busting results. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Seinfeld... Part II
If you loved Seinfeld, you will love Curb Your Enthusiasm. Like Seinfeld, this show is mostly about nothing. While it does have situations mixed into the fold, the core laughs come from throwing the characters into everyday situations and picking apart the day-to-day things that we all can relate to.

It has been common knowledge that Larry David, the co-creator of Seinfeld was the real-life version of Jason Alexander's character, George Costanza. When you watch this show, you can't help but see the similarities.

One of the more interesting things about this show is that the dialogue is totally unscripted. This adds a freshness to the show that is very unique.

The show features a lot of cameos from Larry David's circle of Hollywood friends who generally play themself.

My only complaint is that there are only 10 episodes per season. I can't get enough of this show. It's clearly the funniest show on TV today!

THE TOP 10
Like the arguement of the grassy knoll, the 10 episodes that make up Season 2 of CURB are the some of the best ever seen on either network or cable. Larry David is on an amazing genius run. No one is spared: Jason Alexander, HBO, Starbucks, The WWF...Enough cannot be said about these 10 classics. Is that Jewell (or her little sister) performing in the talent show? And yes, Richard Lewis' sweater is cashmere (albeit a blend).

Nowhere near as funny as the first season
Don't get me wrong...I don't regret the purchase. It's just that the first season was consistently laugh-out-loud funny and this one just isn't close to that level.

Enthusiastic About Season Two
Curb Your Enthusiasm is the hilarious HBO series starring Larry David as himself. The series have no solid plotlines, they are basically set up as shells, with the actors improvising most of the lines. Mr. David may well be the funniest actor on television. He is a crotchity, acerbic guy who is constantly getting himself into trouble by saying or doing the wrong things at the wrong time. Season two features one of the series' best ever episodes, Shaq. Larry is bemoaning his perpetual bad luck when he gets courtside seats to a Lakers game. During the game, he accidentally trips Lakers star Shaquille O'Neal, sending Shaq to the hospital with an injury. Of course Larry is blamed for the injury and is ostracized by all his friends and hated by everyone. But Larry hits a good luck streak, where everything is going his way for a change. He even starts hanging out with Shaq in his hospital room, but in the end, Larry screws it up and his bad luck returns. Season two features the usual compliment of guest stars including Mr. David's former Seinfeld cohorts Jason Alexander & Julia Louis-Dreyfus, good buddy Richard Lewis and the usual stellar support from regulars Cheryl Hines & Jeff Garlin.

Still superior to all other TV comedy series...
I rated this four stars relative to the series as a whole; in relation to every other comedy currently on the air, it really warrants the full five stars. In short, I have to agree with other reviewers who feel Season Two is probably the weakest in the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" series. Still, this is worth the price of admission for the "Doll Head" episode alone, maybe the funniest 30 minutes ever aired in television history, even if the rest isn't quite up to the usual Larry David standards. And while I'm not generally a fan of DVD extras, shelling out 35 bucks for a no-frills five-hour's worth of viewing seemed a tad inflated compared to similar DVD sets on the market (really, all the HBO series DVD's are over-priced).

It was still worth it in the end, as nothing makes me laugh harder than watching this poor shlub stammer his way through ridiculous situations of his own making. Priceless moments this season include an uncomfortably realistic bit with Jason Alexander suffering the slings and arrows of post-Seinfeld Costanza-typecasting; Ed Asner's hysterical turn as a gruff and horny old geezer on his last legs; and a horrified Larry encountering his shrink sporting a package-revealing thong at the beach -- not to even mention the nightmarish water bottle incident in the "Doll Head" episode.

This is "Curb Your Enthusiasm" undergoing growing pains, unsuccessful in fully re-capturing the spontaneous greatness of Season One and not yet on the reliably steady legs that will later hallmark its prime. While the writing and guest spots improve markedly in subsequent years, this series is still superior to everything being served up by the networks, even in its weakest hour. ... Read more

Reviews (394)

An good fun entertainment film.
This was one of the few good surprises that came out in December, last year. The film has good story which is clever and well written. Nice visual effects done by Industial Light & Magic(They also did all of the Star Trek films). Good Cast:Tim Allen(Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story Films), Sigourney Weaver(The Alien Series), Alan Rickman(Die Hard, Dogma), Tony Shalhoub(The Siege), Sam Rockwell(The Green Mile) and another cast in the supporting roles are engaging. Directed with a nice sense of humour by Dean Parisot(Home Fries) makes the film works with a lot of characters are fun to look at and some hilarous moments. Stan Winston(Aliens, The Terminator) did once again an incredible make-up and good looking alien designs.

