Reynolds, Gene

The Munsters - The Complete First Season

It has its own stormy weather and fire-breathing housepet named Spot, but the mansion at 1313 Mockingbird Heights is otherwise like any other American sitcom home. This is the address of the Munsters, the family that for two seasons, 1964-66, found a permanent place in pop culture--if not "monster" success. Developed by Leave It to Beaver team Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher, the series was a standard sitcom (complete with the same awful canned laughter), except that the Ward Cleaver character was a reanimated corpse.

Dad Herman (Fred Gwynne) was a Frankenstein's monster, mom Lily (Yvonne DeCarlo) and Grandpa (Al Lewis) were vampires, and son Eddie (Butch Patrick) a little wolf-boy. Munster niece Marilyn was inexplicably normal, which prompted much worry from the other members of the family (she was played in early episodes by Beverly Owen, who left to get married, and then by Pat Priest). The plots revolve around typically tortured sitcom situations: Herman must lose weight to fit into his old Army uniform, Herman has insomnia, Herman takes dance lessons from a crooked instructor. (As that list would suggest, 6'5" Fred Gwynne's wonderfully agile slapstick and Borscht Belt comedy made him the center of the show.)

What distinguished The Munsters from Father Knows Best was the Universal horror-movie lineage and the ghoulish one-liners (the latter growing a bit tedious after a while). The three-disc DVD has all 38 first-season episodes in excellent transfers, a 15-minute pilot with different actors as Lily and Eddie, and no extras or commentaries. High points include "Hot Rod Herman," which features the tricked-out Munster Koach and Drag-u-la (boss wagons both), and "Eddie's Nickname," the one where Grandpa gives Eddie a potion that causes the boy's beard to grow (a weirdly memorable image, if you're a kid). The show was either pure kiddie farce or a radical comment on the absurdly unreal world of sitcoms. Either way, if you grew up with them as an alternate TV family, you can't help but have warm feelings for the Munsters, as clammy as they are. --Robert Horton

M*A*S*H - Season Four (Collector's Edition)

One of M*A*S*H's best and must-own seasons marked a turning point for this Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning series. It would be the last for peerless comedy writer Larry Gelbart (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Tootsie), who developed M*A*S*H for television and served as the series' comic voice, conscience, and beating heart. But this old soldier did not just fade away. He concluded his tour with "The Interview," the stunning season finale and a series benchmark. This black-and-white episode, which he wrote and directed, features Clete Roberts interviewing the members of the 4077th (with the notable exception of Loretta Swit's Major Houlihan) about life and death at the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (a special citation to William Christopher as Father Mulcahy, who provides the episode's most dramatic moment reflecting on how the doctors warm themselves on the steam that rises from the patients' open wounds).

Reporting for duty in season 4 is Mike Farrell as B.J. Hunnicutt, a welcome replacement for the departed Wayne Rogers. In the Emmy-winning season opener, "Welcome to Korea," Hawkeye (Alan Alda) takes the overwhelmed B.J. under his wing. By episode's end, he is drunk and addressing the insufferable "head twerp" Major Burns (Larry Linville) as "ferret face." The second episode brings a "Change of Command" with the arrival of Henry Morgan as Col. Potter, "regular Army," but compassionate and capable. The Gelbart years were distinguished by the deft balancing of comedy and drama (M*A*S*H is that rare comedy series that plays better without a laugh track, which this set offers as a viewing option). In the Gelbart-directed episode "Quo Vadis, Captain Chandler?," a wounded bomber pilot identifies himself as Jesus Christ. Gelbart also directed and co-wrote "Hawkeye," an Alda tour de force in which Hawkeye takes refuge with a non-English-speaking South Korean family after overturning his jeep and sustaining a concussion, requiring him to talk nonstop to keep from losing consciousness. The departure of key creative and ensemble personnel would be enough to fatally wound a lesser series, but M*A*S*H would solider on. --Donald Liebenson

