Kelada, Asaad

Dharma & Greg - Season One

Opposites most definitely attract, but the inevitable conflict and dawning sense of the immense challenges of co-existing with one's opposite generally doom such relationships to quick failure. In this 1997 Fox Television sitcom, Dharma Finkelstein (Jenna Elfman), a free-spirited yoga instructor, and Greg Montgomery (Thomas Gibson), a conservative lawyer from the U.S. Attorney's office, catch sight of one another on the subway, impulsively fly to Reno, and get married the very same day. There are bound to be some rough days ahead for the new couple and, indeed, their first fight follows quickly as Greg bemoans Dharma's propensity to say whatever is on her mind regardless of social proprieties. The first meeting between Dharma's hippie parents (Mimi Kennedy and Alan Rachins) and Greg's ultra-conservative parents (Susan Sullivan and Mitchel Ryan) is expectedly problematic and parental friction figures prominently throughout this first season. Whether it's personal routines, cherished celebrations, politics, relationships with friends, or philosophies on discipline, Dharma and Greg can be counted on to see just about everything from opposite perspectives and their conflicting views infallibly collide full force, generating an explosion of comedy on impact. Bonus features include audio commentary on selected episodes, a featurette on the creation and maturation of the show and its characters that features interviews with the executive producers and many of the actors, the original post-show vanity cards that aired briefly after some episodes, and an interactive "Reaching Your Inner Dharma" game that tests viewers trivia knowledge and ability to think like Dharma. --Tami Horiuchi

When free-spirited yoga instructor Dharma Finkelstein meets conservative attorney Greg Montgomery, it's love at first sight. Unfortunately, there is absolutely no love in the air when Dharma's hippie parents and Greg's blue-blood establishment parents finally meet after their children have already married at a drive-thru chapel in Reno. With friends and family all suggesting that a quick annulment would be best, it's no surprise that the couple begins to second-guess their impulsive nuptials. But it's soon evident that nothing can stand in the way of true love!

Night Court - The Complete First Season

Judge Harry T. Stone presides over the New York City night court. The cases that come before Judge Stone are always a little bit silly but it's up for debate whether his motley crew of staff or the criminals for whom he dispenses justice are more bizarre. Enjoy the chaos that made this hilarious 80s sitcom one of the top shows of its time.Running Time: 313 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: SPORTS/GAMES UPC: 012569599161

One of the zaniest and bawdiest shows to hit network primetime in the 1980s, Night Court starred Harry Anderson as the Mel Tormé-loving, magic-playing, too-young judge Harry Stone presiding over the night beat of New York. Joining him were lecherous assistant district attorney Dan (John Larroquette), bald Bunyanesque bailiff Bull (Richard Moll), uptight court clerk Lana (Karen Austin), earnest public defender Elizabeth (Paula Kelly), and grizzled bailiff Selma (Selma Hacker).

In between cases involving ladies of the evening, a derelict who thinks he's Santa, and sparring spouses, the court staff spends most of their spare time trying to figure out the judge's age and background, making jokes about Bull's imposing appearance, or, in Dan's case, propositioning any woman who comes along. Among the first-season guest stars, Michael J. Fox takes a break from Family Ties to play a young tough, while Soviet comedian Yakov Smirnoff (there's a flashback for you!) plays a Russian who threatens to blow up the court. Created by Rheinhold Weege (who co-produced and wrote for Barney Miller), Night Court took off in later years, as the cast solidified with court clerk Mac (Charles Robinson), sexy public defender Christine (Markie Post), and glib bailiff Roz (Marsha Warfield). With better people to bounce off of, Laroquette took home four consecutive Supporting Actor Emmys beginning with the second season. Those were the only major statuettes the series won during its nine-season run, but it did hold down the 9:30 slot of NBC's "must see" Thursday lineup between Cheers and L.A. Law. --David Horiuchi

The Facts of Life - The Complete Third Season

School is back in session as Mrs. Garrett and the girls of Eastland return for the third season of THE FACTS OF LIFE one of the '80s' biggest TV hits! Charlotte Rae (Emmy® nominee for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series) stars as school nutritionist Edna Garrett who serves up her no-nonsense advice - and big laughs! - to Blair (Lisa Whelchel) Tootie (Kim Fields) Natalie (Mindy Cohn) and Jo (Nancy McKeon). The four girls are maturing into responsible young women and yet there is still so much more to learn!Third season highlights include the girls' adventures in Manhattan the cute boys of Bates Academy the return of Cousin Geri and even a special guest-star appearance by Jermaine Jackson! From the opening lines of the classic theme song to every one of Blair's "brilliant ideas" enjoy the poignant and hilarious moments of THE FACTS OF LIFE's third season digitally mastered and on DVD for the first time! All 24 episodes on 3 discs.System Requirements:Running Time: 602 MinutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 043396162624 Manufacturer No: 16262

Family Ties - The Complete First Season

A couple who were ardently leftwing political activists in the sixties face the problems of raising a family with children who have strongly conservative views.System Requirements:Run Time: 530 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 097360405545 Manufacturer No: 040554

Though it emerged during the Reagan era, Family Ties remains as relevant as ever. Most children find their parents a little embarrassing, but what sets this sitcom apart is that former hippies Steven (Michael Gross) and Elyse (Meredith Baxter-Birney) Keaton have three children, Alex (three-time Emmy winner Michael J. Fox), Mallory (Justine Bateman), and Jennifer (Tina Yothers), yet they haven't lost their youthful idealism. The ambitious Alex and materialistic Mallory, however, don't share it. Poster children for the go-go 1980s, they'd rather rake in the cash than change the world. As Alex quips in the pilot, "The '60s are over, Dad." If the writing were more cynical, it's unlikely the ABC show would've become a seven-season hit. It works because the Keatons obviously love each other--foibles and all.

In their first year, the family faces a variety of challenges. Steven finds out his father has a fatal illness ("I Never Killed for My Father"), 15-year-old Mallory deals with unwelcome male attention ("Give Your Uncle a Kiss"), and 17-year-old Alex learns a lesson about responsibility when he loses nine-year-old Jennifer while babysitting ("The Fifth Wheel"). Guest stars include Bewitched's Dick Sargent as Elyse's father, Charlie ("No Nukes Is Good Nukes"), and a lanky Tom Hanks as her brother, Ned (two-part episode "The Fugitive"). Though Fox (Back to the Future, Spin City) was the breakout star of Family Ties, he was part of a strong ensemble. Some storylines are also surprisingly hard-hitting, particularly the script dealing with sexual harassment. On the downside, there are no extras and, like many Paramount boxed sets, most of the original music has been changed or eliminated. The theme song "Without Us," for instance, is sung by session players on several episodes rather than by Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Beyond Family Ties

More DVDs with Michael J. Fox

More `80s TV Series

More TV Series on DVD for the First Time

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