DVD has good anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1)picture quality and excellent dolby digital 5.1 sound also got the alien dubbed track for dolby surround track! is quite funny to listen. Seven deleted scenes. A small behind the scenes featurette and Omega 13, you have to watch the movie first to make it worth.

Travia:In one of those deleted scenes has Dian Bachar(Baseketball, Orgamzo) has a comic scene with Tony Shalhoub. Bachar is credited as Nervous Tech Alien. Is also in the film, cast like as a extra. You can spot the actor in a couple of scenes only. Grade:B+. Panavision.

But What Happened After The Convention?
"Galaxy Quest" is a lighthearted satire of the whole sci-fi world, especially the "Star Trek" gang (here called "Quest-arians"). A group of TV actors now make their living from appearances and autograph signings, after being on the cult favorite TV show, "Galaxy Quest". Real aliens then come and need their help to save the aliens' planet. Tim Allen is positively Shatneresque as Commander Peter Quincy Taggert (shades of Captain James Tiberius Kirk!) Sigourney Weaver (playing actress Gwen DeMarco who plays Lieutenant Tawny Madison) has only one job to do - as she says, "Oh my God, I'm repeating the computer!" Tony Shalhoub is hilarious as Tech Sergeant Chen, sort of a Scotty-on-tranquilizers.... in a deadpan voice, "Commander, they tell me that the engines are about to blow...just a FYI..." Alan Rickman as Alexander Dane playing "Doctor Lazarus" gives a great performance as a classically trained Shakespearean actor who has been typecast as the Spock-like alien of the show. He's known for just one line ("If I have to say that line again I'll throw up!") But since The Show Must Go On, he does say it again and again. "By Grapthar's Hammer, I will avenge you!" One question for the fellow Quest-arians out there. The movie ended (SPOILER WARNING! SPOILER WARNING!) with our heroes taking part of the real alien ship and landing it pretty hard in the convention parking lot and convention hall! That is, scattered cars, busted walls, torn-up stage flooring all over the place! Now how are they going to explain this?

Wonderful Spoof Of Both Trek AND Trekkies!
Dean Parisot's GALAXY QUEST (1999) was released at around the same time as some very big, high-profile, Oscar-nominated films during the Holiday season, advertising itself as the light in the midst of all the dark. Starring Tin Allen, who at that time had starred in films ranging only from cute (THE SANTA CLAUSE--1994, TOY STORY--1995) to lame (JUNGLE 2 JUNGLE, FOR RICHER OR POORER, both 1997), I had the sickening feeling from the trailer that this would prove to be the latter. I was encouraged by the presence of Sigourney Weaver, although unsure of her blond-bimbo role, Tony Shalhoub and Alan Rickman. But still, I wasn't sure...

That is, until I began reading the reviews, and then saw the film as soon as it came out on DVD. This is one of those movies that I can't believe has taken me this long to write about on these pages. Make that rave about: GALAXY QUEST is one of the funniest films I have ever seen, and would be in my Top 30 Listmania List if I were allowed to go to 30. It does help that I'm a STAR TREK fan (although not quite a Trekkie; please read my review of the documentary TREKKIES for more exposition on this point), but I honestly think that anyone with a good sense of humor will like this movie. It is written with a knowing wink to the Trekkie phenomenon as well as to Star Trek, and has smart dialogue courtesy of David Howard; unbelievably enough, this was his first---and still his only---film for which he has written.

The film opens with a convention for the immensely popular "Galaxy Quest" series, which starred full-of-himself screen hog Jason Nesmith (Allen) as Cmdr. Peter Quincy Taggart (not dissimilar to James Tiberius Kirk), Gwen DeMarco (Weaver) as Lt. Tawny Madison, former Shakesperean actor Alexander Dane (Rickman) and former child actor Tommy Webber (Daryl Mitchell) as Lt. Laredo, the ship's (very) young Navigational Officer. Nesmith secretly hates the Conventions, but plays up to the shows' fans, whose attention he monopolizes at every turn. Naturally, this long-established practice has alienated him from his co-stars, who hate his guts but like participating in the Conventions (except for Alexander Dane, who rues the day he became more famous for his character, and his character's famous rallying cry, than for being a 30+ year veteran of the Shakespeare stage). Nesmith finally loses his cool when being overly nagged by a teenaged nerdy fan (Justin Long), and yells at him in a manner that instantly recalls the "Get a life!" mock admonition that William Shatner gave in a 1986 Saturday Night Live skit. However, on the next drunken-hangover morning, Nesmith is visited by a strange-looking and talking man (Enrico Colantoni) who introduces himself as Thermian Cmdr. Mathesar, whose people are under attack by an evil alien leader named General Sarris (Robin Sachs). He pleads for Taggart's assistance, having seen the "historical documents" of his crew's many victories over greater enemies. Nesmith hazily just assumes that this is another nerdy fan with no life and goes along with him just to appease, and perhaps he has nothing better to do at this point. But then he finds out...

