TV on DVD Buzz

It’s finally here! LOST: The Complete Third Season — The Unexplored Experience released today. My copy hasn’t hit the mailbox yet, but rest assured a LOST marathon is in my near future. The rewatching of Season 3 must occur before Season 4 premieres in February.

With the writers’ strike still going strong, rewatching my faves is pretty much the only option anyway. Most of the shows have finished up their runs and it’s not looking like a resolution is even close.  

 LOST: The Complete Third Season is a 7 disc set which includes all 23 episodes and a plethora of bonus features:

*One-on-one with star Matthew Fox
*Featurette on “The Others,”
*Documentary chronicling 24 hours in production and a selection of never-before-seen flashbacks.
*Behind-the-scenes looks at 10 episodes
*Audio commentaries
*Deleted scenes
*Bloopers

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.

I warned you that I was going to devote this week to Twin Peaks. In keeping with that theme, I wanted to take a look at the only thing that’s really missing from the Gold Box set that released yesterday - the big screen release Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.

This movie is quite darker and, believe it or not, even stranger than the television series. It served as both a “prequel” and an epilogue to the series and answered some of the questions about Laura Palmer that many fans had. The film centers around the murder of Teresa Banks and the last seven days in the life of Laura Palmer, but you really need to be familiar with the series to “get” everything that goes on in the movie. Most of the original cast returned for the film, with the exceptions of Lara Flynn Boyle (who was replaced by Moira Kelly, late of One Tree Hill) and Sherilyn Fenn. Many fans of the television series were not happy with the film because of it’s darker tone, disturbing images and lack of humor. The film was panned by critics and booed at the Cannes Film Festival.

I recommend it for true Twin Peaks fans, because it does make a nice companion to the television series and because it completes the collection.

The current DVD is lacking in special features but does include an original documentary, Reflections on the Phenomenon of Twin Peaks, featuring the cast and crew. There is some buzz that a future release may contain deleted scenes from the over 5 hours of footage shot by David Lynch for the theatrical release. Many Twin Peaks fanatics would love to see that happen.

I’m a little disappointed that they didn’t include it in the Gold Box set, but apparently the rights are owned by different entities making it next to impossible.

OK, I know Twin Peaks was technically on for more than one season, but just barely. 29 episodes plus a pilot doesn’t really qualify for two seasons, so I’m using editor’s discretion and featuring it today anyway. So there.

Twin Peaks was created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. It premiered on April 8, 1990 and was like nothing we had ever experienced on American TV. It ran for a season and a half, ending on June 10, 1991. A “prequel” movie, Fire Walk With Me, followed in 1992.

In its first season, Twin Peaks was honored with 14 Emmy nominations, 2 Emmy awards, and the Peabody award. They also took home 4 Golden Globes out of 5 nominations.

The show was set in the fictional town of Twin Peaks in northeastern Washington state. The story centered around coffee-loving FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) and his investigation of the murder of Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee). Palmer was a high school student and homecoming queen. Her body was found on the river bank, wrapped in plastic - a very memorable and iconic scene. We soon find out that Laura Palmer was not the wholesome girl she appeared to be and Agent Cooper begins the daunting task of untangling the sordid web of characters she was involved with. (more…)

Invasion was a show that I quite liked and was sorry to see cancelled. Created by former teen idol Shaun Cassidy, it debuted in the fall of 2005 in the plum slot following ABC’s big hit LOST. It told the story of an alien invastion in the aftermath of a hurricane in a Florida town, which was a little hard for ABC to promote after the devastation of Hurricane’s Katrina and Rita just prior to the opening of the television season. They had to rethink their marketing campaign and focused solely on the alien aspect of the show, rather than the hurricane.

Despite the changes made in promotion of the show, it opened big with 17 million viewers, but viewership quickly dropped off and ABC lost confidence in the show. They pulled the show twice during the season for extended hiatus which damaged viewership even more.

The story focused on park ranger Russell Varon and his family. His wife, Larkin, was a television reporter. Her brother, Dave, was a deadbeat conspiracy theorist living in their barn. Russell’s kids, Jesse and Rose, split their time between him and his ex-wife, Dr. Mariel Underlay and her husband, creepy Sheriff Tom Underlay. Tom’s daughter, Kira, was also a big part of the story. During the hurricane Rose had seen hundreds of lights entering the water. Mariel disappeared, only to later turn up naked in the swamp - but she was different. She had a strange affinity for water and didn’t seem quite herself. Tom shut down the city and placed them under quarantine and none of this seemed right to Russell. He and Dave begin investigating all the strange occurrences and find that they are dealing with much more than just the effects of a hurricane.

The cast included Eddie Cibrian (Third Watch) as Russell Varon, William Fichtner (Prison Break) as Sheriff Tom Underlay, Kari Matchett (24) as Dr. Mariel Underlay, Lisa Sheridan as Larkin Groves, Tyler Labine (Reaper) as Dave Groves, Alexis Dziena as Kira Underlay, Evan Peters as Jesse Varon, and Ariel Gade as Rose Varon.

