Amazon.com

This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. As its ratings following the tragic events of September 11, 2001, illustrated, Friends has matured into television's most beloved comfort show. The peerless ensemble--Jennifer Aniston, a pre-Arquette Courtney Cox, Emmy winner Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer--makes a lasting first impression in the first season's 24 episodes, which are presented chronologically on four discs. The perky "Pilot" introduces unlucky-in-love Monica, runaway bride Rachel, sad sack Ross, New Age ditz Phoebe, wise guy Chandler, and womanizer Joey. The focus of the first season is Ross's unrequited love for Rachel, but we have these moments to remember: the arrival of Marcel the monkey ("The One with the Monkey"); Monica, Rachel, and Phoebe's "cleansing ritual" ("The One with the Candy Hearts"); the escalating game of shower peek-a-boo ("The One with the Boobies"); Joey as Al Pacino's butt double ("The One with the Butt"); Ross taking lessons from Joey in how to "talk dirty" ("The One with the Stoned Guy"); former "Must-See TV" stars Helen Hunt and George Clooney ("The One with Two Parts"); and Chandler spilling the beans to Rachel about Ross's feelings for her ("The One Where Rachel Finds Out"). Though its devoted fans can recite these episodes chapter and verse, Friends maintains its sparkle through repeat viewings, a testament to the sharp writing as well as the cast's lightning-in-a-bottle chemistry and lived-in performances. The episodes are presented uncut and extended, with previously unseen dialogue and scenes. And those who hate Friends and would like to drown the characters in the opening credits' fountain are directed to the episode "The One with the Boobies," in which guest star Fisher Stevens hilariously nails the "dysfunctional group dynamic ... co-dependent, emotionally stunted, sitting in your stupid coffeehouse and you're all like, 'Define me, define me.'" --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (134)

The start of a beautiful "Friend"-ship
When the pilot first aired, I was in kindergarten. Though at the time I wasn't old enough to stay awake past the time it aired, I remember my mom always raving about Friends.

I have since caught most of the episodes in syndication, on primetime reruns, and via the "Best Of Friends" DVDs. I'm thrilled that the entire seasons are, at last, making it to DVD.

What is one of the funniest shows ever, Friends should be a part of anyone's DVD collection. In fact, I'd say that these DVDs are basically worth buying a DVD player. Whether your an old fan embracing the nostalgia provided by the discs, a new fan trying to catch up on old storylines, or someone who until now was unaware the show even existed, you will love these DVDs.

Every Friends episode is utterly perfect. When you watch the Pilot and then watch an episode from the current (and final) season, you will see what I mean. The characters are already there in the very first episode. It's as if these actors were walking along, waiting to find Ross, Monica, Chandler, Rachael, Phoebe, and Joey. The characters never develope because they were just there in the beginning. How many other shows can you say that about?

Took them long enough...
...To realize that they needed to release "complete seasons of" box set DVDs here in the US too, and not just in the UK! Finally all US resident "Friends" fans are getting what they want and what they need. If you've been keeping track of all the "Friends" episodes since season 1, then you should have some sort of a clue on what will be included in this box set: every single episode of season 1, and I am sure there will be some great special bonus features added to it. It's kind of unfair that the UK already has the complete seasons box sets up to season eight...and they haven't even released season one here in the United States! So if you really cannot wait, then you can probably order every single complete season of "Friends" on the UK version of Amazon.com. "Friends" is the best comedy show on TV! It's been the best since it first aired and still rules! It's a clever show, about six friends living in New York City and dealing with the everyday problems of life. Joey and Rachel are my favorite characters--and I'd think they'd make a great couple!... I just love "Friends" and I can't get enough of it. My favorite episode from the first season is "The One With The Ick Factor", where Monica dates a guy who thinks he's a senior in college but, while they are "doing it", he confesses that he's actually a senior in high school! I also love the very first episode, of course, as does most fans of "Friends" do. For all "Friends" fans, of course I'd recommend this! It's better than THE BEST OF FRIENDS collection because even though they only show episodes from season one, it's every single episode and not just the most popular ones polled by "Friends" fans...

BRILLIANT
I've been looking at some of these reviews and to tell u the truth i think u should stick to the US version of DVD boxsets. i have seasons 1-9 dvd boxsets and there arent any special features til season four and even then its the same til season 7 where they include extended episodes. although i have all the series im still gona buy them all from US jus because i want the speacial features. apart from that enjoy season 1 starting from when rachel does a runner from her big day to when rachel finds out how ross really feels abt her!! ENJOY

Let the friends fun begin
I'm going to be honest. I did not start watching Friends until the 4th season. I kept hearing people talk about the show and I got curious and decided to catch a few episodes. When the show came on in syndication I tried to catch the shows I missed. Which is why I'm excited the show is on DVD as full season sets. I keep seeing people post that it's a waste of money to buy a show on DVD that you can see on TV in syndication. I thought so too at first, but when you end up seeing the same episodes in syndication over, and over, you begin to miss episodes that are not shown on television. Having the show on DVD means I can see certain episodes when I want, and see them COMMERICAL FREE.

Rachel, Monica, Joey, Chandler, Phoebe and Ross will be allowed into our living rooms for the rest of our lives. It's fun to watch the series from the beginning, and watch how the characters evolve, and their styles change. Ross spent season 1 being depressed about his wife being a lesbian, and facing the facts he would share parenting roles with the ex and the lover. You watch the show, and you laugh more and more with each episode.

My SUPER favorites episodes are(because I enjoy all of them):

1. The one with the East German Laundry Detergent
2. The one with the boobies
3. The one with the fake monica
4. The one with two parts
5. The one with the poker
6. The one with the birth - no matter how many times I see this episode I always cry at the end.

I gave season 1 a 4 because as it good as season 1 is, it just gets better as the seasons go on. This show is a lot of fun, and I hope to eventually own all the seasons on DVD.

Friends Season 1 Disc 4
I never watched Friends the entire time it was on television. I didn't watch the last episode either. But while browsing the video store for something to watch during vacation I picked up The Best of Friends on VHS only 1 and 2. Since then I have rented Seasons 4,5, and 7. I have Seasons 1 and 2 now. The last Disc of Season 1 is by far the funniest. I found myself saying a few days ago..."How you doing?...My favorite characters would have to be Ross (I love that goofy-look) and then Monica. With television shows now on DVD, I am cutting off cable. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Nothing? Seinfeld is a show about everything! It's about the appeal of the posse and coma etiquette. It's about importing and exporting. It's about sneaking a peek, and seeing the baby. It's about this, that, and the other. TV Guide ranked Seinfeld the best TV series of all time. It has become the master of its syndication domain. Its most devoted fans can quote each episode chapter and verse; their absorption of each scene's minutiae anything but a trivial pursuit. With such fervent devotion to the show, and demand for its DVD release, series creators Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David could have easily just OK'd a bare-bones set containing nothing but the episodes. Not that there would have been anything wrong with that, but instead, the creative team came together to create extensive and encyclopedic features that make this four-disc set buy-worthy. The candid and revealing audio commentaries and interviews, deleted scenes and original episode promos, and optional "Notes About Nothing" pop-ups are as irresistible as a Drake's coffee cake.

It's always fun and instructive to return to the humble beginnings of a series that became a pop culture benchmark. Here are Kramer's first not-so-grand entrance, Jerry's first contemptuous "Hello, Newman," and Elaine's first "Get Out!" shove. But what is most revelatory about these episodes from the first two seasons is what Jason Alexander, during his commentary for the episode "The Revenge," calls a "sweet quality" that somehow redeems these characters' more base instincts. Consider the scene in which Jerry gives a freshly unemployed George some career guidance, or Jerry and Elaine's palpably affectionate banter throughout. The "Inside Look" episode intros offer fascinating insights into this singular show that subverted sitcom convention with such now-classic episodes as "The Chinese Restaurant," in which Jerry, George, and Elaine wait in vain for a table. We learn, for example, why movie tough guy Lawrence Tierney, who guest starred in "The Jacket," never reprised his role as Elaine's father. All of this, of course, is yadda yadda yadda to Seinfeld fans, whose patience for the show's DVD debut has been amply rewarded. As Elaine screams in the third-season episode, "The Subway," "It's not nothing, it's something!" --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (186)

Seinfeld Box Set Seasons 1 and 2 for November!
In case you didn't know, there were disputes for years over whether or not to pay the 3 co-stars residuals for doing extra material on the sets (interviews, commentary about the episodes, etc). The arguments dragged on, Yada Yada Yada, they're making the sets now. The first set will have Seasons 1 and 2 (17 episodes), including the pilot. It will have tons of extras, unlike the Curb Your Enthusiasm sets. The release date is set for November, but chances are it will be pushed back until December to get more sales.

