Classic TV

Speed Racer , Vol. 3 - Episodes 24-36

Thirteen episodes from the Original TV Series never before released on DVD. Speed Racer wants you to GO, GO, GO on thirteen high-octane adventures! Jump into the Mach-5 with Speed's gang, Trixie, Sparky, Spritle and Chim Chim, as they battle assassins, monsters and the infamous Racer X. For the first time on DVD, these original episodes put you in the driver's seat! Enjoy episodes 24 - 36 (Royal Racer, Car Hater, Race Against Time, Snake Track, Man on the Lam, Gang of Assassins, Race for Life, Supersonic Car, and Crash in the Jungle).

Bewitched - The Complete Sixth Season

BEWITCHED - THE COMPLETE 6TH SEASON (DVD MOVIE)

Yes, yes, we've heard it before: Bewitched jumped the broom in season six when Dick Sargent replaced Dick York as Darrin Stevens, the most infamous cast switcheroo in TV history. But if you don't purchase this set, be advised that you will miss what Quentin Tarantino, when he hosted Saturday Night Live, proclaimed to be "the single greatest moment in television history": Serena's rendition of "I'll Blow You a Kiss in the Wind" in the episode "Serena Stops the Show." Beyond that, this season shows there was still plenty of magic left in this supernatural series. Over the course of the first five seasons, Bewitched replaced Louise Tates and Gladys Kravitzes, so why not Darrin? Besides, Sargent was originally tapped to star as Darrin (but he was contractually bound elsewhere). However, Marion Lorne, who won an Emmy as endearingly addled Aunt Clara, was irreplaceable. So when she passed away, a new character was introduced this season; Esmeralda (Alice Ghostley), a shy witch whose lack of self confidence caused her to fade when she got nervous, and whose good-intentioned spells invariably backfired. If this season suffers from anything, it's more a sense of been there, twitched that. There is yet another Halloween episode that battles the "ugly witch" stereotype, and several in which a spell gone awry is explained away as a concept for one of Darrin's ad campaigns (why else would there be a unicorn in the Stevens' backyard in the episode, "Samantha's Yoo-Hoo Maid"). And Endora (Agnes Moorehead) continues to cast embarrassing spells on Darrin, like transforming him into a yes-man in "You're So Agreeable," or compelling him to speak in nothing but clichés in "The Phrase is Familiar." But the writers did conjure up some fresh situations. In a two-parter, Darrin's newfound magic powers go to his head. In "Samantha's Secret is Discovered," Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery) finally reveals to her mother-in-law (Mabel Albertson) that she is "a cauldron-stirring, card-carrying" witch. And this season, Samantha gives birth to warlock infant Adam. The adorable Erin Murphy, as daughter Tabitha, gives the show some added kid appeal with her misguided uses of her budding powers. In the season opener, she switches places with Jack (Family Affair's Johnny Whitaker) to climb the beanstalk and confront the Giant. In another episode, she creates a double of Samantha so she can go to the park. In addition to Montgomery's groovy dual role as Serena, this season offers the always-welcome return of Paul Lynde as practical joker and insult zinger Uncle Arthur and Bernard Fox as the cantankerous and contemptuous Dr. Bombay. This set's extras are limited to two random "minisodes" of The Partridge Family and I Dream of Jeannie. --Donald Liebenson

Mission Impossible - The Fourth TV Season

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE:THE FOURTH TV SEASON (DVD MOVIE)

