Amazon.com

Farscape is genre television at its most ambitious, inspired both by the cult appeal of Babylon 5 and the continuing success of the Star Trek franchise, but taking a visual and conceptual leap beyond those shows. Making extensive use of CGI, prosthetics, and state-of-the-art puppetry, courtesy of Jim Henson's Creature Shop, the Farscape concept has a freshness that makes it look and feel completely original. Among the first season's 22 episodes, "Premiere" introduces the characters and the basic premise: American astronaut John Crichton (Ben Browder) is flung through a wormhole and comes out in the midst of an interstellar prison escape on the other side of the universe. When the galactic cops (called "Peacekeepers") mark him as the new public enemy number one, Crichton is forced to ally himself with the convicts: hulking warrior D'Argo (Anthony Simcoe), blue-skinned priest Zhaan (Virginia Hey), fugitive peacekeeper Aeryn (Claudia Black), exiled king Rygel (Jonathan Hardy), and Pilot, the giant insectlike nerve center of their living ship, Moya.

In the action-packed and stylishly directed "Throne for a Loss," a race of mercenary criminals called the Tavleks kidnap the imperious Rygel. "PK Tech Girl" and "That Old Black Magic" feature a peek into the pasts of Rygel and Zhaan as they hide from the fleets of Peacekeeper soldiers in the galactic frontier known as the Uncharted Territories. Leading toward the climax of the show's first season, "Nerve" and "The Hidden Memory" make for a bold two-parter that reunites Crichton with his Peacekeeper Tech girlfriend, Gilina, and introduces the dreaded Scorpius, who uses his Aurora Chair torture device to extract what he mistakenly believes is vital knowledge from Crichton. The final episode, "Family Ties," ends with a cliffhanger guaranteed to bring viewers back for more, as the duplicitous Rygel plans to turn traitor, which eventually leaves the fates of Crichton and D'Argo up for grabs and Moya's young offspring under the control of the conflicted villain Crais, among other developments. ... Read more

Reviews (88)

The Creative World of FarScape Deserves a Fifth Season
A fascinating universe with many races and plots centered around a human that happened be pulled away from Earth in a worm hole. He ends up in a new complex world of aliens. The world is very well put together with much creativity and flare for the unusual. At times (especially when you first start watching the show) it may appear silly or corny. However, the characters and the world they are in really grows on you. I am now approaching the very final two episodes of season one and feel a little bit sad to leave this little fictional universe. I am looking forward to the second season. It is a great show and if you love Sci-Fi I cannot see how you would not be drawn to this creative work. The only drawback with the series is that it is difficult to jump into (i.e. it is helpful to have followed the series). Even though many episodes are self-contained there are several story lines that connect the episodes. I personally first saw episodes from season 3 and was thoroughly confused. When I bought season one I got the opportunity to follow the buildup of the characters and the plot. I love this show and highly recommend it! FarScape deserves to get a fifth season on the Sci-Fi channel. You will not be disappointed by the FarScape universe.

22 HOURS OF MOVIE QUALITY ENTERTAINMENT
Farscape is doing for TV, what the original Star Wars did for movies back in 1977. Only it has an advantage over the movie, it is not limited to the 3 hour time constraint movies have. Believe me, Farscape uses every second for plot development and adding a richness to the characters rarely seen in both movies and TV.

Like Star Wars, Farscape combines humor, action, & drama with state of the art F/X and creatures (two of which are regular characters). The characterizations are so strong you will forget that Zhann is blue, D'Argo has tentacles, & Rygel is a puppet. Farscape's tends to leave you with a feeling that you just peaked into the characters' lives, as opposed to have just watched a scripted TV show.

While watching this box set, you will notice there is something right about Farscape. Over the course of the season, the characters grow from distrustful individuals to a functional team/family of sorts. Don't get me wrong, everyone on board the living ship has their own agenda, and one betrays the group at the beginning of the last episode "Family Ties." Season 1 slowly builds momentum then kicks into overdrive with episode 18 "A Bug's Life." The last five episodes will be difficult not to watch in one sitting. Whatever the creative forces behind Farscape tried to do, they definitely accomplished it!

If you never have seen Farscape and are hesitant by the price of this box set, I suggest getting the Best of Season 1 set (type B000067IVT in the search box) first. It contains 6 amazing episodes which are a great introduction to the series...you can always lend it out to friends later. Once you've experienced these episodes, you'll need the rest of the season & can order this box set then. Also keep in mind, Farscape is known for its cliffhanger season finales, & season 1 began this tradition in an explosive way. So it would be a good idea to keep Season 2, Vol. 1 (type B000068TOM in the search box) ready to order in your shopping cart.

Fantastic!
I do not watch that much TV. But I would gladly buy premium cable if need be, just to watch this series. It is much more than an addiction, well ok its an addiction. Don't miss out, I have all their DVD's and have not regreted the buy or more over the hours spent watching and watching again.

' Peacekeeper Wars'(season 5)-October,2004
You heard it,'Farscape'(season 5) returns to t.v.,'new episodes' on October,2004. I guess the public demand was high for this sci-fi series,the producers have decided to bring back 'Farscape'. Season 5,will be called 'Peacekeeper Wars'. If there bringing back 'Farscape',maybe they'll bring back the 'X-Files' as well! Hope the story lines for 'season 5' is as good as the past previous 4 seasons.......

Wow!
It just doesn't get better than this. Farscape is easily one of the best series to ever grace the tv screen. Even if you're not a regular sci-fi fan, I guarantee you will enjoy the intelligence, wit, superb acting, and sheer beauty of each episode. Farscape has it all: adventure, drama, suspense, and a romance unlike any other. It's an unforgetable roller coaster ride, and this dvd edition is exceptionally high quality with numerous special features.

You will NOT regret buying this! Welcome to crack tv. :) ... Read more

Amazon.com

Murder, and its tale-telling aftermath, is the compelling subject of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Since it premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000, CSI was a ratings triumph, spawning a spinoff (CSI: Miami) and positioning itself for long-term success. As the first season demonstrates, creator Anthony Zuiker's foolproof formula was established early on, bolstered by a fine ensemble cast and requiring minimal tweaking as the season progressed; its Las Vegas-based "criminalists" eventually became "CSI" steeped in the scientific minutiae of forensic investigation, but the series arrived essentially intact, with an irresistible (and seemingly inexhaustible) supply of corpses and the mysteries that surround them. Influenced by the graphic precedent of movies like Seven and Kiss the Girls, CSI matches morbidity with dispassionate methodology; viewers are so fascinated by the investigative process that they're unfazed by intimate autopsies and internal (i.e., digitally animated) views of traumatized flesh, bone, and sinew.

While keeping abreast of cutting-edge technologies, CSI combines the ingenuity (and fallibility) of villains with the appealing humanity of its heroes. CSI director and entomologist Gil Grissom (played by series coproducer William Petersen) is introverted but ethically intense; he's both mentor and moral compass for his night-shift team, including a former stripper-turned-CSI (Marg Helgenberger); a recovering gambler (Gary Dourdan); an eager ace (George Eads) with room for improvement; a workaholic (Jorja Fox) who can't always remain emotionally detached from her cases; and a chief detective (Paul Guilfoyle) who's a necessary link to police procedure. Like The X-Files, CSI supports its characters with feature-film production values, employing a Rashomon structure that turns murder into a progressively accurate study of cause and effect. Script quality is consistently high ("Blood Drops" and "Unfriendly Skies" are exceptional), direction is slick and sophisticated, and the mysteries are complex enough to invite multiple viewings. Despite a regrettable shortage of DVD features, CSI's inaugural season remains addictively worthy of its lofty reputation. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (84)

An absolute hit!
CSI is my absolute favorite show on television as of right now. When I saw that they had DVD sets out, I knew I had to have them. I got CSI Season 1 for a Christmas gift and I'm almost through it already!
The DVD set is a decent price for what's on it and it includes 6 disks.

The Episodes on the disk are as follows:

Pilot
Cool Change
Crate and Burial
Pledging Mr. Johnson
Friends and Lovers
Who Are You?
Blood Drops
Anonymous
Unfriendly Skies
Sex, Lies and Larvae
I-15 Murders

Farenheit 932
Boom
To Halve and to Hold
Table Stakes
Too Tough to Die
Face Lift
$35K OBO
Gentle Gentle
Sounds of Silence
Justice is Served
Evaluation Day
Strip Strangler

The only down about the DVD is the fact that it doesn't have much bonus material. But other than that I highly recommend purchasing this DVD. This season has the best episodes throughout the run of this show. The First Season is what made CSI as popular as it is! So go out there and get your hands on this DVD. If you are as much of a CSI lover as I am, you won't be disappointed!

The best television you can find!
Finally after three years, CBS and Paramount are realeasing the complete first season of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. I have been watching every episode since the first and have enjoyed almost every one! Now, with this six disc set, i can watch the first season over and over again which has some of the best classic episodes.

Pilot
Cool Change
Crate 'n Burial
Plegding Mr. Johnson
Friends & Lovers
Who Are You?
Blood Drops
Anonymous
Unfriendly Skies
Sex, Lies, and Larvae
I-15 Murders
Farenheit 932
Boom
To Halve and to Hold
Table Stakes
Too Tough to Die
Face Lift
$35K O.B.O.
Gentle, Gentle
Sounds of Silence
Justice is Served
Evaluation Day
The Strip Strangler

These are the 23 episodes of the first season that will be included.
I have taped (on VHS) every single episode since the third episode of the series, but now i can watch them with much better quality. This is by far the best show on television!

Off To a Great Start
Although i just started watching CSI around the episode "I-15 Murders" it's my favorite show ever. I basically started watching it because my grandparents would tell me how cool and interesting the show is. I watched the episode i mentioned above and was just blown away the special effects especially for a show that just started were incredible.Over time watching this show i really liked the characters of Nick and Sara (George Eads, Jorja Fox)beacuse first of all Nick is soo good looking and really dedicated to what he does and Sara is a tough chick and i love that when a show has a tough female character. My favorite episodes are "Unfriendly Skies" and "Sex, Lies and Larve"basically because i feel they are great Sara episodes and show what CSI is all about.Sometimes the first episodes aren't that great when a show starts off but CSI's doesn't fail to be anything but excelent. Even if you've just heard about CSI and never watched and episode it's worth buying at any price the show is just that great.

CSI improves over time, but this was a great start.
Oh how I love C.S.I., even though it's getting watered down by spin offs, the original stays true. C.S.I. had some rocky beginnings, but the first season is still worth owning. Alot of the backstory comes from the first season, so if you watch it over and over again *like myself* you'll want to own this. There are some great episodes in this pack, that you'll want to watch again and again.

