Little House On The praire (DVD) review

Nominated for 17 Emmys, including one Golden Globe for Best TV Series - Drama, Little House On The Prairie is one of the most popular shows in television history. Based on the autobiographical series of "Little House" books written by Laura Ingalls Wilder, the show explores the inner-workings of a small town and family on the 19th Century American frontier. Director/Co-Executive Producer Michael Landon (of Bonanza and Highway to Heaven fame) also wrote one-third of the episodes (in addition to playing a lead role as the family's father, Charles, when the actor originally cast for the part failed to show). Charles would go on to become one of the show's most popular characters, and Little House On The Prairie would become an American favorite, boasting ten successful seasons to its credit…

Little House On The Prairie follows the lives of the Ingalls family as they settle on the banks of Plum Creek in the township of Walnut Grove, Kansas during the 1870's. A true pioneer family, the story is seen through the eyes of the Ingalls' middle-daughter, Laura (Melissa Gilbert), who experiences all the normal growing pains and emotions of a young girl growing up on the prairie. Carpenter Charles Ingalls (Michael Landon) and his former school teacher wife, Caroline (Karen Grassle), head up a family of three that includes two additional daughters, Mary (Melissa Sue Anderson) and Carrie (Lindsay & Sidney Greenbush). The town also includes a loveable cast of supporting characters, such as Walnut Grove School teacher Eva Beadle (Charlotte Stewart), town doctor Hiram Baker (Kevin Hagen), pastor Robert Alden (Dabbs Greer), family friend Isaiah Edwards (Victor French), the wealthy Oleson family, and a host of other characters…

The Little House On The Prairie DVD features a number of dramatic episodes including the series premiere in which the Ingalls family travels from Big Woods, Wisconsin to the more open and fertile lands of the Kansas prairie. Along the way, they make friends with Mr. Edwards (who helps them settle), have a run-in with some Indians, and fight a dangerous fire… Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "Ma's Holiday" in which Charles and Caroline decide to go on a second honeymoon, and "Circus Man" in which a traveling salesmen tries to hoodwink the people of Walnut Grove into the notion that he possesses magic healing powers…

Below is a list of episodes included on the Little House On The Prairie (Season 1) DVD:

Episode xx (Pilot) Air Date: 03-30-1974
Episode 1 (Harvest of Friends) Air Date: 09-11-1974
Episode 2 (Country Girls) Air Date: 09-18-1974
Episode 3 (100 Mile Walk) Air Date: 09-25-1974
Episode 4 (Mr. Edwards' Homecoming) Air Date: 10-02-1974
Episode 5 (The Love of Johnny Johnson) Air Date: 10-09-1974
Episode 6 (If I Should Wake Before I Die) Air Date: 10-23-1974
Episode 7 (Town Party, Country Party) Air Date: 10-30-1974
Episode 8 (Ma's Holiday) Air Date: 11-06-1974
Episode 9 (School Mom) Air Date: 11-13-1974
Episode 10 (The Raccoon) Air Date: 11-20-1974
Episode 11 (The Voice of Tinker Jones) Air Date: 12-04-1974
Episode 12 (The Award) Air Date: 12-11-1974
Episode 13 (The Lord is My Shepard) Air Date: 12-18-1974
Episode 14 (Christmas at Plum Creek) Air Date: 12-25-1974
Episode 15 (Family Quarrel) Air Date: 01-15-1975
Episode 16 (Doctor's Lady) Air Date: 01-22-1975
Episode 17 (Plague) Air Date: 01-29-1975
Episode 18 (Circus Man) Air Date: 02-05-1975
Episode 19 (Child of Pain) Air Date: 02-12-1975
Episode 20 (Money Crop) Air Date: 02-19-1975
Episode 21 (Survival) Air Date: 02-26-1975
Episode 22 (To See the World) Air Date: 03-05-1975
Episode 23 (Founder's Day) Air Date: 05-07-1975




Sumber : http://ezinearticles.com/?Little-House-On-The-Prairie-%28Season-8%29-DVD-Review&id=157095

The New World (DVD) Review

Directed and written by Terrence Malick, the talented artist behind The Thin Red Line (1998), great anticipation surrounded the release of The New World. The project was bold and ambitious enough to peak one's interest, but unfortunately, the film could not deliver on its promise. Entire scenes drift by with nothing in particular being achieved to either advance the plot, the theme, or the premise of the film. Unfittingly, the soundtrack featured blaring snippets of concert music reminiscent of Richard Wagner, which would be great if The New World took place in 19th Century Venice instead of 17th Century America. Much more should be expected from James Horner whose brilliant work has enhanced such films as Field of Dreams, Braveheart, Legends of the Fall, and Titanic. The New World soundtrack is disaster almost on par with the latter film.

