Glatter, Lesli Linka

Grey's Anatomy - The Complete Second Season

Experience the complete second season of TV's most compelling show in an expansive 27-episode DVD set. Witness every minute of the thrilling drama that has become a television event for fans and critics alike.Life gets even more intense for the doctors and interns of Seattle Grace Hospital in year two as Meredith and Derek's relationship goes from odd to downright insane with the arrival of Derek's wife and Alex lets his Izzie obsession out of the bag. You "can't stop watching" says TV Guide.Experience Grey's Anatomy: Season 2 -- uncut with over five hours of never-before-seen bonus features including four extended episodes with scenes too steamy for TV behind-the-scenes interviews and so much more.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 786936700992 Manufacturer No: 05022700

The medical drama's second season could be diagnosed as bipolar; in other words, it got much worse and much better at the same time. Whiny, self-involved surgical intern Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), arguably the weakest spot in the otherwise likeable ensemble, had already left viewers annoyed. But season two, in which Meredith coped with being dumped by her married McDreamy (a.k.a. neurosurgeon Derek, a.k.a. Patrick Dempsey) by excessive drinking, sleeping around, gazing like a sad puppy and--unforgivable!--breaking the heart of longtime admirer/friend George (the cuddly T.R. Knight), could have alienated audiences for good. (Seriously, sometimes you want to shake the girl and feed her some cookies.) Thankfully, what Meredith's storyline threatened to derail was held together by some emotional episodes, including "Into You Like a Train," in which a pair of strangers are impaled together on a metal pole, and "Much Too Much," featuring a mother's quintuplets in critical condition. But the standout show that turned Grey's Anatomy into a television force came with the January 2006 post-Super Bowl episode, a two-parter involving a "code black" lockdown when a live bomb is housed inside a patient.

Romance also remained key to the staff at Seattle Grace: Steely Cristina (Golden Globe winner Sandra Oh) softens, to her great dismay, as her relationship with Dr. Burke (Isaiah Washington) gets serious; Izzie (Katherine Heigl) pairs up, then breaks up, with Alex (Justin Chambers, the villain of the cast if you had to name one) before falling in love with flirty, tender heart patient Denny (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). Derek and estranged wife Addison (Kate Walsh, who somehow managed to win over Meredith-McDreamy fans despite being the Other Woman) make attempts at fixing their marriage, and Dr. Bailey (Chandra Wilson, easily a standout) tries to balance a medical career with mommyhood. Even George finds a new love with orthopedic surgeon Callie (Sara Ramirez). The season wraps up with a weeper of a two-part finale, set at the hospital during a "prom" (it's complicated). But with the fancy gowns and tuxes, tears and romantic tension, leading to a crossroads for Meredith and Derek, you can bet the episodes are a delight for any Grey's fan. The show also continues to rely heavily on narration (not a good thing) and soundtracks (a good thing), using tracks from artists before they hit it big (KT Tunstall, Brandi Carlisle, Snow Patrol).

On the DVD

Four of the episodes get an extended treatment, though the tag line "too steamy for television!" is overreaching a bit. Oh is the only actor to turn up on a commentary, which is otherwise just the writers and producers congratulating each other. Walsh turns up the charm in "The Doctors are In," in which characters answer fans' questions, but Chambers appears noticeably drab and disinterested. Despite "Uncut" being in the title, the special features aren't anything you'll be watching again and again. Save that rewind button for the show itself. --Ellen A. Kim

Third Watch - The Complete First Season

Every second counts. Every detail matters. Every 3-11 p.m. third watch shift brings a rush of risk fear and lives in the balance. From John Wells (ER The West Wing) and Edward Allen Bernero (Criminal Minds) comes this action-packed drama about the brave and dedicated people who serve as police paramedics and firefighters. For them keeping the streets safe and answering cries for help is all in a day?s work. The 22-episode Emmy? Award-winning Third Watch rolls out in a deluxe 6- disc set capturing all the highly kinetic highly praised moments from its debut season. Hit the streets with these professional rescuers ? and experience day-in/day-out heroism at its most exciting and intense.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS UPC: 085391201366 Manufacturer No: 120136

