S - DVD

Smallville - The Complete Fourth Season

Amazon Price: $23.99 List Price: $59.98 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Warner Brothers - Model: D70770D Amazon Marketplace: 115 new & used starting at $13.13

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 247 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Lost Focus A Bit But Still "Super" Television 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

In the beginning (seasons 1-3), the concept of Smallville was to chronicle a young Clark Kent through his high school years. After three seasons, however, the character relationships (especially Clark and Lana) that provided the emotional punch to the show became played out. The "on again, off again" Clark/Lana saga was getting a bit old, the evilness of Lionel Luthor was well established, while the inner workings of Lex Luthor's tortured psyche continued to become apparent. Barring a major change, the show looked like it may have been reaching a climax, what with the main characters graduating high school. Yet, as is often a "problem" in televised drama, the show was so popular on its WB (now CW) network that it would surely continue for future change. Thus, major change to the structure of the show is exactly what happened. Let's start with the not-so-great changes (trying not to reveal too many spoilers!) and end on the high notes:

For the first time, the writers/producers constructed a season-long dramatic arc in which Lana (controlled by an ancient medieval witch, as improbably as that may sound), Lex, and Clark race to obtain three Kryptonian stones. Needless to say, this storyline was quite contrived (most likely to give Kristin Kruek (Lana) something to portray) and lacked the punch of the Kryptonian caves or Lex's insanity of earlier seasons. Thus, the "mythology" episodes of this season were subpar.

The other disappointing aspect of Season Four was the introduction of Lois Lane. Though (obviously) an extremely important part of Clark's future, the Lois character struggles to fit into the overall scheme of the show. My personal theory is that she was added to spice up the show's sex appeal (one look at Erica Durance (Lois) will show you why) to appeal to the young WB audience.

Besides those major gaffes, however, Smallville's fourth season provided a number of fantastic moments that kept its fans (young and old alike) tuning in each week:

-The "no flights" rule is temporary lifted in the season premiere.
-Clark is introduced to a certain "speedster" with whom he will later pair with.
-An incredible acting performance from Tom Welling (Clark) after switching bodies with Lionel Luthor.
-A mischevious Russian villian is introduced who continues to torment Clark long into the future.
-Alicia Baker (Clark's former love) is brought back in a very emotional two-part series.
-The Kent family comes across a later-famous pooch with certain "abilities".
-Perhaps the best acting performance from Michael Rosenbaum (Lex) in which his "good" and "evil" sides square off against each other (ala Captain Kirk in Star Trek).
-The final scene of the season, which introduces a critically important piece of Clark Kent's future.

To conclude, the fourth season of Smallville lacked the emotional focus of the three preceding seasons, but still managed enough "wow" moments to continue satisfying the "shipper" (relationship-based) and die-hard comic book Smallville fans alike.

Editorial Review:

Clark Kent will have plenty of reasons to remember his senior year! The thrilling reinterpretation of the Superman legend evolves in Season 4, whose 22 episodes include the quest for 3 Kryptonian crystals and Clark's bold attempt to keep those mysterious stones from destroying Earth. Clark also becomes a highly recruited football star. Lana gets a boyfriend. Lois Lane smart, opinionated and entirely annoying to Clark comes to Smallville. Chloe learns the scoop of the century. Lionel becomes a straight-up nice guy. Lex steps further from the light into darkness. New characters (Krypto, Mr. Mxyzptlk) and a new power emerge. The calling awaits Clark an awakening to a destiny that only he can accept and fulfill.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary
DVD ROM Features
Documentaries

The Sopranos - The Complete Fourth Season

Amazon Price: $40.49 List Price: $59.98 Usually ships in 24 hours By: SOPRANOS - Model: HBOD99081D Amazon Marketplace: 75 new & used starting at $31.74

