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Returning for its third season, the two-time Golden Globe®-winning series for Best TV Drama bursts with one scandalous surprise after another. Jon Hamm and the rest of the award-winning ensemble continue to captivate us as they contend with a world on the brink. Welcome to Mad Men - a shocking portrait of a time that was anything but innocent. Nothing is as sexy. Nothing is as provocative. Nothing is as it seems. Mad Men: Where the Truth Lies.
Stills from Mad Men: Season 3 (Click for larger image)
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Brand: Buena Vista Home Video
The epic story of Lost twists, turns and time shifts in its brilliant fifth season. Packed with bonus material, including a revealing interview with the cast and an exclusive behind the scenes feature with Josh, Lost is better than ever.
When destiny calls, the Oceanic 6 frantically race back to the island. Discover what forced them to return and find out the fate of all those who were left behind. The answers to some of Lost's most pressing questions are revealed in this spectacular 5-disc collection, complete with deleted scenes, a behind the scenes celebration of the 100th episode and an incredible vault of exclusive bonus features. The show that revolutionized primetime proves once again why it is television's most addictive and creative series. Bonus Features Include: 7 Lost on location, A Day with Josh Holloway, Los Angeles crew tribute with Michael Emerson, the 100th episode, Time Frame and Continuity, Bloopers, Deleted Scenes
Since Lost made its debut as a cult phenomenon in 2004, certain things seemed inconceivable. In its fourth year, some of those things, like a rescue, came to pass. The season ended with Locke (Terry O'Quinn) attempting to persuade the Oceanic Six to return, but he dies before that can happen--or so it appears--and where Jack (Matthew Fox) used to lead, Ben (Emmy nominee Michael Emerson) now takes the reins and convinces the survivors to fulfill Locke's wish.
As producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse state in their commentary on the fifth-season premiere, "We're doing time travel this year," and the pile-up of flashbacks and flash-forwards will make even the most dedicated fan dizzy. Ben, Jack, Hurley (Jorge Garcia), Sayid (Naveen Andrews), Sun (Yunjin Kim), and Kate (Evangeline Lilly) arrive to find that Sawyer (Josh Holloway) and Juliet (Elizabeth Mitchell) have been part of the Dharma Initiative for three years. The writers also clarify the roles that Richard (Nestor Carbonell) and Daniel (Jeremy Davies) play in the island's master plan, setting the stage for the prophecies of Daniel's mother, Eloise Hawking (Fionnula Flanagan), to play a bigger part in the sixth and final season.
Dozens of other players flit in and out, some never to return. A few, such as Jin (Daniel Dae Kim), live again in the past. Lost could've wrapped things up in five years, as The Wire did, but the show continues to excite and surprise. As Lindelof and Cuse admit in the commentary, there's a "fine line between confusion and mystery," adding, "it makes more sense if you're drunk." Other extras include deleted scenes, featurettes, a "lost" episode of Mysteries of the Universe, and commentary from writers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz on "He's Our You," a reference to Sayid, who tries to change the future by changing the past. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
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Brand: HBO Home Video
Welcome back to Bon Temps, home to mystery, Southern sensuality and dark secrets. For Sookie Stackhouse, life is more dangerous than ever after she and Bill become more deeply involved. Meanwhile, Tara finds herself under a lover’s spell; Sam puts his trust in an unlikely ally; Jason becomes involved with an anti-vampire sect; Eric becomes interested in Sookie after he recruits her to investigate the disappearance of his 2,000-year-old maker; and Maryann is revealed to possess a power that can control almost everyone in town. Then, after making a shocking discovery, Sookie, Bill and Sam must form the last line of defense against a diabolical plan that raises this award-winning series to bloody new heights.
True Blood: The Complete Second Season includes all 12 episodes of this critically acclaimed series from Alan Ball, writer of the Academy Award®-winning Best Picture American Beauty and creator of Six Feet Under. Loaded with special features, this essential 5-disc set is certain to quench the curiosity of True Blood fans everywhere.
Stills from True Blood: The Complete Second Season (click for larger image)
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Brand: Twentieth Century Fox
Includes the first 13 episodes of season one.