Of course, Mathesar and the Thermians are real aliens who had picked up the TV-wave transmission of the "Galaxy Quest" show and, in their childish impressionability, have assumed that the crew, the ship, everything was real. They have replicated the ship in full, both inside & out (since you know, for example, that Star Trek has always been so detailed that exact replicas of the Enterprise have numbered in the thousands) and have modeled their society from their example. Nesmith exitedly gets back to his fellow cynical and unbelieving actors, who go along only because they think it may be a well-paying job. Then they find out...

GALAXY QUEST is smart, funny and has a lot of fun with the TREK phenomenon, as portrayed through this fictional TV show and its characters. It also has fun with all the conventions (that is, *customs*) of Sci-Fi TV shows, such as gigantic, death-defying devices being present in a starship's engine room, or that the fate of our heroes comes down to one final second. It nudges & prods at all of these (plus more) with a complete love for the Sci-Fi genre. It also manages to convey a *sense of wonder* through visual effects that are really excellent. As for the acting, everybody---yes, including Tim Allen---gives a terrific performance, including Sam Rockwell as a minor "Galaxy Quest" character who constantly fears for his life during the actors' real mission, because nobody knows his last name, which, of course, is a sure sign that he is going to die, just like his character did on the one episode of the TV show! Enrico Colantoni's performance as Mathesar is infectious, and is perhaps the biggest revelation in the entire film; it can be argued that he may have deserved an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Robin Sachs creates an evil presence as the murderous, slimy alien General Sarris. Best of all, everybody's in on the joke.

GALAXY QUEST is a great buy on DVD. The "On Location In Space" feature is entertaining and informative. The deleted scenes are a hoot! All in all, this film is a great way to entertain the entire family, as it is among the few comedies that are intelligent yet can be viewed by children. I wholeheartedly give it a "thumbs-up"---wait, no, that's the other guy! In other words, I deem this movie to be

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED; AGES 8 & UP

MISCHIEVOUSLY CLEVER AND SLICK SCI-FI SATIRE
If you have seen the earlier episodes of "Futurama", you'll know how effective a cleverly done sci-fi satire can be.

Galaxy Quest mines a shuttle-full of sci-fi cliches for its banter, and while I don't remember anything laugh-out-loud rip-roarious, there is a good deal of congenial charm that permeates throughout. Which makes it a perfect family flick to watch on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Apart from the spoof gags, what took me by surprise were the superb special effects, as octopodal aliens morph effortlessly into humans and back again in articulately designed space (the interior of the spaceship itself borrowed its staid cardboard looks from Star Trek of yore, perhaps as an intentional sardonic effect)

Overall, the film's affection for its audience (especially those weaned on Lost in Space, or The Next Generation, etc) and for the characters it parodies covers up for the gaping blackholes in its highly implausible and goofy plotline.

Great rental, and even a good buy because it lends itself easily to repeat viewing.

A terrific sci-fi spoof
"Galaxy Quest" was woefully ignored at the box-office, which is a crying shame because it's one of the best films of its kind to come down the pike. Writer David Howard did a tremendous job in drafting a film that is equal parts spoof and homage to science fiction television shows, most notably Star Trek, but there are hints of other shows as well. You can tell that Howard is obviously a fan of science fiction because as a sci-fi film, Galaxy Quest stands on its own two feet proudly; but he also appreciated the cheese that went into the shows as well, everything from the ship's commander who loses his shirt in every episode to that irritating line that gets repeated so often the actor who utters it comes to abhor it (think "Live long and prosper" or "He's dead, Jim").

