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SIMPSONS!! SEINFELD!! SHIELD!! KINGS!! FU!! REAPER!! MENTALIST!! SMALLVILLE!! HercVault!!
SPOILER ALERT !!
I am – Hercules!!
The seventh and final season of “The Shield,”
hitting shelves today, was the only season of the series to make one of my year-end top-ten hourlongs list. Even casual viewers could not deny the series’ final handful of episodes trafficked in superior suspense.
Even if you thought the second season of “Reaper” not as good as the first (as most did), there’s no denying the continued greatness of “Twin Peaks” icon Ray Wise as the devil. I especially enjoyed Satan in full “Bedazzled” mode, making life tricky for recovering alcoholics. It made me kind of wish the show would ditch the escapee-of-the-week formula and instead just follow the adventures of Lucifer and his slacker antichrist spawn.
The Norman Lear TV Collection collects the first seasons of Norman Lear’s six longest-running creations:
1) “All in the Family”
2) “The Jeffersons”
3) “Maude”
4) “Good Times”
5) “Sanford & Son”
6) “One Day At A Time”
as well as the first 25 episodes of “Mary Hartman Mary Hartman” and what are billed as more than six hours of new bonus features. Those extras include two never-aired “All in the Family” pilots tiled “Those Were The Days” and “Justice For All” (the latter co-starring Candice Azzara and Chip Oliver as daughter Gloria and her husband Dickie) as well as new interviews with Lear, Rob Reiner, Mackenzie Phillips, Bonnie Franklin, Jimmy “Kid Dyn-O-Mite” Walker, Adrienne Barbeau, Rue McClanahan, Louise Lasser, Mary Kay Place and the late Bea Arthur.
Amazon has it for $111.99, which works out to less than $16 per series.
A drama about an ex-junkie who becomes an “extreme interventionist” to help strangers overcome their addictions, “The Cleaner” was created by Jonathan Prince ("Cane," "American Dreams") and longtime cable-TV-movie writer Robert Munic (Lifetime’s “Dawn Anna,” Showtime’s “In A Class Of His Own” and “They Call Me Sirr”). It stars Benjamin Bratt (“E-Ring”), Amy Price-Francis (“K-Ville”), Grace Park (“Battlestar Galactica”) and Gil Bellows (“Ally McBeal”). It’s A&E’s first original drama in six years!
None of the critics seemed very excited about it.
USA Today gives it one and a half stars (out of four) and says:
… "precious" is only one of the problems with The Cleaner, a hacky drama … Inevitably, the bad monologues give way to bad dialogue …
The New York Times says:
… The writing doesn’t dissuade Mr. Bratt from his inclination toward overstatement. He is forced to sound like a report from the Centers for Disease Control while administering CPR. …
The Los Angeles Times says:
… slightly exasperating … It's a mix of the professionally done, the professionally overdone, the reasonably convincing, the surprisingly hackneyed and the occasionally absurd. …
The Chicago Tribune says:
… The most interesting part of "Intervention" is seeing the painful and dysfunctional personal relationships that can contribute to an addict's downward spiral. So far, "The Cleaner" has little of that drama and none of that pathos. …
The Washington Post says:
… might be exciting if there were a soupcon of substance to the show. If not a soupcon, maybe a tidbit. A dollop. A morsel? …
The San Francisco Chronicle says:
… Though "The Cleaner" in no way approaches the top-notch fare of AMC or FX, it competes well in the arena of TNT and USA series. That is, "The Cleaner" is a solid drama with true grit but several more obviously telegraphed moments or twists than you'll find in the upper tier of cable. …
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says:
… all these elements don't add up to much more than a predictable franchise drama featuring an intervention of the week with a little bit of character development thrown in for good measure.…
The Boston Globe says:
… a concept that begs for - but doesn't altogether get - sophisticated treatment. … good intentions do not a successful drama make. …
Variety says:
… feels painfully slight in the premiere, despite Benjamin Bratt's stoic performance …
The Hollywood Reporter says:
… a visit to the Cleaner is only slightly more cheerful than a meeting with an undertaker. … Without more skillful dialogue and lively stories, this won't help A&E kick the reality habit. …
Herc’s Popular Pricing Pantry
If you don’t get all the love for the late, great David Carradine, feel strongly encouraged to have a gander at his compelling, seminal, badass early-1970s TV series, arguably his finest work and coincidentally just $15.99/season at the moment.
