Amazon.com

It was a short but sweet fifth season for Sex and the City, as HBO's resident comediennes found themselves affected by forces beyond their control--the pregnancies of both Sarah Jessica Parker (Carrie) and Cynthia Nixon (Miranda). A truncated shooting schedule to accommodate the actresses forced this season to be reduced to a mere eight episodes, and indeed, you can tell both actresses are expecting. (Carrie's wardrobe became more outlandish and more concealing than usual.) Still, the actresses and creators forged ahead, creating a handful of episodes that if short in content were long on emotion and laughs. Whereas the fourth season found all four grappling with various relationships, the fifth season focused on the perils of being single, with a new intensity lacking in the previous sexcapades. Carrie and Miranda wrestled with their solitary lifestyles, albeit with new attachments--Miranda had new baby Brady and single motherhood, while Carrie found herself in the world of publishing as the author of a real-life book of her columns. Charlotte (Kristin Davis) wondered if she'd ever find another man, while Samantha (Kim Cattrall) finally got rid of the one that had been vexing her far too much, hotelier Richard (James Remar). If the season as a whole felt less than the sum of its parts, those parts were some of the best comedy in the show's history, from Samantha's anointment as the "Michiko Kakutani of vibrators" to Carrie's stressful, one-degree-from-fiasco book launch party. (And fear not, Chris Noth's Mr. Big does pop up now and again.) The season's climactic episode, "I Love a Charade," found all four at the straight wedding of a seemingly gay pal (Nathan Lane) and contemplating their future with a wry, bemused tone. It was one of the series' best episodes ever, equally touching and funny, and grounded the show in an emotional maturity that announced that after all their wild travails, these women had truly grown up. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (189)

8 episodes same price as 24
Ok, the folks at HBO publishing are getting greedy. Season 5 was only 8 episodes. So in HBO's infinite wisdom they decided to charge us fans the same list price as a 24-episode season, with no extras worth mentioning. (However they do split it up onto 2 DVD's to make you think you're getting more for your money.)
While the shows are great I have to ding this season with 3 stars because of the blatant disregard for loyal consumers.
In season 5 we have Carrie being free and single, Miranda dealing with the baby and Steve, Samantha dealing with Richard, and Charlotte in life after Trey.
If you're a junky/collector I guess you'll end up purchasing it like me, otherwise send a message to HBO and just rent it.

Sex and The City Season 5 Short but sweet
I like the zillions of others across the world am a huge fan of Sex and The City. Not having HBO, I discovered the series through word of mouth and then via rentals at the video store. Season 5 was short but sweet and with the pregnancies of both Cynthia Nixon and Sarah Jessica Parker, was there much more that the producers could do than offer up eight episodes?! What if they had decided no season at all? God we'd have all been in mini therapy groups! So let's not complain and take what we can get girls cuz eight episodes were better than nothing! WHERE MY CHIEF COMPLAINT does come in is the exorbitantly high price of the DVD set. Come on HBO lighten up a bit! Two discs with only four episodes on each can surely be priced @ $15-$20 tops! As for me,since I've rented season five on DVD, I'll wait until the passing of time and the eventual lower price I'll find in a used copy.

Too expensive!!!!!!!
I am not rating this season low because of content--the content was excellent--and I realize that the pregnancies of Sarah Jessica and Cynthia are unavoidable...but come on! Don't charge us all the same price for less than half of the normal number of episodes!!!

Review on SATC--the MATERIAL--free of whining about $$
I really like Sex in the City. I feel sad that no one has even TRIED to duplicate it--I know full duplication can't be done but since it's leaving I would even have settled for some decent knockoffs of the show (laughter). In no other show/film have sex and relationships from the point of view of women been explored this frankly--it will probably never happen again-at least not in my lifetime. I am in the middle of watching the fifth season. I'm enjoying it. We have all watched these four women for four years now. Are they supposed to remain unchanged in any way for that long? Shouldn't they have different changes and challenges in their lives? I will admit that the fifth season did not come as close to perfection as the others did. (Has your work been almost perfect consistently everyday in everyway 365 days a year for 4 straight years? Mine hasn't-it's called being human.) Season Four in my opinion is still an essential for anyone who really connects with this one-of-kind series. Being that I respect the brave work of this ground-breaking show and because this format is supposed to review the material and the work--(...) Also don't you find it amazing the things people put their passion and rage behind? Homeless mothers who need health care for their children express this level of passionate anger about overpriced prescription drugs-however a person ranting about the cost of a HBO sitcom on DVD-and going on and on like some of these people have here?? I tend to wave that off as "You have some serious issues and buying SATC is probably the least of your problems" Some reviews can be dismissed right away like the ones from misogynists who obviously just hate to see independent women having fun and enjoying sex/relationships/career in the free-wheeling way men always have. They secretly want all women to be like Afghan women were under the Taliban. (...). (...)

We can be so hard on celebs. We love them yet we hate then and we are ultra critical of them. Lastly, I again want to remind you, dear reader, to consider the source and look up any info you can find on a reviewer and weigh that against whatever they write. Also take totally anonymous reviews with a big grain of salt. And again...I enjoyed the fourth season of Sex In The City even with it imperfections!

Sex and the City meets the average girl
As a devotee of Sex and the City, I never wanted to admit that anything was wrong with the show... until I saw Season 5. A lot of people will say that Season 5 is what's wrong with SATC, but I say that Season 5 is what's RIGHT about the show! Season 5 is the most realistic of all six seasons. Playfully dubbed "the season without men" by the show's writers, there are very few long-term (or short-term, for that matter) relationships for the women in this season. Until Season 5, the women of SATC have gone through a seemingly endless string of semi-serious to serious relationships without any real examination of what and who the women are without men. This season forces all of the women to show their true colors without men. Even Samantha's antics are toned down and used more to expose who she is rather than what she does.

Many fans complained that Season 5 wasn't funny enough. Not enough men, not enough sex. Real single women know that Season 5 was the closest of all the seasons to what all of us experience in our daily lives - loneliness, good friends, occasional romantic connections, and a lot of "in between". Season 5 isn't "filler" or a poor season - its real life. Fans of the show who don't enjoy this season are, perhaps, happy to forget about their own lives while following those of Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha. I prefer to think of the women of SATC as myself and my friends - and Season 5 proves that they are. ... Read more

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The third and final season of Seth MacFarlane's late, lamented Family Guy finds television's most dysfunctional cartoon family even more animated than usual. As MacFarlane notes in a bonus segment about the controversial series' censorship battles, he was inspired to go for broke, thinking that the series, already juggled like a hot potato in the schedule (at one point, it aired opposite the mighty Friends), had been cancelled. Just as Spinal Tap walked the fine line between "clever and stupid," so did Family Guy gleefully mock the line between "edgy and offensive." Case in point is this set's holy grail: "When You Wish Upon a Weinstein," not aired during the series' original run, in which clueless Rhode Island patriarch Peter Griffin is convinced that if his lumpen son is to be rich and successful, he must become Jewish.

