THE PROGRAM

It would be nearly impossible to succinctly catalogue the number of documentary series' produced on wars in the 20th century; however, it's a much easier task to give craft a solid list of documentary series that are not only worth one's time, but more importantly, possess an inherent quality in their efforts of relaying facts that a viewer would want to invest their money for hopes of repeat viewings. I think few would argue that the 1973 26-episode, 22.5 hour series "The World at War" is not only the definitive World War II documentary series but one of the finest examples of the format (for the record, while I love Ken Burns' work, "The World at War" is so comprehensive, Burns' efforts feel like a primer in comparison). Sadly, I don't think I could list a single series, long or short, that adequately provides viewers insight into the Vietnam War, one of the most controvers...Read the entire review

"I'm so glad we had this time together,
Just to have a laugh or sing a song.
Seems we just get started and before you know it,
Comes the time we have to say, 'So long.'

Despite a somewhat disappointing design for this compilation...necessary viewing for fans and anyone interested in television history. Time Life and StarVista has released The Carol Burnett Show: Carol's Favorites - Collector's Edition, a 6-disc collection of 16 uncut episodes from the beloved CBS comedy variety show. A more affordable sampling of Burnett's magic than the hefty The Carol Burnett Show: The Ultimate Collection (reviewed here by DVDTalk's John Sinnott), The Carol Burnett Show: Carol's Favorites - Collector's Edition also contains over three hours of bonus material (all of it previously released, I believe) that should more than satisfy any fan of the iconic series.

The Show:

Time Life is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with a slam-bang nine-disc collection, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Live. Featuring scores -- and I do mean scores -- of music performances and speeches from a quarter-century's worth of Hall of Fame inductions, this anthology runs the gamut of stars and styles, from the mellow croon of James Taylor to the slash-and-burn of Metallica. It's exhaustive stuff, to be sure (and somewhat exhausting, perhaps) but how can any self-respecting rock 'n' roll buff not be at least partially mesmerized?

The featured acts boast many of the greatest rock 'n' rollers of all time, not particularly surprising given that the performances are from annual Hall of Fame ceremonies. The star-studded lineup includes but is hardly limited to: AC/DC, Aerosmith, Chuck Berry, Jackson Browne, Elvis Co...Read the entire review

"Open Channel D."

The release by Time-Life of the mammoth, 41-disc DVD collection of The Man From U.N.C.L.E.: The Complete Series was a complete revelation to me. Not only does the box set contain all 105 episodes of this smashing sixties spy series, but a copious amount of extras are included that will blow away even the most serious U.N.C.L.E. fan. And for a novice to the series like myself, the ability to see this witty, exciting show from absolute beginning to end, was a major event.

To be honest, I'm not sure I ever saw a complete episode of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. prior to this box set. I was certainly aware of the series when I was a kid (one of my older brothers had all the toy gear, including one of the complete U.N.C.L...Read the entire review

Time-Life has released a terrific compilation DVD of Glen Campbell Good Times Again, a brief but entertaining collection of song selections from Campbell's hugely successful 1969-1972 CBS variety series. 16 songs are featured here, most of them duets performed by Glen with such artists as Johnny Cash, Roger Miller, Bobbie Gentry, Linda Ronstadt, and Ray Charles. As an added bonus, Glen Campbell introduces each segment, giving some good background info on his old series and on the various performers appearing on the disc.

1969 was a busy year for Campbell. After years of being one of, if not the, most sought-after session guitarists in the business (including being a Beach Boy when Brian Wilson opted out of touring in 1965-1966), Campbell branched out into a solo ...Read the entire review

Jerry Lee Lewis was one of the pioneers of rock and roll. In 1956he signed with Sam Phillips of Sun Records and his outrageous, high energypiano style made him an overnight sensation. He recorded some hitsthat are still getting airplay today, 50 year later, including the rockstandards Great Balls of Fire and Whole Lot of Shakin' Goin'On. In tribute to this great musician, Time-Life has releaseda DVD filled with The Killer's TV appearances that he's made over the years. The aptly titled Jerry Lee Lewis: Greatest Live Performances ofthe 50's, 60's and 70's is a great collection of rarely seen materialthat shows Lewis at the height of his popularity as a rock singer, andlater when he reinvented himself as a country and western musician.

