Amazon.com

It's hard to believe, but for the first three seasons nobody really knew that Seinfeldwas about, well, you know. It wasn't until season 4--unleashed here in a four-disc set that's equal in scope, quality, and quantity of bonus material to its predecessors--that the show really became something. In a series which can claim every installment as classic, the two-parter on disc 1 titled "The Pitch/The Ticket" truly stands out as a defining episode and, in retrospect, marked Seinfeld 4 as the breakthrough season. It's the one where (fake) NBC executives express their interest in working with Jerry Seinfeld on a TV show, then moves to the who's-on-first shtick of George successfully pitching Jerry on creating "a show about nothing." Scattered throughout the discs in commentaries by cast and creators and in numerous "Inside Look" documentaries, nearly everyone expresses some anxiety about the season having a story "arc" depicting Jerry and his "real" life becoming a sitcom. The show had been only marginally successful up to that point anyway, and with the edict, "no hugging, no learning," still in place, maybe messing with nothing was a bad idea. What makes the arc so arch is the self-reflexive way it details the reality of Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David coming up with the concept and pitching it to (real) NBC executives as a show that really was about, well, you know. In one of the many informally informative interview segments, Jerry remembers hitting a stride during this time when a lot of crazy ideas started to make sense. "Everything was just a wild guess," he says, "and it takes a while to get confident that you're guessing pretty good. I think sometime in season 4 we realized we were guessing pretty good." Oh, that we could all be so good at nothing.

Season 4 also gave us the episodes "The Bubble Boy" ("He lives in a bubble!"), "The Pick" ("There was no pick!"), and, perhaps most memorably, "The Contest." Recalling how nervous he thought NBC might be about a show based on how long a person can remain--ahem--master of his domain, Larry David says that he kept the idea hidden for a long time. He may have had NBC sweating, but the episode goes by without anyone uttering the word that it's really about. The curmudgeonly David also observes that another famous season 4 episode, "The Outing," only made it on the air due to a network "note" about making sure it wouldn't be offensive to homosexuals. Hence we have the addition of another standard to the Seinfeld lexicon of American pop culture: "Not that there's anything wrong with that!" Not only wasn't there anything wrong with it, the episode won a GLAAD Media Award. Season 4 also brought Seinfeldits first Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series. Stay tuned for season 5 (and a move to the coveted Thursday-at-9 slot) when the volcano we now know was always brewing really blew its comedic top. --Ted Fry ... Read more

Reviews (56)

Breakout Season
Seinfeld season 4 is definately the breakout season. Season 1-3 were good, but don't even come close to touching season 4. With episodes like the emmy award winning episode "The Contest", "The Bubble Boy" and "The Smelly Car" Seinfeld showcases their creative genius. This is a must have gift for any seinfeld lover. To the customer who reviewed this show one star. Seinfeld may not be your comedy, you have to keep in mind everyone has different types of comedy. If a sitcom were completely realistic they wouldn't be as funny. Alot of the episodes are based on things that actually happened to the writers. I don't know if it was a joke that you don't like seinfeld or you really don't, but don't review the show to be incredibly stupid. You are obviously a very serious person and don't like to laugh thats all I can say

AWESOME!!!!!!!
OH MY GOD!! I LOVE THE 4th SEASON! This is one of the funniest Seinfeld seasons ever!! I have pros and cons about this season, I'll share them with you.

PROS: This season had more Kramer appearences!! For all you Kramer lovers, that must have been the best part of the season! (I admit it...I LOVE Kramer!)

Jerry's stand-up has gotten funnier than seasons one, two, and three.

This season has more "surprise humor" (the unexpected). Example: Jerry and George write a sitcom pilot for ABC, and both of them don't really think it's funny enough, but they bring it in to show the ABC producers anyway. But when Jerry and George show it to the producers, they end up roaring!! They love it! I wasn't expecting that!!

Another pro is, Jerry was so funny, that I'm starting to imitate his material!! (Not stealing, imitating.) Like, I'm starting to say things like, "Not like there's anything wrong with that", and things like that.

Now for the cons.

Cons: This season was too mature. I didn't like all the sexual stuff, and all the cussing.

Now for my recommendations.

I would recommend this season of Seinfeld for Kramer lovers. I would also recommend this for anyone who likes to just let loose and laugh 'til the cows come home...ok, not THAT long, but it sounds good! Or maybe laugh 'til you fall off your seat!

I would NOT recommend this season for people younger then 13, or people who don't approve of cussing and sexuality.

OK, overall, this is one of the best seasons of Seinfeld ever!! BUY IT TODAY!!

the best season ever
widely regarded as the best season ever in the history of TV- seinfeld season 4 changed our lives

Excellent!
This is THE BEST TV box set I have EVER purchased.High quality media, packaging, and special features make this something that I've been watching on a day to day basis since its release.The second I opened the box I had to sit through and watch every episode at once before I could rest.

Seinfeld has been around for ages and has always been one of the greatest shows, but this season really jump started the program and gave viewers something new to get a better understanding of the show and its focus on...well, nothing.

If you plan on purchasing any season of Seinfeld, but are not sure about quality, or the show itself, start with Season 4, and I guarantee you will immediately own Season's 1-3 as well.

Question de goût!
Au contraire de notre ami au commentaire accerbe qui aimerait bien frapper les amateurs de Seinfeld, j'ai moi adoré la saison 4, celle ou vraiment le show commence a s'affirmer! L'humour de Seinfeld est particulier, et la question ici n'est pas de savoir si on tolererait une personne qui agit comment eux agissent, mais plutot de realiser la justesse avec laquelle les auteurs de cette série dédramatisent la vie quotidienne. ... Read more

Amazon.com

James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano in a not-so-nice mood

Facing an indeterminate sentence of weeks/months/years until new episodes, fans of The Sopranos are advised to take the fifth; season, that is. At this point, superlatives don't do The Sopranos justice, but justice was at last served to this benchmark series. For the first time, The Sopranos rubbed out The West Wing to take home its first Emmy® for Outstanding Dramatic Series. Michael Imperioli and Drea de Matteo also earned Best Supporting Actor and Actress honors for some of their finest hours as Christopher and Adriana. From the moment a wayward bear lumbers into the Sopranos' yard in the season opener, it is clear that The Sopranos is in anything but a "stagmire." The series benefits from an infusion of new blood, the so-called "Class of 2004," imprisoned "family" members freshly released from jail. Most notable among these is Tony's cousin, Tony Blundetto (Steve Buscemi, who directed the pivotal season three episode "Pine Barrens"), who initially wants to go straight, but proves himself to be something of a "free agent," setting up a climactic stand-off between Tony and New York boss Johnny Sack.

Carmela and Tony

These 13 mostly riveting episodes unfold with a page-turning intensity with many rich subplots. Estranged couple Tony and Carmela (the incomparable James Gandolfini and Edie Falco) work toward a reconciliation (greased by Tony's purchase of a $600,000 piece of property for Carmela to develop). The Feds lean harder on an increasingly stressed-out and distraught Adriana to "snitch" with inevitable results. This season's hot-button episode is "The Test Dream," in which Tony is visited by some of the series' dear, and not-so-dearly, departed in a harrowing nightmare. With this set, fans can enjoy marathon viewings of an especially satisfying season, but considering the long wait ahead for season six, best to take Tony's advice to his son, who, at one point, gulps down a champagne toast. "Slow down," Tony says. "You're supposed to savor it." --Donald Liebenson

Explore More
For an even deeper immersion into the world of crime (movies, that is) see our guides to crime classics and our who's who compendium of famous mob bosses.

