I am – Hercules!!
Gilmore Girls: The Complete Series made Time’s list of the 100 best shows ever, right up there with “Buffy” and “The Wire” and “The Larry Sanders Show” and “Moonlighting” and “Monty Python” and “Star Trek” and “The Simpsons.” And deservedly so, I say. Harry's wife Yoko and I share a great love for this thing.
The series told the tale of a pregnant, single teen named Lorelei Gilmore who fled her privileged life to raise her daughter in small-town Connecticut, far outside the influence of her rich control-freak mother Emily. Lorelei and her big-brained daughter Rory grew up to become the best of friends, and Lorelei finds herself forced to turn to Emily for tuition money when Rory is accepted into a prestigious boarding school that could change her life.
For the first six of its seven seasons, the series was magic, fueled by the fierce, biting, bracing and world-class wit mastermind Amy Sherman-Palladino lent to its title characters. The banter on “Girls” was so well-crafted that an urban legend emerged suggesting that “Amy Sherman-Palladino” was actually a pseudonym for Aaron Sorkin, whose own high-octane comic dialogue was concurrently driving the acclaimed “West Wing.”
Sherman-Palladino, sadly, was squeezed out of her own series over a budget impasse with Warner Bros. “Gilmore’s” showrunner for the seventh season turned out to be no Sherman-Palladino, and I confess I bailed somewhere around 7.4. Apparently others did as well; the series’ ratings plummeted under new management and the show was not renewed for an eighth season.
Still, the first six seasons were gold, and the complete series price of $169.99 works out to just $24.28 per season.
An embarrassment of riches this week. Northern Exposure is not on Time’s Top 100 list, but it’s certainly on mine.
Created by “St. Elsewhere” writer-producers Joshua Brand and John Falsey, it featured as a major creative force David Chase, who came out of “The Rockford Files” and went on to mastermind “The Sopranos.
It was an hourlong fish-out-of-water comedy about Dr. Joel Fleishman, a Manhattan physician fresh out of med school who found himself forced to practice in the tiny Alaska town of Cicely to pay back his student loans to the state.
Despite its size, Cicely turned out to be a particularly cosmopolitan place riddled with unexpected characters. It is home to both ex-astronaut/millionaire Maurice Minnifield and the even richer Native American and former movie actor Lester Haines, who seeded his fortune making cowboy movies in Hollywood. Beautiful bush pilot Maggie O’Connell turned out to be a rich girl who fled her tawny Michigan neighborhood. Thoughtful local radio personality Chris Stevens turned out to be a fugitive wanted in West Virginia. The forest-dwelling, sasquatch-like Adam, at first thought to be a myth, turned out to have a background with the CIA and as a professional gourmet chef. Local innkeepers Ron and Erick turned out to be a hilariously non-sterotypical homosexual couple. Waitress Shelly Vincoeur turns out to have been a beauty queen in her native Canada. Ed Chigliak, an aspiring teen filmmaker raised by native Alaskans, turns out to be obsessed with Woody Allen and Federico Fellini.
Jack Black played Kevin Wilkins, one-third of the graduating class of Cicely High. James Marsters played a priest. Adam Ant played a lost rock star. Graham Greene was a local medicine man. Bill Irwin played Enrico Ballati, “The Flying Man.” David Hemmings played a retired Russian spy. Anthony Edwards had a memorable recurring role as “Bubble Man” Miles Monroe just before he was cast as the lead on “ER.”
The biggest bonuses on the “Exposure” DVD sets are the amazing number of deleted scenes, including entire never-aired “b-stories.”
The new 110-episode complete series set, which comes packaged in its own adorable sheepskin satchel, goes for $134.99, which works out to $22.49 per season or $1.23 per episode, a huge markdown from earlier sets and a great deal.
BBC2’s The Young Ones: was always worth watching if only for omnivorous violence-loving med student Vyvyan Basterd, played to sociopathic perfection by Adrian Edmondson (whom I always thought would go on to become a much bigger deal in showbiz).
