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The Addams Family: Volume Two

It’s still a little mystifying as to why MGM decided to release this series in volumes rather than full-season sets, but, ultimately, you have to just accept it and say, “Eh, at least they’re here.” And, more importantly, the studio’s had the class to add a lot of special features. In addition to 21 episodes of the creepiest, kookiest, most mysterious and spookiest family of the ‘60s (sorry, Munsters, you’re just not even in the same league), there’s a very interesting featurette entitled, “Mad About The Addams,” where experts discuss the history of the show, as well as its cultural impact. In addition, a slightly less impressive interactive featurette is “Guest Star Séance,” which “conjures up” clips of the series’ more notable guest stars, along with a spooky voiceover, offering a few tidbits of trivia about each person. One episode has a Tombstone Trivia track (think “Pop-Up Video”), and there are a few commentaries as well, but the one from author Stephen Cox is decidedly more illuminating than those from Thing and Cousin Itt. (And, yes, we’re serious, there really is commentary from Thing and Cousin Itt.) You’ll find that “The Addams Family” remains one of the most immaculate transitions from cartoon to live-action series in television history.

Alex Borstein: Drop Dead Gorgeous

Alex Borstein is indeed a very funny lady. Most folks know her as the voice of Lois Griffin on “Family Guy,” or through her work on “MADtv”; unfortunately, this DVD is a mixed affair. Some moments are worthwhile – her impressions of Renee Zellweger and Natalie Merchant are particularly funny – while other bits, like a closing segment that gets a little too close to cornball territory, miss the mark. Especially painful is opening act Teddy Towne, played by Ted Hardwick; this guy is anything but funny, and you’re best left just not watching his segment at all. As an added bonus, Borstein takes the viewer through the “Family Guy” headquarters for a little tour. All in all, it’s a pleasant, though by no means essential, purchase for the Borstein fan.

Alias: The Complete Fourth Season

What happens when you’ve done everything you possibly can? You do it again, of course. The fourth season of the hit drama starts all over with Sydney, Vaughn, Dixon, Marshall and Jack working together again, this time for a CIA-controlled black ops unit run by, you guessed it, Arvin Sloan. The one new face in the group is Sydney’s half-sister Nadia, but it all feels the same. Sydney and Vaughn butt heads over their relationship; Jack and Arvin are emotionally cold; and Marshall plays the comedic relief. Oh, and did I mention the Russian zombies? Yeah, there's some of those here too.

Alias: The Final Season

It’s shocking enough to wake up and discover that you’re the victim of a horrendous car accident (not to mention that the love of your life – who’s just told you that he’s not the person he said he was – might be dead), but when you have a bunch of baddies posing as EMTs shooting at you with machine guns, well, you can go ahead and file that under “Bad Day.” Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) has been having a lot of those lately after joining the CIA back in year one of “Alias,” and though the series has arguably gotten out of hand since its premiere, this fifth and final season looks to tie up any loose ends by finally resolving just who the good guys and bad guys really are. The flip-flopping loyalties have been one of my biggest concerns, and it’s nice to know that, yes, both Arvin Sloan (Ron Rifkin) and Mama Bristow (Lena Olin) are indeed pure evil. Of course, since it’s the last season, the writers have also taken it upon themselves to clean house, killing just about every character they can without causing fan uproar. It also marks the dismissal of Greg Grunberg from the series, who, luckily, gets away unscathed, while Michael Vartan isn’t quite so lucky… or is he? Balthazar Getty (the new Vaughn) and Rachel Nichols (the new Sydney) are also introduced as new recruits for APO, but while they struggle to integrate into an already tight cast, the series ends well before they’re given the chance. Forget about Rimbaldi, it’s Garner who holds the true power in this story.

All-American Girl: The Complete Series

Margaret Cho’s grand debut to mainstream audiences probably looked a lot better on paper, but almost none of the comedian’s trademark routine was actually used in this short-lived sitcom about a Korean family living in America. Whether the creators were attempting to produce an Asian “Cosby Show” is unclear, but the series received a lot of heat from the Asian-American community for its portrayal of the main characters. In fact, the only redeeming quality of the series is that it gave Cho plenty of ammo for her groundbreaking one-woman show “I’m the One That I Want.” And while the series doesn’t offer much in terms of comedy, the included sitdown with Cho and co-star Amy Hill is definitely worth checking out.

The Amazing Race: The Seventh Season

Far and wide the best season of the series for one reason, and one reason alone: Rob & Amber. The addictively fascinating reality TV king and queen also finished runner-up in the competition, with only a few minutes difference standing in the way of taking home their second game show prize of the year. Now, fans of the show will probably say that they finally received their comeuppance for being such jerks, especially since they’ve been on a combined total of five reality shows (three “Survivor”s, one “Amazing Race,” and then their ABC wedding special), but there’s a good reason for this: they’re fun to watch, and if making good television is a sin… well… too bad.

The Andy Griffith Show: The Complete Seventh Season

Like its sixth and eighth seasons, the seventh season of “The Andy Griffith Show” starts with two strikes against it: it’s not in black and white, and Don Knotts isn’t a part of the cast anymore. (Knotts’ departure coincidentally occurred right about the same time the series started filming in color.) As such, it’s no surprise that the two best episodes of this season turn out to be the back-to-back pair when Barney Fife appears; in the first, Andy visits Barney at the Raleigh police department and helps save his old friend’s job, while in the second, Barney returns to Mayberry for a visit and ends up going on a date with an old girlfriend who’s now a big movie star. The latter has an oddly depressing ending, with Andy admitting to Aunt Bea after Barney’s departure that he really misses his friend and that “there’s only one Barney Fife.” (True, that.) Arguably more depressing, however, is “Floyd’s Barber Shop,” which was effectively actor Howard McNear’s swan song as Floyd the Barber; he appeared at least once more – in the last episode of the season – but he’d had a stroke earlier in the year and was clearly still dealing with its effects. (Indeed, he passed away less than two years later.) The small-town feel of earlier episodes isn’t as prevalent in this season, but Griffith and his cadre of regulars – George Lindsey (Goober), Frances Bavier (Aunt Bea), and Ron Howard (Opie) – still keep things enjoyable and worth watching…and viewers at the time certainly agreed; the show still remained solidly lodged in the top 10.

The Animation Show

“The Animation Show,” a semi-annual festival displaying the very best in animated shorts, premiered in 2003 under the tutelage of world-renowned cartoonists Don Hertzfeldt and Mike Judge. Available for the first time on DVD, the two-disc box set features just about every film from the first two festivals (some were replaced due to copyright issues) in an attempt to promote the release of the latest festival scheduled to being touring in early 2007. The first volume of the set is a mixed bag of traditional animation and CGI, but only a few of the titles actually belong in this best-of compilation including Tomek Baginksi’s “Cathedral,” Alex Budovsky’s “Bathtime in Clerkenwell,” Pjtor Sapegin’s “Aria,” and Don Hertzfeldt’s own “Billy’s Balloon.” The second volume offers a much better balance between quality and crap, but there are still only a couple standouts, like Bill Plympton’s Oscar-nominated “Guard Dog,” Tim Millers’ sci-fi- inspired “Rockfish,” Tomek Baginski’s darkly comical “Fallen Art” and Peter Cornwell’s brilliantly choreographed stop-motion short, “Ward 13.” The latter is the gem of the set, and should be seen by anyone who considers themselves a fan of Sam Raimi. All in all, “The Animation Show” isn’t a bad investment if you’re an enthusiast of the medium, but for everyone else, you’d be better off watching it for free on YouTube.

Aquarion: Season One, Part One

While the team-up of director Shoji Kawamori (“Escaflowne”) and composer Yoko Kanno (“Cowboy Bebop”) should have been an anime match made in heaven, there’s something overtly ham-fisted about “Aquarion.” It’s your basic giant flying mech anime, in which three cadets form the components of the overall machine, trying to battle evil “shadow angels” who are kidnapping humans to steal their prana (or souls, if you will). The CGI animation is breathtaking, but the stories are just too corny at times. The core of the series deals with a reincarnated spirit coming to help save the day (or planet, or universe) once again. The spirit decides to take root in a young kid named Apollo, who is more or less your modern day street urchin. Naturally, Apollo’s hidden powers come to the fore and he is soon joining the DEAVA special forces to be part of the Aquarion project. What could have been a really good series, though, is mired by cheeseball drama and the typical out of place erotic sequences. (Does Princess really need to almost have an orgasm every time she merges into Aquarion?) Once again, my three-year-old loves it, even if the majority of the story is over is head. Hey, kids love giant robots.

