DVD/TV Series Review: The Good Place Season 3

 

+++Warning, this will have spoilers from prior seasons, but no major giveaways from Season 3+++

The 12-episode third season of The Good Place aired during the fall of 2018 and winter of 2019. It continues telling the serial story, so there is no way you can jump into the show part-way through and have a hope of following along with it. The seasons tell one long story that will make little sense if you just try to start watching it halfway through. In fact, each episode begins with a title card listing the chapter number, which has been counting up from the start of the series. So, if you are going to watch it, start at season one.

The season begins with everyone back on Earth, with Michael having saved them all, altering the events just before they each died to keep them alive, in the hopes that they will, on their own, become better people and end up in "The Good Place. "Of course, things start to go off the rails, and the plan ends up changing. It is almost impossible not to give too much away, but by the end of the season, the show comes (almost) full circle with twists.

The show continues to be well-written and acted. You really do get the idea that the bulk of the story has been planned out from day one by the writers, so it has a very good flow, and keeping the number of episodes in the season low, really works well. While all the actors do a great job with their parts, D'Arcy Carden deserves special props for her portrayal of Janet because she has to play so much in one character. Most of the same guest stars make at least one appearance this season, including Maya Rudolph as the TV binge-watching judge and Adam Scott as a demon from "The Bad Place."

The DVD set is a two-disc set. While the show is fantastic, the DVD release, as has been the case with the prior seasons, is bad. It is basically a MOD release that happens to have a couple extras. The plus of getting the DVD is that some episodes have an extended running time over what was broadcast. I am not sure if Hulu has the extended episodes. The two extras are an 8-minute gag reel and a 2-minute special-effects reel. Otherwise, there are no commentary tracks, captions, behind-the-scenes material, or anything DVD sets used to get. And, of course, there is no blu-ray release, which is not surprising given that TV series blu-ray sales are so bad as a whole that only a select few series ever get a blu-ray release, and when they do, more and more, they are getting MOD releases. The DVD transfer is not of great quality, at least when watching it on a DVD player that does not have an HDMI connection. So, mainly, the reason to get this is the extended episodes and for those, like me, who still have a large physical disc collection to keep it complete. Otherwise, you are not getting much above just streaming it.

DVD/TV Series Review: Grounded for Life Season 5

 

Grounded For Life was a very underrated sitcom that aired from the early to mid-2000s. However, it ended up being a very uneven series due to a cancellation from FOX, switching to the WB network (and nights that it aired), and a good amount of cast turnover. The final season was really a partial season given to the series to give it a sendoff as opposed to an outright cancelation. The 13-episode 5th season aired during the 2004/2005 TV season. The actor who played Henry (Jake Burbage) left the show after the fourth season, and no explanation for his absence was ever given. There were only a couple of throwaway references to him in the final two episodes of the season. Walt (played by Richard Riehle), who had become a minor recurring character (which really hurt the show, in my opinion), only appeared in the series finale.

The show ended with a "life will go on" feel for the characters. The writers tied some things up by the end of the series but left a lot open for the characters, leaving the audience to imagine how life would work out for them. That was a fine way to end a series like this. Even though the series did not feel the same as in past seasons, it tried to hit on similar themes of family and growing up that had carried throughout the prior seasons. Overall, the show ended up with a 91-episode run, slightly under a "normal" five-season run for a series, which usually results in at least 100 episodes. While it was the right time to end the series, I would have liked the full original cast to have more of a presence, at least in the final couple of episodes.

The DVD set is a two-disc set. Of all the DVD releases for the series, this one is the most bare-bones. It just includes the episodes. It has no extras, and the episodes do not have captions. The DVDs do go out of print from time to time and can be harder to find at a reasonable price. If you can find the set at a fair price and have the other seasons, it is worth adding to your collection. If not, it is available to stream and I believe is included if you have Amazon Prime.

DVD/TV Series Review: Grounded For Life Season 4

 

The 28-episode fourth season of Grounded For Life aired during the 2003/2004 TV season. It ended up being the longest in the series run. This is because there were six episodes filmed during season three that were held over as the show moved from FOX to the WB network after FOX canceled it. While the show continued to be very funny, I think the downgrading of Richard Riehle's character to recurring (he only appeared in a few episodes this season) hurt the show. That said, since the show had a large ensemble cast, coming up with enough material to give all the characters enough of a story arc was hard, so I can see why they did it. However, having his character as a part of the dynamic regularly was missed.

For the most part, the show continued with the same feel as it had. Mostly, story-of-the-week episodes that did not carry over to subsequent episodes. They did not rely on flashbacks as much as in prior seasons to tell the stories. The show still incorporated them into most of the episodes; they just did not use as many as they did in the prior seasons. The show continued to use the themes of family and growing up, both for the kids and the adults of the show. Although the characters of Henry and Jimmy took a backseat to Lilly's storylines as far as the kid's characters went.