Christmas Time in South Park comes with seven holiday themed episodes from the series’ first eight seasons:
1.9 "Mr. Hankey the Christmas Poo" (1997)
2.16 "Merry Christmas Charlie Manson" (1998)
3.15 "Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics" (1999)
4.17 "A Very Crappy Christmas" (2000)
6.19 "Red Sleigh Down" (2002)
7.15 "It's Christmas in Canada" (2003)
8.14 "Woodland Critter Christmas" (2004)
Ted Cassidy as Lurch. Carolyn Jones as Morticia. John Astin as Gomez. These are finest things in life. If you’re on the fence about The Addams Family: The Complete Series, have a look at the 64 episode titles included on the new set:
1.1 The Addams Family Goes To School
1.2 Morticia and the Psychiatrist
1.3 Fester's Punctured Romance
1.4 Gomez the Politician
1.5 The Addams Family Tree
1.6 Morticia Joins the Ladies League
1.7 Halloween With the Addams Family
1.8 Green Eyed Gomez
1.9 The New Neighbors Meet the Addams Family
1.10 Wednesday Leaves Home
1.11 The Addams Family Meets the VIPs
1.12 Morticia, the Matchmaker
1.13 Lurch Learns to Dance
1.14 Art and the Addams Family
1.15 The Addams Family Meets the Beatnik
1.16 The Addams Family Meets the Undercover Man
1.17 Mother Lurch Visits the Addams Family
1.18 Uncle Fester's Illness
1.19 The Addams Family Splurges
1.20 Cousin Itt Visits the Addams Family
1.21 The Addams Family in Court
1.22 Amnesia in the Addams Family
1.23 Thing Is Missing
1.24 Crisis In the Addams Family
1.25 Lurch and His Harpsichord
1.26 Morticia, the Breadwinner
1.27 The Addams Family and the Spacemen
1.28 My Son, the Chimp
1.29 Morticia's Favorite Charity
1.30 Progress and the Addams Family
1.31 Uncle Fester's Toupee
1.32 Cousin Itt and the Vocational Counselor
1.33 Lurch, the Teenage Idol
1.34 The Winning of Morticia Addams
2.1 My Fair Cousin Itt
2.2 Morticia's Romance Part One
2.3 Morticia's Romance Part Two
2.4 Morticia Meets Royalty
2.5 Gomez, the People's Choice
2.6 Cousin Itt's Problem
2.7 Halloween, Addams Style
2.8 Morticia, the Writer
2.9 Morticia, the Sculptress
2.10 Gomez, the Reluctant Lover
2.11 Feud in the Addams Family
2.12 Gomez, the Cat Burglar
2.13 Portrait of Gomez
2.14 Morticia's Dilemma
2.15 Christmas with the Addams Family
2.16 Uncle Fester, Tycoon
2.17 Morticia and Gomez vs. Fester and Grandmama
2.18 Fester Goes on a Diet
2.19 The Great Treasure Hunt
2.20 Ophelia Finds Romance
2.21 Pugsley's Allowance
2.22 Happy Birthday, Grandma Frump
2.23 Morticia, the Decorator
2.24 Ophelia Visits Morticia
2.25 Addams Cum Laude
2.26 Cat Addams
2.27 Lurch's Little Helper
2.28 The Addams Policy
2.29 Lurch's Grand Romance
2.30 Ophelia's Career
Lurch The Teenage Idol! What’s funnier than that?
Extras, as described by one “Calvinnme” on Amazon.com:
Audio commentary for "The Addams Family Goes To School", "Morticia, The Matchmaker" and "Cousin Itt Visits The Addams Family" featuring cast members Lisa Loring, Ken Weatherwax and Felix Silla with "The Addams Chronicles" author Stephen Cox and director Arthur Hiller.
