Saturday, October 28, 2006
Mini-DVD Reviews: Baywatch Syndicated Seasons 1 and 2; The Super Mario Bros. Super Show Volume 2 (October 31)
Baywatch: Syndicated Seasons 1 and 2 (First Look, $34.99 each) brings the first two seasons from the syndication years on DVD on two separate five-disc sets. If you are wondering what they will do about the real season one, which aired on network television on NBC, they will put all of those episodes on each syndicated season set. So, for syndicated season one we will get the Baywatch pilot movie and on the syndicated season two set we will get the next two episodes. So, eventually we will have all the NBC episodes. You just will have to buy the syndicated seasons to get them. Well, anyway, I will cover mainly syndicated season two set since that is when this show really took off with the additions of Pamela Anderson and Nicole Eggert joining David Hasselhoff and the gang. Each episode from syndicated season one and syndicated season two are on this set except the two-part season premieres for both seasons. That is not good, but First Look has said that they don't own the rights to these episodes, Lionsgate does. I find it fishy because in the original press release these episodes were listed, but in the press release that was sent to us with this packaged review copy set, they are removed. So, we get 20 hours on each set instead of 22 hours each, plus the bonus NBC episodes. Each syndicated episode on both sets run approx. 43:40, and has the "Tonight on Baywatch" episode preview for each episode. The content is unedited I believe, but the music is missing according to the box. And you don't need the box to tell you that the opening theme has been replaced. That is not good! A theme called "All My Life" or something like that is the theme instead. I'm not sure if that is a new song made just for the DVD or if it is an existing song, but it sounds more of a theme used on a teen show (like 90210). What is even more strange is that a month back First Look sent us a promotional disc that included the last two episodes of syndicated season two and the NBC pilot, the two syndicated season two episodes HAD the original theme intact! So, what happened? This must have been a last minute thing. I am not a fan of syndicated season one, but I will talk about the episodes on syndicated season two. Some good episodes include "Pier Pressure," "Showdown at Malibu Beach High," "Masquerade," "Vacation, Parts 1 and 2," "Shattered, Parts 1 and 2," and "Fatal Exchange." The menu screen for both sets has Episodes & Set Up, with the replacement theme song in the background. We are greeted with a wave before the main menu starts and also when we select an option a wave transition is in effect. Four chapters are on each episode, and there are also scene selections. The video and audio are both very good. The extras are decent and are on disc five on both sets. On syndicated season one we have a photo gallery, the NBC pilot (which runs 95 minutes), and a featurette with the creators running 16 minutes. I will go in more detail for the extras in syndicated season two. They have a Baywatch Through the Years photo gallery, two NBC network episodes: "In Deep" (45:40) & "Heatwave" (46:15), and a How it Began featurette in which the creators (Michael Berk, Doug Schwartz, and Greg Bonann) discuss everything in detail. I am not sure if I can recommend this set for diehards. Diehards will be upset about the music replacement, the two missing two-part episodes, and the wonderful original theme. If you are a new or casual fan, then I do highly recommend to pick up this set. Syndicated season three is coming in February, that is the last season I really like, so I will review that one, too.