The DVD set is a four-disc set. The extras were the same as the season-three set. Commentary tracks on select episodes and previews for other DVD sets released around the same time. There are no other behind-the-scenes materials. Chances are, the only people likely to get these DVDs are people who were fans of the show when it was on the air. The sets are going out of print and getting much harder to find as time goes by, which is why some are $50+. This one is the most expensive of the individual season sets, so if you can find it for a reasonable price, pounce on it because they may get more expensive as time goes by. And, given that TV series being released on physical discs are going the way of the dodo bird, the chances of it ever getting another DVD printing is slim to none.

DVD/TV Series Review: Grounded For Life Season 3

 

The 11-episode third season of Grounded For Life aired during the 2002/2003 TV season. It ended up being a bit of a mess for the series, primarily because Fox ended up canceling it, and it was then picked up by the WB network. So, some episodes aired on FOX, and others aired months later on the WB. A couple of the episodes filmed during the third season never aired on either network (but are included in this DVD set's bonus features), yet other episodes were held for the fourth season. Needless to say, it was a bit hard to follow as the show aired, but having things in the correct order on DVD makes it better.

The season starts out with life changes for the family, as the result of Claudia's pregnancy test at the end of the second season is revealed. I will not reveal everything that happens, but some things about the show stayed the same, but others changed quite a bit, brought on by the kids growing up and Richard Riehle being downgraded from a series regular to a recurring role, which, in my opinion, did hurt the show a lot. In the shows that aired on TV, he was only in one episode this season, but he did appear in the two bonus, unaired episodes. The show continued to deal with themes about growing up, both for the kids and the adults, in a humorous way, including relationships, peer pressure, sex, etc.

The DVD set is a two-disc set. The bonus material includes the two unaired episodes and commentary tracks by cast members and showrunners on a few select episodes. There are no other behind-the-scenes material or cast interviews as there are for the sets for the first and second seasons. As is the case for the other seasons, the DVDs are basically out of print and getting harder to find at a reasonable price, so if you are a fan of the show and see the sets at a good price, they are worth the pickup, even though the DVD sets are fairly bare-bones.

DVD/TV Series Review: Grounded For Life Season 2

 

Grounded for Life was one of the shows on Fox that was always on the brink of cancellation, yet ended up with a five-season run (although a couple of those seasons were partial seasons, so in episode count, the series had about 4 "full" seasons worth of episodes). The 22-episode second season aired during the 2001/2002 season. 

The feel of the second season was much like the first, with the episodes telling a self-contained story, picking up the story in the middle (or later) of the story, and then catching the audience up using flashbacks. This season tackled topics like pregnancy scares, the teenage sex talk, Claudia taking up smoking again, adolescent love, both requited and unrequited, etc. The show told serious stories with a comedic twist, without going over the top into stupid, hokey comedy.

The best part of the show is that it depicted real people in relatable situations. The cast did not look like a bunch of supermodels, and the people were not depicted as perfect like a lot of sitcom families are. It filled in the studio audience's reactions with laugh tracks, but that never bothered me. I know some people hate shows with laugh tracks, so if that is you, it is worth keeping in mind.

As with the first season release, this DVD set is fairly bare-bones. It contains the 22 episodes on three discs. The discs are in paper sleeves inside the case, which sit in a rectangular cutout. It is actually a pretty good setup to keep the discs from getting scratched up. There are no captions, which may be a pain if you are hard of hearing or watch TV while working out on a treadmill or elliptical or something like that. There are about 25 minutes of extras, including an interview with Kevin Corrigan, a gag reel, an interview with Jake Burbage and Griffen Frazen, a sizzle reel of season-two highlights, and a segment on Ashton Kutcher's guest-starring role. Other notable guest stars in season two include Stephan Root, Natasha Lyonne, and football players Jim McMahon and Willie Gault during a Superbowl episode.

Chances are anyone who knows about the show after all this time will be a fan trying to track down the DVDs. They are getting harder to find at a reasonable price as they are now out of print. So, if you are a fan and you see the sets at a good price, snap them up because they may not be around that much longer, and I have not (as of this writing) seen the show on any of the streaming services. The DVD release is not great, but it is likely the best that will ever be put out for the show.

DVD/TV Series Review: Grounded For Life Season 1

 

Grounded For Life was an early 2000s sitcom about a young, middle-class, or lower-middle-class family living in Staten Island, NY. It starred Donal Louge, Megyn Price, Lynsey Bartilson, Griffin Frazen, Jake Burbage, Kevin Corrigan, Richard Riehle,  Bret Harrison, and Miriam Flynn. The 15-episode first season aired during the winter and spring of 2001. The show's premise is that a couple named Sean and Claudia Finnerty, played by Donal Logue and Megyn Price, have a kid just out of high school (and eventually two more kids) and are still growing up as they raise a family. They make plenty of mistakes and learn about life and parenting along the way.

