Herc’s Popular Pricing Pantry
New This Week
I found “The Affair” engrossing, frequently gripping and superior in storytellig, even by pay-cable standards. Its pilot is certainly one of the best things Showtime has ever aired.
Critics are not shy about comparing it to “Rashomon,” Akira Kurosawa’s seminal 1950 rumination on memory and multiple viewpoints.
Scripted by Sarah Treem (“In Treatment,” “House of Cards”), the series stars Britishers Dominic West (“The Wire,” “The Hour,” “300,” “John Carter”) and Ruth Wilson (“The Prisoner,” “Luther,” “The Lone Ranger,” “Saving Mr. Banks”) as married Americans who secretly drift toward each other in the Hamptons beach community of Montauk. The American characters they abandon are played by Canadian Joshua Jackson (“Fringe”) and New Englander Maura Tierney (“NewsRadio,” “ER”).
The series shares a structure with HBO’s “True Detective” in that the two main characters separately relate their stories to police detectives but we’re not entirely sure why – at least in the early going.
... the first episode, at least, is terrific, with a distinct, involving tone, and it does very right by its leads. I'll check back in after I've seen some more episodes, but this is a fine start to what promises to be a very messy story.
... its theme is already compelling: The more you know about people, the more complicated their truth becomes. …
... subtle, smart and an intelligent examination of the way in which we are all the unreliable narrators of our own lives. …
... There aren’t many series at the moment quite like it or as good. …
… a smashing pilot ... a terrific idea lyrically written and perfectly cast. …
... the acting is strong and the story is compulsively intriguing. …
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says:
... a premiere episode that exemplifies the sort of creative storytelling viewers have come to expect from premium cable. …
The San Francisco Chronicle says:
... Treem and Hagai employ the Roshoman [sic] effect to perfection …
... Am I hooked? Absolutely. This intelligent, well-cast drama isn’t just about cheating; it’s about subjectivity, and how we each see the facts in our own way. The acting is extraordinary, with the mesmerizing, cat-like Wilson — so creepily good on 'Luther' — stealing the show. …
... absorbing … hypnotic … What is never in doubt is that the nuanced writing (by In Treatment's Sarah Treem) and the superb performances will keep us fascinated in this torrid study of troubled marriages and an emotional escape that apparently ends badly for someone. … As unnerving as it is erotic, The Affair promises to be a show to remember.
... gets off to a strong start, as affairs so often do. …
... meticulously crafted and cleverly introduced, it’s likely to hook a discriminating audience …
TV-on-Disc Calendar
Last Week
Ancient Aliens 7.x (Blu-ray)
Helix 2.x (Blu-ray)
Mystery Science Theater 3000 XXXIII
This Week
The Artful Detective 8.x (Blu-ray)
A Bunch Of Munsch: The Complete Series
The Busy World of Richard Scarry: The Complete Series
The Casual Vacancy: The Complete Miniseries (Blu-ray)
The Country Mouse and The City Mouse Adventures - 26 Mice Tales
How To Get Away With Murder 1.x
Madeline: The Complete Collection
Masada: The Complete Miniseries
Strike Back Cinemax 3.x (Blu-ray)
When Calls The Heart: Heart Of The Family
The Wild West: The Complete Series
Years of Living Dangerously: The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
Next Week
Dig 1.x (Blu-ray)
Hell On Wheels 4.x (Blu-ray)
The Jeffersons 8.x
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell: The Complete Miniseries (Blu-ray)
Kendra On Top 3.x
The Knick 1.x (Blu-ray)
Law & Order SVU 16.x
Maude 2.x
Person Of Interest 4.x (Blu-ray)
Power Rangers: Lightspeed Rescue: The Complete Series
Power Rangers Super Megaforce: Legendary Battle
2 Broke Girls 4.x
August 18
Atlantis 2.x Vol. 2 (Blu-ray)
Batman Unlmited: Monster Mayhem (Blu-ray)
Dark Shadows: Best of Angelique
Dark Shadows: Best of Quentin
Grey's Anatomy 11.x
The Jeff Foxworthy Show: The Complete Series
Mike & Molly 5.x
NCIS 12.x
NCIS Los Angeles 6.x
NCIS New Orleans 1.x
Once Upon A Time 4.x (Blu-ray)
The Rebel: The Complete Series
The Royals 1.x
Teen Titans Go 2.x Vol. 2
TV's Greatest Animal Stars ($9.98)
TV's Greatest Crime Stoppers ($9.98)
TV's Greatest Game Shows ($9.98)
TV's Greatest Westerns ($9.98)
Welcome Back, Kotter 4.x
August 25
Criminal Minds 10.x
Elementary 3.x
The Good Wife 6.x
Harry: The Complete Miniseries (Blu-ray) NEW!!
