I am – Hercules!!
The fourth season of “Weeds” was amazing. Nancy, Andy, Doug, Celia and the kids all relocated from Agrestic to Ren Mar, which apparently borders both Mexico and the Pacific. Suburban dope-pusher Nancy Botwin (Mary Louise Parker) got the most naked ever. (Though the series has long trafficked in guest-star nudity, this is the first season in which Parker sheds.) Julie Bowen cougared Nancy’s son. A tunnel connecting Ren Mar to Mexico was discovered. Albert Brooks AND Lee Majors joined the cast. Near season’s end, there’s a scene with Nancy ordering a gift basket – a scene that should nab Emmys for both Parker and series mastermind Kohan’s insanely clever, sneaky, witty scripting.
An ensemble legal drama from longtime public defender and “Indefensible” author David Feige, “Raising The Bar” looks at how justice is dispensed in The Bronx’s courtrooms. It begins as “L.A. Law” did so long ago, with a lawyer dropping dead on the job and the chain of events his passing sets off. “L.A. Law” creator Stephen Bochco serves as showrunner, but his name is not on the first teleplay.
The series’ large-ish cast includes Melissa Sagemiller (“Sleeper Cell,” “Mr. Woodcock”), Mark-Paul Gosselaar (“NYPD Blue”), Jane Kaczmarek (“Malcolm in the Middle”), J. August Richards (“Angel,” “Conviction”), Gloria Reuben (“ER,” “The Agency”) and Jonathan Scarfe (“ER”).
As one reads the reviews, one pictures many a critic looking at many a wristwatch.
TV Guide gives it a 3 (out of 10) and says:
… shockingly ordinary … A whiff of mildew permeates this earnest ensemble piece …
Entertainment Weekly gives it a “C-plus” and says:
… Charge this one with trying too hard.
USA Today says:
… so slow to start, it might as well be in reverse. The first episode is, simply, flat-out terrible. Which is why, if you're a Bochco fan, you'd be wise to wait for the fourth episode, when Bar moves to mediocre. …
The Wall Street Journal says:
… Despite its updated gloss and cast, in fact, "Raising the Bar" doesn't really break a mold.
The Associated Press says:
… don't be misled. "Raising the Bar" is no breakthrough. … it's dismaying that a series from the man who helped forge TV's future feels like a relic from his past.
The Wall Street Journal says:
… Despite its updated gloss and cast, in fact, "Raising the Bar" doesn't really break a mold. …
The New York Times says:
… liking your job doesn’t necessarily mean you will be good at dramatizing it. … Jerry himself, with his untucked shirts and ties knotted at his rib cage, is such a drag, such a dopey vessel for the show’s naïve rants about the primacy of truth, that I was begging for someone to send him away and submit him to the torture of taking the bar exam in the 49 remaining states.
The Los Angeles Times says:
… an underwhelming new legal drama … It's not all bad, but nothing in it argues that it needed to be made other than to give the people who made it something to do. It's a mediocre misfire in which the odd good parts beg for a better home.
The Chicago Tribune says:
… None of these thinly drawn characters is compelling, and the entire production feels dated and melodramatic. …
The Washington Post says:
… entertaining in a facile way and populated with characters who quickly establish moderately engaging identities. Dull, it's not. …
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer says:
… as pedestrian as cable dramas come. Executive producer Steven Bochco seems stuck in his old ways, like a dog who refuses to learn new tricks. …
The San Francisco Chronicle says:
… Though tonight's pilot barely works on any level and tries so hard to please and be edgy that it may end up alienating people, future episodes do get better. Not better enough to be gold standards in the genre - we haven't seen a good legal drama in some time, from Bochco or others - but the series fits squarely within the parameters of a TNT series. Meaning it's good, not great. Or at least it gets good enough for TNT, eventually. …
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says:
… as pedestrian as cable dramas come. … feels like an attempt at a '90s-era edgy prime-time drama whose time has past. …
The Boston Herald says:
… The cast is weighted with familiar faces, but even its collective talent can’t overcome the shoddy scripts. … Never has the justice system looked so silly. …
The Boston Globe says:
… More like lowering the bar. … hackneyed legal drama … Who ever thought Bochco would be serving up stale David E. Kelley? …
Variety says:
… doesn't so much raise the bar on courtroom series as gently limbo under it. … The premise of ambitious but idealistic young legal eagles battling blind and uncaring justice certainly dovetails with TNT's preference for meat-and-potatoes dramas. It's just that the well-trodden formula can't help but feel a trifle musty. … there's no escaping a nagging sense that the series springs from a well-worn playbook …
The Hollywood Reporter says:
… a solid legal drama with several appealing characters and above-average dialogue. …
I’ve nothing to say about Army Wives: The Complete Second Season beyond the fact that its box art would make for the most effective recruitment poster ever.
Herc’s Popular Pricing Pantry
The first-season “Mad Men” DVD was $31.99 last week; right now you can pick it up for $19.99!! The Blu-ray version is $24.49!!
Two weeks ago 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 five of them are $21.99!!
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!!
If you want to own LOST in HD, you can save big by clicking on the Blu-ray Lost Sale!!
