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From a 2003 AICN chat:
HERC: What Saturday morning cartoon shook your world?
JANE ESPENSON: I liked all the cartoons, but I have a special fondness for the live-action LAND OF THE LOST . They were on this routine expedition and they met the greatest earthquake ever known, you see...
Keep your acid-washed “H.R. PufnStuf,” your “Sigmund and the Seamonsters,” your “Bugaloos,” your “Lidsville,” your “Lost Saucer.”
The apex, the pinnacle, the prized gem of the Sid & Marty Krofft legacy is “Land of the Lost,” which ran on NBC between 1974 and 1977.
It was a Saturday-morning science fiction saga about a family on a rafting adventure – dad Rick Mashall, son Will and daughter Holly – that gets sucked through a mysterious portal onto a mysterious planet inhabited by mysterious dinosaurs, proto-humans, hissing lizard-men (the Sleestak!) and Christ remembers what else. There was this Pylon that allowed journeys to still other worlds, and a semi-visible glittery being fond of experiments, and a time-lost brown Sleestack named Enik (who apparently makes an appearance in the new Will Ferrell movie as well).
In a lot of ways “Land of the Lost” manages to delve into mysteries of its protagonists’ new environment rather more gracefully than the new grown-up Locke-Hurley-Sayid “Lost” still unfolding on ABC. And in a lot of ways it doesn’t.
The series’ players provide some of the saddest acting ever to visit a kids’ show, and the ambitious (for the era) effects work reeked of fake, but the first season of “Land of the Lost” had to have benefited mightily from writing contributed by major-league sci-fi novelists like Ben Bova and Larry Niven, to say nothing of “Star Trek” vets Margaret Armen, D.C. Fontana, David Gerrold and Norman Spinrad. Even the second season featured an episode by Theodore Sturgeon.
The big names pretty much vanished with the third season, as did the actor who played Rick. Rick vanished into another dimension, and the kids’ Uncle Jack conveniently arrived to defend them during the third season against Grumpy the T-Rex and other manifestations of the uncanny. On the upside, the third season introduced Richard Kiel as the giant caveman “god” who turned the mighty Sleestak into his bitches.
At $41.99, the new complete-series set is considerably cheaper than used copies of the (now discontinued) DVD sets issued earlier this decade, but it’s missing the 17 creator and cast commentaries (including those by Niven, Fontana and Gerrold) and other extras available on the earlier sets. The new set does contain a preview of Will Ferrell’s “Land of the Lost” movie not available on the earlier sets, though I can’t imagine you won’t be able to find the same preview online somewhere for free if you look hard enough.
The limited edition comes in what looks like an authentic 1970s metal lunchbox.
I adore “Designing Women” when it aired on CBS in the late 1980s and I love and adore it now. Were it airing on CBS today it would be my favorite scripted show on CBS. It is the show “Sex and the City” wanted to be, a realistic and funny portrayal of four devoted co-workers who put their friendship above all else. It carried an intelligent irreverence and a caliber wit one encounters so rarely in television. Annie Potts, who made the series between the “Ghostbusters” movies, was hot stuff, and Jean Smart (first lady Martha Logan on “24”!) and Delta Burke (skinny all during season one) weren’t too hard to look at either. How did it take till the Blu-ray era to issue this series on DVD?
The new first season set features as an extra 43 minutes of the Oct. 25, 2006 reunion sponsored by the Museum of Television and Radio. Learn that creator Linda Bloodworth-Thomason’s pitch to the network was highly nebulous, essentially the tale of four friends who would be played by actresses she’d worked with on two failed series (“Filthy Rich” and “Lime Street”). Learn that both Potts and Bloodworth-Thomason cried during the MTR’s screening of the pilot. Learn that a CBS exec suggested the central business be a design firm. Learn that Bloodworth-Thomason learned “Designing Women” was going to series on the same day she learned her mother had AIDS. Learn that Bloodworth-Thomason’s scripts were often so big that episode footage had to be overcranked to fit the 22-minute timeslots. Learn that Dixie Carter, whose character was often assigned left-wing speeches, was a Republican when she joined the show. Learn that the only Emmy the show ever won was for hairdressing. Learn that the women were based on Bloodworth-Thomason male country-lawyer relatives. Learn that until “Sex and the City” hit HBO, drag queens would routinely dress as Mary Jo, Charlene, Julia and Suzanne in West Hollywood, Calif.’s gay pride parades.