The rest of film isn't much better. Although it vividly illustrates the limitless possibility of early Jamestown and the majesty of the unspoiled wilderness surrounding it, the visual images are offset by poor dialogue and what seems to be an overly zealous attempt to manufacture a poetic awe-inspiring masterpiece of a film. Nevertheless, The New World does manage to summon images of the first European settlers and the hardship they must have faced. From this standpoint, one can say it has some reflective value for those who appreciate human history…

The New World begins by following the life of Captain John Smith (Colin Farrell). Landing in the New World with a convoy of Englishmen, he happens upon the Native American kingdom of Powhatan (August Schellenberg). Of course, most of the world knows the basic plotline. Smith's life is spared when his body is covered by Powhatan's beautiful daughter, Pocahontas (Q'Orianka Kilcher). Kilcher certainly displays the requisite physical beauty to portray the princess, but the script gives her little with which to work. Although a subject of controversy among historians, the film plays up the angle of a possible love affair between Smith and Pocahontas, but it accurately records her eventual marriage to John Rolfe (Christian Bale) and the couple's celebrated trip to London. But The New World's problems don't stem from historical accuracy, but rather from the fact that the preceding paragraph is a detailed account of everything that happens in a tedious two-hour fifteen-minute snoozer. In short, it's long and boring

As much as the film failed to live up to expectations, this much can be said for The New World: it accurately portrays the landscape of southeastern Virginia. That alone makes it immensely superior to Disney's Pocahontas which featured non-indigenous animals and forests peppered with waterfalls. Unfortunately, an entire generation of children gathered their personal knowledge of local geography from that film. From the perspective of set design, wardrobe, historical underpinnings, and the mere beauty of its images, The New World is a film to behold. However, from the standpoint of dialogue, plot, direction, and performance, The New World is an utter flop. Unless you're a history buff, and specifically a Jamestown junkie, avoid the film at all costs…



Sumber : http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Britt_Gillette

Smallville (DVD) Review

Leaping onto the television landscape in Fall 2001, Smallville follows the exploits of a young Clark Kent in the years leading up to his emergence as the beloved Superman. Following a slew of TV renditions of the character's life since the comic book first appeared, Smallville sets itself apart by focusing on the lesser discussed niche of Clark's earliest developmental days. Superb casting and consistent writing have combined to make Smallville one of the more popular shows on television (especially in international markets), making the show one of the WB network's most successful creations to date…

Tom Welling stars in the imminent role of teenager Clark Kent, a refugee from the dying planet of Krypton. His ship having landed in the rural American town of Smallville, Clark is raised by locals Martha (Annette O'Toole) and Jonathan Kent (John Schneider - of Dukes of Hazzard fame) as their own son. Unlike some of the film and TV spin-offs, Smallville attributes powers to other individuals in the area as a result of some of the debris associated with Krypton's destruction. As a result, Clark is forced to keep his own powers a secret while battling against other individuals who are more powerful than traditional human criminal elements. The show also provides a glimpse into the early friendship experienced between Clark and Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) as well as Clark's romance with two high school classmates, Chloe Sullivan (Allison Mack) and Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk). Part sci-fi fantasy and part teenage soap, Smallville is an instant television classic…

The Smallville DVD offers a number of exciting episodes including the series premiere in which the stage for the series is set by recounting the story of Clark's voyage to earth in the aftermath of Krypton's destruction. Clark meets Lex Luthor for the first time as well as a human mutated by the strange green rocks which accompanied Clark's spacecraft in the meteor shower… Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "Hourglass" in which the green rocks enable one man to reverse the aging process so that he can seek revenge on his enemies, and "Stray" in which a runaway kid named Ryan has the power to read minds, prompting his stepparents to attempt to exploit him for financial gain.

