Saturday, January 03, 2009

Blog DVD Review: 1st and Ten - Complete Collection

It is Saturday, so that must mean it is time for the blog DVD review! Since we are in the college football bowl season and that the NFL Playoffs starts today, it makes sense today to take a look at Tango Entertainment's 1st & Ten: Complete Collection...even though this DVD came out 3 years ago in January 2006. 1st & 10 was a HBO football-themed show from the late 80s that is most probably known as a series with O.J. Simpson. See skees53's blog DVD review of 1st & Ten: Complete Collection:

1st & Ten: Complete Collection (Tango, $26.98) contains all 80 episodes of one of the first premium cable TV series in history. Although the series underwent a great number of changes over the year, the series begins with wealthy housewife Diane Barrow (Delta Burke, of Designing Women fame) coming home to her mansion one day and finding her loving and adoring husband in bed. Except, her loving and adoring husband isn't in bed alone, and is in fact in bed with another person. And did we mention that this other person happens to be a guy? Diane, determined to get revenge on her husband in any way possible, decides to divorce her husband, and to take everything she can get from him, including his professional football team! Now, Diane (who knows nothing about football) is suddenly the owner of a football team and has to call all of the shots.
The series began in 1984 on HBO, which was just getting started at that time, and was one of the first series to truly take advantage of the fact that you can get away with literally anything on cable TV, including very controversial plot lines and even some nudity. It aired until 1991, and underwent many changes through the years, particularly cast changes. In fact, nearly the entire cast has been swapped out by the time the series was over, creating a totally different series where Shannon Tweed played the owner of the team. The series is also well-known for the fact that O.J. Simpson had a role on the series throughout most of the series run, playing (what else?) a former NFL star.
There are a lot of episodes on the set, and I did not watch all of them (mostly because some of them wouldn't even play, and you'll find out why later in this review), but many of the episodes have all of the themes that one would come to expect from a controversial series, such as extramarital affairs ("The Pilot"), near-death experiences ("You Are Who You Eat"), alcoholism ("Rona's Fling"), and other such themes. Sex is a big thing on the series, as is nudity, so don't be surprised to see some nudity (invariably in the form of bare breasts) in some of the episodes. The series isn't exactly full of guest stars, but you will find many "legendary" (in other words, ones that today's generation won't know) NFL players in the episodes. Classic TV fans will notice guest stars such as LaWanda Page (Sanford & Son), Roxie Roker (The Jeffersons), Norman Fell (Three's Company), Morey Amsterdam (Dick Van Dyke Show), and David Leisure (Empty Nest).
The video and audio quality of the episodes leaves quite a bit to be desired. I'm not sure what type of masters they used to create this set, but on some of the episodes, I watch them and think that they possibly used VHS tapes in EP/SLP mode as their masters. In other words, the episodes are all watchable, but the quality is (generally speaking) rather poor. You'll even notice obvious video defects as you are watching the episodes.
Unfortunately, this series didn't exactly receive one of the best DVD releases possible, as a majority of the episodes contained within it are edited episodes. And let me just say upfront, these are HORRIBLY edited episodes. To start off, these edited episodes have approximately five minutes of content cut out from them, but that is only the beginning of the problems. The real problem is that somebody decided to add this really bad (and VERY fake sounding) laugh track to these edited episodes. Obviously, to make the episodes suitable for broadcast television, these syndicated versions have all of the nudity and foul language removed from the episodes. Furthermore, the edited episodes have the original opening and closing credits replaced with a new version that had been created for syndication.
These DVDs aren't for fans that hate compressed episodes either. That is because they really do cram the episodes on the discs in this set. In fact, there are 80 episodes, but only six discs! How do they accomplish this? Basically, they use double-sided discs and put an entire season on one disc (seasons two and three share a disc, since those seasons only had 10 episodes combined). This means that some discs contain up to 16 episodes, with 8 episodes on each side! I certainly like a compact DVD set, but that is overdoing it. Add to all of this that the cheap packaging allows the discs to get scratched very easily (the hubs fail to completely secure the discs like they should), and there is a tendency for scratched double sided discs to go bad quickly... you have the fact that inevitably, some episodes won't even play at all. And there are quite a few that I couldn't get to play. Very frustrating! As for the packaging itself, they simply have three black cases that hold two discs each, and as previously mentioned, the packaging does not secure the discs very well, at all.
The set contains no special features at all, and I'm not really sure what could have been included. The series is really not something that any of the stars would ever put on their resume (for example, even though Delta Burke was the star of the series in the first few seasons, I highly doubt anybody would ever call her 1st & Ten's Delta Burke), and a lot of the actors probably look back at the series as a low-budget series from the dark ages of premium cable. Still, maybe some interviews with the creator of the series would have been nice, just to get some perspective into the series.
So the bottom line is that this DVD set is indeed a DVD collector's nightmare, but it is probably the only way anybody will ever be able to enjoy this show. Hopefully someone else will release this series in a better way. It is a pretty decent show, particularly in the earlier seasons, and I don't understand why it doesn't get more credit than it actually does. It isn't really a show about football, and is instead more of a series about a woman that is trying to make business decisions in a business where she is completely clueless. The set shouldn't set you back too much at an MSRP under $30 (that is very cheap for a complete series), but in reality, that MSRP is higher than what you'll actually pay for this set. If you look around at Amazon.com or even Wal-Mart (of all places), you will find this set for just a little bit more than you'd pay for a candy bar (literally). I purchased this set myself for under $2, a price which I was more than willing to pay even though I knew nothing at all about the series. Despite the many problems that plague the set, I also see it as a series that is worth splurging a few bucks on to get a few hours of entertainment from.