Back in the Day: Season One

If you’re a NASCAR fan, it’s a given that you’re familiar with Dale Earnhardt Jr., but unless you’re a subscriber to the SPEED Channel, you might not be familiar with “Back in the Day,” the show Earnhardt hosts for the cable network. It’s an interesting look into the early era of the sport, and probably a pretty cheap one, too. It basically just takes segments from Bud Lindemann’s “Car and Track” series – which aired in syndication during much of the 60s and 70s – and gives them what’s popularly referred to as the “Pop-Up Video” treatment. Factoid-filled bubbles appear at the bottom of the screen, providing historical context with various events that were going on at the time of the race being discussed. So where does Earnhardt come in? He provides new bumper segments between the old footage. Watching drivers like Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough and Junior Johnson in their prime is pretty damned cool, far cooler than the often-lame factoids. (When you’re watching these dudes burn rubber, do you really care that the most popular TV series at the time were “Gunsmoke” and “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In”?) Special features include a bonus interview with Earnhardt and the video for 3 Doors Down’s “The Road I’m On,” which prominently features Dale Jr.

Baki the Grappler: Season Two

For fans of martial arts anime only. Or maybe not. But there’s something decidedly “off” about the animation in general in regards to this series. It’s not that the voice acting doesn’t sync up with the characters or anything of that sort, it’s just that “Baki the Grappler” has a rather ugly look all around to it. It’s certainly not a visual treat like other animes that have arrived recently, an aspect that will undoubtedly appeal to some viewers out there. Story-wise, this is the tale of the title character, in his quest to battle and defeat his father Yujiro. Along the way, Baki fights a ton of different characters, each with their own tales to tell and their reasons why they are battling in the big tournament. Yeah, it’s a bit heavy-handed at times (no pun intended), and will appeal to those folks who enjoy not only martial arts but UFC fighting. This is tough, violent stuff. If only it didn’t look so ugly.

Banacek: Season Two

George Peppard is back as private investigator Thomas Banacek, a man known far and wide for his work with insurance companies. If you were around for our review of the show’s first season, you’ll recall that Banacek hunts down supposedly lost or destroyed property that’s been insured for outrageously large sums, taking 10 percent of the sum as a “finder’s fee” for his trouble. The concept continues to work just as well this time around, as does Peppard’s suave and intelligent portrayal of the character, which borrows a great deal from Cary Grant. Ralph Manza and Murray Matheson return as Banacek’s chauffeur and confidant, respectively, but added to the mix is Christine Belford as a rival investigator who’s also an occasional paramour of Banacek’s. (Things get a little tense as the season progresses when she gets engaged to a stuffed shirt named Henry Dewitt, played by Linden Chiles.) Viewers who are ‘70s superstar spotters will want to take particular notice of “The Vanishing Chalice,” which guest-stars both Cesar Romero and John Saxon, and “Now You See Me, Now You Don’t,” featuring Pat Harrington Jr., and Peter Marshall. The special features are just as dodgy this time as last (the phrase “virtually nonexistent” leaps to mind) but, again, just rescuing this gem from obscurity is worthy of praise.

The Batman: The Complete Second Season

It’s not what you’d call a coincidence that this animated series showed up on the heels of “Batman Begins,” nor is it happenstance that, like that film, it proceeds to focus on the first few years of the Batman’s career. Unfortunately, what could’ve been a great concept is dragged down dramatically by the decision to “revamp” the look of the classic Batman rogues gallery. While Catwoman and the Penguin manage to make it out relatively intact, maintaining their classic costumes, something’s gone horribly, horribly wrong with the Joker and the Riddler; the latter comes out looking like Marilyn Manson, and the former…I dunno, he’s wearing a weird paisley straitjacket and combat boots. I guess it’s supposed to be hip, but it looks more like a desperate attempt to be hip. (It’s a miserable failure.) On the up side, the theme song by the Edge is appropriately spooky, and the voice talent includes Ming-Na (“E.R.”), Mitch Pileggi (“The X-Files”), Tom Kenny (“SpongeBob Squarepants”), Gina Gershon as Catwoman (meow, indeed), and no less than Adam West himself as the Mayor of Gotham City. Unfortunately, though, the attempt at upping the “extreme” look of the well-established cast of characters leaves this as an alright show but ultimately a pale imitation of Paul Dini and Bruce Timm’s “Batman: The Animated Series.” By the way, the lone special feature on this set – “Catching Up With…The Batman” – spends a minute and a half summarizing the first season, then spends the rest of its time (only another minute and a half) showing highlights from the set you’re currently watching. What the hell’s the point?

Beauty and the Beast: The First Season

Ah, yes, the show that made Ron Perlman a star and kept Linda Hamilton working between the first two “Terminator” movies. “Beauty and the Beast” was mocked mercilessly by all the manly men whose wives and girlfriends were smitten by Vincent (Perlman), the half-man/half-cat who stalked through the sewers of New York City quoting Shakespeare. To be fair, there’s some validity to their mockery. Suspension of disbelief is one thing, but the two worlds of Vincent and attorney Catherine Chandler (Hamilton) were so incredibly disparate that it was hard to easily bounce back and forth between them. Well, hard for guys, anyway. Chicks were all over this show, due to the sexual tension between Vincent and Catherine which could never be resolved without teetering dangerously toward bestiality. Damn these stringent network standards of ours! What’s hardest to believe about this set is that a show voted one of the greatest cult TV series of all time has arrived in such a shoddy box (CBS’s standard method these days, with six discs placed in one plastic case) and without any special features. This thing is screaming to be packaged in a limited-edition velvet-lined boxed set with commentary on every episode. You know damn well that this show’s fans would buy it in a heartbeat, no matter what price tag you’d place on it.

Beavis & Butt-head: Volume Two

The humor of Mike Judge’s “Beavis and Butt-head” on MTV was more than just humor that a teenager can relate to. It was and is humor that anyone who’s ever been a teenager can relate to. It also serves to scare the crap out of any parent that has teenage kids, because they no doubt don’t want their kids to turn out this lazy or stupid. But either way, the new Mike Judge Collection of “Beavis” episodes is very good for two reasons – first of all, some of the funniest episodes are on the first two DVDs; and secondly, the bonus DVD features the dumbass duo busting on videos (which really made the show funny in the first place) and includes a feature called “Taint of Greatness” which has interviews with Judge and with folks like Snoop Dogg and Trey Parker. Some of the standout episodes are when Beavis and Butt-head get their hair done by a hot chick with large knockers (Butt-head: “Beavis, I’ve seen the top of the mountain, and it is good”), Beavis as Cornholio, and when they make crank phone calls to a guy in the phone book named “Harry Sachz.” Anyone who has ever so much as snickered at an episode of this show should pick up this collection -- the bonus disc alone is worth the price tag.

Ben 10: The Complete Season Two

As the name suggests, this is indeed the complete second season of the famous kid’s cartoon “Ben 10” as seen on Cartoon Network. For those who don’t know, the series revolves around Ben Tennyson, a 10-year-old who finds an alien watch called the Omnitrix in a crashed meteorite. The watch grafts on to Ben’s wrist and the next thing you know, he can turn into any one of 10 creatures. So he, his sister Gwen and their Grandpa Max travel around in a Winnebago, and defeat bad guys. Hey didn’t the old “Shazam!” show of the ‘70s follow a similar plot scheme? I thought so. At any rate, this is definitely a series for the kids. Despite a super-catchy and cool theme song, there isn’t a whole lot here for the older viewers. And, like a lot of other cartoons that are just quick fixes for the kids, “Ben 10” suffers from feeling the same from story to story without much development. But let’s not get too deep here. The younger viewers love this stuff and in that respect, it’s not a bad show at all. Hell, my kid even made sure we went to the toy store to buy an Omnitrix of his own after watching a couple episodes, so there ya go.

Ben 10: The Complete Season Three

Much better than season two of this famous kids’ show, season three of “Ben 10” features all 13 episodes across two DVDs, totaling up to 300 minutes of action-packed goodness. For some reason, it just seems that the writing was a bit tighter this time around, with episodes like “Midnight Madness” and “Ben 10,000” bringing exciting storylines and characters into the mix. “Super Alien Hero Buddy Adventures” features a good dose of laughs when Ben finds that his super powers have been ripped off and are suddenly being featured in a cartoon, and the two-parter comprised of “The Return” and “Be Afraid of the Dark” features a tight story arc that includes the formation of Team Tennyson. All in all, it’s pretty damn good stuff, and of course any of the kids who are into this series will instantly love it, so it’s a no-brainer purchase for them. Bonus features include a few deleted scenes, some promos, and an alien character gallery.