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 106 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Beginning to fade 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Upon the suggestion of my soon to be father-in-law, my fiancée and I embarked upon the Odyssey that is The Sopranos. He loved it to such an extent that he began to emulate specific cultural traits of the characters. While my fiancée and I will incorporate certain "catch phrases" into our conversation we didn't take it that far.
At this point we're at the beginning of Season 5 but all the seasons' are starting to blend together. This may be high praise in the sense that the overarching storylines are so well entwined that seams are non existent or this may be damning in the sense that it's all the same and nothing stands out.
Whichever the case may be, this can be said; for these two viewers the series started off great, got better with season 2 when we admitted our commitment to it, stalled with season 3 or at least maintained itself but began to boor a bit with season 4. Of course, the outrageous highway robbing, price gouging cost of the later seasons jumping to $100.00 dollars a pop in stores has left a bad taste in my mouth just for the principle of the issue. Even Amazons discount, as good as it is, is still pricey for a series that boasts only 13 episodes per season, most of them under an hour. Don't even get me started on the price of the 6th season which has been divided into 2 boxed sets. The DVD distributors certainly took a page from the playbook of the characters being depicted in this series.

Editorial Review:

It's tough times in Jersey for Tony Soprano. The sluggish economy hasn't been good for the family business. His wife Carmela is angling for more financial security. Some longtime lieutenants aren't happy with Tony's recent decisions. A rival boss wants a bigger piece of the suburban pie. A Sopranos is actually heading to trial for the first time in decades. At least one child seems to have lost interest in higher education. And the ducks aren't coming back anytime soon. PROGRAM INFORMATION Number of Episodes: 13 1. For All Debts Public & Private 2. No -Show 3. Christopher 4. The Weight 5. Pie O My 6. Everybody Hurts 7. Watching Too Much Television 8. Mergers & Acquisitions 9. Whoever Did This 10. The Strong Silent Type 11. Calling All Cars 12. Eloise 13. Whitecaps

The Simpsons - The Complete Second Season

Amazon Price: $22.99 List Price: $39.98 Usually ships in 24 hours By: SIMPSONS - Model: FOXD2003715D Amazon Marketplace: 119 new & used starting at $8.72

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 270 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Another Classic 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

As for what is now and forever be classic television, the Simpsons are on the top. The first season was a bit choppy and underdeveloped and with this season it is easy to see that things are starting to come together and that the writers and animators are working the bugs out.

The high point of season two, the real reason to make sure that you own it is that this seasons begins the annual tradition that is the "Treehouse of Horror" specials that have always been amazingly done. This particular episode gives us the amazing creation of the Simpsons doing "The Raven" as read by the great James Earl Jones. It is worth the price if just for that.

Editorial Review:

Fans can continue to build a complete Simpsons DVD collection with the specially packaged, four-disc The Simpsons Season Two DVD Collection, where the evolution of The Simpsons is marked by the introduction of new characters (Ralph Wiggum; Groundskeeper Willie; Professor Frink; Dr. Julius Hibbert; Kang & Kodos; Blinky, the three-eyed fish; Comic Book Guy; Lionel Hutz; Kent Brockman), more celebrity guest stars (Jon Lovitz; Danny DeVito; Tony Bennett; Ringo Starr; Larry King and others), the debut of the Treehouse Of Horror Halloween specials, and the Billboard-topping song "Do The Bartman."

Saved by the Bell - Seasons 3 & 4

Amazon Price: $13.99 List Price: $19.98 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Lions Gate - Model: LGEDA015457D Amazon Marketplace: 55 new & used starting at $9.99

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 79 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Amazing! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I adored the show when I watched it in Italian (I was like 10 years at that time).
Now that I'm 25 and I had the chance of watching it in the original version, I can't help loving it even more: amazing cast, funny stories, catchy songs...what more can you ask to a tv show?

Thank you, Amazon, for giving me the opportunity of affording to buy the whole collection! <3

It's all about Preppie. 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Saved by the Bell - Seasons 3 & 4 are my favorite seasons of this nostaglic show. This show is the best teen comedy of all-time. I can watch these episodes over and over again and never get sick of them. Great cast and goofy plotlines but you will treasure this gem of a show forever. I highly recommend it!

Saved by the Bell 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Saved by the Bell is a cherished memory from my childhood. Upon re-watching this classic series it has not lost it's charm. ;)

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

Another great set, with random commentaries on certain episodes. Includes the x-mas episodes with the homeless guy and his daughter, kelly and zack's breakup, the drugs episode with brandon tartakoff, and some of the beach episodes that were funny as well. The only knock on the set is the episodes are out of order, but don't let that ruin your SBTB fix!

