Showing posts with label Streets of San Francisco. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Streets of San Francisco. Show all posts
Thursday, March 02, 2017
Decades Network Celebrates Made for TV Movies; Dancing with the Stars Season 24 Has Mr. T
Decades Network, the multicast TV network from Weigel Broadcasting Co. and CBS Television Stations, announces Made for TV Movies in March. Decades will celebrate the universal nostalgia of made-for-TV movies all-month long. Decades' Made for TV Movies in March begins Monday, March 6, and continues through Sunday, April 2. Every weekday the made-for-TV movies begin at 9:00 am ET, and on Saturdays, begin at 1:00 pm ET. Decades is proud to present the classic made-for-TV movie, returning to its roots on broadcast television with dozens of memorable titles. Spanning several decades of TV entertainment, the four-week event features the best of the genre, from series television to the dramatization of the biggest headlines in American history. The lineup includes full days dedicated to Diagnosis Murder, featuring Dick Van Dyke, his son Barry and daughter Stacy; The Brady Bunch, including Brady's Go To The Whitehouse with Shelly Long and Gary Cole; a full day featuring Gunsmoke made-for-TV movies starring James Arness; and a weekend binge of Perry Mason TV movie cases. Viewers can also tune in to see TV movie reunions of The Odd Couple, The Love Boat, Wild Wild West, The Streets of San Francisco and Walker, Texas Ranger. The headline TV movies portray the events of September 11th, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the 1987 earthquake in San Francisco and the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan.
The made-for-TV movie has long been a hit with television fans. In recent years, the format has been reimagined on pay TV. Now, Decades is proud to bring these classic titles back to the broadcast airwaves. For fans, Decades Made for TV Movies In March is great way to enjoy a thrilling range of titles. Some feature great television characters like Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Matt Dillon and Carol Brady. Others relive the stories that swept the headlines, offering performances by a variety of actors, including Richard Dreyfuss, Cybill Shepherd, Madeleine Stowe, Courtney B. Vance, Tim Daly, Martin Sheen, Rosanna Arquette, Jean Smart, Scott Glen, Brittany Murphy, William Devane, Valerie Bertinelli and Mandy Patinkin. The event also honors a few actors who we recently lost — Debbie Reynolds, Richard Hatch and Florence Henderson.
The new celebrity cast of Dancing with the Stars are donning their glitzy wardrobe and slipping on their dancing shoes as they ready themselves for their first dance on the ballroom floor, as the season kicks off on Monday, March 20 from 8:00-10:01 p.m. EST, on The ABC Television Network. The season 24 premiere marks the 400th episode of Dancing with the Stars, and this season's lineup of celebrity dancers includes TV legend Mr. T, the greatest Olympic gymnast in history, a two-time World Series champion - and the show's first baseball player, a real housewife of Beverly Hills, a bull rider who survived a catastrophic injury, a member of the popular band Fifth Harmony, a Saturday Night Live alumnus and the original "CuchiCuchi" girl, to name just a few. As announced on ABC's Good Morning America, the celebrities with their professional dance partners heading to the ballroom this season (in alphabetical order) are:
· Bonner Bolton (pro bull rider)with Sharna Burgess
· Charo (entertainer) with Keo Motsepe
· Chris Kattan (SNL) with Witney Carson
· David Ross (2016 World Series Champion) with Lindsay Arnold
· Erika Jayne (The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills) with Gleb Savchenko
· Heather Morris (Glee) with Maksim Chmerkovskiy
· Mr. T (The A-Team) with Kym Herjavec
· Nancy Kerrigan (figure skater) with Artem Chigvintsev
· Nick Viall (The Bachelor) with Peta Murgatroyd
· Normani Kordei (Fifth Harmony) with Valentin Chmerkovskiy
· Rashad Jennings (NFL player) with Emma Slater
· Simone Biles (Olympic gymnast) with Sasha Farber
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Digital Digest: Night Court, Eight is Enough, Return of the Beverly Hillbillies, and more to DVD; The Streets of San Francisco - Season 5 (Volumes 1 and 2) DVD Review
Welcome to Digital Digest! We've got a lot of news for you this week (quite a change from the past few weeks), along with our review of The Streets of San Francisco - Season 5 (Volumes 1 and 2). Let's get going!
DIGITAL NEWS
Get ready to cue the sax as bang the gavel as Night Court returns to DVD once again! This week, Warner Archive brought the series one season closer to completion with their release of Night Court - The Complete Seventh Season! We'll have more about this set in the upcoming weeks as we learn more information. By the way, remember last week when we said that we had a Warner Archive announcement that we couldn't disclose just yet? Well, you're probably thinking that Night Court was, in fact, that release. However, it is not! We can now tell you that this "mystery release" coming soon from Warner Archive (we don't exactly know when it'll be out, but we anticipate it being very soon) is the second season of Eight is Enough. We'll have more on this when the time is appropriate, but for now, we can tell you that it'll be released as two separate volumes on the same date.
MPI released My Favorite Martian - Season 3 on DVD a few weeks ago, but the set came with an insert that provided a bit of news... and we honestly don't have a whole lot of details about two of the releases mentioned on it. First, it showed packaging for the made for TV movie Return of the Beverly Hillbillies. This was recently made available as a MOD offering on amazon.com, but this MPI offering, whenever it appears, could be more interesting. The problem is, we really have no clue about any details regarding this. We have even fewer details about the packaging shown for Petticoat Junction: Return to Hooterville. Honestly, we're not sure what it is (Is it a retrospective? A collection of episodes?), but it has a banner on it that says "50th Anniversary Collection" which leads us to believe that it may just be a collection of episodes, perhaps similar to the set they released a few years ago. You can see the entire insert (the remaining releases are things that have been out for a while) below.
Mill Creek made a few announcements this week, including one surprise announcement of a complete series of something that they've never released before. On January 8, they'll release the final two seasons of one of the Carsey-Werner sitcoms with 3rd Rock from the Sun - The Complete Season Five and 3rd Rock from the Sun - The Complete Season Six. The big surprise, though, is their announcement of Hearts Afire - The Complete Series. The show itself isn't new to DVD, but the season sets were previously released by Image, which makes this Mill Creek announcement surprising.
Shout! Factory has made many licensing deals, few of which are ever completely surprising, but this week they made a licensing deal which is, in fact, surprising. This week, the studio announced a licensing deal with Warner to release season 2 through 5 of MADtv. This is huge, since Warner almost never does these licensing deals (although they did make a similar one for Max Headroom and Norm with Shout! a few years ago). The deal also includes the animated Beetlejuice series.
Finally, we have some MOD news this week, as Fox recently released Raising Hope - The Complete Second Season as a MOD title. The first season was released as a standard release, so it seems likely that it didn't perform as well as hoped... but nonetheless, fans will get more of the series on DVD.
Shout! Factory has made many licensing deals, few of which are ever completely surprising, but this week they made a licensing deal which is, in fact, surprising. This week, the studio announced a licensing deal with Warner to release season 2 through 5 of MADtv. This is huge, since Warner almost never does these licensing deals (although they did make a similar one for Max Headroom and Norm with Shout! a few years ago). The deal also includes the animated Beetlejuice series.
Finally, we have some MOD news this week, as Fox recently released Raising Hope - The Complete Second Season as a MOD title. The first season was released as a standard release, so it seems likely that it didn't perform as well as hoped... but nonetheless, fans will get more of the series on DVD.
UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW
Tuesday (November 13) is a huge re-release day, where there isn't actually anything completely new to home media, but instead things upgrade from DVD to Blu-ray or are simply re-released in new packaging. There are two big complete series sets being released on Blu-ray for the very first time, with The Dick Van Dyke Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) and Friends - The Complete Series (Blu-ray). Warner Home Video re-releases another complete series on DVD with The Flintstones - The Complete Series. And finally, Inception has a re-release of The Real McCoys - Complete Season 2.
BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
DVD Review: The Streets of San Francisco - Season 5, Volumes 1 and 2 (CBS, $45.98 each or $89.98 together)
by skees53
Lt. Mike Stone (Karl Malden) returns to fight crime in San Francisco in The Streets of San Francisco - Season 5 (Volumes 1 and 2), but this time, he is without his original partner. By the fifth season, Michael Douglas was beginning to see his own career take off (a successful career that continues even through this day), so the producers wrote off the character of Steve Keller, explaining that he had taken a job teaching at a local college, and introduced a new partner for Stone: Inspector Dan Robbins (Richard Hatch). These changes weren't popular for the series at all, and this season ended up marking the last for the series... but regardless, the fifth season still produced many excellent episodes (nearly all of them) that are worth watching again.