Like The Simpsons, Family Guy lends itself to multiple viewings to catch each densely packed episode's way-inside "one-percenter" gags (so-called by the creators because that is the percent of the audience who will get them), scattershot pop-culture references, surreal leaps, and gratuitous pot shots at everyone from, predictably, Oprah, Kevin Costner, and Bill Cosby to, unpredictably, Rita Rudner. Also like their Springfield counterparts, this series benefits from a great ensemble voice cast, with surprising contributions from a no-less-stellar roster of guest stars. Yes, that's actually Kelly Ripa as her "real" self, a heart-devouring alien in "Family Guy Viewer Mail #1," and June Foray popping in as Rocky the Flying Squirrel in "Brian Does Hollywood." Family Guy's stock has recently risen with its addition to Cartoon Network's "Adult Swim" lineup, a much better fit than prime time. To see Peter invite Charles Manson to a party for Sharon Tate ("but only if you don't embarrass me") is to marvel how much of this ever got on the air. Happily, it is on DVD. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (156)

This Family Rules!
This is a great DVD set collecting the final season of the best animated comedy show to hit the airways since the SIMPSONS. Each episode is jam-packed with more pop-cultural references than a VH1 special. From the DUKES OF HAZZARD to Adam West, the Incredible Hulk to Optimus Prime (yep, he's in here!), series creator Seth MacFarlane manages to masterfully walk that fine line between parody and homage.
The picture quality on the episodes are crystal clear and the sound is sharp. The extras are pretty good this time around(especially compared to the first DVD set). The most talked about addition to this set is definitely the inclusion of the previously unaired episode. I personally didn't find anything offensive about it but I'm sure somebody somewhere can. The deleted scenes are funny to watch considering the animation is unfinished. The best bonus feature is the short pilot pitch that was only shown to FOX executives to sell the series. After seeing this, I have to commend FOX on taking a chance with this SIMPSONS knock-off (there I said it, but who cares? Does anyone care that the FLINTSTONES are a HONEYMOONERS rip-off?!)
So, with all this praise, you might be wondering why I didn't give this 5 stars. The answer is simple...the horrible commentaries! I'm a huge fan of commentaries because they allow the viewer to feel like they're sitting in a room conversing with the very people that are responsible for your entertainment. But the few commentaries on this set are played entirely for laughs, as cell phones can be heard ringing, people walking in on the recording sessions, pointless anecdotes that have nothing to do with the episode, and then annoying long moments of silence where it seems like everyone just wants to go home. Occasionally, somebody might start to say something relevant to the show, but is quickly interrupted by more horse-play. It's great that the crew get along so well, but who wants to listen to people goofing off for a half-hour? These guys should definetly check out the SIMPSONS sets for commentaries with a good mixture of levity and information.
But this is only a minor quibble about an otherwise wonderful box set that's easily one of the best additions to anybody's DVD library.

Family Guy, we barely knew thee!
With the release of this boxed set, you can now own the third and final season of the short-lived but outstanding cartoon series "Family Guy." The 22 episodes from this season are, overall, quite hilarious. The commentary is frequently as enjoyable as the episodes, as various members of cast and crew discuss the creation process, animation, writing, censorship, etc. The last two episodes in this set are very memorable. The last aired episode explores three pieces of "viewer mail" -- three bizarre scenarios like wishes from a genie in a bottle, superpowers from toxic waste, and "Little Rascals," Quahog style. The last episode didn't make it on the air. Tasteless but side-splitting jokes about Judaism obviously didn't please censors and network officials. It's well worth it to own all three seasons (two boxed sets) of this show. The writers constantly push the boundaries of taste, tact, and television censorship. Television wasn't ready for "Family Guy," but you should be ready to own every episode!

Best Show Ever
Family guy is the best show ever made. It is the funniest cartoon/television show. Its characters are brilliant, humorous and offensive at the same time, which of course makes for a very enjoyable show. The political references, 70's/80's tv references are hysterical as well as stewie, the diabolical 1 year. I reccomend this to anyone with a sense of humor, and someone who doesn't take offense easily.

THIS SHOW WILL KILL YOU........WITH LAUGHTER
I have yet to find anything, show, movie, or real life, that is at least as funny as Family Guy. After about a year of searching (...) I came up with nada. Family Guy's quick wit, and clever writing offends anyone and everything it can. Basically, if you're watching it you'll be offended whether you know it or not. It has good uplifting moral values for all to enjoy(...). Well actually it has NO values of any kind. This show is probably intended for the viewers who are old enough to understand what's going on in the world. That does not include people over 60! Well, anyway Family Guy is a great buy at any price. (...)

Basically a Bad Show, Getting Better
While FAMILY GUY bombed on Fox (and don't let anyone tell you that Fox tried to kill it; Fox renewed the show twice even though the ratings stunk almost everywhere and the reviews were scathing), it's become a huge success on DVD and cable, leading to the production of new episodes of the show and an upcoming summer run on Fox for these new episodes, where it can bomb all over again.

So what's my problem with it? Well, first of all, almost everything is derivative of other, better shows. And not just THE SIMPSONS, but PINKY AND THE BRAIN (Stewie, the little big-headed megalomaniac, is a direct ripoff of the Brain). Second, the show uses references as a substitute for humor -- which is to say that they'll often refer to some '80s TV show or commercial and expect us to laugh just because we get the reference; there's rarely any satirical point being made about the shows it's supposedly "parodying." Third, the voice acting is often quite poor -- MacFarlane improved as the series went on, but his acting is often stiff and one-note, with none of the interesting vocal inflections that, say, Dan Castellanetta brings to Homer Simpson. (To be fair, MacFarlane is better as Brian the Dog than as Peter.) Fourth, the show doesn't have much variety in its gags; the basic tropes -- sexual innuendoes, parodies, famous historical figures acting inappropriately -- are repeated from show to show. Fifth, the animation is truly terrible; the characters are inexpressive, stiff and immobile. Any episode of The Simpsons or King of the Hill has better animated "acting." And King of the Hill, often denigrated as the unfunny link in Fox's chain of animated shows, actually has character comedy, which means that it is funny even if you don't get a bunch of cheesy '80s references -- King of the Hill or the early Simpsons are genuuinely funny; Family Guy is fake funny, getting laughs by cheap means. It's about as cutting-edge as an episode of "Wayne and Shuster".

But the biggest overall problem is that the characters are just not worth following. The characters are so clearly sitcom stereotypes, and the stories are so minimal (just a clothesline on which to hang the gags) that the greatest joy of a good sitcom -- following interesting characters like a Homer Simpson or a Hank Hill or even an Eric Cartman -- is not there. All that's there is the gags, and eventually they all come to seem the same because they are based on nothing; the characters are too shallow to be humorous. (Stewie was such a one-note character that by the final season, almost every joke involves him acting *out* of character in some way -- a sure sign that a character was ill-conceived in the first place, and a sad contrast with the far superior Brain from PINKY AND THE BRAIN.) Brian is the only character with some depth to him, and the episodes focusing on him tend to be the best.

