TV on DVD Buzz

Seinfeld rules this week on the TV on DVD sales charts. Season 9 grabbed the top spot from Scrubs, which dropped all the way down to number 9, and Seinfeld Season 8 is at number 7. New this week is Flight of the Conchords, Martin, Full House, Doctor Who, and Dora the Explorer. The Original Television Christmas Classics moves up from number 7 last week to number 4 this week and High School Musical is up from 9 to 8.

1. Seinfeld: Season Nine
2. Flight Of The Conchords: The Complete First Season
3. Martin: The Complete Third Season
4. The Original Television Christmas Classics (5 DVD Set)
5. Full House: The Complete Eighth Season
6. Doctor Who: The Complete Third Season
7. Seinfeld: Season 8
8. High School Musical: Encore Edition
9. Scrubs: The Complete Sixth Season
10. Dora The Explorer: Puppy Power!

Tabitha was a spinoff of the beloved 1960’s series Bewitched. The series starred a pre-nose job Lisa Hartman (Knots Landing) as Tabitha Stephens, the daughter of Samantha and Darrin, who is all grown up and living in Los Angeles. The show follows her as she learns to use and control her witchcraft while working at a television station. Her younger brother, Adam (David Ankrum), in classic Darrin Stephens fashion, discourages her from using her witchcraft while Aunt Minerva (Karen Morrow) channels Endora and does just the opposite. Robert Urich stars as Tabitha’s love interest and television personality Paul Thurston and Mel Stewart plays her boss, Marvin Decker.

Although Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York (or Dick Sargent for that matter) didn’t ever show up on the series, a few actors from the original series did reprise their roles. Bernard Fox shows up as Dr. Bombay, and George Tobias and Sandra Gould  guest star as nosy neighbors Abner and Gladys Kravitz. Also guest starring are tv favorites Barry Van Dyke, Fred Willard and Werner “Col. Klink” Klemperer.

The pilot premiered on ABC on May 7, 1977 and the series debuted on September 10 of that same year. The second episode didn’t air until November 12, after which the series continued normally. It failed to perform in the ratings and was cancelled after only 12 episodes. The final episode was shown on January 14, 1978.

The DVD release includes all 12 episode plus the original, unaired pilot which starred Liberty Williams and Bruce Kimmel in the roles of Tabitha and Adam in a somewhat different setting.

The pickings are a little slim in the TV on DVD releases this week. I guess the biggest news is the release of the complete series of The O.C. It includes all 92 episodes and is packaged in a unique book. Futurama releases their direct-to-DVD movie, “Bender’s Big Score” this week. Also hitting shelves are 3rd seasons of 70’s faves Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, and Mork and Mindy. Here’s the complete list:

Futurama - Bender’s Big Score
Happy Days - The Complete 3rd Season
The Land Before Time - Vol. 2: Good Times and Good Friends
Laverne & Shirley - The Complete 3rd Season
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. - The Complete Series (Time Life)
Mork & Mindy - The Complete 3rd Season
Wish Gone Amiss – Episodes of Cory in the House, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody & Hannah Montana
The O.C. - The Complete Series
Power Rangers: Operation Overdrive - Volume 3: Blue Sapphire

Scrubs bumped The Sopranos out of the top spot though. Heroes, Family Guy and High School Musical are still holding onto spots in the Top 10 this week and we have quite a few newcomers including a 5 disc set of Christmas Classics and a Looney Tunes compilation. Keep an eye on these charts over the next few weeks. Those holiday geared gift sets should make an appearance soon. 

1. Scrubs: The Complete Sixth Season
2. The Sopranos: Season Six, Part II
3. Looney Tunes: Golden Collection Volume Five
4. Avatar: The Last Airbender: Book 3: Fire Volume 1
5. Twin Peaks: Definitive Gold Box Edition
6. Danielle Steel’s Safe Harbour
7. The Original Television Christmas Classics (5 DVD Set)
8. Family Guy: Volume 5
9. High School Musical: Encore Edition
10. Heroes: Season 1

In honor of the DVD Awards win as “Best One Season Wonder,” today we feature The Dresden Files. The Dresden Files is actually more like a half-season wonder, premiering on the Sci-Fi Network on January 12, 2007 and airing only 12 episodes. It was announced on August 3, 2007 that The Dresden Files would not be renewed for a second season.

The show was based on the series of books by Jim Butcher and centers around Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden (named by his father after Harry Houdini, Harry Blackstone, Sr., and David Copperfield). Dresden is the only professional wizard in modern-day Chicago (he’s even listed in the phone book) and he uses his magic to battle vampires, demons, spirits, faeries, werewolves and others. It’s a tough life for a modern day private detective. Thank goodness, the Chicago PD’s Special Investigation unit, led by Lt. Connie Murphy, frequently calls on Dresden to help solve cases involving the supernatural.