The final season begins with the two-part episode "The Thrill Killers," where a murder trial becomes a hostage situation. Michael Douglas appears in this episode as a "special guest star" to explain why he leaves the police force. A millionaire wants his daughter's murderer... dead or alive... in "Dead or Alive." Stone could be the target of a murderer in "The Drop." The father of a 16 year old girl is murdering her "johns" one-by-one in "No Minor Vices." A singer-songwriter could be a murderer in "In Case of Madness." In "'Til Death Do Us Part," Stone is charged with protecting a former bookkeeper's wife. In "Child of Anger," Stone and Robbins have a bigger mystery on their hand after the daughter of a clothing designer confesses to murdering her latest fling. Stone and Robbins are in hot pursuit of a motorcycle gang wreaking havoc on the city in "Hot Dog." Paranoia leads to a cop being shot in "Castle of Fear." In "One Last Trick," a prostitute goes back to work to smoke out the killer of a "coworker." In "Monkey is Back," Stone has to stay one step ahead of an ex-con who is released and now out for revenge.
Volume 2 begins with "The Cannibals," where a mobster steals loot from his father and buys immunity from the Feds by offering to testify against his dad. Stone investigates a domestic violence situation that leads to more complications in "Who Killed Helen French?" In "A Good Cop... But," Stone needs to find a cop killer before it is too late. A dirty copy places a weapon on a drug dealer he roughed up in "Hang Tough." In "Innocent No More," Stone wants to get violent youth gang members tried as adults. Stone has doubts when an ex-con in the midst of rehabilitation is accused of murder in "Once a Con." Stone is on the search for a man who escapes from a mental institution looking for the wife that he allegedly killed in "Interlude." A bodybuilder's short fuse leads to murder in "Dead Lift." A divorce gets very complicated in "Breakup." In "Let's Pretend We're Strangers," Robbins gets romantically involved with a public defender, which throws some more complications into a case she is representing. A San Quentin guard is on the hunt for convicts who escaped under his watch in "Time Out." The series ends with "The Canine Collar," where a jewel thief is determined to find a missing dog collar containing stolen diamonds.
Typically, I like to list guest stars with the episodes, but there were way too many in this set... so we'll just list a few here: Susan Dey, Patty Duke, Norman Fell, Paula Kelly, Doris Roberts, Dick Van Patten, Marion Ross, Ron Glass (the ones listed so far were just in the first episode of the season), Tom Bosley, Max Gail, Dabney Coleman, Eugene Roche, Parker Stevenson, Maureen McCormick, Desi Arnaz Jr., Gerald McRaney, Don Johnson, Ned Beatty, Mark Hamill, Carl Weathers, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Pernell Roberts, and many, many more!
Although there are standard disclaimers on the packaging, the episodes seem to be unedited. I couldn't say for sure, though. One slight exception is the season premiere, which originally aired as a two hour episode, but from what I understand everything is still there, it is just that the episode was split in to two parts. Runtimes are as follows:
Volume 1:
Disc 1:
1. "The Thrill Killers (Part 1)" (50:11)
2. "The Thrill Killers (Part 2)" (48:14)
3. "Dead or Alive" (50:16)
4. "The Drop" (49:46)
Disc 2:
5. "No Minor Vices" (50:15)
6. "In Case of Madness" (50:15)
7. "Till Death Do Us Part" (50:17)
8. "Child of Anger" (50:15)
Disc 3:
9. "Hot Dog" (49:03)
10. "Castle of Fear" (50:16)
11. "One Last Trick" (50:14)
12. "Monkey is Back" (49:04)
Volume 2:
Disc 1:
1. "The Cannibals" (50:15)
2. "Who Killed Helen French" (50:16)
3. "A Good Cop... But" (50:15)
4. "Hang Tough" (50:14)
Disc 2:
5. "Innocent No More" (50:01)
6. "Once a Con" (50:16)
7. "Interlude" (50:18)
8. "Dead Lift" (50:07)
Disc 3:
9. "Breakup" (49:16)
10. "Let's Pretend We're Strangers" (50:14)
11. "Time Out" (49:44)
12. "The Canine Collar" (50:05)
Both of these sets have standard packaging that is very much in line with the previous releases. Both volumes have cover art with Hatch and Malden (different poses) with San Francisco skylines in the background. The back of each Viva case has a few episode snapshots and a brief description of the episodes on the particular volume. Inside the case for each volume, you'll find the three discs, each containing four episodes. The discs are the standard CBS discs with the series title and episodes listed on a gray background. Episode titles, descriptions, and airdates are listed inside each case.
Volume 1:
Disc 1:
1. "The Thrill Killers (Part 1)" (50:11)
2. "The Thrill Killers (Part 2)" (48:14)
3. "Dead or Alive" (50:16)
4. "The Drop" (49:46)
Disc 2:
5. "No Minor Vices" (50:15)
6. "In Case of Madness" (50:15)
7. "Till Death Do Us Part" (50:17)
8. "Child of Anger" (50:15)
Disc 3:
9. "Hot Dog" (49:03)
10. "Castle of Fear" (50:16)
11. "One Last Trick" (50:14)
12. "Monkey is Back" (49:04)
Volume 2:
Disc 1:
1. "The Cannibals" (50:15)
2. "Who Killed Helen French" (50:16)
3. "A Good Cop... But" (50:15)
4. "Hang Tough" (50:14)
Disc 2:
5. "Innocent No More" (50:01)
6. "Once a Con" (50:16)
7. "Interlude" (50:18)
8. "Dead Lift" (50:07)
Disc 3:
9. "Breakup" (49:16)
10. "Let's Pretend We're Strangers" (50:14)
11. "Time Out" (49:44)
12. "The Canine Collar" (50:05)
Both of these sets have standard packaging that is very much in line with the previous releases. Both volumes have cover art with Hatch and Malden (different poses) with San Francisco skylines in the background. The back of each Viva case has a few episode snapshots and a brief description of the episodes on the particular volume. Inside the case for each volume, you'll find the three discs, each containing four episodes. The discs are the standard CBS discs with the series title and episodes listed on a gray background. Episode titles, descriptions, and airdates are listed inside each case.
The menus for the set are basic and functional, just like all of the previous releases. On the main menu of each disc, there are stills of Malden and Hatch, while the theme song and clips from episodes play in the background. Options on the main menu include Play All, Episodes, and Subtitles. There are animated transitions to each menu. Upon selecting Episodes, you get a menu where all of the episode titles are listed. Chapters are placed throughout each episode.
Like the previous releases, the episodes on this set have been remastered. However, something is just not quite right about the remastering this time. The first two episodes of the season (which actually aired as a double length episode originally, but are split up here) really do not look all that great, with a lot of artifacts on the video. However, the remainder of the set appears to be fine, and the audio is fine throughout. Each episode has English subtitles.
The video and audio quality of the episodes on this set is excellent. The episodes do show some age, of course, but I honestly do feel that they look and sound as good as anybody could possibly expect. Unfortunately, the set is lacking on subtitles or closed-captioning.
I was hoping that they'd end the series with a "bang" considering that there have been no special features on any of the sets, but unfortunately, they didn't. It would have been nice to have had some sort of special feature about the introduction of Hatch's character in this season.
Once again, we've got another series wrapped up on DVD! It is always nice when these series get completed on DVD, but also a little sad because it marks the end, at least for now. In general, I think CBS did a great job with this series as far as quality (with a few exceptions, most of the episodes of this series have looked absolutely flawless on DVD), but they certainly did manage to disappoint on the special features. In any event, this is one of those series that I never would have expected to see completed on DVD a few years ago, and in the early days of DVD, I would have never even expected to see it on DVD. Now, the whole series is complete. I actually first discovered the series on DVD, and I've been impressed with the series. It goes without saying that the first four seasons with Michael Douglas were better seasons, but I honestly don't think that this season was bad at all, and it is a shame that it had to end here. If you are a fan of crime dramas in general (particularly the "big ones" of the '70s), you really can't go wrong with this set.
(4/5 stars)To purchase Volume 1, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
To purchase Volume 2, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
To purchase Volumes 1 and 2 together, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com Main Reviews Page
The Streets of San Francisco TV.com Page
FOLLOW ME
Who to Follow: Bob Saget (Twitter), "I like long walks on the beach...and then to be dragged through the sand by an off-road vehicle, and then hurled off a catapult."
Claim to Fame: Danny Tanner from Full House, original host of America's Funniest Home Videos, and currently the voice of future Ted on How I Met Your Mother.