I will say that by the last season, the writers seemed to be trying to tell more coherent stories and give the characters a bit more life. This bodes well for the new episodes. But the 50 or so episodes that already exist add up to a show with poor writing, poor story structure, poor voice acting, poor animation (Peter's face is so inexpressive that his "happy" face looks about the same as his "sad" expression), and above all weak characters. In other words, a poor show. Its cult success is impressive, but then, we can all name shows that are successful without being any good. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Nowadays it's rare to find a movie that pays attention to human weakness as well as strength, and that sees a whole person as having both. When a sports magazine gets bought by a media conglomerate, an ad sales executive named Dave Foreman (Dennis Quaid, The Rookie) finds himself playing second-in-command to Carter Duryea, a hotshot barely half his age (Topher Grace, Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!) whose marriage has just fallen apart. One evening Carter invites himself over to Dave's house to escape his loneliness, where he meets Dave's daughter Alex (Scarlett Johansson, Lost in Translation). The two strike immediate sparks and when they run into each other later in the city, a relationship begins--which they discreetly keep from Dave. But the heart of the movie is not in its plot, but in the way that Dave responds to the news that his wife is pregnant, or how Carter tries to fortify his self-image with a new car. These aren't jokes; the actors inhabit these moments fully and turn them into psychological events. Quaid plays Dave as a simple man, but his straightforwardness feels genuine (rather than a failure of the writer's imagination). Grace and Johansson have terrific chemistry as lovers, but so do Grace and Quaid, both as rivals and as a substitute father and son. In Good Company isn't likely to win any awards, but it's honest and honorable; there's a core of truth to its characters and their problems aren't resolved too neatly. Sometimes, that's worth watching. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (59)

Moral Fable Never Gets Sappy
Dennis Quaid plays a 51-year-old father of two daughters and head of a sales division for a sporting magazine. After a buyout, he is demoted and has a new boss, a 26-year-old coffee-drinking yuppie full of corporate speak and blind ambition who falls in love with Quaid's gorgeous daughter. The father's self-worth is tested savagely in this comic film which, exploring the absurdity and brutality of the corporate world, actually has a moral message about integrity and being true to yourself. It's rare that a comedy is both funny and packed with moral meaning as it attempts to find redemption for the father and his new boss. For a darker look at corporate life with no redemption for the characters, check out the bleak and nihilistic In the Company of Men by Neil LeBute.

Not exactly what I expected.
Dennis Quaid gives a magnificent performance as a long-time salesman who's proud of his work, and who suddenly loses his status when he gets demoted. Topher Grace plays the new boss, and he's terrific as an obnoxious but charming kid on a power trip. Quaid and Grace's awkward, amusing, and (eventually) fond friendship is the crux of the film, and the best reason to see it. The movie's flaws: First, it's slow at times, I expected more inter-office interaction. Second, for a film about cold corporations and job insecurity, the comedy is less sharp than it could be. It's almost as if the movie is too light for its subject. Characters get laid off but you never see how it would hurt their families. The only really bad thing that happens to anyone is that they have to take out a second mortgage! Another reason the comedy is so lightweight is that there no major bad guys to make fun of. Quaid and Grace (who lays off Quaid's colleagues) represent different business philosophies, but they're both essentially good-hearted. Only one or two characters are slightly villainous, and they're on screen for just a couple minutes.

An Excellent satire
"In Good Company" is a lovely movie - part romance, part drama, part satire. It strays occasionally into the obvious, but, overall, it's enormously entertaining. While the satire and drama elements are marred by pat endings, the romance part is given a blissfully hopeful, rather than a happy, ending.

Dan [Dennis Quaid] is a high powered advertising executive at a big sports magazine. At age 52, he's at the top of his game. Out of nowhere, his company is bought by a media conglomerate headed by a billionaire megalomaniac. To Dan's horror, his new boss is a 26-year old kid named Carter [Topher Grace]. In typical early 21st Century fashion, Carter has arrived through sheer ambition and charm. He has zero experience in advertising. Carter does, however, have some experience in romance. He meets and falls deeply in love with Alex [Scarlett Johansson]. As fate would have it. Alex is Dan's daughter.

The acting here is superior. Quaid was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar. Johansson is one of the best young actresses working today. The revelation is Grace, prior to this best known for his role in a hit sitcom. Here he creates one of the more memorable movie characters in recent movies.

Funny and original
Genre: Indie Comedy

Genre Grade: B+

Final Grade: B

This movie was disguised as somewhat more of a romantic comedy, but it indeed was not. It did have some of that in it, but mostly the movie was about the connection of a younger, naive boss taking on the older, experienced salesman. There was some hilarious moments and some really cheesy, odd ones too, but overall it had a good feel to it and was a good movie. The best part about this movie was the music - from The Shins, Damien Rice, and Iron & Wine. Unfortunately, Iron & Wine is the only bad that appears on the soundtrack to the movie. Bad mistake!

On a side note, this movie does not have a cliche Hollywood ending, but rather a more realistic approach to a very possible situation. Some people may not like the ending because of that, but I applaud the creators of this film for doing what they did. Wandering outside the box is something more movies should do these days. I would compare this movie to Garden State, and while Garden State may have seemingly followed the Hollywood guidelines more than this film did, I just think it was more appropriate in that film, because of the depth of the connection between Zach Braff and Natalie Portman. I don't think Scarlett Johannson and Topher Grace shared as much of a connection. Or maybe they did, but that was not the entire focus of this movie.

Not the greatest movie!
Kind of cute. I really thought I would have liked this movie, it was really great until the end of it.They could have done better on the end, kind of cheap.It definetly deserves three stars. ... Read more

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Meet the Parents found such tremendous success in the chemistry produced by the contrasting personalities of stars Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller that the film's creators went for broke with the same formula again in Meet the Fockers. This time around, Jack and Dina Byrnes (De Niro and Blythe Danner) climb into Jack's new kevlar-lined RV with daughter Pam (Teri Polo), soon-to-be son-in-law Gaylord (Stiller), and Jack's infant grandson from his other daughter for the trip to Florida to meet Gaylord's parents, Bernie and Roz Focker (Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand in a casting coup). The potential in-laws are, of course, the opposite of Jack, a pair of randy, touchy-feely fun-lovers. The rest of the movie is pretty much a sitcom: put Bernie and Roz together with Jack, and watch the in-laws clash as Gaylord squirms. As with the original, there is a sense of joy in watching these actors take on their roles with obvious relish, and the Hoffman-Streisand-Stiller triumvirate is likeable enough to draw you in. But the formula doesn't work as well in Fockers mostly because much of the humor is based on two obvious gimmicks: Gaylord Focker's name, and the fact that Streisand's character is a sex therapist. As a result, the movie itself is more contrived and predictable, and a lot less fun than the original. The casting is grand, but one wishes more thought was put into the script.--Dan Vancini ... Read more

Reviews (189)

Since the movie is so impossibly boring...
and cliché, and predictable and tongue-in-cheek, and trited, and mindless, I'm going to summarize this movie as:
Utter Waste of Money and Time.
There's nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing positive to say about this movie. They were pushing it with the first one, however, it was passable and watchable. This sequel is one that should have never put out. It's so enclosed in its idiocy that it obfuscates the acting value of thespians of great caliber. Avoid!

Don't Believe the Negativity...It's Hilarious
I'm so tired of everyone looking for Shakespearian perfection in every film, bottom line, it's a dumb comedy, so turn your pompous search for meaningful dialogue and great script-writing
off and enjoy the laughs. It's a comedy, not Macbeth. I kept hearing how horrible it was, well guess what, surprise, surprise
the critics were wrong again! If you enjoyed the first film, you'll love the second, it was every bit as funny, if not funnier. I don't laugh easy either, but it had me rolling most of the film, in tears laughing at times. I know when to be critical and when to put the brain on pause and just enjoy a good old fashioned laugh. It has that Farelly Brothers-type gross out humor, if you enjoy that sort of thing which I do, then you'll enjoy this. If not, go rent 'Annie Hall,' and spend needless hours pining over the film's lighting and set direction, you know, 'the important things in film'...rolls eyes.

please, not a third time!
Gee, it's pretty sad to see actors of this caliber, who've been in so many memorable movies, get mired in this kind of horrible dreck.

But, this is what really offended me:in "Meet the Parents" there was one trained animal to provide a few cute jokes.In this sequel, not only did they feel the need to throw in a pathetic looking dogfor a few more "America's Funniest Videos" style laughs, they effectively used a child in the role of a third "trained animal".Sick.They must have figured that it worked well with "Mini-Me" in the "Austin Powers" sequel, so why not stick Robert DeNiro with a similar sidekick?The people who made this movie deserve a swift kick (or two) in the pants.

