Showing posts with label Courtship of Eddie's Father. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Courtship of Eddie's Father. Show all posts
Saturday, October 18, 2014
SitcomsOnline Digest: CBS Introduces CBS All Access; Even More Remakes of Classic TV Series Under Consideration; New Family Guy DVDs
Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest!
This week, we've got news about a new online streaming service from CBS,
and even more stories that will make you wonder if the future of
television will just be a remake of everything we've already seen. Let's get going!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
- CBS launched their new online service CBS All Access this week, which is designed for those who've decided to get rid of cable and view CBS content online, including streaming in markets where CBS owns the local affiliate and episodes of classic TV series in the CBS library. It costs about $6 per month, but you still have to put up with commercials (though there are none on the classic TV series). (CBS News)
- Will the remakes ever stop? Now, it is The Courtship of Eddie's Father that is being talked about for a potential remake by Fox.. (Deadline)
- It looks like Bewitched is being eyed as a remake too, which if that happens, we can only hope it will bear no resemblance to the movie from a decade ago. (TV.com)
- Nearly a decade ago, there was talk of a US version of the British comedy The IT Crowd appearing on NBC, and the talk seemed to go on forever until it was permanently shelved... or so we thought. Now, it seems that they are reconsidering this with a version to be produced by Bill Lawrence, Neil Goldman, and Garrett Donovan. (TMZ)
- Saturday Night Live is hoping to get out of what some have considered a disappointing season as Chris Rock returns to host for the first time in almost two decades when the show returns on November 1, with musical guest Prince. (Time)
- Netflix has picked up the rights to the series Friends, which will begin streaming on the service in January. (SitcomsOnline)
HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
- Just like the December tradition of Fox releasing more of The Simpsons, Family Guy isn't going to be left out, as December 9 will bring Family Guy - Volume 11.
- Raising Hope has just been completed on DVD, with Fox's MOD release of Raising Hope - The Complete Fourth Season.
OCTOBER 21 HOME MEDIA RELEASES
- Married... with Children - Seasons 5 and 6 (DVD, $14.98): Mill Creek moves ahead with their re-releases of the classic series on DVD.
- The Soul Man - The Complete Second Season (DVD, $19.97): Shout! Factory brings fans the second season of the TV Land series on DVD.
- Square Pegs - The Complete Series (DVD, $9.98): The one (and only) season of the 80s comedy arrives on DVD as a value-priced re-release from Mill Creek.
FOLLOW ME
Who to Follow: Tony Danza (Twitter)
Claim to Fame: Tony Danza is best known as "Tony" in almost every sitcom you've ever seen him appear. He's a name that any sitcom fan knows, and that fame began in 1978 with his role as Tony Banta on the sitcom Taxi. He was actually a boxer before that series, and was first discovered a Taxi producer at a boxing gymnasium. That series ended in 1983, but he wasn't off the air for long, as he returned in 1984 with an even bigger role on the sitcom Who's the Boss? as Tony Micelli, which ran until 1992. Toward the end of that series, he even managed to work on the side playing the voice of a baby (who was actually NOT named Tony) on the series Baby Talk. After that, he had two less successful series with Hudson Street (as Tony Canetti) and The Tony Danza Show (as Tony DiMeo). He even gave drama a shot a bit later on in the series Family Law, where instead of playing a Tony, he played a Tommy. Currently, much of his work is done on stage in Broadway performances.
Pick of the Tweets: "Who's The Boss premiered 30 years ago today! Thanks to all who watched - you made all the great memories possible!" (September 20, 2014)
Saturday, December 28, 2013
SitcomsOnline Digest: TV Guide's 60 Greatest TV Series; Warner Archive January Release News
Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! We've got a very quiet week around here as everybody seems to be taking a Christmas break, but we've got a light dosage of holiday news for you. Let's get going!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
- What week would be complete without another TV Guide's "best of" list? This week, it is their list of the 60 greatest TV series ever (not the first ever list of this type they've ever had, but we digress). We can't help but to wonder, though, if Breaking Bad really has the staying power of being number nine. (TV Guide)
- Orange is the New Black has been a hit for Netflix, but nobody really knows how many people actually are viewing it. According to series creator Jenji Kohan, even she doesn't know exactly what the "ratings" are, just that the series is doing well. (Hollywood Reporter)
- CMT and VH-1 Classic are both showing some love for older TV series, as CMT will be bringing back The Dukes of Hazzard and VH-1 Classic will soon be airing the sitcom Coach. (SitcomsOnline)
- Earlier this week, we had an interview of Jaleel White (who will be appearing in the Lifetime movie The Wrong Woman, which premieres tonight at 8 PM ET/PT). (SitcomsOnline)
HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
- After Ellen DeGeneres first sitcom on ABC was canceled, she had a second sitcom on CBS called The Ellen Show. It ran for 13 episodes (there were also five additional unaired episodes), and Sony released them all on DVD in 2006. Now, Mill Creek will be re-releasing the series on DVD in February.
- Warner Archive is prepared to wrap up The Courtship of Eddie's Father on January 14 with The Courtship of Eddie's Father - The Complete Third Season.
- Warner Archive will follow up on January 21 with an even more rare sitcom, one that has been available on Warner Archive Instant: a DVD release of The Jimmy Stewart Show - The Complete Series.
DECEMBER 31 HOME MEDIA RELEASES
- Perry Mason - The Movie Collection, Volume 1 (DVD, $58.99): The three disc set contains all of the first six Perry Mason made-for-TV movies that started in 1985, including "Perry Mason Returns," "The Case of the Notorious Nun," "The Case of the Shooting Star," "The Case of the Lost Love," "The Case of the Sinister Spirit," and "The Case of the Murdered Madam."
Who to Follow: Jaleel White (Twitter),
"#DidiDoThat? That's the best tweet you got? Step it up, people, C'mon!"
Claim to Fame: Urkel, of course! But he has done so much more, and in fact, he appears in a movie that debuts tonight (December 28) on Lifetime. We encourage you to check out our interview that we did with him earlier this week for more! It is worth noting that he has appeared in other things as well, such as Dancing with the Stars, Syfy series Total Blackout, and will even be appearing in an upcoming CSI episode.
Pick of the Tweets: "In this day and age it's a rare and beautiful thing when loyalty can survive outside pressures to conform." (September 3, 2013), which was followed up minutes later by "If u saw my last tweet & all u read was its a rare condition in this day & age to read any good news on a newspaper page #uhavecheese4brains" (September 3, 2013)
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Digital Digest: Possible Completion of Hazel and The Courtship of Eddie's Father on DVD; Nashville - The Complete First Season DVD Review
Welcome to Digital Digest! As we head into fall, we don't have an incredibly busy week for you, but we do have a few informal announcements from the studios, and we've also got a review of Nashville - The Complete First Season. Let's get started!
DIGITAL NEWS
It has been a bit bittersweet lately as we've been seeing a lot of older TV shows completing their run on DVD, and this week, we've found two more that are in the works (thanks to studios who respond to their fans on Facebook), albeit with no firm release date just yet. First, Shout! Factory has brought us seasons 2-4 of Hazel, leaving only the fifth and final season to be released. The pace between seasons 2-4 was rather steady, but it has been a year since we saw season 4. A glimmer of hope was given on Facebook a few weeks ago when a fan asked about the fifth season, and was given the following response:
Meanwhile, heading back over to another Facebook page, the folks at Warner Archive have given fans of The Courtship of Eddie's Father news that actually does seem more solid. Of course, Warner Archive has released the first two seasons of the series, leaving only the third and final season to be released, and when a fan asked about this series, the following response was given:
UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW
Tuesday (September 17) has no sitcom releases, but it does have CSI: Crime Scene Investigator - The Thirteenth Season as well as Nashville - The Complete First Season.
BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
Blog DVD Review: Nashville - The Complete First Season (ABC, $45.99)
by Pavan
It's sexy, sassy and smart say many critics, and we are in agreement with that! Behind the music of Nashville lies a web of betrayal, heartbreak, and rivalry second to none. Experience the tantalizing first season of ABC's Nashville and surrender to a seductive mix of music, intrigue, and passion that's "Pure Gold." Rayna James (Connie Britton), is the Queen of Country, but there's a new "royal" on the rise. Meet Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere), a hot, young diva poised to knock Rayna off her throne - both on the charts and in the heart of Rayna's lead guitarist and former lover, Deacon Claybourne (Charles Esten). Meanwhile, another sultry love triangle heats up when Deacon's niece Scarlett (Clare Bowen), a budding singer/songwriter, is torn between her boyfriend Avery and her writing partner Gunnar. Adding more fuel to the fire is Rayna's rich, scheming father, whose political ambitions for Rayna's husband hid sinister ulterior motives. Relive all 21 riveting episodes of Nashville - The Complete First Season with this spectacular 5-disc set - including exclusive, never-before-seen bonus features. It's the ultimate guilty pleasure you'll enjoy over and over again!
The series will return to its Wednesday at 10PM timeslot on ABC this coming season following ABC's Wednesday comedies once again. The series stars Connie Britton as Rayna Jaymes, Hayden Panettiere as Juliette Barnes, Clare Bowen as Scarlett O'Connor, Eric Close as Teddy Conrad, Charles Esten as Deacon Claybourne, Jonathan Jackson as Avery Barkley, Sam Palladio as Gunnar Scott, Robert Wisdom as Coleman Carlisle, and Powers Boothe as Lamar Wyatt. Among the recurring stars are Chris Carmack as Will Lexington, Judith Hoag as Tandy Hampton, Kimberly Williams-Paisley as Margaret "Peggy" Kenter, Sylvia Jefferies as Jolene Barnes, Michiel Huisman as Liam McGuinni, J. D. Souther as Watty White, Jay Hernandez as Dante Rivas, Wyclef Jean as Dominic King, Susan Misner as Stacy, Chloe Bennet as Hailey, Tilky Montgomery Jones as Sean Butler, Todd Truley as Marshall Evans, Ed Amatrudo as Glenn Goodman, Lennon Stella as Maddie Conrad and Maisy Stella as Daphne Conrad.
