H - DVD

House, M.D. - Seasons 1 -3 with Book

Amazon Price: List Price: $169.98 Amazon Marketplace: 3 new & used starting at $139.99

Buy at Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

House, M.D. - Season One
He pops pills, watches soaps, and always, always says what's on his mind. He's Dr. Gregory House (Emmy nominee Hugh Laurie, Blackadder). Producers David Shore, Bryan Singer, Katie Jacobs, and Paul Attanasio haven't rewritten the hospital drama--at heart, it's a cross between St. Elsewhere, ER, and C.S.I.--but they've infused a moribund genre with new life and created one of TV's most compelling characters. More than any previous medical procedural, it resembles Attanasio’s underrated Gideon's Crossing, but House is lighter on its feet. As fascinating as he is, the show wouldn't work as well if it were all House all the time (that would be like Sherlock Holmes without Watson or Moriarty). Fortunately, he's joined by an intriguing cast of characters, portrayed by a combination of experienced vets (Omar Epps, Lisa Edelstein, Tony winner Robert Sean Leonard) and new faces (Jennifer Morrison, Jesse Spencer). Aside from the complicated cases they tackle each week, the sparks really fly when House's brilliant, if naïve charges are put to the test--and as the head of a teaching hospital, it's his job to test them (although his tough love approach is constantly landing him in hot water with Edelstein's administrator). From the first episode, House attracted a talented array of guests, including Robin Tunney ("Pilot"), Joe Morton ("Role Model"), and Patrick Bauchau ("Cursed") as Spencer’s father. In addition, Chi McBride and Sela Ward appear frequently (with Ward returning for the second season). Viewers who first watched these 22 episodes on Fox will be gratified to note that the music has survived the transition to disc, such as the Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want," as featured in both the pilot and season finale ("Honeymoon"). The only apparent omission is the credit theme (Massive Attack's "Teardrop") from the pilot. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

House, M.D. - Season Two
The overall strength of the second season of House, M.D. proves that its first-year success wasn't a fluke. This season starts with Dr. House (Golden Globe winner Hugh Laurie) pursuing his ex-wife Stacy (Sela Ward) and ending with a tragedy that could potentially be deadly for himself and two colleagues. The premise of each show follows a set routine--a patient is brought in with unusual symptoms; House challenges his trio of underlings to diagnose the problem; they treat the patient, usually incorrectly the first few tries; and then at the very last minute--through a revelation that often has little to do with the patient--House figures out what's wrong and saves the day. It would be easy for this set up to grow old fast. But because of the smart writing, nuanced acting, and believability of the characters (who're often dealing with unbelievable scenarios), the formula works on each of the 24 episodes that aired on Fox during the 2005-2006 season. Viewers have been conditioned by the Marcus Welbys of the TV world to think of doctors as saviors. Even on ER, the most narcissistic physician was selfless at heart. But House is a different breed. When he's at an off-track betting parlor and a woman collapses, he doesn't miss a beat. Still eying his race on television, he asks, "Is anybody here a doctor?" He'll mock a sick patient's complaints with a sarcastic, "Boo hoo!" And, if there happens to be a dead body around, he has no qualms about shooting it if he believes that could help diagnose another gun-shot victim.

Not that he's any more reasonable or compassionate to his boss Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein), his oncologist best friend Wilson (Tony winner Robert Sean Leonard), or his young charges Foreman (Omar Epps), Cameron (Jennifer Morrison), and Chase (Jesse Spencer). He instructs his doctors to break into patients' homes as if they're cat burglars. He does not know the meaning of the phrase "politically correct." But because he spits out insults (as if he has a mild case of Tourette's) equally to both his patients and colleagues, the latter never flinch at his constant stream of inappropriateness. When his three young doctors storm into his office to report the declining condition of a patient by blurting out, "We have rectal bleeding," House says, "What? All three of you?" To sensitive Wilson, who is trying to get some work done without being interrupted, House says, "I know you're in there. I can hear you caring." And when Foreman's father says, "My son says you're a manipulative bastard," House replies, "It's a pet name. I call him Dr. Bling." Of course House actually does care about his patients, but he views a good bedside manner as the luxury of a doctor who has a healthy patient. But dying patients with seemingly incurable diseases need something more. They need House. --Jae-Ha Kim

