TV on DVD Buzz

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

“Futurama” is coming back with a direct-to-DVD release entitled “Futurama: Bender’s Big Score.” 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment will officially announce the first original “Futurama” production since 2003 at Comic-Con International.

The DVD will released on November 27. Three more films will be released individually through 2008, all will include the original creative team and voice cast. According to the Hollywood Reporter, guest stars on ”Bender’s Big Score” will include Al Gore, Coolio and Sarah Silverman.

“Futurama” will also return to TV next year with at least 13 new episodes on Comedy Central.

TV on DVD, Futurama, Bender’s Big Score, direct-to-DVD movie, Comic-Con, Hollywood Reporter, Al Gore, Coolio, Sarah Silverman, Comedy Central

The new release of the final season of Stargate SG-1 includes an insert for the highly anticipated direct-to-DVD movie, The Ark of Truth. The movie will wrap up the “Ori” storyline.  It comes out in 2008. 

According to TV Shows on DVD, there will also be another Stargate SG-1 direct-to-DVD release later in 2008.  It will be called Continuum. The main cast will return for both The Ark of Truth and Continuum.

To view the insert and get all the details, visit TV Shows on DVD.

If you’re a Stargate fan, make sure you check out the new Watching Stargate blog for all the latest news!

TV on DVD, Stargate SG-1, Ark of Truth, Continuum, direct-to-DVD

The official Heroes MySpace page now has a special “flip book” which gives you a preview of the DVD booklet for the upcoming Season 1 DVD.  Take a look:  Heroes MySpace Page 

TV on DVD, Heroes, Season 1, DVD, Booklet, Sneak Peak, Preview, MySpace