Punch up the first 10 minutes and see if it doesn’t leave you craving more:
Two weeks ago a season of “The Simpsons” sold for $29.99!! The first 11 seasons of “The Simpsons” have suddenly plummeted for the moment to $12.99 each!!
Last week an extra-crammed (and I mean extra-crammed!) season of “Seinfeld” ran $32.49; this week seasons three through nine are just $13.99 each!!
Season sets for “Arrested Development,” “How I Met Your Mother,” “Prison Break,” and “My Name Is Earl” are all $12.99 each!!
The first season of “Burn Notice,” typically north of $30, is momentarily $12.99!!
“From The Earth To The Moon,” the entire extra-packed signature edition, has fallen to its lowest price ever: $11.99!! People were paying $49 for this set last year.
The first-season “Mad Men” DVD was $31.99 two weeks ago and $19.99 last week; right now you can pick it up for $18.99!! The Blu-ray version is $24.49!!
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 or less each!!
“Andy Griffith Show” seasons are only $16.99 each as part of the same big CBS sale …
$19.99 Shield!!
(60% OFF!!)
$18.99 Complete Animated Trek!!
If you want to own LOST in HD, you can save big by clicking on the Blu-ray Lost Sale!!
TV-on-Disc Calendar
Last 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
This Week
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
Next Week
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
If you don’t get all the love for the late, great David Carradine, feel strongly encouraged to have a gander at his compelling, seminal, badass early-1970s TV series, arguably his finest work and coincidentally just $15.99/season at the moment.
Punch up the first 10 minutes and see if it doesn’t leave you craving more:
Two weeks ago a season of “The Simpsons” sold for $29.99!! The first 11 seasons of “The Simpsons” have suddenly plummeted for the moment to $12.99 each!!
Last week an extra-crammed (and I mean extra-crammed!) season of “Seinfeld” ran $32.49; this week seasons three through nine are just $13.99 each!!
Season sets for “Arrested Development,” “How I Met Your Mother,” “Prison Break,” and “My Name Is Earl” are all $12.99 each!!
The first season of “Burn Notice,” typically north of $30, is momentarily $12.99!!
“From The Earth To The Moon,” the entire extra-packed signature edition, has fallen to its lowest price ever: $11.99!! People were paying $49 for this set last year.
The first-season “Mad Men” DVD was $31.99 two weeks ago and $19.99 last week; right now you can pick it up for $18.99!! The Blu-ray version is $24.49!!
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 or less each!!
“Andy Griffith Show” seasons are only $16.99 each as part of the same big CBS sale …
$19.99 Shield!!
(60% OFF!!)
$18.99 Complete Animated Trek!!
If you want to own LOST in HD, you can save big by clicking on the Blu-ray Lost Sale!!
TV-on-Disc Calendar
Last 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
This Week
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
Next Week
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
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+ Expand All
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...really liked the movie but only watched a few of the series. Does the series have an end of any sorts? Does the movie basically pick up where it ends? Been thinking about scoring it for some time, now on BD, for a good price, figured this is a good time.
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Firefly and Serenity. Buy the series and watch it first. The TV show doesn't really "end". There are no cliffhangers.Serenity picks up after the end of Firefly. You could say Serenity was the last episode. All of the series and the movie are awesome.
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LEAVE IT TO THIS OVERSIZED FAT FAGGOT TO SUM UP FIREFLY AS THE SERIES WITH THE SPACE HOOKER. DUMB ASS FAGGOT.
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The movie Serenity really served as a finale of sorts for the TV series. It really is one of the best sci fi shows of all time.
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Firefly begins with the episode Serenity and ends with the movie Serenity.
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For $13.99...WOW!
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i miss me some vic mackey kickin.my.ass. and shane. : (
shane u shithead. -
After debating all day, I decided to buy Firefly. I have only watched Serentiy and thought it was really good. Any thoughts on if this was a good purchase. I am on a tight budget, but just decided to go for it. Any opinions on the show appreciated. Have a good one.