Like most family-based sitcoms, pretty much every episode has a self-contained story that involves some conflict that has to be resolved by the end of the episode. The twist that the series puts on it is that the show starts the story halfway to two-thirds of the way into the story, so the conflict or disaster has either happened or is ongoing, then tells, through flashbacks, what led up to the point where the episode starts. It was a fairly unique way of storytelling for sitcoms up to that point and kept it from being a cookie-cutter, carbon copy of what had come before.

The rest of the main cast included Kevin Corrigan as Sean's slacker brother, Richard Riehle as Sean's dad, and, Lynsey Bartilson, Jake Burbage, and Griffin Frazen, as the kids Lilly, Henry, and Jake. All the actors and actresses did a great job and had chances to steal scenes they were in. Lynsey Bartilson did a great job playing a moody teenage girl (with a great shriek when she got mad) who often scared the adults who had the responsibility to punish or lay down the law with her.

The DVD set is a four-disc set. The DVD release is bare-bones, with just the episodes and a handful of extras. The Mill Creek releases (which are not easy to find since they are out of print) are getting harder and harder to find at a reasonable price. They were put out years after the series ended as TV series releases on DVD were getting very scaled back, so you will not get commentaries, captions, or extremely in-depth behind-the-scenes material. That said, the extras included are still more than a lot of the sets are putting out these days (the end of 2019 as I write this), where many DVDs or, in the even rarer case, blu-ray releases just provide the episodes and nothing else. They include character profiles for Sean, Claudia, and Lilly, a chat with the show's creators, a short gag reel, and highlights from the first season episodes. Probably just over a half-hour's worth of material.

Overall, the show was very good, and a bit underrated. It is kind of shocking Fox kept it on the air as long as they did, given the network's reputation for giving shows a quick hook if they do not get great ratings immediately. While I do not think the show was ever a ratings monster, it was well-written and acted, and came across as a lot more "real life" than some family-centered sitcoms do. It also tackled subjects like sex, bullying, and even religion in a humorous yet respectful way, and is definitely worth a look. Just a note that it was filmed partially in front of a live audience and partially without, and does use laugh tracks for the parts that were not filmed live (much like The Big Bang Theory). So, if you are one of those people who absolutely hate laugh tracks in sitcoms, it is something to be aware of.

DVD/TV Series Review: ALF: The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition)

 

ALF: The Complete Seris is a DVD box set containing the live-action sitcom Alf, which aired for four seasons on NBC from 1986 to 1990, and the two animated Saturday morning cartoons that were spun off of the main series: Alf: The Animated Series and Alf Tales. The live-action series was created by Tom Patchett and Paul Fusco about an alien from the planet Melmac named Gordon Shumway (but always called ALF, short for alien life form), whose ship drifted in space for a year after his planet blew up and then crashed into the garage of a family in Los Angeles. Fusco created the character of ALF, voiced him in the series, and acted as the puppeteer. The series also starred Max Wright, Anne Schedeen, Andrea Elson, and Benji Gregory in the leading roles as the Tanner family members with whom ALF lives. John Lamatta and Liz Sheridan play the most prominent supporting characters in the series, Tanner's neighbors, Trevor and Raquel Ochmonek. The Animated Series aired from 1987 to 1989 and was a story-of-the-week cartoon about ALF's life on Melmac. Alf Tales aired from 1988 to 1990 and spoofed Fairy Tales such as Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, etc., often infusing them with pop-culture references such as movie references like The Godfather or 80s personalities like Sigfried and Roy and Johnny Carson. 

The DVD set is a 24-disc set. The final disc is a bonus disc that contains a series retrospective featuring interviews with Fusco and Patchett, the 1996 TV movie Project ALF, which resolved the cliffhanger that the parent series ended on, and a handful of episodes from the series with Patchett and Fusco (mostly in character as ALF) commentating on the episodes as bubbles with facts about the series or jokes pop up on the screen. Overall, this is a nice box set, especially for people who were kids in the 1980s watching the show when it aired. The live-action series is the best of everything included in this set. It was mainly wholesome and family-friendly, but occasionally, it would sneak a more adult joke in. The series had quite a few recognizable character actors from the 1980s who appeared, along with a couple of well-known guest stars like Ed McMahon and David Odgen Stiers. The only drawback is that the series ended on a massive cliffhanger. If you watch the bonus material, you will discover that NBC had not decided on the series' fate as the fourth season ended. The producers agreed with NBC that they would end the season on a cliffhanger, and if the series was not renewed for a fifth season, they would make a TV movie to wrap up the story. Unfortunately, NBC backed out of that agreement, so the ending went unresolved until 1996 when ABC agreed to do the TV movie Project ALF.