Clash of the Icons
Moviegoers flocked to "Meet the Fockers," making this star-studded sequel to "Meet the Parents" a box-office smash. Now that Gaylord "Greg" Focker (Ben Stiller) and his fiancée Pam Byrnes (Teri Polo) are finally getting married, it's time for Pam's conservative parents (Robert De Niro and Blythe Danner) to meet Greg's freewheeling parents (Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand). De Niro is once again terrific as Jack Byrnes, the suspicious ex-CIA operative (though Jack's obsession with the "circle of trust" has grown a bit tiresome). Stiller reprises one of his most humorous--and appealing--screen personas as the beleaguered male nurse. Hoffman gives the films best performance as Bernie Focker, a frisky lawyer-turned-househusband and Streisand is especially funny as Roz Focker, a straightforward sex therapist for seniors. Blythe Danner and Teri Polo are wonderful in their supporting roles and Owen Wilson's cameo appearance is a hoot. The DVD extras include deleted scenes, bloopers, and a Matt Lauer interview with the cast.

Total Mind Pollution... I would rather not give any stars
Listen to the people who didn't like this movie.I LOVED the first movie and watched it several times.The first movie had some crudeness in it, but most of the humor was just plain funny.This movie was nothing but crudeness and I think my IQ went down just by sitting through it.If you enjoyed this movie, you are extremely immature.There are some very funny movies out there, they just don't need to be as crude as this one.I think I only laughed once during the movie and I don't even remember when that was because most of the time I was sitting there debating on whether or not I should just turn the movie off. ... Read more

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Culled from 30 years of material, this collection of moments from The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson contains some of most inspired bits of lunacy ever recorded. Whether cajoling with Hollywood's biggest stars or normal folk with special talents, Carson was a master of finding the right joke, with timing second to none. Along with bits of his opening monologues, skits, and early standup appearances from the likes of David Letterman and Eddie Murphy, there are many highlights with perhaps the perfect Carson guest--exotic animals that stole the show. This collection was released shortly after Carson's reign ended in 1992. Although most of the tapes from his first decade are lost, there are plenty of highlights from the '70s through the '90s. Also included is Carson's touching and historic "Final Show," which finds the host simply talking to his audience and showing highlights--or just the faces--from his years on the set. Although many followed--and a few have even succeeded--Carson's Midwest charm made him the king of TV in a period when America was defined by television.

The DVD edition adds some superlative extras, including "Danger Johnny" segments from his first decade, short bits on the history of the show and the host, and more behind-the-scenes glances, including an intriguing way to watch the final show via unedited feeds from isolated studio cameras. Also included is the 1982 NBC special "Johnny Goes Home," which follows Carson on a tour of his rural Nebraska homeland, and a slightly edited version of the penultimate show, in which his last two guests, Robin Williams and Bette Midler, are on fire. These extras make the DVD, produced a decade after Carson left, a must-have piece of entertainment and pop history. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (16)

The Man Behind the Desk
In today's era of David Letterman and Jay Leno, younger generations should remember that Johnny Carson (along with his "Tonight Show" predecessors Jack Paar and Steve Allen) defined the talk-show format which made late-night television an enduring and immensely profitable enterprise. From 1962 to 1992, Carson reigned supreme as a comedian and broadcaster. Unlike Letterman and Leno, Johnny did his homework when it came to nightly conversation. No matter who sat on the couch, he remained an astute and observant host. "The Ultimate Johnny Carson Collection" is an expanded three-DVD set of "Tonight Show" highlights selected by Johnny himself, with the welcome addition of his final two programs. The set also includes the 1982 NBC special "Johnny Goes Home" -- a nostalgic, affectionate look at Carson's return to his hometown of Norfolk, Nebraska. Loaded with extras (and some recently discovered film clips from the early 1960s), the DVD collection provides first-rate material at a reasonable price. If this set leaves you wanting more, the six-DVD "Timeless Moments" series is highly recommended -- allowing viewers to see previously unavailable Carson monologues, interviews and sketches in their entirety.

Still the King!
As one of the millions that sorely miss the wit and wisdom of Johnny Carson, I was especially pleased to receive this "best of" DVD collection. The three DVD's feature the best moments from the show - divided by decade - from the 60's through the 90's, and also include the complete second-to-last show (with Bette Midler and Robin Williams) and the final show, along with a documentary on Johnny I had never seen before. The remastering quality is great. There is a fun little short film called "Danger Johnny", and one of the most interesting things about the DVD's are the ISO CAMS, that allow you to pick the camera angles to view some of the programs. You can even view scenes from Johnny's perspective. The menu options are terrific, and the packaging very deluxe. If you are a fan of classic television, this is a great addition to your library - and I plan to send them as gifts to family members I know miss Johnny too.

Disappointed
I was disappointed with this set. It doesn't give you a sense of what made you love Johnny, really. There is minimal development of the material. A couple of gags would be OK, but gag after gag left me feeling empty. Maybe Johnny is not the right person to toast with snippets; his charm came from watching an entire show, or was built up over months, years. Likewise his skill as an interviewer is lost in the short clips. Had I known, I would have taken on a pass on this purchase. Furthermore,the production is rushed and uncreative.

There will never be another...
Watching this set of dvds left me with a sense of melancholy and loss. Like spent youth and good times/people gone by. This will not... it cannot... ever happen again. Carson was a master of the Late Nite format in a very special time in our history. It was a time when true stars walked the Earth. Real S*T*A*R*S like Dean Martin, Bob Hope, Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, etc. would show up on the Tonight Show to trade quips with Johnny and we knew that we were in the presence of greatness... not foul-mouthed little Irish gits like Colin Farrell whose every second utterance is a four-letter swear-word, or the assorted giggling bimbos and boring, scuzzball, here-today-gone-tomorrow boy bands who frequent the Leno show. This rather pricey 3-disc extravaganza will take you back home and leave you wanting more. BEWARE though! The set is advertized as over 7 hours long and that is not the case. Here is the breakdown: BEST OF THE '60s & '70s (48 mins), BEST OF THE '70s & '80s (46 mins), BEST OF THE '80s & '90S (52 mins), JOHNNY GOES HOME (47 mins), SECOND LAST SHOW (32 mins), FINAL SHOW (35 mins). I work it out to just about 4 and a half hours on 3 discs. Mind you, the packaging, picture quality and menus are superb. Definately worth a purchase, but my advice would be to shop around for the best price.

Will Never Be Equaled
A wonderful look back at 30 years of late night class. It just goes to show what an awesome talent Johnny was and how far late night TV has declined. The picture and sound quality is excellent, and the extras are good, too. Johnny's 1982 special where he visits Norfolk is fun to see again as well. My only gripe is that the music montage from the last show is missing, but this probably has to do with getting all the clearances from the artists, which can be difficult. Highly recommended for all us baby-boomers who grew up with the one and only King of late night. Johnny......WE MISS YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! ... Read more

Description

Inspired by a hotel John Cleese once stayed in when he was filming "Monty Python." This complete set of Fawlty Towers episodes includes special new commentary by John Cleese. Please see individual volumes for episode descriptions. ... Read more

Reviews (166)

A great DVD set for an even better TV show
Fawlty Towers, among those who know about it, is generally considered one of the funniest television shows of all time. Created by and starring John Cleese (of Monty Python fame), each of the twelve episodes is sheer genius in some way or another.