This first season was so good and juicy. If you aren't even a country music fan, you'll like this. I'm not, and I still was sucked in by the great storylines and acting. It's the most critically acclaimed new drama from 2012-13. Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere can even sing well, who knew? As far as memorable episodes, we have the very first episode "Pilot," where we meet Rayna Jaymes, a famous country singer, whose tour is not selling as quickly as she had expected and in order to save money, her record company wants her to be an opening act for up-and-coming singer Juliette Barnes. In "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)," as Teddy's campaign continues, Rayna is faced with an investigation that reveals family secrets, while Juliette feels betrayed when she sees Deacon perform with Rayna and Scarlett must decide between her dream and her relationship with Avery. In "Move It On Over," Rayna thinks about moving on when Deacon sets boundaries in their relationship. In "Where He Leads Me," Teddy's secrecy about embezzling millions of dollars in the past, and the surfacing of suggestive photographs, leads Rayna to believe he is having an affair, while Scarlett gets an invitation to be a band's lead singer and the song she wrote with Gunnar gets an option contract, prompting a passionate kiss between the two and Gunnar to dump his girlfriend Hailey and profess his love to Scarlett.
In "Be Careful of Stones That You Throw," when Rayna suggests bringing her girls on tour, she learns Lamar is willing to blackmail her, while Juliette and Sean's elopement surprises everyone and Deacon reconnects with an ex as Avery follows a music producer's advice. In "I've Been Down That Road Before," Deacon plays his first show with Juliette, as Juliette wants to make her music more mature and after Rayna asks Deacon why he joined Juliette's band, he kisses her, while Gunnar moves in with Scarlett and Teddy shows up at Rayna's hotel room and says something that will change their relationship forever. In the powerful episode, "I Saw The Light," Juliette is jealous of Rayna when she sees her billboard in New York so she seeks out a sponsorship of her own, while on tour with her mom, Maddie decides that she wants to become a singer much to Rayna's disliking and Rayna meets Deacon's new girlfriend. In "A Picture from Life's Other Side," Dante threatens to release a sex tape of him and Juliette if she doesn't give him ten million dollars, but Juliette decides not to give in and let him sell it, while Maddie finds out that Teddy might not be her real father. In the amazing season finale "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive," backstage at the CMA Awards, Deacon confronts Rayna and asks her if he is Maddie's biological father after Maddie tells him that he might be her father, as Juliette wins Female Vocalist of the Year and pays her final respects to her mother, while a marriage proposal happens to someone else.
The episodes run usually 42-43 minutes...unedited of course with all the great music intact even! See the runtimes below:
Disc 1
1. "Pilot" 42:21
2. "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)" 43:05
3. "Someday You'll Call My Name" 43:05
4. "We Live in Two Different Worlds" 42:48
5. "Move It on Over" 42:22
Disc 2
6. "You're Gonna Change (Or I'm Gonna Leave)" 42:55
7. "Lovesick Blues" 43:05
8. "Where He Leads Me" 43:05
9. "Be Careful of Stones That You Throw" 42:31
10. "I'm Sorry for You My Friend" 43:03
Disc 3
11. "You Win Again" 42:38
12. "I've Been Down That Road Before" 42:51
13. "There'll Be No Teardrops Tonight" 43:05
14. "Dear Brother" 42:35
Disc 4
15. "When You're Tired of Breaking Other Hearts" 43:04
16. "I Saw the Light" 43:04
17. "My Heart Would Know" 43:01
18. "Take These Chains from My Heart" 42:52
Disc 5
19. "Why Don’t You Love Me" 43:02
20. "A Picture from Life's Other Side" 43:04
21. "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive" 42:44
Packaging has a thin outer box that you can remove from the top or bottom to get to the case inside, similar to other recent ABC Studios series sets. Both the thin outer box and case have the same artwork for both the front and back. The cover has a nice shot of Rayna and Juliette, with Rayna sitting on a throne and Juliette lying on the floor with her guitar. The color scheme is gold and grey. The show logo is present in grey lettering towards the top. The credits for Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere are below the logo. The back has information on the set, three episodic photos from episodes and also a nice cast photo with nine main stars. There is also a grey box detailing the bonus features and there are technical specifications below the episodic images.
Opening the case, on the left side we see an insert which includes an ad for the upcoming new fall ABC TV series Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. The other side has an ad for the Music of Nashville CD's! Back to the case, on both the left and right panels we have many episodic photos and a disc-by-disc breakdown of episode titles below that. The discs are on plastic holders, that you can flip a page in a book. The first plastic holder holds disc one on the front side and disc two on the back side. The second plastic holds disc three on the front side and disc four on the back side. Disc five is on the right panel itself. Disc artwork is very nice and is shaped as a record and has a shot of Nashville character(s). Disc one has episodes 1-5 with artwork of Rayna. Disc two has episodes 6-10 and has artwork of Juliette. Disc three has episodes 11-14 and has artwork of Rayna & Juliette with Deacon. Disc four has episodes 15-18 and has artwork of Scarlett, Gunnar and Avery. And disc five has episodes 19-21 plus the bulk of the bonus features and has artwork of Teddy, Lamar, and Coleman. It is nicely designed.
The menu screen has clips playing in the background while background music from the series plays. The options on the main menu are Play All, Episode Selection, Set Up, Bonus Features, and Sneak Peeks. But before the main menu screen comes on disc one, we get some auto sneak peeks: ABC TV on DVD, Castle Season 5, Revenge Season 2, and Once Upon a Time Season 2. Sneak Peeks option is only found on disc five on the main menu and has an ABC Image promo and a trailer for Mary Poppins. Set Up section has the option of subtitles in English, French or Spanish and how you can register your DVD. The Episodes option gives us the episode title only, but it is nicely designed. Bonus Features option has all the extras listed and this is discs one and five only. All of the sub-menus have different background music from the show. All original music...so good!
The video is digitally mastered and is in widescreen and looks very good, as it should! The audio is great and sounds very good, as it is in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Both the audio and video are almost perfection. This is from 2012-2013, so it had better be good. There is nothing to complain at all here...it is perfect! There are about 7 chapter stops per episode. We get to hear the closing theme as well! Not much to report here, but that is a good thing since this part of the DVDs are always perfect for newer series. I wish we had a Blu-ray version of this show and that would be beyond perfection! Imagine watching the songs performed by Rayna and Juliette in HD!
Moving on the bonus features. For disc one, we have the featurette "Nashville Goes to Nashville" (6:06). We meet the city that's the vibrant home and heart of the country music industry, and the home to this series as well! Interviewed are Connie Britton, Charles Esten, Callie Khouri (creator), Hayden Panettiere, R.J. Cutler (director), Clare Bowen, Jeff Knipp (production designer), Jonathan Jackson, Sam Palladio, Robert Wisdom, and Steve Buchanan (executive producer). On to disc five, where the bulk of the extras are, we have more featurettes! First up is, "Stellas Go On 'Tour'" (8:40). We tag along for a tour of the set with the exuberant and talented young Stella sisters -- who really are sisters in real life! Lennon Stella and Maisy Stella show us the set and on the way they see Judith Hoag and Charles Esten! The final featurette is a series of "On The Record: B-Side." We discover some of the remarkable talent behind the show's music and learn the story of two of its heartfelt ballads. The first one "Consider Me" (5:02) has interviews with Ashley Monroe (songwriter), Brendan Benson (songwriter), Callie Khouri, and Buddy Miller (music producer). The second one is "If I Didn't" (5:44). Interviewed are R.J. Cutler, Callie Khouri, Clare Bowen, Sam Palladio and Buddy Miller.
Then we have seven deleted scenes from seven different episodes. I wish we had more, but we'll take it. Some other ABC series have way, way, more, so it is sad to see only seven here. Here are the episodes and runtimes: #101 (0:37), #102 (1:00), #105 (1:01), #106 (1:16), #107 (0:42), #111 (1:06) and #112 (1:07). Finally, we have some "Bloopers" (2:08)...yes all the hilarious flubs and outtakes! See all the goofs and play on the set, it is short but sweet
This is a great show and a great set. The series is off to a great start and we hope we have many more seasons to come. I recommend this series and set, as it is an ABC Studios DVD, so it is good and filled with special features. It isn't as many as some other ABC sets, but quality wise, it's good. This DVD is awesome as we get of course all 21 great episodes to watch at our own leisure. The DVD is coming out on Sept. 17, just in time for the second season premiere on Sept. 25 on ABC. ABC will re-air the season finale this Wednesday (Sept. 18), if you need to get a refresh. And if you've never watched an episode, get this set ASAP and get addicted! Everyone needs to be watching this show because it's more than a drama set in Nashville. Don't let the title fool you. It's just a backdrop of the show. The season finale ended in great cliffhanger and we will see the conclusion on the season premiere. The electrifying chemistry between the main cast shows and you all need to buy the set by clicking below to see it for yourself! One of the many songs is titled "Wrong Song," but it's not wrong for you to order the DVD by clicking below!