The premise is simple enough. "Galaxy Quest" was a TV show that rode the success of "Star Wars" in the late 70s to join "Battlestar Galactica," "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century," and "Star Trek: The Next Generation" as the popular programming of the time. But like those shows, "Galaxy Quest" didn't survive through the early 80s, and now the cast is a bunch of washed-up has-beens who are lucky to be earning paychecks from convention appearances and electronics store openings. That is, until they are approached by a group claiming to be Thermians needing assistance with the interstellar bully in their quadrant of the galaxy. The cast takes the Thermians and their leader, Mathesar (Enrico Colantoni, "Hope and Gloria"), as ardent fans of the show wanting a private appearance of the cast, but the truth is, the Thermians are real aliens with a real problem; it seems the Thermians are a very naive race, believing the television signals from Earth to be real historical accounts of the NSEA Protector and it's gallant crew, and at the same time, gifted scientists and engineers capable of recreating the NSEA Protector as a real spaceship. But they aren't warriors, so they come to Earth looking for the "real" crew of the original Protector to man their version, and to help them in their negotiations with General Sarris (Robin Sachs, TV's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"), the resident bully.

The actors that played the original Protector's crew are lead by Jason Nesmith (Tim Allen, TV's "Home Improvement" and the "Santa Clause" series), who played Cmdr. Peter Quincy Taggart, a character not unlike the original Star Trek's Capt. Kirk, constantly mugging for the camera and sleeping with every alien princess. Gwen DeMarco (Sigourney Weaver, the "Alien" series) played Lt. Tawny Madison, the buxom blonde kitten whose only real job on the show was to look sexy and repeat everything the computer said. Alexander Dane (Alan Rickman, "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" and the "Harry Potter" series), a Shakespearean actor, is Dr. Lazarus, the alien science officer. Fred Kwan (Tony Shalhoub, TV's "Monk") is the laid-back engineering officer, Tech Sgt. Chen. Tommy Webber (Daryl Mitchell, "Sgt. Bilko") is the actor who as a child played the Protector's helmsman, Lt. Laredo. And Guy Fleegman (Sam Rockwell, "Matchstick Men") was Crewman #6, who died in his lone episode (in the original Star Trek, Fleegman would have been the crewman in the red shirt on the away mission), but who tags along on the mission anyway, constantly fretting that he'll die in real life on this mission just as his character died on the show.

These guys are in no way heroes. For example, none of the other actors can stand Jason Nesmith, for example, because of the constant attention he gets being the commander (which does much to fuel an already sizeable ego), but especially Alexander Dane, who sees him as a scene-stealing hack with no talent, and Gwen DeMarco, who's simply tired of him hitting on her all the time. Are you reading this, William Shatner? In the end, though, the prima donnas find their inner-strength and succeed against Sarris, but that much you already knew going in, right?

This movie should have been an instant classic. Seeing actors playing actors is always loads of fun, as we get a peek at how Hollywood really views itself. The sci-fi spoofing is dead-on accurate, and it really is an homage to the classic series as well, most notably "Star Trek." There are also great bonus stuffs on the DVD, including a "making of" special, deleted scenes that made me wonder why they were deleted, and an alternate soundtrack in the Thermian bark-and-squawk language.

If you love "Star Trek," you'll love "Galaxy Quest." If you hated "Star Trek," you will also love "Galaxy Quest." ... Read more

Reviews (17)

The pilot episode for Tony Shalhoub's "Monk" (but just that)
Absolute agreement that the premier episode of "Monk" is one of the more memorable television pilots of recent vintage, but only having one episode, even that one, is less than satisfactory. Consequently, this DVD is not really for the devoted fan of the show but more for those who have missed out on the party from the first episode and need to get up the speed. What you get is an introduction to Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub), a former San Francisco homicide detective who left the force because he suffers from an extreme case of obsessive-compulsive disorder, a condition that afflicted him after the murder of his wife. However, when there is an assassination attempt on a mayoral candidate he is coaxed out of retirement by his former boss, Captain Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine).

The idea is that Monk is now a private consultant with an uncanny ability to pick up details missed by other detectives. You can think of Monk as a really quirky Sherlock Holmes, with his full-time nurse Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram) in the role of Watson. However, she spends more of her time serving as a buffer between Monk and the real world. The result is one of the rare delights on television from last season and the first television show to cross over from cable to networks. By the time you get to the scene where Monk knocks all of the little colored pins out of the candidate's map, you will be hooked and checking your television schedule to see when the next episode is airing. That is one of only a half-dozen scenes where Monk provides his bona fides as a detective.