Equal parts ER, Rescue Me, and Law & Order, Third Watch received critical raves when it premiered in 1999 on NBC. All 22 episodes from that first season are included in this 6-disc box set, and the episodes (many of which reflect political issues of the time) stand up well. The third watch refers to the 3 to 11 p.m. shift of firefighters, police officers and paramedics who risk their lives to keep New Yorkers safe. The show focuses on the lives of a handful of characters who are complicated, flawed, and charismatic. Kim Raver (24) shines as Kim, a paramedic who shares a strong bond with both her partner Bobby (Bobby Cannavale) as well as her ex-husband Jimmy (Eddie Cibrian), a firefighter with a predilection for gambling who clearly isn't over Kim. Created by John Wells (ER, The West Wing) and Edward Allen Bernero (Criminal Minds), Third Watch is well written and paces the storylines well. The episodes' endings reflect that not every case is easily solved and that there are unpleasant consequences involved in protecting the rights that many of us take for granted. None of the main characters are presented as over-the-top heroes, but rather as hardworking people doing the best they can. The show at times goes out of its way to depict how flawed some of them are, but the actors deftly draw the focus back to the bigger picture--how to protect people who seem intent on self-destruction. Through the first season, the characters will face addiction, heartbreak, and fear. The one thing that dates the show is the full frame presentation, which belies its era. The special features aren't particularly noteworthy--there's a blooper reel and a "making of" featurette, but no deleted scenes or audio commentary on any of the episodes. --Jae-Ha Kim

Now and Then

This obligatory girls' version of Stand by Me begins with actors Melanie Griffith, Rita Wilson, Demi Moore, and Rosie O'Donnell doing a lousy job of playing adult versions of the film's youthful protagonists. The idea is that this quartet of characters is having a reunion, which serves as a preface to the main story about school chums who make a pact to stay close and supportive through thick and thin. The trouble is that Griffith, Moore, Wilson, and O'Donnell look like they've rehearsed their scenes for no more than a few minutes, and after boring us silly there's little reason to get excited about anything else. Still, it's nice to have a supporting cast that includes Janeane Garofalo and Bonnie Hunt, while among the girls are three young actresses who have been burning up the road in recent years: Christina Ricci (The Opposite of Sex), Thora Birch (A Clear and Present Danger), and Gaby Hoffmann (Strike). --Tom Keogh

NYPD Blue - The Complete Fourth Season

In the fourth season of this award-winning show, the action at New York City's 15th Precinct is as hectic as ever. While Lieutenant Fancy continues as precinct commander, Detective Andy Sipowicz, although still a bit rough around the edges, has mellowed with the birth of his son. Detective Bobby Simone and Detective Diane Russell take the next step in their relationship, James Martinez becomes the Squad Delegate, and Greg Meadavoy considers becoming a surrogate father. But one thing that hasn't changed is the squad's determination to make sure the bad guys get their day in court and to also attempt to maintain a touch of normalcy in their personal lives even as they investigate cases that often put them directly in the line of fire.

NYPD Blue - Season 2

Originally broadcast in 1994, the second season of NYPD Blue was disrupted by the departure of star David Caruso (Detective John Kelly) after just four episodes, under apparently less than amicable circumstances. He was ably replaced as Detective Sipowicz's partner by Jimmy Smits as the smoother Detective Bobby Simone, and the series managed not to miss a beat.