Myself and other Seinfeldians have been waiting for this since the Spring of 1998. It will be soooooo great.

Here is a list of episodes that will be included in the first set:

Season 1:
Pilot (Good News Bad News)
The Stakeout
The Robbery
Male Unbonding
The Stock Tip

Season 2:
The Ex-Girlfriend
The Pony Remark
The Jacket
The Phone Message
The Apartment
The Statue
The Revenge
The Heart Attack
The Deal
The Baby Shower
The Chinese Restaurant
The Busboy

I know these aren't the best episodes of the show, but it is a start.

Seinfeld DVD advertisement in "50 First Dates"
I thought I'd just add that prior to viewing "50 First Dates" on DVD, they were advertising a Seinfeld DVD set slated to "be in stores soon". I believe it's a "Best Of", but they didn't specify it in the advertisement. Take what you will from this. All it did was get me excited.

details of DVD
If you want to buy the DVD now on the internet, it is 205 dollars. There are 23 discs with 8 episodes on each one. Im pretty sure that they are low in quality and there will probably be a lot of other stuff messed up, so im gonna wait untill it comes out in stores.

It s coming soon
If you watch the beginning of 50 First Dates, they show add of Seinfeld on DVD. They will have a lot of extras on it and all they say it is being released soon. I have heard around the Christmas time frame.

Every Generation
Every Generation had its great comedy series, from Milton Berle, to Lucy, to the Dick Van Dyke show, to Taxi (my favorite, out in Oct), to Seinfeld. And as time went by it seems like the writers got better. Seinfeld is one of those great timeless classics that will be with us for a long time and will be hard to beat . . . Thank you Larry David ! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The seventh and final season of Star Trek: The Next Generation will always remain a curiosity in TV sci-fi history. Despite the end being definite, despite Deep Space Nine taking over, despite knowing there'd be a movie six months after the series' end, and despite Babylon 5 starting that year with its predetermined story arc, there is nothing here to suggest things were coming to a close. Wesley finally gets dispatched ("Journey's End"), but everyone was waiting for that anyway. Some continuity was attempted: there's a sequel to season 1's "The Battle" ("Bloodlines"), Alexander follows the Klingon soap saga through ("Firstborn"), the Maquis and the Cardassians are mentioned several times, and there are final installments for Lwaxana Troi, Barclay, Lore, Guinan, and Ro Laren. None of this brings any form of resolution, however.

The one-off story lines seem to throw out ideas that beg for development. "Force of Nature" suggests frequent high-warp travel is damaging the very fabric of space/time. "Parallels" has Worf experiencing multiple realities, including one in which the Borg won at Wolf 359. "Lower Decks" finally introduces some secondary crew from the more than a thousand supposedly supporting Picard and company. There are even hints at some romance at long last between Dr. Crusher and Picard as well as Worf and Troi. In the long run, even after terrific guest spots from Trek alumni Armin Shimerman and Robin Curtis, and from Paul Sorvino and Kirsten Dunst, there's one thing for which the final year is remembered: "All Good Things..." is a near-perfect denouement for the show. With terrific production values and FX, not to mention standout performances from all concerned, it was an amazing surprise to have Q suggest there'd been a story arc right from the get-go. If only this final script had been fully conceived earlier on, The Next Generation might not have been overshadowed by the glut of TV sci-fi that followed in its wake. --Paul Tonks ... Read more

Reviews (44)

"I LIVE FOR THIS [STUFF]
This season of STAR TREK the NEXT GENERATION was NOMINATED for an EMMY award, BEST DRAMA.
total EMMYs won for this series, 27.

Plus it highly influenced the blockbuster movie XXX,(just kidding)

But it did influence many syndicated Science Fiction shows in later years.

& If I was forced to destroy all but 1 episode in this season, I would spare "GAMBIT",
seeing CAPTAIN PICARD and CMDR RIKER beet the [stuff]out of each other is awesome.

If I was forced to destroy all but 2 episodes, I would spare "ALL GOOD THINGS...?",
My 2 all time favorite episodes are "Best of both Worlds" & "All good things"(this one)
seeing all life saved at the last minute is phenomenal.

If I was forced to destroy all but 3 episodes, I would spare "MASKS", NO IM KIDDING![.],
It would have to be "PREEMPtIVE STRIKE",
Without this episode, there would be NO "Voyager" (& That was a good show)

Another great episode is "BLOODLINES"
It was just..... COOL![.]

I will reccomend the ENTIRE Star trek the next Generation series,
Get em b4 its too late,

& Dont forget DEEP SPACE NINE coming out in FEBRUARY,

& by the way, Dont listen to anyone who recommends DEEP SPACE NINE over Next Generation, Next Generation is a WAY better show.

Some good episodes but some bad ones too.
Season 7 of STTNG suffers from the "too many episodes" malady with STTNG and STDS9 making 52 episodes per year. ... Halfway through the season,STTNG hits it's stride with an eccellent group of episodes in "Attached,Inheritance,Parallels,Homeward,Lower Decks and Thine Own Self",but as no writers were called for the last seven episodes(to save money),the show peters out right at the end with some truly dreadful episodes in "Journeys End,Masks and Emergence",but other good episodes like "Pre-emptive Strike and Genesis" make it worth buying.I was disappointed with "All Good Things" because they recreated the awful mankind on trial plot from the pilot.that idea should have been rejected.Overall,the poorer episodes didn't deter me from having every box set as the good episodes of STTNG are always worth having.This is truly the best Star Trek series with the best cast and the documentaries complete the box sets.What a pity though that they didn't give the show the send-off that it deserved.

Oh no! It's all over!
The seventh season of Star Trek: The Next Generation would be its last. A hectic time for Star Trek with so many things going on at once. Everyone knew going into the seventh season that it would be the last. We saw some great episodes in this season, however, the only sense of closure we got was in "All Good Things..." This was a fantastic show and all seven seasons are worth every penny. It had great writers all the way through and the seventh season is no different. It's great to see how the show ends its journey. Great show...great season...It's too bad that it's over. BUT. Don't fret...the Next Generation crew returned to the bridge of the Enterprise in four feature films. Congratulations Star Trek: TNG. You never dissapointed me.

Personal Favorite Episodes:

Descent: Part II, Gambit: Parts I and II, Phantasms, Inheritance, Parallels, The Pegasus, Lower Decks,Masks, Eye of the Beholder, Genesis, Journey's End, Emergence, Preemtive Strike, and All Good Things...

All good things must come to an end...at least the series went out on the highest note possible!

The final season of Star Trek: The Next Generation rounds ou
The final season of Star Trek: The Next Generation rounds out the collection nicely. All seven seasons look great on a bookshelf, and this season has the same layout and quality of the first season.

Season seven has the same interior layout as seasons one and six, with the single screen playing clips of all four episodes. The most interesting feature is noticing that you get a fly-by view of the captain's ready room and the screen he uses to receive transmissions there. It's a variation on the other seasons, which included the communications panels, holodeck, and sick bay.

final season of Star Trek's greatest captain
So what if the story left open plot lines and never came together like in the ethereal final season of Deep Space Nine. That is not what this show was about. Patrick Stewart and his memorable band of space cowboys continued to have new and fresh adventures as in previous seasons, a few episodes including the last one were amazing, and the entire product, the season in general, was some of the best TV you will ever see. ... Read more

Reviews (64)

The Icon of Heroic Anime
Any anime fan knows: There's a lot of cliches out there. But every once in a while, something comes along that does the "same old thing" with such amazing brilliance that it is fresh again, and you realize why you loved it so much the first time.