As the fourth season opens, Hawkeye returns from a 3-day R&R pass in Tokyo to find Trapper has been sent Stateside. Hawkeye races to the airport but arrives just as TrapperÂ's plane takes off. Too late to tell his friend good-bye, he in nevertheless just in time to welcome TrapperÂ's replacement, Captain B.J. Hunnicutt. Once Hawkeye gets over his anger and disappointment, he realizes B.J. is a worthy ally and takes the newcomer under his wing. Â"The first thing you learn here, B.J., is that insanity is no worse than the common cold. YouÂ've heard of a military post? Ours is a compost. Only the wounded are new. The tedium is relieved only by the boredom. So pitch in, muddle through, pip-pip. Never mind the reason why, ours is but to do and not let Â'em die.Â"

Then Colonel Sherman T. Potter arrives to take over command of the 4077. Not only are Frank and Hot Lips outraged that Frank has lost his command so quickly, but Hawkeye and B.J. know that a Â"liferÂ" Army commander could spell big trouble for them. But then a single reminiscence from Potter puts the docs at ease: Â"Had a still on Guam in World War II. One night it blew up. ThatÂ's how I got my Purple Heart.Â"

The Munsters - Complete Second Season

America's first family of fright is back on DVD with all 32 outrageous second-season episodes and hilarious new bonus features in The Munsters: The Complete Second Season! Reunite with the wacky and weird Munster clan: Herman, devoted dad and "working stiff;" Lily, the homemaker with sass; Grandpa, a former Count who still loves to take a bite out of life; Marilyn, the "black sheep" of the family; and Eddie, a little boy who always loves to have a howling good time. It's spooky fun that everyone will be screaming about in the Golden Globe-nominated adventures of the frighteningly funny family from Mockingbird Lane.

Touched by an Angel - The Second Season

Touched by an Angel swiftly amassed a devout following, drawn to the TV series' clear Christian values and the warm performances of Roma Downey (she of the creamy complexion and lush pre-Raphaelite hair) and Della Reese as Monica and Tess, two angels sent to help troubled human beings. The first season had the additional virtue of exploring the ordinary yet complex emotional problems of troubled marriages, rebellious teens, and coping with the death of a loved one, in stories that were (with a few exceptions) cleanly written and down-to-earth--though, of course, everything was resolved by divine intervention. The second season, regrettably, dives into melodrama: A pregnant woman is trapped in a bank vault after her husband tries to rob the bank; a lawyer meets up with an old girlfriend, not knowing that her wicked ambitions caused his best friend to commit suicide; a postal worker sends atheistic replies to children's letters to God--and it turns out that he's an Auschwitz survivor. Even episodes grappling with what could be compelling material, like a stripper who feels responsible for her daughter's birth defect, get pushed over the top when Tess saves the day by creating a hot air balloon out of thin air. Certainly, God can accomplish miracles, but the second season of Touched by an Angel loses sight of his subtlety and mysterious ways. Nonetheless, fans will continue to take comfort in the show's message about divine love.

Episodes feature a wide range of guest stars: Movie actors like Elliott Gould (M*A*S*H) and Stacy Keach (Fat City); old television hands like Hal Linden (Barney Miller) and Cindy Williams (Laverne & Shirley); non-actors like poet Maya Angelou and singer Natalie Cole; and such, well, lesser celebrities as Kathie Lee Gifford (Live with Regis and Kathie Lee.) John Dye joins the series in this season as Andrew, a handsome angel of death. --Bret Fetzer

TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL - THE SECOND SEASON delivers inspiration in the form of Monica (Downey), Tess (Reese) and Andrew (Dye), three angels dispatched from heaven to inspire people who are at a crossroads in their lives. Features notable guest appearances by Randy Travis, Phylicia Rashad and Malcolm-Jamal Warner.