The Best of Bizarre, Vols. 3 & 4

If you had Showtime in the ‘80s (or if you’re Canadian), you probably remember “Bizarre,” the sketch comedy show starring John Byner; the show was produced in the Great White North, but while the Canucks got the lite version of the series, the episodes on Showtime were most notable because, in a nutshell, there were boobies. There was also cursing, but, first and foremost, there were boobies. Some of the material is seriously dated, as you might expect when the big guest stars are folks like Mr. T and Pat “Mr. Miyagi” Morita, but Byner is one of those guys who you’ll find is much funnier than you remember…if, in fact, you remember him at all. (It’s been quite a few years since he’s had steady work.) The best reason to check out these collections, however, isn’t Byner; it’s Super Dave Osborne, the daredevil played by Bob Einstein, a.k.a. a man who can keep a straight face for longer than just about anyone in comedy. Invariably, the Super Dave segments are the highlight of every episode. Someday, they’ll probably put together a Super Dave best-of, but, ‘til then, fans can at least snap these up.

The Best of the Colbert Report

At this point, there’s pretty much no denying that fake conservapundit Stephen Colbert is a veritable god among men — who else could start fights with Willie Nelson and Barry Manilow, and later join them both in song? Who else could market his “manseed,” “Stephen Colbert’s Formula 401” to a grateful nation? And who else could cause “Paper Bear” Bill O’Reilly to make an even bigger fool of himself than he regularly does on his own show? Released just in time for the 2007 Writer’s Guild strike — the only force on Earth able to stop Colbert’s manly progress — this is a solid greatest hits collection. Among other classics, the DVD includes: the first, and still the most famous of Colbert’s “The Word” segments: “Truthiness” (famously named Word of the Year by both the American Dialect Society and Miriam Webster); “Cooking with Feminists,” which had Stephen getting cozy in the kitchen with Gloria Steinem and Jane Fonda (and later, Jane and Stephen got even cozier…did Mrs. Colbert see that episode?); the mighty “Green Screen Challenge,” in which Stephen learned to let the Force flow through him, with George Lucas acting as his personal Obi-wan; and the earthshaking “Meta-Free-Phor-All,” in which Stephen pitted his metaphor-slinging abilities against his ultimate nemesis, Sean Penn, leaving the world sweating in its collectively soiled and blood-soaked underwear. A must for all good Americans -- you know, the ones who “get it.” Get it.

The Best of Comedy Central Presents

Love stand up comedy but don’t have the attention span for a full show? Then perhaps you’ll enjoy this DVD filled with bite-sized chunks of comedy routines from various episodes of the “Comedy Central Presents” series. As would be expected, this is a hit-and-miss affair. You’ll either laugh out loud or cringe at watching Dane Cook before he became larger than life. Lewis Black and Jim Gaffigan’s bits are obviously bankable and funny. The sorely missed Mitch Hedberg’s routine is actually funnier if viewed in both its aired and unaired versions included as a bonus disc with his second album. Brian Reagan gets some hilarious moments in, and Demetri Martin is the esoteric oddball of the bunch. However, Carlos Mencia hasn’t been funny ever (and even less so in light of Joe Rogan singling him out for stealing jokes from many other comics), and Jeff Dunham and that stupid stick puppet Jose Jalapeno is one of the lamest comedic acts of all time. This dude’s been running on fumes for far too long now. But overall, this disc is a solid collection filled with enough moments to keep you laughing. Plus, it’ll feed your comedy budget nicely as well.

The Best of Crank Yankers: Uncensored

No, this isn’t a review of a blank disc, but if you thought it might be, fair enough. The juvenile “Crank” humor is by no means broad enough to appeal to everyone; likewise, there’s probably a little something somewhere on this DVD to offend most anyone. Celebs like Jimmy Kimmel, Sarah Silverman and Wanda Sykes make genuine prank phone calls, then the recordings are taken and puppets are used to act them out. Hey, you gotta give ‘em credit for taking a low brow idea and putting a creative spin on it. Where the true perversity of the concept takes hold is in the look of the puppets -- they appear to have just marched down “Sesame Street” and into this foul-mouthed program. Some of the characters work (Hadassah, Niles Standish and Gladys), and others just don’t (Special Ed is a particularly unfunny and repetitive caricature). Regardless, it’s a novel idea, and far more work is put into the puppetry, sets and staging than is ever put into the phone calls. I’ve no idea if this is actually the “best” of the series, but it’s more hit than miss, and if you want to own a little sampling of this nonsense for parties and such, it’s an easy way to go. (It’s hard to imagine there’s anyone out there who’d actually want to own every season of this show.) The running time is 180 minutes and each phone call is chaptered for easy access. My favorite? The one where were a villain calls directory assistance and asks for help in locating Batman. “Do you have a street address?” she asks. He replies, “Try Wayne Manor.”

The Best Moments of the Amazing Kreskin

The ‘70s were a decade where just about anyone could get their own variety show, and here’s proof. The Amazing Kreskin – real name George Kresge – is, it must be said, one of the nerdier-looking guys you’re likely to see…and, yet, his purported psychic powers have resulted in the guy earning a very strong following; even now, he continues to make live appearances. (He also used to do some really hilarious guest spots on “Late Night with David Letterman,” and you can imagine how the ever-skeptical Dave treated Kreskin’s predictions.) These shows, which sometimes have celebrity guests (Loretta Swit, Nipsey Russell, and the Penthouse Pets are some of the folks who stop by), involve Kreskin performing tricks and discussing faith, magic, and whatnot; he also likes to go through the audience and guess how many kids a person has, even what their names are. Fans of David Copperfield, David Blaine, and even Penn and Teller will enjoy watching the tricks, but they don’t hold up for repeat viewings. On the special features front, Kreskin reminisces about the show, but the big bonus is that, if you buy one of the original pressings of this set, it comes with a reproduction of Kreskin’s ESP Game, which sold a million copies in its original release. In fact, I’m getting a prediction now: that these “Best Moments” won’t sell nearly that many copies.

The Bill: The Complete First Season

Contrary to what American moviegoers saw in Edgar Wright’s action-comedy “Hot Fuzz,” the world of British law enforcement is nothing like a big-budget Michael Bay movie. The crimes aren’t especially exciting, and police officers don’t shoot their guns while jumping through the air. In fact, they don’t even have guns, as is evident in the first season of “The Bill,” the longest-running cop drama on the other side of the pond. With cases revolving around such trivial crimes as fake bomb threats and schoolyard bullies, it’s hard to imagine how “The Bill” garnered so much critical claim during its 20-plus years on the air. Nonetheless, while the stories themselves appear ripped straight from an after-school special, the show’s colorful cast of characters makes “The Bill” a show worth checking out. And though the series has fast become notorious for serving as a stepping stool for up-and-coming British actors (if you haven’t been on “The Bill,” you haven’t officially “made it”), it’s the presence of the trademark Aaron Sorkin “walk and talk” (a whole 15 years before its supposed inception on the set of “The West Wing”) that gives it the respectability it so greatly deserves.

Billy and Mandy's Big Boogie Adventure

If you love “The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy” as seen on Cartoon Network, then you’ll undoubtedly love this feature-length animated movie as well. This time around, the Grim Reaper has been fired from his job for allowing his performance to slip due to Billy and Mandy’s shenanigans. So the three, along with Billy’s friend Irwin, go on a journey to seek out Horror’s Hand so Grim can regain his powers and prove once and for all that he is indeed the man for the job. However, he’ll have to beat his old enemy The Boogey Man (voiced by Fred Willard) in a race to the Hand if he wants to succeed. As expected, there are tons of juvenile and silly humor packed in tight, and any kid and adult fan of the show will dig it. Included as a bonus is the “Bully Boogie” short which features the debut of The Boogey Man on “The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy,” as well as a look behind the voice talents of the show itself (Greg Eagles, Richard Horvitz and Grey Delisle) and its creator (Maxwell Atoms). Groovy fun for all those normally inclined to watch the show.

Black Blood Brothers: Chapter Two

Though zombies have overtaken vampires as the head Hollywood monster for the time being, Japan has continued to embrace the superhuman bloodsucker as one of anime’s most popular leading characters. Nevertheless, while vampires would seem like the perfect subjects for an art style with very few rules, there’s not a whole lot of reinvention taking place within the genre. Take Showgate’s “Black Blood Brothers,” for instance. The main character looks like Dracula and fights like Blade, and the show blatantly steals mythology from both. The second chapter of the series – which finds Jiro and Kotaro finally arriving in the Special Zone, much to the disgust of the warring human and vampire factions – doesn’t feature a single original idea throughout the four-episode story arc. Infected super-vampires known as Kowloon Children have been ripped directly from Guillermo del Toro’s “Blade II,” while the various villains look like animated versions of former “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” heavies. The entire subgenre deserves much better than this, and though “Black Blood Brothers” looks great, it’s all style and no substance.

