Home Cool News Coaxial Reviews Zone Chat Contact Us Sign in
Published on Tuesday, March 27, 2007 - 1:11am

BANACEK!! PRACTICE!! SEINFELD!! OFFICE!! MONK!! PSYCH!! DEAD ZONE!! D-LIST!! DROOPY!! SHIELD!! HercVault!!

I am – Hercules!!

Yes, the “Addams” movies are better than the series; Barry Sonnenfeld could go a lot farther and a lot darker in the 1990s than the TV producers could in the 1960s. Plus you gotta hate that fucking laugh track. But it’s hard to argue with the greatness that was Ted Cassidy as Lurch. Or the genius of John Astin. Or the fact that Carolyn Jones made for a Morticia perhaps 7,000 times hotter than Angelica Huston's. The Addams Family Volume 2 (of three volumes) contains 21 episodes from the latter third of season one and the first third of season two, including “Thing is Missing,” “Lurch and His Harpsicord,” and “Lurch the Teenage Idol.”

Thing and Cousin Itt provide commentary on selected scenes!


Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman Vol. 1 contains only the first 25 of the 307 installments produced between January 1976 and March 1977.

It was a strange and syndicated five-nights-a-week half-hour - half soap and half sitcom – initially masterminded by “Mary Tyler Moore Show” writer Gail Parent and “Search For Tomrrow” writer Ann Marcus. Woody Allen’s ex and early co-star, Louise Lasser, headlined alongside the likes of Mary Kay Place, Dabney Coleman and Martin Mull.

One of “Hartman’s” initial plotlines revolved around a mass murderer, a topic not a lot of sitcoms were tackling in those days of the Zodiac. The series was produced by Norman Lear, who had previously courted sitcom controversy and huge ratings with the likes of “All in the Family” and spinoffs “Maude,” “The Jeffersons” and “Good Times.”

Part of “Hartman’s” allure, certainly, may be attributable to its status as one of the earliest – perhaps the first - live-action sitcom aired without audience laughter on its soundtrack.


The new Fantastic Four TV series is just terrible, as if designed to avoid upstaging the sheer awfulness of the recent movie. It is certainly one of the noisiest and most consistently uninvolving comic-book adaptations ever forged (which is saying something).


Longtime readers of this column know that when it comes to crime dramas, I count myself as a huge fan of “Columbo," "The Rockford Files” and “Hill Street Blues,” as well as the newer premium-cable shoot-em-ups like “The Wire,” “The Sopranos” and “Brotherhood.” Still, many seem to prefer basic cable's “The Shield,” whose fifth season splatters onto DVD shelves today.

It’s the season that introduced Forest Whitaker’s character, Lt. Jon Kavanaugh (who is back for season six, and it’s strange seeing him play a supporting role on a cable drama so soon after hoisting that best-actor Oscar over his head).

The new season-five set comes with at least 10 commentary tracks, 25 deleted scenes (also with commentary), a season-six prequel, and a fistful of featurettes, including one on the “Shield” panel at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.


As a bonus, AICN’s Pacific Islands editor Moon Yun Choi unexpectedly and belatedly kicks in a review of Run's House: The Complete First and Second Seasons, which hit shelves last week:

Aloha, Moon Yun signing in from Hawaii…

I had no idea what to expect from RUN’S HOUSE: Complete Seasons 1 & 2 but I was watching it last night and it is hysterical. A reality sitcom about Reverend Run (Joseph Simmons) of legendary rap group Run-DMC and his family, it is a “Cosby Show” for the new millennium and ripe for the hip-hop culture.

Especially endearing are his children. In episode 2 of Season 1, Run’s wife, Justine, asks him to talk to the boys about the “birds and the bees.” Not feeling especially comfortable with the topic, he takes on the challenge head on. He busts the chop of each of his sons. He asks Diggy, who’s 10, about love notes that they’ve found and asks him point blank if he has a girlfriend. The verbal interplay goes something like this:

Rev. Run: “You got a girlfriend. I know it.”
Diggy: “No, I don’t.”
Rev. Run: “Talk to me…so I have something to report to mommy. I gave you some money the other day. You didn’t want me to know you had to buy somebody something.”
Diggy: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Rev. Run: “Gotcha. Is she your home girl?”
Diggy: “Yes.”