House, M.D. - Season Three
The cantankerous and brilliant Dr. House (Golden Globe winner Hugh Laurie) is back for a third season of the hit drama House, which picks up with his being shot at the end of season two and ends with his staff dramatically refusing to put up with his oddball (and borderline abusive) demands. Each of the 24 episodes, which aired on FOX from 2006 to 2007, is included in this 5-disc set. Fans of the drama will be happy to hear that the formula remains the same: Each show begins with a medical dilemma that's so severe and life-threatening that only Dr. House can diagnose and fix the problem, even if it goes against conventional medical rules. His put-upon boss Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein) is back, as are his young charges Foreman (Omar Epps), Cameron (Jennifer Morrison), and Chase (Jesse Spencer). Oncologist Wilson (Tony winner Robert Sean Leonard), who is House's best friend by default, also returns to support (and infuriate) the cranky doctor. Speaking of cranky, House's difficult nature proves to bite him in the rear. In a six-episode arc, the Vicodin-popping House meets his match after he antagonizes the wrong patient, police officer Michael Twitter (David Morse, who played a compassionate physician on St. Elsewhere). Hell hath no fury like a patient poked and prodded like a guinea pig, and Twitter makes it his business to make House's life miserable. But since the show is called House, viewers are safe in assuming that House will not be rotting his life away in a jail cell. After all, the excitement of the show is driven by his unorthodox treatment of patients. As Cuddy succinctly points out, "You just keep on going until you come up with something so insane it's usually right." Look for a slew of excellent guest stars (rocker Dave Matthews, Charles S. Dutton, Piper Perabo, John Larroquette) to help stir things up. The episodes are as compelling as ever, focusing on a morbidly obese patient in denial, an autistic child, and a comatose man that House insists on "waking" up. The bonus materials include Morrison and Edelstein doing scenes in Valley Girl-speak and a featurette on Laurie's all-star charity group called Band from TV (Laurie plays piano). --Jae-Ha Kim

Home Improvement - The Complete Sixth Season

Amazon Price: $21.99 List Price: $24.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Buena Vista Home Video - Model: DISD52862D Amazon Marketplace: 49 new & used starting at $18.34

Buy at Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 24 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Tim "The Toolman" Taylor--vers. 6.0 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This is Tim "The Toolman" Taylor, version 6.0, or at least the Complete Sixth Season. Good wholesome American humor. The Taylor clan (read: cast) are legitimately funny. Definition of Family Entertainment: Home Improvement, the television series!

A classic! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I remember just loving Home Improvement when I was young. As I grew up, I really had forgotten about the show, but recently have gotten back into it due to it airing on NIck at Nite. As a result, I wanted to pick up a season.

Boy was I not disappointed. Tim Allen and the cast really come through with a lot of fun, unique episodes. This really was a great season.

Editorial Review:

Get ready for some high-octane humor in the hilarious sixth season of the Emmy(R) Award-winning HOME IMPROVEMENT. Tim Allen and Patricia Richardson return in the classic sitcom about friends, tools and the "power" of family. This year, Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor pulls out all the stops as he attempts to break Bob Vila's steamroller record, and things at home get out of hand when Jill's wild sisters visit to plan their parents' 50th anniversary. Laugh along with every unforgettable moment in this 3-disc set, including all 25 episodes and exclusive, all-new Season 6 bloopers. It's a must-own collection for every HOME IMPROVEMENT fan.

Hogan's Heroes - The Complete Third Season

Amazon Price: $20.99 List Price: $38.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Paramount - Model: PARD880964D Amazon Marketplace: 49 new & used starting at $16.99

Buy at Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 30 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The Best 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Best TV show!! The Family loves it! Great way to spend the evening with the Family!

Hogan's Heroes TV Series 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

My husband liked these when he was a child. So very hard to find safe things for the children to watch. But this one is great. Highly recommend this family friendly series.

Any Hogan's Heroes 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Funny, for the most part harmless. It sure is better than most of what is on TV today.

One of the best shows ever 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

If you like Hogan's Heroes, then there's not much I need to add to the review. Season three is as good as any. Don't hesitate to buy season 3.

Great present! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

My family grew up watching Hogan's Heroes. So I bought this set of DVDs for my brother for Christmas and he absolutely loves them!

Editorial Review:

The inmates of a German World War II Prisoners of War camp conduct espionage and sabotage campaign right under the noses of their warders. While the enemy is often gullible, easily fooled or downright incompetent – the real strength of Hogan’s men are the elaborate ruses and sometimes dangerous lengths they will go to complete their mission.

House of Cards Trilogy (House of Cards / To Play the King / The Final Cut)

Amazon Price: $43.99 List Price: $59.98 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Warner Brothers - Model: WARDE1765D Amazon Marketplace: 33 new & used starting at $42.79

Buy at Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 70 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A pragmatic lesson in politics 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

After many years of having been filmed, this trilogy remains a powerful lesson in pragmatic politics. In spite of his evilness, you end up admiring Frances Urkhart for his strategically political thinking, always geared towards pragmatism for achieving his very personal goals. Whoever or whatever stands in his way for reaching his objectives, he always finds a wat out-even if this means corruption and murder.
Definitely any young aspiring politician should watch the series, not for emulating Mr Urkhart, but for aquiring the knowledge of the intricating web of politics and interpersonal relationships that derive from it. A strong lesson in politics, indeed.
Extraordinary performances, very well filmed, and a truly close adaptation from the book.
Every two years I watch the trilogy, and every time I discover new aspects about the plot and complex personality of Mr Urkhart. What a political thriller!

Editorial Review:

Ian Richardson (From Hell, M. Butterfly) leads an all star cast in this malevolent satire of greed, corruption and ambition in the highest realms of government. As Machiavellian monster Francis Urquhart, he schemes and backstabs his way to the top until he is standing on a pile of broken promises, betrayals and the bodies of those who oppose him. Every step of the way, Urquhart lays out his plans with horrifying wit and venomous charm. But the ranks of his enemies are growing, and they intend to bring him down, whatever the price. Brilliantly adapted by Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice, Bridget Jones's Diary), from Michael Dobbs's best-selling novel, this satirical trilogy took home a primetime Emmy, a Peabody, two BAFTAs and a Broadcasting Press Guild Award.