-- Reviewed by skees53
(2/5 stars)

To purchase this DVD, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com

Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com Full DVD Reviews Page
1st & Ten TV.com Page


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, April 24

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "TV Money" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Mandy tries to prove she’s financially responsible after Jim and Georgie call out her poor spending habits, and Connor’s new girlfriend needs a place to stay.

Ghosts - "I Know What You Did Thirty-Seven Summers Ago" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When Sam and Jay host a fundraiser for the mayor to earn a favor for Jay’s restaurant, they learn of his bizarre connection to one of Woodstone’s ghosts. Odessa Adlon returns as Stephanie, the ghost who died on her prom night.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 21)

Thursday, April 24

  • Da'Vine Joy Randolph (Only Murders in the Building/High Fidelity/People of Earth/Selfie) - Catch Da'Vine on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Michael B. Jordan (The Assistants) - Michael appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Olivia Munn (Perfect Couples) - Olivia is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Walton Goggins (The Righteous Gemstones/The Unicorn/Vice Principals) - Walton appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Sasheer Zamata (Home Economics/Woke/Robbie) and Greta Titelman (Fantasmas/Search Party/Los Espookys) - Sasheer and Greta are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Will Forte (The Four Seasons/HouseBroken/MacGruber/The Last Man on Earth/The Cleveland Show) - E! News has an interview with Will at 11pm on E!.
  • Tika Sumpter (mixed-ish/Final Space/The Game) - Tika sits down with the Tam Fam to talk about her new children's book I Got It From My Mama on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
  • Michael Urie (Shrinking/Krapopolis/Partners) - Michael swings by the studio on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Edi Patterson (The Righteous Gemstones/Vice Principals/Partners) - Edi chats about The Righteous Gemstones on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Ernest Lee Thomas (Everybody Hates Chris/What's Happening!!/What's Happening Now!!) and Haywood Nelson (What's Happening!!/What's Happening Now!!) - Ernest and Haywood talk about the 49th Anniversary of What's Happening!! on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
  • Cheech Marin (Rob/The Golden Palace) and Tommy Chong (That '90s Show/That '70s Show) - Cheech and Tommy talk about Cheech & Chong's Last Movie on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
  • Tiffany Haddish (The Last O.G./The Carmichael Show) - Tiffany co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Casey Wilson (The Righteous Gemstones/Black Monday/The Hotwives/Marry Me/Happy Endings) - Casey talks about The Great American Baking Show on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Michelle Buteau (Survival of the Thickest/Bless the Harts/Enlisted) - Michelle is telling Drew about her show Survival of the Thickest on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Dating expert Damona Hoffman is joining Drew and Valerie for a Q & A about first dates on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) - Morris tells Sherri about the new season of Watson on CBS, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two