Thing and Cousin Itt select scene commentary on "Thing is Missing", "My Son, the Chimp", "Cousin Itt and the Vocational Counsellor", "My Fair Cousin Itt" "Morticia's Dilemma", "Ophelia Finds Romance" and "Lurch's Little Helper".
Commentary by Steven Cox, author of "The Addams Chronicles" on "Morticia Meets Royalty" and "Morticia the Decorator".
Tombstone Trivia on "Morticia's Romance" (Part I) and "Cat Addams".
"You Rang, Mr. Addams" - featurette
"Snap, Snap" - featurette
"The Addams Family Portrait" featurette including on-camera interviews with John Astin.
"Mad About The Addams" featurette
"Guest Star Séance" with Parley Baer, Milton Frome, Vito Scotti, Elizabeth Fraser, Richard Deacon, Sig Ruman, Margaret Hamilton, Elvia Allman, Eddie Quillan and Peter Bonerz.
Theme Song Karaoke
Still galleries featuring original drawings and photos
As Harry points out, you can buy the entire series for less than $50.
A huge fan of Michael Mann as a writer and director of motion pictures, from “Thief,” “The Keep” and “Manhunter” through “Heat” (my favorite film of 1995), “The Insider” and “Collateral,” I never had much use for Mann’s Miami Vice series, but it might be fun to revisit Edward James Olmos’ performance as boss Martin Castillo now that we’ve grown more familiar with his abilities via “Stand and Deliver,” “The West Wing,” and of course “Battlestar Galactica.” The 2006 movie is not included, but I will say the box this new set comes in, covered with simulated white alligator skin (an homage to Sonny Crockett’s shoes?), is gorgeous.
Herc’s Popular Pricing Pantry
The first two seasons of “Veronica Mars,” an incredibly entertaining series about class struggle and tasers, were $42.99 last week; this week they’re $14.99 each.
Only $21.99!!
One of Herc’s Top 10 Hourlongs of 2006!!
From The Showrunner Behind “Karen Sisco.”
SRP is $49.95!!
$34.54 at DeepDiscount.com!!
Stocking Stuffers!!
Amazon has knocked 50% OFF 100 TV titles, including
$4.99 The Simple Life 1.x-4.x * $9.99 The Grid: The Complete Series * $9.99 The Loop 1.x * $9.99 Return to the Planet of the Apes: Complete Series * $13.99 Tru Calling 2.x * $14.99 The Bob Newhart Show 1.x-4.x * $14.99 Hill Street Blues 1.x * $14.99 King of the Hill 1.x-6.x * $14.99 Kitchen Confidential: The Complete Series * $14.99 The Mary Tyler Moore Show 1.x-4.x * $14.99 Planet of the Apes: The Complete Series * $14.99 The White Shadow 1.x-2.x * $19.99 It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia 1.x/2.x * $19.99 Futurama Vols. 1-4 * $19.99 Millennium 1.x-3.x * $19.99 Murder One 1.x-2.x * $19.99 The Practice Vol. 1 * $19.99 St. Elsewhere 1.x * $19.99 WKRP in Cincinnati 1.x * $19.99 Wonderfalls: The Complete Series
This is the cheapest I’ve ever seen this set:
$19.99 From The Earth To The Moon <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$14.99 Spider-Man: The Complete 2003 Series. (Thanks to the release of “Spider-Man 3.”.)
TWILIGHT ZONE: THE COMPLETE SERIES!!
$164.99!!
That works out to $33 Per Season!!
The extras-crammed Definitive Editions!!
Individual seasons cost $69.99 New; $50 used!!
They were going for close to $100/season not too long ago!
(The discount presumably celebrates the release of the “Twilight Zone” movie in HD, so don’t expect it to last ...)