Touched by an Angel - The Complete First Season

Touched by an Angel wasn't the first TV show with a heavenly theme, but it set a new standard for a compassionate portrayal of Christian themes on television. Roma Downey, with flowing brunette locks and a soft Irish lilt, plays Monica, a divine case-worker sent from town to town to lend an angelic hand. Sometimes it's as simple as helping a dying man reach out to those he loves before it's too late; sometimes she has to face the Devil himself--in the closing episode of the first season, Monica is sent to make sure an AIDS hospice opens despite the opposition of white supremacists being led by Satan (played by John Schneider, formerly of The Dukes of Hazzard). Earthy Della Reese plays Tess, Monica's supervisor, who takes an active role in quite a few cases. Touched by an Angel is unlikely to persuade dubious viewers to join the faith, but though all episodes resolve themselves through the intervention of God and his divine messengers, the show's view of humanity has hope and dignity.

Touched by an Angel also features an impressive array of guest stars, ranging from country music star Randy Travis to Academy Award winner Cloris Leachman (The Last Picture Show) to Marion Ross (Happy Days); one episode, about a radio talk-show host fighting with her teenage daughter, features Melissa Joan Hart (Sabrina the Teenage Witch), James Marsden (X-Men), and Jack Black (School of Rock), all before their careers took off. Touched by an Angel: The Complete First Season has the first 13 episodes from 1994-95 and, as a bonus, the two-part series finale from 2003. --Bret Fetzer

TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL - THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON delivers inspiration in the form of Monica (Downey), Tess (Reese) and Andrew (Dye), three angels dispatched from heaven to inspire people who are at a crossroads in their lives. Features notable guest appearances by Randy Travis, Phylicia Rashad and Malcolm-Jamal Warner,

Touched by an Angel - The Third Season (Vol. 1 & 2)

This Giftset includes both volumes 1 & 2 of Season 3.

Touched By an Angel - The Third Season, Vol. 2

Roma Downey, with her apple cheeks, cascading brunette hair, and Irish lilt, has the kind of warm benevolence that has been the bedrock of television from its inception. Starring as Monica, an angel "caseworker" who walks among mortal humanity to help them solve their problems, Downey glows beatifically as she dispenses homilies about God's enduring love. The cantankerous authority of Della Reese as Tess, Monica's immediate superior, and the bland manliness of John Dye as Andrew, the Angel of Death (though by this season, he'd became pretty much all-purpose) gave Touched by an Angel its own holy trinity. By the third season, the trio had settled into a comfortable blend of earnest empathy and vaudevillian banter.

While fans of the show praise its moral values, the scripts vary erratically, slipping all to often into melodrama and hamfisted dialogue. Even viewers comfortable with problems being solved by the Lord's direct intervention will probably scoff at the ending of, for example, the episode about an escape artist who feels guilty over his brother's death--not only is the resolution farfetched, the execution is clumsy. Still, the show pulls in an impressive array of guest stars; The Third Season, Vol. 2 features James Earl Jones, Bill Cosby, Cloris Leachman, Abe Vigoda, Esther Rolle, Edward James Olmos, Camryn Mannheim, Chris Noth, and many, many more. Jasmine Guy returns as Monica's diabolical nemesis, and Hudson Leick (Xena: Warrior Princess) appears twice as a sweet fledgling angel. This four-disc set features 14 episodes with no extra features. --Bret Fetzer

A trio of angels Monica (Roma Downey) Tess (Della Reese) and Andrew (John Dye) are dispatched from heaven with a special mission: to inspire people facing sometimes unseen crossroads in their lives. Monica an angel who at times still needs some guidance with her earthly assignments reports to Tess her tough wise and always loving supervisor. Also on hand is Andrew who in addition to his duties as the Angel of Death now helps out as a caseworker on carious assignments. Gloria an angel for the 21st century continues to seek guidance from Monica performing her angelic duties. While the angels may not bring solutions to every problem they always deliver a message of hope.System Requirements:Run Time: 780 minsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 097368508743 Manufacturer No: 850874

Touched by an Angel - The Fourth Season, Vol. 1

A trio of angels Monica (Roma Downey) Tess (Della Reese) and Andrew (John Dye) are dispatched from heaven with a special mission: to inspire people facing sometimes unseen crossroads in their lives. Monica an angel who at times still needs some guidance with her earthly assignments reports to Tess her tough wise and always loving supervisor. Also on hand is Andrew who in addition to his duties as the Angel of Death now helps out as a caseworker on carious assignments. Gloria an angel for the 21st century continues to seek guidance from Monica performing her angelic duties. While the angels may not bring solutions to every problem they always deliver a message of hope.System Requirements:Run Time: 540 minsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 097368513549 Manufacturer No: 851354