Herc’s Popular Pricing Pantry
Last week the first six EXTRA-CRAMMED “24” season sets, including the ones with Naked Mandy and David Palmer and Nina Myers and George Mason and Behrooz and Daniel Dae Kim and Zach Quinto, sold for $39.99. At the moment they’re all $17.99!!
24 Season One
24 Season Two
24 Season Three
24 Season Four
24 Season Five
24 Season Six
The first 10 seasons of “Cheers,” one of the four funniest sitcoms ever forged, with Woody and Norm and and Lilith Sternan and Nick Tortelli, have fallen for the moment to $15.99 each!!
$19.99 Shield!!
(60% OFF!!)
$18.99 Complete Animated Trek!!
From David Milch, creator of “Deadwood” and “John From Cincinnati”!!
NYPD Blue:$14.99/Season
In The Spring TV Event!!
Before Judd Apatow, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Martin Starr and Jason Segal teamed up for “Knocked Up,” they all collaborated on “Undeclared”! A few weeks ago the complete series was $36.99; at the moment: $28.99!!
If you want to own LOST in HD, you can save big by clicking on the Blu-ray Lost Sale!!
This Week
Action Packed: Paramount Hourlongs
Cities of the Underworld 3.x
The Closer 4.x
The Closer 1.x-4.x
Designing Women 1.x
Forever Funny: Paramount Sitcoms
Gangland 3.x
Gunsmoke 3.x Vol. 2
Ice Road Truckers: Most Dangerous Episodes
The Invisibles 1.x
Land of the Lost: The Complete Series
Land of the Lost: The Complete Series (Limited Edition)
Law & Order: SVU 9.x
Manhunters: Fugitive Task Force 1.x
The Mod Squad 2.x Vol. 2
The Mod Squad: Two-Season Pack
Murder Most English: The Complete Series
The Universe 3.x
World War II: Behind Closed Doors
Next Week
The Adventure of English: The Complete Miniseries
Army Wives 2.x
Cannon 2.x Vol. 1
Every Picture Tells A Story
The Fairly Oddparents 1.x <--- NEW!!
The Fairly Oddparents 2.x <--- NEW!!
FBI Files: Famous Kidnappings
FBI Files: Mafia Cases
The Hunger 1.x
Highlander: The Animated Series
The Jetsons 2.x Vol. 1
Life After People (Blu-ray)
Nature's Most Amazing Events
Nature's Most Amazing Events (Blu-ray)
The People's Republic of Capitalism
The People's Republic of Capitalism (Blu-ray)
Playing Shakespeare: The Complete Miniseries
Prison Break 4.x
Quincy, M.E. 3.x
Raising The Bar 1.x
Rugrats 1.x <--- NEW!!
Rugrats 2.x <--- NEW!!
Weeds 4.x
ZeroMan: The Complete Series
June 9
The Cleaner 1.x
Danny Phantom 3.x <--- NEW!!
Father Knows Best 3.x
Get Smart 3.x
Last of the Summer Wine 1979
Making Fiends 1.x <--- NEW!!
Mistresses Vol. 1
My Family 3.x
My Family 4.x
My Family 3.x/4.x
The Norman Lear TV Collection
Open All Hours: The Complete Series
Peanuts 1960s Collection
Perry Mason 4.x Vol. 1
Reaper 2.x
Shaun The Sheep Vol. 3
The Shield 7.x
South of Nowhere 3.x <--- NEW!!
Survivorman 3.x
Time Warp: The Complete Series
Time Warp: The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
Waiting For God 4.x
Whose Line Is It Anyway?: Best Of
Zane Grey Theater 1.x
Zoey 101 3.x <--- NEW!!
Zoey 101 4.x <--- NEW!!