(4/5 stars)
To purchase this DVD, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com DVD Reviews Page
Nashville on TV.com
FOLLOW ME
Who to Follow: Seth Green (Twitter), "Hello Twitter. I promise not to say anything too stupid."
Claim to Fame: Seth Green, unlike a lot of celebrities, wasn't born into a well-known family. He was born in Philadelphia to a mother who was an artist and a father who was a math teacher. He had a few movie roles and TV roles in the '80s (including guest roles on The Facts of Life and Mr. Belvedere), but came to fame in the early '90s in the commercial for the regional fast food restaurant Rally's (check it out on YouTube). Since then, he has appeared in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Family Guy, Robot Chicken (which he also created), and now he adds to his current duties a starring role in the upcoming Fox series Dads.
Why You Should Follow Him: I've always been intrigued by Seth Green, going back to the Rally's commercials (which I remember very well, as Rally's was a rather large thing where I live back then). But I never really got to find out more about Green until Family Guy premiered 15 years ago, and I've discovered rather quickly that he is a rather offbeat and humorous guy who seems to be just being himself in everything that he does. Of course, this naturally makes him the type of person that you want to follow on Twitter.
Pick of the Tweets: "On @TheTalk_CBS with my teenage BFF @THEsaragilbert talking about all the trouble we got into as kids. Spoiler alert…" (April 1, 2013)
That's all for this week. Until next time, keep it digital!
DIGITAL NEWS
It has been a bit bittersweet lately as we've been seeing a lot of older TV shows completing their run on DVD, and this week, we've found two more that are in the works (thanks to studios who respond to their fans on Facebook), albeit with no firm release date just yet. First, Shout! Factory has brought us seasons 2-4 of Hazel, leaving only the fifth and final season to be released. The pace between seasons 2-4 was rather steady, but it has been a year since we saw season 4. A glimmer of hope was given on Facebook a few weeks ago when a fan asked about the fifth season, and was given the following response:
"It's coming, no release date set."Of course, we'd love to see a release date set, but just this statement offers solid hope that we are going to actually see it in light of some other recent postings from Shout! Factory that have left some fans upset, including their decision to cancel (with no plans to back out on that) a few other releases of series like V.R. Troopers, as well as a response that no further seasons of Fantasy Island are planned at this time (though to be clear, there is no intention to imply that it will never be continued). We'll definitely keep an eye on this, and hope that we find out more at a later date.
Meanwhile, heading back over to another Facebook page, the folks at Warner Archive have given fans of The Courtship of Eddie's Father news that actually does seem more solid. Of course, Warner Archive has released the first two seasons of the series, leaving only the third and final season to be released, and when a fan asked about this series, the following response was given:
Remastering is about to begin shortly on S3. It will appear next year.Clearly, this is a much more promising statement, as the studio has indicated that it is in fact being worked on, and that it will in fact appear next year. We're confident in Warner Archive's statement here, and we'll let you know more when a release gets a bit closer.
UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW
Tuesday (September 17) has no sitcom releases, but it does have CSI: Crime Scene Investigator - The Thirteenth Season as well as Nashville - The Complete First Season.
BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
Blog DVD Review: Nashville - The Complete First Season (ABC, $45.99)
by Pavan
It's sexy, sassy and smart say many critics, and we are in agreement with that! Behind the music of Nashville lies a web of betrayal, heartbreak, and rivalry second to none. Experience the tantalizing first season of ABC's Nashville and surrender to a seductive mix of music, intrigue, and passion that's "Pure Gold." Rayna James (Connie Britton), is the Queen of Country, but there's a new "royal" on the rise. Meet Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere), a hot, young diva poised to knock Rayna off her throne - both on the charts and in the heart of Rayna's lead guitarist and former lover, Deacon Claybourne (Charles Esten). Meanwhile, another sultry love triangle heats up when Deacon's niece Scarlett (Clare Bowen), a budding singer/songwriter, is torn between her boyfriend Avery and her writing partner Gunnar. Adding more fuel to the fire is Rayna's rich, scheming father, whose political ambitions for Rayna's husband hid sinister ulterior motives. Relive all 21 riveting episodes of Nashville - The Complete First Season with this spectacular 5-disc set - including exclusive, never-before-seen bonus features. It's the ultimate guilty pleasure you'll enjoy over and over again!
The series will return to its Wednesday at 10PM timeslot on ABC this coming season following ABC's Wednesday comedies once again. The series stars Connie Britton as Rayna Jaymes, Hayden Panettiere as Juliette Barnes, Clare Bowen as Scarlett O'Connor, Eric Close as Teddy Conrad, Charles Esten as Deacon Claybourne, Jonathan Jackson as Avery Barkley, Sam Palladio as Gunnar Scott, Robert Wisdom as Coleman Carlisle, and Powers Boothe as Lamar Wyatt. Among the recurring stars are Chris Carmack as Will Lexington, Judith Hoag as Tandy Hampton, Kimberly Williams-Paisley as Margaret "Peggy" Kenter, Sylvia Jefferies as Jolene Barnes, Michiel Huisman as Liam McGuinni, J. D. Souther as Watty White, Jay Hernandez as Dante Rivas, Wyclef Jean as Dominic King, Susan Misner as Stacy, Chloe Bennet as Hailey, Tilky Montgomery Jones as Sean Butler, Todd Truley as Marshall Evans, Ed Amatrudo as Glenn Goodman, Lennon Stella as Maddie Conrad and Maisy Stella as Daphne Conrad.
This first season was so good and juicy. If you aren't even a country music fan, you'll like this. I'm not, and I still was sucked in by the great storylines and acting. It's the most critically acclaimed new drama from 2012-13. Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere can even sing well, who knew? As far as memorable episodes, we have the very first episode "Pilot," where we meet Rayna Jaymes, a famous country singer, whose tour is not selling as quickly as she had expected and in order to save money, her record company wants her to be an opening act for up-and-coming singer Juliette Barnes. In "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)," as Teddy's campaign continues, Rayna is faced with an investigation that reveals family secrets, while Juliette feels betrayed when she sees Deacon perform with Rayna and Scarlett must decide between her dream and her relationship with Avery. In "Move It On Over," Rayna thinks about moving on when Deacon sets boundaries in their relationship. In "Where He Leads Me," Teddy's secrecy about embezzling millions of dollars in the past, and the surfacing of suggestive photographs, leads Rayna to believe he is having an affair, while Scarlett gets an invitation to be a band's lead singer and the song she wrote with Gunnar gets an option contract, prompting a passionate kiss between the two and Gunnar to dump his girlfriend Hailey and profess his love to Scarlett.
In "Be Careful of Stones That You Throw," when Rayna suggests bringing her girls on tour, she learns Lamar is willing to blackmail her, while Juliette and Sean's elopement surprises everyone and Deacon reconnects with an ex as Avery follows a music producer's advice. In "I've Been Down That Road Before," Deacon plays his first show with Juliette, as Juliette wants to make her music more mature and after Rayna asks Deacon why he joined Juliette's band, he kisses her, while Gunnar moves in with Scarlett and Teddy shows up at Rayna's hotel room and says something that will change their relationship forever. In the powerful episode, "I Saw The Light," Juliette is jealous of Rayna when she sees her billboard in New York so she seeks out a sponsorship of her own, while on tour with her mom, Maddie decides that she wants to become a singer much to Rayna's disliking and Rayna meets Deacon's new girlfriend. In "A Picture from Life's Other Side," Dante threatens to release a sex tape of him and Juliette if she doesn't give him ten million dollars, but Juliette decides not to give in and let him sell it, while Maddie finds out that Teddy might not be her real father. In the amazing season finale "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive," backstage at the CMA Awards, Deacon confronts Rayna and asks her if he is Maddie's biological father after Maddie tells him that he might be her father, as Juliette wins Female Vocalist of the Year and pays her final respects to her mother, while a marriage proposal happens to someone else.
The episodes run usually 42-43 minutes...unedited of course with all the great music intact even! See the runtimes below:
Disc 1
1. "Pilot" 42:21
2. "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)" 43:05
3. "Someday You'll Call My Name" 43:05
4. "We Live in Two Different Worlds" 42:48
5. "Move It on Over" 42:22
Disc 2
6. "You're Gonna Change (Or I'm Gonna Leave)" 42:55
7. "Lovesick Blues" 43:05
8. "Where He Leads Me" 43:05
9. "Be Careful of Stones That You Throw" 42:31
10. "I'm Sorry for You My Friend" 43:03
Disc 3
11. "You Win Again" 42:38
12. "I've Been Down That Road Before" 42:51
13. "There'll Be No Teardrops Tonight" 43:05
14. "Dear Brother" 42:35
Disc 4
15. "When You're Tired of Breaking Other Hearts" 43:04
16. "I Saw the Light" 43:04
17. "My Heart Would Know" 43:01
18. "Take These Chains from My Heart" 42:52
Disc 5
19. "Why Don’t You Love Me" 43:02
20. "A Picture from Life's Other Side" 43:04
21. "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive" 42:44
Packaging has a thin outer box that you can remove from the top or bottom to get to the case inside, similar to other recent ABC Studios series sets. Both the thin outer box and case have the same artwork for both the front and back. The cover has a nice shot of Rayna and Juliette, with Rayna sitting on a throne and Juliette lying on the floor with her guitar. The color scheme is gold and grey. The show logo is present in grey lettering towards the top. The credits for Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere are below the logo. The back has information on the set, three episodic photos from episodes and also a nice cast photo with nine main stars. There is also a grey box detailing the bonus features and there are technical specifications below the episodic images.