This 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
The Fairly Oddparents 2.x
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
Rugrats 2.x
Weeds 4.x
ZeroMan: The Complete Series
June 9
The Cleaner 1.x
Danny Phantom 3.x
Father Knows Best 3.x
Get Smart 3.x
Last of the Summer Wine 1979
Making Fiends 1.x
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
Perry Mason 4.x Vol. 1
Reaper 2.x
Shaun The Sheep Vol. 3
The Shield 7.x
South of Nowhere 3.x
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
Zoey 101 4.x
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
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
Peanuts 1960s Collection
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
Leverage 1.x
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
The Mighty Boosh 3.x
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
Life On Mars (UK): Season One
The Middleman: The Complete Series
Spectacular Spider-Man 1.x
Voltron: Fleet of Doom
August 4
Adventures of Black Beauty 2.x
Brian Sewell's Grand Tour of Italy
Days That Shook The World 2.x
Edge of Existence: The Complete Series
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
Stargate Atlantis: Fan's Choice
Tim & Eric, Awesome Show, Great Job!
August 11
Adam 12 3.x
Californication 2.x
Designing Women 2.x
Life & Times of Vivienne Vyle
Life With Derek 2.x
Mistral's Daughter: The Complete Miniseries <--- NEW!!
New Detectives 4.x
90210 1.x <--- NEW!!
Pulling 2.x <--- NEW!!
Scooby Doo: Batman/Globetrotters
Super Friends: The Lost Episodes
Zorro Generation Z Vol. 2
August 18
Dexter 3.x
Dexter 3.x (Blu-ray)
Dexter 1.x-3.x
Dexter 1.x-3.x (Blu-ray)
Dirty Sexy Money 2.x
Eli Stone 1.x
Everybody Hates Chris 4.x
Everybody Hates Chris 1.x-4.x
Foursome 2.x
Ghost Adventures 1.x
Gossip Girl 2.x <--- NEW!!
Greek 3.x
iCarly 2.x Vol. 1
Just For Laughs: Over The Edge
Simon & Simon 3.x
The Simpsons 12.x
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
Crash 1.x
Dog The Bounty Hunter: Best Of 5.x
A Haunting: Twilight of Evil (Blu-ray)
Here's Lucy 1.x
House 5.x
How The Earth Was Made: The Complete Series
Lie To Me 1.x
Lie To Me 1.x (Blu-ray)
Life 2.x
Man Stroke Woman 2.x <--- NEW!!
MonsterQuest 3.x Vol. 1
New Tricks 1.x
One Tree Hill 6.x <--- NEW!!
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
Clatterford 2.x <--- NEW!!
Desperate Housewives 5.x
Doctor Who: The Deadly Assassin
Doctor Who: Image of the Fendahl
Heroes 3.x <--- NEW!!
Heroes 3.x (Blu-ray) <--- NEW!!
People Like Us: The Complete Series
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 8
Fringe 1.x <--- NEW!!
Fringe 1.x (Blu-ray) <--- NEW!!
The Office 5.x <--- NEW!!
The Office 5.x (Blu-ray) <--- NEW!!
The Office 1.x-5.x <--- NEW!!
September 15
Affairs Of The Heart 2.x
The Big Bang Theory 2.x <--- NEW!!
Grey's Anatomy 5.x
Grey's Anatomy 5.x (Blu-ray)
Private Practice 2.x
Star Wars: The Clone Wars -- Clone Commandos <--- NEW!!
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
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)
November 24
Life On Mars (UK) 2.x <--- NEW!!
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!!
$8.00 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 Moonlighting 1.x/2.x (25 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$16.49 Rocky & Bullwinkle 1.x (26 episodes)
$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 The West Wing 1.x (22 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$19.99 Hill Street Blues 1.x (17 episodes)
$19.99 The Larry Sanders Show 1.x (13 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$19.99 Mad Men 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)
$22.49 Buffy The Vampire Slayer 4.x (22 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$22.49 Futurama Vol. 2 (19 episodes)
$23.99 Northern Exposure 3.x (23 episodes)
$23.99 Veronica Mars 1.x (22 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$24.49 TV Funhouse: The Complete Series (eight episodes)
$24.99 Friends 1.x (24 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)
$27.99 Wonderfalls: The Complete Series (13 episodes)
$29.99 Murder One 1.x (23 episodes)
$29.99 Alias 1.x (22 episodes)
$29.99 The Office 3.x (24 episodes)
$30.99 Gilmore Girls 4.x (22 episodes)
$31.49 Saturday Night Live 1.x (24 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$31.99 Angel 5.x (22 episodes)
$31.99 St. Elsewhere 1.x (22 episodes)
$31.99 Columbo 1.x (nine TV-movies)
$32.49 Seinfeld 3.x (23 episodes)
$32.99 Firefly: The Complete Series (14 episodes)
$33.99 Undeclared: The Complete Series (17 episodes)
$34.99 Battlestar Galactica 1.x (13 episodes plus miniseries)
$34.99 Curb Your Enthusiasm 1.x (10 episodes)
$35.99 24 1.x (24 episodes)
$37.99 My So-Called Life: The Complete Series (17 Episodes)
$37.49 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 The Wire 1.x (13 episodes)
$39.99 Deadwood 1.x (12 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)
$51.49 Freaks and Geeks: The Complete Series (18 episodes)
$52.99 SCTV Network 90 Vol. 1 (Nine 90-minute 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)
The New Book From The Guy Behind WRATH OF KHAN, THE VOGAGE HOME And THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY!!
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