The most important thing is that in addition to all the quirky comedy shtick with Monk's super attention to detail, the crimes he is investigating are worthy of his attention. The dynamic between Monk and Sharona becomes the pivot on which the pilot and all other episodes have turned, even though the idea of a potential romance between the two misses the point. Just watch the scene where he blows away her date and you can see the foundation of their relationship and just more proof that this is the role of Shalhoub's career. If you are not on the "Monk" bandwagon, then check this out. If you are already a fan and do not have everything on tape, keep hope alive that all of Season 1 will be available sooner or later.

"Mr. Monk and The Candidate" DVD Series Pilot A Delight
And to think Tony Shalhoub initially passed on the role of Adrian Monk when it was offered to him! It's as amazing as his strong, effective and often touching performance as the leading character, Adrian Monk, in the series' pilot: he never overplays the charcter's OCD--nor plays it solely for laughs. Shalhoub has demonstrated that in acting this part, less is actually more, not only in his dramatic scenes but also in his physical comedy and character's humor. It's called balance, and Tony Shalhoub is a skilled and talented pro who walks the tightrope flawlessly! In Monk we have an unlikely (and flawed) hero who for over three years could never even venture out of his home due to the trauma of his late wife's car bombing death, which induced full-blown OCD and phobias.

Enter Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram), a nurse and single mom who doesn't always treat Adrian Monk with kid gloves. He relies on her yet she never allows him to become too dependent upon her. While she may supply antibacterial hand wipes along with note-taking/phone calling as Monk's hired assistant and nurse, she is a fiesty and independent woman who doesn't take much guff; yet, she also enjoys tracking down the baddies and solving the murder mysteries with her boss, Monk, whom she both admires and is aggravated by. She often threatens to quit, but Monk somehow never believes she really will. When she goes on a date, which Monk thought she was only joking about going on, he turns up at the restaurant where the couple is dining and after a few moments of sitting at their table blurts out that the guy she's with is both a phony and a liar--not even the entertainment attorney he claimed to be... All so low key it's as if he's talking about menu items' pros and cons... And he wonders why Sharona becomes very upset and says she's quitting her job with him. He seems more taken with the fact she'd been a dancer in Atlantic City (as he's sure she'll return to her job with him).

The mystery in the pilot episode revolves around a seemingly small little murder of a young woman that Monk has been working on but is later able to tie to the supposed assassination attempt of a local political candidate. It's as if Monk has ESP, but it's plain common sense, a photographic memory, attention to detail, and logic which aid Monk in his deductions. Higher stakes matter here, though, as we learn Monk is also working to gain re-instatement to the police force he was discharged from when his wife was killed and his OCD flared up full-force. He's been working as a private detective and also a consultant to the police for about a year (with Sharona's assistance) for very meager pay.

Monk's shrink, Dr. Kroger, initially believes Monk may be ready to re-join the force (which does get Adrian's hopes and spirits up) after Monk solves both murders (plus a third, another campaign aide's murder, which happens along the way) and saves Sharona from being murdered in the sewer! The reaction he has to his unexpected recognition for solving the case--by the candidate (with full media coverage)--the will both touch and move even the hardest heart watching. The comedy is a treat: fresh, although often bizarre, upbeat (yet sometimes dark) and sure to take you by surprise and make you laugh in spite of your feeling you shouldn't (maybe) even be laughing.

The role of Adrian Monk in this series' pilot garnered Tony Shalhoub a Best Actor in a Comedy Series Emmy Award Nomination. The pilot is well-paced, superbly acted by a talented cast, effectively directed, and is rich with strong production values (just having some of it filmed in San Franscisco alone is enough to set mood and tone).

And even when the pilot ends, we want to see/know more. It's the relationship between Monk and Sharona which grabs our attention, our interest--and it's Tony Shalhoub as Monk who makes us care. The man's a magician--the plastic gloves and antibacterial wet wipes, like smoke and mirrors, are simply an added bonus to the genuine life he breathes into the character and the comedy/drama. Two clean hands way up for this rare gem!--Lenore Hutton

Monk is on the Case
When an assassin takes a shot at a mayoral candidate, the current mayor insists that Monk is brought in as a consultant on the case. Adrian Monk has been consulting for three years trying to get over his intense fears and obsessive compulsive disorder enough to return full time to the force. Still, his curses are also gifts that help him notice little things others miss. Right away, he makes a connection between this case and another murder that otherwise would appear unrelated. But can Monk figure out what is going on?