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It was touching and funny.
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I picked it up today and was appalled that the end of series roundtable discussions and cast one on one interviews were not included in the special features!! I watched what they posted on the FX website, but it felt like there was a lot more to both of those that was not on the site. Not a happy camper.
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No subtitles?? Really? What a bare bones way to treat the final season of one of the best shows on TV.
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though not though these links. It would be a bit rich to provide AICN with some loose change for a series Herc's never supported.
i don't know about the rest of you, but i miss the gay companion travel dvd links -
yay for them! Yay!
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I think I just really have something for braided hair.
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Herc has been pimping Firefly since Day One (I know, I was there). It was a joke.
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Coming from a person who watches shit like Veronica Mars and Gilmore girls, your failure to include any previous seasons of The Shield in your lists doesn't shock me in the least. The quality of that show is so far beyond you that it might as well not even exist. The Shield was a real drama with real actors while all you do is rave about tweeny assholes with no talent and plenty of angst and melodrama. The Shield was better than the shitty medium of TV even deserved.
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you mean firefly was 'ruined', not 'capped', by Serenity, don't you? the movie did everything wrong you can do in writing and characterization, and killed characters and story lines just to make the fanboys cry.
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Were we watching the same "Reaper"? The show got way better the second season. The characters were more fleshed out, the demon supporting cast was hilarious, and the whole "Sam is the son of the devil" story was great! BTW, Sock rocks.
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That's cheaper than the bootleg sites.Thank you Herc.
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...have Master Po teach Kwai Chang Caine the neck and cock rope in the wardrobe trick?
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plenty of angst and melodrama? You havent seen Veronica Mars have you? I agree The Shield was a better show but that description doesnt fit VM in the slightest. My guess is you just saw a couple commercials and made a quick assumption. Bad move.
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The second season was definitely better than the first. Season 2 was hilarious and Nina was a great addition to the cast. It's really too bad that it wasn't renewed. The finale was a bit confusing.
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Did you ever see the one where Charles & Buddy cheered me on while I motorboated Nicole Eggert's boobies?
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Is insane! Highly recommended after a drink or 2 or.... Actually fairly well done with some nice backgrounds. Former Spongebob writer is responsible I believe.
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...one of the best shows ever. I enjoyed the film Serenity for what it was (a longer episode with bigger budget), but the TV series was masterful. Still, over thirty bucks for a half season? Please.
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How come British shows only feature old wrinkly people and the dvd boxes look kind of...grey? "Waiting for God"... geez, how depressing.
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Glad they got a date for it.
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I just finished watching Firefly on Blu Ray - looks awesome... and I've watched that series now over and over and it never gets old - it's a crime we only got one half a season...
Kings was great - why no blu Ray? -
First, Herc pimped this show and i'm damn happy he did... Whedon/no Whedon, whatever, the show was fantastic and as was the movie. Also glad he pimped Veronica Mars--my brother laughed at me when i told him the description of the show... when its described shortly it sounds like an absolutely ludacris concept... but i bought the dvd for my sister and my brother watched it with her and was hooked. my brother doesn't waste time with bad shows, the fact that he liked it says ALOT But, back to firefly/serenity, how can you say this: "the movie did everything wrong you can do in writing and characterization, and killed characters and story lines just to make the fanboys cry."The most AMAZING think about Serenity is that the opening scene took place before the series and the rest after it. Again, with my brother, I dragged him to the movie and he liked it alot, and he hates scifi... the most masterful think that makes Whedon one of the best writers on television ever is that he made a movie that everyone who hadn't seen the show could understand AND provided closure to the fans of the show. I can't imagine how tough that must be to pull off, but Whedon pulled it off because no matter how shameless herc is with 'pimping' whedon shows, the fact remains--whedon knows his shit.
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...is a textbook example of how to end a series. Buying the DVDs this week!!!
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Loved the show. But am I the only one who thought Logan was the only one who didn't look like an actual teenager? Plus who thought the guy from "Just Shoot Me" could kick so much ass. I think Rob Thomas is still pitching hard on the movie. Wouldn't mind hearing exactly what that pitch is.
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