Why You Should Follow Him: For a long time, I always had a pretty low opinion of Bob Saget. His claim to fame began with his days on Full House where he played the squeaky clean good father Danny Tanner, and I always believed that his range was just incredibly limited to being one of TV's lamest characters (regardless of what anybody thinks of Full House, Danny Tanner was pretty lame). It wasn't until I saw Saget's appearance on Saturday Night Live in the mid '90s (see his opening monologue) that I realized that Saget has much more dynamic appeal than he demonstrated on Full House, and is actually a very funny person. When you follow his Twitter feed, you get some of his comedic gold every single day, and it is certainly worth reading. You'll find a lot of Tweets on topics including his (seemingly depressing) dating life, his 87 year old mother, politics,
Pick of the Tweets: (well, at least of the G-rated ones) "Excited my grandmother's coming to visit today. A little scared too, cause she passed away fifteen years ago." (June 1, 2011)
Claim to Fame: Danny Tanner from Full House, original host of America's Funniest Home Videos, and currently the voice of future Ted on How I Met Your Mother.
Why You Should Follow Him: For a long time, I always had a pretty low opinion of Bob Saget. His claim to fame began with his days on Full House where he played the squeaky clean good father Danny Tanner, and I always believed that his range was just incredibly limited to being one of TV's lamest characters (regardless of what anybody thinks of Full House, Danny Tanner was pretty lame). It wasn't until I saw Saget's appearance on Saturday Night Live in the mid '90s (see his opening monologue) that I realized that Saget has much more dynamic appeal than he demonstrated on Full House, and is actually a very funny person. When you follow his Twitter feed, you get some of his comedic gold every single day, and it is certainly worth reading. You'll find a lot of Tweets on topics including his (seemingly depressing) dating life, his 87 year old mother, politics,
Pick of the Tweets: (well, at least of the G-rated ones) "Excited my grandmother's coming to visit today. A little scared too, cause she passed away fifteen years ago." (June 1, 2011)
That's all for this week. Until next time, keep it digital!
Saturday, September 01, 2012
Digital Digest: The Donna Reed Show Season 5 DVD News; The Streets of San Francisco - Season 4 (Volume 1 and Volume 2) DVD Review; Kojak - Season Five DVD Review
Welcome to Digital Digest! This week, the news is painfully slow... but we've got a double review weekend with our reviews of The Streets of San Francisco - Season 4 (Volume 1 and Volume 2) as well as Kojak - Season Five. And if you've been following our blog for the past few weeks, you'll know that we have a new blog feature which we're going to unveil this week... keep reading and you'll find our new feature, Follow Me, at the end of today's blog!
We've stumbled upon a very slow news week this week, but there has been one major highlight for fans one of the "original" classic sitcoms. This week, Mary Owen announced on the We Love The Donna Reed Show Facebook page that the fifth season of The Donna Reed Show is scheduled to be released on December 4. Of course, Owen is certainly "in the know" on these issues... after all, she is the daughter of Donna Reed and she is also the one who licensed the DVD rights to MPI! Still, we must stress that while we have no doubt that this set will likely be released soon, MPI has been known to slightly delay some DVD releases, and the December 4 date may not be set in stone yet. But we'll let you know more when we know more!
New content has been added to Amazon Prime, and this time, it includes recent episodes of popular NBC series! This week, it was announced that Parks and Recreation, Parenthood, and Friday Night Lights, and more would be added to the service... and they're already available! If you subscribe to the service, which costs about $80 a year (or half that amount if you have a college/university e-mail address), you can watch unlimited streaming episodes of these series.
Fans of the classic sitcom Family Ties are waiting to get the final two seasons on DVD, and although we'd like to say that we have good news to report on this, we don't... but you can buy digital copies of the episodes on iTunes! This actually appeared on the service a few weeks ago, but you can finish out your collection with episodes to keep through iTunes. Of course, if you want a streaming option, the episodes are also still available on Netflix.
(4/5 stars)
To purchase The Streets of San Francisco - Season Four (both volumes), click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
To purchase The Streets of San Francisco - Season Four, Volume 1, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
To purchase The Streets of San Francisco - Season Four, Volume 2, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
Kojak is back one last time, for Kojak - Season Five! The final season of the classic detective drama starring Telly Savalas as he tries to solve all of the major crimes and murders on the streets of New York City. Created by Abby Mann, the series ran from 1973-1978 on CBS and created a legacy that lasted with TV movies going into the '80s and '90s.
The season begins with "The Queen of Hearts is Wild," where a witness in the murder of a police officer could help Kojak a lot... if her boyfriend didn't hate him. A psychotic killer thinks he is getting messages to kill from a talk show host in "A Strange Kind of Love." In "Laid Off," a laid-off police officer takes a bribe to support his sick wife. It's all out gang war in "Cry for the Kids." In "Once More From Birdland," a singer is determined to prove that father who has been in prison for 14 years is innocent. Kojak is out to find a missing $6 million. A model receives anonymous messages warning of a murder in "Letters of Death." In "Tears for All Who Loved Her," Crocker gets involved in romance while investigating a murder.
In the two-part episode "The Summer of '69," Kojak goes back in time eight years to when he killed a suspect in a murder case... but now he realizes that he may have killed the wrong guy. Kojak poses as a murdered private detective to find out why the man was killed in "Case Without a File." A detective is up against his wife's divorce lawyer after an arsonist destroys his boat in "I Could Kill My Wife's Lawyer." Kojak considers leaving the police department to become a private investigator for a law firm in "Justice For All." A surgeon may be performing unnecessary surgeries to pay off gambling debts in "Mouse." In "Chain of Custody," Kojak's reaction to an incompetent prosecutor gets him suspended from the force. Kojak tries to protect Captain McNeil's widowed sister-in-law from big-time gamblers in "The Captain's Brother's Wife."
Kojak helps a jealous police officer search for a professional hit man in "No License to Kill." In "The Halls of Terror," Kojak goes undercover in a hospital in an attempt to solve a string of murders. A retired police officer is injured after attempting to prevent the theft of a race horse in "May the Horse Be With You." In "Photo Must Credit Joe Paxton," a photographer becomes the prime suspect in a phony kidnapping and jewel theft. Crocker is taken hostage while transporting a prisoner back to New York in "60 Miles to Hell." The season ends with "In Full Command," where a disgruntled inspector (played by Danny Thomas) is willing to do anything to boost his career... no matter how awful.
Once again, the set is packaged in a standard Viva-case. The cover art shows Kojak in front of the New York City skyline, while the back has several cast photos and gives a brief description of the season. Inside the case, you'll find the six discs, which just have the series logo and a grayscale photo of the Brooklyn Bridge on them. The episode titles, descriptions, and airdates are printed inside the case.
The menus for this set have evolved a bit with the new opening credits used for this season. The menu starts like the opening credits of the series with the flashing letters of the series title and the opening theme song playing in the background. The main menu gives options of Play All, along with a list of the episodes, with a head shot of Kojak to the right of the episodes. Chapters are placed at all of the commercial breaks.
There really aren't any concerns with the video and audio quality, but it isn't perfect. It looks about like any filmed series from the '70s would look on DVD without a whole lot of remastering. There is a little bit of grain and debris, but it isn't out of control. The mono audio is fine for the most part. Unfortunately, there are no subtitles or closed-captions.
(4/5 stars)
DIGITAL NEWS
We've stumbled upon a very slow news week this week, but there has been one major highlight for fans one of the "original" classic sitcoms. This week, Mary Owen announced on the We Love The Donna Reed Show Facebook page that the fifth season of The Donna Reed Show is scheduled to be released on December 4. Of course, Owen is certainly "in the know" on these issues... after all, she is the daughter of Donna Reed and she is also the one who licensed the DVD rights to MPI! Still, we must stress that while we have no doubt that this set will likely be released soon, MPI has been known to slightly delay some DVD releases, and the December 4 date may not be set in stone yet. But we'll let you know more when we know more!
New content has been added to Amazon Prime, and this time, it includes recent episodes of popular NBC series! This week, it was announced that Parks and Recreation, Parenthood, and Friday Night Lights, and more would be added to the service... and they're already available! If you subscribe to the service, which costs about $80 a year (or half that amount if you have a college/university e-mail address), you can watch unlimited streaming episodes of these series.
Fans of the classic sitcom Family Ties are waiting to get the final two seasons on DVD, and although we'd like to say that we have good news to report on this, we don't... but you can buy digital copies of the episodes on iTunes! This actually appeared on the service a few weeks ago, but you can finish out your collection with episodes to keep through iTunes. Of course, if you want a streaming option, the episodes are also still available on Netflix.
UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW
Tuesday (September 4) brings a flood of DVDs to the market, including a bit of the old and new. We'll start with the new. One of my favorite series (and to be honest, it took me a long time to warm up to it) returns to DVD and Blu-ray, with The Office - Season Eight (DVD, DVD/Blu-ray/Ultraviolet). Another NBC favorite heads to DVD with Parks and Recreation - Season Four. The CBS series 2 Broke Girls debuts on DVD with 2 Broke Girls - The Complete First Season (DVD, Blu-ray). HBO has How to Make it in America - The Complete Second Season (DVD, Blu-ray). We wrap up the new with ABC's release of Grey's Anatomy - The Complete Eighth Season.