Few shows bottle pure delight like Glee, a Fox TV series about the ups and downs of a high school glee club, or show choir. The show lures you in with its musical numbers, a mix of classic rock and Broadway show tunes performed by a cast of marvelous singers and dancers--but what keeps you watching are the wonderful characters, ranging from Rachel (Lea Michelle), whose self-obsession is as uninhibited as it is annoying; to Emma (Jayma Mays), a germ-phobic guidance counselor hopelessly in love with a married teacher; to Kurt (Chris Colfer), a cherubic young gay man who discovers he's got a fantastic football kick. The center of the show is Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison), the earnest Spanish teacher of McKinley High School, who's determined to guide the glee club to victory at a national competition. He sees this collection of overemotional misfits as heroic, but they're looked down on as losers by the rest of the school--especially Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Best In Show), the ruthless cheerleading coach who will stop at nothing to destroy the glee club before they can take even a fraction of her extravagant budget.
Glee fuses adolescent soap opera, the comic pettiness of academic politics, and exuberant song and dance. (While it would be better if the songs weren't so glossily produced, it's impossible to deny the pep and talent of these young performers.) Somehow, the characters manage to be cartoonish yet multidimensional; even the nicest characters are capable of being jerks and the most manipulative have moments of sympathy or grace. For example, Will's wife, Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig), fakes a pregnancy because she's afraid Will is about to leave her for Emma--but as absurd as this scenario is, it's carefully grounded in enough moments of desperate yearning that it becomes completely compelling… particularly when Terri seizes on the unwanted pregnancy of lead cheerleader Quinn (Dianna Agron) as the solution to her problem. Throw in vividly colored costume designs and blisteringly funny rants from Sue, and it's easy to see why Glee became an unexpected hit. Volume One: The Road to Sectionals collects the first 13 episodes, along with a smattering of extras that range from charming (the principal leads the audience on a tour through the school) to inane (bland factoids about the actors' favorite colors). --Bret Fetzer
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Brand: Warner Brothers
Resurrection. After enduring unspeakable torture, Dean escapes from Hell, rescued by an all-powerful creature he's never seen before – an Angel – a warrior of God who recruits Sam and Dean into Heaven's battle against Hell. And there are whispers that a certain fallen angel will soon be freed from his prison deep in Hell: Lucifer. If Sam and Dean can't stop it – if Lucifer walks free – he’ll bring on the Apocalypse. Meanwhile, the Winchester Brothers reunite and hit the road, battling the supernatural wherever they go. They encounter demons, spirits, Dracula himself and even a drunk, heavily armed 7-foot-tall teddy bear. All the while, the ultimate war draws them into its horror throughout this enthralling 6-Disc, 22-Episode Season Four. Caught between Heaven and Hell, between God and the Devil, the Winchester brothers must battle for the future of humankind.
When a television series opens its new season with a lead character crawling out of his grave after escaping Hell itself, one cannot help but wonder: how will the rest of the episodes ever follow that? In the case of Supernatural's fourth season, the answer comes from above with the introduction of Misha Collins's Castiel, an angel dispatched to rescue Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) from infernal torment and reunite him with brother Sam (Jared Padalecki) for a very special mission. That quest--to stop the demonic Lilith from opening the 66 seals required to bring Lucifer to Earth and launch the Apocalypse--forms the backbone of the 22 episodes, which takes some fairly adventurous risks with the core of the show. Chief among these is the rift that deepens between Dean and Sam as they attempt to work together, despite their divergent destinies; also agreeable is the season's tonal shift away from its previous Monster of the Week format (though that's still intact for many episodes) and toward a single, more ambitious story and thematic arc. The sea change deepens the show's drama, intensifies the level of suspense and stakes in each episode, and pushes it several big steps away from its teen-friendly origins. Of course, there's still plenty of the show's trademark irreverence and humor to be found, especially in the clever "Monster Movie," which pits the brothers against a Shapeshifter that takes the form of classic movie fiends, and "The Monster at the End of This Book," where Sam and Dean discover a comic book with plot lines very similar to their own lives. By the time Supernatural's fourth season reaches its cliffhanger ending with "Lucifer Rising" (the title neatly sums up the plot), viewers should be fairly hungering for the next episode--a good sign that a veteran series is still hitting its stride.