Black Blood Brothers: Chapter Three

When we last left Jiro and Kotaro, the two vampire brothers had been separated just as an all-out war between the Kowloon and the Company was hitting a fever pitch. Now, as the infected Kowloon spread across the Special Zone, the Company must join forces with the original black bloods in a battle against the new threat. Doing more to further the story than the first eight episodes combined, the third volume of “Black Blood Brothers” is a satisfying conclusion to a show that didn’t really deserve one. Those that watched the anime from the very beginning are aware that it was neither original nor particularly engaging, and though “Chapter Three” really picks up the pace with some great battle sequences, it’s a case of too little too late. The only reason this batch of episodes even turned out so well is conceivably because the series was performing poorly, and were the creators not forced to end things so quickly, it might have been just as dull. Still, thanks to a well-crafted, open-ended finale, “Black Blood Brothers” could very well live on should it experience a renewed interest on DVD.

Black Cat: The Series

Fans of “Fullmetal Alchemist” jonesing for another action-packed anime series needn’t look any further than Gonzo’s “Black Cat.” Based on the Shonen Jump manga of the same name, the series follows a veteran bounty hunter named Sven Vollfied as he takes two stray pupils – flawless assassin Train Heartnet and bioweapon-in-disguise Eve – under his wing. On the run from a secret organization of erasers known as Chronos (whom Train was once a member of, and Eve a target), the trio encounter additional opposition from a Taoist revolutionary group (the Apostles of the Star) determined to take down Chronos and anyone standing in their way. Though the series is dominated by highly stylized battles featuring everything from guns and swords to much cooler abilities, it does resort to brief moments of comedy at times – often to no effect. The long chunks of dialogue also severely bog down the pacing of the show, and while each episode lasts only 20-odd minutes, they sometimes feel twice as long. Nevertheless, “Black Cat” keeps things interesting by moving the story along with little distractions, and though it isn’t exactly breaking new ground in the action genre, it’s still a welcome addition to any fan’s collection.

The Black Donnellys: The Complete Series

NBC’s midseason replacement for “Studio 60” was a simple case of damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Whether or not it was better than the Aaron Sorkin drama is kind of a moot point, since America didn’t seem to show much interest in either. But it was an attractive premise nonetheless that, given the proper time to mature, certainly had the potential to become a flagship program for the network. Cleverly told from the point of view of the Donnelly’s fifth wheel (Joey Ice Cream) while awaiting trial in jail, the series follows the four Donnelly brothers (Tommy, Jimmy, Kevin and Sean) as they gradually become entangled in a citywide mob war between the Irish and the Italians. Created several years ago but deemed too mature for network television, the series was finally given the green light after co-creator Paul Haggis pocketed a few Oscars and the similarly themed “The Departed” entered award season riding high on buzz. Starting with a bang but ending with a whimper, the season finale wasn’t quite as world-turning as it was gearing up to be, but it did leave things wide open for a second season. Unfortunately, the series was promptly cancelled after only six episodes (the rest were available online after much whining from the fans), and though it wasn’t the greatest freshman effort of the year, it surely deserved better than this. NBC doesn’t agree, as they’ve outfitted the DVD release with absolutely no special features (oh wait, there’s one deleted scene), more or less cementing the fact that they’ve washed their hands of the show once and for all.

Blackstar: The Complete Series

I had fond memories of this show from my childhood because the concept was so cool. Astronaut John Blackstar’s space shuttle is pulled through a black hole and crashes on the planet Sagar, where he meets a shape-shifter named Klone and a sorceress named Mara. Blackstar teams up with them to fight a dark magician named the Overlord, going into battle riding a dragon and wielding a weapon called the Starsword. Thing is, though, that the Starsword is only half of an even more powerful weapon; the Overlord has the other half – the Powersword – and wants Blackstar’s half so that he can become even more powerful. Seriously, how epic does that sound? So why does it only get two stars? Easy: the Trobbits. That’s the name of the inhabitants of the planet Sagar. They’re like a cross between the Smurfs and Snow White’s seven dwarves…and they’re responsible for instilling the show with the kind of awful slapstick that’s dragged down many a children’s show. I had totally forgotten them; I can only presume I intentionally blocked them out in favor of the cool image of Blackstar riding his dragon while swinging the Starsword. (It’s such a cool image, in fact, that it’s on the cover of the set.) Given how awesome everything else related to the show is, you wouldn’t think a single ingredient like the Trobbits would be able to drag a show down as much as they do, but the proof is in the pudding: the show only lasted 13 episodes.

The Bob Newhart Show: Season Three

plays an innkeeper in Vermont. It’s the one where he plays a psychologist in Chicago. There’s still one constant, however: Bob Newhart plays Bob Hartley, the straight man in a world full of eccentrics. Of course, as a psychologist, you’d already figure that eccentrics would be easy to come by…but don’t underestimate his friends and family; they’re pretty odd in their own right. This is from the ‘70s, before story arcs were required by law, but if you’re keeping track, the major ongoing plot line from this season is that Bob’s sister, Ellen (Pat Finley), is dating the Harley’s next-door neighbor, Howard (Bill Daily). Otherwise, it’s essentially the same as in other seasons: Bob treats his patients at the office – including the great Jack Riley as Mr. Carlin – and has normal domestic goings-on at home, with his wife, Emily (Suzanne Pleshette). Fox picked up the slack after the first season was released on DVD, so this season, like its predecessor, features audio commentary from Newhart, Peter Bonerz (Bob’s dentist friend, Jerry), director James Burrows, and guest star Fred Willard. Great stuff all around, with laughs which remain funny no matter how many times you watch. Can you believe that, in its six year run, this show was never nominated for an Emmy Award? There just ain’t no justice.

Bob Saget: That Ain't Right

Never before have I seen a comedian use so much explicit language for the sole purpose of getting a rise out of his audience. True, Bob Saget’s got a lot working against him – what with his long stint on squeaky-clean TV shows like “Full House” and “America’s Funniest Home Videos.” But when the end result is an incoherent (and very unfunny) mess, you have to ask yourself: is there any method to the madness? Apparently not, and that’s where the comic’s act fails miserably. Relying too much on improv and dirty language (he’s obsessed with sticking pinkies up people’s butts), Saget talks about everything from fatherhood to killing vampires with garlic diarrhea, but it’s all incredibly R-rated, and unnecessarily so. I wasn’t even that surprised when he declared he would wrap up the show with a few songs (including one about his dog licking his balls), but I was a bit shocked to hear some people laughing in the audience.

Bosom Buddies: The Complete Second Season

If Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari weren’t such a great on-screen duo, we wouldn’t even rate this set this high, but, dammit, those guys are funny together. Kip (Hanks) and Henry (Scolari) are still living their dual lives as Buffy and Hildegarde at the women-only Susan B. Anthony Hotel, but that all goes to Hell in the season’s second episode, when their secret is revealed. Fortunately, the hotel’s new manager is their old buddy, Isabelle (Thelma Hopkins), who keeps it quiet from the majority of the other residents, with the exceptions being Amy and Sonny, played by Wendie Jo Sperber and Donna Dixon, respectively. This season also finds Kip and Henry leaving their job at their old ad firm – with boss Ruth Dunbar (Holland Taylor) in tow – to start their own firm: Sixty Seconds Street. Yeah, that’s about the level of humor we’re looking at, people. Don’t get excited by the words “Special Feature” on the back of the box, though. Someone at Paramount apparently thought they’d pacify fans by digging up the least-interesting show-related artifact possible, and the so-called “Sales Presentation” is, well, we don’t know what it is. It’s clearly not the original pitch reel for the show, because not only is it a bunch of random clips from both seasons of the show (there were only two, you know), but the voiceover references Hanks’ role in “Splash.” Maybe it was used to sell the show into syndication? One thing’s for certain, anyway: it’s in no way special.

Brad Stine: Tolerate This!

I’m a big fan of comedy, but one thing I didn’t find humorous was this DVD popping up in my mailbox. Talk about counting your lucky stars. Brad Stine may just be the worst comedian in the history of comedy, and yet he still has a loyal fan base willing to spend millions of dollars on his ever-growing collection of CDs and DVDs. Even Stine himself finds his material hilarious, because he laughs at every joke he tells – a surefire way of marking a no-talent hack. His clean Dennis Leary shtick is annoying at best, and while he’s thanking his fans for supporting “the comic for the other half of America,” I’m thinking that this “other half” must be missing their funny bone.