The show starred Paul Blackthorne as Harry Dresden, Valerie Cruz as Lt. Murphy, Terrence Mann as Hrothbert “Bob” of Bainbridge and Conrad Coates as Warden Donald Morgan.

After the series was cancelled, fans began a campaign to bring it back. They gathered over 4,000 signatures on a petition and sent drumsticks to the Sci-Fi Network in hopes of convincing them to change their mind. The campaign was unsuccessful and the series remained cancelled.

The 3 disc DVD set, which released on August 7, 2007, includes all 12 episodes plus commentary, deleted scenes and a behind-the-scenes featurette.

The big news this week is the HD-DVD/DVD combo release of Star Trek, Season 1 which I featured back in September. Also this week, a complete series set of Queer as Folk hits shelves as well as season 7 of C.S.I. and the series collection of Chappelle’s Show. There is also quite a bit of animated fare with The Batman, Care Bears, Happy Tree Friends and Teen Titans hitting this week.

The Batman - The Complete 4th Season
Bozo’s Big Top - Bozo Collection 2
BraveStarr - Volume 1
C.S.I. - The Complete 7th Season
Care Bears - 25 Years of Caring Gift Set
Chappelle’s Show - The Series Collection
Charles in Charge - The Complete 2nd Season
Dangerous Assignment - Complete Collection
The Doris Day Show - Doris Day Today
The Doris Day Show - Season 5
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist - The Complete Series
Gene Simmons: Family Jewels - The Complete 2nd Season
Happy Tree Friends - Season 1: Volume 4
Ice Road Truckers - The Complete Season 1
Inside the Actors Studio - Johnny Depp
Little Britain - Abroad
Little Britain - The Complete Collection
Love, American Style - Season 1, Volume 1
Man with a Camera - Complete Collection
Mission: Impossible - The Complete 3rd Season
The Naked Brothers Band - Battle Of The Bands
Queer as Folk - The Complete Series
Star Trek - Season 1 (HD-DVD/DVD combo)
Tales of Tomorrow - Volume 3
Teen Titans - The Complete 4th Season
The Tudors - The Complete 1st Season: Uncut Edition (Canada)
The Wild, Wild West - Season 3

The 4th Annual TV on DVD Awards were held Monday, November 12 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Century City, California. They were presented by Home Media Magazine in conjunction with TVShowsonDVD.com, DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group and The Hollywood Reporter.

A complete-series boxed set of “Get Smart” won the top honor, while Jim Henson’s Muppets took home the most awards with three honors.

“Get Smart: The Complete Series,” a collaboration between Time Life and HBO Video, earned the Best of Show prize for its clever phone booth design and bonus features such as commentaries, interviews, bloopers and rare footage. “Get Smart” also took home best 1960’s series.

The second-season DVD of “The Muppet Show” won for best 1970s series and best children’s program, and Jim Henson’s “Fraggle Rock: Season 3,” won best 1980s series.

Judges also gave a special award to Anchor Bay’s “Greatest American Hero” limited-edition collector’s set for its packaging and inclusion of replicas of props from the show.

Winners were also announced in the 16 categories voted by consumers in an online vote between October 15-26.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best of Show: Get Smart: The Complete Series, Time Life/HBO Video
Best 2000s Series: Heroes: Season 1, Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Best 1990s Series: Seinfeld: Season 8, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Best 1980s Series: Fraggle Rock: Season 3, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment/HIT Entertainment
Best 1970s Series: The Muppet Show: Season 2, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Best 1960s Series: Get Smart: The Complete Series, Time Life/HBO Video
Best 1950s Series: Adventures of Superman: Seasons 5 & 6, Warner Home Video
Best Animated Series: The Simpsons: Season 10, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Best Children’s Series: The Muppet Show: Season 2, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Best Reality Series: Survivor: Vanuatu, CBS DVD/Paramount Home Entertainment
Best Variety Series: The Best of Chappelle’s Show, Paramount Home Entertainment/Comedy Central
Best One-Season Wonder: The Dresden Files, Lionsgate
Best Miniseries or Made-for-TV Movie: Roots: 30th Anniversary Edition, Warner Home Video
Best Foreign TV Series: Doctor Who: Series 2, BBC Video
Best TV Documentary: Planet Earth, BBC Video

Hannah Montana, Family Guy and The War all drop this week but Heroes has shot back up to the number 2 spot from number 6. New entries on this week’s chart include The Sopranos and Veronica Mars along with The L Word and NCIS. As Holiday geared gift sets release over the next few weeks, it should be interesting to watch the charts and see who makes the list.