While it was a decent ending to the story, it did not include any of the cast members from the main series, so it was not a proper series finale. The two animated series were fine but were definitely geared 100% for kids, so they are not as enjoyable for adults. Ultimately, ALF was a fun show. If you lived through the 1980s, it will be a nostalgic blast from the past. One thing some may enjoy is that there are a couple of shots taken at donald t***p, proving that the orange genital wart was just as big a joke back then as he is now. Of course, Americans would be stupid enough to elect an idiot who was a punchline for 80s sitcoms and cartoons as President. The show is dated and a bit cheesy but holds up well and is worth the time to watch.

DVD/TV Series Review: ALF: Season 4

 

The fourth season of ALF consisted of 24 episodes and aired during the 1989/1990 TV season. It was the final season of the show and brought back all of the main characters, although the supporting characters, such as the Ochmoneks, were utilized less this season than in the first three seasons. This season of the show had the most guest stars, some very recognizable, including Casey Kasem, David Spade, Ted Raimi, Dan Castellaneta, and Fran Drescher. James J Bullock joined the cast as a recurring character this season, playing Willie's younger brother, Neal. It appears that the writers may not have known that the series would be canceled, as it ended on a massive cliffhanger (which would eventually be resolved via a 1996 TV movie called Project ALF). 

The DVD set is a four-disc set with just the episodes and no bonus features. However, the episodes do have English captions. For the most part, the series stuck to its formula as a wholesome, family-friendly sitcom, with the occasional (tame) adult-themed joke thrown in. The show did start to address heavier issues (such as hinting at Lynn having sex) but never got controversial. The cliffhanger ending to the series finale was not great (especially back in 1990 when it was not clear that it would ever be resolved), but my guess is the showrunners thought they would get a fifth season to properly conclude the series. The show was getting stale by the fourth season, but it still had some funny moments. It is still worth watching, especially to get the blast of nostalgia if you watched the series as a kid.  

DVD/TV Series Review: The Good Place: Season 2

 

+++Warning, this has spoilers from season 1, but no major season 2 giveaways+++

The 13-episode second season of The Good Place aired from fall 2017 into winter 2018. It picks up immediately after the reset that ended season 1 when the group finds out they are really in The Bad Place and have been torturing each other. It does not really follow the format of season 1. I will not spoil all the details of season 2; however, the bulk of the season is focused on the group trying to get into the real Good Place.

The show continues to be well-written and acted. All the "core" group returns, and some of the more ancillary season one characters have a more significant role this year. That said, not everyone who made guest appearances last year returns this season. It sticks to the format of primarily being a comedy, which does not take itself very seriously but also ties in some emotional moments. The cast gets along well or can fake great chemistry, which is essential given the show's format. Unlike season one, it does not end on a cliffhanger this year and does leave a lot of leeway going into season three for what direction the show will go in.

The DVD set is a two-disc set that is very bare-bones. The extras include a commentary track on one episode, a seven-minute gag reel, and a special effects reel that lasts less than a minute. What was included was good, but not nearly as much as what season one had, and there are no closed captions. And, of course, it is one of the shows for which no blu-ray set is available.

This is a great option if you are looking for a great comedy that is still under the radar. Despite being about the afterlife, it has no religious overtones. It deals more with philosophy and what it means to be good and bad. That is the serious part of the show. It is mostly really absurd humor and, like I said, does not take itself all that seriously. You definitely want to watch season one because it is not a show that you can easily just jump into and have it make sense. All the episodes are chapters in a long story, and everything connects together. The mediocre DVD release aside, it is worth checking out even if you just stream it.

DVD/TV Series Review: Alf: Season 3

 

The 26-episode third season of Alf aired during the 1988/1989 TV season. The main cast members, including Paul Fusco, Max Wright, Andrea Elson, Benjy Gregory, and Anne Schedeen, returned this season. Schedeen's role was reduced during the season to accommodate her real-life pregnancy, which was written into the show. All the cast members playing the Tanner's neighbors, the Ochmoneks, also returned, including John LaMotta, Liz Sheridan, and Josh Blake.

The DVD set is a four-disc set.  The episodes have English captions, but there are no bonus features such as episode commentary tracks, behind-the-scenes material, or the like. The show continues to be a fun, family-friendly procedural sitcom. Aside from two two-part episodes, the storylines do not stretch throughout the season. A particular episode's storyline is resolved by the end of that episode. This season included two two-part episodes, which would see the series' biggest guest stars appear. There was a two-part episode in which Alf filled in for Johnny Carson as host of The Tonight Show (which were mainly clip-shows, showing highlights from throughout the series). Johnny did not appear, but Ed McMahon appeared in both episodes. In the second, David Ogden Stiers, who played Major Winchester on M*A*S*H, guest starred as a homeless person hanging out in the neighborhood and who, of course, discovers ALF. Overall, the show continued to be a fun sitcom. It was a very wholesome, feel-good show. All of the jokes were family-friendly, although the show did have the occasional more adult-oriented joke that would be a double-entendre that would go over most kid's heads. Whether you watched the show when it originally aired or not, it is a good comedy that holds up pretty well nearly 40 years after it first aired (as of this writing) and is still worth watching.