The setup is simple: Cleese plays Basil Fawlty, the rather snide owner of a second-rate hotel. Cleese surrounds himself with hilarious characters, including his overbearing (but far more competent) wife and the bumbling but good natured waiter Manuel ("You'll have to excuse him; he's from Barcelona.") Each episode finds Fawlty involved in some scheme, which usually has something to do with abusing customers and hiding things from his wife. The plots build in classic screwball fashion, as the situations get more and more absurd while Cleese digs himself deeper and deeper into a hole. The comedy ranges from incredible dialogue to some perfectly timed slapstick, and all of it's funny.

Though I'd seen all of the episodes before many times, the DVD set was a great buy. It's packed with extras, including commentaries by the director of each episode and some really informative, in-depth interviews with John Cleese and other cast members. In fact, while I got the discs just because I wanted copies of the episodes, I've had a ton of fun with the extras. Add in fairly nice packaging (the art on each disc is hilarious) and some other cool things such as cleverly designed menus, and this is one of the better TV collections I've seen.

Well worth your money if you've never seen the show but enjoy British comedy, or if you're an old fan and looking for a new way to appreciate this great series.

Classic & Timeless British Comedy
Now almost 30 years old, this classic comedy series is still holding it's own against today's more contemporary material, and being discovered by a whole new audience. US viewers who may not have been exposed to it, may miss some of the more subtle aspects, but any fans of John Cleese, or more recently Mr Bean, will certainly find it memorable. It is NOT however Monty Python type material, for those expecting more outrageous, and off the wall satire. Basil Fawlty (Cleese) is the owner and operator of a modest seaside Hotel, and is more than ably supported by a great ensemble cast. Ever hen pecked by his domineering wife, often outsmarted, or assisted by his clever maid, and constantly frustrated by his pidgeon English speaking waiter, the results are hilarious, witty and very amusing. Some of the episodes can make the viewer cringe a little (at the frustrating aspects of Cleese's character) but the overall picture is enormously pleasing. If you have never seen Fawlty Towers, you have certianly missed out, and the DVD collection is the best buy, with ALL epsiodes, and some great extra material included. You will laugh, and laugh again at each side splitting episode which manages to be funny, without be overtly sexual, full of innuendo, and reliant on cheap laughs. Great entertainment!

Excrutiatingly Funny
You are invited to the vist the worst-run hotel in England to enjoy a mixture of slapstick and word-wit. Each episode is based around the mental unravelling of the co-owner, Basil Fawlty, as his ill-conceived schemes spiral into the ground with the aid of his long suffering hapless helper Manuel.

I third the notion that tensionfest is the word
I find little humorous about this sitcom. I actually find it all pretty nervewracking and painful to watch.

Great DVD Set - if you have binoculars
Love this series which is, IMHO, the funniest sitcom series ever shown on either side of The Pond. There's no disappointment in re-watching all the wonderful episodes.

There is, however, beaucoup de frustration with the way in which the links were designed. You have sit right in front of the TV, no more than 4' away to read the postage-sized stamps which indicate episodes, commentary, etc. (I still can't read them.)

Still, once you get going, it's hours of laughter, great performances, and great writing. ... Read more

Amazon.com

If you spliced Charles Addams, Dr. Seuss, Charles Dickens, Edward Gorey, and Roald Dahl into a Tim Burtonesque landscape, you'd surely come up with something like Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. Many critics (in mostly mixed reviews) wondered why Burton didn't direct this comically morbid adaptation of the first three books in the popular series by Daniel Handler (a.k.a. "Lemony Snicket," played here by Jude Law and seen only in silhouette) instead of TV and Casper veteran Brad Silberling, but there's still plenty to recommend the playfully bleak scenario, in which three resourceful orphans thwart their wicked, maliciously greedy relative Count Olaf (Jim Carrey), who subjects them to... well, a series of unfortunate events. Along the way they encounter a herpetologist uncle (Billy Connolly), an anxious aunt (Meryl Streep) who's afraid of everything, and a variety of fantastical hazards and mysterious clues, some of which remain unresolved. Given endless wonders of art direction, costume design, and cinematography, Silberling's direction is surprisingly uninspired (in other words, the books are better), but when you add a throwaway cameo by Dustin Hoffman, Law's amusing narration, and Carrey's over-the-top antics, the first Lemony movie suggests a promising franchise in the making. --Jeff Shannon

A Message from Count Olaf

Dear Adoring Fan of Count Olaf,

Count Olaf

*Count Olaf will not be held liable or accept blame in any way for any and all liability, loss, damage, or personal injury (including death), without limit and without regard once Aunt Josephine is thrown in, due to the unpredictable behavior of hungry leeches.

Stills from Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (Click to Enlarge)

Violet, Count Olaf, and Klaus	Aunt Josephine	Count Olaf and Aunt Josephine	Directing Jim Carrey
Klaus, Mr. Poe, Sunny, and Violet	Count Olaf	Olaf Ascending	The Baudelaire Orphans

All Things Snicket

See a complete list of all Lemony Snicket's creations, including books from the Series of Unfortunate Events, calendars, and more.

The Essential Lemony Snicket Books

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Ominous Omnibus, Books 1-3	The Situation Worsens: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 4-6	The Dilemma Deepens: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 7-9
The Slippery Slope: A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 10	The Grim Grotto: A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 11	A Library of Unfortunate Events, Books 1-10
Behind the Scenes with Count Olaf: A Series of Unfortunate Events Movie Book	Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography	The Puzzling Puzzles Activity Book

More from the Movie

Original Movie Poster

Soundtrack

Wall Poster

Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events Computer & Video Games

For PS2

For PC

For Xbox

For GameCube

... Read more

Reviews (254)

Well Done, Witty
This is a VERY witty, whimsical, and surprisingly dark film. I don't see very many similarities between this and Harry Potter, like everyone says. The only Harry Potter that is remotely similar is Prisoner of Azkaban.
I really enjoyed this movie, you will too.

Lemony Snicket
I love his books!They are so facinating!Sometimes I just can't put them down! I first started reading them in 6th grade then I just couldn't stop.Then I decided to get my own copies of all of the books.I like Lemony's sense of humor, especially in Book 1, on page 94.Authough I wish he would continue with the series by writing books 12 and 13 because I would really like to find out if the Baudilares will really defeat Count Olaf an his troupe for good.One more thing:In the movie they pronounce Klaus as (Kl-aW-se) and Olaf as(O-lav).I prefer to pronouce the names (clause)for Klaus and (Ol-if)for Olaf. It is ok if you don't but my preferances would make more sense.
Thanks
P.S. My favorite is Violet, authough you may have a different favorite.You should read the books....I have a feeling you would love them.

.... GOOD ART direction doth naught a moving picture maketh
'SOMEONE' should REALLY have a frank discussion with Mr. Carrey ~ [a super talent - really] about these artistic career choices that lead to cul-de-cat-in-the-sacks ?????

REALLY a dreadfully, boring little feature, showing lots of $$$ on screen, but Oh My - the Horror! The Horror!

Meryl Streep with a REALLY bad wig, check the hairline .... ditto Jim's eyebrows ...... and the Count Costume [Goodness is he ?? over? Andy Kaufman?] but do check 'Heartbeeps' the lost Kaufman movie with Bernadette Peters - and compare the costume[s].

.....pity ....[and was that a tribute to Robin William's 'Popeye'?]

Good but the books are better!!
When I got this I thought I would like the books better and well I was right. Don't get me wrong it was good but it was hard to follow if you didn't read the books. Defintely read the books before watching.