I thought this show had some great character development and moved along at a nice pace. Many other fans loved it as well and started a Save Invasion campaign after it was cancelled. It was rumored that CW might pick it up, but that didn’t come to pass. Unfortunately, the show ended with a cliffhanger that we’ll never have reconciled making this DVD a bittersweet recommendation.

Included on the DVD release are all 22 episodes plus 50 minutes of extras including 12 deleted scenes, a gag reel and a documentary, Invading the Mind of Shaun Cassidy.

What’s more fun for Fun Friday than MacGyver?! This show is the ultimate in 80’s cheese, but I loved it as a kid (and you know you did too!).

The series ran from 1985 to 1992 and was the story of Angus MacGyver (yes he had a first name), an operative for the Phoenix Foundation. MacGyver didn’t like to use guns and instead used his scientific knowledge and inventive use of common items to reach uncommon solutions. The creators tried to make sure whatever MacGyver did would be scientifically possible, although some would require some pretty ideal circumstances to work.

Richard Dean Anderson (lately of Stargate SG-1) starred as MacGyver. Also starring were Dana Elcar as Pete Thornton; and, in recurring roles, Bruce McGill as Jack Dalton; and Michael Des Barres as MacGyver’s nemesis, Murdoc. Guest stars included Teri Hatcher, Della Reese, and Cuba Gooding Jr.

MacGyver became a household name and the term “MacGyver” is now used as a verb to describe the creative use of an item to repair or engineer something. Now that’s the mark of a pop culture phenomenon!

The entire series released on DVD this week and it includes all 139 episodes from the 7 seasons and a bonus disc which is believed to include both of the 1994 made-for-TV movies “Lost Treasure of Atlantis” and “Trail to Doomsday” as well as some additional special features.

For grins, watch this clip from the 4th episode of Season 4, “The Gauntlet,” where MacGyver tells us all about the importance of using a map:

Amazon is having a 50% off Sci-fi sale, and while many of the selections are theatrical releases, I found several classic TV shows on there as well.

Two of my all-time favorite mini-series are on the list: The Towering Inferno ($10.49) and The Martian Chronicles ($7.49). I watched both of these as a kid and, at these prices, I am seriously considering purchasing them for my collection. I also spotted The Outer Limits Season 1, Vol 1 and Season 1, Vol 2 as well as the pilot movie of Stargate Atlantis, “Rising”.

If Sci-fi’s not your thing, they have several other sales going on, like 50% off multi-season sets; 50% off sports movies; a sale on Halloween Horror flicks; and an “Edgy Romance” Sale (whatever that is).

TV on DVD, Amazon.com, Sale, Towering Inferno, Martian Chronicles, The Outer Limits, Stargate: Atlantis

Firefly was created by writer/director Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. It premiered on the Fox network in September of 2002. Fox cancelled the series after airing 11 episodes, leaving 3 episodes unaired. Firefly was honored with an Emmy in 2003 for “Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series.” 

The series is set in the year 2517, after humans have arrived at a new star system, and follows the adventures of the renegade crew of the Serenity, a Firefly-class spaceship. It’s kind of a sci-fi meets the old west adventure. Nathan Fillion starred as Malcolm Reynolds, the captain of Serenity. Also starring were Gina Torres as Zoe, Alan Tudyk as “Wash,” Morena Baccarin as Inarra Serra, Adam Baldwin as Jayne, Jewell Staite as Kaylee, Sean Maher as Dr. Simon Tam, Summer Glau as River, and Ron Glass as Derrial Book.

The show developed quite a fan following, especially after its release on DVD, leading Whedon and Universal Pictures to produce a movie based on the series. The film was titled Serenity. The film enjoyed success at the box office, opening on September 30, 2005 in the number 2 spot and spending 2 weeks in the top 10. 

It has been announced that Firefly will be returning in the format of a multi-player online game sometime in 2008.

The DVD includes all 14 episodes, including the 3 that never aired on television. It also has quite a few special features, including:

The DVD is a must-have for fans of the series!

I love Smallville! DVD brought me to Smallville and I’ve been hooked ever since. I can’t wait to get the Season 6 DVD on September 18. I think I’ll watch that scene where Lana blew up over and over again. (No, I’m not psycho, just not a Lana fan.) Here’s a clip from Warner Bros. Online featuring Clark Kent and the Martian Manhunter (played by Phil Morris).

TV on DVD, Smallville Season 6, Clark Kent, Tom Welling, Martian Manhunter, Phil Morris, You Tube

Supernatural season 2 is on the way. Here’s a clip from Warner Bros. Online.

Mystery. Demons. Nightmares. Supernatural Season 2, on DVD September 11th, has it all. Sam and Dean Winchester have spent the last year cruising the highways of the United States in their 1967 Chevy Impala, searching for their lost father and encountering creatures that most people believe exist only in folklore, superstition and nightmares. Along the way, they have battled the various supernatural threats–and each other as well, for their sibling rivalries and conflicts were never far from the surface. Finally, they found their father, just as he was closing in on the Demon who claimed their mother.