Below is a list of episodes included on the Smallville (Season 1) DVD:

Episode 1 (Pilot) Air Date: 10-16-2001
Episode 2 (Metamorphosis) Air Date: 10-23-2001
Episode 3 (Hothead) Air Date: 10-30-2001
Episode 4 (X-Ray) Air Date: 11-06-2001
Episode 5 (Cool) Air Date: 11-13-2001
Episode 6 (Hourglass) Air Date: 11-20-2001
Episode 7 (Craving) Air Date: 11-27-2001
Episode 8 (Jitters) Air Date: 12-11-2001
Episode 9 (Rogue) Air Date: 01-15-2002
Episode 10 (Shimmer) Air Date: 01-29-2002
Episode 11 (Hug) Air Date: 02-05-2002
Episode 12 (Leech) Air Date: 02-12-2002
Episode 13 (Kinetic) Air Date: 02-26-2002
Episode 14 (Zero) Air Date: 03-12-2002
Episode 15 (Nicodemus) Air Date: 03-19-2002
Episode 16 (Stray) Air Date: 04-16-2002
Episode 17 (Reaper) Air Date: 04-23-2002
Episode 18 (Drone) Air Date: 04-30-2002
Episode 19 (Crush) Air Date: 05-07-2002
Episode 20 (Obscura) Air Date: 05-14-2002
Episode 21 (Tempest) Air Date: 05-21-2002

Frasier (Season 5) DVD Review

One of the top-rated sitcoms of the 1990s decade, Frasier follows the life and times of radio psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane. Recently divorced, Frasier moves back to his hometown of Seattle where he attempts to rekindle relationships with both his father and brother. Frasier's father, Martin Crane (John Mahoney) was recently shot in the line of duty and forced into retirement when the wound left him with a limp. Frasier and his brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce) agree to have Marty move in with Frasier. Soon thereafter, they hire Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves) as the housekeeper and Martin's physical therapist. Frasier's colleague Roz Doyle makes recurring appearances throughout the series as well. One of the best written sitcoms of any era, Frasier is one of the few series in television history with hundreds of episodes which all hilarious…

The Frasier (Season 5) DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere "Frasier's Imaginary Friend" in which Frasier returns to Seattle from Acapulco where he enjoyed a blissful affair with a supermodel zoologist who, for personal reasons, asks him to keep their relationship a secret. But constant near-miss run-ins between Frasier's family and the woman lead them to question whether Frasier is involved in a relationship at all. Exasperated, he spills the beans – an action with profoundly negative consequences… Other notable episodes from Season 5 include "My Fair Frasier" in which Frasier finds himself as "the woman" in a relationship with a hard-nosed defense attorney, and "The Ski Lodge" in which the Crane family, Daphne, and her friend take a weekend trip to a ski lodge where romantic misunderstandings abound…

Below is a list of episodes included on the Frasier (Season 5) DVD:

Episode 97 (Frasier's Imaginary Friend) Air Date: 09-23-1997
Episode 98 (The Gift Horse) Air Date: 09-30-1997
Episode 99 (Halloween) Air Date: 10-28-1997
Episode 100 (The Kid) Air Date: 11-04-1997
Episode 101 (The 1000th Show) Air Date: 11-11-1997
Episode 102 (Voyage of the Damned) Air Date: 11-18-1997
Episode 103 (My Fair Frasier) Air Date: 11-25-1997
Episode 104 (Desperately Seeking Closure) Air Date: 12-09-1997
Episode 105 (Perspectives on Christmas) Air Date: 12-16-1997
Episode 106 (Where Every Bloke Knows Your Name) Air Date: 01-06-1998
Episode 107 (Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do) Air Date: 01-13-1998
Episode 108 (The Zoo Story) Air Date: 01-20-1998
Episode 109 (The Maris Counselor) Air Date: 02-03-1998
Episode 110 (The Ski Lodge) Air Date: 02-24-1998
Episode 111 (Room Service) Air Date: 03-03-1998
Episode 112 (Beware of Greeks) Air Date: 03-17-1998
Episode 113 (The Perfect Guy) Air Date: 03-24-1998
Episode 114 (Bad Dog) Air Date: 04-07-1998
Episode 115 (Frasier Gotta Have It) Air Date: 04-21-1998
Episode 116 (First Date) Air Date: 04-28-1998
Episode 117 (Roz and the Schnoz) Air Date: 05-05-1998
Episode 118 (The Life of the Party) Air Date: 05-12-1998
Episode 119 (Party, Party) Air Date: 05-19-1998
Episode 120 (Sweet Dreams) Air Date: 05-19-1998