1. The Sopranos: Season Six, Part II
2. Heroes: Season 1
3. Veronica Mars: The Complete Third Season
4. The L Word: The Complete Fourth Season
5. NCIS: The Fourth Season
6. Family Guy: Volume 5
7. High School Musical: Encore Edition
8. Hannah Montana: Life’s What You Make It
9. Stephen King’s It
10. The War: A Film By Ken Burns

Commander in Chief was a promising, yet short-lived series about the first female president of the United States. The show premiered on ABC on September 27, 2005 and started off with promising ratings. The show was #1 on Tuesday nights until FOX’s American Idol took this honor and was the #1 new show of the season until it was overtaken by CBS’ Criminal Minds. The series was created by Rod Lurie, famous for The Contender and Deterrence.

On May 13, 2006, ABC announced that the show had been cancelled, and the final episode aired on June 14, 2006. There was some buzz that a TV movie might be in the works, but nothing has come of it.

The show centers around Mackenzie Allen, who becomes President of the United States when President Teddy Bridges has a stroke. Although asked by Bridges administartion to turn in a resignation letter, Allen decides to take the oath of office and becomes the first woman President of the U.S.

The show not only looked at the political ramifications of the first woman in the White House, it also examined how Allen juggled her family and her position as leader of the free world. It also looked at how her husband, Rod Calloway, felt about becoming the first “First Gentleman.”

Starring in Commander in Chief were Geena Davis as President, Mackenzie Allen; Donald Sutherland as Speaker of the House, Nathan Templeton; Kyle Secor as Rod Calloway; Harry J. Lennix as Chief of Staff, Jim Gardner; Peter Coyote as Vice President, Warren Keaton and Evan Carradine as Press Secretary, Kelly Ludlow.

Geena Davis won a Golden Globe for her role as President Allen. The show was also nominated for Best Drama and Best Supporting Actor (Donald Sutherland) at the 2006 Golden Globes. In addition to those nominations, Geena Davis garnered nods at the Emmy’s, SAG Awards and Satellite Awards. 

The show is now available on DVD, but for some reason, it was released on 2 DVD sets rather than in just one. Part 1 of The Inaugural Edition includes episodes 1-10 plus unaired scenes, an interview with Geena Davis and commentary from the creator. Part 2 includes episodes 11-18 plus bloopers and outtakes, deleted scenes, and an interview with Geena Davis.

We have another great list of DVD releases this week. All the studios are gearing up for the holidays now with a selection of complete series gift sets. Notable this week is the Gilmore Girls set, which is packaged in a retro doll case, the Northern Exposure set, which comes packaged in a fleece lined messenger bag, and the Miami Vice set, which comes packaged in a faux Alligator skin case.

The Addams Family - Complete Series Box Set
Are You Afraid of The Dark? - Season 4 (Canada)
Black Books - The Complete 3rd Series
Black Books - The Complete Black Books
Captain N and the New Super Mario World - The Complete Series
Da Vinci’s Inquest - Season 2
DuckTales - Volume 3
Gilmore Girls - The Complete 7th Season
Gilmore Girls - The Complete Series
Kenny vs. Spenny - Season 3 (Canada)
King of Kensington - Season 1 (Canada)
Little Mosque on the Prairie - The Complete 1st Season (Canada)
The Littles - The Complete Unedited Series
Masters of Horror - Dream Cruise (Norio Tsuruta)
Masters of Horror - Season 1, Volume 3 (Blu-ray)
Melrose Place - The Complete 3rd Season
Miami Vice - The Complete Series
Northern Exposure - The Complete Series
Perry Mason - The 2nd Season, Volume 2
Prison Break - Season 1 (Blu-ray)
Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! - Wooden Treasure Chest Giftset (Canada)
South Park - Christmas Time In South Park
SpongeBob SquarePants - Atlantis SquarePantis
Tale Spin - Volume 2
The Young Ones - Extra Stoopid Edition
Zorro: Generation Z - Return to the Future

Many people aren’t clear as to what this Hollywood writers strike is all about. I had read a great deal about it but still wasn’t completely clear about it until I found a great blog with a video that explains it in very easy language with pictures. The blog, United Hollywood, is put together by a group strike captains and is very informative. It also includes links to their YouTube videos which feature some of your favorite stars and the creators of some of your favorite shows. I recommend you watch some of the videos because they are quite funny.

Here’s the one that explains it all:

I have to say, as sorry as I am to see my shows ending early, I agree with the writers. The internet isn’t going anywhere and they deserve to be paid for their work. I hope the studios will sit down with them and they can end this soon.