Viewers who complain that every story on Touched by an Angel resolves in the exact same way--the divine intervention of angels--are missing the point. This show's fans aren't interested in psychology or clever plot twists; they want to know that rosy-cheeked angels, with caring eyes and soothing voices, will be there for them when their lives seem hopeless. Touched by an Angel gives shape to that wish in the form of beatific Roma Downey, prickly but loving Della Reese, and staunch John Dye as a trio of angels sent all over America to remind troubled souls of God's love. Though the message is consistent, the writing is not. Episodes are sometimes earnest but silly (a painfully sanitized portrait of homeless teens) or outright absurd (a farmer plagued by a drought decides to sue God). But at its best (as in an episode about HIV-positive girls at a summer camp who decide to form a suicide pact), Touched by an Angel can be thoughtful and warm. As in previous years, the fourth season pulls in guest stars of all stripes, including young stars on the rise like Thora Birch (American Beauty), Mandy Moore (A Walk to Remember), Meagan Good (Waist Deep), and Patrick Fugit (Almost Famous); actors well into their careers, like Janet Leigh (Psycho), Stephanie Zimbalist (Remington Steele), Swoosie Kurtz (Citizen Ruth), Robert Guillaume (Benson); and genuine old-hand superstars like Carol Burnett and Rita Moreno. The Fourth Season, Vol. 1 has no extras. --Bret Fetzer

Touched by an Angel - The Third Season, Vol. 1

The creators of Touched by an Angel were clearly of the philosophy "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." The Third Season following squarely and steadfastly in the footsteps of the second, taking emotionally fraught stories--a dedicated teacher gets kidnapped by a troubled student, a drug addict tries to set her life on the right path, a young couple call off their wedding--and brings them to a happy conclusion through the intervention of the Lord, working His mysterious ways through three angels: Monica (Roma Downey, she of the flowing brunette hair and Irish lilt), Tess (Della Reese, she of the white forelock and the gravely voice), and Andrew, an Angel of Death (John Dye, he of the sweeping Fabio-esque mane and full cheeks). It's never quite clear just how much the angels are allowed to interfere with mortal doings. In one episode, Monica gets sent to God's Country--a sort of metaphysical detention--but it's hard to say that her actions were any more out of bounds than usual. Touched by an Angel is a love-it-or-hate-it show; cynics find it smug and didactic, while fans are drawn to its sincere and caring portrayal of Christian values. As ever, the series pulls in a surprising mix of guest stars, ranging from movie stars on the rise (Kirsten Dunst, Bring It On, Spider-Man) and on the wane (Sally Kellerman, the big-screen version of M*A*S*H), TV stars (John Ritter, Three's Company; Delta Burke, Designing Women; Ja'net Dubois, Good Times; Ben Vereen, Roots), and sturdy character actors (Olympia Dukakis, Moonstruck; Harold Gould and Carol Lawrence, guest stars on just about every show imaginable in the 1970s and '80s). The Third Season, Vol. 1 includes the first 16 episodes from the 1996-1997 season, including the episode that launched the spin-off show, Promised Land, with Gerald McRaney and Ossie Davis. There are no extras on the dvds. --Bret Fetzer

Touched By An Angel (Season 1, Season 2, and Season 3: Volume 1)

A trio of angels Monica (Roma Downey), Tess (Della Reese), and Andrew (John Dye) are dispatched from heaven with a special mission: to inspire people facing sometimes unseen crossroads in their lives. Monica, an angel who at times still needs some guidance with her earthly assignments, reports to Tess, her tough, wise and always loving supervisor. Also on hand is Andrew, who, in addition to his duties as the Angel of Death, now helps out as a caseworker on carious assignments. Gloria, an angel for the 21st century, continues to seek guidance from Monica performing her angelic duties. While the angels may not bring solutions to every problem, they always deliver a message of hope.