If you've seen a lot of anime, you won't see any new concepts in Outlaw Star - but you'll love watching it just the same. The action is incredible, the characters are rich and well-developed, and the plot is compelling and twisty. Sure, it's the got the archetypical "fly by the seat of his pants in a cool spaceship waving a magic gun" kind of hero (and he's even got red spiky hair,) an android who is desparate to find out her past, a child prodigy hacker, a samurai assassin, a spastic female were-tiger with revealing clothes, and of course the prudent AI ship's computer, (not to mention a varied cast of space pirates, law enforcement, bandits, outlaws, bounty-hunters, etc.), and they're in search of something with an extremely mysterious name ("galactic lay line?" Come on!) Sounds like the same old anime thing, right?

Think again. Even if you've seen a million animes that sound just like this, you've never seen it done so well as Outlaw Star. The coolness factor is through the roof. A perfect blend of spectacular fantasy and Heinlein-esque realism. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Why isn't this show more popular?
This series has a little of everything. Among the crew of the Outlaw Star are a handsome but occasionally dorky hero; his teenage-genius sidekick; a cute but painfully shy android girl; a tradition-loving female ronin; the ship's cantankerous computer, with the personality of a depressive who's resigned to his fate; and a predictably spazzy catgirl. This should give you some idea of how well it sticks to all the clichés of 90s-era sci-fi anime.

And yet it transcends those clichés at the same time. There are those who say this series does everything and does nothing very well, but personally I'm inclined to disagree. Maybe it doesn't go anywhere that other series haven't already been, but boy, does it have a damn good time getting there. It's wildly funny at times, more than worthy in the action department, and there are quite a few mysteries along the way that make the whole series worth watching.

The animation quality of the show is consistently high, but then again it seems the standards have increased in Japan. Much like the art of Trigun or Cowboy Bebop, the show's visual style is breathtaking and entertaining in its own way. The quality of the sound is also admirable; the DVDs have no noticeable glitches whatsoever, in sound OR video. And I haven't watched it with the dubbed dialogue much, but from what I've heard so far the dub's not as embarrassing as one might think.

This show doesn't necessarily cover any new ground, but damn it, you've got to give them credit for trying. All in all, a very entertaining series.

Great anime! Great characters!
Awesome anime! I loved watching it every single episode is worth watching, the characters are superb. There is no episode where i would go: nah enough is enough. NO CHANCE.

I'm 14, very big fan of anime. I've seen Cowboy Bebop-as it is often the nemisis of OS-and i can say it is good but it's not totally compelling, i would skip most of those episodes if i were to watch Cowboy Bebop. I would much sooner watch Outlaw Star. It's entire vision is creative, yet it's ending took me time to understand. Best way to describe the universe is completely unique, it brings a fresh finesse to the usual action anime. If you're an anime fan there's a 98% chance you'll love this show. Another Bebop comparison is the characters. While characters in Cowboy bebop are good they dont match the characters in Outlaw Star. The characters in this show were very interesting to me, they have a charm i just couldn't get from most other animes. I would say more depth but i don't want to include any spoilers to any who haven't seen OS.

I saw Outlaw star when it aired, it's so much better uncut. There's no other way to watch this show---watch it uncut, it's great.

Bottom line: Good characters, unique universe, creative and mystical story, dark but stylish animation. Geh, this is a great anime over all. I'll be re-watching this one for a loooongggg time. It really absorbed me into the universe.

The most underrated anime of all time.
Outlaw Star is an anime about a group of bounty hunters in space going to find a treasure called the Galatic Leyline. Now that sounds very cliche, but understand that Outlaw Star has some of the best character development ever. I not going to compare it to Cowboy Bebop, but it is equal to it. Gene is a young pilot out to make it big. Jim is his genuis hacker friend. Malpheena is a android girl looking for her true self. Aisha is a cat-girl working for the glory of her people, and Suzuka is a cold-blooded assassin. This is the crew of the Outlaw Star.

Story - Very few filler episodes, the first 8 episodes (out of 26) all tie in to the story well. The last 18 contain a few that veer off a bit, but they all add to the plot. The last 3 episodes are a must see for the action. The sci-fi atmosphere is great is very original despite what many people take it for.

Animation - Very good for a TV show released in 1998. The characters move fuildly and few frames are repeated.

Music - Its solid all aorund and doesn't seem out of place. The sound effects are awesome on DVD, and the English dub is equal if not better than the Japanese dub.

Action- Gunfights, swordfights, magic, grappler ships, bombings, killer robots, magic, duels, hand to hand combat, and the Kei Pirates, the coolest groups of villains ever. Enough Said.

Characters - You learn a lot about everyone, even the villains. Some of the minor ones such as Fred Luo are fall out your chair hilarious. Even the Outlaw Star's AI Gillian is pretty comedic. The crew is very funny when they interact. They act like real people and even complain about things like bills and money. Its not slapstick comedy its more of a dark comedy that even adults can appreciate.

Overall - If you are tired of DBZ and that ilk, or just want to watch something very entertaining, Outlaw Star is perfect.

Also- There is some swearing, but its not excessive, no f-bombs or god----. There is no graphic violence or sex, but the content is enough to make this for teens and adults.

Does it beat Cowboy Bebop?
Gene Starwind, (the main character) saw his father killed when he was a child by ruthless pirates named the Macduggal Brothers. Gene grew up and became a bounty hunter for hire. He aquires a unique spaceship called the, Outlaw Star, which has a navagation system provided by the android, Melfina. This ship is the only one able to find the coordinates to a great mystery known only as the Galactic Leyline. Gene Starwind is joined by an interesting crew; Jim is a computer hacker, Susuka is an assassin, Aiasha is a beast girl, Melfina is an android who has human feelings. They all embark togther on the quest to the Galactic Leyline. Gene also has a score to seatle with the Macduggal Brothers. I enjoyed watching Outlaw Star very much. The story flows well right from the beginning when each character is introduced. The characters themselves are fun to watch as they have their own charm and personalities. The group does a lot of traveling between cities and planets. They meet a host of characters both good and bad. Gene Starwind is adventurous, funny and deadly- he is a good example of the swashbucking hero. He also posses a gun called a, Caster. The interesting thing about the Caster gun is the it shoots shells which contain magic spells from- magna-. So this Quasi fantasy and science fiction element makes it more interesting. The ship itself is interesting as it contains an artificial intelligence on board and intereacts with the crew. The ship-to-ship combat lacked intensity found in other anime titles. A big part of that fault was the low framerate, low detail designs, and having the ships fight with grappler arms. So yes, it was strange to see ships holding hands and punching each other. The character design and animation were average, it just lacked the fluidity of high quality anime. The sound effects and music were also average. These are just minor complaints I have. I personally liked Cowboy Bebop much better, but Outlaw Star was a lot of fun to watch, the storyline and characters were good and this is the basic foundation of good anime. Good for teens and adults. Ends on Episode 26, but hints that the series might continue. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This sweeping miniseries from 1986 captures the rise and fall of an African emperor. Shaka Zulu begins following a British expedition sent to bargain with the fearsome Zulu army assembling on the outer edges of the British colonies in South Africa. Led by Lt. Francis Farewell (The Day of the Jackal, A Bridge Too Far), the expedition hopes to bamboozle a superstitious primitive, but their arrogance gets taken down a notch by a cunning and ruthless warlord who has unified vast territories through a combination of political charisma and military discipline. At this point, the focus shifts to how Shaka (the riveting Henry Cele), king of the Zulus, rose from a brutal childhood to royal grandeur--a semi-mythological tale filled with family strife, political intrigue, witchcraft, and bloody warfare. Powerful performances by Cele and Dudu Mikhize (as Shaka's iron-willed mother, Nandi) give this sprawling epic the drive and emotional scope of a Shakespearean drama. Shaka Zulu also draws sneaky parallels between the Zulu and British empires, often to sharp satirical effect. Full of richly conceived characters and compelling political maneuvering, this eight-hour series brings faraway history to living, breathing life. Also featuring Christopher Lee (whose always-steady career exploded at age 79 with juicy roles in The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars: Episode II, Attack of the Clones). --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Amazing
This is a Brave heart movie wayyyyy ahead of time, great plot, landscapes, action, and is a real history that is a "wanna see movie"

S P E C T A C U L A R !!!!!!!!
AN "EXTRAORDINARY" FILM IN EVERY ASPECT OF THE WORD ! A 4 DVD SET UNLIKE NOTHING I EVER SEEN BEFORE, IT'S WORTH EVERY PENNY. GET THIS MOVIE WHILE IT CAN STILL BE FOUND.