DVD/TV Series Review: Modern Family: Season 8

The 22-episode 8th season of Modern Family aired during the 2016/2017 TV season. All of the main cast members returned. The show also included many recognizable actors in guest and recurring roles, including Fred Willard, Nathan Fillion, Ernie Hudson, Martin Short, Joely Fisher, Shelly Long, Elizabeth Banks, Peyton Manning, Victor Garber, and Charles Barkley (to name just a few). Chances are, anyone reading this by now knows what the show is. It is definitely one of those sitcoms that finds what works and does not deviate much from the formula. That is not to say every episode of the show is the same. They are not. Even after 8 seasons, the writers have managed to come up with enough material to make the show enjoyable. All the characters are continuing to develop in different ways. The actors seem to still enjoy their characters and, even after all these years, do not seem to be phoning it in at all. While an argument can certainly be made that the show was getting a bit long in the tooth by the 8th season (it would eventually last 11 seasons), it was still worth watching.

What knocks the set down for me is the DVD presentation. It is another show that Fox is being cheap about with the DVDs. As some may know, Fox prefers to have people stream the shows. It will put out very bare-bones DVD sets for some shows, blu-rays for a very select handful of shows. The shows that do get physical media releases have almost no extras. The only extras for this season are about 6 minutes worth of deleted scenes and a 5 or 6-minute gag reel. There are no commentary tracks, no behind-the-scenes features, or anything like what has appeared in the physical media releases for prior seasons of the show. Unless you are getting the sets because you have the other seasons in a collection, you are not missing anything by streaming the show.

DVD/TV Series Review: Modern Family: Season 7

 

The 22-episode seventh season of Modern Family aired during the 2015/2016 TV season. I will not go into too much detail on the season itself. Anyone who has stuck with the show this long really knows the formula it follows. This season pretty much sticks with the same story/stories of the week, with tiebacks to previous plot lines/jokes every so often. That said, the show is still developing the characters (mainly the kids, but the adults, too, to a lesser extent), the acting is still great, and I think the writers are coming up with funny, enjoyable stories. I think an argument can be made that it is getting a bit "long in the tooth" as a show, but I think most fans will still find it enjoyable.

The DVD set is a three-disc set and is pretty on par with what they have been since the show stopped being released on blu-ray. It has adequate A/V quality but nothing to write home about. There are a handful of extras, including deleted scenes, a gag reel, a feature on the kids growing up on the show, focused on Rico, Ariel, and Nolan, and then a featurette on a charity Ty Burell is involved with called Kids in the Spotlight. Okay, for what is there, but not a ton. Really, I think the only reason to get the DVDs over just streaming the episodes is if you have the prior seasons and want to have the full collection. Otherwise, unless you really want the handful of bonus features, the A/V quality will probably be better (or at least as good) steaming them.

DVD/TV Series Review: ALF: Season 2

 

The 26-episode second season of ALF aired during the 1987/1988 TV season. The main cast members returned, including Paul Fusco, Max Wright, Anne Schedeen, Andrea Elson, and Benji Gregory. The roles of the Ochmoneks were also increased this season, with John LaMotta and Liz Sheridan getting more screen time and Josh Blake recurring throughout the season.

The DVD set is a four-disc set. It only contains the episodes and does not have any bonus features. The episodes can be played with English captions. Ultimately, the show continues to be a good sitcom. Most episodes have self-contained storylines that are resolved by the end of the episode, but the season includes some two-part episodes. The show is family-friendly, with mostly innocent jokes, although a few more adult-oriented jokes will probably go over most kids' heads. If you watched the show when it was originally on the air, it is a nice blast from the past (especially if you were a kid back in the 1980s). Regardless, if you are looking for a nice, family-friendly sitcom, this is worth the time to watch.

DVD/TV Series Review: Titus: Season 3

 

The 21-episode third (and final) season of Titus aired during the 2001/2002 TV season, starting in the winter of 2001 and continuing (due to schedule interruptions) until the summer of 2002. Titus was a show that pushed a lot of boundaries. In some ways, it was a sitcom in name only because it could get dark and dramatic and then turn on a dime and be extremely funny. It was a show, much like in the vein of Family Guy, American Dad, and Arrested Development, that would make fun of anything at any time and most likely could not get past the censors if it was on the air today. You can actually see much of the style of this show in the original Fox run of Arrested Development, which is another show Fox gave short shrift to. I really look at this show as the trailer park version of Arrested Development, showing a more real dysfunctional family.