Extras on the six-disc set include commentary for three episodes: "In the Beginning," with executive producer Eric Kripke and writer Jeremy Carver; "When the Levee Breaks," with director Robert Singer and writer Sara Gamble; and "Lucifer Rising" with Kripke. Extended scenes are also available for several episodes, and the features are rounded out by a trio of somewhat ponderous featurettes on the concepts of Heaven, Purgatory, and Hell, as depicted in scenes from the show and discussed by its writers, theologians, paranormal investigators, and the like. Clocking in between 10 and 25 minutes apiece, the docs feel padded and somewhat undernourished in the information department. However, they're unlikely to detract from one's enjoyment of this stellar season. --Paul Gaita
Features:
Resurrection. After enduring unspeakable torture, Dean escapes from Hell, rescued by an all-powerful creature he s never seen before an Angel a warrior of God who recruits Sam and Dean into Heaven s battle against Hell. And there are whispers that a certain fallen angel will soon be freed from his prison deep in Hell: Lucifer. If Sam and Dean can t stop it if Lucifer walks free he ll bring on the
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Brand: Warner
Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 08/18/2009 Run time: 558 minutes Rating: Nr
Early in the second season of The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon (Emmy nominee Jim Parsons) asks Penny (Kaley Cuoco), "When did we become friends?" For a smart guy, Sheldon misses a lot. But for the record, season 1 answered the question of whether or not an adorkable group of geniuses can become friends with the hot girl next door (yes!). Season 2 shows us what that friendship looks like, and it's awesome, especially when it includes a rousing game of "Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock." Sheldon's roommate Leonard (Johnny Galecki) wants to be more than friends with Penny, but the richest relationship of the show is that of Penny and Sheldon. He uses the "covenant of friendship" to get Penny to give him rides, he engages in an over-caffeinated business venture with her, and in the excellent Christmas episode, they exchange gifts and share a surprisingly touching moment. (Sheldon's midseason efforts to befriend a colleague can't compare.) Penny is forever changed by the guys, even telling a date about Schrodinger's cat and delving into online gaming. The extras, including a gag reel and interviews with the cast and crew, reveal the stars to be as appealing and connected to each other as their characters. --Stephanie Reid-Simons
Features:
The science of funny is back! At work, physicists Leonard and Sheldon and their geek pals conquer the cosmos. At home, real life from dating to driving conquers them. This season, Leonard gets a girl. So does Sheldon. (Sheldon?!) Howard drives the Mars Rover into a ditch. Raj woos a terminator. Gorgeous girl-next-door Penny falls under the spell of Age of Conan. And super-smart, berconfident Lesli
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Brand: UNI DIST CORP. (MCA)
Scranton’s most outrageous workforce is back to give their clients the business in the fifth hilarious season of The Office. Join obnoxious regional manager Michael Scott (Steve Carell) and his fellow paper pushers Dwight (Rainn Wilson), Jim (John Krasinski), Pam (Jenna Fischer) and Ryan (B.J. Novak) as they steal customers, frame co-workers, indulge in intra-office love affairs and just plain behave badly while a documentary film crew captures their every word and misdeed. Developed for American television by Primetime Emmy® Award-winner Greg Daniels, The Office: Season Five features 26 uproarious episodes – including two one-hour specials, exclusive commentaries, webisodes, deleted scenes and more in a sidesplitting five-disc collection no true fan of The Office can afford to miss!