The Brak Show: Volume Two

I fell in love with the genius that is Brak long before he ever graduated to his own show; the songs he did during his days as Space Ghost’s sidekick were what sold me on his greatness, so there’d never be any argument about whether or not he deserved his own series. The reality, though, is that Brak isn’t in his own show nearly enough. His appearances – at least in this second collection of episodes, which contains the final 14 episodes of the series – tend to be sparse; he pops up, gets a few witty lines, and then the plot falls back to Dad or Zorak or even Thundercleese, the giant robot who looks suspiciously like a Transformer. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, you understand; Dad’s outrageous Spanish accent means that every line he delivers tends to be funny, Zorak still makes being evil look cool, and I’m going out on a limb and saying that Thundercleese deserves his own show. “The Brak Show” continues to be wildly eccentric, occasionally to the point of being virtually inaccessible to anyone who just happens upon it while channel surfing, but it’s still damned funny. The reason for such a low rating, however, is that after filling the first volume full of special features, Cartoon Network didn’t include a single freaking bonus for the fans on Volume 2. Nothing. Nada. Zip. It’s also damned annoying to know that there was one more episode of the show – “New Year's Eve Party at Brak's House” – that is MIA…and one can only presume that it’ll stay that way, because where the hell else is it going to turn up? Final bitch: why in God’s name did a DVD set with a sum total of 154 minutes of material need to be spread across two discs?

Bridezillas: The Complete First and Second Seasons

What do you call a completely normal bride-to-be who turns into a fire-breathing monster by her wedding day? A bridezilla, of course, and though the series – which chronicles the journey of a bride as she plans the “perfect wedding” – touts far more drama than actually takes place, the topic still makes for good reality television. In fact, one bride isn’t even aware that her cake has been emergency airlifted to the reception via helicopter, let alone her French-imported videographer having a meltdown all his own. Then again, this is Manhattan, and a majority of the planned weddings that appear on the show are more glamorous than most people could ever imagine. Every bride has her very own wedding planner, and the total cost of each occasion is rarely less than $100,000. One special bride even has a fancy beach get-together the day before her wedding that costs more than most couple’s entire ceremonies. Case in point: these are rich little brats who throw a hissy fit any time they don’t get their way; not just on their wedding day.

The Bugaloos: The Complete Series

The creations of Sid & Marty Krofft were everywhere in the ‘70s, fondly reminisced about during the ‘80s and ‘90s, and, now that they’re on DVD, it’s becoming increasingly clear that, um, they’re not as great as we remembered them. In some cases, it’s because you were a lot less concerned about production values when you were eight; in other cases, it’s because it turns out the acting was really quite awful. With “The Bugaloos,” it’s a little from Column A and a little from Column B…and, yet, in some ways, it’s held up better than you might expect. John McIndoe (in a role it’s rumored that Phil Collins auditioned for), Wayne Laryea, John Philpott, and the incredibly cute Caroline Ellis are the Bugaloos, four British insects who play sunny pop music when they’re not on the run from the villainous-yet-incompetent Benita Bizarre, played by Martha Raye. You’ll need less suspension of disbelief to buy the premise than you will to accept that the Krofft brothers didn’t smoke dope when they came up with the concept for the show. The Bugaloos’ songs are actually enjoyable enough to make you want to seek out the show’s soundtrack (which was, as it happens, recently reissued by UK label El Records), and, really, you have to respect a show with a character named Funky Rat. What’s most amazing is that the Bugaloos tend to use Cockney rhyming slang, which is impenetrable to most Americans; no surprise, then, that the show was more successful in England.

Charlie's Angels: The Complete Third Season

It’s a testament to the popularity of “Charlie’s Angels” that, for its third season premiere (a two-part episode), the show managed to rope Dean Martin in as a guest star…and it’s not just a cheap throwaway cameo appearance where he plays himself, either; he stars as a Vegas casino owner whose luck seems to be taking a turn for the worse, and he hires the Angels to investigate the unfortunate goings-on in his establishment. Vic Morrow, Scatman Crothers, and Dick Sergeant (a.k.a. the second Darren on “Bewitched”) also appear in the season opener, but the most hilarious guest spot comes from Robert Urich; he’s playing Dan Tana, his character from “Vega$,” but the lapels on his suit are longer than the amount of time he’s onscreen. You may remember this as the first full season with Cheryl Ladd playing the sister of Farrah Fawcett’s character; Fawcett made a handful of guest spots during the third year – enough for the set’s designers to be comfortable slapping her photo on the front cover as “guest star” – but she’s in no way a regular anymore. The cheese factor is definitely overwhelming any legitimate drama by this point…there’s an episode called “Disco Angels,” for God’s sake…or did that happen straight out of the starting gate? Oh, who cares, anyway? Just enjoy the parade of ‘70s-era guest stars (Sarah Purcell, Bubba Smith) and soon-to-be celebrities (Jamie Lee Curtis being the most notable) and, of course, enjoy the Angels in their tight-fitting outfits. Those assets are always worth watching.

Cheers: The Complete Seventh Season

I’m still partial to the Diane years, but Kristie Alley hits her prime in her second season playing Rebecca. She also looks hot as hell, as this was filmed years before she became the “Fat Actress.” The rest of the characters are as funny as ever, and Sam is back in control of the bar, much to Rebecca’s chagrin. Cheers never did “jump the shark” so you can’t go wrong with any season from this classic series.

CHiPs: The Complete First Season

God love Erik Estrada. Excepting his hilarious work on “Sealab 2021” and his stint on a popular Mexican telenovela (“Dos Mujeres, Un Camino”), he really hasn’t done much of note that hasn’t involved playing himself, but, even so, we’ll always remember him fondly for his work on “CHiPs.” Warner Brothers has apparently given up on waiting for the long-discussed feature film version of the show (with Wilmer “Fez” Valderrama playing Estrada’s role) and just decided to release “CHiPs: The Complete First Season” without waiting to make it a movie tie-in. For all the jokes people like to make at Estrada’s expense, though, his patented “look what an awesome ‘70s stud I am” performance as Officer Poncherello is what makes “CHiPs” worth watching. He plays the character as a guy who thinks he’s far more of a ladies man than he really is, and he’s pretty funny at it. Shame the same can’t be said for Larry Wilcox, whose performances often have you wondering if he once proved that he most certainly could act his way out of a paper bag, but blew his entire wad as a thespian while doing so. Still, “CHiPs” wouldn’t be “CHiPs” without both Ponch and Jon, so enjoy the cheesy ‘70s police drama, along with typical ‘70s guest stars like Jim Backus, Rosie Greer, Alice Ghostley, Phyllis Diller and – yes! – H.R. Pufnstuf. Additionally, Estrada has recorded new intros for several episodes and contributed to a featurette about himself, entitled “The Ride Out of Spanish Harlem.”

The Chris Rock Show: Seasons One & Two

It may have been an Emmy winning show. It may have even been the precursor to the far better and much funnier “Chappelle’s Show.” But one thing “The Chris Rock Show” hasn’t done is aged well. A lot of the jokes here are dated (the O.J. Simpson trial was still fresh when the first season aired) and too many of the interview guests aren’t very interesting (Jennifer Lewis, Vivica A. Fox, Jada Pinkett, Arsenio Hall). Even Rock himself seems uncomfortable and at a loss during some of the Q&A sessions. But this is the problem when releasing seasons of shows like these. You’re going to get plenty of skip-button moments to get to the good stuff. Thankfully, a lot of the comedy bits are spot-on. “The Black History Minute” segments are classic Rock, and his man-on-the-street bits are both funny and cringe-inducing. But Rock seems best and most effective in his stand-up arena. There’s no denying that Dave Chappelle cut a riskier, edgier, and undoubtedly funnier path from this same formula. If you’re a diehard fan, then you might find these two seasons worth digging through. Otherwise, stick to the highlights found in the better “The Best of the Chris Rock Show, Volumes 1 & 2.”

The Comeback: The Complete Series

For anyone that saw the pilot episode of “Sex & the City” creator Michael Patrick King’s HBO comedy, “The Comeback,” there’s a good chance you didn’t tune in the following week. The series wasn’t exactly given a fair chance, however, and it does get better with time; though how much better is still debatable. Starring Lisa Kudrow as a hasbeen sitcom queen desperate to revive her career, the show follows the actress as she attempts to make her big comeback with a role on the new sitcom, “Room & Bored,” as well as her very own reality series documenting the return to national television. Featuring the kind of “uncomfortable comedy” that either makes you laugh or drives you completely insane, “The Comeback” is drastically hit-and-miss, but Kudrow is pitch-perfect as the fallen star, a woman so tragically humiliating that it’s often difficult to endure. She more than deserves to take home the Emmy come award time, but her chances of winning will likely be crushed after the series was given the axe. It’s just too bad the show couldn’t find an audience during its thirteen-episode run, because this is the kind of television that most critics lap up like chocolate syrup on an ice cream sundae.