Later on he visits his brother, hip hop mogul Russell Simmons at his office in New York City. And Rev. Run asks him how he would handle it, to which Russell retorts that his daughter is only five.

But what he has to say next gets to Rev. Run. Russell says, “Right now, no sex. It’s for grown ups. If I catch you, I’m whipping that ass…no matter what your stupid friends say, you learn something greater at home.”

Rev. Run returns home feeling like he had been “reaching,” and instead of busting the boy’s chops, he should just lead by example.

At the end of each episode, there’s a Q & A type session with each member of the family and Rev. Run shares his wisdom.

There are other funny moments when his daughters go apartment hunting in the city and discover that “home is best.” No matter if Rev. Run succeeds or fails, he keeps a dynamic household with some energetic kids and a headstrong wife.

This series show the better side of hip hop and is highly recommended for families or for individuals who want to get inspired by Rev. Run’s world.

Moon Yun signing out…






Herc’s Popular Pricing Pantry


60% Off Newsradio!!
In celebration, presumably, of the recent release of the final season of “Newsradio,” all previous extra-crammed sets of the series are available for less than $16 each!
$15.99 Newsradio Season One and Two
$15.99 Newsradio Season Three
$15.99 Newsradio Season Four





TV-on-DVD Calendar


Last Week
Batman Beyond 3.x
Christy: The Complete Series
Deadliest Catch 1.x
Garfield: Ode To Odie
JAG 3.x
JAG 1.x-3.x
Justice League Unlimited 2.x
Kong: Animated Series Gift Set ($20.99)
Masters of Horror: Pro-Life
Maude 1.x
McHale's Navy 1.x
Miami Vice 3.x
Miami Vice 4.x
Milton The Monster: The Complete Series
Mythbusters: Mega Movie Myths
NewsRadio 5.x
Run's House 1.x/2.x
Sleeper Cell 2.x
The Wild Wild West 2.x



This Week


The Addams Family 1.x Vol. 2


Family Affair 3.x


Fantastic Four Vol. 1


Full House 6.x


The Jeffersons 6.x


Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman Vol. 1


Midsomer Murders: Set 8


New Adventures of He-Man Vol. 2


One Foot in the Grave 1.x


One Foot in the Grave 2.x


The Shield 5.x


7th Heaven 4.x


Sonic The Hedgehog: The Complete Series;


Touched By An Angel 4.x Vol. 1


Whose Line Is It Anyway U.K. 1.x-2.x



Next Week
Billy & Mandy's Big Boogey Adventure
The Brady Bunch: The Complete Series
Defenders of the Earth Vol. 2
Entourage 3.1-3.12
Galapagos: The Complete Series
Happy Tree Friends Vol. 2
Law & Order 5.x
The Lost Room: The Complete Miniseries
Mind of Mencia 2.x
The Pink Panther Vol. 5: The Ant and the Aardvark
Roseanne 7.x
She-Ra 1.x Vol. 2
Tom Goes To The Mayor: The Complete Series


Twin Peaks 2.x



April 10
Avatar: The Last Airbender 2.x Vol. 2
The Batman 3.x
Proof: Prescription For Murder
Scooby-Doo Where Are You 3.x
The Streets of San Francisco 1.x Vol. 1
Teen Titans 3.x
The Untouchables 1.x Vol. 1



April 17
The George Lopez Show 1.x/2.x
The Ghost Busters: The Complete Series
Happy Days 2.x
Highlander: Best Of
Larry King Live: Greatest Interviews


The Larry Sanders Show: Not Just the Best Of
Laverne & Shirley 2.x
Mork & Mindy 2.x
Murder She Wrote 6.x
MXC: Most Extreme Elimination Challenge 2.x


Shadow Warriors Starring Sonny Chiba 1.x
SpongeBob SquarePants: Friend Or Foe?


