Digital Digest: Mannix - The Sixth Season DVD Review

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Digital Digest: Mannix - The Sixth Season DVD Review

It just wouldn't be Saturday if there wasn't a Digital Digest, and this week is no exception... so welcome to Digital Digest! This week, we've got all of our regular weekly features, of course, and we have a review of CBS Home Entertainment's upcoming release of Mannix - The Sixth Season. Let's get going!

DIGITAL NEWS

We all know that Mill Creek licensed several Carsey-Werner series not too long ago, and that they have started releasing many of these series. Among those series, we heard of That '70s Show - Season One (Blu-ray) debuting on Blu-ray, but there had been some delays along the way. Now, it seems that Mill Creek is ready to get this set rolling, with a scheduled release date of March 20 for the set. The four-disc set (yes, that is one more disc than the DVD release from Mill Creek contained, which is unusual given that Blu-ray Disc sets typically contain less discs) will contain the entire first season, along with the original special features, a new green screen feature, and even some episodes from the second season, in high-definition format. As a side note, this marks the very first time that a sitcom from the '90s will appear on Blu-ray. In fact, unless we are forgetting a series (speaking strictly of sitcoms; The Twilight Zone obviously is not a sitcom), this will also be the oldest sitcom to make it to the format so far.

This week, TVShowsOnDVD.com brought some new information to light about a DVD set that has been "in the works" for almost a year now that finally appears to be coming to light. Bob's Burgers - Season One is finally making it in to the "ready to be announced" phase of DVD production, rather than just being mentioned as a "Coming Soon" released in several Fox DVD releases. In other words, the studio finally officially announced it, and set a release date of April 17. You can read more about this release, and the bonus features to be included on the set, by visiting TVShowsOnDVD.com.

UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW

Tuesday (January 24) is a good day if you are a fan of crime dramas, with the release of another season of a classic crime drama and a collection of movies from another classic crime drama. From CBS Home Entertainment comes Mannix - The Sixth Season, a six-disc set containing every episode of the 1972-1973 season of the series. We have a review of this DVD set in today's Digital Digest. Additionally, Shout! Factory is releasing Kojak - The Complete Movie Collection, an excellent collection of eight (the original pilot and seven post-series) movies featuring the iconic detective. We reviewed this set last weekend in Digital Digest. Finally, there is one sitcom release for Tuesday, with Lionsgate's Meet the Browns - Season 4. You can read our review of this set here.

BLOG FEATURE REVIEW

Blog DVD Review: Mannix - The Sixth Season (CBS DVD, $49.99)

by skees53

One of America's classic private eyes from the '70s returns to DVD once again with Mannix - The Sixth Season. The six disc set contains all 24 episodes from the 1972-1973 of the action-packed, crime-solving series starring Mike Conners as Joe Mannix, and Gail Fisher as his secretary Peggy Fair, in a six-disc set.

The sixth season begins with "The Open Web," where Mannix leads the manhunt for a gang leader after he escapes from police custody. Mannix is out to investigate who killed an attorney's high-profile client in "The Crimson Halo." A pilot doesn't live to see the presentation of an experimental plane in "Portrait of a Hero." In "To Kill a Memory," an amnesiac soldier believed to be dead suddenly returns. A child's prize winning stamp collection could be motivation for murder in "The Upside Down Penny." In "One Step to Midnight," the granddaughter of an exiled mob boss is being stalked by one of her grandfather's dangerous friends. Crop dusters are missing in "Harvest of Death." Mannix investigates the death of a fellow private eye in "A Puzzle for One," and ends up taking on one of his cases in the meantime.

Mannix has to clear the name of the son of one of Peggy's friends after clues lead to him being the perpetrator of a fatal mugging in "See No Evil." In "A Game of Shadows," Mannix searches for a wanted killer with no identity. A hit-and-run leads to murder accusations for a man in "A Matter of Principle." Peggy goes undercover as a hooker to break up a drug ring in "Out of the Night." In "The Faces of Murder," Mannix must sift through a family of lies after a brother and sister confess to the same crime. A bum's patchwork coat makes him a murder target in "To Quote a Dead Man." The season concludes with "The Danford File," where political blackmail takes an eerie turn when all clues point to the blackmailer being dead.