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
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season

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

04/23 - Apple TV+ Announces Comedy Series Prodigies; ABC Renews Unscripted Series Slate
04/22 - Hallmark Channel's May For Moms Month; Prime Video Gets Korean Comedy Action Series
04/21 - Peacock's Twisted Metal Returns July 31; Poker Face Lines Up Big Guests for Season 2
04/20 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 21, 2025)
04/19 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Clueless Reboot in the Works at Peacock; King of the Hill Cast Reunion and Revival Preview at ATX TV Festival Next Month
04/18 - 2025 TIME100 on ABC; Atsuko Okatsuka: Father Premieres June 13 on Hulu
04/17 - BET+ Orders Martin Spinoff Varnell Hill; It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Returns in July
04/16 - And Just Like That... Season 3 on Max This May; MGM+ Comedy Series Adds Big Stars
04/15 - HBO's Harry Potter Series; Classic TV Comes to Life in NYC
04/14 - TV Stars Lineup for Summer of 69 Hulu Film; Jessica Kirson Comedy Special
04/13 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 14, 2025)
04/12 - SitcomsOnline Digest: FX Sets Premiere Date for Adults; Netflix Picks Up Monopoly Themed Reality Competition Series
04/11 - Bounce TV Renews Mind Your Business; AMC Networks 2025 Upfront Highlights
04/10 - David Spade's Prime Video Comedy Special; Brett Goldstein's HBO Comedy Special Filmed in New Jersey
04/09 - Paramount+ Orders Season 3 of Colin from Accounts; FX's Adults Premieres May 28
04/08 - Prime Video's New Comedy Overcompensating; Nine Perfect Strangers Returns on Hulu in May
04/07 - NBC Celebrates Joan Rivers with Special; Remembering Jay North of Dennis the Menace
04/06 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 7, 2025)
04/05 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Renews Three Animated Series and Brings Back a Fourth for Four More Seasons; ABC Renews Shifting Gears
04/04 - ABC 2025-26 Season Renewals for Scripted Series; New Season of Phineas and Ferb Returns June 5
04/03 - Fox Renews Animated Hits for 4 Additional Seasons and American Dad! Returns; South Park Season 27 Premieres July 9
04/02 - Rick and Morty Season 8 Premieres May 25; Netflix's Tires Returns June 5
04/01 - Disney Renews Wizards Beyond Waverly Place for Season 2; Prime Video Details Final Season of The Summer I Turned Pretty
03/31 - Prime Video's Dance-World Comedy Étoile; Netflix's Tom Segura Dark Comedy Bad Thoughts
03/30 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 31, 2025)
03/29 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Netflix Gives Pilot Order to A Different World Sequel; Malcolm in the Middle Reboot Recasts Role of Dewey
03/28 - Pat Sajak's Final Spin on Wheel and Return of Jeopardy! Masters; Remembering George Foreman and Wings Hauser
03/27 - IFC Renews SisterS for Season 2; Netflix Orders Live-Action Scooby-Doo Series
03/26 - Hulu Spring 2025 Slate; The Making of The Americas Special Narrated by Tom Hanks on NBC
03/25 - Deli Boys Now Streaming All Episodes on Hulu; Heartland Season 18 on UP Faith & Family
03/24 - Peacock April Highlights Include Three's Company; Antenna TV's 50 Years on the Beat Barney Miller Anniversary Marathon
03/23 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 24, 2025)