As Near To The Real Thing As You Can Get
When I first started watching Columbo, I often wanted to be a detective. When I first started watching Mike Hammer, I often wanted to be a detective. When I watched Magnum P.I., I often wanted to be a detective. Now I watch CSI, and I do not want to be a detective. In fact, after watching one episode, I went up to a guy I went to school with who is now a coroner, shook his hand and told him he was the better man. I told him he had more guts than I did, in that I would not ever want his job. This is not a TV show for those (like myself) who cannot eat pizza after seeing someone's charred body, as is sometimes seen on the show. CSI holds no punches. Shows like Columbo, Mike Hammer, and Magnum, while at times are bloody, give the viewer a more "romantic side" of the occupation so to speak, while CSI gives you an almost raw view of what it is really like to work in the detective field. In short, detective work really isn't a glamorous occupation. If someone's brains are blown out, CSI shows you up close, all the little noodles (which of course remind me of purple macaroni, thus disgusting me from eating macaroni for awhile). If a lady has her eyeball fall out, they show the eyeball up close (do you get the picture?) Still, this is a show that is very intriguing. Of course you want to watch it to find out if they catch the murderer(IF it is a murder, which on this program, sometimes it is not). Like most any detective show, it's the CSI teams' expertise in the field and their luck, that helps them put the pieces together, and CSI does it in such a manner as to make MOST of their shows believable. And the reason I stress MOST, is that sometimes, their shows do tend to go out there. I have beyond perfect vision in one eye, and perfect vision in the other, and even I would have a hard time seeing some of the things they seem to spot a mile away with their mini flashlights. But even with this one flaw, CSI is a show I look forward to watching week after week. I also love CSI Miami. CSI gets its entertainment value from the relief of the cases being solved. The first season of CSI was superb at the worst. It blew Law & Order out of the water, and continues to do so. CSI combines forensic science with action, drama, suspense, horror, occasional comedy (in the right moment) and intrigue. I would not recommend it for viewers under the age of 16 for the fact of the gore, and sometimes racy scenes. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The third season of Alias found super spy Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) waking up in Hong Kong with a monster hangover and two years in the future with nary a memory. What's worse, her world has been turned upside-down with the evil Sloane (Ron Rifkin) now a world-famous humanitarian and philanthropist, and, even worse, her true love Vaughn (Michael Vartan) married to a seemingly great gal. Nice way to go back to work, eh? After coming up with one heck of a cliffhanger in season 2, Alias proceeded a bit aimlessly through these 22 episodes, and as a result, the parts were truly greater than the whole. With Lena Olin no longer around as Syd's duplicitous mother, and the addition of admirable yet bland Melissa George as Vaughn's wife Lauren, Garner found herself for the first time without a compelling female foil to play off of. By dividing its focus equally between the quest for the enigmatic Rambaldi device, Syd and Vaughn's now-contentious relationship, and the uncovering of Syd's missing years, Alias lost a little of its power without a larger story arc. The loss of regular cast members Merrin Dungey (Francie/Alison) and Bradley Cooper (Will)--both of whom do make great guest appearances--also divest the show of the personal life that kept Sydney human and approachable. Still, Garner is stellar as always, the plot twists come fast and furious, and secret identities are revealed. This season does have a great panorama of guest actors including Ricky Gervais, Justin Theroux, Djimon Hounsou, David Cronenberg, Quentin Tarantino, Vivica A. Fox, and Isabella Rossellini as Syd's long-lost aunt. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (57)

Not quite as good, but still a decent season
The third season of Alias picks up right where the second left off with Sydney waking up in Asia two years after the events in season 2, with no memory of how or why she got there. When Sydney makes it safely into CIA custody, she learns that fellow CIA agent and boyfriend Michael Vaughn( Michael Vartan)thought Sydney was dead,and moved on to marry another woman named Lauren Reed(Melissa George), her father Jack Bristow( Victor Garber) is in prison, Dixon( Carl Lumbly) is now the director of the CIA office she worked for, and her greatest enemy Sloan ( Ron Rifkin)is now a changed man who is running one of the most respected charity organizations in the world. Sydney manages to get Jack released, only to discover through videotape evidence from Jack that Sydney murdered a man in cold blood during the mysterious two years of her life that she went missing. This would begin the chain reaction of events for the rest of season 3 which include Sydney finding out who took the two years from her life and what happened during that time, as well as fighting her feelings for Vaughn.

I have been a huge fan of Alias for the last three years, and I have never missed a single episode. The first season of Alias provided for an original, sexy, and fresh spy thriller that was packed full of great action and dialogue. The second season of Alias managed to somehow be even better, and had an outstanding cliffhanger that left fans of the show feeling anxious to find out what happens. Season 3 did have a lot of momentum going in. But with Vaughn being married to the unlikeable Lauren Reed, and Sloan offering no suspense as a changed man, season 3 could not seem to find the same rythm as the previous two seasons. However, after the initial speedbump in the beginning of the season, season 3 still manages to offer plenty of twists, action, suspense, great cliffhangers, and the sexy Jennifer Garner. Overall, fans of the show will still be satisfied for the most part. The only problem, is that the first two seasons set the bar so high, that season 3 could just not go any higher.

The DVD package itself still manages to live up to its predecessors however. The extras are first rate with commentary from cast and crew, deleted scenes, and two featurettes. However, the blooper reel is what I am looking forward to the most. The blooper reels in the last two sets have been hilarious, and I have no doubt that the one for season 3 will be just as good. With great DVD features and a good overall season, the season 3 DVD set is definately worth owning.

A solid 4 stars...

Alias Season 3
Have you ever wondered what the world of espionage, high tech gadgets and the goings-on of the CIA is like, this should answer a few questions for you.

Alias the 3rd season was great, although it may not have been the most action filled year of the three, it was a building on Sydney's emotional aspects, as well as Vaughn's. I never missed an episode.It kept you on your toes, as well as on the edge of your seat.

Sydney is just a great role model, sure the clothes can be a bit scary, but the girl underneath is great, Jeniffer Garner, known as Sydney on Alias and in the movie Daredevil as kick-butt girl Elektra, also known for her lead role on the summer of 2004 hit 13 going on 30!

Alias had an awesome season, with a great cast, Ron Rifkin,Merrin Dungey,Michael Vartan,Greg Grunburg, Melissa George,Victor Garber, David Anders, CArl Lumbley, and Kevin Weisman. With plenty of great guest stars this season including: a return of Will, Bradley Cooper,as well as Mia Maestro,Isabella Rossellini, David Cronenberg and Quintin Tarentino.

In other words, what I'm saying is you have got to see these, they are great episodes.If you are waiting for the next season (season 4) in the states or just in the middle of season 3 in the UK, you have just gotta see this!!

Disapointing Third season for Alias
After two incredidibly good seasons, Alias came back to earth in season 3, which Alias creator JJ Abrams himself admitted being terrible. Indeed, Lena Olin's absence from the cast was deeply felt, as well as a lack of exciting ideas. The first half of the season about Sidney's disappearance was plain boring. Still, the second half rocked and gives hope for season four. So season 3 is not a complete failure but is still a huge disapointment compared to the prfection of season 1 and 2

Alias - The Best Show On TV
I started watching Alias since the pilot episode of the first season. Then later on I got excited over the show because its the best show on television right now (on sundays that is). Alias is my #1 favorite show to watch any time and any where. Now that I own the first two season on DVD, its great collecting the DVD to watch over and over. I am so addicted to this show, more than words can say... Also I buy the Alias magazines which comes out every two months. I love having Alias on DVD to watch at home. Its a priceless item for such a fan of Alias. Seasons 1 & 2 were great, and season 3 was full of twists and turns which was really a shocker to learn that Sydney Bristow (aka Jennifer Garner) has a half-sister whom dad is Arvin Sloane. And finally Syd & Vaughn back together in the last epiosde of the season. 2 thumbs up for Alias! The most addicting show ever!!!

Fan Commentary.... Priceless!
Many critics agree that Season 3 was not this show's most shining moment. But all the more reason to pick up the DVD though! Why? Because the "fan commentary" on this set comes from none other than TelevisionWithoutPity.com's "Alias" recapper extraordinaire, Regina, who--along with a winner of a Chicago radio contest--recaps the premiere ep of Season 3, "The Two." As the saying goes, hilarity ensues.

Credit the show's producers with allowing snark of this magnitude to be attached to the official product by buying a set. At least they have a sense of humor and an ability to not take themselves too seriously. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Accompanied by a menagerie of products, Ken Burns's expansive 10-episode paean, Jazz, completes his trilogy on American culture, following The Civil War and Baseball. Spanning more than 19 hours, Jazz is, of course, about a lot more than what many have called America's classical music--especially in episodes 1 through 7. It's here that Burns unearths precious visual images of jazz musicians and hangs historical narratives around the music with convincing authority. Time can stand still as images float past to the sound of grainy vintage jazz, and the drama of a phonograph needle being placed on Louis Armstrong's celestial "West End Blues" is nearly sublime.

The film is also potent in arguing that the history of race in the 20th-century U.S. is at jazz's heart. But a few problems arise. First is Burns's reliance on Wynton Marsalis as his chief musical commentator. Marsalis might be charming and musically expert, but he's no historian. For the film to devote three of its episodes to the 1930s, one expects a bit more historical substance. Also, Jazz condenses the period of 1961 to the present into one episode, glossing over some of the music's giant steps. Burns has said repeatedly that he didn't know much about jazz when he began this project. So perhaps Jazz, for all its glory, would better be called Jazz: What I've Learned Since I Started Listening (And I Haven't Gotten Much Past 1961). For those who are already passionate about jazz, the film will stoke debate (and some derision, together with some reluctant praise). But for everyone else, it will amaze and entertain and kindle a flame for some of the greatest music ever dreamed. --Andrew Bartlett ... Read more

Reviews (118)

The Best Series on Jazz, Despite Its Flaws
I am a jazz musician, son of a jazz musician, am conservatory trained, and this series stands toe to toe with the best lectures by the best music historians and music theory experts I have studied with. If Ken Burns chose to follow a the pillars of jazz in depth rather than give ten minutes to every musician to come along in the past hundred years, we are better for it. If you want ten minutes on each musician, read liner notes. Mr. Burns series will be remembered precisely because it does go into such depth. Bird, Duke, Pops and Dizzie do not come clear to you without much study. We should be grateful for the fact that this series is anything but shallow. It is true to the art. If this series, because of such depth, asks more of viewers than they want to give, then let such viewers only seeking entertainment seek that. Americans, everything is not entertainment.

Jazz itself, from its outset and to this very day, asks more of you than any other music. A series about it should do no less.