TV-on-DVD Calendar
Last Week
The Andy Williams Show: Best Of
Beetle Bailey: The Complete Collection
Bob Hope: The Ultimate Collection
The Captain & Tennille: The Specials
The Colbert Report: Best Of
The Cosby Show 5.x
The Cosby Show 6.x
Day of the Triffids: The Complete Miniseries
Doctor Who 3.x
Doctor Who: Arc of Infinity
Doctor Who: Time-Flight
Flight of the Conchords 1.x
Full House 8.x
Full House: The Complete Series
Gilligan's Island: The Complete Series
The House of Venus 1.x
Iron King: The Complete Series
The King of Queens: The Complete Series
Kung Fu: The Complete Series
Martin 3.x
Martin 1.x-3.x
McLeod's Daughters 4.x
MXC: Most Extreme Elimination Challenge 3.x
The Munsters: Scary Little Christmas
Payback 2.x
The Pink Panther: Pink Christmas
Project Runway 3.x
Seinfeld 9.x
Seinfeld: The Complete Series
Sesame Street: Old School Vol. 2
The Tonight Show: Definitive Collection
TV SciFi Bundle
Wildfire 2.x
Wings 5.x
Wings 1.x-5.x
Wonder Woman: The Complete Series
The X-Files: Ultimate Collection
This Week
The Addams Family: The Complete Series
Black Books 3.x
Black Books: The Complete Series
Captain N & The New Super Mario World
DaVinci's Inquest 2.x
DuckTales Vol. 3
Gilmore Girls 7.x
Gilmore Girls: The Complete Series
The Littles: The Complete Series
Masters of Horror 1.x Vol. 3 [Blu-ray]
Masters of Horror: Dream Cruise
Melrose Place 3.x
Melrose Place 1.x-3.x
Miami Vice: The Complete Series
Northern Exposure: The Complete Series
Perry Mason 2.x Vol. 2
Prison Break 1.x [Blu-ray]
South Park Christmas
SpongeBob SquarePants: Atlantis SquarePants
TaleSpin Vol. 2
The Young Ones: The Complete Series
Zorro: Return to the Future
Next Week
The Batman 4.x
Bozo's Big Top Vol. 2
Care Bears: 25th Anniversary
Chappelle's Show: Complete Series
Charles In Charge 2.x
CSI 7.x
CSI 1.x-7.x
Dangerous Assignment: The Complete Collection
The Doris Day Show 5.x
Doris Day Today
Dr. Katz: The Complete Series
Gene Simmons: Family Jewels 2.x
Happy Tree Friends 1.x Vol. 4
Ice Road Truckers 1.x
Inside The Actors Studio: Johnny Depp
Legend of Bravestarr Vol. 1
Little Britain: Abroad
Little Britain: The Complete Collection
Love American Style 1.x Vol. 1
Man With A Camera: Complete Series
Mission: Impossible 3.x
Mission: Impossible 1.x-3.x
Queer As Folk: The Complete Series
Star Trek 1.x [DVD/HD-DVD]
Tales of Tomorrow Vol. 3
Teen Titans 4.x
The Wild Wild West 3.x
November 27
Futurama Movie I: Bender's Big Score
Happy Days 3.x
Happy Days 1.x-3.x
The Land Before Time Vol. 1
Laverne & Shirley 3.x
Mork & Mindy 3.x
The OC: The Complete Series
Power Rangers: Operation Overdrive Vol. 3
Wish Gone Amiss
December 4
Battlestar Galactica 1.x [HD-DVD]
Battlestar Galactica: Razor
Bump! Great Britain
Bump! Mexico
Crank Yankers: Best Of
Daniel Boone 6.x
Dante's Cove Gift Set
Diagnosis Murder 3.x
Diagnosis Murder 1.x-3.x
The Grafters 2.x
Highlander: The Complete Animated Series
House of Payne Vol. 1
Instant Star 3.x
Law & Order SVU 4.x
Masters of Horror 1.x Vol. 4 [Blu-ray]
New Street Law 1.x
Saturday Night Live 2.x
Seventh Heaven 5.x
Seventh Heaven 1.x-5.x
Super Mario/Sonic Gift Set
30 Days 2.x
Tom & Jerry Tales Vol. 3
Touched By An Angel 4.x
Touched By An Angel 4.x Vol. 2
24 6.x
Will & Grace 7.x
The Wire 4.x
December 11
Beverly Hills 90210 3.x
Beverly Hills 90210 1.x-3.x
Big Love 2.x
Dirt 1.x
Flight 29 Down Vol. 3
Flight 29 Down Vol. 1-3
Frasier 10.x
Frasier: The Complete Series
Gomer Pyle USMC 3.x
Gomer Pyle USMC 1.x-3.x
Lost 3.x
Lost 3.x [Blu-ray]
Masters of Horror 1.x Vol. 4 [Blu-ray]
Masters of Horror: The V Word
Voltron Vol. 5
December 18
The Bronx Is Burning: World Championship Edition
The Mod Squad 1.x Vol. 1
The New Adventures of the Lone Ranger and Zorro Vol. 1 <--- NEW!!