Bada Bing! More of The Sopranos at Amazon.com

The Complete First Season	The Complete Second Season	The Complete Third Season
The Complete Fourth Season	Seasons 1-5	The Sopranos Family Cookbook

... Read more

Reviews (26)

The Goombas Are Back In Town:WARNING - SPOILERS
Time to stuff your face with pasta and wave your hands around when you talk, dropping an F-Bomb every other word - the long anticipated season 5 of the Sopranos is finally available on DVD to satisfy America's love affair with the mafia and pretending to be Italian.

Now here comes the shocker: you may have already heard this, but Season 5 reveals to us that Tony Soprano is Darth Vader's father.Also, the five families get together and put a hit on Meadow - putting US all out of our misery.Thank GOD.Junior gets a prescription for Viagra - and the best of all:Janice dies from choking, due to stuffing her face with a 96 ounce steak.Nobody has the physical strength to remove her fat @ss, so she's buried right there in Artie's restaurant.

The cover of this set - inspired by scenes from Dante's Inferno - was a horrible choice.It really bugs me.I hope season 5 is good.Haven't seen it yet, so don't spoil it for me.

The Best Aphrodesiac on Television
Maybe we have been too influenced by the Tarantino ultra- violent popular culture zietgiest machine, but my baby and me watch this show and afterwards we get it ON!

The sex, the violence, the food! These good-fellas and their exploits are da bomb!

A perfect warmup for animal passion with methods we learned on the dvd NEW SEX NOW...

Sometimes I fantasize about Tony and his hooker on the boat.

Oh my!

WHAT A SEASON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
what an amazing season. from the bear to tonys standoff with johnny sac over his cousin. pretty close to the best season if not the best season so far!

The Sopranos - The Complete Fifth Season
This Is a great Season and a great show but all the actors heads and wallets are starting to baloon way too big(James Gandolfini) Come on, they are acting like babys that are spoiled by their mother!! It really ruins the show when I think back to James Gandolfini holding out on the contract(like he ever had a better role in his life) HBO made him and he should be very thankful to them, as for me I wont buy this dvd but instead I ask all of you to buy HBO's Deadwood!!! better storys and a truling addicting show. HBO, Fire James and put the saved money into New Pilots and greatness will rise from the Soprano ashes, You have done it many times now and will again. Thats all I have to say about that. John Reynolds, Santa Barbara, Cal

Back in Business
After the 4th Season's emphasis on the Soprano domestic front, the 5th Season returns to the "family business" with a vengeance.

But, with all the backroom maneuvering, parking lot beatings, and streetside shootings, the most powerful moment came with the ultimate fate of Adrianna: after all the episodes and seasons that entertained and endeared us to this family, THE SOPRANOS reminds us of who these people really are.
It almost felt like the viewer got whacked at the end of the 5th Season.Pretty wild.

As usual, I can't wait for the next (and supposedly final) season. ... Read more

Amazon.com

No other show captures the ebb and flow of day-to-day human relationships like Six Feet Under, which chronicles the dysfunctional lives of the Fisher family, who run a funeral home in Los Angeles. Though the overt theme of the series is mortality--every episode opens with the death of someone whose body will end up on the Fishers' slab--but the third season, even moreso than the first two, explores the intertwining struggles for connection and for personal freedom. The season starts slowly but compellingly, laying out the changes in the Fishers' lives. Nate (Peter Krause, We Don't Live Here Anymore) has married and has a baby. David (Michael C. Hall) is settling into tense domesticity with his angry boyfriend. Claire (Lauren Ambrose) has launched into art school. Ruth (Frances Conroy), their mother, is reaching out for companionship from an emotionally stilted young intern, and Brenda (Rachel Griffiths, Hilary and Jackie), Nate's ex-fiancee, has apparently vanished from their lives.

But as storylines unfold across the 13 episodes, the emotional heft of the season comes from the expanded roles of the family's intimates. Federico (Freddy Rodriguez), who has leveraged his way into a partnership with the Fisher brothers, finds himself fighting to be treated as an equal at work and struggling with his wife's depression at home. Trying to sort out their relationship, David and Keith (Mathew St. Patrick) negotiate everything from therapy to threesomes. Meanwhile Lisa (Lili Taylor, I Shot Andy Warhol), Nate's unhappy wife, increasingly becomes the center of the season as her jealousy and need become unbearable. Though big events happen, the most jolting drama on Six Feet Under comes from small conflicts--miscommunications, crossed desires, habits that don't mesh. The cast, writers, and directors can, with breathtaking skill and subtlety, spin a brief conversation into a microcosm of the character's lives. By this third season, the show has taken on the richness and complexity of a great novel; it's an impressive and deeply enjoyable achievement.--Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (39)

I want more!
I only watch the show for two reasons: David and Keith. I like everybody else, but seeing them together makes me happy. I hope they can put their heads together and get help. I want them to salvage whatever it is to save the best "gay" relationship on TV today. The show is ground-breaking, and having interesting and thought-provoking characters like David and Keith make me tune in every week to see what happens. I love the show! Keep up the great work! Matthew.

Not Bad
I have been following SFU as it has been released on DVD. I have to say that I am not a fan of Season 3. It has become a bit soap-opera-ish. Season 1 and 2 made you think and relfect on each episode, and the person who died in it, and what you could learn from their death. This one seems to have forgotten that; with the characters being two dimensional.I hope it picks up in Season 4.

Saying that, I still think this is an awesome series.

Very good, but not as good as seasons 1 and 2
Six Feet Under is one of my favorite shows - I love the writing; the realistic, flawed, and very likeable characters; the storylines; and the great acting. Watching 6FU on DVD is really the way to go - you watch on YOUR schedule - no more waiting a week for new episodes.

If you haven't seen Season 3 yet, I won't ruin the surprises that are in store for you, I will just try to set up what happens.

The first episode resolves the cliff-hanger from Season 2 regarding Nate's brain surgery.The episode also fast-forwards a few months, and we see the Fisher family having gone through some changes.Nate's situation is very different now - Brenda is out of the picture, and Nate's daughter Maya is a bigger part of his life.In Season 2, Lisa moved to LA to have Nate's baby, and in Season 3 she is a regular character on the show.She and Nate go through some interesting stuff, and later in Season 3, Brenda shows up and complicates things.

At the end of Season 2, David and Keith were together again, but having rough spots; now they are going to couples counseling to work on their issues.Ruth is now newly single, having left Nikolai the florist, and there's ample room in her life for a new friendship with an eccentric character played by Kathy "I'm your number one fan!" Bates.Ruth's love life also gets some attention in Season 3.At the end of Season 2, Claire was just about to start art school; in season 3, her storylines revolve around art school, another student, and a teacher there.By the end of Season 3, just about everyone is at a crossroads.

Like Seasons 1 and 2, Season 3 has plenty of very dramatic, emotional scenes that are so well-written and so well-acted, they really make you FEEL what these characters are feeling.For us viewers, the experience of seeing them suffer is visceral.