The show is based on comedian Christopher Titus' one-man comedy show called Norman Rockwell is Bleeding, where he basically tells a bunch of stories about his screwed-up life. While things have been fictionalized for the show and to make them more funny, most of the events depicted, if you listen to the commentaries and watch the DVD extras, were based on events that happened in his life. The core cast of Titus, Zack Ward, Cynthia Watros, David Shawtraw, and Stacy Keach was tremendous. Keach continued in season 3 to steal nearly every scene he was in. Elizabeth Berkeley was also added as a recurring character playing Titus' sister and blended with the cast very well.

The third season of the show got very dark, tackling topics of suicide, sexual abuse, and mental illness, and had a two-part finale that, frankly, I am amazed made it on the air given it aired after 9/11, which involved the whole group getting arrested as suspected terrorists trying to bring down a plane. One of the standout moments of the season, and really of the series, appears in the episode Tommy's Not Gay, where they go from an extremely funny joke to Titus in the "neutral space" (which is basically inside his head talking directly to the audience) where he comments on the murder of Matthew Shepard, which was a perfect example of how the show went from funny to serious within a couple seconds. The cast and showrunners felt that the dark bent to the series probably had a lot to do with its demise, but I think the show stuck to what it wanted to be, regardless of how controversial, and would not have worked as a watered-down production.

The show ended way before its time. The series ended with a big cliffhanger. Most likely anyone reading this by now knows what it was, but on the off chance, someone reading this does not know I will not spoil it. In some ways, it was a perfect way to end the series, but in other ways, it left a lot up in the air. The DVD includes an episode that either aired way after the finale or never aired, that did not address the events of the prior episodes but itself had a very powerful theme.

For those who do shell out for the DVDs (which you will have to pay more for, given they are out of print), the extras include commentary tracks on select episodes, interviews with Stacy Keach, Cynthia Watros, and Zack Ward, and Blooper reels from seasons 2 and 3. The interviews and commentaries were interesting in that they were done years after the show was already off the air, so they were much more reflective on the experience of working on the show as a whole than they were specific to Season 3. If you want to get a copy of the season 3 DVD set, I suggest watching the auction sites and third-party sellers like a hawk because it takes some patience to get it at a good price. I have seen them ranging from about $50 to well over $100 for a new or like new set. Sometimes, even sets that are pretty beaten up are listed for pretty high prices. But if you are patient, you can find it for a decent price. The show will definitely not appeal to everyone, and there is not likely to be a lot of middle-ground feelings toward it. You will likely either love the show or hate it, but it is one of the best sitcoms of all time, and definitely worth getting if you can find it at a reasonable price.

DVD/TV Series Review: Titus Seasons 1 and 2

 

Titus was a comedy series that aired for three seasons on FOX from 2000 to 2002. The nine-episode first season aired during the spring of 2000, and the 24-episode second season aired during the 2000/2001 regular TV season. The show starred comedian Christopher Titus, Cynthia Watros, Zack Ward, Stacy Keach, and David Shatraw. It was based on Christopher Titus' stand-up comedy show Norman Rockwell is Bleeding, where he basically tells many stories from his life growing up in a dysfunctional family. 

Titus is a sitcom, but it was a very non-traditional sitcom. It tackled very big issues like alcoholism, domestic abuse, suicide, murder, drugs, etc. If Arrested Development was the upper-crust (and very fictionalized) version of a messed-up family, this was the lower-class, trailer park (and more real) version of a dysfunctional family. The acting and writing were great, and the show had a unique ability to get a laugh out of any subject, no matter how serious. But it could turn on a dime from being funny to ultra-serious in a few seconds. Stacy Keach pretty much stole every scene he was in as Ken Titus, the hard-drinking, chain-smoking, womanizing father. Anyone old enough to remember him trying to play his tough guy roles in the 1980s was probably amazed at the comedic chops he had and how much better he did in that role than his others. The cast was rounded out by Cynthia Watros (playing Titus' girlfriend), Zack Ward as his hilarious burnout brother, and David Shawtraw as his "normal" friend. The show balanced all the great characters well and gave them all equal time, even having shows where one character would barely appear to give more time to the others.

Chances are, anyone reading this by now was a fan of the show when it was originally on the air, going on 15+ years ago now, and wants to try and get a hold of the DVD. They are around, but you really have to do some price shopping because they are out of print, and for a good copy, you can pay a very exorbitant price. This set is generally more available than season 3, which tends to be the higher priced of the two sets, but if you watch auction sites and/or keep an eye on third-party sellers, you can grab them for relatively good deals. But you are likely going to have to pay more now than the discs are actually worth.

For those who get the DVDs, they were produced after the show was canceled by Fox, so they are very bare bones. There are commentary tracks on a few episodes with Christopher Titus and two of the show's creators/producers. On the third disc, there is also a rehearsal reel and a half-hour look back on the series that gave some insight into why, even though it got decent ratings, it was canceled. It is ultimately a controversial show that pushed the bounds of a sitcom, even more than Married With Children did in some ways. If you grew up in, or even had a tangential experience with a dysfunctional family chances are you will relate to the show and really like it. If that was not your experience you may be appalled by and hate the show. I don't know how much middle ground there is between those who love and hate the show, but I love it enough to think it is worth paying extra for the out-of-print DVDs if you can find them at a reasonable price.

