TV on DVD Buzz

Here is this week’s edition for TV on DVD Releases in the documentary category.

60 Minutes The Road to the White House - This release looks back at the different Obama footage from different 60 Minutes episodes. This particular release seems to be a rare one that is almost a reasonable length at 45 minutes compared to most that are marked as less than 15 minutes. Also, this is a full broadcast edition episode that was done on December 28, 2008, and not just a plain compilation, as it may sound like.

Biography Barack Obama Inaugural Edition DVD - This release is an updated version following his life from the time of his childhood in Hawaii through to him being elected as President of the United States.

Haunted Histories Collection: Dracula, Witches, Voodoo, and Exorcism - This is a five DVD set of History Channel shows. It includes “Bloodlines: The Dracula Family Tree,” “Exorcism: Driving Out the Devil,” “Witch Hunt,” “Exorcising the Devil,” and “Voodoo Secrets.”

Jurassic Fight Club Season One - This is not exactly a normal documentary series, but documentary seems to be the best genre to classify it as. This is a 4 disc set that contains all 12 episodes from season one.

MonsterQuest Season Two - This release contains the 20 episodes from the second season of the show along with some bonus features.

Primal Fear - This is a documentary about human fears.

Secrets of Body Language - This release is a History Channel documentary about human communication through body language.

Simon Schama’s The American Future: A History - This is a BBC documentary about the conflicts of America’s history to bring to context the current issues and the future. It appears it focus on the faith aspect of the history.

The White House: Behind Closed Doors - This History Channel documentary is the first time cameras were invited in to produce a in depth television tour since Jacqueline Kennedy invited cameras inside the White House in 1962.

This week’s TV on DVD Season I am going through and doing wrap ups of is the four disc Doogie Howser, M.D. Season 1 set. I will post a wrap up of one disc per day finishing the set on Thursday. I have actually never really seen much of this series until I rented it to do this wrap up. I do remember seeing a few episodes when I was younger, but I was too little to really remember this series when it was first aired.

“Pilot” - This is the first episode of the series just like most series start with. This episode starts with Doogie taking his test for his driver’s license on his 16th birthday. During his test he suddenly stops at an accident scene and helps an injured man after having to show his credentials to the police, who try to keep the kid away. In this episode he also reveals that he had leukemia when he was 4 and 6, which inspired him to become a doctor. He also deals with losing his first patient and kissing a girl for the first time.

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Here is this week’s edition for TV on DVD Releases in the drama category.

Emergency! Season Five - This releases contains the episodes from Season 5 of this reality based 1970s show about fire department and hospital work. The picture quality is supposedly not that great for the four other seasons released, so do not expect it to improve now.

The Girls of Little House on the Prairie: Country School - This release contains three episodes from the series. The three episodes follow the Ingalls girls as they begin a new school in Walnut Grove.

The Girls of Little House on the Prairie: Prairie Friends - This release contains the following three episodes: “Be My Friend,” “At the End of the Rainbow” and “Town Party, Country Party.” It comes with a 16 page specialty mini scrapbook with three sticker sheets.

God on Trial - This is a PBS Masterpiece theater movie about prisoners in Auschwitz putting God on trail questioning if he has abandoned the Jewish people.

Moonlight The Complete Series - This release is a four disc set that contains the whole Moonlight series. The word complete makes it sound like it is a big collection, but it really is not that big, as the show only had one season.

Simon Schama’s Rough Crossings - This BBC movie is about African Americans slaves who fled plantations to fight on the British side. It also shows the aspect of them hoping to get land after the war and that not happening. The rough crossing refers the eventual trip back to Africa.

Here is this week’s edition for TV on DVD Releases in the crime category.

Jonathan Creek Season Three - This release is a two disc set with the episodes from the show’s third season.