Something to remember.
I saw this mini series when I was 13 - ten years ago. Even then it had a major impact on me. I've been trying to find it at rental stores for the last five years, but unfortunately, I'd been living in a small town and the movie rental stores were less than impressive in regards to selection. Only recently did I find out that Amazon sells movies as well as books (and lots of other merchandise) and so I immediately searched for it.

And Voila! I found it.

I can't in good conscience put five stars here, since I haven't actually seen the DVD version - but I KNOW that the mini series merited at least four stars. I highly recommend this set to anyone interested in history, Africa, or even just an excellent epic story of adventure, adversity, and triumph over the life-sucking blood-spattered desert sands.

I honestly don't think cutting 3 hours of film out of this does the film creator's vision justice. I suggest you at least rent the mini-series, even if you decide to buy the 5-hour version.

Turning The Tides of Warfare
Empires rise for the sole purpose of cresting in the valleys of time, destined to always find a stumbling block and fall into the sea. From those that never see the setting of the sun to those rapidly built on the dreams and conquests of one man, this is the legacy of anything that rises to power. So has it been with many, and so it was with the birth of the Zulu nation and their prophetically foretold figurehead, Shaka, as they moved forward and conquered all.

The validity of this tale, well, that would remain something of a speculative tale since there are so many elements of witchcraft and prediction riddling it. Here, things that might have been mentioned briefly are accented to play out the 220 minutes of production, birthing a legacy of darkness and shadows. Still, as far as a tale adapted for television goes, it was brilliant and enjoyable to watch. Many of the elements that led to the myths of this man and the growth of his empire are included herein, from tales of a son that would one day slay his father and propel his people into power to those that spoke of how he would succumb. It covers the boy himself, his relationship with his mother and how they were outcast, and it shows him grow into something that was propelled only by the need for vengeance. Here, turns that could have prevented this from happening are showcased and the markers making him are defined, helping one understand his accent from nothing to a soldier to a feared ruler.
And it also introduces many people that know nothing of history to a name they should all know; that of Shaka Zulu.

Presented alongside this is the European side of the coin and what Shaka Zulu meant to it. It shows the overestimation of how expansionism into areas fueled by "savages" were, and how the cultures of those neighbors shared were actually more than the occupiers bargained for.
Seeing the Zulus as nothing more than barbarians, the British Cape Town establishes itself and survives with little to know interruptions. Then, out of the blue, the Zulus begin taking over everything. Tribesmen could be found running to the hands of the slavers, trying to avoid Zulu spears.
And that makes the British apprehensive.
Then it one day finds itself looking at a situation of enormous proportions, the Zulu close at hand and the white men knowing nothing about them. Added to this was the fact that the garrisons therein weren't equipped to deal with a force of that size, the journey for reinforcement is a four-month journey by sea, and they could find themselves overrun by then. So, an alternative solution is rendered, sending a crew of men out to negotiate and to showcase fear in order to provide a solution.
And thus begins a tale of gunpowder and magic, of chess and tactics, with groups of men from different worlds playing mental games of chess.

In the rendering of this tale I personally liked how both sides were shown as players trying to outmaneuver the other. More impressive than that, however, was the fact that Shaka Zulu was portrayed as a powerfully intellectual leader and not as an insignificant threat. Instead of falsely delivering a savage into our midst, the viewer is shown a world outside of the world that the Europeans knew, introduced to its continental customs the people that conquered it with shields and spears. Within those showings, the game of cat and mouse is played and the outcomes, they have more to do with internal afflictions than anything delivered by the white man.
It also covers the effects Shaka had on the way wars were fought, on the way people were encouraged, and on the impressive way that one man's mind functioned.
And then there's all the lovely impalings that begin to fall like rain, too.

Shaka Zulu an Exceptional Production
Shaka Zulu was by any standard an exceptional production. The cinematography, script, actors and setting were all superb. Henry Cele was extraordinary as Shaka and I can't imagine that there is an actor anywhere in the world who could have portrayed him any better.

The native settings and attire added greatly to the production.

The characters and performances were all top notch and the relationship between Edward Fox (as Farewell) and Henry Cele (as Shaka) was portrayed beautifully and powerfully. Drama at its very best.

This production is without doubt as good as anything I've ever seen on television or in the movies.

The DVD would have been greatly enhanced if post production interviews could have included Henry Cele. He was truly the star of this series, and that's saying a great deal given the quality of all of the other performances. ... Read more

Description

Finally all three programs from the Emmy Award-winning Walking with... series--Walking with Dinosaurs, Allosaurus: A Walking with Dinosaurs Special, and Walking with Prehistoric Beasts--are available for the first time as a collector's set on DVD. The epic begins with a journey back 65 million years ago to a virtual lost world which has been recreated with spectacular digital effects and animatronics. The series continues as we follow the life and death struggles of "Big Al," the most complete allosaurus skeleton ever found. And finally, we explore our planet after the reign of the dinosaur and the succession of extraordinary creatures that came and went over the following millennia. The end of the dinosaur was only the beginning! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

NOT a complete SET!!!!!
The series is, in my opinion, nothing less than outstanding. HOWEVER, what is being offered as a complete set is, in fact, missing the latest DVD, "Walking With Cavemen." Hope this information proves helpful to both the sellers and buyers.

Simply Fantastic - Beyond 5 Stars
Everyone has summed it up, this is a good as it gets in the doco world. Pure, undiluted quality. Fantastic animation, production values, narration and all around a+ performance, many of the effects in this series would not look out of place in a feature film, indeed the guys at Framestore have gotten so good at doing this they beat ILM at their own game at times IMO.

However, it's not really the 'complete' Walking with Collection, there have been 5 new episodes since this was released in the form of the BBC's followup new 'Chased by Dinosaurs' series (known as special episodes of Walking with Dinosaurs in the UK though still). They covered big dinosaurs like Argentionsaurus and the Gigantosaurus and lots of sea creatures like the giant shark Megadolon. Definitely worth checking out if you're a fan of the series.

Monumental product
1000 words cannot describe the incredible graphics and presentation quality of this series. I consider these stories, based on real science and a monumental effort, to change the way we have thought of the earth millions of years ago. The dinosaurs in Walking With Dinosaurs are very real, maybe too real for young viewers, but believable and memorable. This $60 purchase could be the best investment in DVDs that can be bought. I have watched select story lines from the collection over and over without disappointment. Hence the purchase keeps on giving unlike the rest of my DVD purchases.

Ultimate dinosaur dvd set for kids too
This set is a must have for any dinosaur lover. My future paleontologists, Will (5 years) and Annelise (2 years), watched these every day for the first six months. We've had the set for a year now, and we still watch about twice a month. Whenever a playmate comes over, he or she requests watching a dvd from the Walking With collection. The kids especially like to watch in the van. They are fun to view, informative, well-organized, beautiful, timeless and interesting for all ages.

An Excellent Special
I'm not really a big fan of buying DVDs for specials or films that have already been shown on TV> Why would I want to pay $60 for a DVD of a show that I saw for free on Discovery Chanel? However the shows shown on Discovery channel are the exception to my rule. And "Walking With Dinosaurs" is one of the best.

This special is worth every penny of the advertised price if you can't find it airing on TV anytime soon. For a TV special, the effects were some of the best I've seen on television. The combination of computer generated and animatronic dinosaurs looked incredible, and really give you the feeling that we were able to capture these creatures on video. The great thing about this special is that, unlike traditional documentaries, they used the scientific evidence they had found to create a story, as they did with "Allosaurus."

Overall, while I tihnk that maybe this DVD would be a little better value around $40, the specials are, without a doubt, the best nature specials I have ever seen. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When it was first broadcast in 1975, there had never been a more lavishly produced science fiction TV series than Space: 1999, a British production whose budget for the first of its two seasons ran an astounding £3.25 million. What keeps us fans enthralled after all these years has only partly to due with the first-rate production values, the plausibly constructed spaceship models, and expert special effects. The tone of the show is one of scientific dispassion, setting it apart from its TV sci-fi predecessors such as Star Trek, whose mood was more convivial. Our heroes here are in dire circumstances that require cool heads as a survival trait. Those circumstances: the 311 crew members of Moonbase Alpha experience a cataclysm that causes the moon to break away from Earth's orbit and travel endlessly through space, turning our heroes into unintentional explorers. No TV series has created a more palpable feel of hard science fiction than this.