I came to the party rather late, not watching until season 2. I was quite anxious to see the pilot because I wanted to get the complete background on the character. Since I've seen almost every episode now, I did know the basics of what I needed to know, so I could just sit back and enjoy the storyline.

I am a mystery fiend, and I especially love a good puzzle. Monk is wonderful for that, and this episode is no exception. I should have seen the ending coming, but, as usual, was taken completely by surprise. There are some wonderful laugh out loud moments as well.

The episode does fall into the traps of a series premier. Since we need to know about our characters, story is often slowed down for exposition. While it would have been helpful the first time around, I didn't need it. Fortunately, we were treated to the back story in small doses, so it didn't slow the story down for long. Also, the actors and writers are still trying to define the characters. While not as sharp as they later in the series, they're quite acceptable here.

I'm not completely sure why this DVD was put out. Maybe it was to test the waters or hold over fans until season one was released. Either way, all you get here is the two part pilot episode. No extras whatsoever. Since it's included again in the recently released complete season 1 set, if you are a fan of the series, just pass right on by.

Monk is one of the most original and entertaining shows currently on TV anywhere. While not perfect, this is a great intro to the character and tone of the series. If you only want an intro, get this disc. Otherwise, save your money for all of season 1.

Wait for the full first season
Around mid-June, the entire 13-episode first season of Monk will be included on DVD for about $40 (pretty reasonable, comparatively speaking). Unless you really need a Monk DVD fix right now, just wait a couple months for the whole enchilada.

Well blended cast and great script
I was really impressed with this Premiere Episode of "Monk". Of course, the lead character is played so well by Tony Shalhoub, but it takes more than that to make a premiere interesting enough to run as a TV series for another two seasons. The three main supporting characters are wonderfully written in the script and played to perfection by the actors. Every time I watch this premiere, I think I have a different favorite supporting character. I can't wait for the DVD to be released with the season episodes from season one and two. I think I like it so much because it's very different from all the rest of what's on TV these days. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A man is frightened to death by a menacing military helicopter, piloted by two young Texan men who just happen to be the dead man's stepsons,Dorian and Angus (Luke Wilson and Jake Busey). To complicate matters, the dead man had had an affair with young Sally (Drew Barrymore), a clerk at the local Burger-Matic who didn't know the guy was married. Now she's pregnant and looking for a supportive guy to be her unborn child's potential father. Dorian fits the role quite nicely, but Angus thinks Sally knows about the helicopter incident, and their scheming mother (Catherine O'Hara) is trying to mastermind a cover-up, and....

So goes the cleverly amusing plot of this light, character-based romantic comedy, which proves Barrymore's charm and versatility once again, gives O'Hara one of her best roles, and moves rightalong at its own amiable pace. Small-town romance combines with darkly tinged comedy (scripted by X-Files staffer Vince Gilligan), and first-time director Dean Parisot guides it all with casual assurance. There's nothing going on here that's particularly inspired, but Barrymore and Wilson (an off-screen couple during production) make a delightful pair, and the cast makes the most of some hilarious down-home dialogue. All in all, a very pleasant diversion. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (49)

misunderstood comedy
This movie is built on characterizations and macacbre humor. It's not necessarily a romance "chick flick," but rather a detour into dark humor with an idiotic plot. By saying "idiotic," I surely don't mean "bad." Actually, this kind of movie is perfect for the odd twists and turns it has.

It's been very misunderstood probably because of the fact that it was clearly marketed as a "chick flick" -- and when viewers expecting another cute "Never Been Kissed" style movie from the fact that Drew Barrymore is in it -- it gets mostly negative reactions.

It's actually a good movie. Perhaps it's an aquired taste; but then there are movies such as "Beetlejuice" that sort of contain the same over the top, macabre humor. And "Beetlejuice" was very popular back in the 80's.

A great example of this humor is in place when the mother (Catherine O'Hara) tells one of her two sons that she likes them exactly the same, and holding two fingers a couple inches apart, she says, "with a difference of this much." And the plot is none the less actually entertaining. It's kind of fun to know what happens next.

I'd give it 4 1/2 stars, but there is no "1/2" so 5 stars it'll be. (Also, the main rating for this is kind of low as well, so why not give it some help?)