This series is not perfect. Jazz is also imperfect. As Thelonius Monk said, there are no wrong notes. So are there no bad jazz documentaries, as long as they are unflinching, whole, and about the forces that shaped the music. This one is. It's only real flaw is that it is too in love with its own story and the music. That is entirely forgiveable.

If you have any interest in jazz, buy or rent this series and watch each one like a student, and learn in wonder at the extraordinary music brought to us by African Americans. It is one of the glories of American culture, and of the world, and we should join Ken Burns, his historians, critics and musicians in joyously celebrating the collective creation of the geniuses that graced our land in the past 100 years.

"History," "Documentary," "Theory of" are not in the title.
The negative reviews of this series assume that Burns is compiling a documentary, writing a historical survey, or undertaking some theoretical analysis of jazz. Burns is above all a biographer. His primary interest is in the life of a particular artist, solider, athlete, explorer, etc.: the overall trajectory of their lives--the choices they make, the risks they are or aren't willing to take, their sufferings in the face of prejudice, misunderstanding, and failure--and how the individual life fits within the larger social context. Hence his emphasis on annecdote, personal letter and photograph, character analysis, and why he has baseball players and actors and club owners as well as scholars and musicians commenting on these people. And why he traces the entire career of someone like Louis Armstrong or Billy Holiday, rather than devoting more time to contemporary muscians whose story it is still too young to be told. Everything else is secondary to this main concern, and to miss this focus is to miss the point of all Ken Burns' documentaries. To grasp it is to experience life within a wider, wiser, almost epic, context. The so-called jazz expert who is miffed over some apparent omission, or overemphasis, or seeming bias, is like the librarian who has all the books catalogued and all the facts at their fingertips but can't see that they might refer to something outside the four walls of their narrow expertise.

Provides a very useful orientation
Jazz is a relatively recent interest for me--maybe half a dozen years. I'd learned about scattered fragments of jazz, but never developed a systematic understanding, a clear orientation--though a couple of times I'd tried: I bought Gary Giddons' "Visions of Jazz," for instance, which is very good but just didn't capture my imagination.

Ken Burns' "Jazz" gave me what I've been wanting for years--a clear, evocative, comprehensive way into the genre as a whole.

Okay, it may not be the last word on the history of jazz. Yeah, some things really irritated me--like the slighting, mentioned by many, of Bill Evans, and the excessive excision of many white musicians to make the generally accurate point that jazz springs more from the experience of Black Americans. (Hint to Burns: You make your argument stronger by showing how apparently contrary data fit, not by leaving them out.) But over all, I found this a very helpful overview. And I enjoyed getting to know the biographies of, and the personal relations among, the players.

You won't likely get such an orientation from buying a few of the original CDs *instead* of the "Jazz" series. Few of us have the ears or training to discern what's taught in this series. You'd be highly unlikely to realize that, for instance, what was new with Be-Bop is improvising on the underlying chord changes rather than the melody. You'd really have to be perceptive and paying attention to notice what distinguishes Kansas City jazz from New Orleans jazz from New York jazz from West Coast jazz. And *no* album can place *itself* in history. For instance, you cannot learn from listening to an album featuring Coleman Hawkins-or Charlie Christian or Kenny Clarke--that *before* that album people played very differently. In short, you'd have to be far better trained musically and far more observant than most of us are, and listen to dozens (if not hundreds) of albums, to learn what this series teaches.

As I watched over a period of a couple of weeks, I bought several of the CDs that Burns produced to survey the music, and I found them very instructive. No, as listening experiences, they're not as good as some of the various albums on which the cuts originated. But that's not the point: They are very good ways to get an overview, to get oriented, to know where to go next.

After seeing this series and studying the accompanying CDs, when I go into the music store and start perusing the jazz disks, I find that I recognize a whole lot more and can surmise a whole lot better what's what and what would interest me. For instance, tonight I saw "From Spirituals to Swing," a three CD set of Carnegie Hall jazz concerts in 1938 and 1939. A month ago, the list of personnel would have meant near-nothing to me--I probably wouldn't have even known what I was looking at, and I doubt I would have looked at the thing for more than thirty seconds. Now, though, I studied and comprehended the personnel and got all excited--"This I gotta hear." So I bought it, and it's great.

Now, isn't that reason enough to recommend this series?

That the overall interpretive framework of the series may need correction is not a trenchant criticism, in my opinion. To get a comprehensive understanding of anything, you have to start with *some* systematic framework, which you can then modify, maybe even refute, as you encounter further data. Logically, the first such framework you acquire has to come from someone else, unless you are a genius of extremely wide learning.

No, Ken Burns' "Jazz" isn't the only guide to jazz you'll ever need--as others have noted, some of the omissions are glaring. But it's fine place to start.

If you really want to get a sense of jazz, this is an excellent investment, in my opinion. Yeah, it's pricey--but cheaper than, say, an adult education course on jazz appreciation at your local community college (if you include texts and other supporting material). And if you don't want to spend the money--well, you can hint real hard to your significant other that you'd like it for your birthday or Valentine or some such thing.

Postscript: I almost didn't buy this because of the characterization of Wynton Marsalis's role by several other reviewers here. I'd never much liked his music--it always seemed too cerebral, almost architectural, for my tastes--chilly, not very visceral. (That's just my personal taste--I also find most of Ella Fitzgerald--except her duo wok with Armstrong--a bit emotionally distant, unlike Sarah Vaughan or Billie Holiday or Carmen McRae or many others.)

I was skeptical about any documentary that made Marsalis the central story teller.

Well, two things: (1) He just isn't the central story teller here. He does not have anything approaching the majority of commentator air time. It is certainly true that he plays a role analogous to Shelby Foote's in "The Civil War"--he is a unifying presence, especially in the early going and toward the end. This is just good film making--to establish "characters" whose presence throughout helps give unity to the piece. (2) I really liked Wynton in this documentary. He came off as much earthier, more laid back, mischievous, funnier and more fun, than I ever would have imagined. And he is really quite illuminating, especially when he explains various musical concepts--like the "Big 4." (I went back and listened to "Thick in the South," thinking maybe I'd like his music more now. Nope. Still feels too thought-out, too chilly, to me. Oh, well.)

Could have been so much better
I guess it says something that I have gone back and watched Burns' "Civil War" documentary more than a dozen times since I first saw it, and have only watch "Jazz" once since the first time. The Civil War documentary certainly is rife with factual inaccuracies but by & large gets the essential story of the conflict right. "Jazz," on the other hand, treats its subject as though the last 40-50 years never happened. It is as though the Civil War documentary would have lingered over the years 1861-1863 incessantly, then sped through the last two years ("Oh yeah, there were a couple of battles, Atlanta burned, Lee surrendered, the war was over. The end." Something like that) as though they didn't matter.

As I found the documentary going into its umpteenth hour and we STILL weren't out of the 1930's yet, I had a bad feeling about where this was going. You would have thought that Louis Armstrong had been annointed as the Jazz Pope and he ruled over the world of jazz for 40 years. In his proper context, Armstrong is very important, but Burns seems positively fixated on him. He dwells on every facet of Armstrong's upbringing & early career. Unless he planned on making a 60-hour documentary, there was no way Burns could hope to do justice to the more recent history of the genre, and sure enough he basically hits the fast forward button once the be-bop era is coming to a close.

Personally, I cannot stand fushion jazz, but nonetheless some mention needs to made of a style that was dominant in jazz for almost as long as the swing style, for crying out loud. Also, relying almost exculsively on Wynton Marsalis (doing his best impression of a crochety old man on his front porch, railing at a world that has passed him by) really was not a good idea & imbues the entire documentary with a hopelessly retrograde flavor.

I watched it once, and came away disappointed. I watched it a second time, hoping that I could find more to appreciate, but only found that it continued to disappoint. I don't know if it merits any future viewings, and that is indeed a shame, because it is a subject that deserves better treatment than this.

Excellent for what it is
It's surprizing how vociferously some "snobs" condemn "Jazz" simply because it's not as comprehensive as they seem to think it should be. From reading these reviews you would think Ken Burns is a half-step above a holocaust-denier for not including Roland Kirk or Eric Dolphy. "Jazz" is a wonderful, inspiring and, yes, traditional look at the art form. Newcomers shouldn't be dissuaded because it's not as complete as it should be. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A 26-episode World War II documentary, Victory at Sea is one of the most important series in the history of television. Made in 1952, the show was a huge success, winning many major awards and even spawning albums featuring the orchestral score by Richard Rodgers, best known for his musicals with Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II. Produced with the full cooperation of the U.S. Navy, each 26-minute program consists of black-and-white wartime film set to a narration by Leonard Graves. The two years leading up to America's entry into the war are dismissed in episode one, while the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor gets a show of its own, the raid depicted in a brilliantly edited montage that almost certainly contains "docu-drama" footage. Each episode contains at least one powerful stand-alone sequence in the tradition of Serge Eisenstein (Battleship Potemkin), these action-suspense set-pieces giving the programs an urgent, surprisingly modern feel. Indeed, the emphasis is at least as much on entertainment as information, the factual content delivered in poetic narration, the score transforming the war into a more than usually serious Hollywood adventure. The documentaries are nothing if not wide-ranging, covering parts of the land war despite the title, and including everything from the Atlantic convoys and U-boat "Wolfpacks" to war in Alaska, the South Atlantic, and the Far East, the Pacific War, and the Fall of Japan. There is an attempt to include other nations--certainly the D-Day episode acknowledges the British far more than Saving Private Ryan--but inevitably the focus is on America's war.The very dated narration gives a fascinating insight into how America saw WWII in the early 1950s, while the dynamic cutting and often genuinely remarkable wartime footage make Victory at Sea still gripping today. Twenty years later, Granada's The World at War would become the definitive television WWII history, but this release offers a unique opportunity to see a series of great importance from the very early days of television. --Gary S. Dalkin ... Read more

Reviews (31)

5 stars for content but ZERO stars for TERRIBLE AUDIO MIX
I loved the content. Other reviewers here have verbalized my feelings concerning the quality of the video. However, the sound mix is so poor that if you set the volume to an appropriate sound level for the very nice music you are completely unable to hear the voice of the narrator. Even if you have your finger on the volume control constantly you are unable to dynamically raise and lower the audio volume to try and hear the narrator without blasting your ear drums with the elevated music sound level. I would advise anyone buying this DVD set to consider it acceptable ONLY if you listen to it with a 5 channel speaker set up with a dedicated center channel (for speech, etc.) where you are able to individually raise and lower that channel of sound. Even then you may be astonished just how much boost the center channel is going to need compared with the other sound channels. Frankly, this DVD release needs to be redone as far as the audio is concerned! Other than that, the video is great....