Amazon has all kinds of DVD specials in their Television Central store. 

First, there are over 100 TV DVDs on sale right now at 50% off. Titles include Bones, Boston Legal, That 70’s Show, Firefly, Futurama, WKRP, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, Picket Fences, Hill Street Blues and many, many more. Prices start at just $4.99.

They also have first seasons of some of your favorite TV classics. Included in this selection are Leave it to Beaver, Magnum PI, Murder She Wrote and one of my old favorites, The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries.

And finally, they have the TV Stock Up Sale, which features shows like Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, One Day at a Time and Who’s the Boss - just to name a few. All of these sets are priced under $25!

And don’t forget, that BBC sale I told you about is still going on.

You might want to stock up on a few of these so you’ll have something to watch if the TV writers don’t reach a settlement soon!

I’ve found a more relevant chart to use here on TV on DVD Buzz so I’m making a few changes to my weekly “Top DVDs” post. I can now show you the Top Selling TV DVDs, which is more relevant to our theme than the full DVD sales chart I’ve been using, but I’ll only be able to bring you the Top 10 rather than the Top 20.

1. Family Guy: Volume 5
2. Hannah Montana: Life’s What You Make It
3. The War: A Film By Ken Burns
4. Grey’s Anatomy: Season Three
5. It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia
6. Heroes: Season 1
7. That 70s Show: Season Seven
8. High School Musical: Encore Edition
9. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Treat
10. Stephen King’s It

Source: Billboard’s Top TV DVD Sales

My So-Called Life was created by Winnie Holzman and produced by Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz. It aired on ABC from August 25, 1994, to January 26, 1995.

Set at the “Liberty High” in Three Rivers, Pennsylvania, the show centered around Angela Chase, a 15 year old sophomore, and her friends and family. It showed the life of teenagers in high school and the everyday problems they face. The show looked at things in a realistic perspective and refrained from the lesson teaching and resolutions of typical family dramas. Though only 19 episodes were produced, the show garnered much acclaim. It was nominated for 5 Emmys and Claire Danes won a Golden Globe for her role as Angela. The show ended in a cliffhanger with the expectation that it would be picked up in for additional season, but due to low ratings and the reluctance of star Claire Danes to return for its second season, it was cancelled.

The show started Claire Danes as Angela Chase; Bess Armstrong as Angela’s mother, Patty; Tom Irwin as Angela’s dad, Graham; Lisa Wilhoit as Angela’s younger sister, Danielle; A.J. Langer as Rayanne; Wilson Cruz as Rickie; Devon Odessa as Sharon; Devon Gummersall as Brian; and Jared Leto as Jordan.

The comprehensive box set released last week and includes:

• All 19 episodes on 6 discs
• “My So-Called Life Story”
• A Conversation with Claire Danes & Winnie Holzman
• A Conversation with Marshall Herskovitz & Winnie Holzman
• Interview with Claire Danes
• The Characters: Angela, The Chase Family, The Friends
• The Music — Composer W.G. Snuffy Walden
• Panel with the Cast and Creators
• Photo Gallery
• Audio commentaries
• 36 page book

There are lots of great Complete Series releases this week. You might want to stock up on some of these to get you through the writers strike.

The Andy Williams Show - The Best Of
Beetle Bailey and His Friends - The Complete Collection
The Bob Hope Show - Ultimate Collection Special Edition
The Captain and Tennille - The TV Specials
The Colbert Report - Best Of The Colbert Report
The Cosby Show - Season 5
The Cosby Show - Season 6
The Day of the Triffids
Doctor Who - Story #123: Time-Flight
Doctor Who - Story #124: Arc of Infinity
Doctor Who - The Complete 3rd Series
Flight of the Conchords - The Complete 1st Season
Full House - The Complete 8th Season
Full House - The Complete Series Collection
Gilligan’s Island - The Complete Series Collection
House of Venus - The Complete 1st Season
Iron King - The Complete Series
The King of Queens - The Complete Series
Kung Fu - The Complete Collection
Martin - The Complete 3rd Season
McLeod’s Daughters - The Complete 4th Season
Most Extreme Elimination Challenge - Season 3
The Munsters - Scary Little Christmas
Payback - The 2nd Season
The Pink Panther Show - A Pink Christmas
Project Runway - Season 3
Seinfeld - The Complete Series
Seinfeld - Vol 8 - Season 9
Sesame Street - Old School Volume 2: 1974 - 1979
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson - Heeere’s Johnny: The Definitive DVD Collection From The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Wildfire - Season 2
Wings - The Complete 5th Season
Wonder Woman - The Complete Collection
The X-Files - The Complete Collector’s Edition