Now onto the old! Most of it comes from Mill Creek and their releases from the Carsey-Werner library. These releases include Roseanne - The Complete Fifth Season, Roseanne - The Complete Sixth Season, That '70s Show - The Complete Fifth Season, That '70s Show - The Complete Sixth Season, and Grounded for Life - The Complete Series
We will have reviews for most (if not all) of these sets in the next few days.
Now onto the old! Most of it comes from Mill Creek and their releases from the Carsey-Werner library. These releases include Roseanne - The Complete Fifth Season, Roseanne - The Complete Sixth Season, That '70s Show - The Complete Fifth Season, That '70s Show - The Complete Sixth Season, and Grounded for Life - The Complete Series
We will have reviews for most (if not all) of these sets in the next few days.
BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
Blog DVD Review: The Streets of San Francisco - Season 4, Volume 1 and Volume 2 (CBS, $39.98 each)
by skees53
Lt. Mike Stone (Karl Malden) and Inspector Steve Keller (Michael Douglas) are back together again one final time in The Streets of San Francisco - Season 4, Volumes 1 and 2! While the fourth season isn't the final season of the series, it is the last season to feature Stone and Keller as the team working together to solve crimes in San Francisco, as the fifth (and final) season saw Douglas leaving the series to go on to bigger things in his own career. But before we get to that season, we still have this season of the classic team of Stone and Keller as the men solving crimes on the streets of San Francisco on these two volumes of the fourth season!
As we've done with many other recent DVD season sets split into volumes (with both released on the same day), we're combining both volumes into one review. The sets are pretty similar, and we'll be careful to make any distinctions between each volume.
Volume 1 begins with "Poisoned Snow," where a narcotics officer has had too much and puts some cocaine out on the street laced with cyanide. Mark Hamill guest stars. A sniper targets a high-rise building and agrees to stop, for a price, in "The Glass Dart Board." In "No Place to Hide," drug smugglers in a maximum security prison are working to get the wives of the inmates to do their dirty work... or else. In "Men Will Die," the head of a rape survivor organization is out for revenge, and it could be deadly. Vera Miles guest stars. Robert Hegyes and Maurice Evans guest star in "School of Fear," where a former teacher (Evans) realizes he has had enough of delinquent students after an ex-colleague is murdered by one, and decides to take delinquent students hostage in his a school of his own. Meredith Baxter and Gerald McRaney guest star in "Deadly Silence," where Stone's life is at risk after he kills a robber.
In "Murder by Proxy," Stone and Keller investigate what a shady land developer may have to do with a neighborhood besieged by robbery and murder. John Ritter and Sorrell Booke guest star. A jewelry store owner is killed by a group of sailors in "Trail of Terror." A jewel heist that resulted in the death of a cop is complicated when a pathological liar who claims to have witnessed the crime in "Web of Lies." Stone and Killer believe that a radio show host (Larry Hagman) killed is pregnant girlfriend in "Dead Air." A missing crate of guns intensifies an investigation of a deadly gang rivalry in "Merchants of Death." In "The Cat's Paw," Stone's latest case mixes too much business with pleasure.
Volume 2 begins with "Spooks for Sale," where Stone and Keller are put in the middle of a burglary case involving high-tech espionage and rival businessmen. Tom Selleck guest stars. Stone and Keller investigate the murder of a teacher in "Most Likely to Succeed." In "Police Buff," a wannabe cop with a police scanner becomes a vigilante... with deadly results. Robert Reed guest stars in "The Honorable Profession," where a doctor treats a mortally wounded cop... except he is an imposture and Stone's only witness. A bishop is shot in "Requiem for Murder," but the case is complicated when he protects the shooter. A cop goes undercover as a bookie after his gambler brother is killed by a hitman in "Underground."
In "Judgement Day," a string of murdered judges leads to the son of a disbarred lawyer. Stone's investigation of retired circus brothers turns him into a clown in "Clown of Death." In "Superstar," a tough New York City cop comes to San Francisco to pursue his partner's killer. An undocumented immigrant is suspected of killing an immigration officer in "Alien Country." The season ends with "Runaway," where a hunt for a criminal is impeded by the fugitive's teen daughter, who is also searching for her long-lost father.
The episodes appear to be unedited, with runtimes as follows:
Volume 1
Disc 1:
1. "Poisoned Snow" (50:03)
2. "The Glass Dart Board" (50:05)
3. "No Place to Hide" (50:05)
4. "Men Will Die" (50:02)
Disc 2:
5. "School of Fear" (50:04)
6. "Deadly Silence" (50:36)
7. "Murder by Proxy" (50:35)
8. "Trail of Terror" (50:37)
Disc 3:
9. "Web of Lies" (50:34)
10. "Dead Air" (50:31)
11. "Merchants of Death" (50:03)
12. "The Cat's Paw" (50:36)
Volume 2
Disc 1:
1. "Spooks for Sale" (50:35)
2. "Most Likely to Succeed" (50:35)
3. "Police Buff" (50:35)
4. "Honorable Profession" (50:23)
Disc 2:
5. "Requiem for Murder" (50:32)
6. "Underground" (50:34)
7. "Judgment Day" (50:33)
8. "Clown of Death" (50:35)
Disc 3:
9. "Superstar" (50:37)
10. "Alien Country" (50:35)
11. "Runaway" (50:34)
We've got a Viva case for the sets once again (which I'm sure will continue for the final season when that one is released in a few weeks), with each set featuring a different photo of Stone and Keller on the cover. Volume 1 uses a red color scheme for the background behind the series title, while Volume 2 uses a blue color scheme. The back of each case describes the episodes on each volume, and gives a few episode snapshots. Inside each case, you'll find the three discs, which have no artwork other than the series logo on a gray background. Episode titles, descriptions, and airdates are printed inside the case, as is typical for CBS releases.
The menus on the set are like the previous releases. The main menu on both volumes has Stone and Keller on them, with videos playing in the background along with the theme song. Options from the main menu include Play All, Episodes, and Subtitles. Once you select Episodes, you get an animated transition to the list of episodes, which has an episode snapshot in the background. Chapters are placed throughout each episode at all of the appropriate places.
Once again, I feel that CBS has hit audio and video perfection (or close to it) with these episodes. While the episodes aren't perfect (what is?), they do look really good and I don't think that there is really anything to complain about. Of course, the entire series has been remastered in HD, and these episodes really show that. The mono audio is very loud and clear, without any real issues. And each episode contains English subtitles.
We don't have any special features yet again for the series.
Once again, we have two more decent releases of a season of the series, but of course, we're still without special features. But it is great to see that they have truly cleaned up these episodes to as close to perfection as is likely even possible. We're only a few weeks away from the fifth (and final) season of the series, so it won't be long until we'll have the entire series on DVD. The fifth season has already been remastered into HD, so I don't believe that there will be any problem with quality on that set either. That there were some reunion movies for this series well after the final season, so hopefully we'll see those somewhere along the way as well. If you're a fan of '70s police dramas, you're certain to enjoy this set.
As we've done with many other recent DVD season sets split into volumes (with both released on the same day), we're combining both volumes into one review. The sets are pretty similar, and we'll be careful to make any distinctions between each volume.
Volume 1 begins with "Poisoned Snow," where a narcotics officer has had too much and puts some cocaine out on the street laced with cyanide. Mark Hamill guest stars. A sniper targets a high-rise building and agrees to stop, for a price, in "The Glass Dart Board." In "No Place to Hide," drug smugglers in a maximum security prison are working to get the wives of the inmates to do their dirty work... or else. In "Men Will Die," the head of a rape survivor organization is out for revenge, and it could be deadly. Vera Miles guest stars. Robert Hegyes and Maurice Evans guest star in "School of Fear," where a former teacher (Evans) realizes he has had enough of delinquent students after an ex-colleague is murdered by one, and decides to take delinquent students hostage in his a school of his own. Meredith Baxter and Gerald McRaney guest star in "Deadly Silence," where Stone's life is at risk after he kills a robber.
In "Murder by Proxy," Stone and Keller investigate what a shady land developer may have to do with a neighborhood besieged by robbery and murder. John Ritter and Sorrell Booke guest star. A jewelry store owner is killed by a group of sailors in "Trail of Terror." A jewel heist that resulted in the death of a cop is complicated when a pathological liar who claims to have witnessed the crime in "Web of Lies." Stone and Killer believe that a radio show host (Larry Hagman) killed is pregnant girlfriend in "Dead Air." A missing crate of guns intensifies an investigation of a deadly gang rivalry in "Merchants of Death." In "The Cat's Paw," Stone's latest case mixes too much business with pleasure.