Victory at Sea DVD Is Awesome
I recently purchased this DVD and was very skeptical after reading all the comments about the sound track. However, I didn't find any issues with either the sound track or the narrative for all four volumes. I have a Panasonice DVD Player with the Dolby Digital,DTS Digital Surround and MPEG, and the music score by Richard Rogers is one of the reasons for buying this DVD. It is a " Must Have" for military history buffs. If you have a PC with a DVD/CD ROM Combination, you can use it to view this DVD and adjust the sound track to blend in with the narrative.

Sound issues and the original
I have the original soundtrack on LP, with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Richard Rogers himeself. It's my father's and needless to say, it does not get much play time for preservation sake. I also own both CDs "Victory at Sea" and "MORE Victory at Sea," (BMG Music 1992) both conducted by Robert Russel Bennett and contain slightly arraigned versions of the very familar complete soundtrack by the RCA Symphony Orchestra and is remixed in extremely good Dolby Surround. The original soundtrack is fairly clear and does sound a little tinny and was recorded in mono. (Unless it was a dual issue in both stereo and mono. I only have the mono.) While a properly mixed original soundtrack would sound great, IMHO, the Dolby version would sound even better. What I'm getting at is, it's not the soundtrack's fault this apparently sounds so bad. I really wanted to buy this, but I think I'll hold off and wait and see.

One star too many!
What an unmitigated hustle this dvd collection turned out to be. Equal portions of venom and spite are hereby awarded to History Channel and NBC for this travesty. My 5.1 dts sound system did nothing to alleviate the worse than poor sound quality/balance issues. This legendary series and it's participants certainly deserve better than this quick and dirty rendition gives. Maybe the capital "H" seen in the lower right hand corner of the teevee screen actually stands for "hustle". I would gladly purchase a remastered and remixed set but for now am left with this doorstop.

Good atmospheric and stirring stuff!
I came across the soundtrack many years after first hearing snippets from it on the original T.V series of the same name.
I was enthralled by the sheer vibrancy and 'now-ness' of this great piece of modern classical music. You can easily picture the great ships of both the American and Japanese fleets as they engage in the greatest sea battle of all time. The spinning, swooping aircraft as they play thier all important roles of hunter/killer.
The evocation of individual men and women enjoying a rare respite from battle in some of the quieter passages, shore leave. All part of this amazingingly descriptive music. It will continue to be an important piece by sheer virtuosity of the skillful interplay of individual instruments producing an altogether sucessful blend of sombre, stirring and gentle, very easy to listen-to-again and again music. I cannot praise it enough! ... Read more

Amazon.com

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

Amazon.com

It's clear right from the opening episodes of its third season that Farscape has finally developed into a grown-up show. There's a new self-confidence and a new maturity here that's entirely welcome after the often wildly erratic tone of the second season. The production design and high-quality effects work remain true to the show's original quirky style, although both the look and the more adult-themed scripts have become progressively darker.

Season 3 is the year when the Wormhole story arc takes precedence, as the interactions between John Crichton and his nemesis Scorpius become ever more complicated (involving various different clones, real or "neural", of both antagonists). It's also the year that some major characters die, new ones are introduced, and Crichton (well, one version of him anyway) and Aeryn finally consummate their relationship. Moya's crew endures a vertiginous emotional roller-coaster ride when powerful issues of love, loyalty, and sacrifice loom large. They must also face their sternest challenge yet as the series' biggest story arc reaches an explosive climax aboard Scorpius's Command Carrier. Anyone who has not followed Farscape extremely closely from the very beginning of season 1 will be utterly baffled by the convoluted plotting and complex character interactions. But for fans, this is the show's most rewarding year. --Mark Walker ... Read more

Reviews (2)

One of the best seasons of ANY tv series
It just doesn't get better than this. Farscape is easily one of the best series to ever grace the tv screen. Even if you're not a regular sci-fi fan, I guarantee you will enjoy the intelligence, wit, superb acting, and sheer beauty of each episode. Farscape has it all: adventure, drama, suspense, and a romance unlike any other. It's an unforgetable roller coaster ride, and this dvd edition is exceptionally high quality with numerous special features.

You will NOT regret buying this! Welcome to crack tv. :)

Another Great Season!
Season three was easily my favorite season, right in front of the fourth. So many things made me fall in love with the way the writing crew handled everything going on with the characters. The "Two John's" idea was probably the coolest thing the series did up to that point, and how it was eventually solved was another great episode.

The final four episodes of the season were probably my favorites, simply because the writers and actors put in everything they had, and even Guy Gross (the series composer) went the extra length to implement some awesome music. While the cliffhanger at the end on the season is my least favorite of the four (it seemed like last-minute writing) the season was 99% great. It was sad to see Lani Tupu leave the show on sreen; I always loved his character.

I strongly recommend the set to any fan of the show, because it showcases everything great about Farscape. Hopefully ADV releases the fourth season sometime early next year.

(Wouldn't it be great if they released it before the mini-series in October? Wishful thinking....) ... 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

Description

From Alan Ball, the Oscar(r) winning writer of "American Beauty", comes a series that digs where others fear to tread. When a bus kills Nathaniel Fisher, owner of the Fisher & Sons Funeral Home in Los Angeles, the tragedy casts a pall on the homecoming of his prodigal son Nate. Together with with mother Ruth, brother David and sister Claire, they must address the family business, and the many more personal matters that arise when your life is Six Feet Under.

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

Reviews (127)

frantic fan
This has to be one of the best series ever made for television. It follows the everyday lives of a family run funeral home. It has a great cast. Micheal C. Hall is great as David Fisher. Peter Krause is also great as Nate Fisher, who has come home after the untimely death of the Fisher patriarch, Nathanial Fisher, Sr., only to find out that he has been left half of the business in his father's will. Rachel Griffiths shines as Brenda Chenowith, a far cry from the role she played in the movie "The Rookie" last summer. Claire Fisher is played by Lauren Ambrose. I had seen her in the movie "Psycho Beach Party" and this show solidifies her talent. The character I enjoy the most is the role of Ruth Fisher, the mother, brilliantly played by Frances Conroy. Her expressions alone leave me laughing hysterically one minute, touched and tearful the next. I have watched this show from it's beginning and was hooked. I suggest that anyone who hasn't seen this series buy this DVD along with the future seasons I'm sure will follow. You will not be disappointed!!

Best TV script ever.
Sorry my title mimics that of others, but that's what I've been saying about it for a long time.

Like the Sopranos, this is a series the hype for which I didn't give in to orginally. Then I saw some reviews by one of my favorite Washington Post critics that teased me. So I watched, probably close to half way through the first season. It hooked me instantly.

First, as others point out, the acting is incredible. My spouse and I are wondering each episode who's the best actor. In one of the DVD episodes tonight, I felt it was Frances Conroy (Ruth) who I usually do. I've always been in love with Lauren Ambrose (Claire). All right, I have many friends with daughters older than she. What I mean is, I envy the kid. She's got a great future with her acting talent (and her expressions which will break you up!) The others are all fabulous too. Jeremy Sisto (Billy Chenowith) really does convince you that he's absolutely nuts...a change from his portrayal of Jesus in a TV movie a few years ago! And I've never seen his sister Brenda (God help me, I can't think of the actress's name) slip into her New Zealand accent. Again, they all vie for best actor/actress each episode!

There is an uncannily good mix of humor and drama. That's why I say it beats anything else on the tube. If I thought of getting rid of HBO, it's this series...and maybe The Wire...that would keep me. For months in advance my wife and I talk about the coming season; we can't wait for it.

It's risque without being gross. The gay issue is intelligently handled. Oh, and I've always wondered if Peter C. Marshall (David) and Matthew St. Patrick (Keith) were straight in real life. Among the extra features of the DVD set is that you learn that they are.

Another feature of the DVD set is the discussion among all those responsible for the opening sequence and theme music. Then there's the discussion with cast members as to their favorite scenes. (My favorite is also Lauren Ambrose's, when she's lethargic about being in love. A gem!)

It's a fabulous series that can't be beat. Well, my inlaws wouldn't like it. And don't show it to any of your guests or relatives who are prudes. I got in trouble with some family members at the beginning of one in the second season. And some of the gay scenes while, again, not gross, are threatening to people not accustomed to gay scenes. But it covers oh so many subjects you don't normally see covered...too many to even mention here. The scripts are brilliant, the acting the best. And the added benefits of the DVD series are well worth the cost of the set, in addition to having those superb episodes to watch again and again. They'll never bore you, believe me.

Another gem from HBO ...
American Beauty and Twin Peaks rolled into one, this series offers black humor, twists and turns and more character development than the first three seasons of Sex and the City. I will not go into detail as many reviewers have already done so. Only one thing: What's with that price? I bought it in Europe with four different language soundtracks and subtitles for only EUR 39.99 ! I would suggest boycotting until the price gets lowered, but die-hard fans will buy it anyway. I must admit, it's still worth it :-)

HBO broke the mold, when they made Six Feet Under
Six Feet Under is one of HBO's outstanding programs, as well as others such as Sex and the City and The Sopranos. The Complete First Season features a 4 disc set of all First Season episodes including "Pilot", and special features including a 15 minute special on the making of the title sequence and a exclusive preview with interviews from the cast on seasons 1 and 2. Six Feet Under is brilliantly casted featuring: Peter Krause, Michael C. Hall, Frances Conroy, Rachel Griffiths, Lauren Ambrose and Richard Jenkins along with others.

The disc features the following episodes:
Disc 1:

Pilot
The Will
The Foot

Disc 2:
Familia
An Open Book
The Room
Brotherhood

Disc 3:
Crossroads
Life's Too Short
The New Person

Disc 4:
The Trip
A Private Life: Finale Part I
Knock, Knock: Finale Part II

Buy this! You'll be glad you did! HBO at its best!

Another diamond series on HBO
Six Feet Under is one of those shows that will suck you in and become highly addictive by the end of the first episode. The show revolves around the Fishers who operate a family owned funeral home. All of the characters stand out and develop greatly on this show. Sometimes you will watch this show and you will laugh up a storm other times you will watch it and the emotion makes you want to cry.

Six Feet Under is written by Alan Ball and he directed American Beauty. American Beauty is one of my favorite movies and there are a few similarities in between both. When I say similarities I mean that both American Beauty have a great sense of dark humor and great drama. I found both of Alan Ball's works to be one that make you sit back and reflect on life. After watching American Beauty you look around for the beauty of things on earth and in life. The same applies with Six Feet Under but questions are brought up like "Why do we have to die". I liked American Beauty and I felt right at home with Six Feet Under.

