TVparty's
Top Ten
Classic TV DVD Collections
Our
third annual review of the very best DVD collections you may have overlooked.
Some of these
are judged by the content of the shows alone and some because of the fantastic
extras found on the discs - and a few because they deliver both. All are
well worth the money and will be a worthy addition to your classic TV
library!
Just click
on the title to order now from Amazon.com.
1.
-The
Adventures of Superman; The Complete Second Season
If you haven't watched these episodes in their fully
restored black-and-white glory then you won't believe your eyes (and you
haven't seen the restored versions unless you bought the Columbia House
releases - and then you would have paid $25 for four episodes).
The Adventures
of Superman, The Complete Second Season has charm to spare
with timeless performances from an outstanding cast; besides the beloved
regular cast (Noel Neill took the role of Lois Lane in season two), the
best B-movie actors Hollywood had to offer were employed as the mad scientists,
mob bosses, gun molls and everyday thugs Superman ran up against. It's
a testament to the quality of these programs that it remains one of the
only TV dramas of the 1950s that can be fully enjoyed today. Sure, the
special effects are crude and the plots transparent but the production
harkens back to a much simpler time; for instance, the scenes of Los Angeles
in the early-fifties that fill in for Metropolis are priceless.
2. - Here's
Lucy - Best Loved Episodes
This is one of my favorite so-bad-it's-good shows -
and look at these extras!
Commentary By Lucie Arnaz, Desi Jr. and Carol Burnett On Their Favorite
Episodes
* Never Before Seen Bloopers
* Rehearsal Footage
* Sketch From A Jack Benny Television Special With Lucy, Jack and Johnny
Carson
* Sketch From An Ann-Margret Television Special Featuring Lucy and Ann-Margret
* Audience Warm-Up With Lucy's Husband and Show Executive Producer Gary
Morton
* The Original CBS Network Promos
* The Here's Lucy Syndication Sales Tape
* Footage From A Benefit Dinner Where Lucie and Desi Jr. Play Their Parents
In An I Love Lucy Sketch
3. - The
Office
Shot documentary style, The Office is surely be
the driest, wittiest (and true-to-life) satire in decades. Jaw droppingly
funny, excruciating to watch, the humor is distinctly British but the
situations universal.
Taking the mockumentary genre to a new level, creator / writer / star
Ricky Gervais (the series was co-written and directed by Stephen Merchant)
has established himself as a genius of the medium, right up there with
Lucille and Jackie Gleason.
In
this new package, you get every episode - the entire run of the series
(12 episodes in two seasons) and the hilarious two-part Christmas Special
that takes place a couple of years after the second series ended.
There are hours of extras: audio commentary by Ricky Gervais & Stephen
Merchant for the second episode of the Christmas special, out takes, video
diary of the making of the series, and three highly entertaining documentaries.
4. - Aqua
Teen Hunger Force Four
What is it
about this weird animated farce that makes it so funny? The juvenile humor
aims squarely for those of us who had our sense of humor frozen in Junior
High school. Apparently there are more of us that I thought!
Those who
enjoy this program on cable may wonder why they should buy this package.
Quite simply, the creators go all out on these DVD releases - for instance,
select 'Play All' from the menu and all the episodes play at one time!
Aqua
Teen Hunger Force Four sports a bizarrely designed fold-out package
and the show commentaries were recorded at a party for the staff so you
get to hear from people who work on every aspect of the production along
with a lot of drunken chatter.
5.
Barbra
Streisand - The Television Specials
Modern audiences may have forgotten what a truly remarkable artist Barbra
Streisand was when she burst forth on Broadway and television in the 1960s.
Her TV specials from the sixties and early-seventies (1965-1973) represent
some of the greatest achievements in the history of the medium. One of
the reasons - Streisand had full creative control over the shows, very
unusual for an up-and-coming performer.
This opulent
5-disc collection includes:
My Name Is Barbra - her first television special, featuring
a medley of her hit songs, such as "People," "Happy Days
Are Here Again" and "My Man" in a sublime, visually stunning
cinematic concert format.