Foil the invasion of a democratic country? No problem. Rescue members of a royal family from their would-be usurper? Piece of cake. Replace the irreplaceable Martin Landau and thrice-Emmy-winner Barbara Bain, who departed Mission after its third season? Now that's impossible! But in this classic series' fourth season, the veteran and rookie members of the Impossible Mission Force still put on a good show. The most prominent new addition to the IMF dossier is Leonard Nimoy as Paris, magician and master of disguise. Lee "Catwoman" Meriwether appears in several episodes as Tracey. Other guest stars make less of an impression; Alexandra Hay makes her only appearance on the show in the season opener as Lynn, who, in the course of an elaborate plot to shatter an alliance between two would-be dictators is caught, strip-searched, and thrown into prison (she disappears mid-episode and is never seen again; viewers never do get to see her sprung). An unintentionally hilarious moment that would have made Mad magazine proud comes in the three-parter, "The Falcon," in which IMF leader Jim Phelps' (Peter Graves) dossier of agents at his disposal includes the eponymous trained animal! Lending Mission: Impossible its international intrigue are the villains from such exotic sounding countries as Nueva Tierra. Great character actors, including John "Dean Wormer" Vernon, Harold Gould and Pernell Roberts portray accented bad guys to the hilt. Each bafflingly complex mission unfolds precisely to plan. Everything must go like clockwork, and usually does, even a lame bit in "The Falcon" in which strongman Willy (Peter Lupus) disguised as a peasant, delays a priest from a coronation by transporting him via horse-driven cart in a roundabout route. Like the previous season's "The Exchange," one mission hits closer to home. In "Death Squad" electronics expert Barney (Greg Morris) is arrested by a brutal and corrupt police chief who also happens to be the brother of the man who was killed while attacking Barney's girlfriend (Cicely Tyson, by the way). Mission: Impossible has yet to self-destruct, but this season doesn't exactly deliver on Paris's promise to his audience to deliver "excitement you haven't seen before." We have seen this before, but watching the IMF in episode after episode pull off the impossible is still smart and suspenseful fun. --Donald Liebenson

The Prisoner - Complete Series Megaset (40th Anniversary Edition)

Though it ran for a mere 17 episodes the British sci-fi spy drama THE PRISONER is one of television's biggest cult hits. The brainchild of star Patrick McGoohan the series followed the adventures of No. 6 (McGoohan) a former secret agent who is being held captive in a highly secured village the location of which remains a mystery throughout the series. This groundbreaking and innovative show reached an unfortunate end when British TV bosses got cold feet following low ratings and increasingly strange story lines. But McGoohan himself took control and steered the show to an ending that continues to cause great debate among THE PRISONER's faithful fans. This release includes the entire series of the show.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS UPC: 733961758580 Manufacturer No: AAE-75858

If a top-level spy decided he didn't want to be a spy anymore, could he just walk into HQ and hand in his resignation? With all that classified knowledge in his head, would he be allowed to become a civilian again, free to go about his life? The answer, according to the stylish, brilliantly conceived 1960s British TV series The Prisoner, is a resounding no. In fact, instead of receiving a gold watch for his years of faithful service, our hero (played by Patrick McGoohan) is followed home to his London flat and knocked unconscious. When he awakens, he finds himself in a picturesque village where everyone is known by a number. Where is it? Why was he brought here? And, most important, how does he leave?

As we learn in Episode 1, Number 6 can't leave. The Village's "citizens" might dress colorfully and stroll around its manicured gardens while a band plays bouncy Strauss marches, but the place is actually a prison. Surveillance is near total, and if all else fails, there's always the large, mysterious white ball that subdues potential escapees by temporarily smothering them. Who runs the Village? An ever-changing Number 2, who wants to know why Number 6 resigned. If he'd only cooperate, he's told, life can be made very pleasant. "I've resigned," he fumes. "I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered. My life is my own." So sets the stage for the ultimate battle of wills: Number 6's struggle to retain his privacy, sanity, and individuality against the array of psychological and physical methods the Village uses to break him.

So does he ever escape? And does he ever find out who Number 1 is? "Questions are a burden to others," the Village saying goes. "Answers, a prison for oneself." Within this complete 17-episode set (which contains the entire series), all is revealed. Or is it? --Steve Landau

I Love Lucy - The Complete First Season

Here's how it all began-the classic episodes that started America's long-running love affair with everyone's favorite madcap redhead Lucille Ball. Plus the rarely seen pilot episode that sold the I Love Lucy series. By the end of its initial season I Love Lucy was TV's first bona fide smash-hit-the very first program seen in more than 10 million homes. America just couldn't get enough of this stunning new comedy talent-Lucy as a less-than-poised would-be ballerina in "The Ballet" Lucy battling the world's longest loaf of bread in "Pioneer Women" and Lucy in her greatest performance as the health tonic-guzzling TV pitchwoman for "Vitameatavegamin" in "Lucy Does a TV Commercial." ("And it's so tasty too!") Fall in love all over again with the wild and wacky series that changed TV forever!DVD Special Features:Full Screen FormatDolby Digital: English Mono Spanish MonoSpanish Subtitles7-disc setIncludes 36 episodes from Season OneOriginal Series OpeningsLost ScenesProduction NotesDeleted FootageGuest Cast InformationBehind-The-Scenes Audio FeaturettePhoto GalleriesScript ExcerptsRestored MusicSystem Requirements:Starring: Desi Arnaz Lucille Ball William Frawley Vivian Vance Running Time: 907 Min. Copyright Paramount Pictures 2005Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/CLASSICS Rating: NR UPC: 097360274547 Manufacturer No: 027454