Z Rock 1.x
June 16
Burn Notice 2.x
Burn Notice 2.x (Blu-ray)
Everwood 2.x
Family Guy Vol. 7
FBI Files 3.x
Generation Kill (Blu-ray)
House of Payne Vol. 4
I Can't Believe I'm Still Single 1.x
John Adams: The Complete Miniseries (Blu-ray)
Lost 1.x (Blu-ray)
Lost 2.x (Blu-ray)
Murdoch Mysteries 1.x
Nature's Most Amazing Events
Nature's Most Amazing Events (Blu-ray)
Saving Grace 2.x
The Secret Life Of An American Teenager 2.x
Sergeant Preston of the Yukon 2.x
Snoop Dogg's Father Hood: Best Of Vol. 1
Spaceballs: The Animated Series
Tom & Jerry's Greatest Chases Vol. 2
Transformers 1.x
World's Toughest Fixes
June 23
Bizarre Foods Vol. 3
Blood Ties 1.x
The FBI Files: Best of 1998-2000 <--- NEW!!
Ghost Hunters: Fans' Favorite Investigations The Girls Next Door 5.x
Monster Squad: The Complete Collection
Reba 6.x
Reba 1.x-6.x
Tom and Jerry: The Chuck Jones Collection
June 30
Blue Murder Vol. 4
Dog The Bounty Hunter: Best Of 5.x
Eastbound & Down 1.x
Entourage 5.x
Eureka 3.x
Hi-5 2.x
The IT Crowd 2.x
Kong: Collector's Box Set
Number 10: The Complete Miniseries
Parker Lewis Can't Lose 1.x
Prison Break 4.x
Route 66 3.x Vol. 1
Secret Diary of a Call Girl 2.x
Stargate Atlantis 5.x
Swiss Family Robinson (1976): The Complete Series
July 7
Callan Vol. 1
Chris Ryan's Elite Police
Doctor Who: Attack of the Cybermen
Doctor Who: The Rescue/The Romans
Kath & Kim 1.x
Matlock 3.x
Matlock 1.x-3.x
Moon Machines
Murder She Wrote 10.x
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Vol. 15
Petticoat Junction 2.x
Poirot Vol. 4
Power Rangers RPM Vol. 1
Reno 911! 6.x
Ruby: A Journey to Lose the First 100 Lbs.
Third Watch 2.x
Torchwood 2.x (Blu-ray)
The Universe 3.x (Blu-ray)
July 14
American Gladiators Vol. 1
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations Vol. 4
Arab Labor 1.x
Bewitched 8.x
The Color of Magic
Crime Scene University
ER 11.x
Faerie Tale Theatre: Princess Tales
Faerie Tale Theatre: Tales from Hans Christian Andersen
Ironside: 6 Episodes
Joe Schmo 2.x <--- NEW!!
Leverage 1.x <--- NEW!!
Mad Men 2.x
Mad Men 2.x (Blu-ray)
McHale's Navy: 8 Episodes
Men Behaving Badly: 8 Episodes
Peyton Place Vol. 2
Punky Brewster: 8 Episodes
The State: The Complete Series
Swamp Thing: 8 Episodes
Tracey Takes On 3.x/4.x
Wire in the Blood 6.x
Zorro: Generation Z Vol. 1
July 21
Charlie's Angels 4.x
The Donna Reed Show 2.x
G.I. Joe (1983) 1.1
Hotel 1.x
Jon and Kate Plus Ei8ht 4.x Vol. 2
The Lucy Show 1.x
The Mighty Boosh 1.x
The Mighty Boosh 2.x <--- NEW!!
The Mighty Boosh 3.x <--- NEW!!
Monk 7.x
Prison Break: Final Break
Prison Break: Final Break (Blu-ray)
Psych 3.x
Pushing Daisies 2.x
Pushing Daisies 2.x (Blu-ray)
Robot Chicken: Star Wars II
The Secret Saturdays Vol. 1
SpongeBob SquarePants: To SquarePants or Not to SquarePants
Stargate SG-1: Children of The Gods (Final Cut)
This American Life 2.x
Voltron Vol. 8
Wolverine and the X-Men Vol. 2
July 28
Armchair Thriller Vol. 1
Battlestar Galactica 4.11-4.20
Battlestar Galactica 4.11-4.20 (Blu-ray)
Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series
Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
Criss Angel Mindfreak: The Most Dangerous Escapes
Doc Martin 2.x
Dollhouse 1.x
Dollhouse 1.x (Blu-ray)
Early Edition 2.x
Knight Rider (2008): The Complete Series <--- NEW!!