But unlike Seasons 1 and 2, season 3 doesn't have as much dark, quirky humor (like in Season 1 when Ruth accidentally took the ecstasy that David hid in the aspirin bottle).I missed this.

The first half of Season 3 is a bit uneven - some episodes and storylines are great, others feel like filler to keep things moving along.The second half is really great, compelling, like a great page-turner that you don't want to end.Be warned: the last 4 episodes, while riveting and incredibly well-acted, contain some pretty depressing stuff.Also be warned that the last episode's very last scene, while excellent, will leave you wanting more.

One thing I loved about Seasons 1 and 2 was the epiphanies or transformative growth that one of the main characters would sometimes experience as a result of their interactions with the families of the people that die at the beginning of each episode.This happens much less in Season 3, unfortunately.However, toward the end of the season, Nate starts seeing connections between his own situation and that of the families of the deceased.And in the last episode, there's an extended scene involving Claire, her deceased father, and other characters in Heaven (don't worry - Claire's not dead) that brings a sense of resolution to a number of storylines that had been kind of left open, and is really quite beautiful.

All things considered, I definitely recommend Season 3, but the first half of the season is not quite up to the standard of excellence set by Seasons 1 and 2.

the last of the best
I have long believed that SFU was the best written/acted show on television (excuse me-it's not television it's HBO).In the opinion of a rabid fan season three was the last really primo season for this masterpiece program.Season four was so forced it was just lost in space.It wandered aimlessly until Lisa's body was found (ding dong the bitch is dead!) and Nate got himself beaten senseless to demonstrate his guilt.Back to season three.I believe it was the best of SFU and I will ad it to my collection of seasons one and two when released in May.I have no plans to watch season five when it begins in June.Season four destroyed my interest in this superb series and I am truly saddened. This is one program which should have ended after season three. It's sad when producers drag a story line out beyond it's logical and qualitative end point for the sake of money. I have canceled HBO because I can't bear to watch season five drag it down further and SFU was the only reason I subscribed to HBO in the first place. At least I'll soon have the last of the best three seasons to enjoy as reminders of one of the top five shows of all time.

Season Three
Season three starts out with a bang. The first episode shows a completely different life for the protagonist Nate. For the rest of the Fisher family everything is different too. To start off Rico has become a partner and Claire has started art-school. Ruth is getting fed up with Nikolai. The season's main brilliance comes in its incredibe developement of all the characters. Although it's sad to see Claire out of highschool, without her shrink, without ParkerMcKennough, she goes through a major transition through her interactions with Russel and other art school friends. Ruth becomes close with Bettina (played by Kathy Bates) who is looking after her sister while she gets rid of a Vocodin addiction. Brenda is seeking help for her sexual addiction.

The brilliance of the show is only furthered for the characters as this season appears to be a season of transition in their lives.

The cast continues to rock out in this season and Alan Ball and Laurence Andries continue to kick ass with their intense cinematography and beautifully crafted Los Angeles landscapes. Unlike many shows that depict California as a land of promise Six Feet Under portrays it in it's independant apathetic reality. The show also shows how the landscape as affected it's characters, mainly Brenda and Claire. ... Read more

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Under intense scrutiny, the debut season of Enterprise earned a passing grade from critics and Star Trek fans alike. Voyager ended its seven-season run just four months earlier, and fans were skeptical when Enterprise premiered (on Sept. 26, 2001, on UPN) with a theme song ("Where My Heart Will Take Me," composed by Diane Warren and performed by Russell Watson) that defied Trek's revered theme-music tradition. This and other early reservations were dispelled when "Broken Bow" got the series off to a satisfying start, beginning in the year 2151 and establishing a pre-Federation focus on humanity's delicate relationship with the Vulcans, the controversial launch of the NX-01 Enterprise on an exploratory mission, and the potentially devastating consequences of the mysterious Temporal Cold War involving a time-traveling splinter group of the Suliban, a nomadic alien race. While establishing a testy relationship between Enterprise Capt. Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) and his smart-and-sexy Vulcan Sub-Commander, T'Pol (Jolene Blalock, in a short-banged wig and form-fitting "catsuit" that were later redesigned), the series introduced engineer "Trip" Tucker (Connor Trineer), whose surprise development in "Unexpected" made him a fan favorite; communications officer Hoshi Sato (Linda Park); helmsman Travis Mayweather (Anthony Montgomery); weapons expert Lt. Malcolm Reed (Dominic Keating), and chief surgeon Dr. Phlox (John Billingsley), a well-mannered Denobulan recruit from Earth's Interspecies Medical Exchange.

As a "prequel' series that predates the original Star Trek by 150 years, Enterprise built upon established Trek lore with episodes involving Vulcans ("Breaking the Ice"), Klingons ("Sleeping Dogs"), the blue-skinned Andorians ("The Andorian Incident," "Shadows of P'Jem"), and the Ferengi ("Acquisition") while offering stand-alone episodes (notably "Dear Doctor," "Fortunate Son," and "Shuttlepod One") that further acquainted fans with the Enterprise regulars. Early Trek technology is also introduced (including "phase pistols" and the rarely used, still-risky transporter), and the series drew strength from what many felt would be its primary weakness: unwritten history and the initial indecisiveness of Archer's bold foray into the unknown. Ending with a dazzling "Shock Wave" cliffhanger that leaves Archer stranded in a decimated Temporal Cold War future, Enterprise set a strong foundation for the events of season 2.

The bonus features included on the Enterprise: Season One DVDs are almost worth the price of the set, if only to see nearly nine minutes of hilarious outtakes, maintaining a beloved tradition of Star Trek bloopers. The sight (and sound) of Jolene Blalock laughing out of character is pure gold, and it shouldn't surprise anyone that Blalock is just as smart as she is sexy, as proven by her astute observations (along with the rest of the Enterprise cast) in the "Cast Impressions" featurette. It's the usual complimentary fluff included with all Trek sets, but it's obviously sincere, confirming fans' conviction that Enterprise should have lasted beyond four seasons with this close-knit ensemble. Series creators Brannon Braga and Rick Berman deliver a typically dry commentary on "Broken Bow," setting the record straight on debate over the show's "not retro enough" production design (as Braga notes, "you can never please everyone") while defining their concept of "The Right Stuff of Star Trek." As always, Mike Okuda's text commentaries offer a wealth of Trek trivia and detail from Trek's historical canon.

Fans will love the "Enterprise Secrets" revealing low-tech solutions to lighting the warp core and dispensing "replicator" beverages, along with an entertaining profile of Vaughan "Admiral Forrest" Armstrong, who holds the record for Trek guest appearances. The other featurettes are perfunctory, but "Creating Enterprise" provides valuable first-season perspective, and the "Time Travel" feature offers a handy reference for the many time-travel episodes from every Trek series. As usual, Easter eggs (three of them, titled "NX-01 Files") are hidden on the special-features menu, offering short interview clips culled from the primary featurettes. The deleted scenes demonstrate how non-essential material can be sacrificed, and because they don't include post-production sound or visual effects, fans can see and hear the actual soundstage atmosphere of Enterprise's principal photography. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (149)

Brilliant Series - Congratulations Berman, Braga & Team
I really didn't know what to expect when I bought this series. I saw a few shows on TV (in Australia) but they didn't grab me. I just finished watch all the series 1 DVDs... Brilliant. Enjoyed every episode. I think TV has had its day with adverts it does not interest me at all. But these WideScreen 5.1 DVD episodes were fantastic. At first I was worried that it was not futuristic enough, but then they introduced the temporal cold war theme and I was hooked (I'm a sucker for time travel). What a series cliff hanger!!