Opening the case, on the left side we see an insert which includes an ad for the upcoming new fall ABC TV series Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. The other side has an ad for the Music of Nashville CD's! Back to the case, on both the left and right panels we have many episodic photos and a disc-by-disc breakdown of episode titles below that. The discs are on plastic holders, that you can flip a page in a book. The first plastic holder holds disc one on the front side and disc two on the back side. The second plastic holds disc three on the front side and disc four on the back side. Disc five is on the right panel itself. Disc artwork is very nice and is shaped as a record and has a shot of Nashville character(s). Disc one has episodes 1-5 with artwork of Rayna. Disc two has episodes 6-10 and has artwork of Juliette. Disc three has episodes 11-14 and has artwork of Rayna & Juliette with Deacon. Disc four has episodes 15-18 and has artwork of Scarlett, Gunnar and Avery. And disc five has episodes 19-21 plus the bulk of the bonus features and has artwork of Teddy, Lamar, and Coleman. It is nicely designed.
The menu screen has clips playing in the background while background music from the series plays. The options on the main menu are Play All, Episode Selection, Set Up, Bonus Features, and Sneak Peeks. But before the main menu screen comes on disc one, we get some auto sneak peeks: ABC TV on DVD, Castle Season 5, Revenge Season 2, and Once Upon a Time Season 2. Sneak Peeks option is only found on disc five on the main menu and has an ABC Image promo and a trailer for Mary Poppins. Set Up section has the option of subtitles in English, French or Spanish and how you can register your DVD. The Episodes option gives us the episode title only, but it is nicely designed. Bonus Features option has all the extras listed and this is discs one and five only. All of the sub-menus have different background music from the show. All original music...so good!
The video is digitally mastered and is in widescreen and looks very good, as it should! The audio is great and sounds very good, as it is in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Both the audio and video are almost perfection. This is from 2012-2013, so it had better be good. There is nothing to complain at all here...it is perfect! There are about 7 chapter stops per episode. We get to hear the closing theme as well! Not much to report here, but that is a good thing since this part of the DVDs are always perfect for newer series. I wish we had a Blu-ray version of this show and that would be beyond perfection! Imagine watching the songs performed by Rayna and Juliette in HD!
Moving on the bonus features. For disc one, we have the featurette "Nashville Goes to Nashville" (6:06). We meet the city that's the vibrant home and heart of the country music industry, and the home to this series as well! Interviewed are Connie Britton, Charles Esten, Callie Khouri (creator), Hayden Panettiere, R.J. Cutler (director), Clare Bowen, Jeff Knipp (production designer), Jonathan Jackson, Sam Palladio, Robert Wisdom, and Steve Buchanan (executive producer). On to disc five, where the bulk of the extras are, we have more featurettes! First up is, "Stellas Go On 'Tour'" (8:40). We tag along for a tour of the set with the exuberant and talented young Stella sisters -- who really are sisters in real life! Lennon Stella and Maisy Stella show us the set and on the way they see Judith Hoag and Charles Esten! The final featurette is a series of "On The Record: B-Side." We discover some of the remarkable talent behind the show's music and learn the story of two of its heartfelt ballads. The first one "Consider Me" (5:02) has interviews with Ashley Monroe (songwriter), Brendan Benson (songwriter), Callie Khouri, and Buddy Miller (music producer). The second one is "If I Didn't" (5:44). Interviewed are R.J. Cutler, Callie Khouri, Clare Bowen, Sam Palladio and Buddy Miller.
Then we have seven deleted scenes from seven different episodes. I wish we had more, but we'll take it. Some other ABC series have way, way, more, so it is sad to see only seven here. Here are the episodes and runtimes: #101 (0:37), #102 (1:00), #105 (1:01), #106 (1:16), #107 (0:42), #111 (1:06) and #112 (1:07). Finally, we have some "Bloopers" (2:08)...yes all the hilarious flubs and outtakes! See all the goofs and play on the set, it is short but sweet
This is a great show and a great set. The series is off to a great start and we hope we have many more seasons to come. I recommend this series and set, as it is an ABC Studios DVD, so it is good and filled with special features. It isn't as many as some other ABC sets, but quality wise, it's good. This DVD is awesome as we get of course all 21 great episodes to watch at our own leisure. The DVD is coming out on Sept. 17, just in time for the second season premiere on Sept. 25 on ABC. ABC will re-air the season finale this Wednesday (Sept. 18), if you need to get a refresh. And if you've never watched an episode, get this set ASAP and get addicted! Everyone needs to be watching this show because it's more than a drama set in Nashville. Don't let the title fool you. It's just a backdrop of the show. The season finale ended in great cliffhanger and we will see the conclusion on the season premiere. The electrifying chemistry between the main cast shows and you all need to buy the set by clicking below to see it for yourself! One of the many songs is titled "Wrong Song," but it's not wrong for you to order the DVD by clicking below!
(4/5 stars)To purchase this DVD, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
Related links:
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FOLLOW ME
Who to Follow: Seth Green (Twitter), "Hello Twitter. I promise not to say anything too stupid."
Claim to Fame: Seth Green, unlike a lot of celebrities, wasn't born into a well-known family. He was born in Philadelphia to a mother who was an artist and a father who was a math teacher. He had a few movie roles and TV roles in the '80s (including guest roles on The Facts of Life and Mr. Belvedere), but came to fame in the early '90s in the commercial for the regional fast food restaurant Rally's (check it out on YouTube). Since then, he has appeared in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Family Guy, Robot Chicken (which he also created), and now he adds to his current duties a starring role in the upcoming Fox series Dads.
Why You Should Follow Him: I've always been intrigued by Seth Green, going back to the Rally's commercials (which I remember very well, as Rally's was a rather large thing where I live back then). But I never really got to find out more about Green until Family Guy premiered 15 years ago, and I've discovered rather quickly that he is a rather offbeat and humorous guy who seems to be just being himself in everything that he does. Of course, this naturally makes him the type of person that you want to follow on Twitter.
Pick of the Tweets: "On @TheTalk_CBS with my teenage BFF @THEsaragilbert talking about all the trouble we got into as kids. Spoiler alert…" (April 1, 2013)
That's all for this week. Until next time, keep it digital!
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Digital Digest: The Courtship of Eddie's Father Now Available on DVD; Perry Mason - Season 7, Volume 2 DVD Review
Welcome to Digital Digest! This week, we've got (after our regular news, of course) a review of Perry Mason - Season 7, Volume 2. Let's get going!
DIGITAL NEWS
It has been a slow news week, but Warner Archive has put a little zest in that with a few new releases that were made available on Tuesday. First up comes The Courtship of Eddie's Father - The Complete Second Season. The three disc set includes all 24 episodes of the second season of the classic series starring Bill Bixby as a widower raising a young son.
Warner Archive is also busy with releases of The Flintstones, as they began selling The Flintstones - Prime-Time Specials Collection, Volume 1, The Flintstones - Prime-Time Specials Collection, Volume 2, The Flintstones - I Yabba Dabba Do, and The Flintstones - Hollyrock-a-Bye Baby. All of that should "yabba dabba do" a lot for fans of the modern stone age family!
Hulu and Viacom announced an expansion in their partnership this week. Unfortunately, this won't have much of an effect for the free Hulu customers, but for those subscribing to Hulu Plus, the new agreement will bring new content from Viacom cable networks to the streaming service after they originally air. For now, this deal focuses on Nickelodeon, which has essentially nothing for us to really cover here, but it will also include other networks, particularly TV Land, as it expands over the next few months. Most likely, this means that we'll see some of the TV Land original sitcoms appear on the service. When we know more, we'll let you know what we find out.
Warner Archive is also busy with releases of The Flintstones, as they began selling The Flintstones - Prime-Time Specials Collection, Volume 1, The Flintstones - Prime-Time Specials Collection, Volume 2, The Flintstones - I Yabba Dabba Do, and The Flintstones - Hollyrock-a-Bye Baby. All of that should "yabba dabba do" a lot for fans of the modern stone age family!
Hulu and Viacom announced an expansion in their partnership this week. Unfortunately, this won't have much of an effect for the free Hulu customers, but for those subscribing to Hulu Plus, the new agreement will bring new content from Viacom cable networks to the streaming service after they originally air. For now, this deal focuses on Nickelodeon, which has essentially nothing for us to really cover here, but it will also include other networks, particularly TV Land, as it expands over the next few months. Most likely, this means that we'll see some of the TV Land original sitcoms appear on the service. When we know more, we'll let you know what we find out.
UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW
Tuesday (October 16) is a day of "completeness," as many complete series releases hit store shelves. These begin with Cagney & Lacey - The Complete Series. There seems to be a bit of confusion regarding the release of this set, however, as amazon.com and amazon.ca both show it shipping in November, but press materials (as of the past few days) have all indicated a release on Tuesday. In any event, a better bet may be to order it directly from the official website, where you can get the deluxe version of the set (which includes all of the "lost" episodes). The website indicates you'll be able to order from there this weekend. A more affirmative complete series release on Tuesday is Universal's release of Columbo - The Complete Series. And Acorn Media has the "supersized" The Red Green Show - The Complete Series DVD set, a 50 disc set containing every episode of the series.
Of course, if you only want to spend a few bucks, there are some smaller sets on Tuesday as well. Fans of The Office can enjoy some Christmas parties with The Office - Secret Santa Pack, a single disc release containing four episodes of the series. Mill Creek takes That '70s Show into high definition with That '70s Show - Season Two (Blu-ray). And finally, Shout! Factory moves a season ahead with a classic '80s detective drama with their Shout! Select release of Simon & Simon - Season Seven.