Life On Mars (UK): Season One
The Middleman: The Complete Series
Spectacular Spider-Man 1.x <--- NEW!!
Voltron: Fleet of Doom
August 4
Adventures of Black Beauty 2.x <--- NEW!!
Brian Sewell's Grand Tour of Italy <--- NEW!!
Days That Shook The World 2.x
Edge of Existence: The Complete Series <--- NEW!!
Flight of the Conchords 2.x
Love Boat 2.x Vol. 2
Love Boat: The First Two Seasons
Marple 4.x
The Shape of the World: The Complete Series <--- NEW!!
Stargate Atlantis: Fan's Choice
Tim & Eric, Awesome Show, Great Job!
August 11
Adam 12 3.x
Californication 2.x <--- NEW!!
Designing Women 2.x
Lie To Me 1.x <--- NEW!!
Lie To Me 1.x (Blu-ray) <--- NEW!!
Life & Times of Vivienne Vyle
Life With Derek 2.x
New Detectives 4.x
Scooby Doo: Batman/Globetrotters
Super Friends: The Lost Episodes
Zorro Generation Z Vol. 2 <--- NEW!!
August 18
Dexter 3.x <--- NEW!!
Dexter 3.x (Blu-ray) <--- NEW!!
Dexter 1.x-3.x <--- NEW!!
Dexter 1.x-3.x (Blu-ray) <--- NEW!!
Dirty Sexy Money 2.x <--- NEW!!
Eli Stone 1.x <--- NEW!!
Everybody Hates Chris 4.x <--- NEW!!
Everybody Hates Chris 1.x-4.x <--- NEW!!
Foursome 2.x
Ghost Adventures 1.x <--- NEW!!
Greek 3.x <--- NEW!!
iCarly 2.x Vol. 1 <--- NEW!!
Just For Laughs: Over The Edge <--- NEW!!
Simon & Simon 3.x
The Simpsons 12.x <--- NEW!!
Smurfs Vol. 2
Sons of Anarchy 1.x
Sons of Anarchy 1.x (Blu-ray)
Total Drama Island: The Complete Series
August 25
Batman: Brave and the Bold Vol. 1
Battles B.C. 1.x <--- NEW!!
Crash 1.x
Dog The Bounty Hunter: Best Of 5.x <--- NEW!!
A Haunting: Twilight of Evil (Blu-ray)
Here's Lucy 1.x <--- NEW!!
House 5.x
How The Earth Was Made: The Complete Series
Life 2.x
MonsterQuest 3.x Vol. 1
New Tricks 1.x
Samantha Who? 2.x
Scrubs 8.x
thirtysomething 1.x
The Universe 3.x (Blu-ray)
September 1
Ben 10 Alien Force Vol. 4
Brothers And Sisters 3.x
Desperate Housewives 5.x
Doctor Who: The Deadly Assassin
Doctor Who: Image of the Fendahl
People Like Us: The Complete Series <--- NEW!!
Plastic Man: The Complete Collection
Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares 2.x
Rivals of Sherlock Holmes Vol. 1
Scooby Doo Where Are You Vol. 3
Stephen Fry in America
September 15
Affairs Of The Heart 2.x
Grey's Anatomy 5.x
Grey's Anatomy 5.x (Blu-ray)
Private Practice 2.x
Taggart Vol. 2
September 22
Castle 1.x
Ugly Betty 3.x
September 29
Ax Men 2.x
Foyle's War: From Dunkirk to VE-Day 1-5
Life On Mars: The Complete Series
Midsomer Murders Vol. 13
Paranormal State 3.x
Top Chef 5.x <--- NEW!!
Traffik: The Complete Miniseries
Warriors 1.x
October 6
Ghost Hunters: Absolute Best (Blu-ray)
October 27
Life After People: The Series
November 3
Pie In The Sky 2.x
Zorro 1.x
Zorro 2.x
November 17
Patton 360 1.x
Scrubs 8.x (Blu-ray)
December 8
Lost 5.x
Lost 5.x (Blu-ray)
Lost: The Complete Fifth Season Dharma Initiation Kit
Lost: The Complete Fifth Season Dharma Initiation Kit (Blu-ray)
Lost 1.x-5.x
Lost 1.x-5.x (Blu-ray)
December 15
Ice Road Truckers 3.x
Selected season-sets containing
some of Herc’s all-time favorite TV!!