Friends (Season 6) DVD Review

Friends is a hilarious show that follows the lives of six friends: Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), Ross Geller (David Schwimmer), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc), and Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry). Together, they form a memorable clique certain to entertain with their never ending antics and interesting relationships.

The Friends (Season 6) DVD offers a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere in Las Vegas where Ross and Rachel wake up to discover they've gotten married. Ross tells Rachel that he annulled the marriage, but then tells Phoebe he really didn't. Meanwhile, Chandler and Monica decide to move in together rather than get married… In other episodes, Joey pretends to be the owner of a Porsche, Ross bleaches his teeth, and Reese Witherspoon guest stars as Rachel's sister. In the season finale, Chandler proposes to Monica…

Below is a list of episodes included on the Friends (Season 6) DVD:

Episode 122 (The One After Vegas) Air Date: 09-23-1999
Episode 123 (The One Where Ross Hugs Rachel) Air Date: 09-30-1999
Episode 124 (The One with Ross's Denial) Air Date: 10-07-1999
Episode 125 (The One Where Joey Loses His Insurance) Air Date: 10-14-1999
Episode 126 (The One with Joey's Porsche) Air Date: 10-21-1999
Episode 127 (The One on the Last Night) Air Date: 11-04-1999
Episode 128 (The One Where Phoebe Runs) Air Date: 11-11-1999
Episode 129 (The One with Ross's Teeth) Air Date: 11-18-1999
Episode 130 (The One Where Ross Got High) Air Date: 11-25-1999
Episode 131 (The One with the Routine) Air Date: 12-16-1999
Episode 132 (The One with the Apothecary Table) Air Date: 01-06-2000
Episode 133 (The One with the Joke) Air Date: 01-13-2000
Episode 134 (The One with Rachel's Sister) Air Date: 02-03-2000
Episode 135 (The One Where Chandler Can't Cry) Air Date: 02-10-2000
Episode 136 (The One That Could've Been: Part 1) Air Date: 02-17-2000
Episode 137 (The One That Could've Been: Part 2) Air Date: 02-17-2000
Episode 138 (The One with Unagi) Air Date: 02-24-2000
Episode 139 (The One Where Ross Dates a Student) Air Date: 03-09-2000
Episode 140 (The One with Joey's Fridge) Air Date: 03-23-2000
Episode 141 (The One with Mac and C.H.E.E.S.E.) Air Date: 04-13-2000
Episode 142 (The One Where Ross Meets Elizabeth's Dad) Air Date: 04-27-2000
Episode 143 (The One Where Paul's the Man) Air Date: 05-04-2000
Episode 144 (The One with the Ring) Air Date: 05-11-2000
Episode 145 (The One with the Proposal: Part 1) Air Date: 05-18-2000
Episode 146 (The One with the Proposal: Part 2) Air Date: 05-18-2000 

Frasier (Season 2) DVD Review

Much like the shows Seinfeld and Friends, Frasier, the Kelsey Grammer Cheers spin-off, dominated the NBC prime time TV lineup throughout the 1990s. Grammer stars in the title role of Dr. Frasier Crane who, recently divorced, moves back to his home city of Seattle, Washington. Landing a gig as a radio psychiatrist, Frasier reluctantly agrees to let his father Marty (John Mahoney), a Seattle cop recently shot in an attempted robbery, move into his new bachelor pad. Both Frasier and his younger brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce) make a concerted effort to mend the relationship with their estranged father whose beer guzzling friends, plaid shirt wardrobe, and weathered recliner strike a dramatic contrast with the boys and their pretentious social circles. Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves) acts as Frasier's live-in housekeeper and Marty's personal physical therapist.