Comedy Central Presents: The Southern Gents of Comedy

It’s been just over five years since the release of “The Original Kings of Comedy,” the first live comedy concert (to my knowledge) to ever hit theaters. This colossal success, of course, was followed by the superior “Blue Collar Comedy Tour,” as well as direct-to-DVD rip-offs like “The Queens of Comedy” and “The Latin Kings of Comedy.” There’s even an Asian-themed concert, but the name of that disc escapes me at the moment. And if that wasn’t bad enough, Paramount is now releasing themed comedy DVDs to reflect faux groups, the latest of which being “The Southern Gents of Comedy,” a redneck jumble of four “Comedy Central Presents” half-hour sets featuring Ron White (before “Blue Collar” fame), Otis Lee Crenshaw (of “SNL” fame), Vic Henley and Steve McGrew. Any fan of White will enjoy his earlier work, and Crenshaw’s humorous songs are definitely worth checking out, but the real gem of the set is relative unknown Vic Henley. I’ve seen this guy once before on Comedy Central and always wondered why he wasn’t given the same kind of recognition as the Blue Collar guys, because he certainly deserves it. And though all four stand-up routines aren’t nearly as enjoyable as either of the “Blue Collar” concerts, there’s a good chance that you can catch them individually when they air on the comedy network.

Comedy Central Roast of Flavor Flav

As entertaining as Comedy Central’s roast of onetime Public Enemy jokester Flavor Flav is, the producers of the show might want to take this opportunity to reboot the property. The non-comedians are rarely funny (the part of Courtney Love is played here by the newly rehabbed Brigitte Nielsen), the insistence that Greg Giraldo and Jeffrey Ross appear at every roast is dubious – Jimmy Kimmel succinctly described Giraldo’s performance, telling him, “Greg, you killed, and once again, it will lead to nothing” – and lastly…Flavor Flav? You’re roasting Flavor Flav? Yes, the potential for comedy gold is great and alluring, but is he truly worthy of the honor? Indeed, you even get the sense that Comedy Central knows that roasting Flav was a dicey proposition, because they invited Carrot Top (!) to take part in the festivities. Two roastees in one! All in all, the show turns out fine, and the funniest line, again, belongs to Lisa Lampanelli, and it’s a clean one to boot: Carrot Top earned his nickname not because of the color of his hair, but because everyone would like to see him buried up to his forehead in dirt.

Comedy Central Roast of Pam Anderson Uncensored!

What a brilliant train wreck the roast of Pamela Anderson was. The house comics don’t know Anderson at all, which left them all cracking the same jokes about Pam’s boobs and Tommy Lee’s johnson. The guest roasters who did know her, like Lee, made for lousy comedians (and performer; man, was that song he did lame), though Courtney Love, as smashed as she was, actually delivered a pretty good, if overly karmic, set. Unfortunately, she didn’t have a sense of humor about anyone else’s jokes (“Fuck them,” she said to Pam during her routine), and frequently chastised the other comedians during their routines, even though they were merely doing their jobs. Andy Dick was equally humorless about the jokes at his expense, as was guest Anna Nicole Smith, who flipped the bird to one person who dared to make a joke about her. It’s a roast, people. If you don’t want people to make fun of you for the stupid things you’ve done, then stop doing stupid things. Pam, luckily, was a great sport, and gave as good as she got (“Nick DiPaolo came up to me backstage and told me what a huge Hole fan he was, so I introduced him to Lisa Lampanelli.”). If only all of the presenters had been as funny as Lampanelli, whose killer routine came way too late.

Comedy Central Roast of William Shatner

You have to give credit where credit is due: Comedy Central’s roast of William Shatner starts nice and strong. It opens with a brief monologue by host Jason Alexander, follows with a rapid-fire collection of clips from the man’s best and worst work, then leads directly into Shatner’s arrival in the studio. (He rides in on a stallion to the tune of Blues Image’s “Ride Captain Ride.” That’s money, baby!) Unfortunately, after Alexander’s return to the dais for a few more funny remarks, we move on the rest of the event, which is chock-full of what’s proven to be a staple of Comedy Central’s roasts: people who’ve never actually met the guest of honor spend their time making jokes that emphasize filth over funny, punctuated by shots of people laughing way too hard at what’s been said. Poor George Takei probably regrets coming out of the closet after the number of cheap shots taken at his homosexuality, but at least he gets his chance to fight back. His closing lines result in the night’s most priceless expression from Shatner. There certainly are some highlights, including a montage of the “best” moments of Shatner’s recording career and Kevin Pollak trotting out his immaculate impression of the Shatman. Patton Oswalt completely geeks it up at the podium as he drools over Jeri Ryan, and reminisces with Carrie Fisher about her stint in that gold bikini. And, okay, you have to laugh when Greg Giraldo calls out Nichelle Nichols, Betty White and Farrah Fawcett and says, “Uh, I’ll take ‘Women I Would’ve Masturbated To 30 Years Ago’ for $1,000.” On the whole, however, it’s all far too foul to really recommend.

Comic Relief: The Greatest... and the Latest

Critiquing any project that gives its proceeds to charity is akin to drowning kittens, but it must be said: while Shout! Factory’s two-DVD compilation of the nine Comic Relief shows is very funny, it does not live up to its massive potential. The first DVD, a clip show of highlights from the first eight shows, is fantastic (dig Dane Cook’s Daryl Hall-style mullet), but all too brief given the amount of material they had at their disposal. The disc also does not tell you the names of the comics while they’re doing their bits, which is a great disservice to the comics who no longer have the profile they had at the time (Michael Davis, Elayne Boosler). Disc Two is the ninth show, a benefit to victims of Hurricane Katrina, in its entirety, buy-a-Comic-Relief-t-shirt skits and all. The routines are funny – though it is amusing to see Sarah Silverman performing at the same show as Rosie O’Donnell – but one can’t shake the feeling that the set would have been better off mixing all nine shows and making both discs extended clip shows. It’s a worthy cause, and a damn good set, but a golden opportunity seems to have been missed here.

Crank Yankers: Season Two, Volume One

The series that took the Jerky Boys one step further. This uncensored DVD set features all the favorites: Birchum, Elmer, Niles Standish, Spoonie Luv, Hadassah and, of course, Special Ed. There also are hilarious guest appearances from Gilbert Gottfried, Super Dave Osborne, Kevin Nealon and Snoop Dogg, as well as an unaired call from stand-up comedian Mitch Hedberg and two bonus audio calls.

Da Ali G Show: Da Compleet Seereez

It’s really no surprise that after only two weeks in theaters, HBO is cashing in on the success of the feature-length film, “Borat,” by re-releasing the critically acclaimed series from which everyone’s favorite Kazakhstani journalist was first introduced. Running for only two seasons – and several more before that on the UK’s Channel 4 – “Da Ali G Show” garnered multiple Emmy nominations and highlighted star Sacha Baron Cohen as one of the premiere comics in the industry. But perhaps more importantly, the series also made some of the most powerful men in the country look like a bunch of impatient assholes. Case in point is Ali G’s one-minute sit-down with Donald Trump, who never actually sniffs out Cohen’s elaborate prank, but probably just doesn’t want to be stuck in the same room with some MTV-generation wankster. The title character’s interviews are absolutely hilarious – from his chat with Pat Buchanan about Iraq’s possession of “BLTs” to his description of Gore Vidal as a hair stylist – but it wouldn’t be nearly as effective if the whole show revolved around him. Luckily, Cohen makes great use of his other two characters – Borat and Austrian fashionista, Bruno – in order to deliver a balanced program filled with ignorance, arrogance and naivety. The four-disc box set doesn’t offer anything new apart from a schnazzy slip cover, but it’s the perfect companion piece to one of the greatest satires of the past decade.

Daniel Tosh: Completely Serious

The cover of Daniel Tosh’s new one-hour special may feature the rising talent in a Zen-like meditation, but his stand-up routine is anything but. From racy material about abortions and the handicapped, to one of my personal favorite pastimes (the necessary emasculation of Ashton Kutcher), there’s nothing Tosh is afraid to tackle. And while this would usually result in a lack of mainstream appeal, it’s actually the quite opposite. Tosh is not only one of the most requested comics in the country, but his style casts such a wide net that it’s no surprise his debut CD (True Stories I Made Up) has sold 10 million copies. Still, as is common in the world of comedy, Daniel Tosh isn’t for everyone, but if you’re a fan of guys like Louis C.K. and Jim Gaffigan (a strange combination, for sure), you’ll certainly enjoy his latest collection of jokes, quips and comments.

Dave Attell's Insomniac Tour

Filmed in Las Vegas at the House of Blues, Dave Attell has taken his late-night Comedy Central series to the stage and invited three of his best friends along for the ride. The comedy is fast and furious throughout the entire 90-minutes, and while this may be Dave’s special, it’s Dane Cook’s show through and through. Why else would the other three acts (by Attell, Greg Giraldo and Sean Rouse) preface Cook’s crowd-pleasing routine? Quite simply, because the manic comic has risen the ranks of rock star status over the past few years, and as his career continues to blossom, the other three guys wallow across the country booking whatever paying gigs they can get. This is the only performance of Cook’s currently available on DVD, however, making this a highly desirable disc amongst fans of the comic. Then again, you could always pocket the cash and wait for his HBO special, “Vicious Circle,” scheduled to debut sometime this summer.