Volume 2 begins with "Spooks for Sale," where Stone and Keller are put in the middle of a burglary case involving high-tech espionage and rival businessmen. Tom Selleck guest stars. Stone and Keller investigate the murder of a teacher in "Most Likely to Succeed." In "Police Buff," a wannabe cop with a police scanner becomes a vigilante... with deadly results. Robert Reed guest stars in "The Honorable Profession," where a doctor treats a mortally wounded cop... except he is an imposture and Stone's only witness. A bishop is shot in "Requiem for Murder," but the case is complicated when he protects the shooter. A cop goes undercover as a bookie after his gambler brother is killed by a hitman in "Underground."
In "Judgement Day," a string of murdered judges leads to the son of a disbarred lawyer. Stone's investigation of retired circus brothers turns him into a clown in "Clown of Death." In "Superstar," a tough New York City cop comes to San Francisco to pursue his partner's killer. An undocumented immigrant is suspected of killing an immigration officer in "Alien Country." The season ends with "Runaway," where a hunt for a criminal is impeded by the fugitive's teen daughter, who is also searching for her long-lost father.
The episodes appear to be unedited, with runtimes as follows:
Volume 1
Disc 1:
1. "Poisoned Snow" (50:03)
2. "The Glass Dart Board" (50:05)
3. "No Place to Hide" (50:05)
4. "Men Will Die" (50:02)
Disc 2:
5. "School of Fear" (50:04)
6. "Deadly Silence" (50:36)
7. "Murder by Proxy" (50:35)
8. "Trail of Terror" (50:37)
Disc 3:
9. "Web of Lies" (50:34)
10. "Dead Air" (50:31)
11. "Merchants of Death" (50:03)
12. "The Cat's Paw" (50:36)
Volume 2
Disc 1:
1. "Spooks for Sale" (50:35)
2. "Most Likely to Succeed" (50:35)
3. "Police Buff" (50:35)
4. "Honorable Profession" (50:23)
Disc 2:
5. "Requiem for Murder" (50:32)
6. "Underground" (50:34)
7. "Judgment Day" (50:33)
8. "Clown of Death" (50:35)
Disc 3:
9. "Superstar" (50:37)
10. "Alien Country" (50:35)
11. "Runaway" (50:34)
We've got a Viva case for the sets once again (which I'm sure will continue for the final season when that one is released in a few weeks), with each set featuring a different photo of Stone and Keller on the cover. Volume 1 uses a red color scheme for the background behind the series title, while Volume 2 uses a blue color scheme. The back of each case describes the episodes on each volume, and gives a few episode snapshots. Inside each case, you'll find the three discs, which have no artwork other than the series logo on a gray background. Episode titles, descriptions, and airdates are printed inside the case, as is typical for CBS releases.
The menus on the set are like the previous releases. The main menu on both volumes has Stone and Keller on them, with videos playing in the background along with the theme song. Options from the main menu include Play All, Episodes, and Subtitles. Once you select Episodes, you get an animated transition to the list of episodes, which has an episode snapshot in the background. Chapters are placed throughout each episode at all of the appropriate places.
Once again, I feel that CBS has hit audio and video perfection (or close to it) with these episodes. While the episodes aren't perfect (what is?), they do look really good and I don't think that there is really anything to complain about. Of course, the entire series has been remastered in HD, and these episodes really show that. The mono audio is very loud and clear, without any real issues. And each episode contains English subtitles.
We don't have any special features yet again for the series.
Once again, we have two more decent releases of a season of the series, but of course, we're still without special features. But it is great to see that they have truly cleaned up these episodes to as close to perfection as is likely even possible. We're only a few weeks away from the fifth (and final) season of the series, so it won't be long until we'll have the entire series on DVD. The fifth season has already been remastered into HD, so I don't believe that there will be any problem with quality on that set either. That there were some reunion movies for this series well after the final season, so hopefully we'll see those somewhere along the way as well. If you're a fan of '70s police dramas, you're certain to enjoy this set.
(4/5 stars)To purchase The Streets of San Francisco - Season Four (both volumes), click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
To purchase The Streets of San Francisco - Season Four, Volume 1, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
To purchase The Streets of San Francisco - Season Four, Volume 2, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
Related links:
BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
Blog DVD Review: Kojak - Season Five (Shout! Factory, $44.99)
by skees53
Kojak is back one last time, for Kojak - Season Five! The final season of the classic detective drama starring Telly Savalas as he tries to solve all of the major crimes and murders on the streets of New York City. Created by Abby Mann, the series ran from 1973-1978 on CBS and created a legacy that lasted with TV movies going into the '80s and '90s.
The season begins with "The Queen of Hearts is Wild," where a witness in the murder of a police officer could help Kojak a lot... if her boyfriend didn't hate him. A psychotic killer thinks he is getting messages to kill from a talk show host in "A Strange Kind of Love." In "Laid Off," a laid-off police officer takes a bribe to support his sick wife. It's all out gang war in "Cry for the Kids." In "Once More From Birdland," a singer is determined to prove that father who has been in prison for 14 years is innocent. Kojak is out to find a missing $6 million. A model receives anonymous messages warning of a murder in "Letters of Death." In "Tears for All Who Loved Her," Crocker gets involved in romance while investigating a murder.
In the two-part episode "The Summer of '69," Kojak goes back in time eight years to when he killed a suspect in a murder case... but now he realizes that he may have killed the wrong guy. Kojak poses as a murdered private detective to find out why the man was killed in "Case Without a File." A detective is up against his wife's divorce lawyer after an arsonist destroys his boat in "I Could Kill My Wife's Lawyer." Kojak considers leaving the police department to become a private investigator for a law firm in "Justice For All." A surgeon may be performing unnecessary surgeries to pay off gambling debts in "Mouse." In "Chain of Custody," Kojak's reaction to an incompetent prosecutor gets him suspended from the force. Kojak tries to protect Captain McNeil's widowed sister-in-law from big-time gamblers in "The Captain's Brother's Wife."
Kojak helps a jealous police officer search for a professional hit man in "No License to Kill." In "The Halls of Terror," Kojak goes undercover in a hospital in an attempt to solve a string of murders. A retired police officer is injured after attempting to prevent the theft of a race horse in "May the Horse Be With You." In "Photo Must Credit Joe Paxton," a photographer becomes the prime suspect in a phony kidnapping and jewel theft. Crocker is taken hostage while transporting a prisoner back to New York in "60 Miles to Hell." The season ends with "In Full Command," where a disgruntled inspector (played by Danny Thomas) is willing to do anything to boost his career... no matter how awful.
The episodes appear to be unedited, although one does run about a minute shorter than the rest. I'm not sure if there is anything actually missing, though. Runtimes as follows:
Disc 1:
1. "The Queen of Hearts is Wild" (49:19)
2. "A Strange Kind of Love" (49:28)
3. "Laid Off" (49:14)
4. "Cry for the Kids" (49:26)
2. "A Strange Kind of Love" (49:28)
3. "Laid Off" (49:14)
4. "Cry for the Kids" (49:26)
Disc 2:
5. "Once More From Birdland" (49:23)
6. "Caper on a Quiet Street" (49:27)
7. "Letters of Death" (49:25)
8. "Tears for All Who Loved Her" (49:24)
6. "Caper on a Quiet Street" (49:27)
7. "Letters of Death" (49:25)
8. "Tears for All Who Loved Her" (49:24)
Disc 3:
9. "The Summer of '69 (Part 1)" (49:26)
10. "The Summer of '69 (Part 2)" (47:53)
11. "Case Without a File" (49:27)
12. "I Could Kill My Wife's Lawyer" (49:22)
10. "The Summer of '69 (Part 2)" (47:53)
11. "Case Without a File" (49:27)
12. "I Could Kill My Wife's Lawyer" (49:22)
Disc 4:
13. "Justice for All" (49:27)
14. "Mouse" (49:26)
15. "Chain of Custody" (49:27)
16. "The Captain's Brother's Wife" (49:26)
14. "Mouse" (49:26)
15. "Chain of Custody" (49:27)
16. "The Captain's Brother's Wife" (49:26)
Disc 5:
17. "No License to Kill" (49:25)
18. "The Halls of Terror" (49:28)
19. "May the Horse Be With You" (49:23)
18. "The Halls of Terror" (49:28)
19. "May the Horse Be With You" (49:23)
Disc 6:
20. "Photo Must Credit Joe Paxton" (49:28)
21. "60 Miles to Hell" (49:27)
22. "In Full Command" (49:27)
21. "60 Miles to Hell" (49:27)
22. "In Full Command" (49:27)
Once again, the set is packaged in a standard Viva-case. The cover art shows Kojak in front of the New York City skyline, while the back has several cast photos and gives a brief description of the season. Inside the case, you'll find the six discs, which just have the series logo and a grayscale photo of the Brooklyn Bridge on them. The episode titles, descriptions, and airdates are printed inside the case.