The Frasier (Season 2) DVD offers a number of hilarious episodes including episode #40 where Sam Malone (Ted Danson) visits Frasier in Seattle. Sam fills Frasier in on what the various members of the Cheers gang are now up to. In the next to last episode of the season, Frasier and Niles (against Martin's advice) purchase a restaurant they enjoyed during their youth and rename it "Les Freres Heureux" or "The Happy Brothers". The two inevitably run the operation into the ground (on opening night, nonetheless)…

Below is a list of episodes included on the Frasier (Season 2) DVD:

Episode 25 (Slow Tango in South Seattle) Air Date: 09-20-1994
Episode 26 (The Unkindest Cut of All) Air Date: 09-27-1994
Episode 27 (The Matchmaker) Air Date: 10-04-1994
Episode 28 (Flour Child) Air Date: 10-11-1994
Episode 29 (Duke's, We Hardly Knew You) Air Date: 10-18-1994
Episode 30 (The Botched Language of Cranes) Air Date: 11-01-1994
Episode 31 (The Candidate) Air Date: 11-08-1994
Episode 32 (Adventures in Paradise: Part 1) Air Date: 11-15-1994
Episode 33 (Adventures in Paradise: Part 2) Air Date: 11-22-1994
Episode 34 (Burying a Grudge) Air Date: 11-29-1994
Episode 35 (Seat of Power) Air Date: 12-13-1994
Episode 36 (Roz in the Doghouse) Air Date: 01-03-1995
Episode 37 (Retirement is Murder) Air Date: 01-10-1995
Episode 38 (Fool Me Once, Shame on You, Fool Me Twice…) Air Date: 02-07-1995
Episode 39 (You Scratch My Book…) Air Date: 02-14-1995
Episode 40 (The Show Where Sam Shows Up) Air Date: 02-21-1995
Episode 41 (Daphne's Room) Air Date: 02-28-1995
Episode 42 (The Club) Air Date: 03-21-1995
Episode 43 (Someone to Watch Over Me) Air Date: 03-28-1995
Episode 44 (Breaking the Ice) Air Date: 04-18-1995
Episode 45 (An Affair to Forget) Air Date: 05-02-1995
Episode 46 (Agents in America, Part III) Air Date: 05-09-1995
Episode 47 (The Innkeepers) Air Date: 05-16-1995
Episode 48 (Dark Victory) Air Date: 05-23-1995 

Star Trek (Season 2) DVD Review

Recipient of four Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Dramatic Series on two occasions in its short three-year run, Star Trek is a science-fiction legend among television viewers. The creation of former Los Angeles police officer Gene Roddenberry, the series first aired in Fall 1966 but was cancelled because of low ratings. It might have been NBC executives who were really responsible for the low ratings seeing as how they placed the show in a horrible time slot. Nevertheless, when Star Trek became syndicated, the reruns took hold of an entirely new generation, shooting the Star Trek franchise to new highs. It would be only the beginning of decades of spin-off products, including comics, novels, six feature films, and tons of merchandise as fans clamored for everything Star Trek-related…

The Star Trek (Season 2) DVD features a number of action-packed episodes including the season premiere "Amok Time" in which Spock begins to exhibit strange and irrational characteristics. Concerned, Kirk orders a full medical examination and learns that Spock is experiencing the instinctual mating patterns of a Vulcan and must return to his home planet immediately in order to avoid death. When they arrive, Spock's chosen mate challenges the pairing, prompting a duel between Spock and the man of her choosing. Kirk is chosen, and he and Spock are forced to fight to the death… Other notable episodes from Season 2 include "Metamorphosis" in which the Enterprise encounters a mysterious force known as The Companion which is in love with a human, and "Patterns of Force" in which the crew of the Enterprise visits a planet resembling the society of 20th Century Nazi Germany…

Below is a list of episodes included on the Star Trek (Season 2) DVD:

Episode 30 (Amok Time) Air Date: 09-15-1967
Episode 31 (Who Mourns for Adonais?) Air Date: 09-22-1967
Episode 32 (The Changeling) Air Date: 09-29-1967
Episode 33 (Mirror, Mirror) Air Date: 10-06-1967
Episode 34 (The Apple) Air Date: 10-13-1967
Episode 35 (The Doomsday Machine) Air Date: 10-20-1967
Episode 36 (Catspaw) Air Date: 10-27-1967
Episode 37 (I, Mudd) Air Date: 11-03-1967
Episode 38 (Metamorphosis) Air Date: 11-10-1967
Episode 39 (Journey to Babel) Air Date: 11-17-1967
Episode 40 (Friday's Child) Air Date: 12-01-1967
Episode 41 (The Deadly Years) Air Date: 12-08-1967
Episode 42 (Obsession) Air Date: 12-15-1967
Episode 43 (Wolf in the Fold) Air Date: 12-22-1967
Episode 44 (The Trouble with Tribbles) Air Date: 12-29-1967
Episode 45 (The Gamesters of Triskelion) Air Date: 01-05-1968
Episode 46 (A Piece of the Action) Air Date: 01-12-1968
Episode 47 (The Immunity Syndrome) Air Date: 01-19-1968
Episode 48 (A Private Little War) Air Date: 02-02-1968
Episode 49 (Return to Tomorrow) Air Date: 02-09-1968
Episode 50 (Patterns of Force) Air Date: 02-16-1968
Episode 51 (By Any Other Name) Air Date: 02-23-1968
Episode 52 (The Omega Glory) Air Date: 03-01-1968
Episode 53 (The Ultimate Computer) Air Date: 03-08-1968
Episode 54 (Bread and Circuses) Air Date: 03-15-1968
Episode 55 (Assignment: Earth) Air Date: 03-29-1968

Star Trek: The Next Generation (DVD) Review

Nominated for 58 Emmys, including one for Outstanding Drama Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation fulfilled all the potential and promise anticipated of a long-awaited successor to the original 1960s series - Star Trek. Created by a former L.A. police officer, Gene Roddenberry, the Star Trek TV series morphed into a franchise famous for the unprecedented fanatical devotion of its audience. Lasting only three seasons during its original network run, Star Trek struck gold with its syndicated reruns, launching a number of motion pictures featuring the original cast as well as novels, comic books, collectibles, and reams of Star Trek-related memorabilia. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) became the first TV series to follow on the heels of the original, and its success would spark the creation of three additional series - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993), Star Trek: Voyager (1995), and Star Trek: Enterprise (2001). But The Next Generation remained the most popular spin-off. Despite new characters and new episodes, the mission remained the same as before - "to boldly go where no man has gone before…" And to continue the rich tradition of the Star Trek name - a mission Star Trek: The Next Generation accomplishes with relative ease…

Star Trek: The Next Generation takes place in the 24th Century, almost one-hundred years after Captain Kirk's crew set out to explore strange new worlds. Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart - I Claudius) commands the USS Enterprise-D and its diverse crew of humans, cyborgs, and varying life forms. Accompanying him on his voyage is an entirely new cast of passengers and crew including Commander William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes - North & South), Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner), Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton), Lt. Tasha Yar (Denise Crosby), Lt. Worf (Michael Dorn), Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), and her son Ensign Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton)… Together, they struggle against numerous obstacles to carry out the mission of the USS Enterprise: "To explore strange new worlds… To seek out new life; new civilizations… To boldly go where no one has gone before!" This pioneering attitude, coupled with imaginative and brilliantly-produced alien worlds, provides Star Trek with its unique allure and special place within American pop culture - especially those episodes from the original series, widely regarded as the most popular of the Star Trek franchise…

The Star Trek: The Next Generation DVD features a number of exciting episodes including the series premiere "Encounter at Farpoint" in which the newly built USS Enterprise-D, commanded by Capt. Jean Luc Picard, is tasked with its first mission - to explore the area in and around Farpoint Station. But while carrying out their mission, the crew and passengers encounter a powerful life form known only as "Q". The being accuses the human race of high crimes against the galaxy, and he threatens to destroy all of humanity. Now, Capt. Picard and his crew must think fast, or else risk total annihilation… Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "The Battle" in which a mind-control device placed of a former ship of Capt. Picard forces him to re-live a battle from his past (with the USS Enterprise as the target!), and "Coming of Age" in which Wesley takes the Starfleet Academy entrance exam while Capt. Picard turns down a promotion in order to stay with the Enterprise
Below is a list of episodes included on the Star Trek: The Next Generation (Season 1) DVD:

Episode 1 (Encounter at Farpoint: Part 1) Air Date: 09-28-1987
Episode 2 (Encounter at Farpoint: Part 2) Air Date: 09-28-1987
Episode 3 (The Naked Now) Air Date: 10-05-1987
Episode 4 (Code of Honor) Air Date: 10-12-1987
Episode 5 (The Last Outpost) Air Date: 10-19-1987
Episode 6 (Where No One Has Gone Before) Air Date: 10-26-1987
Episode 7 (Lonely Among Us) Air Date: 11-02-1987
Episode 8 (Justice) Air Date: 11-09-1987
Episode 9 (The Battle) Air Date: 11-16-1987
Episode 10 (Hide and Q) Air Date: 11-23-1987
Episode 11 (Haven) Air Date: 11-30-1987
Episode 12 (The Big Goodbye) Air Date: 01-11-1988
Episode 13 (Datalore) Air Date: 01-18-1988
Episode 14 (Angel One) Air Date: 01-25-1988
Episode 15 (11001001) Air Date: 02-01-1988
Episode 16 (Too Short a Season) Air Date: 02-08-1988
Episode 17 (When the Bough Breaks) Air Date: 02-15-1988
Episode 18 (Home Soil) Air Date: 02-22-1988
Episode 19 (Coming of Age) Air Date: 03-14-1988
Episode 20 (Heart of Glory) Air Date: 03-21-1988
Episode 21 (The Arsenal of Freedom) Air Date: 04-11-1988
Episode 22 (Symbiosis) Air Date: 04-18-1988
Episode 23 (Skin of Evil) Air Date: 04-25-1988
Episode 24 (We'll Always Have Paris) Air Date: 05-02-1988
Episode 25 (Conspiracy) Air Date: 05-09-1988
Episode 26 (The Neutral Zone) Air Date: 05-16-1988

Oz (DVD) Review

Nominated for 2 Emmys, including Best Casting for a Series, Oz is widely regarded as one of the best prison dramas ever created. The brainchild of creator Tom Fontana (former writer for such hit TV shows as Homicide: Life On The Streets and St. Elsewhere), Oz was one of a number of a highly successful HBO original series to premiere in the 1990s, keeping good company among such shows as Sex And The City and The Sopranos. Premiering in mid-summer 1997, Oz quickly built a large and loyal following of voyeuristic viewers hypnotized by the series' vivid depiction of no-holds-barred prison life. Following six critically acclaimed seasons, Oz was cancelled in early 2003, but lives on via DVD…

Oz is the street name for the Oswald State Penitentary, a rough and hardened prison where survival of the fittest is the prevailing law. But the focus of Oz is Level 5, an experimental cell block deemed "Emerald City" that's managed by Unit Administrator Tim McManus (Terry Kinney) and thick-skinned Warden Leo Glynn (Ernie Hudson). One of the prisoners, wheelchair-bound convicted murderer Augustus Hill (Harold Perrineau Jr. of Lost) narrates for the viewer, tying together the various storylines that play out within the prison. In an atmosphere of well-governed anarchy, prisoners come and go (some paroled; some murdered), prison guards uphold their duty (while some are corrupt), and various groups (such as Muslims, Aryans, Latinos, Italians, gangstas, gays, etc.) compete for power over each other and over the prevalent drug trade rampant within the walls of Oz. Tobias "Toby" Beecher (Lee Tergesen) plays the "everyday man," having been convicted for manslaughter while driving drunk, and his character's experiences force the viewer to place himself in the shoes of the inmate. Other notable characters include Prisoner Miguel Alvarez (Kirk Acevedo), Prisoner Bob Rebadow (George Morfogen), Prisoner Vernon Schillinger (J.K. Simmons), Prisoner Kareem Said (Eamonn Walker), Prisoner Tony Masters (Steven Wishnoff), Officer Diane Whittlesey (Edie Falco of The Sopranos), and Father Ray Mukada (B.D. Wong of Law & Order: SVU). Together, they form a solid cast that makes Oz one of the best original cable dramas ever produced…