Jerry Lee Lewis had a huge impact on rock and roll. He made thepiano a...Read the entire review

Reviewer's Note: My previous review of This is Tom Jones: Rock 'N' Roll Legends was based on a promotional copy of the DVD that was sent to DVDTalk, which I indicated at the top of that review. And while anyone reading that review could tell that I'm a huge fan of Tom Jones and of his sensational TV variety series - probably because I came right out and said so in the review - I had problems with the set-up of Time-Life's three-disc DVD box set. Fortunately, a final shelf copy of This is Tom Jones: Rock 'N' Roll Legends was recently sent to DVDTalk, and I'm happy to say it's a big improvement over the review discs I received. There are still drawbacks to the set, including some of the material chosen for inclusion, as well as with the video image, but there are big improvements and extras, as well, that compensate. So I've updated my review - as well as my recommendation of T...Read the entire review

The Series:

Despite the fact that Hee Haw was created by two Canadian writers (Frank Peppiatt and John Aylesworth both hailed from the Great White North), the show remains one of those television series that really only appealed to Americans and in fact, outside of North America, you'll be hard pressed to find anyone who has even heard of it despite the fact that it ran on TV (initially on CBS) for over two decades. The show built up a huge following by way of the typical variety show format combining funny skits and regular hosts with live music performances.

Roy Clark and Buck Owens were the two men most often associated with the show and for good reason they hosted it (though Owens called it quits in 1986)! But alongside these two talented musicians there were regulars like Minnie Pearl, Roy Acuff, Barbi Benton, Jon and Jim Hager, Grandpa Jones, Susan Raye Junior Sample...Read the entire review

Chief: "Max, you realize you'll be facing every kind of danger imaginable."
Max:"And loving it!"

When Ian Flemming's Dr. No was released in 1962 it took the world by storm. British secret agent James Bond became such a mainstay in our pop culture that even over 40 years later we still flock to the theaters to see his adventures. Ever since Sean Connery graced the screen and ordered his shaken martini there have been many spy shows and movies that paid homage to Mr. Bond. In 1965 Get Smart was one of the first, and would you believe, one of the best.

Created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry Get Smart was well received among audiences and critics alike. Over the course of its five hilarious seasons and 138 episode...Read the entire review

The Series:

Despite the fact that Hee Haw was created by two Canadian writers (Frank Peppiatt and John Aylesworth both hailed from the Great White North), the show remains one of those television series that really only appealed to Americans and in fact, outside of North America, you'll be hard pressed to find anyone who has even heard of it despite the fact that it ran on CBS for over two decades. The show built up a huge following by way of the typical variety show format combining funny skits and regular hosts with live music performances.

Roy Clark and Buck Owens were the two men most often associated with the show and for good reason they hosted it (though Owens called it quits in 1986)! But alongside these two talented musicians there were regulars like Minnie Pearl, Roy Acuff, Barbi Benton, Jon and Jim Hager, Grandpa Jones, Susan Raye Junior Samples and plenty more....Read the entire review

Currently available only via direct-sale through distributor Time-Life, The Odd Couple: Season One (1970-71) is such a good show and the extra features so bountiful that fans of this classic sitcom will find it worth the extra hassle ordering their copy. Adapted from Neil Simon's seminal 1965 Broadway play, executive producers/writing partners Garry Marshall and Jerry Belson keep the series remarkably faithful to the spirit of the original production, writing and overseeing scripts that, with an impressively high batting average, can proudly stand alongside its inspiration. And, best of all, right out of the gate stars Jack Klugman (who replaced Walter Matthau on Broadway) and Tony Randall immediately put their own spin on the play's iconic characters. Theirs are among the best performances by any actor in a television comedy.

Divorced, carefree sports writer Oscar Madison (Klugman), a...Read the entire review

The Movies:

Everyone loves Kenny Rogers, right? Right! So it's about time that the good people at Time/Life made his insanely popular The Gambler movies available on DVD. Here's what Kenny gets up to in the three fine films contained in this set

The Gambler (1980):

In only one movie could a certain man combine the sheer coolness of Steve McQueen with the silent, steely eyed stare of Clint Eastwood, with the unpredictability and overt sense of danger that someone like Warren Oates or maybe Oliver Reed brought to the big screen in their films before the good Lord took them from us. The movie was The Gambler and the man? Kenny Rogers.

Loosely based on the Kenny Rogers song of the same name (it won a Grammy!), this film places Rogers in the role of one Brady Hawkes, who is a high rolling gambler by trade who spends his time hanging out in El Paso. Hawkes...Read the entire review

The Movie:

In only one movie could a certain man combine the sheer coolness of Steve McQueen with the silent, steely eyed stare of Clint Eastwood, with the unpredictability and overt sense of danger that someone like Warren Oates or maybe Oliver Reed brought to the big screen in their films before the good Lord took them from us. The movie was The Gambler and the man? Kenny Rogers.