The Last Detective Complete Collection - This release is a nine disc set the contains the complete series of the show. It also has a bonus program called The Last Detective, which is a 1981 movie that showed the same story as the series pilot. The special features include an interview with Peter Davison, Leslie Thomas bio and booklist, photo galleries, and cast filmographies.

MI-5 Volume 6 - This is a five disc set of a supposedly great show, but not good enough to warrant the fact that it is retail priced at almost $80 (Amazon price is currently ~$72). It sounds like a great show, but definitely more of a rental or try to eventually find used then one to shell out the money for on release day.

The Rockford Files Season Six - This is the release of the final season of The Rockford Files. It is a 3 disc set.

Waking the Dead The Complete Season Three - This is the complete release of the BBC crime drama series called Waking the Dead’s third season.

Here is this week’s edition for TV on DVD Releases in the reality category.

Criss Angel Mindfreak The Complete Season Four - This is the complete fourth season of Criss Angel Mindfreak, which is a show about Criss Angel doing unusual stunts and street magic. This season has a total of 20 episodes (some sites say 18, but I do not really know which is right) in a three disc set. It also has some bonus footage, which it sounds like includes some never before seen tricks.

Paranormal State The Complete Season Two - This release is of the complete second season of Paranormal State, which shows the students of the Penn State Paranormal Research Society investigating a variety of paranormal activities. This contains the 12 episodes for season two in a two disc set.

Here is this week’s edition for TV on DVD Releases in the animated category.

Back at the Barnyard: Cowman - The Uddered Avenger - This release contains a few episodes of the Nickelodeon show, Back at the Barnyard. It may have special features, but I tend to discover that even when Nickelodeon does add special features they are not all that good.

The Berenstain Bears: Kindness, Caring and Sharing - This release contains several episodes of the animated show based on the characters from the Berenstain Bears book series.

The Great Polar Bear Adventure - This release is an animated movie that imagines the secret life of polar bears. The movie is a combination of live action polar wildlife footage and animated segments.

One Piece Season One Third Voyage - This release contains episodes 27 through 39 of One Piece. It is a two disc set.

The Powerpuff Girls: The Complete Series 10th Anniversary Collection - This collection celebrates the tenth anniversary of The Powerpuff Girls. It is a two sided 6 disc set containing all 78 episodes and the Christmas special. This includes the musical final episode called “See Me, Feel Me, Gnomey,” which I do not think ever aired on Cartoon Network in the United States.

Here is this week’s edition for TV on DVD Releases in the comedy category.

Chris Rock: Kill the Messenger - This release is of Chris Rock’s 2008 HBO stand up comedy special. There is a one disc regular DVD release of this and a special 3 disc collector’s edition, which includes almost five hours of exclusive bonus material including live concerts from South Africa, New York, and the UK.

My Three Sons Season One Volume 2 - This contains the second half of the first season of the 1960s My Three Sons show about an aeronautical engineer raising his three sons as a single dad. This show’s releases are said to be bad because the original music has been changed. Amazon has this separately as well as a combination pack with both volume one and volume two together for $3 more than buying them separately.

Three Stooges Collectors Edition - This is a 4 disc set of Three Stooges footage.

Here is this week’s edition for TV on DVD Releases in the animated category.

Alvin & the Chipmunks: A Chipmunk Valentine - This is a Valentine’s themed release of Alvin & the Chipmunks animated series. Perhaps a fun release for the kids with Valentine’s Day coming in about a month.

The Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Chipettes - I think this release includes a few of the episodes with the Chipette characters in it.

Barney: Outdoor Fun/Lets Go To The Zoo - This is a two DVD set containing two Barney episodes.

Ben 10 Alien Force: Season One Volume 2 - This one disc release contains the second part of Season One of the Ben 10 Alien Force series. It seems that they are breaking the season into three short release to get kids to ask their parents to buy each one separately and thus get more money. It seems they never release kids series as whole seasons like they do adult series and thus they end up costing more in the log run. Not to mention the fact that kids grow out of the series faster.