Of course the show is not without its detractors; it has been soundly lambasted for its many scientific errors. No less august a figure than Isaac Asimov criticized the show for its premise in the opening episode, "Breakaway," which had nuclear explosions on the "dark side of the moon" somehow propelling it out of Earth's orbit and flying through space without regard to any physical laws. In "Earthbound," aliens traveling to Earth state it will take them 75 years to reach their destination, making one wonder why it didn't take the moon that long to encounter the aliens. While these are serious complaints, fans tend to remember the scientific seriousness of the series and the sense of awe created by the many strange creatures and phenomena that the crew members encounter on their journey through the galaxy.

The Space: 1999 Mega Set collects all 48 episodes broadcast over the show's two seasons, contained on 16 DVDs that include vintage interviews, production stills, TV promotional spots, and interactive menus. All episodes have been digitally remastered, and some material that was not seen in the original U.S. broadcasts has been restored. --Jim Gay ... Read more

Reviews (25)

SPACE 1999 THE NEXT GENERATION!
If you want to see the science fiction show that bridged the first Star Trek and the Next Generation, this is it.Many of the plots, characters and ideas would be used for the next generation series , and even The X-files and Alien. When Space 1999 came out in the early 70's George Lucas claimed he woudn't have been able to make Star Wars without it. Even today the show feels very modern with its blend of gothic horror, the paranormal and science fiction. Many episodes are filmed in a neo-surrealistic style akin to Luis Bunel and Hitchcock. This mega set is the way to go, since it has year 1 and 2 episodes in order and bonus material. In a long run it will be cheaper to buy this set than the individual sets. This is the sci-fi release of 2003!!!!!!!

Which came first,Star trek or Space 1999?
I guess I am going to upset a few "trekkies" with this review. But as a new Star Trek "Next Generation" fan I was a bit surprised to see a lot of similarities between the two.
There are several episodes in Space 1999 where they bring up the "Prime Directive." Also there is an episode "Alpha Child" where a child is born then matures immediately which is similar in a way to the episode where counselor Diana has her baby. The stun gun idea, the costumes..... it all seems like this is a great idea source for the later Next Generations series. I do agree however with the other reviewers about it being two dimentional and charcterless. But it is worth watching as a background to Star Trek's Next generation. (I will probably get blasted by Original Star Trek fans who will no doubt let me know that this series has borrowed its' ideas from the original Star Trek. I can't tell as I have not seen that series since I was a child)

A truly big and beautiful set!
I love this show! Space 1999 the Mega Set is indeed MEGA!! You get both seasons and a bonus disc with a special final episode. I loved both seasons of Space 1999 for different reasons and wanted to add each episode to my DVD collection. This mega set is just perfect for me.

Great Series, Great DVDs.
I actually bought all 8 seperate 2 disc boxes rather than wait for 6 months until this 'mega-set' came out. Either way, you are getting the entire series of Space 1999, which hasnt aired on TV where I live for 20+ years. A great collection for fans. On an intresting note, A&E have a 17th 'bonus disc' which includes a 'series finale' that wasnt ever aired, only available on their website.

I definatly recommend getting this series from amazon.com and then checking out the 17th disc on A&E's site.

Ah, yes . . .
I was born on Halloween of 1969, making me a little too young to have really watched the chronicles of the Moonbase Alpha and understood them. They have probably been shown in syndication, somewhere, but I've missed them. As I got older, I recall back-to-back episodes of STAR TREK (preceeding the Merv Griffin show, unless I'm mistaken), and the requisite STAR WARS fanaticism of most boys my age. Naturally, I ate all of that stuff up, collecting all of the toys and books upon which I could probably retire if they were still in my possession. Yeah, yeah - I did the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA thing too (and recall enjoying it, though SF purists now tend to scoff at it).

But SPACE 1999 . . .

I know that I've seen it, for there is one thing that leaps to mind whenever it's mentioned: that shape-shifter chick. She was alien, I would surmise - and HOT. That's what I remember, and all that I remember. Just an attractive, sexy, dark-haired being who could turn into . . . other stuff. I can almost, just vaguely, see Barbara Bain - but the alien girl . . . she must have sprung some kind of tiny spring in my pre-adolescent being . . . and it sits there, still boinging in her memory.

This, and the faint recollection of being scared as I watched a show which was probably way above my head . . .

The reviews here are very good, intriguing. There were always articles on this series in the movie mags I got as a kid (Starlog, Fantastic Films, etc.), nestled in between the episode guides to STAR TREK and the I-wish predictions for REVENGE OF THE JEDI . . . I guess that I just never managed to catch it when I got older.

But, if I get the extra money, sometime - yep, I'm going to spring for the megaset . . .

I hope that chick is still hot . . . ... Read more

Reviews (10)

An Incredible Documentary
Vietnam: A Television History is a phenomenal documentary on the before, during and after of the American War. 14 hours and worth the time! You can watch invididual segments one hour at a time.

It's a remarkable piece for understanding this conflict. The video is rich with battle and geographic details...far reaching in its interviews of North and South Vietnamese as well as American voices...textured with information on virtually every angle (CIA involvement, the reaction in the U.S., Cambodia and Laos, etc.)...and told in a clear and gripping format. It explained a war I previously could not quite understand, and also provided a huge amount of information not found in most American shorthand retellings of the war. Hugely recommended for anyone interested in the war or interested in Southeast Asia.

This is visual war history without precedent
After seeing the series, one by one, and every which way, I can only come to the conclusion: unparalleled history. Only a doctrinere bigot and a mad-dog at that, would see how it tries to be balanced-- any rational being would see as America's greatest surrender and tragedy--so far--the Irag debacle is still underweigh. Of course, one is expected to read more, to not think this is the last word on the Vietnam War. How ridiculous! Previewed in 1983, no one should think there should be more evidence presented. Only in time, well-tested opinions and with all the evidence in, can a clear perspective be seen of the whole. I lived in that era, the Nixon era to be exact, when I understood what was happening. Before which, in my teens and brought up in rural Maine, I thought America could not be wrong, the government was right, Communionist were evil haters of our way of life. When I understood, I was against. But I was not all the way, my disagreement was fully conditional. It was Watergate and finally Reagan that made me see my intuition against the Vietnam War was right. It was not a good feeling. I did not want to think it was all in vein. I did not want to accept the inevitable. This documentary is the best balanced visual history of its kind on a post-WW2 (cold gone hot) war, from the first misunderstand to the last revisionist spin.

Great reference tool!
I had to rent this tape set for school as there was a college course on Vietnam, but decided to buy it instead! I am glad I did because I can pass this down to my daughter. It was an honest account of not only the war, but the history of the country as well, which I found interesting! Worth the money!

caution about reviewer's advice
This is a good video as introduction to the War.
It could be updated based on what we've learned since relations thawed somewhat with Vietnam.
Caution about one reviewer's advice to watch the Accuracy-In-Media rejoinder to the program:
See it. It is horrible; the video pieces don't show what they say they do; Charleton Heston narrates a sappy poem about boat people; and the head of AIM later, when confronted with the shows innacuracies said that they don't matter --- all that matters is its anti-communist point-of-view. Some "accuracy"!

