Sunday, August 19, 2007
Mini-DVD Review: JAG Season Four (Aug. 21)
JAG - The Complete Fourth Season (CBS, $64.99) is now on DVD. Catch the long running Donald Bellisario classic series, on DVD from CBS DVD! Another season of another show I remember fondly, and another JAG DVD set with an absurd MSRP. $64.99 is just absurd. That said, this is a good season. The show starts off strong, with the episode "Gypsy Eyes," a continuation of the finale from last season. Harm and Mac are found after being shot down. The Russians are reporting they're dead, but Admiral Chegwidden doesn't buy it. In "People vs. Mac," Mac is arrested and placed on trial for a felony, along with her former commanding officer. Harm volunteers to defend her, but this efforts are thwarted. Nonetheless, he's determined to figure out just what's going on. Near the end of the season, Harm gets his night blindness fixed, and turns in his request to fly again to the admiral. The concern over Harm's future at JAG would span through the final two shows, "Yeah Baby" and "Goodbyes." Obviously we all know how this turns out now, but it's still quality television nonetheless.
The actual set itself could still use work. The packaging is the TV DVD standard-issue outer box with inner slimcases. The cover art is similar to the previous sets, with in this instance Harm and Mac standing in front of a background with the US flag and gavel below them. For season 4, the predominant color in the packaging is teal. The menu features an image in a faux-letterbox style, with the American Flag serving in place of the black bars on top and bottom. In the center is a photo. Show logo and season 4 appear in top left, with episode titles appearing as text links on the left side. Another plain-Jane CBS DVD menu. To my absolute shock, there IS a special feature. On Disc 6 we get a Gag Reel that runs 4:08. I'm shocked, and extremely pleased, at this feature's presence. For $65 MSRP, I'd certainly like to see more though. Video quality is exceptional, I freely admit. No flaws, with perfect color balance, no noticeable compression issues. For standard-definition video that's almost ten years old, this is extremely good. Closed- Captioning is available. Chapter Stops appear at each commercial break plus before and after the opening titles. Runtimes hover in the mid-40 minute range – acceptable for a late 90s TV show.
I really think CBS DVD/Paramount is slowly starting to "get it," this set features nearly flawless video – as far as I could tell anyway – high quality audio, and actually has a bonus feature. Now just work on *more* features and a lower MSRP, and I'll certainly be a happy man. I think if you're a fan of the show you'll be happy too.
-- Reviewed by Seth Thrasher
To purchase the DVD, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com Full DVD Reviews Page
JAG TV.com Page
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Tuesday, February 11
St. Denis Medical - "Nobody Even Mentions the Brownies!" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Joyce pushes the staff to upsell patients on hospital procedures, kicking off some fierce competition and a case of mistaken identity; Bruce and Ron try to play plumber for a day.
Night Court - "Ab-ventures in Babysitting" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
An old friend returns and leaves Abby saddled with taking care of a baby during court; the gang tries to stop an influencer from publicly embarrassing the courthouse.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of February 10)
Tuesday, February 11
- Anthony Mackie (Twisted Metal) - Catch Anthony on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Lizzy Caplan (Party Down/The Class/The Pitts) - Lizzy appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Fred Armisen (Los Espookys/Forever/Final Space) - Fred is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Mikey Madison (Better Things) - Mikey appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. She is telling Drew about working on Oscar nominated film Anora, how director Sean Baker molded the role to her and some of her earliest acting influences on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings. Plus, she's making her baking debut and sharing her chocolate chip cookie recipe with Drew.
- Margaret Cho (All-American Girl) - Margaret is a guest on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Cecily Strong (Schmigadoon!), Rachel Dratch (Grimsburg/Imaginary Mary/30 Rock), Ana Gasteyer (American Auto/People of Earth/Lady Dynamite/Suburgatory), Cheri Oteri (Sit Down, Shut Up) - Cecily, Rachel, Ana, Cheri and Laraine Newman are guests on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9pm on Bravo.
- John Lithgow (Trial & Error/Twenty Good Years/3rd Rock from the Sun) - John stops by to talk about New York City Ballet's Carnival of the Animals on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Rickey Smiley (The Rickey Smiley Show) - Rickey sits down for a DAYTIME EXCLUSIVE on the unexpected miracle of learning he's the father of twin girls on Tamron Hall, so check your local lisitngs.
- Selma Blair (Anger Management/Kath & Kim/Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane) and Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Selma is telling Drew about being a boy mom to a 13-year-old son, dating in her fifties and how she has spoken about her health to help others feel seen on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings. Plus, Selma is sharing one of her favorite simple breakfast dishes with Drew and Valerie Bertinelli.
- Laverne Cox (Clean Slate) - Laverne talks about starring in the new Amazon series Clean Slate on Sherri, so check your local listings.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
10/08 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Twelfth Season / The Complete Series
10/22 - Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/12 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (2024 Release)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
11/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 4 (Blu-ray)
12/03 - Angel (1960-1961) - The Complete Series, Volume 1
12/17 - Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (4K UHD)
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive
Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts