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BANACEK!! DROOPY!! ROCKFORD!! TICK!! LSH!! SAMURAI JACK!! M*A*S*H!! MUPPET SHOW!! HercVault!!
SPOILER ALERT !!
"There's an old Polish proverb that says, 'It's harder for the spider to catch the fly, than for the fly to catch the horse.'"
I am – Hercules!!
Banacek 
was a joke on the Polish joke, about a supersmart Polish-American who became very rich solving thefts no one else could solve. A post-“Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” pre-“A-Team” George Peppard proved exceedingly likeable as the cultured and easygoing immigrant’s son Thomas Banacek, always quick with a quip or one of his dad’s Polish proverbs.
I’m also a big fan of the show’s supporting cast, which featured 23-year-old Christine Belford as the superhot rival investigator Banacek often bedded and always outwitted, and Murray Matheson as Felix Mulholland, a rare-book dealer who could be relied upon to know the few things Banacek did not.
First-season guest-stars included a 24-year-old Margot Kidder as well as Khan associate Madlyn Rhue, Jessica Walter, Stefanie Powers, Stella Stevens, Broderick Crawford, Paul Gleason, Roger C. Carmel, Kevin McCarthy, Brenda Vaccaro, Pernell Roberts, Gregory Sierra, Penny Marshall, Mike Farrell, William Schallert and Ted “You Rang?” Cassidy.
These originally ran from 1972 to 1974 as components of NBC’s Wednesday Mystery Movie wheel, so there are only eight TV-movies in each season. One hears this set (very disappointingly) does NOT contain “Detour To Nowhere,” the show’s pilot. And seemingly no extras. On the upside, $22.49 is a pretty sweet price for eight movies.
“The Rockford Files”, which got its start as a single NBC Mystery Movie, was deservedly nominated for 18 Emmys over the course of its seven seasons, but its fourth season was the only one to garner (no pun intended) the Emmy for outstanding drama series.
The season premiere, written and directed by series mastermind Stephen Cannell, introduced James Whitmore Jr. as nerd P.I. Freddie Beamer, who assumes the vacationing Rockford’s identity. Cannell wrote 4.14, “The Attractive Nuisance,” about a guy who falls off Rockford’s roof then sues. He also wrote the two-part 4th-season finale, “The House of Willis Avenue,” which served as the second pilot for the “Ritchie Brockelman PI” series co-created by Cannell and “Hill Street Blues”/”L.A. Law” mastermind Stephen Bochco. (Despite the talent behind camera, the series – starring future Adam Sandler collaborator Dennis Dugan – only lasted six episodes.)
“Sopranos” creator David Chase kicks in the scripts for:
4.5, “Dog and Pony Show,” about an ex-mental patient who thinks a top government spy is being held in a hospital against his will;
4.7, “Quickie Nirvana,” about a hippie who receives thousands from her corrupt employer;
4.8, “Irving The Explainer,” directed by James Coburn, about Frenchmen and Germans who come to Los Angeles in pursuit of a priceless painting; and
4.12, “The Queen of Peru,” about tourists who make off with the stolen diamond hidden in Rockford’s barbeque grill.
Cannell and Chase co-wrote two episodes:
4.17, “Dwarf in a Helium Hat,” about a gangster who sets off a perilous series of events when he dials Rockford’s phone number by mistake.
4.20, “The Prisoner of Rosemont Hall,” about an investigation of an Arab prince that turns deadly.
Isaac Hayes returns in 4.4 for his third and final appearance as Rockford’s irritable ex-cellmate Gandolph Finch. Gerald McRaney turns up as district attorney in 4.10, “Hotel of Fear,” about cowardly con man Angel Martin going into the Witness Protection Program. Larry Hagman’s in 4.11, “Forced Retirement,” about an undersea shenanigans involving a friend of Jim’s fabulous lawyer, Beth Davenport. Larry Linville stars in 4.13, “A Deadly Maze,” about Rockford becoming the unwitting subject of a behavior experiment. Finally, in 4.16, “The Paper Palace,” Rita Moreno won an Emmy for her first of three appearance as the oft-victimized Rita Capkovic.
Must-have TV, I say.
Tex Avery's Droopy: Complete Theatrical Collection is not must-have TV because it is not really TV. This set happily contains none of the inferior Filmation made-for-TV stuff from the 1970s. It contains instead all 24 “Droopy Dog” MGM shorts made for the big screen between 1943 and 1958, including the 17 directed by creator Tex Avery himself.
The shorts follow the adventures of a lethargic, seemingly timid but improbably mighty basset hound who never exhibits any outward emotion. (He was voiced by Bill Thompson, who played a very similar character, Wallace Wimple, on the phenomenally popular NBC radio proto-sitcom “Fibber McGee and Molly.”)
Avery was a colossal, industry-altering force between 1935 and 1941 at Warner’s animation unit, where he played a leading role in evolving Bugs, Daffy and Porky’s personalities. He quit in a huff, balking at studio interference, and landed at MGM, which provided Avery bigger budgets and, more importantly, greater creative control.
Droopy is the most famous and perhaps the most purely entertaining of Avery’s signature MGM characters, and helped demonstrate what the animator could do with fewer constraints. It is very very cool that we can own every “Droopy” cartoon Avery ever made (plus a “Droopy” documentary) for less than $20.
M*A*S*H: Goodbye, Farewell and Amen is a weird one, since this final movie-length M*A*S*H episode is available on the (cheaper) complete season-11 set already on sale.
The real reason fans are shelling out $20.99 is the set’s second and thirds discs, which contain the many, many extras found on the $174.49 complete-series “Martinis and Medicine” collection issued last year.
Herc’s Popular Pricing Pantry
Greatest American Hero for $10/Season??
Roseanne for $11/Season??
Profit: The Complete Series for $13.50??
THE AMAZON 2-FER SALE IS BACK!!
Buy one, get a cheaper one free. Titles include:
Astro Boy
Carry On
The Commish
Crime Story
Doogie Howser
Greatest American Hero
Grounded For Life
Hercules
Highlander
Hunter
Profit
Renegade
Roseanne
Silk Stalkings
Sledge Hammer!
3rd Rock From The Sun
Thomas The Tank Engine
Three’s Company
Titus
Tripping The Rift
21 Jump Street
Xena
For some reason there are a few cool movie box sets spotlighting foreigners like Peter Sellers, Alec Guinness, Paul Verhoeven, Wim Wenders, Werner Herzog in there too …
$13.49 FOR HILL STREET 1.X!!
$17.99 FOR MURDER ONE 1.X!!
$22.49 FOR BOSTON LEGAL 1.X!!
55% Off Fox First-Season Sets!!
Grab them now. History tells us these prices won’t be this low a few days from now.
$4.49 The Simple Life 1.x
$13.49 Hill Street Blues 1.x
$13.49 In Living Color 1.x
$13.49 King of the Hill 1.x
$13.49 The Mary Tyler Moore Show 1.x
$13.49 NYPD Blue 1.x
$13.49 Reba 1.x
$13.49 Voyage To The Bottom of The Sea 1.x Vol. 1
$13.49 Voyage To The Bottom of The Sea 1.x Vol. 2
$17.99 Angel 1.x
$17.99 Arrested Development 1.x
$17.99 The Big Valley 1.x
$17.99 Buffy The Vampire Slayer 1.x
$17.99 Dark Angel 1.x
$17.99 Futurama 1.x
$17.99 Millennium 1.x
$17.99 Murder One 1.x
$17.99 The Pretender 1.x
$17.99 Remington Steele 1.x
$17.99 Roswell 1.x
$22.49 Boston Legal 1.x
$22.49 Family Guy 1.x/2.x
$22.49 X-Files 1.x
$26.99 Prison Break 1.x
$26.99 The Shield 1.x
$26.99 Tru Calling 1.x
$26.99 24 1.x
$35.99 Lost in Space 1.x
And look! A non-season-one mistake!
$13.49 The Bob Newhart Show 2.x
I continue to highly recommend that “Murder One” season-one set for $17.99. One of the best seasons of anything ever, and the same hunk of O.J.-inspired Daniel Benzali greatness was going for $27.99 last week and $53.98 a year ago!!
Laura Prepon fans may care to note that the first five seasons of “That ‘70s Show” are all - at least momentarily - 50% off.
And, finally, all the M*A*S*H season sets are 50% off.
TV-on-DVD Calendar
Last Week
Battlestar Galactica 2.x Value Pack
Cagney & Lacey: The First Gless Season
Clatterford 1.x
Daniel Boone 3.x
Everybody Loves Raymond 8.x
The 4400 3.x
House 1.x/2.x Value Pack
Jason of Star Command: The Complete Series
Las Vegas 1.x/2.x Value Pack
McLeod's Daughters 2.x
Mission Magic: The Complete Series
That '70s Show 6.x
Voltron Vol. 3
The Waltons 5.x
The Waltons 1.x-5.x
This Week
American Dad Vol. 2
Banacek 1.x
Coach 2.x
Curious George: Rocket Ride
ER 7.x
ER 1.x-7.x
Frasier 9.x
Home Improvement 6.x
Martin 2.x
M*A*S*H: Goodbye, Farewell and Amen
Masters of Horror: Right To Die
Monarch of the Glen 6.x
Monarch of the Glen 5.x/6.x
Playboy After Dark Vol. 2
A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Vol. 6
The Red Green Show: 1998 <--- NEW!!