If I could give this DVD box set more than 5 stars I would. Well on Berman, Braga & Team. Sorry the series was canceled.

shame, sadness, and a few good moments
I just finished rewatching Firefly, and Enterprise is a real frustration in comparison.I sort of like Enterprise.I love Star Trek.I'd say about 23% of the episodes in Season 1 are really interesting.30% are almost exact copies of episodes from the other Star Trek series.For the most part, the writing is really lazy.The writers treated Enterprise like Voyager, which was a boring nowhere concept that they KNEW didn't work.The ship should have been teetering on disaster, exploring the strange and beautiful.Instead, the Enterprise crew were like stupid rednecks with no common sense meeting boring aliens.And the Jolene Blalock T&A scenes are inexcusable and insulting.Shame on you Berman and writing staff.Enterprise does get really good in Season 3 and Season 4.It's too bad the writers didn't treat the franchise like it was in trouble from the beginning.For your money, buy Firefly and the complete Deep Space Nine series.When Enterprise Season 3 comes out, start there.

Attention to Details
I'm am amazed at the detailing of these series, like the Andorians Antenna's that move & convaye their emotional states.
Sorry UPN didn't keep the show on, I think they should take the show to like one of the Pay channel -like ShowTime-
the New Remakes of The Outer Limits started on ShowTime first, then later to Independent TV.. The DVD's Are Great!!!

One of the best Star Trek series ever!
Enterprise was without a doubt one of my favourite Star Trek series, if not my favourite. Its quite sad that the show didn't make the cut, and get a fifth season, but at least they will live forever in the DVD box sets. They are certainly a must have for any "Enterprise" fan!

Only because I can't give this show zero stars.
The latest incarnation of Star Trek devised by producers/writers Rick Berman and Brannon Braga, this show promises a lot, as did Voyager, but never delivers.These writers are so dedicated to a cynical view of what the audience wants and are so formulaic and uninventive in their approaches that this show is just as dumbed-down as Voyager, always heading toward unsuccessful action-oriented and suspenseful scenes to avoid significant character development;and when character exploration is done, it's so awfully clichéd that it stinks of superficiality and remains unmoving.

Back in 1997, Berman was quoted in TV Guide as admiring the awful "Hercules" series, which essentially took the "Baywatch" premise and added bad action sequences and worse drama.He said he wanted Star Trek to attract that audience.So, in that year, Voyager brought in the curvacious Jeri Ryan (who's actually a good actor) in tight-fitting clothing -- so tight she fainted at times.This became Star Trek's new mission:appealing to people's pornographic desires in the guise of bad stories set in space.Even some of the actors and writers started to speak out about how uninspiring it was to work on Star Trek Voyager.

This same writing/producing duo went on to create "Enterprise", along with a cheesy, soft-pop intro to win over the stereotypically unintelligent WB-type youth demographic.The first episode saw them apply a disinfectant ointment on Jolene Blalock's slinky bikini-and-panty-clad body;over the years there were so many instances of using Blalock's body, I couldn't tell you about them -- mostly because I couldn't continue watching this awful show;the latest incarnation of which I know (since, like a hopeful fool, I gave the show another chance in season 3, when most shows get a lot better) was Blalock naked and topless holding her (...)in hand asking another officer to massage her, while she moaned orgasmically.This all is decent soft porn, but not what the audience should expect from "Star Trek".Now, to the actor's credit, she very much resented being used like this and protested the writers' intentions.

Even TNG saw a significant dumbing down in its later years, as Berman took over.Any Star Trek story in which these two were significantly involved was always bound to stem from cynical calculations rather than the potential to write as good a story as was possible.See, for example, all the Next Generation movies;now, compare those to Star Trek 1 through 4, and you''ll see what I mean.

Now, there is a happy ending to this depressing tale of Star Trek's decline, and that is "Deep Space Nine" (1993-1999), which remained largely out of these writers' grasp.During its run, the show was mostly guided by Michael Pillar and the ingenius Ira Steven Behr, who -- along with some great writers -- always tried to make the show the best they could, and succeeded in creating something amazing by Season 4.When action was done, it was always exciting, too, propped up by great drama and fantastic secondary and primary characters.

(...) ... Read more

Amazon.com

Senior year meant some surprising changes for the Gilmore girls, as both Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Rory (Alexis Bledel) wrestled with their pasts in order to figure out what the heck they were going to do with their futures. In the wake of finding out that her relationship with Rory's dad was not to be rekindled, Lorelai endured a variety of suitors as she attempted to keep her life on an evil keel--not easy when her former flame's girlfriend was pregnant (and clueless), her former fiancé shows up unexpectedly, and her beloved inn suffers some unforeseen damage. If it was minor drama for Lorelai, it was full-fledged soap opera for Rory, who broke up with longtime boyfriend Dean (Jared Padalecki) in the wake of her attraction to the moody bad-boy Jess (Milo Ventimiglia), only to find her new relationship fraught with difficulties. Add to that the pressure of getting into college (Harvard or Yale?) and stressful senior class politics at the snooty Chilton private school, and it's a wonder she still had time to crack wise at breakneck speed with her mom and the rest of Stars Hollow.

The center of the third season of Gilmore Girls was the Rory-Dean-Jess triangle, which played out with surprising sensitivity and not a bit of sadness; it all came to a head in the episode "They Shoot Gilmores, Don't They?" in which Rory and Lorelai's quest to win a dance marathon ends in tears and break-ups. The year's teen drama did have a tendency to put the adults on the back burner, but the luminous Graham made the most of her character's dilemmas, whether gauging her growing attraction to diner owner Luke (Scott Patterson) or wrestling with her parents' continuous meddling. While it is hard to pinpoint a specific compelling story arc for this season, that doesn't mean it wasn't filled with the charm, smarts, and rapid-fire dialogue that made Gilmore Girls one of the brightest shows on television. Stellar supporting turns from Liza Weil as Paris, Rory's friend and nemesis by turns, and a pre-O.C. Adam Brody, as a band member who falls for Rory's best friend Lane (Keiko Agena), also punctuated the drama of the season with great comedy. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Une petite précision
Je viens de recevoir ce coffret et, comme celui de la saison 2, les DVD semblent être dézonés. Je peux parfaitement les lire sur tous mes lecteurs zone 2. Cela est d'autant plus bizarre qu'il y a bien marqué qu'il s'agit d'un zone 1 sur la boîte. Enfin, c'est une bonne chose sachant qu'en France, ce coffret ne sortira probablement jamais.

Un mot sur la série elle-même : Gilmore Girls est l'une des meilleures séries produite par la télévision américaine ces dernières années (à égalité avec Veronica Mars). A voir et à revoir.