More streamlined and downbeat than its predecessor, Hill Street Blues (also created by Steven Bochco), NYPD Blue continued second time around to mix near-the-knuckle detective work to foil New York's scummiest with more character- and relationship-based drama. Although it's regrettable that its ethnic minority characters, such as Lieutenant Fancy, are increasingly marginalized here, the series is more comfortable--and even has fun--with regular characters such as the nervy Detective Medavoy and his on-off paramour Donna Abandando. Andy Sipowicz's simmering, tough-nosed recovering alcoholic is increasingly and amusingly put to the test in a number of situations, including: a murder investigation in a gay bar; being sung to at his own wedding by Nic Turturro's Detective Martinez; and a love scene in the shower in which we experience the dubious pleasure of seeing his bare rear.

New female introductions, such as the strong but sympathetic Detective Lesniak, also helped to shake up the series with a much-needed estrogen boost. There's also fun to be had in spotting a number of guest appearances by up-and-coming actors destined to make it in their own right such as Richard Schiff and Bradley Whitford (The West Wing) and Debra Messing (Will & Grace).

The DVD set contains a number of extras, primarily a one-hour documentary in which the cast and crew discuss the series episode by episode, the self-congratulatory mood broken only by some subtle digs at departing star David Caruso (apparently, he walked straight off the set following his final take into a waiting limo without any farewells). There's also a small piece paying tribute to the music of theme-writer Mike Post and an item covering the relationship between Sipowicz and Assistant DA Sylvia Costas, in whose marriage this series culminates. --David Stubbs

Various

Murder One - The Complete First Season

The best network drama to debut in 1995 was Murder One, and the first season still packs a wallop. By sustaining a compelling mystery through 23 brilliantly written episodes (or "Chapters"), creators Steven Bochco, Charles H. Eglee, and Channing Gibson brought their stellar talents to a format that clearly inspired later shows like 24. Bearing no resemblance to Bochco's L.A. Law, the series presents Los Angeles as "a bucket of crabs," where superstar defense attorney Ted Hoffman (Daniel Benzali) tackles the high-profile case of Neil Avedon (Jason Gedrick), a bad-boy actor accused of strangling his 15-year-old girlfriend. As Hoffman and his savvy associates pursue the truth, it becomes obvious that wealthy entrepreneur Richard Cross (Stanley Tucci at his oily best) is manipulating the case, confounding Hoffman and the LAPD detective (Dylan Baker) who's sleuthing all the clues.

Every episode is crucial, and there's not a weak link in the entire supporting cast. Benzali bleeds charisma with his sotto voce dialogue and subtle moral conviction, holding forth in a sleazy den of Hollywood iniquity. It's a unique marriage of actor and character, and with so many talents on impressive display, Murder One rests squarely on Benzali's riveting performance. Subplots illustrate the heavy toll paid for Hoffman's legal passion; his wife (played to perfection by Patricia Clarkson) bears a taxing emotional burden. Barbara Bosson (then Bochco's wife) earned an Emmy nomination as the case's dogged prosecutor, and in addition to superb cast members Mary McCormack, J.C. MacKenzie, Michael Hayden, John Fleck, and Kevin Tighe, notable guest stars include Joe Spano, Brittany Murphy, Jena Elfman, Donna Murphy, and especially Bobbie Phillips as the murder victim's sister. Thanks to award-winning cinematography and high-class production design, Murder One remains one of the best-looking shows of its kind, a modern film noir with hidden truths in every shadow and threat-laden close-up.

DVD extras are minimal but worthwhile: Two commentaries (by Gedrick on "Chapter 8" and director Randy Zisk on "Chapter 15"), and a 10-year retrospective featurette including most of the primary cast. What's never mentioned is that Murder One suffered poor ratings against ER on Thursday nights, changed most of its cast and format in season 2, and was inevitably cancelled. --Jeff Shannon

Sex. Lies. Murder. One day at a time until justice is served. From the creator of NYPD Blue, Hill Street Blues, and LA Law and in the same fashion as 24 - each episode of Murder One represents one day of a single sensational and explosive trial.