The characters in this show are relatable and even though they have a different way of making a living I still found them relatable. The main characters I would say are Nate, David, Ruth, Claire, & Nate Sr. Of course they are the Fisher family who own the funeral home. Another few huge character on this show are Brenda and her brother Billy. Of course there are other big characters but I can't name everyone.

In the pilot episode the Nate Sr. dies in a horrible bus accident and he has to hand over the funeral home to his two sons Nate and David Fisher. Even though he his dead Nate Sr. watches over his family and communicates with his family. Alot of the scenes he appears in are hilarious. Oh ya did I mention he is dead! His sons both have good developing characters who are very different in their own ways. David Fisher is a cool character who is very businesslike and is also gay. He has a boyfriend named Keith is a cop. You will find there relationship evolve as the season goes on. The other brother Nate, has never worked a day in the funeral business because he left for Seattle to pursue his own life. Nate is a pretty cool character but his world is in a blender with the passing of his father and his relationship with his newly met girlfriend Brenda. His girlfrend Brenda in my opinion is the star of the show. She is full of crazy/cool energy and always has an appetite for sex. You never know what to expect with her character. The mother, Ruth Fisher is kinda of a control freak who seems very depressed, worn out, and saddened over the loss over her husband. She snaps very quickly and she is too a memorable character. Finally the Claire Fisher is another cool character. She is the youngest of the bunch and she is a teenager in high school. She is somewhat of a loner but she has alot of character and she is far from ordinary. She drives a freakin hearse to school!!! Enough about the characters I can't spill everything out or I will spoil the season for you.

I know what your thinking. Your like well ok thats great Adam but you know what, if I come home with this the wife will have my head on a platter. I will admit it is pricey but I think Six Feet Under is a great enough show to where the quality over shadows the price. It is on HBO so there is alot swearing, sex and other stuff you would never see on regular television. I think HBO produces great television shows. Just watch The Sopranos, Sex & The City, Oz or many of there other series. You know it is quality and they are great television. Well guess what Six Feet Under plays on that same field. I find it to be my 3rd favorite television show behind 24 and the Sopranos.

Well let me conclude by saying you will be satisfied with Season One of Six feet Under. I haven't seen the other seasons of this show but I will definetly be buying Season 2 when it is released in June. If you like quality acting, drama, and dark humor give this show a shot. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The third season of Monarch of the Glen, the delightful BBC-1 comedy, finds the fortunes of Glenbogle estate--jewel of the Scottish Highlands but a financial disaster--in a period of transition. On the one hand, Glenbogle's once-reluctant laird (i.e, family head and overseer of vast holdings), the former trend-setting restaurateur Archie MacDonald (Alastair MacKenzie), has settled into his leadership role for good. Archie's cantankerous, old-school aristocratic father, Hector (Richard Briers), is finally resigned to Archie's ambitious plans to save Glenbogle from bankruptcy by turning the MacDonalds' ancient castle into a tourist attraction. The estate's longtime staff--sexy Lexie (Dawn Steele), housekeeper and cook, grizzled gamekeeper Golly (Alexander Morton) and boyish handyman Duncan (Hamish Clark)--are more like family to the MacDonalds than ever.

On the other hand, change is in the air. While it took two seasons for Archie to win the heart of land-rights activist Katrina Finlay (Lorraine Pilkington), it takes less than half the first episode of series 3 to lose her to an important political job in London. That leaves Archie's door open to a new relationship with an attractive adversary, a role instantly filled by the arrival of Stella Moon (Alexandra Gilbreath), a bank executive sent to seize control of Glenbogle's operations. For much of series 3, Stella is at such odds with the MacDonalds' free-spending ways that she antagonizes everyone (except Archie's enchanting mother, Molly, played by Susan Hampshire), resulting in a staff strike and the arrest of Hector himself for stealing salmon from his own river. In time, however, lonely Stella is swayed by the MacDonalds' loyalty and eccentric passions, while Archie's steadfastness and decency stir deeper feelings. Lexie, meanwhile, already in love with Archie, mounts her strongest campaign yet to win his affections. As always, the lives and loves of Monarch's supporting players prove exceptionally interesting and colorful. Series 3 introduces Golly's long-estranged daughter and Duncan's beautiful French pen-pal (who thinks Duncan is Glenbogle's laird), as well as a cad whose romantic pursuit of Lexie is tied to a dastardly plot to develop MacDonald land. The challenges never end for Archie and company, but the bonds between these wonderful characters grow deeper and sweeter. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Not getting better, but still the Glen
I can't say that the series improved in year three, but it was still entertaining.I'm angry that Katrina's leaving was taken so flippantly.I find that the story lines seemed redundant, too.I like the character Archie, but I think they spend so much time making him seem an idiot, or at least very naive, that he lacks depth.Well, if you're caught, you're caught.I will continue watching.

Hated it - what happened to Katrina.
I loved Seasons 1 and 2 - absolutely loved them.BUT, after waiting for two season to see Archie and Katrina finally get together and then have her, out of the blue, leave the show was too much.What the hell was that all about. All of a sudden she gets this dream job offer that we've never heard of and she's gone.No farewells, no goodbye party, nothing.It's almost as if she never existed.Certainly none of the characters seems to care.Yet we are supposed to believe that she loved Archie and Glenbogle?Bah, humbug.Actually, to be fair, I only watched the first episode.When I realized that she had been written out of the show I didn't watch, nor will I watch any more episodes.

Monarch of the Glen, series 1 &2
This series is beyond a doubt, one of the most unusual and delightful series we have witnessed. Is is just a joy. I have asked for series 3, and as soon as series 4 is available, I'll order that. Just a wonderful production.

Finally!!!!
Please...please...please give us the rest of this awesome series!!Thanks for Series Three!!

YAY!
You've made the boglie population (in this neck of the woods) very happy with finally releasing Series 3...when do we expect to be able to order Series 4?;) If you love, Series 1 and 2, you'll love Series 3!:) ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Another trip down the blood soaked yellow brick road
What is it that makes HBO's ultra volitale men in prison drama Oz such compulsively addictive viewing?Perhaps it's the layers of storylines being told over one another, perhaps it's the fact that this is one of the finest ensemble casts ever assembled, or, possibly, because one is so shocked at what is seen on screen that they anxiously, or dreadfully, await to see just who gets shanked next or what else develops.Whatever the case, Oz remains one of the best shows to ever grace HBO, and one of the most underrated.The fifth season of Oz begins with the aftermath of the kitchen fire, followed by the power control triangle between Tobias Beecher (Lee Tergesen), white supremiscist leader Vern Schillinger (J.K. Simmons), and Kareem Said (Eamon Walker).In the meantime, the mother of Ryan and Cyril O'Reilly (Dean and Scott William Winters) comes to the prison to teach the prisoners of performance arts, while a few inmates train some dogs to be guides for the blind.Of course not all of this ends well at all, but what else would you expect while taking a trip down this blood soaked yellow brick road?Standout performances from Tergesen, Simmons, Walker, the Winters brothers, Kirk Acevedo, B.D. Wong, Ernie Hudson, Terry Kinney, and the rest of the usual suspects are highlights here, but it's Law & Order: SVU's Christopher Meloni who steals the show as Beecher's psychotic lover Keller, who has coming agendas of his own.By the time season five comes to a close, it is apparent that the end is soon near, and by the time it reaches it's climax, you'll be begging to see how it all comes to an end.

Oz - Fifth Season
Oz, that's the name on the street for the Oswald Correctional Facility - Level Four.

Season Four ended with a gas fire in the kitchen.We start out the fifth season, some months later, with the first visitation from the inmates' family and friends since the fire.

In the fifth season, Em City plays host to a 'seeing-eye-dog' program, where three inmates attempt to train some dogs for the blind.

A lady named Eleanor joins the staff at Oz as a liasion to the governor.

Ryan O'Reilly's mother, Suzanne, comes to Oz to teach the inmates some performance arts (as an act of community service) - in this season she teaches singing lessons.Something which the ever-so-annoying Omar White takes part in.

Peter Schibetta, who was sent to the psych ward at the end of season two, returns with revenge on his mind - hoping to take care of some Italian business.

As for the Tobias Beecher-Vern Schillinger storylines, last season ended with Schillinger and Robson attempting to kill Beecher and Keller - but Kareem Said shanks Schillinger and Robson from behind (saying afterwards, "Adebisi lives!").This season starts with Beecher, Schillinger, and Said in Sister Pete's interaction sessions.

An old friend of Beecher's family gets sent to Oz - Adam Guenzel (along with his friend Franklin Winthrop) for raping a woman.Adam seems pretty happy to have an old friend like Beecher as his sponser, until he finds out about Beecher's first few months in Oz.

Not one of my favorite seasons, but not a bad one.Check out the beginning of this set for an inmate played by rock band Kiss's Peter Criss.And later, an embarrasing experience for Aryan member Robson at the dentist.My least favortie group in Oz (probably most people's)
... Read more

Amazon.com

TV detective fans rejoice: Peter Falk's rumpled and infallible Lt. Columbo joins the DVD precinct with a five-disc set that features the detective's first nine appearances for NBC. Though Falk as Columbo (no first name) made his TV debut in 1967, the detective had actually first appeared on an episode of the 1960-61 Chevy Mystery Show (Bert Freed played the role) written by veteran TV scribes Richard Levinson and William Link (The Fugitive, Alfred Hitchcock Presents). The pair turned the episode into a stage play titled Prescription: Murder, which was adapted into a TV movie in 1967 with Falk in the lead. NBC greenlit a two-hour Columbo pilot (Ransom for a Dead Man) in 1971, and the series was launched that fall as part of the NBC Sunday Mystery Movie, a rotating 90-minute program that alternated Columbo with episodes of MacMillan and Wife and McCloud (another Levinson/Link creation). Viewers were quickly won over by Falk's shrewd performance as he matched wits with a host of exceptional guest stars (including Gene Barry, Patrick McGoohan, and others), all of whom assumed that the disheveled detective would never figure out their "perfect crimes"; the popularity and quality of the original series allows Falk to continue to don the trenchcoat some 30 years later for occasional Columbo TV movies.

All seven 90-minute episodes of the 1971-72 debut season are included here, along with Prescription: Murder and Ransom for a Dead Man; unfortunately, as the lieutenant himself would say, "Oh, just one more thing"--no extras are included in the set, but having these fine TV mysteries in one set should be reward enough for armchair sleuths. --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Just one more thing: Thanks, Universal
Finally, my dream come true. I've been expecting this release for a long time. I keep all the Columbo episodes on VHS and now it's great to know they're being released on DVD, hope it'll continue with all the seasons ahead. Robert Culp (Death lends a hand), Ross Martin (Suitable for framing), Jack Cassidy (Murder by the book),Roddy McDowell (Short fuse) and even Leslie Nielsen (Lady in waiting) are among the great actors that share the credits with Mr. Peter Falk (tip of the hat to him). Go for it, you won't regret it.

