Oliansky, Joel

Quincy, M.E. - Seasons 1 & 2

When Jack Klugman played Oscar Madison in television's "The Odd Couple," it seemed no role could better suit him—until he stepped into the shoes of Dr. Quincy, the stubborn, crusading medical examiner in the trailblazing series (1976-1983) that spawned the medical investigation genre and earned Klugman four Emmy nominations. Immortalized for posterity is this collector's set of the show's first two seasons on three two-sided discs containing 16 episodes (four from Season One; 12 from Season Two). Beginning with the first installment, "Go Fight City Hall--To the Death," the series' socially conscious, quick-paced, and mostly believable storylines are an engaging blend of mystery, sleuthing, sarcasm, and romance stirred together into an action-packed drama. Each episode, such as the award-winning show, "The Thigh Bone's Connected to the Knee Bone," probes contemporary issues and promotes justice while maintaining a healthy dose of humor. A strong supporting cast includes Robert Ito (as Quincy's loyal lab assistant, Sam) and John S. Ragin (as skeptical boss, Dr. Asten). Jamie Lee Curtis makes a cameo appearance in "Visitors in Paradise," while additional celebrity guests include Buddy Hackett, Donna Mills, Kim Cattrall, and June Lockhart. The picture and sound quality are solid and each story begins with a short onscreen synopsis and original airdate. The only deficit in an otherwise stellar effort is the noticeable lack of bonus material such as vintage interviews, a making-of featurette, or a well-deserved tribute to Klugman. (Ages 12 and older) --Lynn Gibson

Emergency - Season One

Created and produced by TV legend Jack Webb, Emergency! delivered a double dose of medical drama and real-life action into its stories, which made it a major favorite among viewers during its '72-77 network run. The season 1 set compiles the first 11 episodes of the program, in which paramedics Gage (Randolph Mantooth) and DeSoto (Kevin Tighe) tackle crises both big and small, from plane accidents ("Crash," "Dealer's Wild") and baby deliveries ("Brushfire") to the rescue of a horse in a ditch ("Publicity Hound"). Ably assisting the men in the field are the emergency room hospital staff, led by Dr. Joe Early (Bobby Troup, the composer of "Route 66"), Dr. Kelly Brackett (Robert Fuller of Laramie), and Nurse Dixie McCall (singer Julie London); Deirdre Hall of Days of Our Lives fame also appeared (in this season only) as Nurse Sally Lewis. An energetic and entertaining series, the success of Emergency not only spawned a host of promotional tie-ins (and a Saturday morning cartoon), but also helped spark attention for and interest in paramedic work during its network run, which is a considerable legacy for any television program.

Though no extras are included in the season 1 double-disc set, the 1972 two-part pilot, "The Wedsworth-Townsend Affair," is included; directed by Jack Webb, the pilot also features guest appearances by Martin Milner and Kent McCord in their roles from another of his then-current series, Adam-12. --Paul Gaita

Emergency - Season Two

When lives are on the line the Emergency! team is there and ready for action. Reunite with Squad 51 and the heroic staff of Rampart Hospital in all 21 gripping Season 2 episodes of the pioneering series that was the first to show the real-life drama of being an EMT. From mysterious widespread viruses to dangerous overdoses to a treacherous gas explosion there s no crisis too tough for brave paramedics Roy DeSoto (Kevin Tighe) and John Gage (Randolph Mantooth). With their trademark wit and humor they re always ready to race to the scene of LA s most dire situations. Along for the ride are some of TV s most popular stars including Dick Van Patten Melissa Gilbert Deidre Hall and many more. From legendary producer Jack Webb (Dragnet) comes the incredible second season of Emergency! -- the TV show that broke new ground for all action series to come.System Requirements:Running Time: 1058 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 025192980329 Manufacturer No: 61029803

Emergency - Season Three

This popular '70's television drama was based on 'Emergency 9-1-1' calls to a fire/paramedic unit. Many exciting rescues took place each week as the brave and dedicated firemen and heroic paramedics carried out their jobs often under adverse conditions.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS UPC: 025193300027 Manufacturer No: 61033000

More medical drama and firefighting adventures await the Emergency! fan in this multi-disc set, which compiles all 22 episodes of the action series' 1973-74 season. Story-wise, there's not much change at either Rescue Squad 51's headquarters, which housed Roy DeSoto (Randolph Mantooth) and John Gage (Kevin Tighe), or at Rampart Hospital (home to doctors Robert Fuller and Bobby Troup and head nurse Julie London), though Roy must decide whether to become an engineer or stay with the paramedics in "The Promotion" (Episode 7), and Troup's Dr. Joe Early discovers he has a heart condition in "The Hard Hours" (Episode 19). But story arcs and character change wasn't the fuel that drove Emergency!; it was the rescues, and naturally, there are plenty to be found here, from a motorcycle gang war (season opener "Frequency"), a rocker in a diabetic coma (Episode 4, "An English Visitor") and a singer who suffers a heart attack (Episode 12, "Body Language") to a footballer (Dick Butkus) who is tackled too roughly by his own son ("The Hard Hours") and a magician who locks himself in a safe (Episode 14, "Computer Error"). Guest stars rescued and treated by the regulars this season include a youthful Nick Nolte, Mariette Hartley, Happy Days' Donny Most, and '60s heartthrob Bobby Sherman. Unfortunately, as with previous Emergency! DVD releases, there are no extras, though the episodes are spread across five single-sided discs rather than on double-sided discs. -- Paul Gaita