The Venture Bros. 2.x



April 24
Columbo 1989
Daniel Boone 3.x
The Drew Carey Show 1.x
Ed, Edd & Eddy 2.x
Flipper 1.x
Ironside 1.x
Ironside 1.x Vol. 1


Kidnapped: The Complete Series
Moral Orel: Vol. 1
NCIS 3.x
NCIS 1.x-3.x
The Odd Couple 1.x
One Day At A Time 1.x
Planet Earth: The Complete BBC Series
Planet Earth: The Complete BBC Series (HD-DVD)
Rob & Big 1.x
Shameless 1.x
Tsunami: The Aftermath
WKRP in Cincinnati 1.x



May 1
Beverly Hills 90210 2.x
Dinosaurs 3.x/4.x
The Girls Next Door 2.x
Inside The Actors Studio: Johnny Depp
The King of Queens 8.x
Melrose Place 2.x
Michael Palin: Around The World In 80 Days
Ozzie & Harriet: Best Of
Three's Company: Janet's Favorites
What I Like About You 1.x
Will & Grace 6.x



May 8
Battlstar Galactica 2.x Value Pack
Cagney & Lacey: The First Gless Season
Clatterford 1.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
That '70s Show 6.x
Voltron Vol. 3
The Waltons 5.x
The Waltons 1.x-5.x



May 15
American Dad Vol. 2
Banacek 1.x <--- NEW!!
Coach 2.x
ER 7.x
Frasier 9.x
Home Improvement 6.x
M*A*S*H: Goodbye, Farewell and Amen
Monarch of the Glen 6.x
Monarch of the Glen 5.x/6.x
A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Vol. 6
The Rockford Files 4.x
Tex Avery's Droopy: Complete Theatrical Collection <--- NEW!!
Tom & Jerry Tales Vol. 2
The War at Home 1.x
Wings 4.x



May 22
Airwolf 3.x
Avatar: The Last Airbender 2.x Vol. 3
Instant Star 1.x
Kitchen Confidential: The Complete Series
Kyle XY 1.x
The Magnificent Seven 2.x
Martin 2.x


The OC 4.x
Roots: 30th Anniversary Edition
Scrubs 5.x
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
Rawhide 2.x Vol. 1


Weeds 1.x (Blu-ray)



June 5
Chappelle's Show: Best Of
CHiPs 1.x
The Cosby Show 3.x
The Cosby Show 4.x
Dante's Cove 2.x <--- NEW!!


Dark Angel 1.x (Slimset)
Dark Angel 2.x (Slimset)


The Dead Zone 5.x <--- NEW!!
Doctor Who - Castrovalva
Doctor Who - Logopolis
Doctor Who - Keeper of Traken
Doctor Who: New Beginnings
The Fall Guy 1.x
Hogan's Heroes 6.x
Inside The Actors Studio: Leading Men


Mission: Impossible 2.x
Robin Hood 1.x
Super Mario Bros. 3: The Complete Series
Wait Till Your Father Gets Home 1.x
What's New Scooby-Doo? 2.x



June 12


Deadwood 3.x
Diagnosis Murder 2.x
Hardy Boys Nancy Drew Mysteries 2.x
Kathy Griffin: My LIfe On The D-List 1.x <--- NEW!!
Mile High 2.x <--- NEW!!
The Office 1.x/2.x Value Pack <--- NEW!!


The Practice Vol. 1 <--- NEW!!
Seinfeld 8.x <--- NEW!!
SpongeBob SquarePants: Bikini Bottom Adventures
That Girl 3.x
Waiting For God 2.x
Walker: Texas Ranger 3.x
Welcome Back Kotter 1.x



June 19
Animaniacs Vol. 3;" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;
Animaniacs Vol. 1-3
Batfink: The Complete Series

Pinky and the Brain Vol. 3
Pinky and the Brain Vol. 1-3
The Powerpuff Girls 1.x



June 26
Digrassi: The Next Generation 5.x
Gomer Pyle USMC 2.x
Hannah Montana Vol. 3 <--- NEW!!
Monk 5.x <--- NEW!!
Monk 5.x/Psych 1.x Combo <--- NEW!!
Psych 1.x <--- NEW!!



July 10
Beauty and the Beast 2.x <--- NEW!!
Hustle 3.x <--- NEW!!



