Saturday, August 26, 2006

Mini-DVD Review: Alvin & the Chipmunks: Trick or Treason (Aug. 22)

This week we take a look at Paramount Home Entertainment's Alvin & the Chipmunks: Trick or Treason. Alvin & the Chipmunks is of course the hit animated series that ran from 1983-1991. It was most popular in the early-mid 80s and this set has a 1994 Halloween special and four mini episodes from 1988 and 1989. Cartoonist Dave Seville takes care of three chipmunks: Alvin, Simon and Theodore! See my mini-DVD review of Alvin & the Chipmunks: Trick or Treason:

Alvin & the Chipmunks: Trick or Treason (Paramount, $14.99) brings a classic Halloween special and four spooky animated episodes. This is the second set from Paramount featuring the Chipmunks. The last set was the Christmas special release along with a few holiday-themed episodes. Both releases have episodes only when the show was renamed to The Chipmunks in 1988 and 1989. DiC designed the show then and they don't look the same as from 1983-87, but they still look great! Paramount has also released the Chipmunk feature film from 1987 on a separate set. This set has a 1994 half-hour Halloween special that aired on cable, titled "Trick or Treason," hence the title of this DVD. Alvin wants to join the Monster Club this Halloween and you will get to see them perform a great rendition of the hit tune "Monster Mash." The set also has spooky episodes, like I mentioned. On this volume are all mini episodes, meaning each half hour had two episodes when they originally aired, and we get one of them here. The episodes on this set are: "Babysitter Fright Night," "Theodore's Life as a Dog," "Nightmare on Seville Street," and "No Chipmunk is an Island." Two of the four episodes do not have closing credits, as they probably were the first episodes of the half-hour; runtimes range from about 10-12 minutes each. The menu screen has Play All and Episode Selection, with a song from the Chipmunks in the background. When we go to episode selection, the episodes are listed with a screenshot from the episode. The menu is designed quite well and is easy to navigate. The video and audio are decent and very watchable. I highly do recommend any fan to pick up this set. New fans might also want to, but I am hoping Paramount (or any other studio) releases the series on DVD in order, and not just select episodes from The Chipmunks years. So, hopefully that happens, but for now go out and buy this set to make that happen before Dave says "Alvinnnnn!"
-- Reviewed by Pavan
(4/5 stars)

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Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com Full DVD Reviews Page
Alvin & the Chipmunks TV.com Page

We might have two special mini-DVD reviews during the week this week. So stay tuned for that. And if all goes well, next Saturday we will have a special mini-review of not a DVD, but a TV-movie, about Diff'rent Strokes, which will premiere on Labor Day on NBC. We also will have a review of Barry Williams' (Greg Brady on The Brady Bunch) new CD. Should be fun!


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Saturday, July 12

Mind Your Business - "Love Child" (Bounce TV, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Alfonso and Aaliyah's world is flipped upside down when their mother's secret love child comes into town, while Mia tries to figure out who is sending her gifts every hour on the hour.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of July 7)

Friday, July 11

  • Aparna Nancherla (The Great North/Fairview/Corporate) and Whitney Cummings (Whitney) - Aparna and Whitney are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Malachi Barton (Stuck in the Middle) and Meg Donnelly (American Housewife) - Malachi and Meg discuss Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires and perform on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am. They will also be on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Jean Smart (Hacks/Samantha Who?/Center of the Universe/In-Laws/Style & Substance/Designing Women) - Jean chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Patton Oswalt (A.P. Bio/The Goldbergs/The King of Queens) - Patton talks about Black Coffee and Ice Water on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Margaret Cho (All-American Girl) and Joel Kim Booster (Loot/Shrill) - CBS News contributor Lisa Ling talks with Margaret and Joel on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Krysten Ritter (Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23) - Tamron Hall (repeat) has a DAYTIME EXCLUSIVE sitdown with actress/director/author Krysten Ritter who recently released her new thriller/mystery novel Retreat, so check your local listings.
  • Maggie Q (Pivoting) - Maggie Q talks about Prime's Ballard on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Tisha Campbell (Act Your Age/Uncoupled/Outmatched/Dr. Ken/Rita Rocks/My Wife and Kids/Martin) and Wendy Raquel Robinson (Poppa's House/The Game/Here We Go Again/The Steve Harvey Show/Minor Adjustments) - Tisha and Wendy chat about their film Operation: Aunties on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings. They will also be on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:30am.
  • David Zayas (The Bear/Saint George) - David appears on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


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06/18 - Weigel Broadcasting Announces WEST Network with Classic TV Westerns; Hulu's Season 2 of Such Brave Girls
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