The Rockford Files 4.x
Tex Avery's Droopy: Complete Theatrical Collection
Tom & Jerry Tales Vol. 2
Wanted: Dead or Alive 2.x
The War at Home 1.x
Wings 4.x
Next Week
Afro-Samurai: The Complete Miniseries
Afro-Samurai: The Complete Miniseries: Director's Cut
Airwolf 3.x
Avatar: The Last Airbender 2.x Vol. 3
Hero High: The Complete Series
Instant Star 1.x
Kitchen Confidential: The Complete Series
Kyle XY 1.x
Legend of the Dragon 1.x
Legend of the Dragon Vol. 4
The Magnificent Seven 2.x
Mythbusters Vol. 1
The OC 4.x
The Real McCoys 1.x
Roots: 30th Anniversary Edition
Scrubs 5.x
Stuart Little: All Revved Up
Stuart Little: Fun Around Every Curve
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1.x Vol. 1
24 1.x (Slimset)
24 2.x (Slimset)
24 3.x (Slimset)
24 4.x (Slimset)
May 29
The Andy Griffith Show: The Complete Series
Big Train 1.x/2.x
Charlie & Lola Vol. 4
The Closer 2.x
The Closer 1.x/2.x
F-Troop 2.x
Kids in the Hall: Best Of Vol. 2
Rawhide 2.x Vol. 1
Weeds 1.x (Blu-ray)
June 5
The Bill 1.x
Chappelle's Show: Best Of
CHiPs 1.x
The Cosby Show 3.x
The Cosby Show 4.x
Dante's Cove 2.x
Dark Angel 1.x (Slimset)
Dark Angel 2.x (Slimset)
Doctor Who - Castrovalva
Doctor Who - Logopolis
Doctor Who - Keeper of Traken
Doctor Who: New Beginnings
The Fall Guy 1.x
The Fall Guy 1.x Vol. 1
The Fall Guy 1.x Vol. 2
The Henry Rollins Show 1.x
Henry Rollins: Uncut From NYC
Hex 1.x
Hogan's Heroes 6.x
Inside The Actors Studio: Leading Men
Kenny The Shark Vol. 1
Kenny The Shark Vol. 2
Mission: Impossible 2.x
The Outer Limits 1.x Vol. 1
Prehistoric Park
Rescue Me 3.x
Rescue Me 3.x (BLU-RAY)
Robin Hood 1.x
Seinfeld 8.x
Silverwing 1.x
SpongeBob SquarePants: Bikini Bottom Adventures
Survivorman: The Complete Series
The Sweeney 1.x
The Tonight Show: King of Late Night
The Tonight Show: Stand-Up Comedians
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+ Expand All
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Love dvds
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I love dvds but where is my Cheers season nine.
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WHERE IS MY COMPLETELY MENTAL MISADVENTURES OF ED GRIMLEY ON DVD?!?!?!?!
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...or Harry O?
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for Muppets Season Two to come out. Hope we can get season three a bit faster. These are amazing and classic.
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I mean geeze, they got the mother there showin some and the daughter is 110% over the top. They must want to sell the things eh?
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Droopy for president, who's with me?
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...as roadkill, with none of the nutritional value. Actually, roadkill is more entertaining. At least it once had some real life in it.
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I really appreciate that you do this for us. The DVD Vault is always really helpful. So thank you.
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Hell yeah! About Time!
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...definitely the Rockford Files. What a great show. Loved how Rockford was always getting grudgingly pulled into Angel's or his father's preposterous schemes. Plus, I have an old 70s-era sportcoat my dad gave me that looks exactly like the one Garner's wearing on the cover! Wear the damn thing all the time, to the chagrin of my co-workers, who call it "the Mannix Jacket"... I don't argue... Mannix was cool, too. However, I've never tried jumping out of a moving car and rolling while wearing it.
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...as Toby. it's good to see him getting work these days.
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Damn it's about time the second Muppet Season got out there..... Are they gonna be so retarded with the next two as well??? Grrr....
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The wait has been far too long.
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At least, that's what the Amazon reviews are saying. Complete and unedited unlike the Tom & Jerry set. I ordered mine. If these sell well, we should get more Tex Avery stuff!
GooBoy, that makes 2 of us clamoring for the ED GRIMLEY cartoon on DVD. I'm also awaiting Muppets season 2 and now I'm glad I didn't pick up SIMPSONS season 9 the other day for $40. -
Awesome! Can't wait to get Tick 2.0.
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Still hadn't picked it up, now I have.
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Cool news, I love Droopy Rockford and Jack Mash.
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http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=7322
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Has "Crazy Mixed-up Pup" ever been released on DVD? That was my favorite Tex cartoon. PLASMA! DOG PLASMA!!
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First, Amazon screws me on the Simpsons (the normal set was momentarily listed at $22 as well but then the price increased while it was in my shopping cart), and now Heroes won't be out in time for my Birthday! Oh well, guess I'll just have to buy it my own self. I'm thinking Labor Day Marathon!
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That was from Avery's days at Lantz/Universal, so I would assume not. And I also remember that cartoon.
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is The Man.
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Didn't buy Simpsons Season 9 from Amazon because of the price change, but Target had it for $20! Close doors/open windows!
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Friday the 13th - The Series. Dammit!
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and Jack Mash cheats on his wife while Kurt Russell watches and laughs and two fat fanboys chest bump in the aisles. Damn you Wonka, it's This Year's Little Miss Nipple Flames. In Name Only. What did I forget?
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L O S T TALK-BACK NOW!
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More Samurai Jack and More of The Tick! I couldn't be happier.
Well, I could if they were still making new episodes of those, but barring that, I couldn't be happier. -
True story.
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Cut it out with putting shows in the headline and then not mentioning in the article. Idiot.
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