Jackson, Douglas

Wiseguy - Sonny Steelgrave and the Mob Arc (Season 1 Part 1)

With the release of Wiseguy on DVD, one of the best TV series of the 1980s gets a new lease on life. Long before Donnie Brasco brought similar drama to the big screen, Ken Wahl brought charisma, credibility, and chutzpah to his small-screen role as Vincent Terranova, a handsome 30-year-old agent with the FBI's Organized Crime Bureau. As conceived by cocreators Stephen Cannell (of The Rockford Files and The A-Team fame) and Ken Lupo, Wiseguy followed an innovative "story-arc" structure, allowing Vinnie's deep-cover missions to last only as long as necessary to bring each case to a sensible conclusion. Since copied by countless TV shows, this unique approach to storytelling attracted a devoted following of viewers addicted to the self-contained plots that forced Vinnie, his sourpuss OCB handler Frank McPike (Jonathan Banks), and disabled covert liaison Dan "Lifeguard" Burroughs (played by double-amputee Jim Byrnes) to achieve their objectives within 6 to 10 hourlong episodes.

Season 1, Part 1--the first of six Wiseguy DVD sets--includes the entire nine-episode arc (plus pilot) in which Vinnie infiltrates the New Jersey mob family of Sonny Steelgrave, a silk-suited kingpin played by Ray Sharkey in his finest TV role. Their brotherly relationship poses a moral dilemma for Vinnie (giving the arc its dramatic core and primary source of suspense), and Wiseguy earned its reputation as a well-written series that favored character-driven tension while providing the requisite pulp fiction (i.e. occasional murder and mayhem) that kept viewers and advertisers happy. While the DVD packaging gives bogus equal billing to Annette Bening (who appears here in one pivotal episode), her pre-stardom appearance is indicative of the show's consistently high standards in writing, casting, and stylish direction. The styles may be dated (including poodle-puff hairdos for women, including Bening), but there's not a weak episode in the bunch, including the stand-alone shows (involving domestic crises for McPike and Burroughs) that allowed character growth beyond the story-arc structure. It's all good, apart from a dispensable gag reel and commentaries by Wahl (on his two favorite episodes), who says little of interest between long gaps of silence. (He promises more on later DVDs, so Wiseguy devotees are advised to keep listening. Next up: the "Mel Profitt" arc, with guest star Kevin Spacey.) --Jeff Shannon

Vinnie Terranova (Ken Wahl), a tough, street-wise undercover agent, infiltrates the organized-crime syndicate in Atlantic City where, with one slip of his cover, he could end up a dead man. Partly because of his smarts and "wiseguy" attitude, special Agent Terranova has been trained by the Organized Crime Bureau (OCB). In his precarious position, only a select few know his true identity including Frank Mc Pike, his supervisor in the OCB and "lifeguard" his only communications link to the Bureau while undercover. In Sonny Steelgrave & the Mob, Federal Agent Vinnie Terranova establishes an ex-con rap to infiltrate the organized crime of Atlantic City.

Christie's Revenge

After her father's devastating suicide 19-year-old Christie Coleman (Dani Kind) sets out to take revenge on the person she feels isresponsible for the tragedy: her Uncle Ray. Setting her diabolical scheme into motion Christie moves in with her uncle his wifeMiranda (Cynthia Gibb) and their teen daughter Haley. Soon their lives are turned upside down as Christie weaves a treacherous web of vengeance that could end in destroying every loved one she hates in this gripping psychological thriller.System Requirements:Running Time: 94 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA/PSYCHOLOGICAL DRAMA Rating: UNRATED UPC: 031398228530 Manufacturer No: 22853

The Perfect Marriage

The beautiful and ambitious Annie discovers that her charming and seductive lover Brent has conned her into killing her husband only to steal away her inheritance. Fearing a future haunted by lies and murder Annie leaves her lover and assumes a new identity. Her new life proves to be a dream come true as she remarries a wealthy real estate heir and enjoys a lavish lifestyle. However Brent tracks her down with plans to repeat his deadly scam. Will he convince her to kill again?System Requirements:Running Time: 94 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE/THRILLERS Rating: NR UPC: 031398212652 Manufacturer No: 21265

The Perfect Neighbor

Love always seems to escape Donna's grasp. Tormented by a past laced with adultery, betrayal and murder, Donna desperately tries to create a fresh life in a new town where she meets the perfect man, her new neighbor, William. The only obstacle in her way is his wife. As Donna's obsession with William grows, old fatal tendencies emerge. Will history repeat itself when Donna's need for love becomes deadly