Gilmore Gilmore I love you!
I just finished watching season 3 and now I'll have to wait for season 4. First of all, I was a little startled with the skimppy packaging. What happen? I guess they just want to cut cost?
Anyway,back to my review. I love this season as the previous. I still can't believe they haven't added a commentary or some sort for some episodes like some other movies or series. I'm a little bit disappointed.
A nice bonus/extras on the actors comments on their childhood,short but cute.
I like the part where Kirk shows some dance moves.
One addition I like to see in the future's dvds besides the commentary from the actors and director is adding the Stars Hollow map where the viewer can have a virtual visit to this beloved town.
I love Gilmore Girls and I know when the 4th season comes out,I'll be first in line to get them.

YAY!
I really love this series. The writing is well done. I can't wait until season 4 comes out!

Gilmore Girls is a must see tv show
Gilmore Girls is one of the best shows people aren't watching and yes that was in a news story not too long ago and yes there right. The humor and what I call banter make the show awesome. The references that they use will probably make some people not understand what they are talking about but not to worry the internet can help you out with that and in Season Two DVD they have a little refernece to help those in need out. I will be sad when the show goes off the air, hopefully not for a couple of years but thank god for the DVD's. It's how I overcame the sadness I had after the ending of "Friends"

Gilmore Girls - A reason to watch TV, Again!
There are occasions when a rating systems just isn't enough.On the scale of 1 through 5 stars, I'd give it a "10".

Not only is this a highly enjoyable watch, it is intelligently written & performed by a group of actors that seem purposely born to do this show!

To say Lauren Graham is superb as Lorelai, is a gross understatement!She, along with Alexis Bledel (Rory), Scott Patterson (Luke Danes),to mention but a few, bring back memmories of the classic style of Gary Grant and Rosiland Russell in 'His Girl Friday' - no small feat.

Kudoes to the writters, actors, and supporting cast members for a highly paced, witty, and enjoyable comedy-drama.

If you have only one series to buy this year, please do yourselves a favor and catch-up on the best show on T.V., in a very long time.Buy all three seasons!

I'm set and waiting for the fourth season to be released!


Carolyn R. Koller
Columbia, PA ... Read more

Description

Based on the bestseller by Stephen E. Ambrose, the epic 10-part miniseries Band of Brothers tells the story of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army. Drawn from interviews with survivors of Easy Company, as well as soldiers' journals and letters, Band of Brothers chronicles the experiences of these men who knew extraordinary bravery and extraordinary fear. They were an elete rifle company parachuting into France early on D-Day morning, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge and capturing Hitler's Eagle's Nest at Berchtesgaden. They were also a unit that suffered 150 percent casualties, and whose lives became legend. ... Read more

Reviews (703)

Band of Brothers - The Complete 10 Chapter Miniseries
This 10 chapter miniseries set is an exquisite mix of Saving Private Ryan with the documentary feel of an A&E type production and the drama, look and the inevitable touch of Spielberg/Hanks brilliance and genius.

Incredibly real and gut wrenching, the miniseries begins at 101st Airborne Division training camp at Camp Toccoa, USA. Whereupon we learn about the tough reality of being in the Airborne Division and the severity of living under a military chain of command. Under the command of Lt. Sobel, Easy Company is trained and drilled every single day until they become on of the best companies in the Division, a fact that will prove to be woeful in battle.

At long last (2 years in training) the Allies have concocted a plan to start the invasion/liberation of Nazi occupied France and Europe. D-day is gruesome but Easy Company is more terrible events are yet to come.

As we follow along the story, we slowly get into knowing people like Lipton, Luz, Perconte, Winters, Buck, Bull, Skip Muck, Popeye, Guarnere and many memorable characters who we see triumph, survive and perish in the cruelty of war.
We are taken into the very jaws of the enemy at battles like Foy, Carentan, Bastogne, the Eagle's nest, all these in the dreariest and bitter conditions of bad weather and lack of supplies. We are also shown the harsh confrontation and evil they were up against when Easy and other companies face the concentration camp in Landsberg.

A miniseries all WWII fans and followers are sure to enjoy, hands down a top 5 stars and Thumbs Up.

You will enjoy it.

Powerful testament to the human spirit
BAND OF BROTHERS (USA/UK TV 2001): The trials and tribulations of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, from the D-Day landings in Normandy to their capture of Hitler's Eagle's Nest in Austria at the end of World War II.

Co-produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, HBO's epic 10-part miniseries (based on a terrific bestselling book by the late Stephen E. Ambrose) was the most expensive TV undertaking of its day, costing a massive $120 million to produce. And, as the old saying goes, every penny is up there on the screen. Borne from the success of Spielberg's SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (1998) - with which it shares a similar dramatic and visual style - BAND OF BROTHERS' recreation of a glorious (and hard-won) chapter in American history assumed an even greater patriotic significance during its initial US broadcast, when it coincided with the horrific attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center in September 2001. Written with economy and grace, and directed with emotional intensity by a series of directors (including Phil Alden Robinson, Richard Loncraine and Hanks himself) whose combined efforts achieve a genuine aesthetic uniformity, the movie is a masterpiece of storytelling and historical documentation. Punctuated by horrific battle sequences, in which the camera is placed within mere inches of the death and destruction, the film manages to transcend its educational remit by its relentless focus on the human cost of war. Almost every episode opens with testimony from surviving members of Easy Company (none of whom are identified until the end of the series), which further strengthens the emphasis which BAND OF BROTHERS - book and film - places on the bonds which drew them together in times of conflict. And, because it's a true story, there's no telling from one episode to the next which of the 'characters' will live or die, which makes it all the more potent and visceral.

The entire production represents quality writ large: Beautifully filmed on various European locations (including the UK and Austria), the movie is noble without being the least bit pompous or austere, and it manages to humanize a large cast of essential characters with small touches of humanity and humor, all of which serves to heighten the sense of terror as they descend into the maelstrom of conflict. The first - and longest - episode is deceptively staid, featuring David Schwimmer (a long way from TV's 'Friends') as the bullying, cowardly commanding officer Herbert Sobel, whose tyrannical methods nevertheless shaped Easy Company into a fighting force which eventually cut a swathe through the heart of occupied Europe. Brit actor Damian Lewis takes the spotlight thereafter as Easy Company's most respected platoon leader, Richard Winters, with Ron Livingston as his right hand man, Lewis Nixon. Other standout performances in a flawless cast include Matthew Settle as battle-hardened platoon leader Ronald Speirs whose wartime career was distinguished by numerous acts of bravery (fuelled by a unique - if morbid - personal philosophy), Shane Taylor as company medic Eugene Roe, Neal McDonough as 2nd lieutenant 'Buck' Compton (laid low by his horrific combat experiences), and Donnie Wahlberg as 1st sergeant C. Carwood Lipton, who maintained the morale of his fellow soldiers, even when the odds seemed stacked against them. Every episode has its merits, but stand-outs include David Leland's 'Bastogne' (ep. 6), which recounts the horrendous circumstances surrounding Easy Company's involvement in the Battle of the Bulge, and David Frankel's 'Why We Fight' (ep. 9), in which the full horror of the Nazi regime is uncovered in a German forest. Additionally, the closing moments of chapter 10 ('Points', directed by Mikael Salomon) are truly heartbreaking.