Color
Me Barbra - the second special, like the first, showcases Barbra
solo, front and center but in a more relaxed, playful mood. This was her
first choreographed by the legendary Joe Layton who went on to stage Barbra's
next TV outings.
The
Belle of 14th Street - while some of these specials were released
on video in the 1980s, this one remained unseen since the first broadcast.
Belle contains performances by Jason Robards and vaudeville's John Bubbles.
A
Happening in Central Park - the famous live concert that spawned
a hit album with "Cry Me a River," "Second Hand Rose,"
"People," "Happy Days Are Here Again," and others.
Barbra
Streisand... and Other Musical Instruments - after a 5 year lull,
Barbra returned to TV with this spectacular one-hour program with some
wonderful duet and solo numbers with Ray Charles. Again, this is a first
time release, unseen since 1973.
6. - Sonny
and Cher Comedy Hour - The Christmas Collection
You asked for it - more Sonny and Cher! This time it's a package
that includes three holiday episodes of The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour
/ Show. And what a great trio - the first Christmas show is from early
in the first season, followed by an episode from the second season of
the Comedy Hour, topped off with a holiday themed episode from
the final season of the Sonny and Cher Show. These are all top
notch episodes, making this collection a real winner. The sound is brilliant
throughout this DVD, and the picture quality is stunning.
7. - Da
Ali G Show
I recently got a screener
of this DVD and I laughed so long and so hard that if anyone was listening,
they would have thought I went insane! If
you love edgy, in-your-face comedy this one is for you - it's the entire
first season of the HBO American version of the British import.
8. Home
Movies - Season Three
Every once in a while a show comes along that breaks the mold and makes
me wish I watched more TV. Home Movies is one of those shows.
A part
of the Adult Swim lineup on Cartoon Network, Home Movies is a
smart, amusing and perfectly addictive animated sitcom. Think South
Park without the vulgarity but ten times the charm. Done on the cheap,
this Flash animation technique allows for greater personal expression,
making Home Movies perhaps the network's best effort thus far,
though it was supposedly the least watched.
It's the
story of eight-year old Brendon Small (played by comic Brendon Small),
who documents his movie fantasies with the help of his schoolmates. Besides
his stellar writing, the real-life Small is a gifted vocal artist, imbibing
his digital alter ego with a dry, laconic, everyman quality that's irresistible.
This 13-episode edition includes these special features: an interactive
game, episode animatics (very interesting!), a music video, a radio interview
with Jon Benjamin and Loren Bouchard (outright hilarious!) and more. There
are a number of insightful, rambling episode commentaries from the show's
two creators Brendan Small and Loren Bouchard, though some are poorly
mixed. The graphics that adorn the box are superb, enhancing the attractive
package more fully. It comes from Shout! Factory which
is known for their top quality DVD releases.
9. - Rodney
Dangerfield
Oh, this is good! R2 Entertainment has released
all of the best HBO and ABC Rodney Dangerfield specials from the eighties.
It is a phenomenal collection of comedy greats at their peak. You get
the first, breakout routines from Roseanne Barr, Jerry Seinfeld, Andrew
Dice Clay, Tim Allen, Sam Kinison and SO many more - not to mention lots
of classic Rodney routines.
You will be on the floor laughing for hours - this a real party pleaser
DVD set. 3 discs - 6 specials (1981 - 1991), a Carson Tonight Show routine,
Rodney's nightclub act (wow!) and more. Superb!
10. - Columbo
- Season Two
The 1972-73 season of Columbo is a true delight. Columbo
deconstructed the mystery format by showing the murder taking place at
the very beginning, with little or no ambiguity about who did it. The
fun - and there's a lot of fun - comes in watching Peter Falk hem and
haw and "one more thing" his way under the radar and over the heads of
the crooks. At times laugh-out-loud funny, inevitably Columbo solves the
mystery, although occasionally with a thoroughly unrealistic proposition
- but hey, it's TV.
TVparty!
presents a
comprehensive up-to-date catalog of the best classic shows currently available
on DVD.
Just
click on the titles to order now through Amazon.com
- and you can have your favorite shows delivered by tomorrow morning!
All
DVDs are massively discounted -
with prices much lower than you'll find in the stores -
and there's free shipping!