The menus for this set have evolved a bit with the new opening credits used for this season. The menu starts like the opening credits of the series with the flashing letters of the series title and the opening theme song playing in the background. The main menu gives options of Play All, along with a list of the episodes, with a head shot of Kojak to the right of the episodes. Chapters are placed at all of the commercial breaks.
There really aren't any concerns with the video and audio quality, but it isn't perfect. It looks about like any filmed series from the '70s would look on DVD without a whole lot of remastering. There is a little bit of grain and debris, but it isn't out of control. The mono audio is fine for the most part. Unfortunately, there are no subtitles or closed-captions.
There are no special features again this time. It would have been nice to have seen more of the "family interviews" to discuss the end of the series.
It is hard to believe, but we've reached completion for this series... and we've really gotten everything imaginable. Every single episode of the series has been released, every single movie (including the pilot and ABC Mystery Movies) has been released, and they've been mostly (all?) unedited as far as I can tell. Combined with the nice interviews included on some of the earlier releases, fans of Kojak should be pleased with what we've managed to get with these DVDs... especially since the series seemed to have been abandoned after the release of the first season in 2005, only to be revived less than a year ago to bring us the four remaining series and all of the movies. Fans of the series won't want to miss out on this set to complete their collection.
(4/5 stars)
To purchase this DVD, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Related links:
FOLLOW ME
Before we jump in full-force to this new section of Digital Digest, we thought that we should briefly introduce what we'll be doing here every week. In recent years, we've seen a lot of our favorite sitcom stars and other people (and even things) connected to sitcoms become more social with their fans through Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks out there. In our new feature, we will highlight Twitter accounts or Facebook pages that we think are worth following, with each one being presented in a different way. We're kicking off this feature with a theme for the month of September, where we'll feature stars of some of the new fall series. Now, enough with the intro... let's jump into this full-fledged!
Who to Follow: Matthew Perry (Twitter), star of NBC's Go On (premieres September 11)
Claim to Fame: Chandler Bing in the NBC series Friends, and starred on series which were much less successful such as Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and Mr. Sunshine
Tweets/Status Topics: Like many currently active celebrities, he likes to talk about the current happenings in his career and the daily life along the way. Lately he has been mostly discussing Go On, leading into the debut in just a few weeks. He does Tweet personal things about his life and family not related to his career, though, and also tends to get really active with his Tweets around Stanley Cup time.
Pick of the Tweets: "Sitting down to watch my first episode of Downton Abbey. Will everyone kindly get off my back about it now please?!?" (May 1, 2012)
Who to Follow: Matthew Perry (Twitter), star of NBC's Go On (premieres September 11)
Claim to Fame: Chandler Bing in the NBC series Friends, and starred on series which were much less successful such as Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and Mr. Sunshine
Tweets/Status Topics: Like many currently active celebrities, he likes to talk about the current happenings in his career and the daily life along the way. Lately he has been mostly discussing Go On, leading into the debut in just a few weeks. He does Tweet personal things about his life and family not related to his career, though, and also tends to get really active with his Tweets around Stanley Cup time.
Pick of the Tweets: "Sitting down to watch my first episode of Downton Abbey. Will everyone kindly get off my back about it now please?!?" (May 1, 2012)
That's all for this week. Until next time, keep it digital!
Saturday, July 07, 2012
Digital Digest: More Alice from Warner Archive; The Streets of San Francisco - Season 3, Volumes 1 and 2 DVD Review
Welcome to Digital Digest! We're in a slow news week this week (most likely due to the Independence Day Holiday), so we don't have a lot of fireworks to bring you... but we do have some! Plus, this week, we've got a review of The Streets of San Francisco - Season Three (Volume 1 and Volume 2). Let's get going!
DIGITAL NEWS
Hopefully, if you are a fan of the classic Linda Lavin series Alice, then you are enjoying Alice - The Complete First Season on DVD. But if you were excited about that release, then you'll be even more excited to learn that more Alice will be making it to DVD by the end of the year! According to the Warner Archive Facebook page,
We've told you about The Real McCoys - The Complete Series coming to DVD, and we gave you the release date provided by the pre-order listing on amazon.com of September 18. However, in the press release we obtained for the release, it appears that the set may actually be released a little earlier than that. The official press release gives a release date of August 28. Of course, we'll let you know when it actually is released.
The Dick Van Dyke Show - The Complete Series is one of the greatest sitcom release on DVD ever, but according to TVShowsOnDVD.com, we're about to get something even better! Image will be releasing the entire series again, but this time on Blu-ray! The October 30 release will contain every episode of the series in the high-def home media format. We'll let you know more as we find out more!
"We can officially confirm that due to unprecedented consumer response to ALICE Season 1, clearances have been expedited and work has begun to bring you ALICE Season 2 later this year. We also will be serving up WITHOUT A TRACE Season 4 in short order. :)"So it's official! Alice has done well on DVD, and we'll be seeing more! And there is even good news for fans of Without a Trace in there as well! We'll let you know more as we find out more.
We've told you about The Real McCoys - The Complete Series coming to DVD, and we gave you the release date provided by the pre-order listing on amazon.com of September 18. However, in the press release we obtained for the release, it appears that the set may actually be released a little earlier than that. The official press release gives a release date of August 28. Of course, we'll let you know when it actually is released.
The Dick Van Dyke Show - The Complete Series is one of the greatest sitcom release on DVD ever, but according to TVShowsOnDVD.com, we're about to get something even better! Image will be releasing the entire series again, but this time on Blu-ray! The October 30 release will contain every episode of the series in the high-def home media format. We'll let you know more as we find out more!
UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW
Tuesday (July 10) brings the first two seasons of a current sitcom back on home media, this time in Blu-ray, with Warner Home Video's releases of The Big Bang Theory - The Complete First Season (DVD/Blu-ray/Ultraviolet Combo) and The Big Bang Theory - The Complete Second Season (DVD/Blu-ray/Ultraviolet Combo). We'll have a review of both of these sets soon. Also, CBS has Father Dowling Mysteries - The Second Season. We'll have a review of this set on July 21 on Digital Digest.
BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
Blog DVD Review: The Streets of San Francisco - Season 3, Volumes 1 and 2 (CBS, $42.99 each)
by skees53
It's time to get back onto the streets with The Streets of San Francisco - Season 3, Volumes 1 and 2 on DVD! Both volumes are now available to purchase separately on DVD, and combined, they comprise the entire third season of the classic ABC crime drama. For those unfamiliar with the series, it was one of the many series of the era from the iconic Quinn Martin Productions (also responsible for series such as The Fugitive, Cannon, Barnaby Jones, and others) and starred Karl Malden and Michael Douglas (in his earliest days of fame) as Lt. Mike Stone and Inspector Steve Keller, two detectives out to solve crime on (where else?) the streets of San Francisco.
As mentioned, the season is split into two volumes which must be purchased individually, just like the first two seasons were when they were released on DVD, but both volumes were released on the same day. Since the sets are very similar, we've combined both volumes into one review.
Volume 1 begins with "One Last Shot," where an alcoholic cop gets his partner killed in the line of duty and tries to cover it up. A mobster seeks vengeance for his son's murder in "The Most Deadly Species." A government trained assassin is out to kill a Chinese diplomat in "Target: Red," unless Stone and Keller can stop him. John Davidson and Herb Edelman guest stars in "Mask of Death," a female impersonator (Davidson) has an alter ego which is more deadly than his stunning dresses. An AWOL Marine is murdered in "I Ain't Marchin' Anymore," leaving Keller to go undercover and join a commune of Vietnam draft dodgers to find answers to his murder… but he faces grave danger if the others discover he is a cop. A woman reports being strangled in "One Chance to Live," but Keller knows there is more than what she is saying to the story.
In "Jacob's Boy," Stone and Keller face a dilemma when the suspect in a murder case may be innocent this time, but may not have been in a cold case. Keller is taken hostage by domestic terrorists in "Flags of Terror." Eddie Barth (Myron Fowler from Simon & Simon) and Clint Howard (brother of Ron Howard) guest stars in "Cry Help!," where Howard plays a teen accused of murdering his best friend's stepfather. Mike Evans and Berlinda Tolbert both guest star (before they played a married couple on The Jeffersons just a few months later) in "For Good or Evil," where a witnessing a gang murder may lead to dire consequences. Keller is forced to go undercover as an Air Force Colonel to investigate another Colonel in "Bird of Prey." Volume 1 ends with "license to Kill," where Stone's ex-partner is in town, with a deadly vendetta on his mind.