King of the Hill 11.x
The Mindy Project 3.x
Shades of Love: The Complete Miniseries NEW!!
Transformers Rescue Bots Vol. 8
The Walking Dead 5.x
The Walking Dead 5.x (Blu-ray)
September 1
Black Jesus 1.x
Castle 7.x
Chicago Fire 3.x
Chicago PD 2.x
The Cosby Show: The Complete Series
The Detectorists: The Complete Miniseries NEW!!
Good Times: The Complete Series
Hawaii Five-0 5.x
Johnny Test 1.x-5.x NEW!!
The League 6.x
Littlest Pet Shop: Halloween Fest
Madam Secretary 1.x
Mystery Science Theater 3000 Vol. 1
Nashville 3.x
New Girl 4.x
The Originals 2.x (Blu-ray)
The Partridge Family: The Complete Series
Scorpion 1.x (Blu-ray)
Star Wars Rebels 1.x (Blu-ray)
Texas Rising (Blu-ray)
The Vampire Diaries 6.x (Blu-ray)
September 8
Brooklyn Nine Nine 2.x
Blue Bloods 5.x
Blue Bloods 5-Season Pack
Empire 1.x
Over The Garden Wall: The Complete Miniseries
Supernatural 10.x (Blu-ray)
Transformers Prime: Ultimate Decepticons
When Calls The Heart: Heart And Home
September 15
Agents of SHIELD 2.x (Blu-ray)
Aquarius 1.x (Blu-ray)
The Big Bang Theory 8.x (Blu-ray)
black-ish 1.x
Bold Ones: The Protectors
Clarence Vol. 2
CSI 15.x
CSI 15-Season Pack
CSI Cyber 1.x
Family Guy 13.x
The Jinx: The Complete Series
The Jinx: The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
Lost in Space: The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
Midsomer Murders 16.x (Blu-ray) NEW!!
Midsomer Murders 17.x (Blu-ray) NEW!!
NCIS 12.x (Blu-ray)
Peanuts: The Emmy Honored Collection
Power Rangers Super Megaforce Trickster Treat
The Returned: The Complete A&E Series
Sisters 1.x/2.x
Sleepy Hollow 2.x (Blu-ray)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Meet Casey Jones
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Shredder Strikes
September 22
Arrow 3.x (Blu-ray)
Cristela 1.x
The Flash 1.x (Blu-ray)
The Last Man on Earth 1.x
Modern Family 6.x
The Nanny 4.x
The Red Road 2.x
SpongeBob SquarePants The Adventures of
September 29
Bones 10.x
iZombie 1.x
Jane The Virgin 1.x
Mom 2.x
My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic: Games Ponies Play
Outlander 1.x Vol. 2 (Blu-ray)
October 6
American Horror Story 4.x (Blu-ray)
Brickleberry 3.x
Big Bang Theory 8.x (Blu-ray)
Castle 7.x
Happyish 1.x NEW!!
He’s A Bully, Charlie Brown
Mission: Impossible: The Complete Original Series
Penny Dreadful 2.x (Blu-ray)
Reign 2.x
South Park 18.x (Blu-ray)
Tut: The Complete Series
Vikings 3.x
Vikings 3.x (Blu-ray)
October 13
The Bionic Woman: The Complete Series
Dexter: The Complete Series NEW!!
The Following: The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce 1.x
Heroes: The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
The 100 2.x
The Six Million Dollar Man: The Complete Series
When Calls The Heart: Follow Your Heart
October 20
Back to the Future: The Complete Adventures
Back to the Future: The Complete Animated Series
Mike Tyson Mysteries 1.x
Olympus 1.x (Blu-ray)
November 3
AD: The Complete Series (Blu-ray)