21
Jump Street
227
Abbott
and Costello Show
ABC
After School Specials - (1974-76)
ABC
After School Specials - (1976-77)
ABC
After School Specials - (1978-79)
ABC
After School Specials - (1979-80)
ABC
After School Specials - (1981-82)
ABC
After School Specials - (1982-86)
Adam-12
A
Different World
Adventures
in Paradise
Adventures
of Ozzie & Harriett
Adventures
of Robin Hood
Adventures
of Superman
Airwolf
ALF
Alfred
Hitchcock Presents
Alice
Alien
Nation
All
in the Family
Amos
'n' Andy Show
Andy
Griffith Show
Andy
Williams Show
Annie
Oakley
Are
You Being Served
Astro-Boy
A-Team
The
Avengers
Baa
Baa Black Sheep
Baretta
Barney
Miller
Beany
& Cecil
Brady
Bunch
Brady
Bunch Variety Hour
Ben
Stiller Show
Beverly
Hillbillies
Bewitched
Big
Valley
Bizarre
Bobby
Darin Show
Bobby
Darin Comeback Special
Bob
Hope Show - Hope For The Holidays
Bob
Hope Specials
Bob
Hope Specials - The Vietnam Years
Bob
Newhart Show
Bonanza
Boy
Meets World
Branded!
Buffalo
Bill
Burns
and Allen Show
Candid
Camera
Captain
& Tennille Show
Carol
Burnett Show
Carol
Burnett Show - Let's Bump Up The Lights
Carol
Burnett Showstoppers
Challenge
of the Super Friends
Charlie's
Angels
Cheers
Cheyenne
Chico
and the Man
Clutch
Cargo
Coach
Colgate
Comedy Hour (Eddie Cantor)
Columbo
Combat!
Commercials
- classics!
Cosby
Show
Dallas
Danger
Man
Dark
Shadows
Dastardly
and Muttley in their Flying Machines
Davy
Crockett
Davey
& Goliath
Dean
Martin Show
Dean
Martin Celebrity Roasts
Degrassi
Season 1
Dick
Van Dyke Show
Dick
Cavett Show
Diff'rent
Strokes
Doctor
Who
Doogie
Howser, MD
Doris
Day Show
Dragnet
1967
Dream
On
Dukes
of Hazzard
Dusty's
Trail
Dynasty
Ed
Sullivan Show
ELectric
Company
Elvis
- Aloha from Hawaii
Elvis
Comeback Special
Emergency!
Fact
of Life
Family
Affair
Fat
Albert and the Cosby Kids
Father
Murphy
Fawlty
Towers
Felix
the Cat
F-Troop
Fireball
X-L5
The
Flash
Flintstones
Flip
Wilson Show
Fractured
Flickers
Frank
Sinatra Show
Fresh
Prince of Bel-Air
Full
House
Gabby
Hayes Show
Galaxy
High School
Get
A Life
Gidget
Gilligan's
Island
G.L.O.W.
- Gorgeous Women of Wrestling
The
Golden Girls
Go-Go
Gophers
Good
Times
Guns
of Will Sonnett
Greatest
American Hero
Green
Acres
Growing
Pains
Happy
Days
Hardcastle
& McCormick
Hardy
Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries
Hart
to Hart
Have
Gun Will Travel
Hee
Haw
He-Man
and the Masters of the Universe
Here
Come the Brides
Here's
Lucy
Highway
to Heaven
Hogan's
Heroes
Home
Improvement
Honeymooners
Howdy
Doody Show
Huckleberry
Hound Show
Hullabaloo
Hunter
H
R Pufnstuf
I
Dream of Jeannie
I
Love Lucy
I
Married Joan
Incredible
Hulk
In
Living Color
I
- Spy
Jack
Benny Program
Jack
Paar Program
Jeffersons
Jeff's
Collie - (Lassie's first seasons)
Jem!