Like the movie itself, HBO's region 1 DVD is magnificent. Housed in a beautifully embossed metal case, all ten episodes are spread across five discs (running a total of 624m 23s). The image is letterboxed at 1.78:1, anamorphically enhanced, and picture quality is stunning throughout, with faded colors (a deliberate artistic choice) and strong contrasts. The Dolby 5.1 soundtrack is spectacular and horrific, designed specifically to immerse the viewer in some of the most terrifying battle scenes ever captured on film. Closed captions are included, though there are no open subtitles. Crucially, each disc contains biographical information on the soldiers represented in every episode, which allows the viewer to keep track of an extensive array of characters, and there's a useful glossary, map and timeline of Easy Company's advance across Europe. Perhaps the number of chapters per episode could have been doubled (as it stands, there are six for each instalment), but that's a minor glitch in an otherwise exemplary presentation. The sixth disc in HBO's package contains a fascinating, feature length documentary on the real members of Easy Company (essential viewing), and a series of video diaries by actor Ron Livingston of the boot camp to which many of the cast were subjected in preparation for filming, during which the actors seem to have cultivated the same bonds of friendship experienced by real soldiers in combat situations.

It's doubtful that a more fitting tribute to the men of Easy Company could have been devised than BAND OF BROTHERS, a truly remarkable experience, given the Rolls Royce treatment on DVD. By turns engrossing, provocative and deeply, profoundly moving, it stands as a testament to those who fought and died for our freedoms, almost a lifetime ago.

Who did save Europe?
I have seen this mini-series and like every movie that will ever be made by any film maker (US, Ireland, China, Germany, etc…) it is not an accurate account of what really happen. If the US did not save Europe who did? Was it the Russians, the French, the German’s? I forgot the German’s where conquering Europe. Ireland, who did HELP save Europe? Any way, I am thankful and grateful for all who fought to free Europe and the rest of the countries in this world. I am a naturalized citizen and retired member of the Arm Forces of the USA, who with out their sacrifices I would have not been able to come to this great, wounderful, and giving nation I call my home. It also shows the stupidity of the leadership of all nations, but most of all it shows the prize that Americans paid for the freedom we have today. God bless all those who fight for freedom. This is what this movie is all about, FREEDOM!

Idiot's guide to WWII
This tripe just reinforces the idiotic opinion held by so many Americans that "America saved Europe" from the Nazi's. Rubbish. Read a good book instead.

"It appears the Germans are bad, very bad."
I was lucky enough to catch this excellent mini-series on a replaying on the history Channel because 1.) I don't have HBO and 2.) I don't have over $100 to spend on this box set. But I wish I did. This is probably the best war movie I have ever seen. It follows Easy Company, probably the most famous platoon of world war 2 from their training in boot camp, to the very end at hitler's "Eagle Nest." They were a platoon that suffered 150% casulties.

With the exception of its length (over ten hours) this is right up their with a big bedget movie. It has great actors, awesome cinemetogrophy, and great war special effect. Don't let the fact that this tv miniseries is a wimpy piece of junk. It's not! Because it was on HBO, the makers made sure to keep it realistic with the violence (lots of blood, injures, lossed limbs, etc...), theirs bad language and even a little nudity. So don't let a little kid watch this. The late Michael Kamen provides the excellent score and really provides a ambient backdrop to the sorrow and loss and horrible side of war.

If you are at all interesting in Worl War II or like war movies in general. You must do yourself a favour and check this masterpiece out. You will not be dissapointed. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Unlike the good doctors of the 4077 (otherwise known as "this hellhole" and "sewer"), M*A*S*H shows little signs of fatigue in its eighth season. Familiar characters reveal new sides of themselves and the series itself performs some radical surgery on sitcom convention. The most pivotal personnel change is the departure of Gary Burghoff, the only ensemble member to have appeared in the original film, as Radar. His splendid two-part send-off sets the stage for one of the season's best episodes, the Emmy-nominated "Period of Adjustment," in which Klinger (Jamie Farr) must begin to make the role of company clerk his own, and family man B.J. Honeycutt (Mike Farrell) is devastated when a letter from home relates how his baby daughter called a visiting Radar "Daddy." Pompous Charles Emerson Winchester III (David Ogden Stiers) gets his "Of course I care" episode when he tends to a classical pianist who has lost the use of his hands in "Morale Victory." Harry Morgan, as Colonel Henry Potter, was honored with an Emmy, most likely for the emotional episode "Old Soldiers," in which he receives word that the last of his World War I band of brothers has passed on. Loretta Switt was also saluted by the Academy for her work this season. Among her best episodes is "Are You Now, Margaret?" in which she is accused of being a communist sympathizer.

Two episodes truly distinguish themselves: "Life Time," which unfolds in real time as the doctors race against the clock to perform an emergency procedure that requires a graft from a dying soldier; and "Dreams," writer-director Alan Alda's Emmy-nominated, love-it-or-hate it episode that visits the nightmares of the sleep-deprived doctors. M*A*S*H continues to walk the scalpel's edge between hilarious comedy ("Too Many Cooks," "April Fools") and powerful drama ("Heal Thyself, in which a visiting doctor suddenly suffers a break down, and "Guerilla My Dreams," which climaxes with a tense standoff between the doctors, who have saved the life of a wounded female Korean guerilla, and the North Korean officer hellbent on executing her. As with past M*A*S*H sets, viewers have the preferred option of viewing the episodes without the intrusive laugh track. But we're putting whoever's in command on report for yet again not managing to stitch together any kind of cast commentary, interviews, or archival goodies. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (24)

A great series, but SO SLOW in getting it all out--WOW!
There is little to add to any previous praises for this set, but that never stopped me before. MASH is without a doubt my favorite TV series ever. I put it above "The Andy Griffith Show" and "All in the Family" (other personal favorites), as one the finest sitcoms ever put on TV, and there are many fine ones.

The movie was a tremendous picture, IMHO, and the TV series was even better. Why? Many reasons including cast, writing, chance to expand on the characters more each week, and overall just plain great TV. I won't list all the characters and bore you with stuff you probably know better than I, but it suffices to say, the series was put together with complimenting, professional personalities. I have seen every episode, in reruns--several times over, even before this series of DVDs began to come out. Each time I watch one, I almost feel as if I am back in very familiar surroundings with close friends. Weird?? I suppose, but each time I watch any episode, even though I have seen it several times before, I enjoy it more.

My only complaint is, and many others have said the same thing, it is taking a very long time to get the series out--almost six months or more between each of the seasons.Take a hint from the "Combat" TV series sets--AND GET THE REST OF THIS OUT! I am an old man and would like to get them all before I am gone. Please! I hope they don't stop this series before completion, as sometimes happens.

If you like "MASH", the TV series, as I do, this is a must.

If the shark *really* has to jump...
...it'd probably be in season 8. Yes, every season since the departure of Henry and Trapper has been cited as a shark-jumping season, but for me if a shark jump has to happen, it'd be now. I still love MASH till the end, but this season is where the little changes along the way finally become pretty major changes.

And I'm not talking about Radar's departure either, which is definitely the main reason to own this set. After Wayne Rogers and Larry Linville practically vanished, it was nice for a cast member to get a proper send-off, and Radar's absence is felt within the season's storylines and the series. Incidentally, the notes in the insert booklet mention the network initially shot down the "goodbye episode" idea that Gary Burghoff wanted. Better this than the nasty internet rumour that Gary was coerced back by the network so the two-parter could air for the ratings sweeps.