Def Comedy Jam

If you’ve ever seen an episode of “Def Comedy Jam,” you already know that you’re gonna get a real mixed bag of comedians. If you haven’t seen the show before, take our word for it -- don’t believe the instant standing ovations the crowd gives to every single person who takes the stage. You’re usually averaging about one really hilarious comedian per episode, and on the first episode, it’s Tony Rock. He might not be as funny as his brother, Chris, but he definitely goes a long way toward proving the existence of a comedy gene. Episode Two is a little better, opening with Vince Morris (he mercilessly mocks the way ad agencies target the black community, claming that he recently heard a radio commercial which consisted of several seconds of beatboxing, followed by a voiceover saying, “Get your prostate checked”), then closes with a decent set by Earthquake. The second disc, which includes the third and fourth episodes of the show, fares about as well, and as far as the show’s latest host goes, well, Mike Epps ain’t no Martin Lawrence, but he gets the job done.

Demetri Martin. Person.

One of the more original voices in comedy today, Demetri Martin’s second TV special isn’t as strong as some of his earlier work (including his first appearance on Comedy Central and his debut CD These Are Jokes), but it still stands as one of the more memorable performances by any comedian of the past five years. A master of the one-liner, Martin’s style is best compared to the likes of Steven Wright, Mitch Hedberg and Zach Galifianakis. True, not exactly household names, but they’re all legends in their own right, and the 34-year-old comedian is well on his way to joining the ranks. What sets Martin apart from every other stand-up in the business, however, is his complete willingness to not only take risks, but to incorporate music and visuals into his act. Along with a hilarious monologue on everything from the inconsistencies of Paper-Rock-Scissors to realizing the full potential of an “exit only” door, Martin entertains the crowd with his social findings, tells jokes while playing the piano, guitar, harmonica and bells, shows off his personal drawings via a musical slideshow, and wraps it all up with a theatrical finale. This is intellectual comedy at its absolute best, and though the show isn’t as solid as it could have been, it still shows immense promise from a comedian who, for all intents and purposes, it just getting started.

Desperate Housewives: The Complete Second Season

Upon opening the box to the new DVD release of “Desperate Housewives: The Complete Second Season,” I discovered a small insert advertising the Wisteria Lane perfume (cleverly titled Forbidden Fruit) and thought to myself: “Since when do fictional characters get their own fragrances?” Still, despite never seeing a single episode of the show before writing this review, I actually found my first taste of the sarcastic quartet of protagonists to be quite satisfying. After only a few more episodes, however, it became quite clear why “Desperate Housewives” has fallen so far since its critically acclaimed debut: all of the pageantry is just too much. While pleasantly entertaining every now and again, the stories are far too outlandish to expect any casual fan to stick around for an entire year; especially the one about a crazy black lady (Alfre Woodard) who’s locked her husband in the basement, but still brings him dinner on a silver platter. There’s nothing particularly forbidden about watching this show, but just do so in small doses. And until better shows return to the air, be on the lookout for the new Jack Bauer cologne for men: Dammit.

Diagnosis Murder: The Complete First Season

God love Dick Van Dyke. He’s a funny, funny man, and “The Dick Van Dyke Show” will long be remembered as one of the greatest, most consistent sitcoms in television history, which is a right and just thing. Better he should have that achievement next to his name than, say, “Diagnosis Murder.” Van Dyke plays Dr. Mark Sloan, described on the back of the DVD box as a “good-natured, unconventional and sometimes zany physician with a lighthearted bedside manner and a nose for murder.” Your spider sense should’ve started tingling at the realization that, minus the “nose for murder” bit, the description is almost identical to that of one Patch Adams. But when you add in the fact that Van Dyke’s character is both zany and is a crime-solving doctor? No way. And, yet, it’s Dick Van Dyke. With his white hair, mustache, and mile-wide smile, you get suckered in. Not for long, mind you. I only lasted three episodes, personally. It’s just too...well, you can’t argue with the adjective. It is zany. Just not the good kind of zany. It also has Scott Baio playing a tough-guy resident, reminding you that as a serious actor, he’s quite the comedian. Again, God love ya, Dick, but I’m gonna go watch “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” and see if I can wash the taste of “Diagnosis Murder” out of my mouth.

The Dick Cavett Show: Hollywood Greats

It’s great to have all these Dick Cavett DVDs coming out lately. He was undoubtedly the hippest talk show host to emerge out of the format and being able to dig his interview style once again is a sincere joy. Fans of Cavett should pick up this latest collection simply for the Alfred Hitchcock and Orson Welles interviews. Suffice it to say that these two men were real geniuses of the silver screen. Hitchcock exudes a dry and dark sense of humor throughout, while Welles is simply captivating to watch as always, a master raconteur if ever there was. The show featuring Debbie Reynolds and an aged Groucho Marx is a hoot as well. Other guests include the reclusive Marlon Brando, Robert Mitchum, and Bette Davis. In all, there are four jam-packed discs with a new featurette called “Seeing Stars with Dick Cavett and Robert Osborne” that’s worth a viewing as well.

Dirt: The Complete First Season

It was only a matter of time before a show about the world of celebrity journalism was made, and FX is just the network you’d expect to make it happen. Already offering shows about morally ambiguous cops (“The Shield”), firemen (“Rescue Me”) and plastic surgeons (“Nip/Tuck”), it seemed only natural that the basic cable network would eventually extort some of the more morally ambiguous professionals in America. Starring Courtney Cox as magazine editor Lucy Spiller, “Dirt” follows the goings-on of a celebrity rag as it struggles to get the scoop on the latest gossip by any means necessary. Unfortunately, while the magazine side of the show is very interesting, the celebrity subplots are lacking the satirical bite they deserve. Instead, the writers are far more interested in spinning over-the-top subplots involving whiny A-listers who do drugs and fornicate, while parallels to real-life celebs are a little too wink-wink, even for a show like “Dirt.” Cox is great in the lead, however, proving once again that TV is where she shines the brightest, while co-star Ian Hart steals the show as schizophrenic paparazzo Don Konkey. Guest spots from Paul Reuben (who should be made a series regular) and Jennifer Aniston (whose season finale kiss with Cox can be chalked up as a last-ditch effort to earn ratings) definitely help to keep things fresh in the second half of the season, but the show is still nowhere near the quality that FX has been known to produce.

D.L. Hughley: Unapologetic

D.L. Hughley has done a bit of everything over the course of his comedic career. He was part of Russell Simmons’ Def Comedy Jam; he had his own TV show, “The Hughleys,” that ran for five seasons; he appeared in “The Original Kings of Comedy;” and played the character Simon Stiles on “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.” “Unapologetic” is his second HBO special, and while Hughley’s comic eye touches on everything from the usual topics as politics, his childhood, being a parent, immigration, and the rest, his routine is often hit and miss. There are definitely a number of moments here where the man is seriously funny, but unfortunately these points are countered by other routines that are simply average at best. Still, give Hughley the credit he deserves for having a wide array of talents that has allowed him to excel in his career, when many like-minded comics have failed. If you’re a fan, “Unapologetic” is certainly worth a rental.

Doctor Who: Robot

“Say hello to the new Doctor!” No doubt, that’s the phrase that popped up in the BBC’s advertisements for “Robot,” the “Doctor Who” serial which premiered on Dec. 28, 1974, and introduced us to the so-called Fourth Doctor, played by Tom Baker. It’s Baker who’s remained the most recognizable visage of Doctor Who over the years, thanks to his highly memorable floppy hat and rainbow scarf. Unfortunately, however, this is far from the most exciting of Baker’s adventures in the role. The Doctor and his companion, Sarah Jane Smith, find themselves teamed up with Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart and UNIT (United Nations Intelligence Taskforce) to stop a robot and a plan to hold the world for ransom under threat of nuclear attack. At the time, the premise was no doubt far more disconcerting than it is today, but current audiences may find this particular serial a bit more dialogue-heavy than they prefer. Still, it’s interesting to see how little Baker’s performance in the role changed over the years. It’s evident that he knew exactly how he wanted to play The Doctor, and he stuck with it until his departure from the series in 1981. As per usual, the DVD is chock full of extras, the most notable of which are an audio commentary from Baker, Elizabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane) and the serial’s writer, Terrance Dicks; and a new documentary about Baker’s introduction into the role of The Doctor. That’s the best bit about these “Doctor Who” DVDs: the fans are never, ever left wanting for special features.