DVD/TV Series Review: You're the Worst: Season 1

 

The 10-episode first season of the show You're the Worst aired during the summer and fall of 2017. It stars Aya Cash, Chris Geere, Desmin Borges, Kether Donohue, and Allan McLeod. The show is a comedy about two cynical people, Jimmy (played by Chris Geere) and Gretchen (played by Aya Cash) (one a novelist and one a PR representative for a rap group), who meet and subsequently hook up at his ex's wedding. Although neither believes in love or relationships, they end up in one (while denying it the whole time), and hilarity ensues. It is a typical weekly sitcom about nothing in particular. The show just follows the lives of Jimmy, Gretchen, and their friends and navigating their relationship. But what it ends up being is a funny, sometimes bordering on dramatic, smartly written show on the complications of friends-with-benefits relationships, marriage, family, and friendships. It is not like any other sitcom on TV, and because it is on cable, it can get away with a lot more.

The DVD set is a two-disc made-on-demand set. The discs just have the ten episodes. There are no bonus features. Like many of Fox's shows, unless they consider it a big ticket show, they either give a bare-bones factory DVD release (and no blu-ray) or, like this one, only stream it. Luckily, for those who like the physical discs, Amazon has made a DVD-R release, which basically burns the episodes and nothing else. So you will get no extras, no subtitles (for those for whom that matters), or anything you would get on a proper release. It does suck, but it is what it is. The show is definitely not family-friendly, as there are a lot of sexual situations and dialogue. There was some nudity in the pilot episode, but not much after that, and the kind of language you get on the TV-MA cable shows. So, if that would turn you off to a show, it is best to skip this. If not, it is definitely a show worth checking out. It is well written and acted with a great supporting cast. Kether Donohue steals every scene she is in as Lindsay, Gretchen's best friend who is in a dead-end marriage with a husband she cannot stand. It is a very good adult comedy that is well worth watching.

DVD/TV Series Review: Modern Family: Season 6

 

The sixth season of Modern Family had 24 episodes that aired during the 2014/2015 TV season. The show itself continues to be very funny, well-acted, and cleverly written. One of the main themes this year is Alex finishing high school and getting ready for and trying to choose a college. The writers and showrunners seem to want to totally overdo the "Alex is a nerd who does not care about her appearance and dresses her like a lumberjack with the most awful glasses they could find" thing. The younger characters, if the show is going to continue on much longer, are going to have to develop beyond what they are to keep the show fresh. And given that Ariel Winter is so very not a flannel-wearing tomboy, allowing her character to move beyond that now is one way the show can do that. While there is some of that with the adult characters, they are definitely more set, and aside from introducing new situations for them to be in (such as Claire and the internet episode) or robot Phil in the season finale, there is not nearly as much room for character development among them as there will be as the younger actors continue to age.

One of the great additions to the cast as recurring characters was Dunphy's new neighbors, the LaFontaine family, played by Steve Zahn and Andrea Anders. Zahn as a distributor of medical marijuana is hilarious, and having them as sometimes friends and sometimes enemies of Claire and Phil on a limited basis is great. The storylines for the rest of the cast really continue to be more of the same. Each of the individual families gets some focus throughout the season, and then there are storylines that involve the entire family. Every so often, there are callbacks to a prior season's episodes and storylines. The Hailey/Andy storyline that was introduced in the 5th season continues this season (especially toward the end), and we get to see that Beth (played by Laura Ashley Samuels) is actually real, and their story leads into kind of a cliffhanger at the end of the season.

The DVD release this season is better than the season 5 release, but it is still horrible that the show (especially as popular as it continues to be, even if there has been a decline in popularity) does not continue to be available on blu ray as it was during the first 4 seasons. There are not a ton of extras, a few behind-the-scenes and making-of features on some of the episodes, including the internet episode (which was almost entirely shot on iPhones, a few deleted scenes, and a gag reel. Good for what is there, but not as much as in prior seasons. There are no commentary tracks on any of the episodes this year, which is a shame because those were entertaining. If the extras are not a huge deal for you, then streaming it will get you the same audio and video quality (or better) as the DVDs will. So, while the DVD release is lackluster the show itself is still funny and worth the time to watch.