Why Lemony, why?
How could Lemony Snicket allow Hollywood to do this to his great books? Lemony Snicket wrote 11 books of "A Series of Unfortunate Events.I have only the first 9 but that doesn't mean I can't bash this trash.
Let's talk about the story: Three children who have this really big house with a library and everything lose the house and their parents in a fire.The children now become orphans and have to live with their third cousin four times removed (or was it fourth cousin three times removed?) named Count Olaf (Jim Carrey).Olaf is a mean greedy man who intends to have the three orphans killed in order to get a hold of their tremendous fortune their parents left behind before the fire.
That's also the story of the first book.What the movie does is it tries to get cute and funny (far more than the books).The books were hardly ever cute and funny.They were serious and (as the title tells you) unfortunate.They were describing the pain and misery that the three children had to go through in their lives.The movie turns them into kids you couldn't give a crap about.
Another thing I hate about this movie is that they started out with the first book and went to the second one without having the first one end the way it did in the book.Then they skipped a bunch of parts in the second and third book.Instead of going to the fourth book, the movie actually ends the same way the first book did (just thought that those of you who have read the books ought to know that before you witness this cheesy adaptation).
Those of you who have not read the books nor seen the movie, OK, you could give this movie a try but you would probably find the books more interesting and more serious.
Those of you who have not read the books but have seen the movie and you're viewing this review just so you can say, "Oh, what a jerk.This movie is excellent", well, read a book, wait for them to make movie out of it, and then you'll know how that "jerk" felt. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Cue the Henry Mancini music and watch out for Cato--the gist of the Pink Panther series has been gathered in a six-disc boxed set. At the center of it is Peter Sellers's incarnation of inspector Jacques Clouseau, a hopelessly bumbling detective with a genius for resting his hands in the wrong place (on the surface of a spinning globe, for instance) and mangling the English language.

Writer-director Blake Edwards cast Peter Ustinov as Clouseau in The Pink Panther, but Ustinov dropped out just before shooting began. Edwards (who recounts this story in a spotty commentary track included here) and Sellers bonded over their affection for Laurel and Hardy, and immediately transformed the character of Clouseau into a walking sight gag. The first film has a delicious swinging sixties vibe, while jewel thief David Niven, Claudia Cardinale, and Capucine occupy as much screen time as Sellers.Sellers really hits his stride in A Shot in the Dark, an elegantly funny tale of Clouseau sleuthing out a murder investigation. This one introduced Herbert Lom, as the increasingly frazzled Inspector Dreyfus, and Burt Kwouk, as Clouseau's houseboy-nemesis Cato. Sellers and Edwards, whose relationship was stormy, put Clouseau aside for over 10 years, until a trilogy of mid-1970s comedies restored the character to commercial (and dare we say cultural) primacy.

Unfortunately, the very funny comeback picture, Return of the Pink Panther, is absent from this set due to rights issues with the studios involved. The Pink Panther Strikes Again has Dreyfus going bananas and targeting Clouseau; Revenge of the Pink Panther puts Clouseau in a hilarious series of disguises, climaxing in a wonderfully mounted sequence in Hong Kong. (Throughout the series, the calm, classical staging of gags by Blake Edwards reminds you of what a lost art this has become.) Trail of the Pink Panther looks better now than it did when originally released in 1982, shortly after Sellers's death; it's a batch of unused Sellers routines from previous pictures, strung together with a loose plot. In other words, it's a "deleted scenes" extra, and quite funny at times.

Subsequent efforts Curse of the Pink Panther and Son of the Pink Panther are neither included nor mentioned. A half-hour documentary gives pleasant memories from Edwards, but feels incomplete. The cartoon Panther gets his own 11-minute mini-doc, plus six cartoon shorts including the Oscar-winning "The Pink Phink." --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (32)

the best: peter sellers, blake edwards?, not so sure
I loved most of the pink panther films, I own this collection and the movie of Sellers that is left (Return of the...), but what it really fascinate me was the extras, there is a complete documentary about Sellers work and life that it is simply the best of my tv journey, not so funny, except from the abstracts of his movies, but very appealing in order to understand the great comedian and man he was.

About the movies, loved the first two classics (Pink panther and Shot in the dark), Return, which is not included, I dunnot miss, can't say i liked that one; Strikes Again it is one of my favorites, Revenge was worth of a good laugh and about the Trail I didn't see the Edwards necessity to do that films besides the need of money, everyone in this days could have save to see that sort of tribute (there is no real story there) and watch the delightful lost and new scenes (at that time) of Sellers in another extra of this collection, but, what is done is done and I can't really complain, this movies are great fun and this set? one of my favorites.

Fabulous Value, Great Films, Mediocre Extras
The Pink Panther Film Collection consists of 5 Panther films and 1 bonus disc. Only 4 of the films are worthy ('Trail of the Pink Panther' is a train wreck of a film - it's a film made of outtakes and clips from previous films tacked together two years after Peter Seller's death), and it's also missing a major Panther film ('Return of the Pink Panther') which was the first Sellers-Edwards collaboration immediately following the hiatus after 'Shot in the Dark'.

The 4 worthy films, though, shine as comedy classics, fully display Sellers' genius, witness the evolution of the Clouseau character, and feature the talents of Seller's surroundings casts and Edwards' direction. Many can argue which is the best film; I personally prefer 'The Pink Panther' followed by 'Revenge of the Pink Panther'.

The bonus disc has one documentary about the Panther films, one documentary about the Panther animation, and 6 Pink Panther cartoons. The main documentary has some good info about the Panther series, but is not nearly as comprehensive as it could be. There is no mention of the thought process behind 'Trail' and scant detail about the other films.

'The Pink Panther' has audio commentary by Blake Edwards, a trivia feature, a photo gallery, and the original trailer. The other films have only the photo galleries and trailers.

Deep insight into the Pink Panther series is missing in this collection, but it's also an excellent value for four great comedies.

Like Old Friends, They're Always Great To See!
Having been a fan of "The Pink Panther" series from childhood, I was ecstatic that this set was being released, as the films are otherwise out of print on DVD (although luckily I still have my trusty VHS copies in reserve). I am tempted to give the set five stars simply because it is a wonderful day to see these films back in print, but realistically I had to take it down a notch as there a couple of negative considerations, the most obvious of which, of course, is the absence of "Return of the Pink Panther" from the collection, ostensibly because of legal hang-ups. Whatever the cause, the absence of the first of the 1970s-era "Panthers" is sorely missed. The other minor negative is the relative absence of special features on the movie DVDs, although the original "Pink Panther" has a wonderful trivia track. I would have really loved commentary tracks with Blake Edwards and some of the actors. I am somewhat ambivalent on the extremely unusual packaging the set comes in. It is hard to adequately describe the case, but suffice it to say that removing half of the DVDs is annoyingly difficult, although it looks very stylish.

On the positive end, you get four great "Panther" movies and the bodged-together "Trail of the Pink Panther", plus a disk of extras. Some people have dismissed the extras disk as inconsequential, but I rather enjoyed it. I particularly liked the documentary "The Pink Panther Story" which was heavy on interviews and insight. I had no idea that Sellers hated "A Shot in the Dark", whereas I (and many others) think it is a perfect movie in every way. I knew that Sellers could be somewhat Mercurial to work with, but I had no idea, for instance, that he had certain colors that he would not tolerate around him, and in fact made the producers of one of the movies once repaint a train because he couldn't stand the color! Also on the disk is a documentary about the animated Panther, which is quite interesting, as well as several of the short subject cartoons, which seem selected at random. They did include the Oscar winning "Pink Phink", the first cartoon short of the Pink Panther, which was an excellent choice. "Psychedelic Pink" included an annoying laugh track, and "Pinkfinger" was one of the weaker of the cartoons, which I have great recollection of from childhood. Interestingly enough, there are two related subject cartoons, one each of the Ant and the Aardvark, and The Inspector (in a fairly weak episode) to round out the extra disk.