Of course, if you only want to spend a few bucks, there are some smaller sets on Tuesday as well. Fans of The Office can enjoy some Christmas parties with The Office - Secret Santa Pack, a single disc release containing four episodes of the series. Mill Creek takes That '70s Show into high definition with That '70s Show - Season Two (Blu-ray). And finally, Shout! Factory moves a season ahead with a classic '80s detective drama with their Shout! Select release of Simon & Simon - Season Seven.
BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
DVD Review: Perry Mason - Season 7, Volume 2 (CBS, $55.98)
by skees53
More order comes to the court as the seventh season of the classic crime drama Perry Mason makes it onto DVD! The series stars Raymond Burr in his most memorable television role ever, as the defense attorney who can take virtually any case where the evidence almost completely suggests that the accused actually is guilty. But Mason? That never deterred him, and he would always (well, most of the time, anyway) win despite the odds
The set begins with "The Case of the Ice-Cold Hands," where Perry's seemingly ordinary day of holding horse race tickets turns into a murder in the winner's circle. An author creates an over-controlling stepmother in her latest novel in "The Case of the Bountiful Beauty," but what will happen when her boyfriend's similar step-mother turns up dead? A woman is accused of killing her husband in "The Case of the Nervous Neighbor," but an occurrence of amnesia may complicate her case. An ex-boyfriend is accused of murder after a woman's husband is murdered in "The Case of the Fifty Millionth Frenchman." In "The Case of the Frightened Fisherman," a dispute between a chemist and his boss gets even more complicated when the chemist's wife sides with his boss, and, oh yeah, turns up dead. A reporter accuses a fire chief of arson in "The Case of the Arrogant Arsonist." In "The Case of the Garrulous Go-Between," a woman's visit to a fortune teller tells her more than she'd like to know. A housekeeper is convinced that her boss is trying to kill his wife in "The Case of the Woeful Widower."
Perry's involvement in a search for a missing son given up for adoption becomes much more complicated in "The Case of the Simple Simon." In "The Case of the Illicit Illusion," Perry defends a woman accused of killing her husband's business associate. A man is pretty sure that he has found his presumed dead wife outside of a hotel in "The Case of the Antic Angel," but when she denies it and later turns up dead, who do you think will be blamed? Perry's latest case involves a fake kidnapping, a real blackmail scheme, and of course murder in "The Case of the Careless Kidnapper." A college dropout is accused of killing his ex-boss in "The Case of the Drifting Dropout." In "The Case of the Tandem Target," a man faces two attempts on his life, and he survives one... but in the other, his stepdaughter's boyfriend is now the accused. The season ends with "The Case of the Ugly Duckling," where a heiress must marry within a year to inherit her family toy store, and her controlling uncle demands that she marry somebody immediately. Unsurprisingly, somebody turns up dead here, and somebody is accused of that murder.
The episodes appear to be unedited, with runtimes as follows:
Disc 1:
1. "The Case of the Ice-Cold Hands" (50:45)
2. "The Case of the Bountiful Beauty" (50:26)
3. "The Case of the Nervous Neighbor" (50:31)
4. "The Case of the Fifty Millionth Frenchman" (50:40)
Disc 2:
5. "The Case of the Frightened Fisherman" (50:31)
6. "The Case of the Arrogant Arsonist" (50:42)
7. "The Case of the Garrulous Go-Between" (50:28)
8. "The Case of the Woeful Widower" (50:33)
Disc 3:
9. "The Case of the Simple Simon" (50:38)
10. "The Case of the Illicit Illusion" (50:29)
11. "The Case of the Antic Angel" (50:35)
12. "The Case of the Careless Kidnapper" (50:40)
Disc 4:
13. "The Case of the Drifting Dropout" (50:46)
14. "The Case of the Tandem Target" (50:41)
15. "The Case of the Ugly Duckling" (50:50)
There hasn't been much change in the packaging since about the third season, so obviously, this one is just like the rest. On the cover, there is another large color photo of Perry, along with several photos of other cast members on top. On the back, there are some black and white cast photos, along with a description of the season. Inside the case (a standard Viva case, unsurprisingly), you'll find the four discs, which really don't have any artwork, and just have the series title on a gray background. Episode titles are printed on the disc, but there are also descriptions and airdates inside the case.
The menus on this set are pretty basic, but they get the job done without any real problems. The main menu has a still photo of Perry on it, and all of the episodes are listed. There is also a Play All and Subtitles option. Everything does exactly what it sounds like it should do. There are no special effects, no animated transitions, no music... just plain and functional menus (though on the positive side, this does mean that the menus are very quick). Each episode has eight well-placed chapters placed throughout the episode.
The video and audio quality of the episodes is top-notch for a series this old. I think that this series could truly shine on Blu-ray, but with nine seasons already being divided up into two sets per season, I'm not sure that a Blu-ray release would be feasible. There are a few defects such as grain and debris, but it probably won't bother most people. The audio is a (predictably) mono track, but it sounds wonderful for what it is, with little crackle in it. Each episode has English subtitles.
Special features? Not a single one. The previous 13 season releases didn't have any, so it isn't surprising that the fourteenth release doesn't either.
7. "The Case of the Garrulous Go-Between" (50:28)
8. "The Case of the Woeful Widower" (50:33)
Disc 3:
9. "The Case of the Simple Simon" (50:38)
10. "The Case of the Illicit Illusion" (50:29)
11. "The Case of the Antic Angel" (50:35)
12. "The Case of the Careless Kidnapper" (50:40)
Disc 4:
13. "The Case of the Drifting Dropout" (50:46)
14. "The Case of the Tandem Target" (50:41)
15. "The Case of the Ugly Duckling" (50:50)
There hasn't been much change in the packaging since about the third season, so obviously, this one is just like the rest. On the cover, there is another large color photo of Perry, along with several photos of other cast members on top. On the back, there are some black and white cast photos, along with a description of the season. Inside the case (a standard Viva case, unsurprisingly), you'll find the four discs, which really don't have any artwork, and just have the series title on a gray background. Episode titles are printed on the disc, but there are also descriptions and airdates inside the case.
The menus on this set are pretty basic, but they get the job done without any real problems. The main menu has a still photo of Perry on it, and all of the episodes are listed. There is also a Play All and Subtitles option. Everything does exactly what it sounds like it should do. There are no special effects, no animated transitions, no music... just plain and functional menus (though on the positive side, this does mean that the menus are very quick). Each episode has eight well-placed chapters placed throughout the episode.
The video and audio quality of the episodes is top-notch for a series this old. I think that this series could truly shine on Blu-ray, but with nine seasons already being divided up into two sets per season, I'm not sure that a Blu-ray release would be feasible. There are a few defects such as grain and debris, but it probably won't bother most people. The audio is a (predictably) mono track, but it sounds wonderful for what it is, with little crackle in it. Each episode has English subtitles.
Special features? Not a single one. The previous 13 season releases didn't have any, so it isn't surprising that the fourteenth release doesn't either.
It really is amazing how such a predictable show can still be fun to watch on DVD. There really wasn't any other series as successful as this one in all of TV history which was as predictable and formulaic as this one, yet is still enjoyable. Even though you always know how every episode is going to end, the fun is in watching how the details will bring that win to Mason's client, which are often unusual in each and every episode. I just wish that the DVDs were less predictable on special features. With four more releases of this series to go (and one is coming up in just a few short months), I'm expecting more of the same, but at least every episode (in my opinion, at least) was consistently good from beginning to end. So our evidence demonstrates, beyond a reasonable doubt, that we've got another solid set of episodes with great video and audio quality... just nothing too special beyond the great episodes.
(4/5 stars)To purchase the DVD, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com Main Reviews Page
Perry Mason TV.com Page
FOLLOW ME
Who to Follow: Andrea Barber (Twitter), "Mother. Wife. Runner. Ex-Gibbler."
Claim to Fame: Kimmy Gibbler on Full House, perhaps the most obnoxious neighbor in all of television history.
Why You Should Follow Her: We tend to see a lot of well-known celebrities on Twitter who are out there to promote their current careers, and we like that... we really do. But Andrea Barber "retired" from acting very early on... before she was even able to celebrate cast parties with alcohol (although many Full House fans will remember that "very special episode" where Kimmy got drunk at the fraternity party!). Instead of taking the gamble of having adult success in the entertainment industry, Barber decided to create a new path for success in life outside of the entertainment world. But the best part? She is not at all reclusive about her past, and is proud of the work that she did as America's most obnoxious neighbor, and loves to keep in touch with her fans in ways that she could not have possibly done in the late '80s. And with nearly 50,000 followers on Twitter, it is very obvious that she doesn't have a shortage of fans at all. Just be warned, though, that you'll have to deal with a lot of New Kids on the Block Tweets, which brings us to...
Pick of the Tweets: "Back to reality blows. You mean I have to talk about things unrelated to NKOTB??" (August 22, 2012)
Claim to Fame: Kimmy Gibbler on Full House, perhaps the most obnoxious neighbor in all of television history.