So This is History?
This series is not solid history. There are two essential facts you must get right to start with in order to interpret the Vietnam war. First you must understand who Ho Chi Minh was and second you must understand the nature of the Geneva Conference of 1954. Third, in order to understand why the U.S. lost one must be understand the critical importance of two decisions made during the administration of John Kennedy. First, the 1962 Geneva Accords which created the "facade of Geneva" and prevented the U.S. from selecting a winning strategy (i.e., cutting the Ho Chi Minh Trail). See Norman Hannah's book, "The Key to Failure: Laos the Vietnam War." Second, you must understand the unethical decision made by the Kennedy administration in backing the coup against Ngo Dinh Diem that resulted in his assasination and a deeper immersion of the U.S. into the military government we created without even knowing the makeup of the characters in it. Read "A Death in November: American in Vietnam, 1963" by Ellen Hammer. The point is the war is hugely complex and the video series is not. It is extremely biased, Ho Chi Minh, a dedicated international communist is the hero! and the U.S. is the villain. The
It is only in video 13 that the producers discover that the communists are bad guys and it is a belated discovery! So they killed one third of the population in Cambodia, subjected Vietnam to hellish re-education/prison camps and produced millions of deaths, not to mention two million or so boat people who fled the country. This is the regime of a nationalist? But they constantly produce a dialog heavy in ideology, communist ideology. Perhaps that is a concidence, like their land reform program that killed off the landlord class or their police state. Just coincidences I am sure, after all, Uncle Ho was a nationalist wasn't he? The video series never takes the trouble to examine the Soviet Union or Communist China's role in the Vietnam war in any depth. It is as if all of history is understood by psychoanalysis of the what goes on in Washington. I use this series in the classroom to teach students how to detect bias in a badly flawed historical series and while there is some good history in it, there is far too much that is poorly done and now, outdated, given new information. Even communist histories belie some of the points made in the series. Hanoi now admits that planning for the war in the South began in 1956 and was well along in 1959, when the 15th Party Plenum ordered armed struggle in the South to begin. For example, Communist Party Politburo member Le Duan was responsible for the formation of 37 guerilla companies by October 1957. The respected Soviet diplomat, Andre Gromyko, said of Joseph Stalin in his Memoirs, "it seems to me that the nature had endowed him with the ability to hide the harsh side of his character, and very effectively so. He also seems to have had the capacity to appear at times even gentle and sensitive to others. The conversations he had with some foreign personalities, especially writers, confirm this." These words could have written about the man who called himself "Ho Chi Minh" or "He who enlightens." His frail and gentle manner belie the harsh, ruthless man beneath the veneer. In fact, having studied him for many years, I would have to say he was one of the greatest actors of the twentieth century and one of its most evil men. The key to understanding him lies in understanding what brought tears to his eyes. It was not the nation but rather Lenin's "thesis on national and colonial questions" which called for international communist liberation of oppressed peoples from colonialism. The trouble is so many fail to study this and therefore miss the import of Ho's ardor for the doctrine. Nationalism is the foe of internationalism and communism embraces only the latter. This is clear from Lenin's writings. Recommend you read Lenin! There is a video series that attempts to correct some of the errors (Television's Vietnam: The Real Story) in this one and although, it carries some biases of its own, it does help to bring out some of the worst features of this seris. It is put out by Accuracy in Media and is worth your effort to investigate if you are going to view this poorly done series. On the Tonkin Gulf incident, the Canadian series, the Ten Thousand Day War, is far superior. It seems American film makers are more enamored with Uncle Ho than his own people. Ask them if you don't believe me. ... Read more

Amazon.com

By its third season, The X-Files had grown from a cult hit to a global phenomenon, becoming the most popular show in many countries outside the U.S. Armed with the knowledge that the show was here to stay, series creator Chris Carter expanded its mythology, and the 24 episodes in this boxed set represent arguably the strongest of all the X-Files seasons. As usual, stand-alone episodes explored the paranormal and sometimes terrifying possibilities in mythology, pop culture, and religion. Darin Morgan helps the show to mature by expanding its use of humor, directing classic episodes such as "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose" (featuring a fabulous performance from Peter Boyle) and "Jose Chung's 'From Outer Space.'" Meanwhile, two-part episodes continue to delve into the X-Files own mythology, introducing the alien black oil, the implant in Scully's neck, the mysterious Agent X, and the shape-shifting Jeremiah Smith. But following the complex mythology is not crucial to enjoying the show. The strength of the X-Files lies not in resolution but in feeding the paranoia of its rabid audience by revealing conspiracies that linger in the mind as unanswered questions. Series creator Carter realized wisely that fans did not look to the X-Files to explain the unexplained, but to question that which they thought they understood. The third season was effective because it hinted that while the truth was out there, it was more complex, sinister, and amazing than even Mulder had imagined.

Commentaries and deleted scenes are available for some of the 24 episodes, and the last disc in the set contains numerous TV spots and interviews with the creators about the filming of the third season. --Eugene Wei ... Read more

Reviews (63)

Tied for the single best season
Season 3 has got to be the best season in terms of the complexity displayed. The knowledge that The X-Files wasn't another run of the mill tv show with a tiny cult following enabled Chris Carter to expand the mythology episodes to, well, mythic proportions. The third season also gave Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny a chance to do yeoman work, and each came up strong performances. The third season was nominated for a 8 emmy awards, and won five (though both the show and Anderson were overlooked, and Duchovny wasn't nominated!).

The Best episodes (I see no point in limiting myself when there are many of equal quality).

---The Blessing Way/Paper Clip: A Brilliant conclusion to the cliffhanger that Anasazi was in Season 2. Not only a very good wrapping up, this became the episodes that truly (in my mind) kicked off the complex mythology episodes. ---Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose: Take a very funny Peter Boyle, mix in two bemused FBI agents, an outlandishly hilarious plot, and a superb technical team and what does one get. Merely one of the best episodes period. And that is high praise indeed folks. ---Nisei/731: The episode that introduces the chip in the neck. Anderson and Duchovny are marvelous when apart, but their scenes together are sheer brilliance, something vital to the life of the series. ---Revelations: Sheer beauty. The technical team deserves credit for fashioning this episode, from the brilliant shots, to the Snow score, everything here is dazzling, especially Anderson. ---Piper Maru/Apocrypha: David Duchovny is incredible. The black oil introduced becomes very important later, but it's commencement was another complexity in the mythology. ---Pusher: Another great stand alone. This one is a cut above the rest. My personal favourite of season 3, Pusher gives us what many movies can't: realistic characters, a thrilling set-up, a nail biting climax, all while re-imagining the limits of television. As brilliant as any episode in later shows, I highly recommend one watches this in conjunction to Season 4's Paper Hearts. Two brilliant guest actors give magnificent performances. Gillian Anderson is simply luminous. ---Jose Chung's Aliens from Outer Space: Thought Clyde Bruckman was outlandish. Watch this episode. It defines outlandish, while allowing everyone to be in on the fun. ---Talitha Cumi: Though it pales to the previous year's Anasazi, or the next year's Gethsemane, this is an episode to catch.

All are episodes to catch, and I highly recommend you get this as soon as possible.

X-Files Season Three.. The Search Continues
What can i say? I think we should all give fox a round of applause on they brilliant treatment the have given our favourite show.

Both the series one and two discs had exceptional picture and sound quality which i'm sure were as close to the high-quality film source as possible. i can without a doubt say that season 3 will be worth the money if you have not seen any of the previous disc sets.

in terms of the storyline, season 3 is when the ball was truly in motion. expect to be treated to some classic episodes such as The Blessing Way, Paper Chip, Clyde Bruckman's Final Response, Jose Chung's "From Outer Space", Talitha Cumi and many more. These episodes are simply selections from the series, there are many more gems.

in terms of extra features what more could you want? promos for all the episodes (i believe both the 20 and 30 second versions), documentaries (i believe the "truth about" ones are made specifically for dvd, although i may be mistaken), deleted scenes etc. you can also expect english and spanish subtitles, english and french audio. the only french subtitles that have been on previous series is a translation of text on the screen (such as the location writing).

please note that x-files did not feature dolby digital surround (5.1ch) and widescreen video until season six, but you can still expect excellent prologic surround-encoded audio tracks.

just as a bit of a side note, the x-files dvd sets have previously come in fold-out boxes which expand to a large size and become annoying if you simply want one disc. because of this i have created some high-quality printable inserts for the season 1 and 2 dvd sets to be used in normal dvd cases. these feature an attractive, consistent design including disc number on spine, chapter stops on back, and episode names for the specific disc on the front. please note these covers are a completely non-profit fan based project provided as an alternative for people who don't like the box the discs come in... ...anyway, do yourself a favor and buy/preorder this awesome set.. you won't regret it.

Tv doesnt get much better than this
If this isnt the best season of X files, it must be at least equal. they didnt step a foot wrong here, the pacing of the one shot stories mixing with the on going story arc (which is fully flowing by this season)is amazing. Also great character development and great mix of dark and funny episodes (not unlike Buffy and Angel). This season is a must.