Season Five is not just another day at The Office, delivering break-ups, corporate shake-ups, and a game-changing finale that, as with Jim (John Krasinski), should leave you ecstatic and speechless. The writers continue their masterful handling of the Jim and Pam (Jenna Fischer) romance, taking care of some unfinished business from last season's finale in the season opener with a glorious rain-swept gas station proposal. Their initial separation--while she attends art school in New York--avoids the usual sitcom mechanics ("We are not that couple," Jim states as he aborts a panicked trip to see her). The course of true love is no smoother for The Office's other soul mates, Michael Scott (Steve Carrell) and "major dork" Holly Flax (an Emmy-worthy Amy Ryan), the new HR rep. Meanwhile, Angela (Angela Kinsey) and Dwight (Rainn Wilson) are having office trysts under the nose of her fiancé, Andy (Hangover star Ed Helms, having a breakout season in a career year). On the corporate front, Michael shockingly quits after butting heads with no-nonsense new boss Charles Miner (Idris Elba). In a brilliant stroke, Jim immediately gets on Charles's bad side, much to Dwight's delight. The formation of The Michael Scott Paper Company is a highlight of the season, as Michael and his dream team, Pam and Ryan (B.J. Novak), improbably put a major dent in Dunder Mifflin's sales (but at what cost?). For everyone who wonders how the blundering and tactless Michael keeps his job, it is instructive to get a glimpse of his sales acumen in the episodes "Heavy Competition," in which Michael poaches one of Dwight's clients, and "Broke," in which he negotiates a buyout of his struggling company. The Office's own dream team got dreamier with the addition of Ellie Kemper as "Erin," the adorable and naïve new receptionist. The Office still makes for cringe-worthy discomfort television (see a reunited Michael and Holly's excruciating skit at the "Company Picnic" in the season finale), but some of the best episodes are the ones in which the Scranton branch bonds in the face of adversity. A season benchmark is the episode in which the former Michael Scott Paper Company office space is transformed into "Café Disco" and all squabbles and resentments are forgotten on the dance floor. This season is representative of why The Office is one of television's most DVR'd series. Each episode offers priceless bits of background comic business and charming character grace notes that lend themselves to repeated viewing. Among them: Andy's drunken late night phone call to Angela in "Company Trip"; Pam demonstrating her volleyball prowess in "Company Picnic"; Kelly (Mindy Kaling) setting up one of the series' very best "that's what she saids" in "Customer Survey"; and Andy and Kelly's "dance off" in "Café Disco." As Dwight notes in "Heavy Competition," "There's a lot going on" in The Office, and in that chaos, this series soars. --Donald Liebenson
Also on the discs This five-disc set works overtime with about eight episodes' worth of deleted scenes. Highlights include Pam bonding with her younger fellow students in New York, Kevin's revelation that he loves the smell of bacon on a woman, and Michael Scott on the loose with a defibrillator. The 10 audio commentaries are low-key, but informative, and some offer unique behind-the-scenes perspectives (one features craft services and catering personnel who reveal what the cast eats for breakfast). Along with the standard-issue gag reel, there are for completists two webisodes featuring the series' B+ team and synergetic promos for the Super Bowl and the Olympics. Andy Richter moderates an Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Q&A featuring the cast, key creative personnel, and crew members. A "100 Episodes, 100 Moments" countdown is open to debate (not one "that's what she said!"). --Donald Liebenson
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Disc 1: Star Wars: A New Hope WS Disc 1 Disc 2: Star Wars: A New Hope WS Disc 2 Disc 3: Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back WS Disc 1 Disc 4: Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back WS Disc 2 Disc 5: Star Wars: Return of the Jedi WS Disc 1 Disc 6: Star Wars: Return of the Jedi WS Disc 2
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Brand: PARAMOUNT HOME VIDEO
TV’s most sexy and scandalous hit drama is back with The Tudors: The Complete Third Season. Golden Globe winner Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Elvis) stars as a young King Henry VIII, a ruler whose reign changed the course of history forever. Now for the first time on DVD, the complete third season of this delicious and daring drama from Showtime is available in a 3 disc DVD set including every broadcast episode and loads of special features including and the first two episodes of Showtime’s hit show United States of Tara and an exclusive featurette called the Tudors Timelines. Plus unlock even more bonus features on your PC including interviews with Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Annabelle Wallis, Henry Cavill, Joss Stone, and Max Van Sydow!
Stills from Tudors: Season Three (Click for larger image)