Loosely based on the Kenny Rogers song of the same name (it won a Grammy!), this film places Rogers in the role of one Brady Hawkes, who is a high rolling gambler by trade who spends his time hanging out in El Paso. Hawkes has lead an interesting life, and the ladies have rarely been able to refuse his considerable charm. As such, he sired a son (Ronnie Scribner) years ago, though he never really got to know him until that fateful day when a letter arrived from his son asking him for his father's he...Read the entire review

The Show

Animation buffs will tell you that there have been landmarks throughout the history of cartoons which have broken boundaries and set a new standard for the animated creations to follow. Most of these are easy to track, such as the Looney Tunes shorts, or the computer generated creations from Pixar. But, some evolutionary steps get lost to history. For example, when Ren & Stimpy debuted in 1991, most had no idea what to make of it, and following the shows "flash in the pan" success, it quickly went away. But, now many cartoons, especially Spongebob Squarepants bear the mark of Ren & Stimpy-style animation. Now, Time-Live Video has collected many of the classic Ren & Stimpy shorts on DVD so that a new generation can experience this weird, weird show.

Summarizing Ren & Stimpy is more easier than trying to explain ...Read the entire review

From its beginnings in Sesame Street, the Muppet Show thrived for 5 years and 120 episodes and became one of the most popular and enduring television franchises of all time. I remember watching the show as a child and I still carry a love for it, so imagine my surprise when Time Life announced that they were to release 3 episodes on DVD every month. Now, with over a year behind them, Time Life is up to volume 15 on the set and still going strong.

Something about the Muppets entranced a nation, perhaps even more than Sesame Street. Adults and children alike enjoyed the show and most of that was likely due to the high-profile guests that frequented the show. Jim Henson and his crew attracted stars like Elton John, Vincent Price, Orson Welles, Roger Moore, and others in their 5-year run. Everyone wanted to work with the Muppets and that feeling is still around today.

Several years ago an...Read the entire review

From its beginnings in Sesame Street, the Muppet Show thrived for 5 years and 120 episodes and became one of the most popular and enduring television franchises of all time. I remember watching the show as a child and I still carry a love for it, so imagine my surprise when Time Life announced that they were to release 3 episodes on DVD every month. Now, with over a year behind them, Time Life is up to volume 15 on the set and still going strong.

Something about the Muppets entranced a nation, perhaps even more than Sesame Street. Adults and children alike enjoyed the show and most of that was likely due to the high-profile guests that frequented the show. Jim Henson and his crew attracted stars like Elton John, Vincent Price, Orson Welles, Roger Moore, and others in their 5-year run. Everyone wanted to work with the Muppets and that feeling is still around today.

Several years ago an...Read the entire review

From its beginnings in Sesame Street, the Muppet Show thrived for 5 years and 120 episodes and became one of the most popular and enduring television franchises of all time. I remember watching the show as a child and I still carry a love for it, so imagine my surprise when Time Life announced that they were to release 3 episodes on DVD every month. Now, with over a year behind them, Time Life is up to volume 15 on the set and still going strong.

Something about the Muppets entranced a nation, perhaps even more than Sesame Street. Adults and children alike enjoyed the show and most of that was likely due to the high-profile guests that frequented the show. Jim Henson and his crew attracted stars like Elton John, Vincent Price, Orson Welles, Roger Moore, and others in their 5-year run. Everyone wanted to work with the Muppets and that feeling is still around today.

Several years ago an...Read the entire review

From its beginnings in Sesame Street, the Muppet Show thrived for 5 years and 120 episodes and became one of the most popular and enduring television franchises of all time. I remember watching the show as a child and I still carry a love for it, so imagine my surprise when Time Life announced that they were to release 3 episodes on DVD every month. Now, with over a year behind them, Time Life is up to volume 15 on the set and still going strong.

Something about the Muppets entranced a nation, perhaps even more than Sesame Street. Adults and children alike enjoyed the show and most of that was likely due to the high-profile guests that frequented the show. Jim Henson and his crew attracted stars like Elton John, Vincent Price, Orson Welles, Roger Moore, and others in their 5-year run. Everyone wanted to work with the Muppets and that feeling is still around today.

Several years ago an...Read the entire review

From its beginnings in Sesame Street, the Muppet Show thrived for 5 years and 120 episodes and became one of the most popular and enduring television franchises of all time. I remember watching the show as a child and I still carry a love for it, so imagine my surprise when Time Life announced that they were to release 3 episodes on DVD every month. Now, with over a year behind them, Time Life is up to volume 15 on the set and still going strong.

Something about the Muppets entranced a nation, perhaps even more than Sesame Street. Adults and children alike enjoyed the show and most of that was likely due to the high-profile guests that frequented the show. Jim Henson and his crew attracted stars like Elton John, Vincent Price, Orson Welles, Roger Moore, and others in their 5-year run. Everyone wanted to work with the Muppets and that feeling is still around today.

Several years ago an...Read the entire review