-- Reviewed by Pavan
To purchase the DVD, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Syndicated Season 1:
Amazon.com
Syndicated Season 2:
Amazon.com
Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com Full DVD Reviews Page
Baywatch TV.com Page
Super Mario Bros. Super Show: Volume 2 (Shout!, $29.98) brings the next 24 half hours on DVD for the very first time. Volume one was such a big success that Shout! rushed and has brought us volume two. This set is a four-disc set that has six episodes on each, plus bonus features on each disc. The episodes all run just under 22 minutes and include the live-action segments with Captain Lou Albano and Danny Wells as Mario & Luigi. In between the live action, there was a cartoon. The is the main feature of the show, but most probably remember the show for the live-action segments. The live action segments featured many guest stars. On this set we see Gary Schwartz, Sgt. Slaughter, Rob Stone, Donna Douglas, Brian Bonsell, Nedra Volz, Jim Lange, Fred Travalena, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Vanna White and even Patrick Dempsey. Though, Dempsey played a tree and was not seen really. The menu screen has Play All, Episodes, Special Features, with the theme song in the background and clips in the middle. The menu is designed quite well and is easy to navigate. There are about 7 chapter stops for each episode. The video and audio are both very good, but the video is slightly grainy (especially on the animated portion). Each disc has extras. Each disc has a bonus animated episode that runs approx. 14 minutes. These do not have any live-action segments. Each disc also has a "The Worlds of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show - Art Gallery." This shows us sketches of the animated portion, with music playing in the background. Each on average is about 3-5 minutes each. Disc one also has sketches from the live-action studio, titled "Interactive Tour of the Mario Bros. Plumbing." Disc three has a cute featurette called "Fan Costume Gallery," that is a photo gallery of many fans dressed up as characters from the show. And finally disc four has a feature from one fan's perspective titled "Meeting Mario: A Fan Tale's Featurette." This runs 3 minutes and has this fan giving his story on the night (March 28, 2006) that he met Captain Lou Albano at the Jersey Gardens mall in Elizabeth, NJ. Albano was appearing there to promote the volume one DVD. I live very close to that mall; I should have went and helped that fan with directions, as he got lost and went to Newark airport, lol. I highly do recommend any fan to pick up this set. If you never saw the show, pick it up because it is very fun! Hurry today and order the DVD before the DVD sells out!
-- Reviewed by Pavan
To purchase the DVD, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com Full DVD Reviews Page
Super Mario Bros. Super Show TV.com Page
Sitcoms Airing Tonight
Friday, May 27
none scheduled
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 23)
Friday, May 27
- Josh Charles (Sports Night) - Watch Josh on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana) - Miley appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Jenna Fischer (The Office/Splitting Up Together) and Angela Kinsey (The Office/The Hotwives of Orlando) - Jenna and Angela talk about their new book, The Office BFFs: Tales of The Office from Two Best Friends Who Were There, on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- David Arquette (In Case of Emergency/Double Rush/Parenthood) - David appears on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Queen Latifah (Living Single) - Queen Latifah chats with the ladies of The View on a repeat on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Courteney Cox (Shining Vale/Cougar Town/Friends/Family Ties) - Courteney is a guest on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
- Sherri Shepherd (Mr. Iglesias/Trial & Error/Sherri/Less Than Perfect/Suddenly Susan) - Sherri guest hosts The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
- Mayim Bialik (Call Me Kat/The Big Bang Theory/Blossom/Molloy) - Mayim appears on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
- Cedric the Entertainer (The Neighborhood/The Last O.G./The Soul Man/The Steve Harvey Show) - Cedric is a guest on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Jennifer Grey (Red Oaks/It's Like, You Know...) - Jennifer talks about her new memoir, Out of the Corner: A Memoir, on a repeat of Access Daily, so check your local listings.
- Glen Powell (Scream Queens) - Glen talks about Top Gun: Maverick on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (February-May)
02/08 - Last Man Standing - The Complete Ninth Season
02/22 - Everybody Hates Chris - The Complete Series (2022 Release)
02/22 - Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. - The Complete Series (2022 Release)
03/08 - Brooklyn Nine-Nine - Season Eight
03/08 - Brooklyn Nine-Nine - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
03/15 - Head of the Class - The Complete Fourth Season
03/15 - The Proud Family - The Complete Original Series - Anniversary Collection
03/22 - The Honeymooners Specials - The Complete Collection
03/29 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-5 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
03/29 - Young Rock - Season One
04/05 - Up All Night - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
04/26 - The Danny Thomas Show (aka Make Room for Daddy) - The Complete Fourth Season
04/26 - Jackie Gleason TV Treasures - 70th Anniversary Collection (including Honeymooners Rarities)
05/03 - No Activity - Season Three
05/31 - Becker - The Complete Series (2022 Release)
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