Editorial Review:

Studio: Lions Gate Home Ent. Release Date: 02/05/2008

Saturday Night Live - The Complete Fourth Season

Amazon Price: $48.99 List Price: $69.98 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Universal - Model: 61102145 Amazon Marketplace: 43 new & used starting at $43.94

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Terrific Comedy Sktis from a First-Rate Cast 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

"Saturday Night Live: The Complete Fourth Season" is a seven-disc box set containing all the shows from the 1978-1979 season. This is one of the great years of the NBC sketch comedy show, which has just passed its 33rd anniversary. Maybe it's nostalgia, but it seems the comedy landed a lot more frequently then than in the current season of "SNL."
Some of the skits in this set include Nick the Lounge Singer (Bill Murray singing the "Star Wars" theme to a uninterested cocktail lounge audience), Candy Slice (Gilda Radner), The Loud Family (Jane Curtin), Fred Garvin: Male Prostitute (Dan Aykroyd), and the Nerds (Bill Murray and Gilda Radner). Also included is the "Wild and Crazy" Festrunk Brothers (Steve Martin, Dan Aykroyd) and Buck Henry's inappropriate "Uncle Roy." Guest hosts include Fred Willard, Carrie Fisher, Kate Jackson, Gary Busey, and Walter Matthau. Musical guests include Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones, the Doobie Brothers, Bette Midler, Talking Heads, Devo, Van Morrison, the Grateful Dead, James Taylor, and Rickie Lee Jones.

Editorial Review:

Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 12/02/2008 Rating: Nr

The Shield - Season 1

Amazon Price: $34.99 List Price: $49.95 Usually ships in 7 to 10 days By: Sony - Model: COLD25014D Amazon Marketplace: 41 new & used starting at $17.99

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

Widescreen 3 out of 5 stars.
14 of 22 people found this review helpful.

To be clear, this is the DVD set of Season 1 re-released in 2008:

I broke down & bought the new Sony release of Season 1. Here are my nitpicks about the differences with the original release:

The new set is in widescreen, which is a night & day difference from the old set on my HDTV.... The "Previously on The Shield" segments absent on the original Season 1 set are here. But, the 1st chapter stop is after the opening credits, not the recap. What a bunch of duki! Also, there are no chapter selection menus. All the original extras are here, minus the original script of the Pilot. The credits all replace the Columbia-Tristar logo with the Sony logo....

The menus use the same design as the original R1 set. The cover is also the same, without the gold reflective effect the original had.

Overall, the technical presentation is much better on this set. Plus, since they're a slim cased set, getting these Seasons will save me space on my shelf....

Editorial Review:

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 03/25/2008 Run time: 600 minutes

The Shield - The Complete Fifth Season

Amazon Price: $34.99 List Price: $49.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Sony - Model: COLD25030D Amazon Marketplace: 72 new & used starting at $21.99

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

One of the Best Shows on TV 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I really like this show. It is well written. I like all the seasons tie in together. The acting is great. The 5th season is great. The storyline is awesome, the action and drama are intense, and the conflict between Mackey & Kavanaugh is explosive. I definitely recommend this season as well as the rest.

Why No Widescreen? 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This was an incredible season of a show that just gets better and better every year.

However please be warned that this is not in widescreen as specified. I have no idea why the US DVDs are continually released in P&S, so I recommend going to Amazon UK where these are released in full widescreen aspect ratio.

One of the greatest shows in television history 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

The fifth season of "The Shield" is on par with the previous four, which means instant greatness. Forest Whitaker brings some added acting muscle as the Internal Affairs agent out to get Vic and the rest of the Strike Team. This is essential viewing.

Excellent Series. 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Damn fine television. Not appropriate for young ones obviously. They have done a great job painting in shades of grey for this entire series.