There IS Just One More Thing...
Peter Falk's Columbo ranks as one of the greatest TV detective characters ever created. His ability to capture the kirky Los Angeles Lieutenant has captivated decades of viewers and is sure to also capture younger fans with this long-awaited DVD release.

Created by Richard Levinson and William Link, the series debuted in 1971 with "Murder by the Book," which was actually the third appearance of Falk's Columbo (there had been two previous two-hour NBC World Premiere Movies prior to the series launch.) Interestingly, "Murder by the Book" was directed by a then unknown talent: Steven Spielberg.

Columbo was unique in so many ways, the first was that the viewer learned the killer's identity in the first few minutes of every episode. Up until then, detective shows and mysteries had tried to keep the audience guessing "Who Done It?" until the very final scene. Levinson and Link turned that formula upside down, letting viewers in on the intracacies of the crime from the killer's viewpoint, their motivation, and what they did to cover their tracks to avoid discovery.

Often, Columbo was not even introduced until 20 minutes or more into the episodes (which ran a network 90 minutes with commercials instead of the usual 60 minutes for dramas.)

However, as soon as the audience caught a glimpse of the short, rumpled, cigar-smoking detective with the tan rain coat, they knew that they were watching something really special. Columbo feigned a scatter-brained approach, but it was soon obvious to viewers and the episode's killer that beneath his step-and-fetch-it manner lay the cooly brilliant mind of a master detective. And, it was the cat-and-mouse interplay and dialog between Columbo and the criminal that was at the heart of this brilliant series.

Smartly written and tightly crafted, the dramatic tension was created as Columbo slowly chipped away the layers of subterfuge left by the killer to reveal the mechanics of the crime and the killer.

Throughout the series, which spanned three decades after several relaunches as specials, Falk's black hair turned gray, but he wore the exact same rain coat while pursuing some of the best actors and actresses on TV or in the movies who portrayed various extremes of melevolent killers. A virtual "who's who" of the acting profession did a turn on Columbo.

To say that Columbo affected the TV mystery genre is to give it far too little credit: it changed it forever and produced a detective from which his alter ego, the vastly talented Falk, will also never be able to escape.

Let's hope the studio takes a clue from Colombo and quickly releases the rest of these outstanding episodes!

Why is there no remastering of Columbo?
Universal has done the same thing to Columbo that they did to The Night Gallery series-no interviews,no documentaries and no remastering of the print. This is not good enough.
If other studios can remaster everything from Star Trek to such average fare as Wonder Woman and The Dukes Of Hazzard,then Universal should have remastered the classic Columbo dramas and given us a new print of the series.
It would be so nice to have an interview with Peter Falk and have him tell us about his movie career and his 30 year association with Columbo,which is one of the longest acting experiences in media history. Peter filmed his first Columbo in 1972 and his latest in 2003. Quite an effort and it would have been great to hear some stories,but fans get nothing.
It would also be nice to see an interview with actor Patrick McGoogan and to hear how he got involved with acting and then writing,directing and producing some Columbo tele-movies,but again fans get left with nothing.
Altough the print of Columbo will be an acceptable standard comparable with video tapes,with such new technology as plasma and high definition television,viewers deserve better these days.
Other studios recognise this and Universal needs to wake up and join the new century. Perhaps when Vol 2 gets released,they might recognise this and give us a remastered set with some interviews.

I'm in heaven! YES!!!!!!
My heart sank to the floor when I saw that Columbo is on DVD. What I like best about this, is that it will be in broadcast order.
Just the fact that it's on DVD, in broadcast order or mixed up, is simply WONDERFUL.
How I long loved Columbo. It's a great detective show!!! Simply the best!

Well, it looks like the set will contain...
All 7 first season episodes, as well as the pilot "Prescription: Murder" and the "Ransom for a Dead Man" episode/movie as well for 9 total episodes/movies. YEAH!!! ... Read more

Reviews (125)

As Homer Simpson might say, "Holy Macaroni!"
Okay, so the oversized Cylon-head box won't fit neatly on a shelf with other "regulation sized" DVDs. This is to be expected for a DVD set of Battlestar Galactica: a show which forged a path all its own.

This DVD set includes the complete original series. No, this doesn't include "Galactica 1980," as if anyone would want it to. Instead, it includes all 22 episodes of the original series, before ABC-TV pulled the plug in April 1979. Each of the six discs is two-sided, meaning essentially 12 discs for the 22 episodes. This leaves room for the episodes and a slew of extras.

Extras...? How about an audio commentary for the pilot episode, including Dirk Benedict (Starbuck) and Richard Hatch (Apollo)? How about tons upon tons of deleted scenes for 15 of the episodes...? Granted these deletions are very "raw cut" though that's what makes them so cool. Someone literally must've scrounged the cutting room floor for all of this lost footage. Featurettes include an interview with series creator Glen A. Larson, a look at the robot "Daggit," a look at the upcoming video game (which stars Terminator 3's Kristanna Loken), and the new Sci-Fi Channel Mini-Series.

The best extra is a 45 minute reunion special, on the final disc (fitting enough). All the original cast and crew are present, with the exception of Jane Seymour, Lorne Greene and Maren Jensen. This is a nice addition. They obviously had a lot of fun starring in this show. That's only fair. I had a lot of fun watching them!

Battlestar - A Galactic DVD Hit
I have just received my complete Battlestar Galactica DVD collection in the mail from Amazon.com with lightning speed. I have waited months for this set with great anticipation and must say that after having watched a few of the episodes, discovering the nearly 15 minutes of deleted and alternate scenes/takes/bloopers/FX shots for EACH episode, the entertaining 45 minute retrospective documentary that interviews many of the original cast, directors and living guest stars today, this collection is nothing short of AMAZING. Each episode also comes with its preview/teaser, chapter search, an episode description, and is in 5.1 dolby digital. The picture is pristine, although the opening theme intros are slightly grainy. The sound is rich and full. I did not notice any substantial channel seperation on the 5.1, but they DO register as 5.1 digital. There is a distinct improvement on the music and dialog. The Cylon case in which the fold-out box of discs is stored is a fun collector's piece, however, the eye portion is not very exciting. A beautiful 8.5 X 11(approx.) booklet with rare illustrations and episode info is included. Universal did a Fantastic job in restoring and archiving this popular 1970's scifi show. This Battlestar Galactica DVD collection, all 24 hours of the original series, including the uncut Pilot, "Saga of a Starworld"(with commentary by Hatch, Benedict), not seen in its entirety for years, plus hours of extras make this a Highly desirable DVD set for the Galactica fan.

wooohooo!!
this is the holy grail of fun fi folks!! ya got cylons, baltar, hatch, daggits, starbuck, vipers, ben cartwright, lucifer, scary pat mcnee, hot babes, more hot babes, some human eatin' big bug people...all in a plastic cylon head!! grab this before it's gone! 'nuff said!

Galactica 80 is not included, but that's okay by me!
This is the complete BATTLESTAR GALACTICA series. GALACTICA 80 was a different series. I bought this for the complete original series and I've got no complaints about it. There are two versions of this set: one comes with a cylon head shaped box, but the other one just comes in a smaller box that is shaped like a smaller box. I'm glad I got the one shaped like a cylon. Some folks would like the box shaped box. We got two boxes of all 24 hours of the original Battlestar Galactica to pick from so life is good. God Bless America and Galactica!

five stars
Over the past few months I have begun watching the Battlestar Galactica televison program for the first time. I was never much of a science fiction fan and had limited access to televison while growing up. I didn't see the Battlestar Galactica televison series until my husband purchased the complete series on DVD.

I became an instant fan after Saga of a Star World. I then began reading my husbands collection of Battlestar Galactica books by Richard Hatch. Both the books and the series have flaws (what doesn't?), but they also have wonderful characters, heart, imagination, and warmth. There's a special charm to Battlestar Galactica. Watching the episodes and reading the books has been five star experience for me. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Charmed: The Complete First Season recaptures a period when television's WB network was particularly keen on series about the supernatural and specially powered characters. The original home of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and future launch pad for Angel and Smallville, the WB debuted Charmed in 1998 with many of the same intriguing ironies that made those other shows click. Specifically, the greater a character's powers, the more vulnerable he or she becomes; the more superhuman, the more painfully obvious one's lonely, fragile humanity. The Halliwells, a trio of witch heroines and siblings at the center of Charmed, is a case in point. Phoebe (Alyssa Milano) returns to her San Francisco family home after losing her job, and moves in with her older sisters Prue (Shannen Doherty) and Piper (Holly Marie Combs). On her first night back, Phoebe finds the Book of Shadows in the attic and recites a spell giving all three women unique powers they were always meant to have: Prue suddenly has the gift of telekinesis, Piper can make time stand still, and Phoebe can see into the future. All well and good, but along with those extraordinary abilities is a new awareness of dark forces in the world from which mortals need protection. In some cases, those forces have been plotting a long time to steal the Halliwell's magical legacy once they awakened to it--and now they will never let up.

Evil warlocks, demons, ancient curses, Grimlocks, and Wendigos (the last two are best left explained by their respective episodes), however, are only half the battle on this sexy dramedy, in which more ordinary matters of emotional and real-world survival also preoccupy the Halliwells. An important ally, Inspector Andy Trudeau (Ted King), is Prue's ex-lover, a delicate detail that mixes pain with duty as the couple rekindles their troubled relationship while solving otherworldly crimes. In "Dead Man Dating," Piper falls for the ghost of a murdered man who needs help, and later competes with Phoebe for the attention of a handyman, Leo (Brian Krause). Jobs and money are always an issue, too. At one time or another, Phoebe works as a psychic, Piper as a caterer, and Prue finds a job at an auction house. As with Buffy, the engine of Charmed is the seamless, sometimes-comic, sometimes-tender way in which all these dynamics in the magic and non-magic worlds blend together, presenting young adult challenges that are both unique and somehow terribly familiar. It is particularly fun to watch this series grow, deepen, and experiment during its first year. The season's true highlight is probably "That 70s Episode," in which the Halliwells go back in time to meet their younger selves. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (362)

A MUST HAVE
The Popular TV series Charmed with Shannen Doherthy, Alyssa Milano, Holly Marie Combs ,Rose McGowan will be soon available On DVD. Its gonna be all complete season 1 including (22 episodes)

1. Something Wicca This Way Comes
2. I've Got You Under My Skin
3. Thank You For Not Morphing
4. Dead Man Dating
5. Dream Sorcerer
6. Wedding From Hell
7. The Fourth Sister
8. The Truth is Out There... and It Hurts
9. The Witch Is Back
10. Wicca Envy
11. Feats of Clay
12. The Wendigo
13. From Fear To Eternity
14. Secrets and Guys
15. Is There a Woogy in the House ?
16. Which Prue Is It, Anyway ?
17. That '70s Episode
18. When Bad Warlocks Go Good
19. Blind Sided
20. The Power of Two
21. Love Hurts
22. Deja Vu All Over Again .