The best season so far...
Up until recently, I never watched a single episode of the X-Files. However, now that the DVD sets have been reduced in price, I had the opportunity to start watching the show. The first two seasons of the X-Files made me become an instant fan of the show, and my only complaint so far has been the lack of consistancy brought on by the 6-8 boring episodes per season. After watching the third season of X-Files, I can finally say that there was a season that deserves a 5 star rating by being great from start to finish. By the end of the third season, the X-Files really becomes established as one of the best and most addictive sci-fi shows ever created.

The third season only featured two bad episodes, which means that 22 out of 24 episodes were fantastic. The third season offers some of the best stand alone episodes of the show like "Clyde Bruckman's Final Response", "Pusher", "Quagmire", "War of the Coprophages", "2Shy", "Hellmoney", and "Wetwired". The mythology episodes - "The Blessing Way", "Paper Clip", "Nisei", "731", "Piper Maru", "Apocrypha", and "Talitha Cumi" do a very good job on expanding the overall conspiracy of the show by introducing a powerful group of men called "The Syndicate" which are connected to the conspiracy and the Cigarette Smoking Man. There is also a few things that are revealed about Mulder's source "Mr. X" as well.

The third season of X-Files on DVD also continues the tradition of offering a fantastic set filled with wonderful extras and wonderful picture/sound quality. As with the previous two sets, series creator Chris Carter takes you through the best 12 episodes from season three and talks about each episode. There is also a great documentary that covers season 3 as a whole. If there was one season of the X-Files that you should buy, it is definately the third season. The season is amazing from start to finish, and the DVD extras are great.

A solid 5 stars...

Top-league stuff from the best TV series ever...
You ask any X-files die-hard fan about which is the best season of the series and they will readily answer either the third or the fourth. This is no coincidence, and i would totally agree with them.
In this third season all the elements of the series come of age: the two main protagonists are at the top of their game giving very high quality performances and cementing the legendary characters of Mulder and Scully. While in the first 2 seasons these two characters were essentially still being constructed and the relationship between them two still being built up, in the 3rd installment this has all fallen into place making it a very solid, very well put together dram-plot, equal of which you'd have to search hard to find in TV history.

But even better than that, the script-writting hits masterpiece levels, not in a few episodes, but rather all and throughout. In fact, as far as season 3 is concerned, any "weak" episode would still be considered top-level stuff for any other TV series. But the overall level of the storylines introduced here is so high that your expectations rise as you move along from episode to episode. This is basically a season that made anyone that watched it at the very least more suspicious (do a simple search on google on some of the storylines and you'll understand what i mean) or simply a more intelligent viewer and thinker alltogether.

Another important factor introduced in Season 3 is that certain plotlines were here to stay, that is, they were stories to be extended and interweaved in following seasons as well, stories that were among the very best the X-files have offered us.

Big time fans of the series (and man, there are many) cherish this season for mega-classic episodes such as :
"Paperclip",
"Nisei",
"731",
"War of the Coprophages",
"Grotesque",
"Apocrypha",
"Jose Chung's "From Outer Space"
"Wetwired" and
"Talitha Cumi"....

But watch anything at random from the 6 DVDs with episodes and the chances are very high you'll be in for a major cerebral treat.

The success of this tremendous series is not only on the artistic achievements but even more so on the fact that most of the dramaturgy involved in the X-files is tied with multiple leads to realities most people are absolutely unaware of, in certain cases even X-Files fans themselves. This is a feat only achieved to a similar degree in that other TV classic from the 60s, the Twilight Zone.

If you're not very familiar with the series i wouldn't reccommend you to start at Season 3, mainly because you simply need to watch the characters develop from the very beginning, at Season 1. What i am saying though, and that with emphasis, is that having watched all of the seasons involving Mulder and Scully, Season 3 and Season 4 are beyond any doubt stunning. ... Read more

Reviews (246)

At Last!! Season One of Star Trek Voyager is here!!
On January 16, 1995, Star Trek Voyager launched into TV history with Season One. Clearly the best series of the Star Trek franchise, due in large part to an outstanding cast, led by the great Kate Mulgrew as Captain Kathryn Janeway. In Season One, we meet the crew as they are thrust into the Delta Quadrant, 70,000 light years from Earth, and watch two ships of enemies, Star Fleet and Marquis, band together to begin thier perilous journey home. Sporting superb visual effects, excellent writing by Brannon Braga and Jeri Taylor, and one of the best theme songs ever written for television, Star Trek Voyager is a timeless masterpiece of science fiction and human drama.

Episodes:

101 Caretaker Pt. 1*
102 Caretaker Pt. 2*
103 Parallax
104 Time and Again
105 Phage
106 The Cloud
107 Eye of the Needle*
108 Ex Post Facto
109 Emanations
110 Prime Factors
111 State of Flux
112 Heroes and Demons
113 Cathexis
114 Faces
115 Jetrel
116 Learning Curve

*voted top-20 episode from the seven seasons of Voyager.

Finally Voyager on DVD
We knew this was coming, ever since Paramount released TNG and DS9 in boxed sets last and this year. The releases continue with Star Trek Voyager. Apparently these will be released in the same fashion as DS9, 1 every two months, with bonus material. Here's what we know will be released in this first set:

The contents of the set are as follows:

Disc 1: "Caretaker," "Parallax," "Time and Again"

Disc 2: "Phage," "The Cloud, "Eye of the Needle," "Ex Post Facto"

Disc 3: "Emanations," "Prime Factors," "State of Flux," "Heroes and Demons"

Disc 4: "Cathexis," "Faces," "Jetrel," "Learning Curve"

Disc 5: Special Features

"Braving The Unknown: Season One": Includes new interviews with Executive Producers Rick Berman, Michael Piller and Jeri Taylor discussing how they created the series. The trio reveals the challenges of creating fresh, new characters, a new premise and the risks of sending the crew into unfamiliar Trek territory.

"Voyager Time Capsule: Kathryn Janeway": A new, exclusive interview with Kate Mulgrew talking about how she landed the role of Janeway, the challenges of playing a female captain and her Broadway play on Katharine Hepburn, "Tea At Five." Also includes archival interviews with the actress and rare behind-the-scenes footage.

"The First Captain: Genevieve Bujold": Reveals rare footage and outtakes of Ms. Bujold as Captain Janeway, with commentary by Executive Producer Rick Berman.

"Cast Reflections: Season One": Voyager's principal cast members discuss their reactions to joining the Trek franchise, getting fan mail, and auditioning. Also featured: Armin Shimerman discussing his role as Quark in the pilot episode.

"On Location With the Kazon": Supervising Producer David Livingston guides viewers on an exclusive tour of the desert locale used for the Kazon Village in the pilot episode. Includes interviews with Director Rick Kolbe and behind-the-scenes footage of the cast.

"Red Alert: Visual Effects Season One": Dan Curry and the Visual Effects crew give a blow-by-blow of some spectacular visual effects created for Season One. Highlights include: behind-the-scenes footage of exploding space station, utilizing fire elements in crashing Chakotay's ship and secrets of shooting the Voyager ship model.

"Launching Voyager On The Web": Veteran Web site designer and producer Marc Wade explains how, in the early days of the internet, an interactive Voyager Web site was created to help launch the series. Included is rare footage of Kate Mulgrew and Robert Picardo playing their roles for the Web-based trivia game, plus an overview of Star Trek's history on the Web.

"Real Science With Andre Bormanis": Science Consultant and writer Bormanis explores how the writers strive for authenticity by incorporating real space phenomena and scientific theories. For Season One, Andre discusses how Hubble photos helped create "the Badlands," voyaging through wormholes, and the possibilities of time travel.

"Lost Transmissions From The Delta Quadrant": Hidden in the Voyager menu, viewers who search and click with their DVD remote can find special interview clips with Kate Mulgrew, Michael Piller, Brannon Braga and guest star Vaughn Armstrong (from "Eye of the Needle").

The Least Trek of the Lot....
I love Gene Roddenberry's creation, STAR TREK. I was one of those tuned in at the beginning in 1966, and stayed with it through the doubts of "Next Generation" (original fans were crying, "Gene, how COULD you?") and I love "Deep Space Nine." With all that, yes, I watched "Voyager." For three seasons, I tuned in and watched. The pilot started with a great premise, and I kept waiting for it to figure out where it was going. It never really did.

