SPOTLIGHT DVD REVIEWS
Streets of San Francisco: Season Two, Volume Two
Release Date : November 11, 2008 Actors: Michael Douglas, Karl Malden Year: 1973-1974 Genre: Action, Drama, TV Synopsis: Twenty year veteran Detective Lt. Mike Stone is partnered with young, college educated Inspector Steve Keller who has a lot to learn about being a police detective on the Streets of San Francisco.
Review - The Streets of San Francisco was our first real look at Michael Douglas, son of Kirk Douglas, on a regular basis. In Season one he was introduced and in this Season he continued to grow. This show was a no-nonsense, action packed police drama. Each episode has a well told story which was a trademark of Quinn Martin productions in the 60's and 70's and Karl Malden and Michael Douglas made a great team on the show. The transfer to DVD doesn't look dated like some shows, except where they used stock footage, example - a fire truck scene on one show - it's very grain and looks so bad, but then again, it was bad in 1973! There is no bonus material included, but overall, The Streets of San Francisco is a great cop show and Malden and Douglas are top notch in their roles.
Perry Mason: The Third Season - Volume 2 Street Date: December 2, 2008 Actors: Raymond Burr, Barbara Hale Genre: Crime, Drama, TV 
REVIEW - Perry Mason ran from 1957 to 1966 with over 270 episodes, a very impressive run. I like the way he always handled the people on the witness stand. He was the attorney's attorney! This release is so clear and crisp, that I am sure that for people who watched the show when it was first aired, it will be like watching a different show! No more fuzzy picture because of the rabbit ears! But seriously, they have done a great job with the transfer to DVD and I can't wait for them to release more seasons of the show. Classic TV at its best! 5 out of 5 slates. 
Jake and the Fatman: Season 1, Volume 2 Street Date: December 2, 2008 Actors: William Conrad, Joe Penny Genre: Crime, Drama, TV 
REVIEW - In the late 80's William Conrad returned to another long running series, Jake and the Fatman. He plays J.L. "Fatman" McCabe and he is a district attorney in LA this time around. Again, he dosen't move much, but with the help of his assistant DA, Derek Mitchell (Alan Campbell) and a speciial investigator, Jake Styles (Joe Penny), they fight to rid the streets of crime. There is still plenty of action in this set and it's fun to see the interaction between Conrad and Penny's characters. We give it 3 out of 5 slates.
Cannon: Season One, Volume Two Street Date: December 2, 2008 Actors: William Conrad Genre: Drama, Mystery, TV 
REVIEW - Ex-cop, turned private investigator, Frank Cannon, played by William Conrad (know for being a narrator in many shows over the years including "The Fugitive", "Rocky & Bullwinkle" and "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century"), was not you typical PI. He loved food and his size showed that fact. Don't expect to see him running down the street chasing bad guys! No way! This series was another Quinn Martin Production, well written and acted and it lasted for 120 episodes from 1971 to 1976. This was one of those "quite" hits that just kept moving along year after year and starred a veteran actor who was a class act. 3.5 out of 5 slates.
The Mod Squad: The Second Season, Volume 1 Street Date: November 25, 2008 Actors: Michael Cole, Peggy Lipton, Clarence Williams III Genre: Action, Crime Drama, TV 
REVIEW - Most cop shows can play twenty, thirty, even forty years later and other than the hairstyles and clothes, dosen't seem dated to the viewer. The Mod Squad is the opposite. It is very dated with the hip language and clothes, but that was the appeal of the show even back in the late 60's when it originally aired. It was supposed to be going against the grain. The episodes are well written, intriguing and fun to watch. Pete, Julie and Linc were the coolest back then and still are, even with the lovebeads and flower power. Enjoy the trip back in time! Peace! 4 out of 5 slates.