There are more standouts this season: an episode with a real-time clock where the doctors rush to save a solider from paralysis, a hilarious episode where Hawkeye and BJ boost camp morale before everyone decides to "kill the cook," and a personal favourite of mine where a new surgeon covering for Potter and Winchester cracks under the stress. There's also the infamous "Dreams" episode, which is either a very introspective drama or pretentious melodrama depending on your tastes.

But like I mentioned before, season 8 has signs that MASH will never be the same. BJ's pink shirt and suspenders begin making more appearances, and coupled with the mustache he starts looking a geriatric old man in pink long johns. Margaret's hairstyle also changes for the worse, not to mention her complexion is altered by what looks like cosmetic surgery. More episodes are filmed indoors, as use of the ranch was becoming limited by this season. An appearance by Robert Alda as Dr. Borelli (whom I loved in season 3) has him more as Alan Alda's dad than the actual character. And Mike Ferrell writes and directs a pointless love letter to his character, where BJ falls for another woman (again) and resists her. At least there was drama in the previous version, where BJ actually slept with the woman.

In all, I do recommend this season, but there are definitely changes here that could be labeled "shark jumping." If you buy this set and can accept the differences, you'll be ready for the last three years of MASH(season 9 in dec??? geez....)

Quit after Four or Five Years, I DON'T Think So!
To paraphrase, 'no show should run over four to five years.'That is insane.M*A*S*H was an excellent show that kept fans watching for 11 years, and not just out of loyalty.The creators, actors, directors, and writers of M*A*S*H realized that a good show should have a mixture of comedy and drama.The variety of humorous and dramatic, heartwrenching episodes that season eight offers is just an example of why this show has captivated generation after generation of audiences over the thirty plus years since its debut.I'm only 19, and I have seen every single episode of M*A*S*H at least three or four times, if not more.I own every season thus far released. And season eight will hit my DVD player this afternoon.M*A*S*H didn't rehash scenario after scenario; it presented the evolution of the characters over time, as the horrors and obscenities of war aged and wisened them over a few short years.Buy season eight.Buy 1-7.And Buy seasons nine-11, yet to come.They are well worth the money.Quit after four or five years, I don't think so.

Great Shows should always go on this long!!
Contrary to William Smith's review, this set is well worth it. 25 episodes? The great thing is that all of the episodes have been retored to their original running length. The earlier seasons were 3-4minutes longer (Per episode) than what you'll see in re-runs. In a 24 episode season, that's about an hour and a half. Sure, you don't get Surround Sound, etc, but the shows were never broadcast in Surround. If you want to see these shows like you would have if you were sitting in front of the TV in the late 70's, then pick this up!

Also, there is a separate version of the MASH series available at certain retailers. Each disc of the season is available for separate purchase. Those versions should not be confused with these, the COLLECTOR'S EDITIONS.

This show was always good!!!
For all you so called MASH fans that thought the show started slipping around this time, obviously you didn't get the show.The show was always character driven thus it became more of a drama.If the show continued to be slapstick like in the first two seasons it would have become a cliche.So the characters became more real ; they even made Winchester more likeable.The creators of this show only quit after they couldn't find anything fresh unlike most other shows that rehashed their plots. So for this and all past and future MASH dvd releases, they all get five stars. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Once in awhile a show comes along that breaks the mold. Most such programs fail, but Joan of Arcadia set out to do something new, beat the odds, and found an audience. Created by Barbara Hall (Judging Amy), it’s a unique hybrid of My So-Called Life, The Commish, and--well, something different. Unlike CBS predecessor Touched by an Angel, faith creates more questions than answers (and God even has a sense of humor).

Joan (Amber Tamblyn) is an ordinary 16-year-old. Father Will (Joe Mantegna) is the local Arcadia police chief, mother Helen (Mary Steenburgen) is a teacher/administrator, younger brother Luke (Michael Welch) is a fellow student, and older brother Kevin (Jason Ritter, son of John Ritter) is a high school graduate who was paralyzed the year before. He used to be popular and athletic. Now he watches TV and builds models. In the pilot, God speaks to Joan for the first time, as a cute boy, and asks her to get a job. Once she's convinced He's really God, she does. Her action inspires Kevin to get one, too, and his process of rejoining the world begins.

As in Joan Osborne’s theme song, "One of Us" (featured on two episodes), God will continue to appear to Joan in a variety of guises--even as a dog walker who looks like Russ Tamblyn (Amber's father). He’ll often ask her to do things that make her uncomfortable, but she'll always learn from the experience and some good will always come from it. Unfortunately, she isn't able to talk to anyone about this or they'd think she was crazy, not even friends Grace (Becky Hahlstrom) or Adam (Christopher Marquette). By the season finale, faith will be replaced by doubt, setting the scene for the second season, in which Joan’s faith will be restored. --Kathleen C. Fennessy ... Read more

Reviews (49)

The best show to hit television!!
Joan of Arcadia is the best television show ever!Even in its friday time slot, I found myself sitting at home watching this great program.The characters work so well together and the writing is superb!This show did not deserve to be cancelled.I will dearly miss this program.I recommend this DVD to anyone.

Excellent
I love this DVD set, loved the show, and cannot believe CBS cancelled it after only 2 seasons. It was one of the few intelligent programs offered by network TV, and didn't take the usual TV cop out - when characters have a problem, it isn't solved in a single episode, and they do not end every episode with a smile, a hug and a 'the moral of our story is...', but there's a deep emotional message that comes through and the fact that this may be the only season available on DVD makes it all the more poiqnant. Watch for the talented cast members to move on to bigger and better things than disrespectful network primetime, and watch the DVD. It's good for your soul.

I Love This Show
Best show that has been on tv in years. It makes you want to keep watching.

SOBERVIOUS
This series go straight from the heart.
I don't understand, how CBS cancel this emmy nominated series.

Emotional, dramatic, funny, believable, unique ... and gone?
When the 1st season aired in germany, it got my attention at once. Of course this is just my oppinion but Joan of Arcadia continues the traditions of some great shows in the past like Buffy or Dawsons Creek without copying it.

Nice, believable & loveable characters and that kind of great emotional storylines that make you cry and laugh at the same time.

The whole cast with leading actress Amber Tambyln is doing a wonderfull job in giving life to the characters and creating that kind of atmosphere that makes you part of the story in front of the screen.

And I was really shocked when I heard the CBS canceld this fantastic Emmy winning show. Actually I really don't understand it at all and I still won't give up hope that anonther network will pick it up ...

The DVD box itself delivers a very good bargain for your money. All episodes of the 1st season in very high quality including additional features and very interesting audio commentaries.

Go out and buy it. You won't regret it. :) ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

While more cautious fans may want to pick and choose among the previously released individual volumes of Monty Python for their collection, true Pythonites will want to own this definitive, 14-volume DVD-only boxed set that contains all 45 episodes (in chronological order) of Monty Python's Flying Circus. This "persistently silly" collection encompasses three-and-a-half seasons of dead parrots, cross-dressing lumberjacks, loonies, upper class twits, and spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, baked beans, spam, spam, and spam. Click past the occasional clunker and go directly to such signature sketches as the Ministry of Silly Walks, the Spanish Inquisition, the Fish-Slapping Dance, the Dead Parrot Sketch, the Lumberjack Song, the Cheese Shop, the Argument Clinic, and Nudge, Nudge. Taken as a whole, one marvels at how Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Terry Gilliam thoroughly subverted television convention with "something completely different," like sketches with no punch lines ("Your average TV viewer isn't going to understand this").