Volume 2 begins with "The Twenty-Five Caliber Plague," where Stone and Keller follow a bloody trail left behind from a .25-caliber gun over the weekend. In "Mister Nobody," Stone and Keller have a confession for a murder, but they aren't buying it. A cop becomes a vigilante in an attempt to destroy a drug lord in his old neighborhood in "False Witness." In "Letters from the Grave," the remains of an inmate who was thought to have escaped from Alcatraz are found in the walls during some repairs 20 years later, and Stone and Keller are on the case. Stone has been demoted to a beat cop in "Endgame," but has he really been demoted or is this just another undercover operation? In "Ten Dollar Murder," a cop's son has been robbing taxis all over town, but things are about to get a lot worse for him.
A psychiatrist is trying to exploit his client, a convicted sex-offender, in "The Programming of Charlie Blake," and it isn't making Stone and Keller's role in a murder investigation any easier. A 12-year old girl wants to prove that her stepfather killed her mother in "River of Fear." Belinda Montgomery guest stars in "Asylum," where Keller goes undercover at a mental hospital in order to stop a serial killer's deadly spree. Stone and Keller have to search every room in a high-rise hotel to find a boxer who threw a mob hitman out of the window in "Labyrinth." The season (and volume 2) ends with "Solitaire," where Keller is shot on the job (don't worry, he'll be OK) and Stone is partnered with a shady officer who may have actually been involved in Keller's injury.
The episodes appear to be unedited, with each episode running around 51 minutes. In fact, CBS seems to have not even disturbed the music on the episodes in this set, as the episode "Mask of Death" originally had some music in it (performed by John Davidson) and it is all intact. Runtimes are as follows:
Volume 1
Disc 1:
1. "One Last Shot" (51:24)
2. "The Most Deadly Species" (51:29)
3. "Target: Red" (51:28)
4. "Mask of Death" (51:28)
Disc 2:
5. "I Ain't Marchin' Anymore" (51:24)
6. "One Chance to Live" (51:30)
7. "Jacob's Boy" (51:29)
8. "Flags of Terror" (51:31)
Disc 3:
9. "Cry Help!" (50:28)
10. "For Good or Evil" (51:28)
11. "Bird of Prey" (51:05)
12. "License to Kill" (51:06)
Volume 2
Disc 1:
1. "The Twenty-Five Caliber Plague" (50:47)
2. "Mister Nobody" (50:40)
3. "False Witness" (51:07)
4. "Letters from the Grave" (51:07)
Disc 2:
5. "Endgame" (51:08)
6. "Ten Dollar Murder" (50:47)
7. "The Programming of Charlie Blake" (50:49)
8. "River of Fear" (51:30)
Disc 3:
9. "Asylum" (50:47)
10. "Labyrinth" (50:28)
11. "Solitaire" (51:26)
The first two seasons were released in slimcases, but of course, as is the cast with just about all CBS releases, that has changed by now (after all, those were released four years ago). Now, we have each volume in a standard Viva case. On the cover of each set, there is a photo of Stone and Keller with a shot of the San Francisco bridge below them (with a green shade on Volume 1 and a gray shade on Volume 2). The back of each set describes the series, along with a few episodes on each set. There are also a few episode snapshots on the back. Inside the case, there is a listing of all of the episodes, along with original airdates and a brief description. Each set contains three discs, which just have the series logo and a listing of the episodes on the disc printed on each disc. Every disc on Volume 1 contains four episodes, and on Volume 2, the first two discs contain four episodes each, while the third disc contains just three episodes.
The main menu on each disc has photos of Stone and Keller, with video clips from the episodes playing between them. The theme song plays in the background, and options on the main menu include Play All, Episodes, and Subtitles. Once you select an option, you get an animated transition to the next menu featuring the audio at the end of the theme song. The episodes menu lists all of the episodes on the disc, with a snapshot from one of the featured episodes in the background. Once you select an episode, it plays immediately. Chapters are placed at all commercial breaks within the episode.
Like many other series which CBS has been releasing on DVD, this series has been remastered in HD. It really shows on here, and the episodes on this set look excellent. The episodes have one of the cleanest and most crisp pictures I've seen on almost any series, and if it wasn't for the outdated '70s fashions and scenery, this series would look like it was just recently filmed. This is best demonstrated in scenes with neutral backgrounds where just Michael Douglas is in the shot, as his "fashion sense" during the original run of the series actually doesn't look too outdated. There is some grain and debris on the episodes, but you'd have to watch very closely to even notice it. The audio, presented in mono, is plenty loud and clear. And there are subtitles for all of the episodes.
There are no special features on either release. It is understandable, though, because the series was really just about Karl Malden and Michael Douglas. Karl Malden is, of course, deceased, and as for Michael Douglas, he has obviously gone on to much bigger things. Still, maybe some old promos for the series would have been nice. They would have been something, at least.
All in all, these are two nice releases of the classic series on DVD, and it is nice to see that CBS has finally picked up the series on DVD once again after nearly a four year gap since the last release. I almost feared that the series was abandoned, but alas, it hasn't been. It gets even better, as CBS has already scheduled season 4 for release in just a little over a month! That'll leave only the fifth season (where Michael Douglas actually left the series) to be released. As for the series itself, it is a great series that is surprisingly well written, and unlike some crime dramas of the era, it really did manage to keep up with the changing times. The "I Ain't Marchin' Anymore" episode on Volume 1 best demonstrates that, where Keller shows some compassion for the Vietnam draft dodgers and is focused only on the fact that one was murdered, and that murder was wrong; it didn't at all focus on whether or not what the draft dodgers did was right or wrong, a change from some of the older series (like Dragnet) which would portray them in a very negative light just because they were draft dodgers. In fact, if anything, it almost seemed like Keller viewed himself as sort of a draft dodger, since he avoided going to Vietnam by going to college. It is also very interesting to see Michael Douglas in his early days of his career here. Who would have imagined that this was only the beginning of a career which would make this one of his less memorable contributions to entertainment? And that is saying a lot, considering that his portrayal of Steve Keller in this series is excellent. If you're a fan of classic detective dramas, particularly ones which became a bit more "enlightened" in the '70s such as Kojak, this is certainly one you won't want to miss out on.
As mentioned, the season is split into two volumes which must be purchased individually, just like the first two seasons were when they were released on DVD, but both volumes were released on the same day. Since the sets are very similar, we've combined both volumes into one review.
Volume 1 begins with "One Last Shot," where an alcoholic cop gets his partner killed in the line of duty and tries to cover it up. A mobster seeks vengeance for his son's murder in "The Most Deadly Species." A government trained assassin is out to kill a Chinese diplomat in "Target: Red," unless Stone and Keller can stop him. John Davidson and Herb Edelman guest stars in "Mask of Death," a female impersonator (Davidson) has an alter ego which is more deadly than his stunning dresses. An AWOL Marine is murdered in "I Ain't Marchin' Anymore," leaving Keller to go undercover and join a commune of Vietnam draft dodgers to find answers to his murder… but he faces grave danger if the others discover he is a cop. A woman reports being strangled in "One Chance to Live," but Keller knows there is more than what she is saying to the story.
In "Jacob's Boy," Stone and Keller face a dilemma when the suspect in a murder case may be innocent this time, but may not have been in a cold case. Keller is taken hostage by domestic terrorists in "Flags of Terror." Eddie Barth (Myron Fowler from Simon & Simon) and Clint Howard (brother of Ron Howard) guest stars in "Cry Help!," where Howard plays a teen accused of murdering his best friend's stepfather. Mike Evans and Berlinda Tolbert both guest star (before they played a married couple on The Jeffersons just a few months later) in "For Good or Evil," where a witnessing a gang murder may lead to dire consequences. Keller is forced to go undercover as an Air Force Colonel to investigate another Colonel in "Bird of Prey." Volume 1 ends with "license to Kill," where Stone's ex-partner is in town, with a deadly vendetta on his mind.
Volume 2 begins with "The Twenty-Five Caliber Plague," where Stone and Keller follow a bloody trail left behind from a .25-caliber gun over the weekend. In "Mister Nobody," Stone and Keller have a confession for a murder, but they aren't buying it. A cop becomes a vigilante in an attempt to destroy a drug lord in his old neighborhood in "False Witness." In "Letters from the Grave," the remains of an inmate who was thought to have escaped from Alcatraz are found in the walls during some repairs 20 years later, and Stone and Keller are on the case. Stone has been demoted to a beat cop in "Endgame," but has he really been demoted or is this just another undercover operation? In "Ten Dollar Murder," a cop's son has been robbing taxis all over town, but things are about to get a lot worse for him.