TV on DVD, Supernatural Season 2, Sam Winchester, Dean Winchester, Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles

Star Trek: The Original Series, Season 1 is coming exclusively to HD DVD in a 10 disc set, releasing on November 20th. The Star Trek set is unique in that fans will not only be able to experience Star Trek: The Original Series in full high definition for the first time, but will also be able to view the same discs in standard DVD players. The Star Trek Combo HD DVDs will feature HD DVD on one side of the disc and standard DVD on the other.

Toshiba and CBS Entertainment announced yesterday that fans who purchase both the boxed set and any Toshiba HD DVD player will receive an exclusive, limited edition Star Trek Phaser remote control that will operate Toshiba’s HD DVD players.

The set has been remastered from the original camera negative specifically for this high-definition release and some new visual effects have been added to give new depth and atmosphere to various elements including the main title sequence, the galaxy shots frequently seen from the Enterprise’s bridge, the battle scenes, planets and alien ships, some of the matte paintings used as backdrops for new worlds, as well as the Enterprise and other Starships, which have been replaced with state-of-the-art CGI-created ships.

Some of the HD-DVD bonus features include:

• Starfleet Access - On-screen graphical interface allows viewers to access Picture in Picture video commentaries, comparisons of re-mastered vs. original effects, encyclopedic information (science, life forms, technology), episode trivia and more on the following episodes:
• Where No Man Has Gone Before
• The Menagerie, Part 1
• The Menagerie, Part 2
• Balance of Terror
• The Galileo Seven
• Space Seed
• Errand of Mercy
• Spacelift: Transporting Trek into the 21st Century - a documentary chronicaling the remastering of the classic Star Trek episodes.
• Billy Blackburn’s Treasure Chest: Rare Home Movies and Special Memories
  Join crew member and “extra-extraordinaire” Billy Blackburn as he shares his own behind-the-scenes home movie footage of life on the set of Star Trek.
• Interactive Enterprise Tour
  Viewers will explore the Enterprise interior and exterior in detail as they pilot their own shuttlecraft in this spectacular 3D simulated feature.
• Perpetual Entertainment’s “Star Trek Online” MMO Game Preview

The standard side of the DVD will also include bonus features:

• Spacelift: Transporting Trek into the 21st Century
• The Birth of a Timeless Legacy
• Reflections on Spock
• Life Beyond Trek: William Shatner
• To Boldly Go…Season One
• Sci-Fi Visionaries
• Billy Blackburn’s Treasure Chest: Rare Home Movies and Special Memories
• Kiss & Tell: Romance in the 24th Century
• Trek Connections
• Star Trek: Beyond the Final Frontier
• Episode Preview Trailers
• Perpetual Entertainment’s “Star Trek Online” MMO Game Preview

The set has a suggested retail price of $217.99 but is available as a pre-order on Amazon.com right now for only $138.95.

Here’s a deleted scene from the series premiere of Heroes. The scene features Matt Parkman (Greg Grunberg). This scene, along with many others, will be featured on the DVD which releases next Tuesday, August 28.

TV on DVD, Heroes, Season 1, Greg Grunburg, Matt Parkman, Fun Friday

The Reunion features Joe Straczynski, Bruce Boxleitner, Tracy Scoggins, & Peter Woodward talking about working together again. (more…)

The original cast including Bruce Boxleitner, Tracy Scoggins and Peter Woodward return for a new direct-to-DVD movie “Babylon 5: The Lost Tales“. The movie will be set 10 years after Sheridan became President of the Interstellar Alliance.

The DVD will also include special features such as interviews with the stars and memorials for Andreas Katsulis and Richard Biggs.  Also included are the Straczynski Diaries - chronicling the project from concept to execution and Fireside Chats - profiling the people of the B5 universe.

A “Lost Tales” MySpace page has been launched and features some exclusive wallpapers and a MySpace layout. The official website can be found at www.babylon5.warnerbros.com and includes some clips.

The DVD will release next Tuesday, July 31.

TV on DVD, Babylon 5, Lost Tales, Movie, Bruce Boxleitner, Tracy Scoggins, Peter Woodward, Andreas Katsulis, Richard Biggs, Straczynski Diaries, MySpace

Tales from the Crypt Season 6 just released this week. I used to love this show!! Here’s a clip from the ending of an episode with the Cryptkeeper himself.

The Cryptkeeper is back with the bloodcurdling Tales from The Crypt: The Complete Sixth Season from Warner Home Video on DVD July 24, 2007. Keep entertained this summer with 15 fright-fully fun episodes on three discs including a Virtual Comic Book that will leave you dying…for more. Join the Cryptkeeper on a death-defying ride of terrorizing stories that will give you goose bumps, including Jake Busey in a case of history repeating itself; Rita Rudner as a comic book artist trapped in a hellish world; and Sherilyn Fenn, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini in a murder-gone- afoul mystery featuring Alfred Hitchcock and Humphrey Bogart. The three disc set also features guest stars such as Catherine O’Hara, Issac Hayes, Benicio Del Toro, Wayne Newton, Corey Feldman, Hank Azaria and Kimberly Williams.

TV on DVD, Tales from the Crypt, Cryptkeeper, Season 6, DVD