This is a great set overall, with just a couple of things bringing it down to a four rating. I recommend it to all "Panther" fans everywhere, and to anyone who loves to laugh.

great, but what about return of the pink panther?
i think its great they decided to put these classic films into a set finally. but what about return of the pink panther? even though it isnt as popular as the others, its still a part of the series, and i think its a great one as well. as someone else said they should've put all 8 films in a set. that would be awesome, but all the same, this is a must have dvd set.

Massage, anyone?
MGM's "Panther" set wastes no time in showing off its quality once the menu queues up, as the tenor-sax notes of Henry Mancini's eternally cool theme song slink out of the speakers. Director Blake Edwards delivers a delightful solo commentary on the first and best film, "The Pink Panther."

The DVDs' fine (5.1) audio is complemented by the vivid widescreen images on the first "Panther," a gorgeous relic of the swinging '60s. The reproduction allows contemplation of detail such as the amazing topography of David Niven's hair. There's a lot for the Technicolor to take in -- fabulous clothes, beautiful people and to-die-for European locations.

A half-hour docu on the "Panther" films checks in with the series' surviving principals. A brisk DVD documentary tells the tale of the Pink Panther cartoon character, found money for Blake and his partners. A bonus disc collects the Panther's animated adventures.

The five original "Panther" films collected in this set range from the nostalgic pleasures of the first to the sludge of "Trail of the Pink Panther" -- a barely watchable collection of Sellers outtakes borne along by a why-bother story -- but with Peter Sellers onscreen the laughs never completely faded away. DVD viewers are both warned and encouraged. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Season 2 of I Love Lucy includes two of the most famous half-hours in television history. "Job Switching," originally broadcast mid-September of 1952, is the crazy, battle-of-the-sexes episode in which husbands Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz) and Fred Mertz (William Frawley) trade roles with wives Lucy (Lucille Ball) and Ethel (Vivian Vance), culminating in the men making a shambles of domestic chores while Lucy and Ethel take disastrous work at a chocolate factory. That's right: This is the show where the ladies have a Chaplinesque experience with a too-fast factory conveyor belt, forcing them to hide candies in their mouths, in their hats, and down their blouses lest a tough forewoman fire them for incompetence. A half-century later, the scene is still so fresh and funny it would grace any current sitcom. "Lucy Goes to the Hospital," which received an amazing 71.7 rating on January 19, 1953, is the historic episode featuring the birth of Little Ricky and a load of wonderful slapstick. Other television series (The Dick Van Dyke Show) and movies (Nine Months) have tried to top Lucy's time-to-go-to-the-hospital shenanigans, but there's nothing like the sight of Ricky and Fred falling all over themselves or Ricky showing up at the maternity ward (direct from a voodoo-themed show at the Tropicana) in witch doctor makeup.

The other 31 episodes included in I Love Lucy: The Compete Second Season have choice moments, too. "Lucy Becomes a Sculptress" finds the ever-ambitious redhead falling for empty flattery at an art-supply store and commencing an ill-advised career working in clay. Ricky agrees to bless this new endeavor if an art critic says she has talent, but Lucy tries to increase her chances by posing as a bust of herself--resulting in mayhem, of course. The usual running themes in I Love Lucy--Lucy's misguided desire to be a part of Ricky's musical career, and her penchant for disguising herself to investigate something--are all over The Complete Second Season. "Ricky Loses His Voice" is a delightful piece in which Ricky's laryngitis inspires Lucy, the Mertzes, and an aging chorus line to put on a Tropicana spectacle, and "Ricky Has Labor Pains" finds Lucy and Ethel going undercover as male reporters to find out what happens at a stag party.Lots to enjoy here, and the special features include bloopers, information about the guest cast, and snippets from Ball's radio show. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (4)

I Love Lucy is the best!
I'm sixteen but I absolutly love I love Lucy. I started watching them when the DVD's for the first season came out. I am so excited to be getting the next season all at once and at half the price of season one. Season Two has some of my favorite episodes like Job Switching, Lucy is Enceinte, and Lucy Goes to the Hospital

Here are 32 More Reasons We Love Lucy ...
THE sitcom of all sitcoms -- the one show where you could watch many episodes 1,463 times (as most of us have) -- and they'd still be funny as hell, the Queen Mother of all sitcoms finally gets its 2nd-season release on August 31st - at a MUCH more reasonable price than season one, thank God!! This is classic Lucy, while the gang was still in New York and Lucy was very much still trying to get into the act.

Here's how Season 2 breaks down, in all its glory:

1. The Anniversary Present - Ricky enlists the aid of a beautiful neighbor to buy Lucy pearls for their anniversary ... and Lucy thinks he's having an affair!

2. The Handcuff - The Ricardos get cuffed together before Ricky has to do a big show.

3. The Operetta - Lucy's women's club stages an operetta, "The Pleasant Peasant," with Lucy writing a post-dated check to pay for everything (Lucy as the Queen of the Gypsies ... HYSTERICAL!!)

4. Job Switching - THE famous "candy factory" job episode!

5. The Saxophone - Lucy pretends to have another love to keep Ricky from going on the road with his band.

6. Vacation from Marriage - The Ricardos and Mertzes take a break from their in-a-rut marriages ... and find they are miserable.

7. The Courtroom - The Ricardos & Mertzes end up in court over a busted television.

8. Redecorating - Lucy is desperate to win a home-decorating contest.

9. Ricky Loses His Voice - Lucy takes over the show at the Tropicana when Ricky gets laryngitis.

10. Sales Resistance - Ricky demands Lucy ... a sucker for any sales pitch ... return a vacuum cleaner she was talked into buying.

11. The Inferiority Complex - Lucy feels inferior when no one laughs at her jokes or wants to play bridge with her.

12. The Club Election - Lucy and Ethel's campaigning against each other for the Wednesday Afternoon Fine Arts League presidency gets way out of hand.

13. The Black Eye - No one believes Lucy really got her black eye from Ricky tossing a book to her.

14. Lucy Changes Her Mind - When Ricky complains that Lucy never finishes anything, Lucy reconnects with an old beau to get even.

15. Lucy is Enceinte - the beautiful, exceptional episode where Lucy struggles to find the right time to tell Ricky she's going to have a baby (touching ending!).

16. Pregnant Women are Unpredictable - Lucy feels neglected when Ricky seems to give all his attention to the upcoming baby.

17. Lucy's Showbiz Swan Song - Lucy fails to get into Ricky's Gay Nineties Review ... until she sneaks in on the barbershop quartet number.

18. Lucy Hires an English Tutor - Hans Conreid guests (hysterically) as an English tutor Lucy hires so that the baby will be surrounded by adults who speak properly.

19. Ricky Has Labor Pains - Ricky develops his own labor pains when jealous of the baby's attention; Lucy has Fred throw him a Daddy Shower that turns more into a stag party ...

20. Lucy Becomes a Sculptress - Lucy takes up sculpting so the baby will learn about and appreciate art.

21. Lucy Goes to the Hospital - The episode that beat out President Eisenhower's inauguration in the ratings; Lucy gives birth to Little Ricky.

22. No Children Allowed - A crotchety neighbor, Mrs. Trumble (in her first appearance on the show), complains about the baby's crying ... as babies are not allowed in the building leases!