Why You Should Follow Her: We tend to see a lot of well-known celebrities on Twitter who are out there to promote their current careers, and we like that... we really do. But Andrea Barber "retired" from acting very early on... before she was even able to celebrate cast parties with alcohol (although many Full House fans will remember that "very special episode" where Kimmy got drunk at the fraternity party!). Instead of taking the gamble of having adult success in the entertainment industry, Barber decided to create a new path for success in life outside of the entertainment world. But the best part? She is not at all reclusive about her past, and is proud of the work that she did as America's most obnoxious neighbor, and loves to keep in touch with her fans in ways that she could not have possibly done in the late '80s. And with nearly 50,000 followers on Twitter, it is very obvious that she doesn't have a shortage of fans at all. Just be warned, though, that you'll have to deal with a lot of New Kids on the Block Tweets, which brings us to...
Pick of the Tweets: "Back to reality blows. You mean I have to talk about things unrelated to NKOTB??" (August 22, 2012)
That's all for this week. Until next time, keep it digital!
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Digital Digest: Tonight - 4 Decades of The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson DVD Review
Welcome back to another week of Digital Digest! This week, along with our regular news and updates, we celebrate the return of a former reviewer who is rejoining us today with a review of Respond 2's mega-set, Tonight - 4 Decades of The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson! And it may not even be Halloween just yet, but we've got some Christmas DVD news for you as well! Let's get going!
DIGITAL NEWS
There have been a few compilations of Christmas episodes released on DVD in the past few years, including the upcoming Christmas Treats DVD from CBS Home Entertainment. But we have an even bigger treat coming sometime next month from Warner Archive (Warner's manufacture-on-demand program) with their just announced Classic TV Christmas Collection! While we don't have specific details on the episodes or cost just yet, we do know that it will be released on November 9, and we also know which series will be included, and some of them have never been released on DVD! The DVD includes episodes from Veronica's Closet, Suddenly Susan, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, Welcome Back, Kotter, Dr. Kildare, Mama's Family, Eight is Enough, Perfect Strangers, Alice, and CHiPs! The best part is that, with the exception of Perfect Strangers, none of these series have had any of their Christmas episodes released on DVD, so just about everything on the set should be new to DVD! It isn't available to order just yet, but should be soon. We do have artwork, which is shown below:
That isn't all for Warner Archive, though! Later in November, on November 30, they are releasing the animated spinoff of The Dukes of Hazzard, The Dukes! Details are a little murky on this release right now, but we assume that it will be a release of the entire series, consisting of 20 episodes.
In other news, Shout! Factory has plans to release a few single disc releases of series that they've already released, including Adam-12 - Season Two, Volume One; Dragnet - Season Two, Volume One; and Spin City - Season One, Volume One. They will all be released on January 11 at a low MSRP of $7.93. Each of these will contain ten episodes, which, unless that episode count is incorrect, suggests that these will not be exact copies of discs from the previous releases.
Finally, we go back to the department of current series on TV that we all knew were coming to DVD anyway, as Amazon.com puts up even more pre-order listings for the current seasons of various series on DVD. This week, NBC/Universal is in the spotlight, with pre-orders appearing for The Office - Season Seven (also on Blu-ray Disc), 30 Rock - Season Five, and Parenthood - Season Two! No release dates or other information is known just yet, but we'll have details when we get them, of course!
UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW
There isn't much coming out on Tuesday (October 26) in the realm of sitcoms, but there are a few other releases of note, including the 15 disc set, Tonight - 4 Decades of The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, which we have a review of today in Digital Digest. Additionally, we have C.S.I.: NY - The Complete Sixth Season on the way, and The Twilight Zone - Fan Favorites, which contains nineteen popular episodes of the series.
BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
Respond2 Entertainment has compiled a once-in-a-lifetime collection of the greatest moments in Tonight Show history in one 15-disc set - Tonight: 4 Decades From The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Perfect for the Johnny Carson or Classic Television fan on the holiday list, Tonight features over 50 shows hand-selected by the original Producer as the best episodes from the show's 30-year run, covering the 60's, 70's, 80's, and 90's! The collectable set features over 30 hours of material that has never before been released on DVD including rescued footage from shows originally airing in the 1960's (virtually all episodes and other content from the 1960's were lost) and all-new interviews with some of Carson's most celebrated and regular guest stars including Actress Loni Anderson, Comedian David Brenner, and fan-favorite animal handler Jim Fowler! Here is our review of Tonight: 4 Decades of the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
DVD Review: Tonight: 4 Decades of the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
by Greg Brobeck
I'd like to start off this review by first saying it's great to be back writing reviews again after such a long absence (6 years!). I want to thank the staff for so cordially inviting me back. - Greg
Tonight: 4 Decades of the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (Respond2 Entertainment, $119.99) features 56 episodes of the classic late night talk/variety show hosted by the late, great Johnny Carson for 30 years, in a beautiful 15-disc set. The episodes were hand-picked by one of the show's producers and are intended to give an overview of the best of the show's three decades on the air. This includes great comedy moments with Johnny with such memorable segments as "Tea Time Movie" and "The Great Carnac" and memorable guest appearances that really make up a "who's who" of Hollywood, including the likes of Burt Reynolds, The Muppets, Muhammed Ali, Robin Williams, David Letterman, and then-Governor Bill Clinton just to name a few.
The set includes great moments, including Don Rickles continuously interrupting Frank Sinatra to throw insults, the TV debuts of greats like Jerry Seinfeld and Ellen DeGeneres, and great musical performances from everyone from the Jackson Five to Bette Midler to Luciano Pavarotti. Not to mention hilarious sketches from the Mighty Carson Art Players.
I should explain, though, what this set is and what it is not. This set is not a "greatest moments" set. You will not find such things as Ed Ames throwing a tomahawk at a chalk drawing's crotch, the potato chip lady, or Johnny's last show. All of those can be found on other great DVD sets from Respond2/Carson Entertainment, and very little of those contents seem to be duplicated here. This set is a great sampling of the best shows from Johnny's 30 hears at the helm. These episodes give a great look back at what it would have been like to settle down at 11:30 p.m. to be entertained by Carson and crew.
The episode list speaks for itself on the amount of star power on this set. However, the episodes do seem to be heavily edited from their original broadcasts on NBC. The show was originally one hour and forty-five minutes, reduced to 90 minutes, and then eventually 60 minutes, meaning without commercials each show unedited should be at least 45 minutes long with older ones being even longer. Most of the episodes here on this set were edited down to around 30 minutes, unfortunately, but still include the best parts of the episodes:
Disc 1:
1. December 31, 1965 - Woody Allen, The Muppets (31:35)
2. September 23, 1971 - Della Reese, Bob Uecker (28:26)
3. May 19, 1972 - Adelle Davis, Robert Blake, Gwen Davis (33:01)
4. September 15, 1972 - Vikki Carr, Peter Falk, Albert Brooks (30:08)
Disc 2:
5. November 13, 1972 - Mayor Lindsay, Muhammad Ali, Harry Chapin (30:54)
6. September 12, 1973 - Joan Embery, Bette Midler, David Steinberg (30:10)
7. February 20, 1974 - Joan Embery, David Brenner (33:20)
8. April 9, 1974 - The Jackson 5, Jerry Van Dyke (30:15)
Disc 3:
9. September 2, 1974 - Doris Day, Rodney Dangerfield, Burt Mustin (31:19)
10. September 26, 1974 - Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Art Carney (41:15)
11. May 6, 1975 - Luciano Pavarotti, Maude Tull (26:27)
12. September 19, 1975 - Don Rickles, Robert Blake(29:40)
Disc 4:
13. September 23, 1975 - Glen Campbell, Fernando Lamas (29:48)
12. December 9, 1975 - Carol Burnett, Burt Convy, Tom Dreesen (30:18)
13. July 28, 1976 - Burt Reynolds, Robert Blake (38:56)
14. November 12, 1976 - Frank Sinatra, Don Rickles, Olivia Newton-John (29:24)
Disc 5:
17. May 4, 1977 - Chevy Chase, Richard Pryor (37:06)
18. June 14, 1977 - Alice Cooper, Jay Leno (33:05)
19. September 9, 1977 - Sid Caesar, Eubie Blake (31:24)
20. March 24, 1978 - Donna Pyle, Milton Berle (30:21)
Disc 6:
21. May 2, 1978 - Sammy Davis Jr. (30:17)
22. February 21, 1980 - Steve Landesberg, Loni Anderson (29:59)
23. September 26, 1980 - Steve Martin, The Mighty Carson Art Players (27:53)
24. November 11, 1980 - David Letterman (28:53)
Disc 7:
25. March 4, 1981 - David Brenner (31:58)
26. March 5, 1981 - Slim Whitman (29:41)
27. March 18, 1981 - Richard Benjamin, Garry Shandling (31:27)
28. May 5, 1981 - Jimmy Buffett, Thalasa Cruso (33:13)
Disc 8:
29. October 14, 1981 - Robin Williams (27:18)
30. October 28, 1981 - Lance Burton, Reba McEntire, Dick Cavett (28:33)
31. October 30, 1981 - Michael Landon (30:06)
32. November 12, 1981 - Dom DeLuise, Jerry Seinfeld, Betty White (28:12)
Disc 9:
33. November 19, 1981 - Suzanne Pleshette, Luciano Pavarotti (27:36)
34. November 25, 1981 - Kenny Rogers (27:53)
35. August 31, 1982 - Bill Maher, Joe Garagiola (24:07)
36. December 31, 1982 - Tina Turner, Joe D'Auria & Jonathan Brown (29:39)
Disc 10:
37. January 5, 1983 - Teri Garr, B.B. King (31:34)
38. May 17, 1983 - Albert Brooks, Brooke Shields (31:33)
39. September 8, 1983 - Bill Cosby, Chuck Mangione (33:00)
40. January 4, 1984 - Dabney Coleman, Paul Rodriguez (27:55)
Disc 11:
41. May 17, 1984 - Garry Shandling, Stephane Grappelli (28:29)
42. May 24, 1984 - John Denver, Michael Davis (25:53)
43. November 20, 1984 - Robert Blake, Louie Anderson (31:39)
44. November 22, 1985 - Jim Fowler, Marty Pollio, Ruben Blades (29:32)
Disc 12:
45. December 17, 1985 - Bette Midler (29:28)
46. March 27, 1986 - Billy Crystal, Buddy Rich (31:47)
47. April 18, 1986 - David Letterman (30:00)
48. June 27, 1986 - David Letterman, Judge Wapner (26:48)
Disc 13:
49. November 26, 1986 - George Carlin, Barney Odom (& Flat Nose) (28:14)
50. January 8, 1987 - Robert Goulet, Waddie Mitchell, Baxter Black (29:07)
51. May 21, 1987 - Eddie Murphy, Ellen DeGeneres (23:47)
52. July 28, 1988 - Bill Clinton, Joe Cocker (30:05)
Disc 14:
53. July 29, 1988 - Michael Landon, k.d. Lang (28:26)
54. November 23, 1989 - Lea Johnson, Tom Wilson (28:07)
55. January 18, 1990 - Joan Embery, Art Donovan (28:59)
56. April 6, 1990 - Jeff Dunham, B.B. King (32:44)
Disc 15 - Special Features:
* Rescued Gems of the 1960s (1:03:51)
* Interviews: The Guests Remember (1:10:57)
The packaging for this set is simply gorgeous. It comes in a sturdy cardboard box with a hinged lid, with the name of the set and a picture of Carson in later days with silver hair. The lid opens up to reveal four removable fold-outs that contain the discs and a booklet. Each fold-out is similar to the outside box, except the picture of Carson is from the same era as the episodes contained therein. The only complaint I have is that some of the discs overlap, meaning you have to take one out to get to another, but this can be overlooked. The booklet has a nice history of Carson and the show with some interesting photos, and a look at some of what you can expect from the set.