The episodes appear to be unedited, with runtimes as follows:

Disc 1:

1. "The Open Web" (50:44)

2. "Cry Silence" (50:45)

3. "The Crimson Halo" (50:46)

4. "Broken Mirror" (50:43)

Disc 2:

5. "Portrait of a Hero" (50:45)

6. "The Inside Man" (50:44)

7. "To Kill a Memory" (50:43)

8. "The Upside Down Penny" (50:44)

Disc 3:

9. "One Step to Midnight" (50:42)

10. "Harvest of Death" (50:42)

11. "A Puzzle For One" (50:44)

12. "Lost Sunday" (50:42)

Disc 4:

13. "See No Evil" (50:46)

14. "Light and Shadow" (50:44)

15. "A Game of Shadows" (50:41)

16. "The Man Who Wasn't There" (50:18)

Disc 5:

17. "A Matter of Principle" (50:30)

18. "Out of the Night" (50:32)

19. "Carol Lockwood, Past Tense" (50:25)

20. "The Faces of Murder" (50:25)

Disc 6:

21. "Search for a Whisper" (50:21)

22. "To Quote a Dead Man" (50:25)

23. "A Problem of Innocence" (50:27)

24. "The Danford File" (50:25)

The packaging for this set is just like the previous releases, employing the usual Viva-case. On the cover, we have a large photo of Joe Mannix, along with the set title, and like the previous sets, there are six "bullets" shown on the cover to indicate the sixth season. On the back, there are several episode snapshots, along with a very generic description of the series. Inside, you'll find the six discs, all of which have gray artwork with the series logo on them. Each disc contains exactly four episodes. Also, inside the case, you'll find a listing of all of the episodes, along with descriptions and original airdates.

As has been the case in the previous releases, the menus on this set are actually very nicely done. The main menu on each disc begins with a video sequence similar to the opening credits, while the theme song plays in the background. After a few seconds, you get to the menu, which lists the episodes, along with Play All and Subtitles, on the bottom of the screen, and plays video clips from the episodes on the top of the screen. Once you select an episode, it plays right away. Chapters are placed throughout each episode at all of the appropriate places.

The video and audio quality on this set is excellent. Like most other CBS DVD releases, considerable effort was taken to remaster the episodes to bring them up to current standards as best as possible. There really don't seem to be any major defects in the video or audio, and even grain and debris seems to be kept to a minimum. The black levels on the video seem to be a tiny bit off, but it isn't too bad. The audio is presented in mono, and is mostly loud and clear. Every episode on the set contains English subtitles.

There are no special features on this set at all. It would have been nice to have seen some original promos or something along those lines. Apparently, there is an on-going legal dispute between Mike Connors and CBS regarding royalties on these sets, so I wouldn't expect to see him taking part in any new special features on these sets.

Despite being a barebones set, this is still another great set for the series. I have a feeling that we will certainly see the final two seasons in the upcoming year or so, but they'll likely be barebones sets, just as this one and most of the previous ones have been. It is really too bad, considering that this series is a fan favorite. But it is really nice to see that this series has been coming along rather nicely on DVD. Fans of the series will definitely want to own this release, and if you've never seen the series, you may enjoy it if you are a fan of '70s crime drama. This series is definitely one of the "classics" and has rightfully earned that spot.

(4/5 stars)

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

Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com DVD Reviews Page
Mannix on TV.com

CLICK OF THE WEEK

Retroality.tv (www.retroality.tv) - Like last week, we're going more into pop-culture territory again this week than we normally do for our Click of the Week, but it is for a good pop-culture television website. Retroality.tv will certainly appear at first glance to be another blog, just from the perspective of a different person. However, the "different person" who runs this particular blog is Chris Mann, a name that many of our blog readers know. And if you don't know who he is, we'll just tell you who he says he is, described in his own word: "A TV tell-all author and producer, Chris has covered celebrities, controversy, pop culture and health as a freelance writer for the LA Times, TV Guide, emmy, Radar and lifestyle magazines." In other words, he is no bedroom blogger, but he goes out to get the stories, interviews, and covers the celebrities--the good, the bad, and the ugly--as a career. Given that, it should be no surprise what this website is all about.