Murder One - The Complete Second Season

Despite declining ratings and the constant threat of cancellation, the second season of Murder One was every bit as good as the first. With the addition of Anthony LaPaglia as a well-chosen replacement for departing series star Daniel Benzali (whose character, Teddy Hoffman, presumably retired from practicing law), the Los Angeles firm of Hoffman & Associates found itself with an able strategist in three compelling murder cases, unfolding over the course of 18 memorable episodes. LaPaglia (who would later star in Without a Trace) plays Jimmy Wyler, a former Deputy District Attorney whose defense methods (a combination of ethical conviction and legal manipulation) are challenged when he defends a young woman (Missy Crider) suspected of killing L.A.'s philandering mayor on the eve of reelection. With episodes (or "Chapters") 5 through 7, the season smoothly transitions to Wyler's defense of an NBA superstar (Rick Worthy) suspected of killing his team's owner. The third case begins with Chapter 13, when Wyler defends a bright but unstable serial killer (convincingly played by Pruitt Taylor Vince) nicknamed "The Street Sweeper" for self-righteously "executing" 17 ex-convicts who'd committed heinous crimes.

Superior production values, direction, and especially writing (much of it by series cocreators Steven Bochco and Charles Eglee) were seamlessly carried over from season 1, in addition to most of Murder One's excellent supporting cast. Along with temporarily replaced law-firm receptionist Louis Hines (John Fleck), Barbara Bosson returns as prosecutor Miriam Grasso, whose courtroom sparring with LaPaglia is consistently lively, smart, and strategically intriguing. Romance blossoms slowly but sensibly between Wyler and associate Justine Appleton (Mary McCormack), and the addition of new associate Aaron Mosely (D.B. Woodside, who later played the President's brother on 24) inspires a competitive edge between himself and fellow associates Chris Docknovich (Michael Hayden) and the smarmy, underachieving Arnold Spivak (played to perfection by J.C. MacKenzie). Clayton Rohner and Jack Kehler round out the cast as (respectively) L.A. Detective Vince Baggio and private investigator Frank Szymanski, who dig for facts that may, or may not, strengthen Wyler's defense. Throughout the season, guest stars like Ralph Waite (as a wealthy, threatening power broker), Ron Canada (a no-nonsense judge), Gregory Itzin (as L.A.'s scheming new mayor) and John Pleshette (as the comically sleazy Hollywood producer Gary Blondo) make vital contributions to the unfolding plots, with mysteries that are cleverly maintained for maximum viewer involvement.

Unfortunately, excellence did not translate into ratings. The morally complex Murder One was dealt a fatal blow when an extended hiatus was imposed after Chapter 12 was broadcast on January 23, 1997. Only the most loyal viewers saw the final six episodes of this truncated season, broadcast back-to-back over three nights the following May. By that time, the series' fate was sealed. Appropriately, the "Final Verdict: Season Two" featurette (the only bonus on these DVDs) functions as a bittersweet eulogy, with director Randy Zisk, producer/director Marc Buckland, and primary cast members (not including LaPaglia) praising all aspects of the show, and expressing fond memories for a series that brought out the best from everyone involved. --Jeff Shannon

Earning overwhelming critical acclaim and numerous honors during its debut season -- including a 1996 People's Choice Award and a Golden Globe nomination for Outstanding Drama Series -- MURDER ONE returns for a second season of compelling courtroom drama. Co-created and executive produced by Steven Bochco, MURDER ONE will follow three riveting cases, beginning with an explosive political assassination that will have a major impact on the personal and professional of high-powered attorney James Wyler (portrayed by Anthony LaPaglia in his television series debut).