August 7
Inside The Actors Studio: Barbara Streisand




Selected season-sets containing
some of Herc’s all-time favorite TV!!
$14.99 Soap 1.x (25 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$14.99 The Tick: The Complete Series (9 Episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$15.99 Newsradio 1.x/2.x (29 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$17.99 ER 1.x (26 episodes)
$18.49 Wonder Showzen 1.x (eight episodes)
$18.99 Friends 1.x (24 episodes)
$21.97 Curb Your Enthusiasm 1.x (10 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$21.99 The Mary Tyler Moore Show 1.x (24 episodes)
$22.49 The Bob Newhart Show 1.x (24 episodes)
$22.99 The Venture Bros. 1.x (13 Episodes)
$23.49 The Tick Versus 1.x (12 episodes)
$24.99 Rocky & Bullwinkle 1.x (26 episodes)
$24.99 Moonlighting 1.x/2.x (25 episodes)
$24.99 Seinfeld 3.x (23 episodes)
$24.99 Hill Street Blues 1.x (17 episodes)
$27.99 Angel 5.x (22 episodes)
$27.99 Murder One 1.x (23 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$27.99 Oz 1.x (eight episodes)
$28.49 St. Elsewhere 1.x (22 episodes)
$29.49 The Rockford Files 1.x (22 episodes)
$29.49 Columbo 1.x (nine TV-movies)
$29.98 Cheers 1.x (23 episodes)
$29.98 South Park 1.x (13 episodes)
$29.99 Buffy The Vampire Slayer 4.x (22 episodes)
$29.99 The Simpsons 2.x (22 episodes)
$29.99 Firefly: The Complete Series (14 episodes)
$29.99 The Larry Sanders Show 1.x (13 episodes)
$29.99 Wonderfalls: The Complete Series (13 episodes)
$30.99 The Andy Griffith Show 5.x (32 episodes)
$31.49 Taxi 1.x (22 episodes)
$32.99 Futurama Vol. 2 (19 episodes)
$33.99 Kung Fu 2.x (23 episodes)
$34.99 The Dick Van Dyke Show 1.x (31 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$34.99 Mission Impossible 1.x (28 episodes)
$34.99 24 1.x (24 episodes)
$35.49 The Wild Wild West (28 episodes)
$36.99 Northern Exposure 3.x (23 episodes)
$36.99 Undeclared: The Complete Series (17 episodes)
$39.99 Gilmore Girls 4.x (22 episodes)
$42.49 Veronica Mars 1.x (22 episodes)
$42.49 Fawlty Towers: The Complete Series (12 episodes)

$44.99 Battlestar Galactica 1.x (13 episodes plus 4-hour mini)
$45.49 The Sopranos 1.x (13 episodes)
$45.99 Freaks and Geeks: The Complete Series (18 episodes)
$46.99 Lost 1.x (24 episodes)
$47.99 The Wire 1.x (13 episodes)
$50.49 Star Trek: The Next Generation 3.x (26 episodes)
$50.99 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 3.x (26 episodes)
$51.99 The OC 1.x (27 episodes)
$54.99 Once and Again 1.x (22 episodes)
$54.99 Six Feet Under 1.x (13 episodes)
$58.49 SCTV Network 90 Vol. 1 (Nine 90-minute episodes)
$59.99 The Twilight Zone 1.x (36 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$64.99 Monty Python: The Complete Series 16-Ton Megaset (45 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$67.99 Deadwood 1.x (12 episodes)
$69.98 Star Trek 2.x (26 episodes)
$69.99 The Prisoner: The Complete Series (17 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$73.99 Carnivale 1.x (12 episodes)
$110.00 Twin Peaks 1.x minus pilot (seven episodes)
$123.00 My So-Called Life: The Complete Series (17 episodes)

AddThis Social Bookmark Button
Click for previous story Talk Back More on this story Click for next story