I Love Lucy - The Complete Second Season

From its 1951 premiere to the present day I Love Lucy has never been off the air! You'll see why in this hilarious five-disc DVD collection containing the show's entire second season. Laugh out loud at such gems as "Job Switching" - in which Lucy and Ethel do unforgettable battle with a chocolate factory conveyor belt; "The Handcuffs" - in which Lucy cuffs herself to Ricky and then loses the key; and "The Operetta" - in which Lucy's money problems bring down the curtain on her role as 'Queen of the Gypsies.' This collection also includes the groundbreaking "pregnancy shows" including the touching moment at the Tropicana when Lucy breaks the news to Ricky that they are going to have a baby and "Lucy Goes to the Hospital" - the record-setting episode that garnered the highest rating in the history of television!DVD Features: Featurette: Disc 23- Behind the Scenes Featurettes Disc 5- Behind the Scenes Slide ShowAdditional Scenes: Deleted footage and lost scenesBloopers: Flubs on discs 1-5Other: Guest Cast Information (all discs) Original Openings (all discs) Production Notes on discs 1-4 Lucy's Radio Show on discs 1-4System Requirements: Running Time 779 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/CLASSICS Rating: NR UPC: 097368796942 Manufacturer No: 879694

Season 2 of I Love Lucy includes two of the most famous half-hours in television history. "Job Switching," originally broadcast mid-September of 1952, is the crazy, battle-of-the-sexes episode in which husbands Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz) and Fred Mertz (William Frawley) trade roles with wives Lucy (Lucille Ball) and Ethel (Vivian Vance), culminating in the men making a shambles of domestic chores while Lucy and Ethel take disastrous work at a chocolate factory. That's right: This is the show where the ladies have a Chaplinesque experience with a too-fast factory conveyor belt, forcing them to hide candies in their mouths, in their hats, and down their blouses lest a tough forewoman fire them for incompetence. A half-century later, the scene is still so fresh and funny it would grace any current sitcom. "Lucy Goes to the Hospital," which received an amazing 71.7 rating on January 19, 1953, is the historic episode featuring the birth of Little Ricky and a load of wonderful slapstick. Other television series (The Dick Van Dyke Show) and movies (Nine Months) have tried to top Lucy's time-to-go-to-the-hospital shenanigans, but there's nothing like the sight of Ricky and Fred falling all over themselves or Ricky showing up at the maternity ward (direct from a voodoo-themed show at the Tropicana) in witch doctor makeup.

The other 31 episodes included in I Love Lucy: The Compete Second Season have choice moments, too. "Lucy Becomes a Sculptress" finds the ever-ambitious redhead falling for empty flattery at an art-supply store and commencing an ill-advised career working in clay. Ricky agrees to bless this new endeavor if an art critic says she has talent, but Lucy tries to increase her chances by posing as a bust of herself--resulting in mayhem, of course. The usual running themes in I Love Lucy--Lucy's misguided desire to be a part of Ricky's musical career, and her penchant for disguising herself to investigate something--are all over The Complete Second Season. "Ricky Loses His Voice" is a delightful piece in which Ricky's laryngitis inspires Lucy, the Mertzes, and an aging chorus line to put on a Tropicana spectacle, and "Ricky Has Labor Pains" finds Lucy and Ethel going undercover as male reporters to find out what happens at a stag party. Lots to enjoy here, and the special features include bloopers, information about the guest cast, and snippets from Ball's radio show. --Tom Keogh

Burke's Law: Season 1 - Volume 1 (First 16 Episodes)

BURKE'S LAW was a hit prime-time TV series that aired on ABC in 1963 and ran until 1966. It starred Gene Barry in the title roll (for which he won a Golden Globe Best TV Actor Award in 1965) of an LA chief of detectives who also happened to be a millionaire! Each episode featured unusual plot twists glamorous settings and a fabulous list of guest stars. So good it was brought back for a brief run in 1994! VCI will be releasing season one in two separate collector s sets of 16 episodes each. Digitally remastered from the original 35mm master each collection will also include bonus original commercials and previews. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS UPC: 089859851025 Manufacturer No: 8510