Beverly Hills 90210: The Sixth Season Street Date: November 25, 2008 Actors: : Jennie Garth, Brian Astin Green, Luke Perry, Jason Priestley, Tori Spelling, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, Ian Ziering Genre: Drama, Soap, TV 
REVIEW - I must admit right from the start I was never a fan of this show. Never watched it, didn't care too. But as a reviewer I am obligated to sit down and watch everthing and I must say, it took several episodes, but after watching them , I can see why this was such a big hit with fans. It plays more like a daytime soap than the likes of Dynasty, which played things over the top which added to its appeal, not taking it's self to seriously. I liked watching Dylan's obsessive pursuit of his father's killer. Fans of the show will love it and if others give it a chance they will enjoy it too. I'm still not a big fan, but it is interesting viewing once you get into it. 
3 out of 5 slates.
Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C.: The Final Season Street Date: November 25, 2008 Actors: Jim Nabors, Frank Sutton, Ronnie Schell Genre: Comedy, TV 
REVIEW - Even though this show was made in the 60's, it still supplies plenty of laughs. Jim Nabors plays the innocent gas station attendent from Mayberry. North Carolina (it was a spin-off of The Andy Griffith Show) who joins the Marines and his life with his tough sergeant, played by the Frank Sutton. They were a great team on the show and this, their final season, had some memorable shows which will make for another fine addition of classic TV from the 1960's for you collection. Shazam! 4 out of 5 slates.
Star Trek: The Original Series: Season Three Remastered Street Date: November 18, 2008 Actors: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, TV 
REVIEW - Almost twenty two and a half hours of the original Sci-Fi classic with newly added CGI special effects makes this a sure winner! Even the packaging is cool! As an added bonus, this set includes the original pilot episode "The Cage". Some people may have a problem with the studio "touching up" the show by adding CGI effects, but you have to admit, no matter how die-hard a fan you maybe, it does look good. The space scenes look sharper, the planets look real, even the Enterprise gets a touch up. The added CGI aside, it's still the original Star Trek and one of the best classic Sci-Fi TV shows of all time! Live long and prosper! (Spock)
Hawaii Five-O: The Fifth Season Street Date: November 18, 2008 Actors: Jack Lord, James MacArthur, Kam Fong Genre: Action, Drama, TV 
REVIEW - This DVD collection offers over a whopping twenty hours of viewing pleasure for fans of no-nonsense police action dramas. Jack Lord plays Steve McGarrett, the head of an elite police task force set in Hawaii, tough job, but someone has to do it! Lord's take on his character was very much in the vain of Jack Webb on Dragnet, very dry and hard nosed, and it works. Good storylines with beautiful Hawaiian backdrops and one of the best theme songs in TV history, makes for an enjoyable series. Book 'em, Danno!
Odd Couple: The Final Season Street Date: November 18, 2008 Actors: Jack Klugman, Al Molinaro, Tony Randall Genre: Comedy, TV
REVIEW - When you watch enough TV, you can eventually tell who produces a series just by the look of the show. This had Garry Marshall written all over it and it was another hit for him, but how could he have gone wrong with the talents of Jack Klugman and Tony Randall. Even in this 5th and final season, these two actors had so much chemistry together. For those of you not familar with the series, or too young to have seen it, think "Two And A Half Men" minus the son and the heavy sexual references. This show is a lot of fun with Klugman as the slob and Randall as the neat freak, two class acts on a classic TV show!
7th Heaven: The Seventh Season REVIEW - Now that there are so many things to watch on TV, we tend to watch the same type of shows we are comfortable with and miss out on some very good programs. For me, this was one of them. I never watched this show and after watching it for my review, I must say, this is an excellent show! The storylines are well written, the acting is believable and the characters are likeable. I, for one, will be looking at the earlier seasons to find how the family progressed to point in their lives that they are during this season. At first I was a little confused as which characters were family and which were boyfriends, girlfriends, etc, but halfway through the first show, I was catching on to who was who (including the chimp!). We highly recommend this compelling show to any DVD collection. 