$4.39 Dinner For Five 1.x (10 episodes)
$11.99 From The Earth To The Moon (12 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$14.99 The Bob Newhart Show 1.x (24 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$14.99 The Tick: The Complete Series (nine episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$15.49 Cheers 1.x (23 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$15.99 Kung Fu 2.x (23 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$15.99 Rocky & Bullwinkle 1.x (26 episodes)
$15.99 Moonlighting 1.x/2.x (25 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$16.49 The Venture Bros. 1.x (13 Episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$17.99 Soap 1.x (25 episodes)
$17.99 South Park 1.x (13 episodes)
$18.99 Pushing Daisies 1.x (nine episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$19.99 Newsradio 1.x/2.x (29 episodes)
$19.99 The OC 1.x (27 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$19.99 ER 1.x (26 episodes)
$19.99 The Mary Tyler Moore Show 1.x (24 episodes)
$19.99 Hill Street Blues 1.x (17 episodes)
$19.99 The Larry Sanders Show 1.x (13 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$19.99 Wonder Showzen 1.x (eight episodes)
$20.99 Mission: Impossible 1.x (28 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$20.99 Carnivale 1.x (12 episodes)
$20.99 The Wild Wild West (28 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$21.49 The Simpsons 2.x (22 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$21.49 Aeon Flux: The Complete Series (10 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$21.99 The Andy Griffith Show 5.x (32 episodes)
$21.99 Taxi 1.x (22 episodes)
$22.99 Futurama Vol. 2 (19 episodes)
$23.99 Northern Exposure 3.x (23 episodes)
$23.99 Veronica Mars 1.x (22 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$23.99 The West Wing 1.x (22 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$24.49 TV Funhouse: The Complete Series (eight episodes)
$24.99 Friends 1.x (24 episodes)
$24.99 Gilmore Girls 4.x (22 episodes)
$24.99 The Sopranos 1.x (13 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$25.99 Six Feet Under 1.x (13 episodes)
$25.99 The Tick Versus 1.x (12 episodes)
$26.99 Oz 1.x (eight episodes)
$27.98 Wonderfalls: The Complete Series (13 episodes)
$28.99 Undeclared: The Complete Series (17 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$29.99 Murder One 1.x (23 episodes)
$29.99 Alias 1.x (22 episodes)
$29.99 The Office 3.x (24 episodes)
$31.49 Saturday Night Live 1.x (24 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$31.99 Seinfeld 3.x (23 episodes)
$31.99 Angel 5.x (22 episodes)
$31.99 Buffy The Vampire Slayer 4.x (22 episodes)
$31.99 Mad Men 1.x (13 episodes)
$31.99 St. Elsewhere 1.x (22 episodes)
$31.99 Columbo 1.x (nine TV-movies)
$32.99 Firefly: The Complete Series (14 episodes)
$34.99 Battlestar Galactica 1.x (13 episodes plus miniseries)
$34.99 Curb Your Enthusiasm 1.x (10 episodes)
$34.99 SCTV Network 90 Vol. 1 (Nine 90-minute episodes)
$37.99 My So-Called Life: The Complete Series (17 Episodes)
$39.49 Freaks and Geeks: The Complete Series (18 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$39.49 Rome 1.x (12 episodes)
$39.99 The Dick Van Dyke Show 1.x (31 episodes)
$39.99 Lost 1.x (24 episodes)
$39.99 24 1.x (24 episodes)
$39.99 The Wire 1.x (13 episodes)
$44.99 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 3.x (26 episodes)
$44.99 Fawlty Towers: The Complete Series (12 episodes)
$49.99 Star Trek 2.x (26 episodes)
$49.99 Star Trek: The Next Generation 3.x (26 episodes)
$49.99 Brideshead Revisited (11 hours)
$49.99 Deadwood 1.x (12 episodes)
$57.99 Monty Python's Flying Circus: The Complete Series (45 episodes)
$57.99 The Prisoner: The Complete Series (17 episodes)
$59.99 Twin Peaks: The Complete Series (30 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$69.99 The Twilight Zone 1.x (36 episodes)
$99.99 Once and Again 1.x (22 episodes)
What’s The Rent On Vulcan??
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