Editorial Review:

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 03/25/2008 Run time: 546 minutes

The Sopranos - The Complete Fifth Season

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 112 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Don't miss this show! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Season 5 of the Sopranos brings about some exciting changes and developments for many of the characters. It is entertaining and enthralling to watch. It kept me up late at night, just to watch "one more episode". Yes, officially addicted.

What I enjoy about the Sopranos is that each season they bring about some new characters, most of which are great "villians". It keeps the show fresh and interesting. Here we meet Tony's cousin, played by Steve Buscemi.

I can't say enough good things about this series, but as I'm reviewing all 6.2 seasons right now, I guess I am running out of original things to say for each. But I just wanted to take the time and add my opinion for each so that each prospective viewer can add my vote to the count that says "Don't miss this show!"

Editorial Review:

His separation hasn't been working out. His nephew's fiance has become a distraction. His paroled cousin is giving off bad vibes. His business rival is looking for payback. His therapist isn't buying into the "other Tony." It's enough to send any mob boss over the edge. Hell hath no fury like The Sopranos.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary
Other

The Sopranos: The Complete Third Season

Amazon Price: $40.49 List Price: $59.98 Usually ships in 24 hours By: SOPRANOS - Model: HBOD99234D Amazon Marketplace: 108 new & used starting at $19.50

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 103 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Stroke of genius 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Wow, season 3 of the Sopranos is a memorable one for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the previous 2 seasons, but by season 3 every storyline, every line that was muttered by a character, every shocking or subtle development, was a stroke of genius.

In this season, the cast and writers alike, SHINE. Here we really start getting to the meat of things. And it's nothing if it's not like riding a fast-paced thrilling rollercoaster. One you will not want to get off of.

I highly recommend the Sopranos series. I am not a big action or mafia movie goer, nor am I big into the violence...but something within this show is bigger than all of that. Something about family and a persons will to survive. Much of what these characters go through, we all experience on some level or other. Don't miss out on this fantastic show!!

Editorial Review:

Some suburban households have two cars. Some have two houses. But Tony Soprano has two families. This could be why the FBI is going to such lengths to wiretap his home. Why the son of his dear late friend Jackie Aprile is causing him such agita. Why a Russian housekeeper is searching for her missing leg. Why his son is vandalizing school property and his daughter is getting her heart broken. Why his wife Carmela is both consulting a psychiatrist and confessing to a priest. And it's also why Tony Soprano is still seeing Dr. Melfi for his anxiety attacks. It isn't easy heading-up the mob in New Jersey. But that's what puts dinner on the table for the two families of Tony Soprano.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary
Biographies
Featurette
Interactive Menus
Other
Scene Access

Slings & Arrows: The Complete Collection

Amazon Price: $49.99 List Price: $59.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Acorn Media - Model: ACRDAMP8046D Amazon Marketplace: 31 new & used starting at $39.74

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 41 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

As seen on the Sundance Channel

"Deliciously written" —TV GUIDE

"Big and powerful, a corker" —LOS ANGELES TIMES

"Charming and complex and lovely" —THE NEW YORK TIMES

Showered with awards and critical acclaim, this darkly comic Canadian series follows the fortunes of a dysfunctional Shakespearean theatre troupe, exposing the high drama, scorching battles, and electrifying thrills that happen behind the scenes.

Paul Gross (Due South) stars as Geoffrey Tennant, the passionate but unstable artistic director of the New Burbage Theatre Festival. Haunted by the ghost of his predecessor (Stephen Ouimette), he struggles to realize his creative vision while handling touchy actors, a jittery general manager (Mark McKinney), a pretentious guest director (Don McKellar) and his own tempestuous romance with the festival's leading lady (Martha Burns). The backstage bedlam mirrors the onstage angst as Geoffrey directs three of Shakespeare's masterpieces -- Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear -- one in each season. Guest stars include Rachel McAdams (Wedding Crashers), Colm Feore (Chicago), Sarah Polley (Go, The Sweet Hereafter), and renowned Stratford Festival actor William Hutt in one of his last performances.

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE cast interviews, bloopers, deleted and extended scenes, photo galleries, production notes, trailers and song lyrics. Plus exclusive bonus disc: "A Look Behind the Scenes" featurette, more cast and crew interviews, and on-set footage.