The series hyped the idea that this ship would have a woman as captain. (So what? Across space, on B5, there were lots of those, plus ace women fighter pilots.) The original decision which mired Voyager in the Delta Quardrant seemed too politically correct, but I knew it was a plot device and let it ride. However, I completely lost faith with Janeway and crew when she put the entire SHIP AND CREW in jeopardy in order to rescue 1 infant who may or may not have been sired by her second-in-command.

Even Troi (TNG) came to the realization when she earned her command rank that sometimes people have to die for the greater good. Spock said best in "Wrath of Khan" when he told Kirk, simply, "The needs of the many outweight the needs of the few, or the one." (Janeway take note.) Rick Berman and Michael Pillar didn't have any trouble with this concept in either "Next Gen" or "Deep Space Nine." I'd still like to know what happened at the highest level. The series as a whole seemed way too politically correct to be considered a part of the overall Trek Universe.

It all starts with the writing. This series didn't have it. The storylines seemed contrived, the dialogue trite, and no matter how good a cast is, without consistently good scripts, there's no where to take the show.

Side note: this is the only entry into the Star Trek Universe not blesses with an appearance by Majel Barrett Roddenberry. I honestly kept waiting for Q to whisk Lwxanna Troi up and off to set Janeway straight. Too bad it didn't happen.

If you must watch "Voyager," seasons one had some good moments. Frankly, though, you might want to consider any of the other Trek series (I recommend "Deep Space Nine") or wander over to "Babylon 5."

My favourite Star Trek
I happily admit this is my favourite Star Trek series. I think that the manuscripts have a subtlety, that the other series lack. Much of it boils down to the characters of Janeway and the Hologram. Janeway is caught in an impossible situation: a routine mission turns into a desperate attempt to get home. The mere presence of the Voyager in the Delta Quadrant upsets the fragile stability of the region. Instead of causing good, Janeway has to work on limiting the damage they cause. Several times she has to make painful decisions, decisions that are not right or wrong, they are rather based on convenience. Star Trek has come a long way from Kirk!
Secondly, the Hologram is a particularly strong character. He desperately wants to be a human, but lacks the capability. The one time he has the chance, Janeway takes it away from him. Again, a strong development from Spock and Data. I also like many of the minor character, especially Chicote. At last a Native is allowed into the Star Trek universe. And he carries his own luggage.
Many of the stories are based on human falliability, they lack the grandeur and paraphernalia of, say TSG, but I think that that is where their charm is.

Condensing The Facts
Paramount gave little thought to Voyager maintaining the Star Trek franchise. It was treated as the "Money Making Monster" that 'Star Trek' has become. Greed relentlessy dictacted the direction Voyager would take - AUTO DESTRUCT!

* It's all but impossible not to compare it to the other Star Trek series. Voyager is the worst of them all. Deep Space Nine is by far the best!

* Voyager dwells too much on their return home and give it a "Lost In Space" feel - corny, stupid, dull and overly dependent on the special effects, i.e. read that as 'weak story'.

* The characters weren't quite 'real' and as they developed the writers put the wrong people in certain situations Ex. Janeway would head missions just like Kirk did, a blatant abuse of protocol. Sometimes Tuvok (a full Vulcan) would be the most emotional character! Most of the rest of the cast would move from overwhelming a story to just 'disappearing'. The ensemble cast element rarely existed and when it did the actors were most likely 'out of character'. For the sake of screen time?

* There were some fine episodes (none that I can think of in Season 1) but even most of my favorites wouldn't make my best of list against Next Generation, DS9 or even some of the Original series!

* Being Star Trek you would expect nothing short of great packaging (consensus says no) but Paramount is just peddling something the fans are so addicted to that they will buy it in droves, no matter the packing or...

* High price for a short season, which is also one of the worst as far as stories go. It makes Next Generations' season one look brilliant (it wasn't).

* The sad truth is the market was prepared for the onslaught of sales of a so-so series at a very high price with the poorest of packaging and the extreme hard core fans have left everyone else wondering why? Save your money, watch the reruns. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The James Bond Collection, Vol. 1 collects the same feature-packed DVDs that appeared in previous Bond boxes, but in a new combination of titles, one with a decidedly golden gleam. In 1962 Sean Connery defined the cinematic James Bond as a tough, charming, and thoroughly professional cold war spy with a license to kill in the lean, hard-edged Dr. No. With Ursula Andress (as the original Bond girl Honeychile Ryder, who makes her entrance in a bikini), Bond battles a renegade supervillain with little more than his wits, his cunning, and his Walther PPK. In Goldfinger (1964) Connery's steely presence helped forge the formula of tongue-in-cheek wit, wondrous secret agent toys created by Q, and megalomaniac supervillains bent on world destruction.

Roger Moore brought a light tone and a suave assurance to the series, and in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), he battles million-dollar assassin Christopher Lee, one of Bond's most magnetic adversaries. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), perhaps Moore's finest hour, is a return to the extravagant set pieces and cold war thrills of Connery's pictures and introduces Richard Kiel's steel-dentured Jaws to the series. Timothy Dalton made his second and final appearance as Bond in Licence to Kill (1989), the toughest of the Bond films since Connery's early efforts. Though not a fan favorite, it's a sleek, solid adventure with an edge missing from the Moore pictures.

Pierce Brosnan is the latest to take on the 007 mantle, combining the best of Connery's cool and Moore's humor. GoldenEye (1995) is a grand globetrotting adventure with lovely Bond girls and a tough new M (Judy Dench). Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) doesn't recapture that magic mix of action, gadgetry, and romance, but does feature the first Bond girl to match 007 blow for blow: Hong Kong action superstar Michelle Yeoh. The DVD editions of the films each feature audio commentary tracks by the director and key members of the crew, making-of documentaries, and a host of stills, TV spots, and trailers. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (65)

Volume 1 of a classic line of Spy films
"The name is Bond, James Bond." With these words a franchise was born. In 1962 Ian Flemming launched a franchise that would forever change the action film genre. Starting with Dr. NO, one really couldn't tell that it was really a Bond film until that famous line was uttered. Now then, the Bond series has gone through no less than 5 different actors: Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, finally Pierce Brosnan. Each having their own style. In my opinion, Pierce Brosnan is about as close to the original Sean Connery Bond as you can get. He's got the same pizazz and pinache as Connery did.

This first set of a re-issue contains seven of the soon to be twenty installment franchise. The first is the 1962 release "Dr. NO". This was Connery's first, and Bond's first official appearance.

Then comes '64's "Goldfinger", the 3rd Bond film. This film had one of the cleverest lines in a Bond film that I can recall. Bond: "Do you expect me to talk?" Goldfinger: "No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die."

Then comes '74's "The Man with the Golden Gun". The 9th Bond film and Roger Moore's 2nd appearance as Bond. This film stars Christopher Lee as the villian who we now know as Count Dooku from Star Wars Episode II.

Then we have '77's "The Spy Who Loved Me". The 10th Bond film and Moore's 3rd appearance. This film stared Curt Jurgens as the villian and introduced the character Jaws played by Richard Kiel.

Then let's skip way forward and stop at '89's "License to Kill". This is the 16th Bond film which was Timothy Dalton's 2nd appearance as Bond. This film also stars Robert Davi as latino drug cartel leader.

Next comes '95's "GoldenEye". The 17th Bond film and also Pierce Brosnan, the modern Bond's first film. This film spawned one of the most popular N64 video games ever. Stared Sean Bean as 006 who turns traitor.

And finally '97's "Tomorrow Never Dies". The 18th Bond film and Brosnan's 2nd film. Stars Teri Hatcher, TV's Lois Lane from The New Superman Adventures.

And so completes the first Volume of DVD reissues. Hopefully Volume 2 will come out sometime early next year.

A Very Good Addition to any DVD Collection
I originally bought this box set and the others when they were done to conicide with the release of Tomorrow Never Dies. Sadly that was not included in the box set so I had to buy it separately. While Tomorrow Never Dies is not the best, the others do not disappoint. You get some of the best Bond films Connery did.