For the most part, you'll find most of Mann's recent articles from various publications on this website, and a lot of them are about the television stars that we all know and love. You'll also find some original pieces on this website, complete with Mann's ability to uncover parts of the story that we haven't heard before. And just this past October, one of the newest features of the website debuted, the "Retroality.TV Presents Reimagine That! with Chris Mann" podcast, which makes appearances with new episodes roughly once a month. You'll find many interviews and scoops here, and considering that it is still a relatively new feature, there are still a lot of possibilities for the feature as time goes on. So we'd like to suggest that you head on over to Retroality.TV, our Click of the Week.

That's all for this week. Until next time, keep it digital!

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Sunday, October 2

The Simpsons - "Pixelated and Afraid" (Fox, 7:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Homer and Marge are lost in an icy wilderness, they must push themselves to their limits to survive.

Bob's Burgers - "Frigate Me Knot" (Fox, 7:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Linda encourages Teddy to attend a farewell ceremony for the ship on which he served in the Navy, but it means confronting his Navy pals and his past.

The Simpsons - "One Angry Lisa" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Lisa gets called for jury duty; Marge becomes obsessed with her exercise bike.

The Great North - "Cillian Me Softly Adventure" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
During Lone Moose's Disaster Day event, Wolf and Honeybee have their very first fight.

Bob's Burgers - "The Reeky Lake Show" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
The family's Labor Day lake trip takes a turn when the Belchers find themselves trapped in their cabin, hiding from what lurks outside.

Family Guy - "Bend or Blockbuster" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Resolved to enjoy a family movie night, the Griffins take a road trip to Bend, Ore., to rent a VHS from the last Blockbuster in existence.

The Villains of Valley View - "Havoc-Ween" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Amy brings her mischievous body-snatching Grandma to a party. Vic and Eva scam kids out of their candy untill they come across a villain even bigger than themselves.

Raven's Home - "The Girl Who Cried Tasha" (Disney Channel, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Alice uses a spell to bring her doll, Tasha, to life; when Tasha refuses to return to being a doll, Alice must enlist the help of Booker, Ivy and Neil.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 26)

Friday, September 30

Jason Bateman (Arrested Development/George and Leo/Chicago Sons/Simon/The Hogan Family/It's Your Move/Silver Spoons) - Watch Jason on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Lea Michele (The Mayor) - Lea is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Phil Rosenthal (Creator of Everybody Loves Raymond) - Phil appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary) - Quinta is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Kevin Hart (The Big House/Undeclared) - Kevin appears on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Alison Brie (GLOW/Community) - Alison will be on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Mario Cantone (And Just Like That.../Sex and the City) - Mario chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
David Alan Grier (Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!/The Cool Kids/The Carmichael Show/Bad Teacher/Life with Bonnie/DAG) - David appears on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Topher Grace (Home Economics/That '70s Show) - Topher is a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Billy Eichner (Friends from College/Difficult People/Parks and Recreation) - Billy stops by to chat and play a rousing game of Never Have I Ever with a twist on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Jim Rash (Community/Help Me Help You/Thanks/Katie Joplin) - Jim appears on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Jason Alexander (Seinfeld/Bob Patterson/Listen Up!/Hit the Road) - Jason shares stories from his hit sitcom on Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
Alfonso Ribeiro (In the House/The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air/Silver Spoons) - Alfonso dishes about the new season of Dancing with the Stars on Disney+ on Sherri, so check your local listings. He will also be on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Nick Kroll (Big Mouth/The League/Cavemen) - Nick talks about Don't Worry Darling and Little Big Boys on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Drew Carey (The Drew Carey Show/The Good Life) - Drew is a guest on Sherri, so check your local listings.