Dragon Ball Z: The History of Trunks / Bardock: The Father of Goku

The first of the Dragon Ball Z movies, “The History of Trunks” and “Bardock: The Father of Goku” have finally been re-released on DVD to coincide with the launch of Season Four. Both films run about 45 minutes, and while they’re not essential to enjoying (or even understanding) the series, they serve as excellent supplemental material to the DBZ universe, something that can’t be said for many of the future films. “The History of Trunks” is undoubtedly the stronger of the two, and it’s best viewed chronologically before Episode 118 (“Frieza’s Counterattack”). Existing as a sort of “what-if” tale set in the future, the story follows teenage Trunks as he teams up with adult Gohan to take on Dr. Gero’s androids. The second film, “Bardock: The Father of Goku,” acts more like a prequel to the whole series (including the original “Dragon Ball”), as it chronicles the Saiyans’ demise at the hands of Frieza. Regrettably, most fans will have already heard the story before, as it’s been referenced in earlier episodes. Had they chosen to focus on an adolescent Prince Vegeta instead, the final product would have turned out a lot better. Nevertheless, if there are any films from the “DBZ” catalog that should be deemed must-see, it’s these two, and the fact that they’re packaged in an ultra-cool steelbook only makes the high price tag that much easier to swallow.

Dragon Ball Z: Season Two

Fans of the Japanese anime series “Dragon Ball Z” have a lot to be thankful for. Not only has their favorite show been digitally remastered and released on DVD in affordable season sets, but series producer Funimation isn’t wasting any time in delivering the goods. It seems like just yesterday that the first season of the series arrived on my doorstep, and with the second season now in stores (and the third season scheduled to arrive in August), this truly is the Year of the Dragon… Ball, that is. The second season of the show includes the Namek and Captain Ginyu sagas (two of the series’ best), in which our heroes travel to the planet of Namek to recover the original Dragon Balls and wish their fallen friends back to life. Meanwhile, Goku nurses himself back to health before joining Gohan, Krillin and Bulma in space, while the evil Lord Frieza seeks world domination by finding the Dragon Balls first. Along with acting as the precursor to Goku’s eventual Super Saiyan ascension, the second season also features Piccolo’s powerful transformation and Vegeta’s conversion into an unlikely hero. Of course, the season’s strength is the only reason this release deserves such a high rating, because there are absolutely no special features on the six-disc set. Here’s hoping Funimation remedies this on the next release, as a behind-the-scenes featurette on something as banal as voice recording would be better than nothing.

Dragon Ball Z: Season Four

Continuing in the tradition of releasing one new season every few months, the fourth season of “Dragon Ball Z” collects three of the series’ smaller story arcs – the Garlic Jr. Saga, the Trunks Saga and the Androids Saga – in a six-disc box set. With Goku still missing after his epic battle with Frieza, the fate of the world has been placed in Gohan’s hands, and his first mission is to send the recently escaped Garlic Jr. back to the Dead Zone. When Goku finally does return, his arrival is quickly overshadowed by the appearance of Future Trunks, who has traveled back in time to warn his friends of an impending attack by Dr. Gero and his androids. Dubbed the “bastard child” episodes by some fanboys, the Garlic Jr. Saga in particular doesn’t actually expand on the DBZ universe. In fact, the nine episodes that make up the mini-arc feel remarkably out of place, and while the Trunks and Android sagas aren’t essential either, they do at least serve as a bridge between the death of Frieza and the birth of Cell. It’s hardly Funimation’s fault for the quality of the episodes, however, and though they’re not exactly up to par with the rest of the series, they’re still a necessary addition to the Dragon Ball universe.

Dragnet 1967: Season One

This one’s a must-buy for any baby boomer who grew up watching this breakthrough cop drama, but we still prefer the comedic film version starring Tom Hanks and Dan Aykroyd. There’s a fine line between paying homage and spoofing a classic, and the 1987 film manages to do both without falling on its head. Still, Jack Webb has to be the best Joe Friday to ever portray the character.

Drawn Together: Season Two

Since the idea of “Drawn Together” is to scrape the recesses of childhood by re-imagining certain cartoon character archetypes into distorted versions of the already familiar, this review plays upon a fond childhood memory of mine: “Choose Your Own Adventure” books. Review 1: “Drawn Together” is a witty, fast-paced offering from the fine folks at Comedy Central. It’s supposed to be a sort of cartoon version of “Big Brother,” although that element has little to do with the overall execution of the series. Adam Carolla does the voice of Spanky Ham, and Foxxy Love will fuel the fantasies of many a “Josie and the Pussycats” fan. Humor is subjective, so while it may not tickle my funny bone, it could very well yours. If you choose Review 1, go forward and purchase this set, but, by all means, don’t show it to your grandmother. Review 2: “Drawn Together” is filthy, vile, borderline racist and draws only on the basest instincts of the most retarded eight-year old. It isn’t funny or well animated, and it makes little sense. Stick with “South Park;” at least those guys have something to say. If you choose Review 2, stay far away from this material. Review 3: “Drawn Together” may grow on the viewer who bothers to stick with it for more than a couple episodes, though what it would take for a person who isn’t reviewing the set to do that is beyond me. If you do choose Review 3, though, well, there’s always Netflix.

The Best of The Electric Company, Volume Two

We’ve already raved about Shout! Factory’s first “Electric Company” best-of, so it’s a given that we’ll be doing the same for the second volume as well. Once again, you get four discs worth of the series that helped many a child to read during the ‘70s, this reviewer included. Regular characters like Easy Reader, Fargo North, Decoder, and J. Arthur Crank are joined by guest stars like Carroll O’Connor and Jean Stapleton, Wilt Chamberlain, and Dean Martin. Among the special features are a nice featurette entitled “Remembering ‘The Electric Company,’” which offers new interviews with cast members Luis Avalos, Jimmy Boyd, Judy Graubart, Skip Hinnant, and Hattie Wilson (who later went on to play Ted Danson’s office manager on “Becker”), along with new episode introductions from the cast. The most interesting inclusion, though, is a 1975 documentary which shows the successful effects of the show on schoolchildren. (I can only presume I was already booked when they filmed it.) Sorry, but we’ve gotta dock it a half-star because, once again, we still aren’t given Tom Lehrer’s “L-Y.” Come on, Shout! Factory, I need that song!

The Ellen Show: The Complete Series

You’re probably thinking to yourself, “didn’t this series already come out on DVD?” The answer is no, but don’t conclude that you’re crazy for thinking so. This particular “Ellen” show, which hit the airwaves in 2001 (three years after the cancellation of the original “Ellen” and two before her Emmy Award-winning talk show), stars the comedian (post out-of-the-closet) as a failed dotcom executive who returns to her hometown to accept an achievement award and re-examine her life. Co-starring other great talents like Cloris Leachman (as Ellen’s mom) and Jim Gaffigan (as her ex-boyfriend), the series never really got a chance to find an audience and was unceremoniously cancelled midway through the first season. Still, the motives for cancellation were certainly there. The stories were uninspired, the jokes were lame, and unlike Ellen’s first series (as well as her stand-up routines), her character wasn’t given the freedom to be eccentric. Her performance reeks of an openly gay celebrity trying to win over mainstream America with safe comedy and, unfortunately, it doesn’t work.

Emergency: Season Two

There’s surprisingly little hyperbole involved when suggesting that “Emergency!” was the ‘70s equivalent of “ER” and “Third Watch” rolled into one show. No, the acting on Emergency!” wasn’t necessarily on par with those series – nor would one expect it to be, given that it was the brainchild of Jack Webb, the man with the definitive deadpan delivery – but “Emergency!”’s blending of tales from the hospital and the fire department were solid TV drama. Randolph Mantooth and Kevin Tighe played paramedics John Gage and Roy DeSoto, respectively, and, although their colleagues were regularly spotlighted in episodes, Gage and DeSoto never waived from the primary spotlight; in the hospital, the key physicians were Dr. Kelly Brackett (Robert Fuller) and Dr. Joe Early (Bobby Troup), working along with Nurse Dixie McCall (Julie London). Brackett was clearly intended to be the hip young doctor – how else to explain those sideburns? – with Early being the old hand who was always willing to assist his colleague. What made “Emergency!” really stand out was the authenticity of the medical dialogue as well as the situations to which the paramedics had to respond, which ranged from the serious (car crashes, drownings) to the mundane (kids getting stuck while crawling through windows). Because of that authenticity, however, the scripts feel a little dry at times, particularly when they’re falling back on how “ordinary folks” are scared to trust the medical abilities of the paramedics. (The concept of non-doctors working on patients was still relatively new.) For the most part, however, the drama holds up surprisingly well. As is standard practice for most Universal sets, there are no special features to be found, but it’s still good viewi