One Tree Hill 4.x
Rawhide 2.x Vol. 2
The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie [Blu-ray]
Sonic Underground
Underdog: The Complete Series
Young Indiana Jones Vol. 2
December 26
Galactica 1980: The Complete Series
January 1
SeaQuest DSV 2.x
The Tudors 1.x
Weird Science 1.x/2.x
January 8
The All-New Superfriends Hour
Between The Lions 1.x
Bramwell 3.x
Clifford: Playtime With Clifford
All-Star Family Feud <--- NEW!!
Gunsmoke 2.x Vol. 1
Jupiter Moon Vol. 2 <--- NEW!!
Lovejoy 2.x
MI-5 Vol. 5
The Naked Brothers Band 1.x
The Riches 1.x
Rides 4.x Vol. 1
Rob & Big 1.x/2.x
Two and a Half Men 2.x
Two and a Half Men 1.x/2.x
The Waltons 6.x
What's New Scooby-Doo 3.x
January 15
Alex Haley's Queen
'Allo 'Allo 7.x
Bump! Southern California
Extras: The Complete Series Gift Set <--- NEW!!
Medabots 1.x
The New Adventures of Old Christine
The Rockford Files 5.x
Royle Family 2.x
Sabrina The Teenage Witch 3.x
Storm Hawks: Hawks Rise Again <--- NEW!!;;
Storm Hawks: Tales From The Atmos <--- NEW!!
January 22
Avatar 3.x Vol. 2
ER 8.x
The Girls Next Door 3.x
Hawaii Five-0 3.x
Hustle 4.x
The Jeff Corwin Experience 1.x
Make Room For Daddy 6.x
The Odd Couple 3.x
The Simple Life 5.x
Swamp Thing 1.x
Torchwood 1.x
January 29
Aqua Teen Hunger Force Vol. 5
Curb Your Enthusiasm 6.x <--- NEW!!
Emergency 4.x
Hannah Montana: One In A Million <--- NEW!!
JAG 5.x
Pioneers of Television
SpongeBob SquarePants: To Love A Patty
February 5
Beauty and the Beast 3.x
Brotherhood 2.x
Charlie & Lola Vol. 7
Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 2
Perfect Strangers 1.x/2.x
Soul Food 3.x
Third Watch 1.x
February 12
Bump! Florida
Dallas 8.x <--- NEW!!
The Equalizer <--- NEW!!
Family Ties 3.x <--- NEW!!
Hotel Babylon 1.x
Tell Me You Love Me 1.x
February 19
Cops: 20th Anniversary Edition <--- NEW!!
February 26
Smurfs 1.x Vol. 1
March 18
Bump! European Highlights
Bump! Scandanavia
April 15
The House of Venus Show 2.x
May 27
Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Everything
Selected season-sets containing
some of Herc’s all-time favorite TV!!