Street Date: November 11, 2008
Actors: Rachel Blanchard, Stephen Collins, Catherine Hicks, Beverly Mitchell Genre: Drama, Family, TV
CBS/Paramount THE WILD WILD WEST - The Complete Series Street Date: November 4, 2008 REVIEW - In the 1960's James Bond first came to the Big Screen and TV jumped on the bandwagon...big time. It was loaded with spy shows like "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.", "The Avengers", "Get Smart" and many more. The "Wild Wild West" was no exception, but it took a different twist on the genre... It was set in the 1800's. James West and Artemus Gordon were two special agents who worked for President Grant and they had more tricks, gadgets and disguises than Bond and Batman ever had! Even McGiver would have been impressed! This is a great complete series set with special packaging, booklet and case. It comes with special features and a bonus disc with two made for TV movies made after the show left the air. Each episode has one or more special guest star (It was hard to take Harvey Korman seriously as a Baron...I kept thinking Carol Burnett and Tim Conway were going to pop into the scene!) they even had a young Richard Pryor on the show! This makes a nice addition to any DVD collection if you like action adventure and alot of fun!
Actors: Charles Aidman, Robert Conrad, Michael Dunn, Roy Engel, Douglas Henderson, Ross Martin
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, TV, Western
CBS/Paramount JAG: The Seventh Season - Review REVIEW - This is one of those shows that was not a monster hit making the news all the time, but it was a constant "quiet" hit every year. Each episode is a good, solid hour of entertainment, filled with action and drama. The first episode in this season 7 set, "Adrift", is part two of the last episode of season 6, so it could be a little confusing unless you have seen that cliffhanger episode, but it still is a show that draws you in. There are 24 episodes in this set, each stands on it's own, but they also continue to piece together the lives of Harm and Mac. If you haven't seen JAG before, this is a good season to get and if your a longtime fan, it's one more season to enjoy!
Street Date: November 4, 2008
Actors: Catherine Bell, Patrick Labyorteaux, John M. Jackson, Chuck Carrington, Scott Lawrence
Genre: Action, Drama, TV
Synopsis: JAG (Judge Advocate General) is an elite legal branch of military officers trained as lawyers who investigate, prosecute and defend those accused of crimes in the military, including murder, treason and terrorism. Navy Cmdr. Harmon "Harm" Rabb, an ace pilot turned lawyer, and Marine Lt. Col. Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie, a beautiful and strictly by-the-book officer, are colleagues, both with similar high standards, that often find themselves clashing with one another as they take different routes to solve cases.
CBS/Paramount | THE 4400 - Review Street Date:October 28, 2008 Synopsis:Over the last century, thousands of people have gone missing. Suddenly and inexplicably, 4400 missing people are returned, all at once, exactly as they were on the day they vanished. Unclear what this world-altering event means, the government investigates the 4400 to piece together where they've been and why they've been returned. It quickly becomes apparent that their presence will change the human race in ways no one could have foreseen. REVIEW-Having never seen this series when it originally aired, I didn't know what to expect, but after watching the pilot episode I was hooked and never lost interest through the whole set. If you mixed "The X-Files", "Heros" and "Dark Skies" together, this is what you'd get, action, good Sci-Fi and an interesting storyline! Each episode weaves the lives of members of the 4400 together and the investigating team keeping an eye on them. It also has a bonus disc with extras for those of you who enjoy going beyond the series itself! |
Dynasty: Season 3 Volume 2 Street Date: October 21, 2008 Actors: Joan Collins, Linda Evans, John Forsythe, Heather Locklear Genre: Drama, Soap,TV 
REVIEW - Dynasty, half the acting was way over the top and the other half was extremely bad! The show featured high drama with music to accent the important parts, just in case you didn't know it was important. But, with all the things wrong with the show, it was and still is, one of America's guilty pleasures! Heather Locklear plays Sammi Jo, one of the meanest witches of television history, probably second only to Joan Collins as Alexis. This season has poisonings, blackmail, cat fights, bed hopping, betrayl and that's just the tip of the iceberg! Get it, watch it and continue to deny you enjoy it!
 | MY THREE SONS - The First Season Volume One Street Date:September 30, 2008 |