I Spy - Season 2

Robert Culp and Bill Cosby star as international espionage agents Kelly Robinson and Alexander Scott on highly dangerous missions in this ever-popular award-winning series. Culp poses as a world-class playboy/tennis player and Cosby goes undercover as his trainer. Together they travel the world trading quips and fighting high-level crime with cool bravado and extraordinary savoir-faire. Combining humor with action/intrigue "I Spy" was the first adventure TV series to be shot in exotic international locales establishing a new standard for television dramas.System Requirements:LENGTH: 1428 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS UPC: 014381395327 Manufacturer No: ID3953PQDVD

I Spy - Season 3

Robert Culp and Bill Cosby star as international espionage agents Kelly Robinson and Alexander Scott on highly dangerous missions in this ever-popular award-winning series. Culp poses as a world-class playboy/tennis player and Cosby goes undercover as his trainer. Together they travel the world trading quips and fighting high-level crime with cool bravado and extraordinary savoir-faire. Combining humor with action/intrigue "I Spy" was the first adventure TV series to be shot in exotic international locales establishing a new standard for television dramas.System Requirements:LENGTH: 1332 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS UPC: 014381395426 Manufacturer No: IS3954PQDVD

Star Trek The Original Series - The Complete First Season

Finally and for the first time ever the complete landmark epic sci-fi television series Star Trek is available in a complete set on DVD. In these definitive collector's boxed sets with completely remastered sound fans of the landmark series can finally own and enjoy the entire first season featuring hours of new and never-before-seen bonus features.Season One is an 8-disc set that includes all 28 first run episodes and exclusive retrospective featurettes that are out of this world!Special Features: Full Screen Format Dolby Digital: English 5.1 Surround English Dolby Surround Text Commentary by Michael Okuda & Denise Okuda The Birth Of A Timeless Legacy Life After Trek: William Shatner To Boldly Go (Season One) Reflections on Spock Red Shirt Logs SCI-FI Visionaries Original Promotional Trailers Photo GalleryFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 097360509243 Manufacturer No: 050924

In 1966, Star Trek set out to boldly go where no series had gone before, beginning a three-year mission that led to a franchise that would last decades. Here at last is the first season of the original series all in one box, 29 episodes in their original broadcast order. That means starting with "The Man Trap," and soon followed by "Where No Man Has Gone Before," the second pilot filmed and the first one starring William Shatner as Captain Kirk. The many highlight episodes include "Balance of Terror" and "Errand of Mercy" (introducing, respectively, the Romulans and the Klingons), the two-part "The Menagerie" (which recycled footage from the original pilot, "The Cage," which featured Christopher Pike as the captain of the Enterprise and is not included in this set), "Space Seed" (introducing Ricardo Montalban's Khan character), and "The City of the Edge of Forever" (written by sci-fi giant Harlan Ellison and considered by many the best-ever episode of the series).

The first-season DVD set is supplemented by 80 minutes of featurettes incorporating 2003-04 interviews with Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, other cast members, and producers, and some 1988 footage of Gene Roddenberry. The longest (24 minutes) featurette, "The Birth of a Timeless Legacy," examines the two pilot episodes and the development of the crew. Slightly shorter are "To Boldly Go... Season One," which highlights key episodes, and "Sci-Fi Visionaries," which discusses the series' great science fiction writers (most famously in "The City of the Edge of Forever"). Shatner shows off his love of horses in "Life Beyond Trek," and, more interestingly, Nimoy debunks various rumors in "Reflections of Spock." As they've done for many of the feature-film special editions, Michael Okuda and Denise Okuda provide a pop-up text commentary on four of the episodes filled with history, trivia, and dry wit. It's the first commentary of any kind for a Star Trek TV show, but an audio commentary is still overdue. The technical specs are mostly the same as other Trek TV series--Dolby 5.1, English subtitles--but with the welcome addition of the episode trailers. The plastic case is an attempt to replicate some of the fun packaging of the series' European DVD releases, but it's a bit clunky, and the paper sleeve around the disc case seems awkward and crude. Still, the set is a vast improvement both in terms of shelf space and bonus features compared to the old two-episode discs, which were released before full-season boxed sets became the model for television DVDs. --David Horiuchi