A Lover's Revenge

In this taut thriller radio psychologist Liz Manners's friendly advice on love and dating endangers her own life when a man blames her for ending his relationship with a girlfriend.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE/THRILLERS Rating: NR UPC: 031398188438 Manufacturer No: 18843

The Rival

When Alice a deeply disturbed woman with a dark past is shot in a robbery she loses the only thing she's ever really wanted...the baby she carries in her womb. Driven by the desire to be a mother she focuses on rebuilding her life with the help of a therapist and her new husband George the man of her dreams. Obsessed with motherhood Alice and George find Jennifer a beautiful young surrogate who agrees to live with them during the pregnancy. That's when everything begins to change. Alice becomes enraged with jealousy and finds herself consumed with the fear that George may leave her for the surrogate. As Alice is pulled to the edge of insanity the secrets of her horrific past rear their ugly heads and Alice is forced to extremes to hold on to the one thing she's wanted - the baby - even if it means murdering anyone who gets in her way.System Requirements:Runtime: 93 minsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: NR UPC: 031398210610 Manufacturer No: 21061

Wiseguy - Mel Profitt Arc (Season 1 Part 2)

After the intense "Sonny Steelgrave" arc of first-season episodes, the producers of Wiseguy faced the challenge of topping themselves, and they did it by casting a relatively unknown New York stage actor named Kevin Spacey, who proceeded to chew up the scenery as only a future Oscar®-winner could. But Spacey's not the only reason for the giddy success of the "Mel Profitt" arc, which finds OCB agent Vinnie Terranova (Ken Wahl) teaming up with sociopathic assassin Roger Lococco (William Russ) in an effort to infiltrate the global drugs-and-guns empire of the Proffitt siblings Mel (Spacey), a "manic-depressive genius with acute paranoia," and his codependent sister Susan (Joan Severance), who keeps her incestuously devoted brother happy by injecting home-brewed narcotics between his toes (hence giving Spacey his trademark line, "Only the toes knows!").

TV audiences in 1988 had never seen such a twisted sibling relationship, and there's plenty of eccentric chemistry between Spacey and then-newcomer Severance, who later developed a loyal male following as a B-movie sexpot. Completing their triangle of terror is Russ, playing Lococco as a tormented Vietnam vet with a massive chip on his shoulder, luring Vinnie into a life of luxury and lethal behavior, thus complicating matters considerably for Vinnie's covert handlers McPike (Jonathan Banks) and Lifeguard (Jim Byrnes), who grow increasingly worried as Vinnie gains Mel Profitt's hard-won trust. The quality of these 12 episodes remains consistently high as the Profitts reach "psychotic critical mass," leading to Mafia connections and a new direction for Vinnie's loving mother (well-played by Elsa Raven). Through it all, Wahl (who proves himself a man of few words in a sparse one-episode commentary) maintains his strong presence as a leading man, generously allowing Spacey's rising star to shine. Wiseguy still had some highlights in its future, but the "Mel Profitt" arc represents the series at its best. --Jeff Shannon

When OCB agent, Vincent Terranova is assigned to investigate assassin, Roger Lococco, neither he nor his superiors are aware that Lococco is working for international arms and drug dealer, Mel Profitt. More importantly, Lococco is carrying out a covert and illegal assignment for an errant branch of the CIA working to overthrow the government of a developing country. As "The Profitt Arc" unfolds, Vinnie finds himself drawn deeper into a complex and bizarre world beyond anything he has ever experienced. At the same time, he is fighting his feeling for Mel's beautiful sister, Susan. Ultimately, he finds himself in the midst of a deadly triangle between Susan, Mel, and himself. Vinnie now must fight for his own life at the hands of Mel Profitt as well as the American government when he threatens Lococco's secret mission.

Natural Enemy

Demons from Her Past

After spending years in prison for a murder she did not commit Allison (Alexandra Paul) decides to tackle her tormented past and seeks out the three men who framed her for the death of a young boy. But she discovers they've devised an elaborate cover-up of their guilt and will stop at nothing to protect their lives and careers even if it means committing another murder - Allison's. Shocking and unpredictable this frightening thriller shows that fear knows no boundaries.System Requirements:Run time: 93 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: MYSTERY/SUSPENSE Rating: NR UPC: 031398217923 Manufacturer No: 21792

Wiseguy - Prey for the City Arc (Season 2 Part 1)