$11.99 Dinner For Five 1.x (10 episodes)
$14.99 The Bob Newhart Show 1.x (24 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$14.99 The Mary Tyler Moore Show 1.x (24 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$14.99 Veronica Mars 1.x (22 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$14.99 Hill Street Blues 1.x (17 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$16.99 Soap 1.x (25 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$16.99 The Tick: The Complete Series (nine Episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$16.99 Wonder Showzen 2.x (eight episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$19.99 Carnivale 1.x (12 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$19.99 ER 1.x (26 episodes)
$19.99 Rocky & Bullwinkle 1.x (26 episodes)
$19.99 Murder One 1.x (23 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$19.99 Futurama Vol. 2 (19 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$19.99 Six Feet Under 1.x (13 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$19.99 From The Earth To The Moon (12 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$19.99 St. Elsewhere 1.x (22 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$19.99 Wonderfalls: The Complete Series (13 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$19.99 Oz 1.x (eight episodes)
$21.99 Newsradio 1.x/2.x (29 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$21.99 Seinfeld 3.x (23 episodes) <--- VASTLY ENCHEAPENED!!
$22.99 The Larry Sanders Show 1.x (13 episodes)
$22.99 The Venture Bros. 1.x (13 Episodes)
$23.49 The Tick Versus 1.x (12 episodes)
$24.99 Firefly: The Complete Series (14 episodes)
$24.99 Moonlighting 1.x/2.x (25 episodes)
$24.99 South Park 1.x (13 episodes)
$26.99 The Andy Griffith Show 5.x (32 episodes)
$26.99 Friends 1.x (24 episodes)
$26.99 Cheers 1.x (23 episodes)
$27.99 Angel 5.x (22 episodes)
$27.99 Curb Your Enthusiasm 1.x (10 episodes)
$29.49 Columbo 1.x (nine TV-movies)
$29.49 The Rockford Files 1.x (22 episodes)
$29.99 Buffy The Vampire Slayer 4.x (22 episodes)
$29.99 The Simpsons 2.x (22 episodes)
$31.99 Taxi 1.x (22 episodes)
$32.99 Mission Impossible 1.x (28 episodes)
$32.99 The Office 3.x (24 episodes)
$33.99 Kung Fu 2.x (23 episodes)
$36.99 The OC 1.x (27 episodes)
$36.99 Northern Exposure 3.x (23 episodes)
$39.99 The Dick Van Dyke Show 1.x (31 episodes)
$39.99 24 1.x (24 episodes)
$39.99 Gilmore Girls 4.x (22 episodes)
$39.99 The West Wing 1.x (22 episodes)
$39.99 Fawlty Towers: The Complete Series (12 episodes)
$40.49 Brideshead Revisited (11 hours)
$41.99 Lost 1.x (24 episodes)
$42.99 The Wild Wild West (28 episodes)
$44.99 Battlestar Galactica 1.x (13 episodes plus miniseries)
$44.99 My So-Called Life: The Complete Series (17 Episodes)
$44.99 Undeclared: The Complete Series (17 episodes)
$44.99 The Sopranos 1.x (13 episodes)
$45.99 Alias 1.x (22 episodes)
$47.99 The Wire 1.x (13 episodes)
$54.99 Once and Again 1.x (22 episodes)
$54.99 Freaks and Geeks: The Complete Series (18 episodes)
$58.49 SCTV Network 90 Vol. 1 (Nine 90-minute episodes)
$62.99 Star Trek 2.x (26 episodes)
$62.99 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 3.x (26 episodes)
$62.99 Star Trek: The Next Generation 3.x (26 episodes)
$64.99 Monty Python's Flying Circus: The Complete Series (45 episodes)
$67.99 Deadwood 1.x (12 episodes)
$68.99 Rome 1.x (12 episodes)
$69.99 Twin Peaks: The Complete Series (30 episodes)
$69.99 The Twilight Zone 1.x (36 episodes)
$76.49 The Prisoner: The Complete Series (17 episodes)
| 