Magical
Charmed, now entering its seveth season on the WB, will soon be released on DVD. The show stars Alyssa Milano, Holly Marie Combs, Shannon Doherty, Rose McGowan, and Brian Krause. The episodes from the first season were:

1. Something Wicca This Way Comes
2. I've Got You Under My Skin
3. Thank You For Not Morphing
4. Dead Man Dating
5. Dream Sorcerer
6. Wedding From Hell
7. The Fourth Sister
8. The Truth is Out There... and It Hurts
9. The Witch Is Back
10. Wicca Envy
11. Feats of Clay
12. The Wendigo
13. From Fear To Eternity
14. Secrets and Guys
15. Is There a Woogy in the House ?
16. Which Prue Is It, Anyway ?
17. That '70s Episode
18. When Bad Warlocks Go Good
19. Blind Sided
20. The Power of Two
21. Love Hurts
22. Deja Vu All Over Again .

"We Want Charmed!"
Considering the fact that there's DVD Series out now that hadn't even begun filming until after Charmed Season 1 was broadcasted - I really don't understand why there's such a delay here! The fans want Charmed now. And who knows - a year or so from now (or whenever they finally release it) fans might not want it so bad. Does anyone know why it is that there's such a delay? I heard it had something to do with TNT owning a part of the show and that they didn't want to release it but, if I'm correctly informed, they own part of Angel too and that's already begun releasing either season 2 or 3 (not exactly sure...)

Anyways - whatever happened to "the customer's always right"?! The customer's want Charmed on DVD!!!

Love the show, love the cast... and I'd really love to bring it home to watch again and again!

What happened to "give the customer what she wants"???
When I was in grad school, Marketing 101 taught us to give the customer what they want. So why don't you GIVE US CHARMED ON DVD !!!!!!! Right NOW!

This show ROCKS!!!
I really don't get why Charmed isn't on DVD already. It's such a popular show, and we all want to own the series' on DVD! Charmed rocks! I love Alyssa, Rose and Holly! ... Read more

Amazon.com

A gradual shift in overall style, character homecomings and departures, and evolving on- and off-screen roles for the major players are among the attractions of the seventh season of Stargate SG-1. Spread out over five discs, these 21 episodes are ample indication that changes notwithstanding--and admittedly, not all of them are for the better--the series remains arguably the best-made, most compelling sci-fi program on television.

Perhaps most noticeable is the reduced role of star Richard Dean Anderson, who opted to limit his number of trips to Vancouver, where Stargate SG-1 is filmed. But that's not a bad thing. The show's ability to poke fun at itself has always been a strong suit, and while Anderson still brings a welcome sense of humor to his portrayal of wiseacre and loose cannon Col. Jack O'Neill, his act is getting a little smug by now. What's more, the other principal cast members have taken up the slack, both behind and in front of the camera: Michael Shanks (Daniel Jackson, who rejoins the cast in episode 1) wrote one episode and co-wrote another; Christopher Judge (Teal'c) wrote one as well; Amanda Tapping (Lt. Col. Samatha Carter) directed episode 19, "Resurrection"; and even Corin Nemec (Jonas Quinn, who appears in just a few episodes) contributed one story.

The seventh season also finds the series somewhat more earthbound than in the past; indeed, there are episodes in which the Stargate (the "wormhole" our heroes use to travel to different worlds) doesn't appear at all. On balance, the stories are more personal, and more political--especially the final two, with the newly elected U.S. President (William Devane) struggling to decide the fate of the Stargate program (and, of course, the fate of the entire known universe as well!). And then there's the ultimate villain, Anubis, who makes perennial nemeses the Goa'uld (of which Anubis is one... sort of) look tame. He's a combination of Star Wars' Darth Vader and evil Emperor, but hey, at least these guys borrow from the best.

Stargate SG-1's production values remain first-rate. The bonus DVD features are also much better than they once were, with audio commentary (mainly by directors and writers) for every episode, as well as director profiles and "Beyond the Gate" featurettes focusing on individual characters.--Sam Graham ... Read more

Reviews (4)

More SG-1!
Stargate SG-1 is simply amazing: after seven seasons it still is the best show on TV. I am writing this having watched both the two-part season-8 premiere and the Atlantis pilot. The season 8 premiere was a very good conclusion to the season 7 cliffhanger. I am more dubious about Atlantis: the concept of SG-1 is that you go to another solar system, and then you are back home for dinner. With a completely off-world based plot, Atlantis will be much harder to sustain. Still, while not totally convincing, the pilot was entertaining enough. I'll keep watching. And so should you. This is one of the reasons why you really need this DVD set: the plot of the SG-1 series is so complicated that you really need to watch all episodes to keep up. Several times.

The other reason to own the season 7 set is that, while it might not be up to the very best seasons, it still has a number of unforgettable episodes. The late two-part episodes "Heroes" and "Lost city" are among the best of the entire series, but I liked "Evolution", "Grace" and even "Chimera" a lot. These three episodes show the diversity of the plots of SG-1: "Chimera" is an entirely Earth-based episode, "Grace" is almost entirely based on the spaceship Prometheus and "Evolution" has action going on both in the jungle of Nicaragua and on Anubis' planetary base.

"Lost city" was originally planned as a feature movie, a la "X-Files Fight the Future". I am happy that the movie route was not taken: while the special effect budget would have been bigger, the movie would have broken the continuity of the series. As it is, "Lost City" is both a spectacular episode on its own and a great introduction to SG-1 season 8 and to Atlantis.

Another great season
After 6 great seasons of Stargate, season 7 doesn't disappoint. While any of the episodes are better than the average television show, a few are simply spectacular. The season opener is decent and the ending is absolutely wonderful. However, I found the most powerful episode to be "Grace." It is simply amazing. "Heroes" is also an amazing two-parter that any Stargate fan will want to own. These episodes are the reason this DVD collection deserves five stars, though it is a little overpriced. This is also a good season to watch if your a fan of Carter, Teal'c or Daniel. O'Neill spent less time in the spotlight this season and it appears that this will also be the case for season 8, the last of the series. Even if you are a fan of Anderson you will still like both seasons 7 and 8 along with the new Stargate Atlantis where he will make several appearances. Overall this is the most amazing television series I have ever seen and this season continues the legacy.

My Second favorite season!
What more would make this set worth the money than the 2-parters "Heroes" and "The Lost City"? IMO, all the other episodes a good (maybe except Space Race) but these four episodes here make me almost want to call this my favorite season. Daniel's back, which most fans might take as a positive note, and Anubis is brought up front and center as the baddest guy in the series' history.

The Lost City, as I said before, is want shines the most in this set. Originaly planned as a feature film movie after season six, it was slightly transformed into a series finale after the renewal. But then StarGate got renewed again, so again they tweaked it once more, making it a cliffhanger. Many other episodes make the set worth the money, especially the two-part opener, Heroes, Orpheus, and Birthright.

I would recommend this set to anyone who liked any of the first six seasons. This is definitely a departure from the previous seasons, with far less team based episodes, but the overall experience is just as great as the others.

Daniels Back
I never saw a problem with daniel coming back. He was always one of my favorite characters. This season starts with fire, goes dull for a couple of episodes, then gears back up for a grand finale. After seeing the season premiere for season 8, I cant wait to get my hands on season 7 to enjoy all over again. Season 8 looks to be amazing as well as Atlantis... Thank god for stargate! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Entourage is everything viewers have come to expect from an HBO series: smart, hilarious, and highly addictive, especially when taken in full-season, DVD form. As implied in the title, the show follows Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier), a rising Hollywood star with bedroom eyes and an over-active libido, along with his three childhood companions-turned-hangers-on. Kevin Dillon plays Johnny Drama, Vincent's less-attractive, B-list actor of a brother (he is Matt Dillon's less-attractive, B-list actor of a brother in real life). Jerry Ferrara plays Turtle, the weasel, and Kevin Connolly appears as Eric, the Everyman hero who hopes to parlay his friendship with Vincent (plus two years of community college) into a career in talent management. Along the way Eric contends with the predictable self-doubt, romantic indecision, etc. The cast is rounded out by Jeremy Piven (Doug Hughley from Singles) as a foul-mouthed agent reminiscent of Jay Mohr's short-lived Peter Dragon character. Finally, it's produced by Marky Mark himself--and you've got to believe that guy knows something about the star-entourage relationship. If possible, watch with a friend so you'll have someone to quote lines back to later. --Leah Weathersby ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The TV show equivalent of a Little Debbie Swiss Cake Roll
...which is to say rich, sugary, not very nutritious but tasty and addictive as hell.It's junk food, no doubt about it, but it's also so enjoyable it's pretty hard to begrudge.

Four friends live together and hang out around L.A.: Vince is a DiCaprio-level star on the rise (though he's reportedly loosely based on producer Mark Wahlberg); Eric is his best friend, a smart kid trying to help him manage his career; and Turtle and Johnny Drama (Vince's has-been older half-brother) are the comic relief.Adding shards of garlic to the mix is Jeremy Piven as Ari, Vince's razor-tongued agent who, were he played by anybody other than Piven, would probably be too much to digest in such an otherwise tangy environment.

In stark contrast to most HBO Sunday night shows ("Sopranos," "Six Feet Under," "Deadwood," all of which usually leave me feeling devastated and so much the better for it) this is bummer-free TV.The characters don't have to work, don't have to worry about money, have infinite free time and access to women and recreational misadventures.Even in those rare moments when they have an actual problem it's never really a pressing problem ("Eric, which movie should I do???").And each episode seems to end with the main characters sharing a drink while watching the sun set from some beautiful vista.

And you know what?Why not?The show ain't exactly Tolstoy but it's a lot of shiny, colorful fun -- smart dialogue, sharp "inside baseball" industry jokes, attractive ladies, cool toys and an eclectic mix of hip-hop and classic rock.It's like HBO fused the Y chromosome of "Larry Sanders" with the X chromosome of "Sex and the City" and came up with a precocious but charming little tyke.