Jetsons
Joey
Bishop Show
Jonny
Quest
Judy
Garland Show
Kate
& Allie
Kids
in the Hall
Knight
Rider
Knots
Landing
Kojak
Kolchak,
The Night Stalker
Kung
Fu
Lancelot
Link, Secret Chimp
Land
of the Lost
Lassie
Laugh-In
Laverne
& Shirley
Leave
it to Beaver
Liddsville
Little
Rascals
Little
House on the Praire
Lois
& Clark: New Adventures of Superman
Lone
Ranger
Looney
Tunes
Loretta
Young Show
Lost
in Space
Lotsa
Luck
MacGuyver
Magnum,
P.I.
Make
Room For Daddy - Season 5
Man
From U.N.C.L.E.
Mary
Tyler Moore Show
M*A*S*H*
Maverick
McCloud
McMillian
& Wife
Merv
Griffin Show - Best of
Miami
Vice
Mickey
Mouse Club
Milton
Berle Show
Mr.
Ed
Mr.
& Mrs. North
Mr.
Peepers
The
Monkees
Moonlighting
Monty
Python's Flying Circus - Mega-set
Mork
& Mindy
Munsters
Muppet
Show - NEW - Season One
Murder
She Wrote
Murphy
Brown
Music
Scene
Mutual
of Omaha's Wild Kingdom
My
Favorite Martian
My
Little Margie
My
Little Pony
Mystery
Science Theatre 3000
Naked
City
The
Nanny
New
Avengers
New
Scooby Doo Movies
New
Zoo Revue
Night
Court
Night
Gallery
North
and South
Northern
Exposure
NYPD
Blue
One
Step Beyond
Oprah
Winfrey Show - 20th Anniversary
Our
Gang
The
Outer Limits
Partridge
Family
Pee-wee's
Playhouse
Pee-wee's
Playhouse - Christmas Special
Perry
Mason
The
Persuaders
Peter
Gunn
Petticoat
Junction
Planet
of the Apes
Prisoner
Private
Secretary
Perils
of Penelope Pitstop
Punky
Brewster
Quantum
Leap
Quincy,
ME
Rat
Patrol
Remington
Steele
Return
of the Man from UNCLE
Richard
Pryor Show
The
Rifleman
Rockford
Files
Rocky
& Bullwinkle & Friends
Roger
Ramjet
Roseanne
Rudolph,
The Red Nosed Reindeer
The
Saint
Sanford
and Son
Saved
By the Bell
Schoolhouse
Rock
Scooby
Doo, Where Are You?
SCTV
Network 90
Sea
Hunt
Secret
Agent Man
Seinfeld
Sgt.
Bilko - 50th Anniversary Edition
Shogun
Sky
King
Sid
Caesar Show
Sigmund
and the Sea Monsters
Silk
Stalkings
The
Simpsons
Sledgehammer
Soap
Sonny
and Cher Comedy Hour
Sonny
and Cher Comedy Hour - Christmas Shows
Soupy
Sales Show
Spiderman
(1966)
Star
Trek
Starsky
and Hutch
Stingray
Strangers
with Candy
Super
Bowl - (1968- 2000)
Superboy
Supercar
S.W.A.T.
Tabitha
Tales
From the Crypt
Tales
Of Tomorrow
Taxi
Tennesse
Tuxedo
That's
My Mama
Third
Rock from the Sun
This
Is Your Life
T.
J. Hooker
Thorn
Birds
Three's
Company
Three
Stooges
Thunderbirds
Thundercats
Time
Tunnel
Tom
and Jerry - Spotlight Collection
Tonight
Show with Johnny Carson
Tonight
Show - Comedians
Tonight
Show - Return to Studio One - (1969 special)
Tony
Orlando & Dawn
Too
Close for Comfort
Topper
Touched
by an Angel
Transformers
Twilight
Zone
Twin
Peaks
Underdog
Unsolved
Mysteries
The
Untouchables - (video only - no DVDs)
V
Voyage
to the Bottom of the Sea
Wacky
Races
Wagon
Train - Volume 1
Waltons
Wanted
Dead or Alive
Welcome
Back Kotter
Wild
Kingdom (Mutual of Omaha)
Wild,
Wild West
What's
Happening!!
Wonderful
World of Disney
Wonder
Woman
X
- Files
Yogi
Bear Show
You
Are There
You
Bet Your Life
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