DVD/TV Series Review: Modern Family Season 5

 

The fifth season of Modern Family aired during the 2014-2014 TV season and included 24 episodes. All of the series regulars were brought back this season, and the show continued its format as a procedural sitcom that has one or two longer arcs that span multiple episodes. In season five that was a Cam and Mitchell engagement-to-wedding story arc that ran throughout the season. As has been the case in prior seasons, there were on-location episodes. This season, they did one episode in Vegas and one in Australia. The final two episodes of the season focused on Cam and Mitchell's wedding and had somewhat predictable disasters that almost ruined the day. Of course, everything ended up being okay in the end. They did get a little over the top and repetitive with the storylines during the season about almost canceling and moving the wedding, but by the end, it was a funny and touching episode.

For those who actually get the discs, the quality is very subpar. First of all, after making the first 4 seasons available on blu-ray, the studio completely went the cheap route and made it only available on DVD, which many of the non-CGI heavy shows are doing. Although Modern Family is still popular enough that it should have still been available on blu-ray. Then, to add insult to injury, the DVD transfer is horrible. Unfortunately, FOX has focused far more on streaming their shows and made the physical media almost an afterthought. On top of all that, there are very few extras. There are scenes on disc 2, then a couple of behind-the-scenes features on the location episodes, a couple featurettes on the wedding episode, and a gag reel. Okay, for what is there, but not as much or as much quality as in the past. The show itself is still great and very funny. The writers do a good job of giving all the characters good storylines throughout the season, and giving the actors great material to work with. There are definitely some episodes, however, in which the kids were kind of relegated to the background, with the storylines for the adults being given precedence. The shitty DVD quality aside, the writing and acting on the show continue to be top-notch, and it is worth the time to watch.

DVD/TV Series Review: ALF: Season 1

 

The first season of ALF consisted of 26 episodes that aired during the 1986-1987 TV season and starred Max Wright, Anne Schedeen, Andrea Elson, Benji Gregory, John LaMotta, Liz Sheridan, and Paul Fusco (who is the voice and puppeteer of ALF). The show's premise is that an alien life form (or ALF) from the planet Melmack crash-lands in the San Fernando Valley of California into the garage of the Tanner family. They end up taking ALF (real name Gordon Shumway) in as a member of the family, and hilarity ensues. 

The DVD set is a four-disc set, with the episodes spread substantially evenly across the discs. There are no bonus features, but the episodes have English captions. The show is a fairly standard procedural sitcom, with each episode (aside from the occasional two-part episodes) having a self-contained storyline. It is a family-friendly sitcom that both kids and adults can enjoy. Some of the jokes are definitely aimed at adults and will go over the heads of most kids, but for the most part, there is nothing that is inappropriate for kids in the show. Some of the jokes in the show are very topical to the mid to late 1980s, which definitely dates it. On the whole, however, it holds up pretty well nearly 40 years after it aired. It is definitely worth the time to watch, especially if you enjoyed it as a kid.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Friends: The Complete Series

 

In the 1990s and early 2000s, the two biggest comedies on TV were probably Friends and Seinfeld. Friends was aimed at the younger demographic, going for the viewers that were in their mid to late 20s, while Seinfeld was aimed at the demographic about a decade older. Friends premiered in 1994 and was about a group of friends living in New York. The series starred Courtney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Matthew Perry, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, and Matt LeBlanc. I actually never watched the series consistently when it was on the air. I was a senior in high school the year it began, so I just never really got into it and never appreciated how good it really was.

Friends was one of those shows like ER, where the cast was made up of relative no names (at least at the time), but unlike ER the main cast stayed together for the entire run. I think that allowed the show to keep the same feel and tone throughout the series. The writing was very very good in that they allowed the characters to evolve and grow over the course of 10 years but never lost the core of who they were over that time. They also did a great job of referring to old jokes without (for the most part) making them stale. For the ones that did, it got to the point that they would even poke fun at it (for example "We were on a break"). I also liked how the show relied on more than just sex jokes for the comedy (unlike many of the sitcoms of today). While there were certainly sex jokes throughout the series, the show did not lean on them and there were a lot of smarter jokes in the series too, that presumed the audience was smart enough to be entertained by other material.

The Blu-Ray set is a 21-disc set. The 234 episodes and some of the bonus content are spread across discs 1-20, and disc 21 has additional bonus content. The A/V quality of the set is good, but not outstanding, especially if you are a big A/V wonk. Even though the A/V quality is not perfect, it is a step up from the A/V quality of the DVDs. One big drawback (for some) in this release is that the episodes were only the ones that were broadcast. Apparently, the DVD sets included a lot of extended episodes, but this is just going to give you the show as it was intended to originally be seen. If that is a deal breaker for you, then don't waste the money. The extras include commentary tracks on select episodes, trailers, "Friends of Friends" featurettes, which give a breakdown of all the guest stars for that particular season, featurettes on the fans, the on-location episodes, gag reels, and more.  The final disc also includes appearances by the cast on The Tonight Show and the Ellen DeGeneres Show, the "I'll Be There for You" music video, a couple of series retrospectives, and the original version of the episode "The One Where Rachel Tells Ross" which aired shortly after 9/11 and was edited because of a bomb joke.