Great Show ! Can't wait for Season 2 to start
This show is truely awesome. The dialogue is amazing and suits every situation in the show perfectly. Kevin Dillon and Jeremy Piven are hilarious. You couldn't ask more from a supporting cast. The music is really good too. Anybody have any info on a soundtrack?

Fantastic show
Entourage is the show produced by and loosely based on Mark Wahlbergs rise into tinseltown with his best friends. The show is witty, well written and will keep you laughing from start to finish. The second season starts on June 5th on HBO, and proves to be an even bigger and better. The boys travel to the sundance film festival for tons of laughs, I was an extra for these episodes and guarantee this will be one hell of a season. So get watching!

Great series
If you've already seen the first season of Entourage, you'll be buying this set for sure.If you haven't seen it, you really need to buy these DVD's.The characters are engaging and the dialogue is hilarious.Jeremy Piven is a stand-out as he absolutely chews up and spits out every scene in which he appears.I hope that Season 2 is more than 8 episodes. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The second season of Farscape expands upon and develops the characters introduced in the ambitious first season. John Crichton's new nemesis is the deadly Scorpius, replacing Crais, who has taken the living ship Moya's offspring on a voyage into the unknown. Moya's regular crew--Aeryn, Zhaan, Chiana, D'Argo and Rygel--remain as divided and suspicious of each other as ever, yet somehow manage to pull together at times of crisis. The writers continue to exploit the show's gift for surprising as well as emotionally convincing character development, while the CGI effects, prosthetics and state-of-the-art puppetry--courtesy of Jim Henson's Creature Shop--continue to make Farscape the most original-looking sci-fi show on TV. The witty scripts, peppered with post-modern pop culture references and movie in-jokes, are also a breath of fresh air. Despite some wildly erratic shifts in tone, this is exceptional TV science-fiction that continually pushes the accepted boundaries of the genre. --Mark Walker ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Finally? It makes sense...
So many people are saying "finally they released a boxed set". In the forums it's "ADV told us they wouldn't release a box set, so I'll just buy the individuals".

Okay people... ADV wants to make money. They know all the hardcore fans of Farscape want the episodes, especially since the cancellation. So they released one volume at a time and everyone bought them. Now they release a box set hoping that the same people will buy it. Every movie company does this... can you say "highly anticipated DVD release of Lord of the Rings"? and then a month later the same movie with bonus footage... It's [something] that they pull all the time to make money.

I bought all of season one, one DVD at a time. Then the boxed set was released. I figure I spent about $200 for the individuals and then a nice compact boxed set is out for around $125. I decided to wait for the season 2 boxed set. Here it is... now please, everyone, save your money and WAIT for the season 3 boxed set. It WILL come out.

ADV rips everyone off again
OK, here's my complaint. ADV released all of these individually for fans to buy. Everyone paid $30.00 for these already. NOW they are releasing them as a boxed set. So fans that purchased the second season already basically got ripped off by about $35.00 when all is said and done.

That doesn't effect the quality of the series nor the DVD transfers or extras. This is a great boxed set but ADV needs to get their stuff together and do right by fans of the show. You tick them off and they will stop buying your product. Personally, I'd tape the rest of the seasons at this stage I'm THAT FED UP WITH ADV.

This was the best science fiction show on television. It was among the best written and wittiest. Sure, it could have gross out episodes and mundane ones as well but the best episodes stand up to Trek, B5, DS9, SG-1, etc. I'm just annoyed that, yet again, a company has chosen to take advantage of the fan base that supports their product. Maybe this type of stuff is why pirated CDs and DVDs have taken off. It's not that fans feel they shouldn't pay, it's that they feel they've paid again, and again and again and again and again as companies keep repackaging stuff.

Love the show, hate the DVD production.
As a loyal SciFi fan, I believe Farscape to be among the best and the most imaginative shows to ever grace the screen and would give it 6 stars if I could. But the production of DVDs by ADV films of which I own both Farscape seasons, Andromeda & Beastmaster, leaves much to be desired (as usual). They are slow to release the shows in box set so they can milk the individual sets. The transfer is at times terrible. The packaging is as cheap as they come (compare that to Babylon5, Hercules, Xena or even Stargate's packaging and you'll see what I'm talking about.) No extras to speak of. And they want way too much for the individual DVDs and the box sets. I for one will not waste any more money on ADV film's slow, half hearted and less than adequate productions.

New viewers are in for a huge treat
It just doesn't get better than this. Farscape is easily one of the best series to ever grace the tv screen. Even if you're not a regular sci-fi fan, I guarantee you will enjoy the intelligence, wit, superb acting, and sheer beauty of each episode. Farscape has it all: adventure, drama, suspense, and a romance unlike any other. It's an unforgetable roller coaster ride, and this dvd edition is exceptionally high quality with numerous special features.

You will NOT regret buying this! Welcome to crack tv. :)

The foundation is set.
With the first season it blew us away with the style and originality that the crew behind farscape had. Now they are given a budget and start to get serious with the addition of a bigger budget and a more defined plot that they started at the end of season one. Plus they added a new regular character and each member of the crew has their own agenda that they start to explore.

Crichton has information in his head he wasn't aware of, now Scorpius is dead set on finding him. An enigmatic creature that is a deadly adversary. About all that is revealed about him in season 1 is that he is a high ranking member of the Peacekeepers, which in itself is odd. The Peacekeepers are a group of totalitarian fanatics and believe in the purity of their species. You find out that he is crossbred with a species that is considered the biggest threat to the Peackeepers. John is justly terrified of him as he will do anything to achieve his goals and has horrid memories of the Aurora Chair.

D'argo is searching for his son and revenge. He had a child with a Sebacian, something they frown on, and his wife was murdered by her brother for it, he was placed with the blame.

Chiana is escaping her people, a group that believes in enforcing appropriate behavoir through mind cleansing. Why they are so interested in her is the question.

Aeryn shows how unstable she is emotionally. She has never dealt with emotions before always relying on duty. She is an outcast from her people and no longer has her duty to rely on.

Moya's child Talyn shows to be more than they expected and forms an unusual bond with the recently outcast Crais, who becomes the ships advisor.

Some of the best episodes are as follows.

Taking the Stone: Chiana discovers the "lost children", except they are a strange group that pops mushrooms and drinks all the time. They also have a strange ritual called taking the stone, that makes certain they never get "worn out".

Crackers Don't Matter: They pick up a strange alien that offers to help them. But they all start acting strangely and get increasingly paranoid.

Out of Their Minds: Funny episode where bodies are swapped.

A Look at the Princess 1-3: This was my personal favorite. A breakaway sebacian colony that is a monarchy, ruled by an empiress. They visit during coronation where people kiss with a special fluid that tells if they are genetically compatible to have healthy children. All goes well until Chriton kisses the princess and next in line to the throne and finds he is the only male compatible with her, and is pulled into a power struggle.

Liars Guns and Money 1-3: Aptly named, the crew finds where D'argo's sun is and resort to thievery, hiring mercenaries from past episodes, and use outright force to get him back. Nothing seems to go right and they have some great sets and bring back some characters from past episodes.

Die Me Dichtomy: They find that something was put in John that can control him to a degree. They find someone that can help him, but not before a member of the crew is killed. One of the best cliffhanger episodes in sci fi. ... Read more

Description

The cops.The cars. The clothes.From executive producerMichael Mann (Heat, Collateral) comes the first season of the explosive,groundbreaking detective show that redefined the word "cool."Set against the seamy and steamy Miami underworld, ride shotgun with suave Vice cops Sonny Crockett (Golden Globe winner Don Johnson) and RicoTubbs (Phillip Michael Thomas) as they battle a never-ending gallery ofcriminals, drug dealers and lowlifes.Set to Jan Hammer's electrifyingscore and featuring a soundtrack of rock legends exploding in 5.1 sound,including Glenn Frey, Phil Collins, U2 and Peter Gabriel, every episodecrackles with excitement and stylish flair.Also starring Emmy(r) andGolden Globe winner Edward James Olmos and a powerhouse roster of gueststars including Ving Rhames, Jimmy Smits and Bruce WIllis.See why Timemagazine called Miami Vice "TV's hottest and hippest cop show." Includes all 22 first season episodes. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

miami vice volume 1 & 2 on dvd
I was a big fan of miami vice during it's release in the 80's. It's great to see it on dvd but it's such a shame that the episodes are not in order on the dvd release.I wish they would also bring out the rest of series so I can collect the lot.
Miami vice is still as good as it seemed in the 80's cool music, fast cars and wow! Don Johnson yea, He's still very tastey.

Just be patient and understand!
The long running series, Miami Vice, was truly an outstanding show of its time, even to the point of starting a new dress style!

Unfortunately, due to the greed of some people, it is very unlikely the TV series will ever be released and if it ever is, it will NOT be in its original format (with all the original soundtrack music intact). Recent statements from the show's producers said they are dying to get this series on DVD, but considering the current demands from the original artists and the soundtrack, the cost of a single season of Miami Vice would sell between $900 and $1200!

What is being considered is to replace the original soundtrack with other songs or equivalent like music. This was done with the TV series Roswell and personally I believe they pulled it off quite well in that case. I don't know if I could accept a new soundtrack with Miami Vice though, as in most cases it is what made the episode.

Steve C.

All the fans can now breathe again
From what I have heard to date, Universal is prominently featuring Miami Vice in their promotional materials for TV-series releases to DVD. They have good reason to do so. There are plenty of fans out there who are ready to experience this amazing show again. Thank you Universal, this news is a great relief...let the excitement begin!

Season One Out End of 2004
Universal has spent $2.5 million to clear all the music rights (at least for seasons 1 and 2) and will release Season 1 at the end of 2004. Universal is already issuing trade brochures and other marketing materials confirming that Miami Vice IS indeed set for DVD release, so the official word IS out. Season 2 is slated for an early 2005 release.

All sources indicate that the entire series will be issued by season (every 6 months or so) so sit back and get ready to re-live your 80's Friday nights all over again with one of the most ground-breaking shows of the era.

My thoughts
To who concerns: To not release Miami Vice series on DVD is a shame. It marked an era for most of us. Universal: do whatever you want with the music but leave intact the original soundtrack from Jan Hammer and maybe the songs by Phil Collins. The rest can go away and replaced with nice music, just remember that sometimes the music MADE the episode... one of the best things of Miami Vice series was the music... Many of agree to pay more to have it as it has being originaled aired... One season for something around a thousand bucks will be outstanding if you leave all the original music. I'll be waiting for the DVD release for sure. One more thing... think in all the fans you have and includes as many extra subtitles as you can, or even better language tracks, at least English, Spanish and French. I'll purchase the entire series if it includes Spanish language track and/or subtitles, otherwhise I'll pass on this. ... Read more