A warning to the uninitiated: there is much "material that some may find offensive, but which is really smashing." Violations of something called the "Strange Sketch Act" are the least of the troupe's offenses, as witness the Oscar Wilde Sketch, the Dirty Vicar Sketch, and the Most Awful Family in Britain Sketch, all of which achieve "the really gross awfulness" all Python fans are looking for. Say no more. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (87)

CHEAP COLLECTION OF FLYING CIRCUS AT COSTCO
I would definitely recommend this to true Pythonites, but I found the set for a whole lot cheaper at Costco. Only 89.99. It's the cheapest I've seen it anywhere. With 14 DVDs, that's about 6.50 per DVD. And there's no shipping or handling costs.

The Best Possible Thing in This Price Range!
Don't Be Scared off by the price. If you decided to look into this item you've probably seen the Holy Grail and either Meaning of life or Life of Brian (or both). If not, go do that. Holy grail is the best thing for the un-initiated. The features are awesome. I love the Useless Tidbits and clips of the Live at the Hollywood Bowl Show (available on Monty Python Live!). Do yourself a favor and buy it. As a follow-up get And Now For Something completely different. Watch each episode from start to finish in order!

It's Only Money!!!
I contemplated buying this set due to the hefty price. But hey, how much is it worth to you to relive all those hilarious memories over & over again! I just watched the parrot sketch with my 11 year old daughter (I'm now pushin' Rolling Stone age) and we had a great laugh together. Plus, if you first saw these shows in your early teens, like I did, you'll pick up on a lot more of the subtle & adult humor presented here; humor you may have missed the first time around. So......you can't take it with you so you might as well spend it wisely. Buy this set and I guarantee you will not regret your decision. Add to cart and don't look back!

Vicious fun with nothing spared with MP humor
This box set of DVD's culled from all the MP shows is literally a treasure. I have so many favorite episodes that it would cheapen it to say one DVD is better than the other (although the episode 21 from second season containing the sketch 'Archeology today' is simply brilliant)... the genius that was/is MP is the acute grasp of what they were trying to portray in intellegent manners in the silliest way possible. You know these folks were very smart, yet they acted so immature and goofy... and linked it all together.

I still find every episode funny, and I never seem to find any of the material boring or overdone.. I can literally watch this set anytime anywhere for any reason at all. Simply a treasure that should not be missed, either new to MP or an old fan like myself.

If you don't want to buy the whole set, you can get them in two packs... but really folks, that is a waste of money since you will most likley get them all. This is worth every penny and then some.

Everyone says it, but it is really true here, this deserves a couple of more stars at least!!!

Have fun.

Who screwed it up, Gilliam?
Naturally this is a must-have. Possibly THE greatest film humor work of the 20th century. I mean it; don't let this go out of production without buying it. One BIG GRIPE, though: I don't know whether it was Gilliam who did the programming or what, but number one, every blinking time you want to watch a particular sketch you have to suffer through a very long, pointless intro of Gilliam's animation (which I'm so sick of at this point I could puke), with the Skip function disabled, and number two, the programming apparently hides some stuff so you only see it if you get to it the right way. That's not humor at all; it's just antisocial. I watch mine far less than I would because of the intro problem, and I'm ripped about it because I love the sketches so. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

To Be Continued
I am a big Star Trek fan and I enjoyed the idea of going back to where it all began, 150 years from now but also 150 years before the original with Capt. Kirk and crew.The problem I have is the continuing story line that started at the end of season 2.There are too many shows on TV where you have to have seen the previous show to know what's going on.It works for Deadwood and Desparate Housewives, but not for Enterprise.They tried to fix this in season 4 where they were like a series of mini series, but I much prefer stand alone episodes.I have some life and don't have time to keep up with all the shows that are now using this soap opera format.To be fair to this second season most of the shows are stand alone but ends with a major cliff hanger.Season 3 is one very long episode.

Well written, acted, and filmed - just one thing wrong...
As a long time fan of the Star Trek franchise, I tend to be among the more lenient fans as far as where the writers and producers take the stories.I suppose this is what to expect from a fan who was drawn in by Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed Enterprise as a series on it's own, but it is very obvious that there are differing views on where the fans wanted the series to go as opposed to the writers.

I understand the producers desire to explore new ideas (Temporal Cold War, Xindi) but we Trek fans are nitpickers, and there were so many good opportunities to "fill in the gaps" created by the other four series.What caused the various conflicts with the Klingons and the Romulans?How was Section 31 started?And season four left me wanting for more about the early development of the Federation.

There were some very notable episodes this season, particularly Carbon Creek, Horizon, and Bounty.Minefield makes you want for more of the origins of the Starfleet-Romulan conflict, and Dead Stop seems to foreshadow the Borg storylines better than Regeneration, as I feel it was unnecessary to actually have the Borg in Enterprise at all.

The ultimate shame is that the last season was the one that the fans wanted, and was actually so good that I was anxiously awaiting the next episode after watching each weeks' story.It might be nice to see an occasional made for TV movie with this cast, maybe with a creative idea for a Romulan war (hint, hint.)

I will say, though, if you are only willing to invest in a single season, wait for the fourth one.It's truly worth it.

The Worst of the Four Seasons
If in season one "Star Trek:Enterprise" lurched to its feet like an amnesiac zombie formerly known as "Star Trek:Voyager," it just resigned itself to keeling right back over by season two.Retread plots, inconsistent characterizations, and a thumb to the nose regarding continuity with the original series were just some of the offenses that helped drive millions of viewers away.Most of the blame rests with the producers, who seemingly saw fit to endorse these obvious shenanigans, and the writers, who took a paint-by-numbers approach to plot and dialogue. Scott Bakula, despite a fine turn in "Quantum Leap," continues to register "zero" in the charisma department; it's amazing that William Shatner is so often lampooned for his staccato and swagger in later episodes of the original series when Bakula, with his herky-jerky, angry-for-no-reason approach to Jonathan Archer, is just as affected in his acting style--he's simply not remotely as effective.The rest of the cast is fine.In fact, Connor Trinneer, Jolene Blalock, and John Billingsley easily could have carried the show without Bakula, even if the producers and writers insisted on propping up his bland character as someone of significance while making the others look like sycophantic observers.Too bad the U.S. ethnic minorities on the show generally get less attention than the guest aliens of the week or the many cumbersome and jargony phrases that no real person would utter, like "polarize the hull plating." However, many episodes of season two are blessed with topnotch special effects, so there are pretty pictures to look at, even if the pacing and music that accompany them are usually as directionless as space itself.

By season three, "Star Trek:Enterprise" started to show signs of life, even if it had turned into a soap-operatic serial involving a "Star Wars"-ish race to stop a planet-killing weapon.The best season easily is its last--save for the high-school-quality "Daedalus" and the insultingly awful "These Are the Voyages."Cheers to Manny Coto for a valiant effort at breathing life back into a series so determined to commit dramatic suicide.Too bad he wasn't around from the beginning, when it would really have mattered.