Clever story is badly miscast
Oh, the joys of trying to make a good movie! So much can go wrong that it makes farming seem like a safe bet. Home Fries has all the elements needed to make a great entertainment, save one. It's badly miscast. As I watched its comically bizarre story unfold, I found myself recasting it.

Being miscast and being a bad actor is not the same thing at all. Everyone in this movie has proved themselves to be good in a number of other projects. They simply are not adapt at the maniacal kind of performing that this movie requires. It's in the same genre as There's Something About Mary, in that a serious subject is not to be taken seriously at all. These are what are often called screwball comedies.

Drew Barrymore is Sally, who is mine momhs pregnant She works in a fast food restaurant. Her lover lied to her by claiming was not married. To further complicate matters, Mrs. Lever is lethally jealous. She convinces her son Dorian [Luke Wuksin] and her stepson Angus [Jake Busey] to scare the devil out of the old man by chasing him down a county road in a helicopter. Unfortunately, this gives Dad a fatal heaty attack.

The rest if the movie has to do with Angus' trying to save Sally from his totally mad famly.

The story is madcap, and the dialog is crisp. Both the photography and the editing are sharp. So we return to the casting problems.

Parker Posey would have been ideal as Sally. Kathleen Tuner would have been great as Mrs. Lever. Cast Brad Pitt as the psycho brother, and Keanu Reeves as Angus, and you would have had a gem of a movie.

Sweet Guffaws
Love it. Could see it again and again. Sweet romance, truly delirious black comedy, featuring the best and the worst of human aspirations. Two grown sons still trying to please their crazy-making, manipulative mother...chivalry and heroics in a burger joint...and real suspense amidst extreme characters and the loveliest subtleties in humor...Luke Wilson can do no wrong. So funny.

dry humor is intelligently subtle but funnier
This movie is very funny. Appreciating it's dry, intelligent humor you will like it more every time you watch it. The characters portray a range of human traits that are humorous because we all know people representative of those traits. The acting was especially good on the part of Luke Wilson and Drew Barrymore. Wilson is so natural at it. His facial expressions are hilarious when his character is uncomfortable. His body language reminds me of what Jimmy Stewart does in some of his comedies. And Drew acts with charm and believability. Try watching the movie in closed-captioned you may notice more of the mumbled language that makes the movie funnier.
There are a lot of funny things but you have to pay attention to catch them. There is a scene where the sheriff and his deputy are walking away from a dead person in an old drive-in movie theater and they walk zig zag around the benches to get back to their car instead of climbling over them. One scene show Luke's character, Dorian, thinking of hamburger assembly while at a funeral.
Enjoy all the little subtle things: the trailing off conversations, the facial expressions, the body language. It's funny in real life so it's funny here too.

Not worthy of Barrymore
Drew Barrymore plays a pregnant girl who falls in love with the son of the man she is having an affair with.I think the son has also tried to kill the father because he knows he is having an affair,but does not know who with.I expected more from a Drew film.These aren't the days of Sketch Artist.She can actually be choosy. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Why buy a collection of episodes from a TV series that lasted a mere twolow-rated seasons? Because Get a Life was so far ahead of its time, TVstill hasn't completely caught up yet. Chris Elliott, TV's original jackass,stars as Chris Peterson, a 30-year-old paperboy who still lives with hisbathrobed and perpetually embarrassed parents (the venerable Bob Elliott andElinor Donahue, who was "Princess" on Father Knows Best). The firstslacker sitcom subverts conventions with its unapologetically obnoxious anddelusional lead character in this well-chosen quartet of episodes. Chrisauditions for a local theatre production, "Zoo Animals on Wheels." In "Married,"he meets, marries, cheats on, and divorces a model all in one day. He is a fishout of water in "The Big City," and a man stuck with his father in a two-man sublodged in his own bathtub in "Neptune 2000." Since its 1992 cancellation, Geta Life has taken on a life of its own, its legend perhaps enhanced by thefact that it has not been widely syndicated. For devoted fans, this collectionis the next best thing to a Get a Life reunion (don't hold your breath).--Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Get a Life and bring out season sets!
"Get A Life" was one of the weirdest and most dementedly funny sitcoms I ever saw. It ran on Fox from September 1990 to March 1992 and totaled 35 episodes. So why oh why are they releasing 4 episode DVDs? Anyone who is going to buy a 4 episode DVD of this show is going to buy a complete season DVD set. So where is it? Anyway, fans will be pleased with "Get A Life" being released at all, but if and when the complete season 1 DVD set comes out, getting these 4 episode discs will have been a waste of money. Some people might say that a complete "Get A Life" set will never come out, but I can't remember how many times I have read that there will be no "South Park" complete season sets and now the first season is due out in November! Don't get me wrong, the contents on this "Get a Life, vol. 2" disc will be funny and deranged, but 4 episodes? What's the point? There is only 35 episodes! 22 of them make up the first season. "Mad About You" also has 22 episodes in it's first season and that's being released in October on 2 discs! How about giving "Get A Life" the same treatment and pleasing the mentally disturbed people, like myself who love this show! I'm putting my vote in for the complete collection on DVD!