Dora the Explorer - Dora and The Three Little Pigs - This release contains the Dora the Explorer episode about The Three Little Pigs. It probably also has two bonus episodes like most other releases of this show.

Lyrical Nanoha A: Season Set - This release I think is the first season or perhaps the only season of the anime/manga show called Lyrical Nanoha A, which is actually a sequel of Lyrical Nanoha.

Voltron Volume 7 - This is a three disc volume of the Voltron anime series.

Here is this week’s edition for TV on DVD Releases in the drama category.

Captains and the Kings - This mini series first aired on NBC in 1976 and now is finally getting a very deserved DVD release. The mini series is about a penniless Irish immigrant coming to America in the late 19th century. He ends up living the American dream by becoming one of the most powerful and richest men in the country. His downfall happens, though, when he becomes obsessed with having his son become the President.

Dallas The Complete Tenth Season - This is a three disc set including all 29 episodes from the 10th season of Dallas. Amazon also has the ten series combined as a release for a discounted price.

God on Trial - This is a PBS Masterpiece theater movie about prisoners in Auschwitz putting God on trail questioning if he has abandoned the Jewish people.

The Henry James Collection - This is a collection of BBC movies based on Henry James novels. It includes 1998’s The American, 1968’s The Portrait of a Lady, 1970’s The Spoils of Poynton, 1979’s The Wings of the Dove, and 1972’s The Golden Bowl.

The Last Enemy - This is another Masterpiece theater movie release. This one is a thriller set in the very near future about how technology and terror can transform society into one of constant surveillance. It contains special features that include a behind the scenes featurettes, deleted scenes, and outtakes.

Mail to the Chief - This is a Disney Channel Original Movie about a kid that unknowingly ends up advising the President of the United States.

Matlock Season Two - This is a six disc set of the second season of the legal drama, Matlock.

Skins Volume 1 - This release is a 3 disc set of the British teen drama, Skins. Supposedly the UK releases were disappointing and not very well done, especially relating to the music, so it will be interesting to see if this release ends up any better.

Smart House - This is a Disney Channel Original Movie that was released last year as a Disney Movie Reward and is now getting a general release. The movie is about a mother less family getting a Smart House that slowly begins to overtake their lives as an overprotective mother figure.

Tess of the d’Urbervilles - This release contains the latest four part BBC miniseries based on Thomas Hardy’s Victorian novel.

The nominees for the Television Series - Drama category at the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards were Dexter, House, In Treatment, Mad Men, and True Blood.

And the Golden Globe goes to…Mad Men.

The nominees for the Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical category at the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards were Christina Applegate in Samantha Who?, America Ferrera in Ugly Betty, Tina Fey in 30 Rock, Debra Messing in The Starter Wife, and Mary-Louise Parker in Weeds.

And the Golden Globe goes to…Tina Fey in 30 Rock.

The nominees for the Television Series - Comedy or Musical category at the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards were 30 Rock, Californication, Entourage, The Office, and Weeds.

And the Golden Globe goes to…30 Rock.

The nominees for the Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Televison category at the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards were Ralph Fiennes in Bernard and Doris, Paul Giamatti in John Adams, Kevin Spacey in Recount, Kiefer Sutherland in 24: Redemption, and Tom Wilkinson in Recount.

And the Golden Globe goes to…Paul Giamatti in John Adams.

The nominees for the Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical category at the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards were Alec Baldwin in 30 Rock, Steve Carell in The Office, Kevin Connolly in Entourage, David Duchovny in Californication, and Tony Shalhoub in Monk.

And the Golden Globe goes to…Alec Baldwin in 30 Rock.

The nominees for the Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television category at the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards were Judi Dench Cranford, Catherine Keener in An American Crime, Laura Linney in John Adams, Shirley MacLaine in Coco Chanel, and Susan Sarandon in Bernard and Doris.

And the Golden Globe goes to…Laura Linney in John Adams.