The menus are very simple... perhaps too simple. You get the Tonight Show logo, a picture of Johnny, and a list that simply says "Episode 1," "Episode 2," etc. You have to refer to the booklet or the fold-out to determine which episode you want to select. There is a "Play All" button on each disc. After you select your episode, you're then taken to a generic slate giving the airdate and the guests, followed by a generic intro created for this set. The episodes themselves begin with Ed McMahon shouting "Heeeere's Johnny!"
Video and audio quality seems to be good on this set for the most part, especially considering the age of these shows. The show tapes have been kept in a secret salt mine somewhere in the Midwest and the great care taken for them shows. There does seem to be some heavy compression issues with some shows, however. Some sequences seemed very pixilated on my TV screen. Audio is fine. Most of the episodes are in their proper mono sound. Stereo television was introduced in the mid-1980s, and all episodes from that point on are in their proper stereo sound. There unfortunately are no subtitles or closed captions.
The special features are quite interesting. Carson and NBC did not begin maintaining a library of the shows until 1973, so most shows from before then have been lost to time. However, some great bits have managed to survive in clip form. The first special feature is called "Rescued Gems of the 1960s" and is just that. Nearly two hours worth of classic clips from 1960s episodes either thought long lost, or that only survived as clips. The clips are separated by chapter marks. Next is "Interviews: the Guests Remember" which is an interesting piece with frequent guests Loni Anderson, David Brenner, Jim Fowler, and Baxter Black reminiscing about their memories with Carson.
I can recommend this set to pretty much any true Carson fan or to anyone who was either alive and wants to re-experience the Carson viewing experience or wants to see what it was like. The shows contained are highly enjoyable and give a great overview of Carson's three decades as host. On the other hand, I'm not sure I could recommend it to the extremely casual Carson fan who only wants a collection of Carson's most memorable moments. For that there are a number of other great DVDs out there at a less expensive price. Heeeeere's Johnny!
(4/5 stars)
To purchase this DVD, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com Full DVD Reviews Page
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson TV.com page
LOOKING AHEAD
Halloween weekend is less than seven days away, and we'll have few tricks and hopefully a lot of treats for you next weekend! We will have some Halloween themed reviews coming up, and, even though we have no "sweeps" standards to be held to, we have some special November sweeps style stunts coming up! Stay tuned and keep it digital!
DIGITAL NEWS
There have been a few compilations of Christmas episodes released on DVD in the past few years, including the upcoming Christmas Treats DVD from CBS Home Entertainment. But we have an even bigger treat coming sometime next month from Warner Archive (Warner's manufacture-on-demand program) with their just announced Classic TV Christmas Collection! While we don't have specific details on the episodes or cost just yet, we do know that it will be released on November 9, and we also know which series will be included, and some of them have never been released on DVD! The DVD includes episodes from Veronica's Closet, Suddenly Susan, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, Welcome Back, Kotter, Dr. Kildare, Mama's Family, Eight is Enough, Perfect Strangers, Alice, and CHiPs! The best part is that, with the exception of Perfect Strangers, none of these series have had any of their Christmas episodes released on DVD, so just about everything on the set should be new to DVD! It isn't available to order just yet, but should be soon. We do have artwork, which is shown below:
That isn't all for Warner Archive, though! Later in November, on November 30, they are releasing the animated spinoff of The Dukes of Hazzard, The Dukes! Details are a little murky on this release right now, but we assume that it will be a release of the entire series, consisting of 20 episodes.
In other news, Shout! Factory has plans to release a few single disc releases of series that they've already released, including Adam-12 - Season Two, Volume One; Dragnet - Season Two, Volume One; and Spin City - Season One, Volume One. They will all be released on January 11 at a low MSRP of $7.93. Each of these will contain ten episodes, which, unless that episode count is incorrect, suggests that these will not be exact copies of discs from the previous releases.
Finally, we go back to the department of current series on TV that we all knew were coming to DVD anyway, as Amazon.com puts up even more pre-order listings for the current seasons of various series on DVD. This week, NBC/Universal is in the spotlight, with pre-orders appearing for The Office - Season Seven (also on Blu-ray Disc), 30 Rock - Season Five, and Parenthood - Season Two! No release dates or other information is known just yet, but we'll have details when we get them, of course!
UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW
There isn't much coming out on Tuesday (October 26) in the realm of sitcoms, but there are a few other releases of note, including the 15 disc set, Tonight - 4 Decades of The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, which we have a review of today in Digital Digest. Additionally, we have C.S.I.: NY - The Complete Sixth Season on the way, and The Twilight Zone - Fan Favorites, which contains nineteen popular episodes of the series.
BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
Respond2 Entertainment has compiled a once-in-a-lifetime collection of the greatest moments in Tonight Show history in one 15-disc set - Tonight: 4 Decades From The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Perfect for the Johnny Carson or Classic Television fan on the holiday list, Tonight features over 50 shows hand-selected by the original Producer as the best episodes from the show's 30-year run, covering the 60's, 70's, 80's, and 90's! The collectable set features over 30 hours of material that has never before been released on DVD including rescued footage from shows originally airing in the 1960's (virtually all episodes and other content from the 1960's were lost) and all-new interviews with some of Carson's most celebrated and regular guest stars including Actress Loni Anderson, Comedian David Brenner, and fan-favorite animal handler Jim Fowler! Here is our review of Tonight: 4 Decades of the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
DVD Review: Tonight: 4 Decades of the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
by Greg Brobeck
I'd like to start off this review by first saying it's great to be back writing reviews again after such a long absence (6 years!). I want to thank the staff for so cordially inviting me back. - Greg
Tonight: 4 Decades of the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (Respond2 Entertainment, $119.99) features 56 episodes of the classic late night talk/variety show hosted by the late, great Johnny Carson for 30 years, in a beautiful 15-disc set. The episodes were hand-picked by one of the show's producers and are intended to give an overview of the best of the show's three decades on the air. This includes great comedy moments with Johnny with such memorable segments as "Tea Time Movie" and "The Great Carnac" and memorable guest appearances that really make up a "who's who" of Hollywood, including the likes of Burt Reynolds, The Muppets, Muhammed Ali, Robin Williams, David Letterman, and then-Governor Bill Clinton just to name a few.
The set includes great moments, including Don Rickles continuously interrupting Frank Sinatra to throw insults, the TV debuts of greats like Jerry Seinfeld and Ellen DeGeneres, and great musical performances from everyone from the Jackson Five to Bette Midler to Luciano Pavarotti. Not to mention hilarious sketches from the Mighty Carson Art Players.
I should explain, though, what this set is and what it is not. This set is not a "greatest moments" set. You will not find such things as Ed Ames throwing a tomahawk at a chalk drawing's crotch, the potato chip lady, or Johnny's last show. All of those can be found on other great DVD sets from Respond2/Carson Entertainment, and very little of those contents seem to be duplicated here. This set is a great sampling of the best shows from Johnny's 30 hears at the helm. These episodes give a great look back at what it would have been like to settle down at 11:30 p.m. to be entertained by Carson and crew.