The Oz DVD features a number of dramatic episodes including the series premiere "The Routine" in which viewers are introduced to the newest crop of inmates to enter Oz (…ala Shawshank Redemption). Among them are Miguel Alvarez (who is promptly stabbed in the chest), Kareem Said (a respected Muslim leader who lets it be known that he now rules the prison), and Tobias Beecher (an out-of-place lawyer incarcerated for killing a little girl while driving drunk). As the newest inmates become acclimated to life in Oz, they also learn that "the routine" and not the omnipresent violence is what will ultimately kill their souls… Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "God's Chillin'" in which, among other things, some corrupt guards arrange and videotape a makeshift gladiator fight between inmates, and "A Game of Checkers" in which a prison riot breaks out when some inmates begin fighting over a game of checkers…

Below is a list of episodes included on the Oz (Season 1) DVD:

Episode 1 (The Routine) Air Date: 07-12-1997
Episode 2 (Visits, Conjugal, and Otherwise) Air Date: 07-14-1997
Episode 3 (God's Chillin') Air Date: 07-21-1997
Episode 4 (Capital P) Air Date: 07-28-1997
Episode 5 (Straight Life) Air Date: 08-04-1997
Episode 6 (To Your Health) Air Date: 08-11-1997
Episode 7 (Plan B) Air Date: 08-18-1997
Episode 8 (A Game of Checkers) Air Date: 08-25-1997

Christmas With The Kranks (DVD) Review

Based on the best-selling John Grisham novel titled Skipping Christmas, Christmas With The Kranks resembles the book in almost every facet save for the title. Starring Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis, Christmas With The Kranks is an instant Christmas holiday classic. Although not in the same league of Yule tide comedy gems Christmas Vacation and A Christmas Story, this film ranks high on my list of holiday laughers. The supporting cast (led by perpetual funnyman Dan Aykroyd) turns in a superb performance, making Christmas With The Kranks an easy film to relate to and one you'll want to see many times in the years to come…

When the college-age daughter of the Kranks joins the Peace Corps and flies to South America for Christmas, her mother battles with a case of the empty nest blues. But her father, accountant Luther Krank (Tim Allen), takes advantage of the opportunity to shake things up a bit. Tallying all the money he and his wife Nora (Jamie Lee Curtis) spend on Christmas, he determines that if they skip Christmas this year, they can afford to go on a week-long cruise instead and still pocket three thousand dollars in savings at the end of the trip.

But skipping Christmas turns out to be more difficult than they thought - especially when it comes to participating in neighborhood traditions such as the mounting of the roof-bound 'Frosties' (giant snowmen all the neighbors plant on their roofs). The neighborhood struggle over the Kranks' reluctance to put up their Frosty leads to some memorable and quite funny scenes where the couple encounters Vic Frohmeyer (Dan Aykroyd), the de facto leader of the neighborhood Christmas celebration. The Kranks continue to avoid all things Christmas related, and having visiting the tanning salon, they're prepared to go on their cruise Christmas Eve

But when their daughter Blair (Julie Gonzalo) calls with the announcement that she's getting married, and more importantly, that she's on a plane bound for home - the Kranks are forced to miss their cruise and recreate all the festivities of Christmas Past for Blair and her fiancée. But attempting to do a whole month's preparation in one evening proves to be a monumental task, and one filled with hilarious pitfalls and obstacles…

Offering hilarious scene after hilarious scene, Christmas With The Kranks is one of the funniest comedies in years, and certainly one of the top ten Christmas comedies of all time. At no time does the humor become outlandish or utterly ridiculous as so many such films tend to do. Overall, one of the more lovable aspects of this film is its ability to relate to so many American families. In fact, you might see a bit of your own family in Christmas With The Kranks… The fact that it's one of those rare holiday classics with the potential to be seen year after year makes Christmas With The Kranks a definite must-see movie…