Hogan's Heroes - The Complete Fifth Season

Amazon Price: $20.99 List Price: $38.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Paramount - Model: PARD850644D Amazon Marketplace: 42 new & used starting at $13.93

Buy at Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 37 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Too implausible and unrealistic in year 5.... poor direction... 2 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Have to agree with the other 2 star person- it was going downhill. Poor direction and very implausible ideas even for HH standards. Episode 1 year 5 - Hogan directs a propaganda film!!! Just too much of a stretch. The previous years were more realistic so you could believe in the comedy. It's almost like the POWS had free run of the camp whereas in previous years they had to work more and finagle more to achieve their schemes. To me the main comedy potential of HH is how the POWS improvise and negotiate to improve their conditions; even the smallest conditions. Year 5 it is almost as though they have as much power as the Nazis.

I have not seen year 4 and hoping it is better. Borders only had year 5 so that is why I bought it. Years 1-3 are priceless of course. Now I understand why it was canceled after 6 years. Sad but I am a huge HH fan.
Al

Editorial Review:

The inmates of a German World War II Prisoners of War camp conduct espionage and sabotage campaign right under the noses of their warders. While the enemy is often gullible, easily fooled or downright incompetent – the real strength of Hogan’s men are the elaborate ruses and sometimes dangerous lengths they will go to complete their mission.

Homicide Life on the Street - The Complete Seasons 1 & 2

Amazon Price: $34.95 List Price: $34.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: A&E - Model: AAED70848D Amazon Marketplace: 21 new & used starting at $19.99

Buy at Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 75 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

It's Criminal To Release This Fine Series Without Close Captioning 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I love everything about the TV series HOMICIDE from its well realized characters to the Baltimore portrayed so realistically you can almost smell and taste it. Unfortunately I missed most of the early episodes and am delighted to be able to finally view the initial seasons on DVD. Happily, the early episodes are as excellent as those that followed but the DVDs cry out for close captioning even for those of us with normal hearing. The dialogue is too well written to miss a word and with the thick Baltimore (and other) accents of many of the characters I missed some whole sentences and maybe paragraphs! Hopefully maybe a re release with English close captioning will be forthcoming?????

Editorial Review:

One of the most critically acclaimed shows in TV history, Homicide: Life on the Street reinvigorated a tired genre by focusing on the grueling work of solving murders instead of an endless succession of bloody crimes and car chases. Inspired by David Simon's Edgar Award-winning account of Baltimore homicide detectives and brought to television by writer Paul Attanasio (Gideon's Crossing) and director Barry Levinson (Analyze This, The Perfect Storm, Oz), Homicide boasted a powerhouse ensemble cast featuring Ned Beatty (Network, Deliverance), Yaphet Kotto (Alien, Midnight Run), Richard Belzer (Law & Order: SVU), and breakout star Andre Braugher (Frequency, Gideon's Crossing). Now this Emmy and Peabody Award winner debuts on DVD with this collector's set featuring all 13 episodes from the first two seasons of Homicide: Life on the Street.

The Howdy Doody Show- 40 Episode Collection

Amazon Price: $26.99 List Price: $29.98 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Mill Creek Entertainment - Model: DOSDMV50657D Amazon Marketplace: 23 new & used starting at $15.80

Buy at Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 47 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The Howdy Doody Show made its debut on television in 1947. When The Howdy Doody Show first aired, there were only 20,000 American homes with television sets and NBC only had stations in six television markets. The show was credited as a major factor in the growth of NBC. The Howdy Doody Show went on to air 2,543 episodes, before running its final episode on September 24, 1960.
The Howdy Doody Show set numerous benchmarks for television. It was the first network kids show to air five days a week, the first show on the air each day (it was preceded by the network's color pattern), the first television show ever broadcast in color, and the first show ever to air in more than 1,000 continuous episodes. While Howdy and his friend s entertained American children, they also sold television sets to American parents and demonstrated the potential of the new medium to advertisers.

Loaded with Extensive Bonus Features...including Rare Interviews from the Archive of American Television the company that produces The Emmy Awards.

This delightful collection contains 40 of the best full length episodes (including commercials) from 1949 to 1954. These 40 episodes were chosen from the NBC Universal vaults because they were the most requested episodes by Howdy Doody fans. Join Howdy Doody, his cousin Heidi, Buffalo Bob Smith, Clarabell the Clown, Chief Thunderthud, Princess Summerfall Winterspring and Mayor Phineas T. Bluster on a journey to through classic entertainment!

Bonus Features:

Photo Memories Book containing 32 Collectible photos from the NBC vault!

Interviews with Bob Keeshan, Eddie Kean, E. Roger Muir, Bob Smith, and more!

Howdy Doody Historical and Interactive Timeline

Photo Gallery

Never before seen, unique collectible packaging created specifically for this release!