The episode list speaks for itself on the amount of star power on this set. However, the episodes do seem to be heavily edited from their original broadcasts on NBC. The show was originally one hour and forty-five minutes, reduced to 90 minutes, and then eventually 60 minutes, meaning without commercials each show unedited should be at least 45 minutes long with older ones being even longer. Most of the episodes here on this set were edited down to around 30 minutes, unfortunately, but still include the best parts of the episodes:
Disc 1:
1. December 31, 1965 - Woody Allen, The Muppets (31:35)
2. September 23, 1971 - Della Reese, Bob Uecker (28:26)
3. May 19, 1972 - Adelle Davis, Robert Blake, Gwen Davis (33:01)
4. September 15, 1972 - Vikki Carr, Peter Falk, Albert Brooks (30:08)
Disc 2:
5. November 13, 1972 - Mayor Lindsay, Muhammad Ali, Harry Chapin (30:54)
6. September 12, 1973 - Joan Embery, Bette Midler, David Steinberg (30:10)
7. February 20, 1974 - Joan Embery, David Brenner (33:20)
8. April 9, 1974 - The Jackson 5, Jerry Van Dyke (30:15)
Disc 3:
9. September 2, 1974 - Doris Day, Rodney Dangerfield, Burt Mustin (31:19)
10. September 26, 1974 - Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Art Carney (41:15)
11. May 6, 1975 - Luciano Pavarotti, Maude Tull (26:27)
12. September 19, 1975 - Don Rickles, Robert Blake(29:40)
Disc 4:
13. September 23, 1975 - Glen Campbell, Fernando Lamas (29:48)
12. December 9, 1975 - Carol Burnett, Burt Convy, Tom Dreesen (30:18)
13. July 28, 1976 - Burt Reynolds, Robert Blake (38:56)
14. November 12, 1976 - Frank Sinatra, Don Rickles, Olivia Newton-John (29:24)
Disc 5:
17. May 4, 1977 - Chevy Chase, Richard Pryor (37:06)
18. June 14, 1977 - Alice Cooper, Jay Leno (33:05)
19. September 9, 1977 - Sid Caesar, Eubie Blake (31:24)
20. March 24, 1978 - Donna Pyle, Milton Berle (30:21)
Disc 6:
21. May 2, 1978 - Sammy Davis Jr. (30:17)
22. February 21, 1980 - Steve Landesberg, Loni Anderson (29:59)
23. September 26, 1980 - Steve Martin, The Mighty Carson Art Players (27:53)
24. November 11, 1980 - David Letterman (28:53)
Disc 7:
25. March 4, 1981 - David Brenner (31:58)
26. March 5, 1981 - Slim Whitman (29:41)
27. March 18, 1981 - Richard Benjamin, Garry Shandling (31:27)
28. May 5, 1981 - Jimmy Buffett, Thalasa Cruso (33:13)
Disc 8:
29. October 14, 1981 - Robin Williams (27:18)
30. October 28, 1981 - Lance Burton, Reba McEntire, Dick Cavett (28:33)
31. October 30, 1981 - Michael Landon (30:06)
32. November 12, 1981 - Dom DeLuise, Jerry Seinfeld, Betty White (28:12)
Disc 9:
33. November 19, 1981 - Suzanne Pleshette, Luciano Pavarotti (27:36)
34. November 25, 1981 - Kenny Rogers (27:53)
35. August 31, 1982 - Bill Maher, Joe Garagiola (24:07)
36. December 31, 1982 - Tina Turner, Joe D'Auria & Jonathan Brown (29:39)
Disc 10:
37. January 5, 1983 - Teri Garr, B.B. King (31:34)
38. May 17, 1983 - Albert Brooks, Brooke Shields (31:33)
39. September 8, 1983 - Bill Cosby, Chuck Mangione (33:00)
40. January 4, 1984 - Dabney Coleman, Paul Rodriguez (27:55)
Disc 11:
41. May 17, 1984 - Garry Shandling, Stephane Grappelli (28:29)
42. May 24, 1984 - John Denver, Michael Davis (25:53)
43. November 20, 1984 - Robert Blake, Louie Anderson (31:39)
44. November 22, 1985 - Jim Fowler, Marty Pollio, Ruben Blades (29:32)
Disc 12:
45. December 17, 1985 - Bette Midler (29:28)
46. March 27, 1986 - Billy Crystal, Buddy Rich (31:47)
47. April 18, 1986 - David Letterman (30:00)
48. June 27, 1986 - David Letterman, Judge Wapner (26:48)
Disc 13:
49. November 26, 1986 - George Carlin, Barney Odom (& Flat Nose) (28:14)
50. January 8, 1987 - Robert Goulet, Waddie Mitchell, Baxter Black (29:07)
51. May 21, 1987 - Eddie Murphy, Ellen DeGeneres (23:47)
52. July 28, 1988 - Bill Clinton, Joe Cocker (30:05)
Disc 14:
53. July 29, 1988 - Michael Landon, k.d. Lang (28:26)
54. November 23, 1989 - Lea Johnson, Tom Wilson (28:07)
55. January 18, 1990 - Joan Embery, Art Donovan (28:59)
56. April 6, 1990 - Jeff Dunham, B.B. King (32:44)
Disc 15 - Special Features:
* Rescued Gems of the 1960s (1:03:51)
* Interviews: The Guests Remember (1:10:57)
The packaging for this set is simply gorgeous. It comes in a sturdy cardboard box with a hinged lid, with the name of the set and a picture of Carson in later days with silver hair. The lid opens up to reveal four removable fold-outs that contain the discs and a booklet. Each fold-out is similar to the outside box, except the picture of Carson is from the same era as the episodes contained therein. The only complaint I have is that some of the discs overlap, meaning you have to take one out to get to another, but this can be overlooked. The booklet has a nice history of Carson and the show with some interesting photos, and a look at some of what you can expect from the set.
The menus are very simple... perhaps too simple. You get the Tonight Show logo, a picture of Johnny, and a list that simply says "Episode 1," "Episode 2," etc. You have to refer to the booklet or the fold-out to determine which episode you want to select. There is a "Play All" button on each disc. After you select your episode, you're then taken to a generic slate giving the airdate and the guests, followed by a generic intro created for this set. The episodes themselves begin with Ed McMahon shouting "Heeeere's Johnny!"
Video and audio quality seems to be good on this set for the most part, especially considering the age of these shows. The show tapes have been kept in a secret salt mine somewhere in the Midwest and the great care taken for them shows. There does seem to be some heavy compression issues with some shows, however. Some sequences seemed very pixilated on my TV screen. Audio is fine. Most of the episodes are in their proper mono sound. Stereo television was introduced in the mid-1980s, and all episodes from that point on are in their proper stereo sound. There unfortunately are no subtitles or closed captions.
The special features are quite interesting. Carson and NBC did not begin maintaining a library of the shows until 1973, so most shows from before then have been lost to time. However, some great bits have managed to survive in clip form. The first special feature is called "Rescued Gems of the 1960s" and is just that. Nearly two hours worth of classic clips from 1960s episodes either thought long lost, or that only survived as clips. The clips are separated by chapter marks. Next is "Interviews: the Guests Remember" which is an interesting piece with frequent guests Loni Anderson, David Brenner, Jim Fowler, and Baxter Black reminiscing about their memories with Carson.
I can recommend this set to pretty much any true Carson fan or to anyone who was either alive and wants to re-experience the Carson viewing experience or wants to see what it was like. The shows contained are highly enjoyable and give a great overview of Carson's three decades as host. On the other hand, I'm not sure I could recommend it to the extremely casual Carson fan who only wants a collection of Carson's most memorable moments. For that there are a number of other great DVDs out there at a less expensive price. Heeeeere's Johnny!
(4/5 stars)To purchase this DVD, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com Full DVD Reviews Page
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson TV.com page
LOOKING AHEAD
Halloween weekend is less than seven days away, and we'll have few tricks and hopefully a lot of treats for you next weekend! We will have some Halloween themed reviews coming up, and, even though we have no "sweeps" standards to be held to, we have some special November sweeps style stunts coming up! Stay tuned and keep it digital!
Thursday, September 06, 2007
New TV Book: Close-Ups: Conversations with Our TV Favorites; Remembering Courtship of Eddie's Father Star Miyoshi Umeki
Actress Miyoshi Umeki, who won an Oscar for her performance (first Asian to ever win one) as the doomed wife of an American serviceman in Sayonara and later starred in the Broadway musical Flower Drum Song, has died of cancer on Aug. 28.
Umeki also portrayed Mrs. Livingston, the housekeeper, in the ABC sitcom, The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1969-1972), which starred Bill Bixby and Brandon Cruz. In a 1969 Washington Post interview, Bixby called her "the best actress I've ever worked with." Her other TV credits include guest shots on sitcosm Mister Ed and The Donna Reed Show.
She will be missed. She was 78.
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Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Tuesday, September 16
none scheduled
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 15)
Tuesday, September 16
- Rob Lowe (Unstable/The Grinder/Parks and Recreation/A New Kind of Family) - Catch Rob on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Marlon Wayans (Marlon/The Wayans Bros.) - Marlon is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. He also talks about Him on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Eva Longoria (Only Murders in the Building/Telenovela) - Eva appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Melanie Lynskey (Two and a Half Men/Togetherness), Drew Tarver (Running Point/Bless the Harts/The Other Two), Mary Holland (The Big Door Prize/Hoops/Robbie/Blunt Talk), and Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) - Melanie, Drew, Mary, and Morris are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Jay Duplass (Search Party/Transparent/The Mindy Project) - Jay appears on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
- Demi Lovato (Sonny with a Chance) - Demi stops by Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 3:30am on Bravo.
- Judy Reyes (Scrubs) - Judy talks about High Potential on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
- Brett Goldstein (Shrinking/Ted Lasso) - Brett talks about All of You on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
- Eugene Levy (Schitt's Creek/Greg the Bunny/Hiller and Diller) - Eugene talks about The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy on CBS Mornings Plus in the 9am hour.
New on DVD and 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)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
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