User login

Reader Talkback

I would like to post a comment on this story...
by Franklin T Marmoset		Mar 27th, 2007
02:26:28 AM
Damn you Michael Bay
by Damnyou		Mar 27th, 2007
02:44:12 AM
On behalf of the FF...
by LordEnigma		Mar 27th, 2007
05:48:53 AM
On behalf of the FF...
by LordEnigma		Mar 27th, 2007
05:48:55 AM
Phew! Made it.
by Franklin T Marmoset		Mar 27th, 2007
06:59:33 AM
What about Banacek?
by SpencerTrilby		Mar 27th, 2007
07:11:37 AM
Finally: The Practice
by Virtual Satyr		Mar 27th, 2007
08:06:43 AM
Herc, they made 307 episodes in 15 months?
by ExcaliburFfolkes		Mar 27th, 2007
09:02:50 AM
I Wish Universal Would Get It's Act Together And...
by dannyocean		Mar 27th, 2007
09:04:03 AM
Not To Put Down Banacek...
by dannyocean		Mar 27th, 2007
09:05:34 AM
New Adventures of He-Man = Super dumb ass looking
by Mr Incredible		Mar 27th, 2007
09:20:26 AM
Hey Herc, where did all the HD threads go?
by half vader		Mar 27th, 2007
09:25:55 AM
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman
by FrixFrixFrix		Mar 27th, 2007
09:28:39 AM
Just watched Justice League Unlimited Seasons 1,2,3
by teethgnasher		Mar 27th, 2007
10:25:10 AM
The Shield
by Dijonase24		Mar 27th, 2007
10:49:00 AM
Another shout-out for the Shield!
by MisterE		Mar 27th, 2007
11:36:30 AM
Simpsons Season 10
by conniebrean1		Mar 27th, 2007
11:50:17 AM
"The ADDAMS movies are better than the series"??? WTF?
by SpyGuy		Mar 27th, 2007
12:19:01 PM
"Hack" on DVD?
by KazamaSmokers		Mar 27th, 2007
12:47:56 PM
No Picket Fences?
by Mooly		Mar 27th, 2007
01:07:45 PM
I just re-watched the last episode of Twin Peaks...
by DanielKurland		Mar 27th, 2007
01:46:05 PM
DUTCH BOY GOTTA EAT
by MaxCalifornia.		Mar 27th, 2007
04:15:26 PM
The Shield is back...
by MachThree		Mar 27th, 2007
04:45:53 PM
spy guy is right.
by yeah i'm a jerk!		Mar 27th, 2007
05:41:59 PM
"tex avery's droopy"
by Alonzo Mosely		Mar 27th, 2007
09:12:09 PM
half vadar, I think Herc finally got tired...
by ExcaliburFfolkes		Mar 27th, 2007
09:46:12 PM
Well fair enough I guess if it's the case, Excalibur
by half vader		Mar 27th, 2007
10:02:58 PM
HEY YOU!! MY SO-CALLED LIFE!! YEP, I'M TALKIN' TO YOU!!
by wackybantha		Mar 27th, 2007
11:26:13 PM
Zodiac Killer Predated Mary Hartman
by Professor Krapp		Mar 27th, 2007
11:36:09 PM
I miss them, too, half vadar.
by ExcaliburFfolkes		Mar 28th, 2007
07:56:49 AM
Lost Talkback?
by jimbojones123		Mar 28th, 2007
09:03:00 AM
Jimbojones
by Fount of Useless Info		Mar 28th, 2007
09:41:23 AM
Remember when these and 24 talkbacks
by jimbojones123		Mar 28th, 2007
10:39:06 AM
Ben and Locke
by Fount of Useless Info		Mar 28th, 2007
11:32:56 AM
Whose face do I have to punch to get a LOST talkback?
by Dapper Swindler		Mar 28th, 2007
11:34:58 AM
Count me in on that.
by PwnedByStallone		Mar 28th, 2007
12:11:34 PM
Are you kidding me?
by Banky the Hack		Mar 28th, 2007
12:12:22 PM
Seriously
by Fount of Useless Info		Mar 28th, 2007
12:29:44 PM
What a bunch of
by Chest_Rockwell		Mar 28th, 2007
12:59:33 PM
But I really needed to know when the last season
by jimbojones123		Mar 28th, 2007
01:17:55 PM
TASG!
by Abin Sur		Mar 28th, 2007
01:21:48 PM
Ok, now I'm getting annoyed.
by PwnedByStallone		Mar 28th, 2007
01:29:21 PM
Droopy was a racist!!!
by nofate		Mar 28th, 2007
01:29:31 PM
Talking about racist cartoons
by jimbojones123		Mar 28th, 2007
01:42:00 PM
Peter Pan is more racist than Song of the South...
by Abin Sur		Mar 28th, 2007
01:45:36 PM
What about all the kiddos smoking and drinking
by jimbojones123		Mar 28th, 2007
02:07:49 PM
SHIELD
by Halfbreedqueen		Mar 28th, 2007
11:47:45 PM
God damn that "new He-Man" look like dogshit!
by jrbarker		Mar 29th, 2007
02:12:54 PM
Still more whining from Chest_Rockwell
by mrfan		Mar 30th, 2007
05:15:53 AM
Prisoner DVD Megaset $59.97 at DeepDiscountDVD
by monorail77		Mar 30th, 2007
11:35:53 AM

Quick Talkback

Please login to post talkback.