NYPD Blue - Season 1

Within the first few minutes of the pilot episode, it's clear what made NYPD Blue stand out from the rest of the cop show pack, as the characters express themselves in startlingly colorful language. This, combined with glimpses of nudity, earned NYPD Blue the reputation as R-rated television--but just about every episode demonstrates the propulsive storytelling and superb ensemble acting that put substance behind the flash. The show revolves around two detectives: Tough, moralistic, but passionate John Kelly (David Caruso) and hair-trigger Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz), who wrestles with booze and racist tendencies. Caruso rose to prominence as the star, but his intensity bleeds too easily into preening self-righteousness; it's Franz, with a much more complex role, who really drives the show.

NYPD Blue's writers skillfully navigate both single-episode criminal cases (ranging from tense procedural sequences like Kelly slowly drawing a confession out of a man who killed a cab driver, to lighter cases like a stolen Oscar statuette) and storylines that stretch dizzily across the entire season. These sustained plots are the real meat of the show: Kelly's hardline ethics are humanized by watching him clumsily come to a professional relationship with his ex-wife Laura (Sherry Stringfield) and work through an affair with Officer Janice Licalsi (Amy Brenneman), who is herself entangled with mobsters; while Sipowicz's near-death in the pilot has repercussions that crop up throughout the series, threatening his sobriety and his developing relationship with a lawyer (Sharon Lawrence)--and then there's his tense relationship with African American Lt. Fancy (James McDaniel), which affords some trenchant looks at racism inside and outside the department. The writing, directing, and acting only gets more subtle and complex as the show goes on, making this set a must for any fan. --Bret Fetzer

RIDE ALONG WITH THE BOYS IN BLUE. It was the groundbreaking series that broke all the rules and triggered what may be the biggest mutiny in TV history when some station affiliates across the country refused to carry the show. Some viewers also complained, but the majority loved what was being touted as TV's first R-rated series. Now in its tenth year, NYPD Blue has garnered an amazing 86 Emmy Award(r) nominations and 21 wins. So if you missed all the excitement back then, don't miss it now! Take a ride back to 1993 and join the cops of the 15th Precinct for the first season of NYPD Blue.

Revelations

Revelations is a spooky, classy thriller depicting the world as a battleground between satanists and those who adhere to miracles revealing God's divine plan for humanity. Bill Pullman stars as Harvard scientist Bill Massey, whose successful quest to bring his daughter's seemingly demon-possessed serial killer to justice turns him into a well-known debunker of others who claim to speak for the Beastmaster. Problem is, the man who killed Massey's girl appears to be the real thing, endowed with prophetic powers and a second sight that comes in handy when it's time to go after the grieving hero's other child.

Enter Sister Josepha (Natascha McElhone), a miracles investigator whose work is financially supported by a famous billionaire but disowned by the Vatican. Josepha has been led to Massey through a brain-dead girl who, though medically impossible, quotes scripture and has drawn a map to his office. Despite his skepticism, Massey teams with the nun in search of a kidnapped baby who may very well be the Christ-child in His just-in-time-for-Armageddon second coming. Written by David Seltzer (Dragonfly), and directed by occasional Buffy helmer David Semel and Lili Fini Zanuck (Rush), Revelations has an appealing vitality (especially when Massey and Sister Josepha become targets for assassins), a nice Hollywood gloss, and an unsettling air of mystery, as if angels and demons really are duking it out for dominion of the Earth right under our noses. --Tom Keogh

The time of miracles is once again at hand in the six-hour epic event, Revelations. Bill Pullman (Independence Day) stars as Harvard professor Dr. Richard Massey, an astrophysicist who's certain that all worldly events can be explained by science. He is challenged by Sister Josepha Montafiore (Natascha McElhone, Solaris), a devout nun who leads him on a quest through a world of true believers, heretics and Satanists. Drawn together by personal tragedy, they are swept into a deepening mystery when they discover evidence that the world, as predicted by The Book of Revelations, has reached The End of Days. Join the battle for the fate of mankind in the electrifying phenomenon, Revelations. Time Magazine declares, "It delivers." - James Poniewozik (Time Magazine) END

Gilmore Girls - Pilot (TV Premiere DVD)