23. Lucy Hires a Maid - Exhausted with caring for the baby, Lucy is talked into hiring a maid, who turns out to be a cantankerous biddy Lucy nor Ricky then have the nerve to fire!

24. The Indian Show - Baby or no, Lucy is going to get into the act at an Indian-themed show at the Tropicana.

25. Lucy's Last Birthday - A sad Lucy thinks everyone has forgotten her birthday ... and her (TRIVIA: This was the one and only time the lyrics to the "I Love Lucy" song were heard).

26. The Ricardos Change Apartments - Lucy convinces Ricky they need a bigger apartment, now that Little Ricky has arrived.

27. Lucy is Matchmaker - Lucy causes the usual disaster by trying to match a friend of friend of the Mertzes ... a lingerie salesman who thinks Lucy is hitting on him!

28. Lucy Wants New Furniture - Lucy buys new furniture without Ricky's consent, and tries hiding it until she can work up the nerve to tell him.

29. The Camping Trip - Lucy decides to pursue some of Ricky's interests, to show they have more in common.

30. Ricky's Life Story - Ricky's big feature in "Life" magazine resurrects Lucy's desire for a show biz career.

31. Ricky and Fred are TV Fans - Ricky and Fred are so glued to the TV for a fight, the girls leave the apartment, nearly get arrested -- and the men never even knew they were gone!

32. Never Do Business With Friends - An argument ensues when the Ricardos sell their old washing machine to the Mertzes ... and it breaks down.

At half the price of Season 1 (which needs serious re-boxing), Season 2 of "I Love Lucy" is not only affordable -- but necessary to anyone collecting classic comedy, as it has some of the best episodes of the entire series! Get yours fast -- and lets hope they sell well enough to make Paramount push out Season 3 right away!

Better format, better price, same dvd quality
Season 1 episodes on dvd have picture and sound quality that are unbeatable. The packaging, unfortunately, was done in a way to jack the price way up. Now we have season 2 in a more concise format, half the price, and most likely the same superior restoration and fun extras. This is the season with the chocolate factory episode, the baby episodes, and a lot of other hidden gems. Let's hope this one sells so well that we don't have too long for the rest of the seasons on dvd!

Lucy Ricky Fred & Ethel They Were The Best Ever.
I Have been watching Lucy for 42 years now. At least once a day. If she is on it doesn't matter what else is on WE watch Lucy! Some could say it's a cult. I say it is a time that I would like to have seen more of being born in 1960, I just missed the real deal. I cannot wait for the Second and All the other seasons. Does that sound good. I love Desi & Lucy JRS. too. They made me cry in their 50th anniversary special.
Anyway Enjoy The Show...... Rickrocksem ... Read more

Reviews (5)

1969?
awesome movie, very well written and acted, honest, touching.

An excellent debut
I was lucky enough to see "Garden State" at the LA Film Festival, where it was the centerpiece attraction, as it was at Sundance, where it won top honors.

As well it should have been. It is EXCELLENT.

This is Zach Braff's masterwork, a film that by all accounts should not have been made ("hi, i am the funny guy from "Scrubs," can you help me make a movie I have written, directed and want to star in?")

This is the story of Andrew Largemann (aka "Large" to his buddies) who has to fly across the country to attend the funeral of his mother.

(...) Just An Awesome Film
Zach Braff proves he's a master at both writing and directing. This film is so wonderful-- it's simply a great story. It's got the feel of other films that also tell great stories, like Lost in Translation or Pieces of April. All great.

This is the story of Andrew Largeman (Braff) who lives in L.A. as a wannabe actor. It's been nine years since he's been home, and the death of his mother is what takes him back to the garden state.

Braff plays this character with excellence-- fun, but perhaps misunderstood, with a lingering sadness. Everyone else in the movie is just as wonderful. Natalie Portman plays the eccentric Sam, who when they first meet, tells him to listen to a song because it will change his life. Peter Sarsgaard plays Largeman's partying friend-- talk about a scene stealer!

When this film comes to a theater near you, I highly recommend seeing it. It's the perfect movie to see when you need a break from the typical summer movies that you seem to see every year. Garden State boasts a fantastic script, great acting, awesome cinematography, and everything else someone could want in a wonderful film.

Not perfect, but highly recommended
As most of my moviegoing experiences these days have been, I sat in a room full of college students who lined up hours in advance to see The Garden State. And we watched in utter amazement, sadness, excitement, laughter...not even because it was THAT good, but because we were watching perfect reflections of ourselves on screen.

After the screening, Zach Braff (who had, he told us, been sitting behind the audience the entire time) talked to us about his film, answered some twenty-odd questions, and truly revealed why this film was a piece of art. Yes, Braff himself was almost as entertaining as the movie itself. But The Garden State still held its own.

Braff's debut film as writer, director and star, The Garden State involves the protagonists' (Braff) journey to re-find himself as he travels back to his home town in New Jersey. Previously defined by his tidbit roles as a Hollywood actor and his parentally diagnosed psychological illnesses, Braff rekindles old friendships and makes new ones along the way. Natalie Portman, who gives an outstanding performance, plays possibly the most well written female role I've seen in a long time. The energy exuded from her presence on screen is unmatchable and a wonderful contrast with Braff's underplay of his character.

The plot has its moment, but is nowhere near the dynamic adventure of an oscar winning story. However, the little things carry the film. Also, the music is AMAZING and Braff's choice of soundtrack is most certainly one of the success stories of his film.

The film is not without faults, such as lack of exploration in certain storylines (especially concerning the protagonist's father and the introduction of numerous characters who are never fully developed). However, the film's unique and intense direction and cinematography coupled with some brilliant acting make this film a must see. Especially for the college generation.

Not perfect, but highly recommended.

Self-indulgent and ultimately disappointing...
I saw an advanced screening of "Garden State" at a film festival. I was eager to see it since early buzz had been good. Although I give high points to Zach Braff for attempting a literary movie, I was ultimately disappointed by his egotism. More than once I was taken out of the movie by Braff's obvious attempts, as writer and director, to cast himself as both a comedian and leading man. The story, which could just as well be titled "When Anne Tyler met Harold and Maude" strains under too much contrivance and deliberate quirkiness. The basic problem with the movie is that is overdoes almost every element -- there are too many characters, too many pointless subplots and scenes, and the central characters, played by Braff and Natalie Portman (in an ultimately annoying performance), are given too much screen time. If "Garden State" had been edited down to 90 minutes, it might work. As it stands, at 120 minutes, it is overdone.

One reason to see the movie: Peter Sarsgaard. He steals every scene as a dirtbag high school friend of Braff's character. He is a great talent, and deserving of better movies than this one. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Homey Don't Play That!
Getting this DVD brings back many memories of the early 90's. I use to love watching In Living Color with my family every week. This skit show was ripe with great talent, and season 3 was one of the best seasons they had. This is the season that Jennifer Lopez joins the cast (it's been fun watching that `fly girl' dance!!). One of my all time favorite skits was Homey the clown, I loved it when he'd hit people over the head!

This DVD set has all of the original 30 episodes on 3 two-sided disks. Each disk has brought me hours of enjoyment, memories, and laughter! This is an awesome set, and I believe it is a must have for all In Living Color fans!

...A Historic Show
How could you not love this show? This show was hilarious! This is one of the shows that stands out in my mind when I think of shows that came on in the '90s. This was it. This was what we all crowded around the television on Sunday night for. Homey Da Klown, The Homeyboy Shopping Network,