Five simple words...
I'm giving this DVD 4 stars simply for lack of extras. There's a short interview with David Mirkin, but not much else. They could have at least included a few words from the man himself! Maybe Rhino's saving that for the next round, if there is one.

But Get a Life is a five star sitcom, and I am more than happy with this DVD. I have been waiting years for a good copy of "Zoo Animals...", possibly the funniest 30min in television history. The other episodes are good as well, though there are some I would have rather seen than "The Big City". "Meatlocker 2000" anyone?

Anyway, it's better than any VHS bootleg you'll ever find.

So buy this DVD...Missy!

A Sitcom You Like to Watch Again & Again
This DVD offers a rare opportunity to some of us; the diehard fans of this sitcom, which appeared on Fox Network in late 1980s and 1990s. This is one of the few funniest TV comedies ever created that did not succeed in TV ratings because it was not aired on a major network. This show is about a 30 year old paperboy who never grows up in every sense of the word. He lives with his retired parents and run into all kinds of zany, sometime off-beat antics that provides entertainment to young and old. It was quite disappointing to many of us that it did not reappear in reruns, but this DVD offers a rare opportunity to view four episodes. All episodes are funny, which offers great value for the money. Let us hope the success of this DVD may persuade producers of the show to market all episodes, and a DVD with 12 episodes is made available to all the fans.

"different" -- not for every taste...
When it first aired, 'Get a Life' was a major break from what was considered an 'acceptable' format for TV comedy. The principal character -- Chris Peterson, a 30-year-old newsboy who lives with his parents -- was weirdly asocial, perhaps even psychotic -- with no redeeming qualities. He looked 'good' only in comparison with his antagonists, who were usually even more obnoxious than he.

How do you write comedy when the protagonist is so cut-off from the conventions of normal thought and behavior that the other characters' reactions are little more than exasperated confusion? The answer is, 'with great difficulty.' It's like trying to assemble a wooden structure without nails. It's hard to get laughs through character interaction when the main character doesn't interact in any 'normal' way with the other characters.

About all you can do is mine Chris Elliot's innate weirdness. So not only is 'Get a Life' weird -- it's weird merely for the sake of being weird. The writers aren't worried whether the stories make sense, either practically or psychologically, because Chris Peterson neither worries nor makes sense. What other sitcom has ever shown a dummy of the main character being repeatedly run over by cars?

Clearly, 'Get a Life' is a show about style, not content. In trying to be different from other sitcoms, the producers painted themselves into a corner that's hard to maneuver in.

The reaction of some reviewers -- that 'Get a Life' isn't as funny as they remembered ' isn't surprising. The shock and novelty of a pointless show about someone incapable of mundane social interactions has worn off.

Nevertheless, 'Get a Life' is generally funny, and has a few really good episodes. 'Neptune 2000' remains my favorite, if only because it gives Bob Eliot the most on-screen time and the largest number of put-downs. It's a model of how this sort of humor should be done, and is arguably a classic of TV comedy.

For me, the show's greatest pleasure is Bob Eliot's deadpan-sarcastic putdowns. I grew up listening to Bob & Ray, two of the great comic geniuses of the last century, who virtually invented 'pointless' humor.

Amazon wants reviewers to focus on the content, but I can't resist taking a pot shot at Rhino. Is there any other record company that delivers so little for the consumer's hard-earned buck? There are only four episodes on each disk, where 'Red Green' delivers eight. And 'Get a Life' has a sufficiently large cult following that a multi-disk set with all the episodes would have made sense.

HILARIOUS!
Chris Elliott is one of the side-split-n-ist funny guys around!
ZOO ANIMALS ON WHEELS is BRILLIANT!!! and oddly enough, if it were a REAL show...I'd actually pay to see it!

=^..^= waiting patiently for Vol 3 to be released! ... Read more