A psychiatrist is trying to exploit his client, a convicted sex-offender, in "The Programming of Charlie Blake," and it isn't making Stone and Keller's role in a murder investigation any easier. A 12-year old girl wants to prove that her stepfather killed her mother in "River of Fear." Belinda Montgomery guest stars in "Asylum," where Keller goes undercover at a mental hospital in order to stop a serial killer's deadly spree. Stone and Keller have to search every room in a high-rise hotel to find a boxer who threw a mob hitman out of the window in "Labyrinth." The season (and volume 2) ends with "Solitaire," where Keller is shot on the job (don't worry, he'll be OK) and Stone is partnered with a shady officer who may have actually been involved in Keller's injury.
The episodes appear to be unedited, with each episode running around 51 minutes. In fact, CBS seems to have not even disturbed the music on the episodes in this set, as the episode "Mask of Death" originally had some music in it (performed by John Davidson) and it is all intact. Runtimes are as follows:
Volume 1
Disc 1:
1. "One Last Shot" (51:24)
2. "The Most Deadly Species" (51:29)
3. "Target: Red" (51:28)
4. "Mask of Death" (51:28)
Disc 2:
5. "I Ain't Marchin' Anymore" (51:24)
6. "One Chance to Live" (51:30)
7. "Jacob's Boy" (51:29)
8. "Flags of Terror" (51:31)
Disc 3:
9. "Cry Help!" (50:28)
10. "For Good or Evil" (51:28)
11. "Bird of Prey" (51:05)
12. "License to Kill" (51:06)
Volume 2
Disc 1:
1. "The Twenty-Five Caliber Plague" (50:47)
2. "Mister Nobody" (50:40)
3. "False Witness" (51:07)
4. "Letters from the Grave" (51:07)
Disc 2:
5. "Endgame" (51:08)
6. "Ten Dollar Murder" (50:47)
7. "The Programming of Charlie Blake" (50:49)
8. "River of Fear" (51:30)
Disc 3:
9. "Asylum" (50:47)
10. "Labyrinth" (50:28)
11. "Solitaire" (51:26)
The first two seasons were released in slimcases, but of course, as is the cast with just about all CBS releases, that has changed by now (after all, those were released four years ago). Now, we have each volume in a standard Viva case. On the cover of each set, there is a photo of Stone and Keller with a shot of the San Francisco bridge below them (with a green shade on Volume 1 and a gray shade on Volume 2). The back of each set describes the series, along with a few episodes on each set. There are also a few episode snapshots on the back. Inside the case, there is a listing of all of the episodes, along with original airdates and a brief description. Each set contains three discs, which just have the series logo and a listing of the episodes on the disc printed on each disc. Every disc on Volume 1 contains four episodes, and on Volume 2, the first two discs contain four episodes each, while the third disc contains just three episodes.
The main menu on each disc has photos of Stone and Keller, with video clips from the episodes playing between them. The theme song plays in the background, and options on the main menu include Play All, Episodes, and Subtitles. Once you select an option, you get an animated transition to the next menu featuring the audio at the end of the theme song. The episodes menu lists all of the episodes on the disc, with a snapshot from one of the featured episodes in the background. Once you select an episode, it plays immediately. Chapters are placed at all commercial breaks within the episode.
Like many other series which CBS has been releasing on DVD, this series has been remastered in HD. It really shows on here, and the episodes on this set look excellent. The episodes have one of the cleanest and most crisp pictures I've seen on almost any series, and if it wasn't for the outdated '70s fashions and scenery, this series would look like it was just recently filmed. This is best demonstrated in scenes with neutral backgrounds where just Michael Douglas is in the shot, as his "fashion sense" during the original run of the series actually doesn't look too outdated. There is some grain and debris on the episodes, but you'd have to watch very closely to even notice it. The audio, presented in mono, is plenty loud and clear. And there are subtitles for all of the episodes.
There are no special features on either release. It is understandable, though, because the series was really just about Karl Malden and Michael Douglas. Karl Malden is, of course, deceased, and as for Michael Douglas, he has obviously gone on to much bigger things. Still, maybe some old promos for the series would have been nice. They would have been something, at least.
All in all, these are two nice releases of the classic series on DVD, and it is nice to see that CBS has finally picked up the series on DVD once again after nearly a four year gap since the last release. I almost feared that the series was abandoned, but alas, it hasn't been. It gets even better, as CBS has already scheduled season 4 for release in just a little over a month! That'll leave only the fifth season (where Michael Douglas actually left the series) to be released. As for the series itself, it is a great series that is surprisingly well written, and unlike some crime dramas of the era, it really did manage to keep up with the changing times. The "I Ain't Marchin' Anymore" episode on Volume 1 best demonstrates that, where Keller shows some compassion for the Vietnam draft dodgers and is focused only on the fact that one was murdered, and that murder was wrong; it didn't at all focus on whether or not what the draft dodgers did was right or wrong, a change from some of the older series (like Dragnet) which would portray them in a very negative light just because they were draft dodgers. In fact, if anything, it almost seemed like Keller viewed himself as sort of a draft dodger, since he avoided going to Vietnam by going to college. It is also very interesting to see Michael Douglas in his early days of his career here. Who would have imagined that this was only the beginning of a career which would make this one of his less memorable contributions to entertainment? And that is saying a lot, considering that his portrayal of Steve Keller in this series is excellent. If you're a fan of classic detective dramas, particularly ones which became a bit more "enlightened" in the '70s such as Kojak, this is certainly one you won't want to miss out on.
(4.5/5 stars)To purchase The Streets of San Francisco - Season Three, Volume 1, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
To purchase The Streets of San Francisco - Season Three, Volume 2, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
Related links:
CLICK OF THE WEEK
J! Archive (www.j-archive.com) - This website archives clues from Jeopardy! episodes going back over a decade. (What is J! Archive, Alex?) That's correct! Our Click of the Week this week is probably one of the simplest websites which we've ever presented. You won't find lost interviews with Alex Trebek on here, nor will you find bloopers, video, audio, or any of that. But the one thing that you will find... and lots of it... is boards from actual episodes of Jeopardy! In fact, you'll find every episode from the past decade (and even earlier than that) on this website, where you can view the categories, click on a value, read the clue, and read the answer. You can even find out what answers those who buzzed in gave... no matter how lousy they may have been (although the series doesn't lead to answers which are quite as hilarious as game shows like The Newlywed Game). So this week, we give you a simple site as our Click of the Week... but there is a LOT to click on here!
That's it for this week. Until next time, keep it digital!
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Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Thursday, April 23
Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "A Country Club, a Yokel and a New Boss" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Georgie’s plan to make new clients at the local country club backfires when its outdated policies upset Audrey. Meanwhile, Mandy struggles to prove herself at work.
Ghosts - "The Investor" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When a promising opportunity to save Woodstone is threatened by a personal conflict, Sam and Jay are forced into a difficult choice. Meanwhile, election day arrives as Flower and Isaac go head‑to‑head to become Ghost Representative. Justin Kirk gest sars as Tad, the Mayor.
Animal Control - "Golden Moose and Wiener Dogs" (Fox, 9:02PM ET/PT)
The team arrives at the Animal Control Officer of the Year awards and party ahead of the ceremony; it's Frank vs. Templeton for the big prize; Shred and Emily's secret romance is finally exposed.
Going Dutch - "NATOcean's Eleven" (Fox, 9:32PM ET/PT)
Gen. Martin launches a takeover of the base and plans to fire its entire staff; Maj. Shah grapples with a midlife crisis.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 20)
Thursday, April 23
- Ray Romano (Running Point/Everybody Loves Raymond) - Catch Ray on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Tracy Morgan (The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins/Crutch/The Last O.G./30 Rock/The Tracy Morgan Show) - Tracy is a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Kate Hudson (Running Point) - Kate is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. She also talks about Running Point on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- John Lithgow (Trial & Error/Twenty Good Years/3rd Rock from the Sun) - John talks about the Broadway play Giant on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
- Kate Hudson (Running Point and Justin Theroux (Running Point) - Kate and Justin chat with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT. Justin will also be on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and in the 9am hour.
- Cedric The Entertainer (The Neighborhood/The Last O.G./The Soul Man/The Steve Harvey Show) - Cedric talks about Broadway's Joe Turner’s Come and Gone on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Melissa Peterman (Happy's Place/Young Sheldon/Baby Daddy/Working Class/Reba) - Melissa talks about Happy's Place on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- D.L. Hughley (The Hughleys) - D.L. tells Sherri about his latest comedy tour on Sherri, so check your local listings.
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