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Our Take:
You might have noticed that the “Official Synopses” which usually go at the top of each review have been moved to the bottom for this one. That’s because I’m going to talk about numerous multi-disc sets (with quite involved synopses), and I figured you might appreciate not having three pages of text to read through before you could get to my opinions.
I watch a lot of television, and when I say a lot, I mean A LOT. I’m a TV junkie, plain and simple. Buena Vista’s September catalog of TV-on-DVD releases has made me realize that I watch ABC more than any other network right now. Judging by the success of most of the shows I’m about to talk about, I’m guessing a lot of you have figured out the same thing. So let’s get cracking, shall we?
By far, may favorite show out of this whole collection is Ugly Betty. I feel in love with Season One on DVD, and watched Season Two religiously every week. I’ve never seen such a colorful mix of humor, drama, and over-the-top camp, but Ugly Betty pulls it off with panache. With a pitch-perfect cast, memorable characters, and some truly funny and touching moments, Ugly Betty is some really fantastic television. Season Two saw Betty in the middle of a love triangle between nerdy accountant Henry and bad boy sandwich maker Gio. It was one of the season’s most interesting and amusing plotlines, and this is in a season that sees self-obsessed-Amanda star on a reality television show with her maybe-dad, Gene Simmons. Truly great stuff.
Grey’s Anatomy was to be one of my favorite shows for a little while, but it’s flagged in recent seasons. Season Four, which infamously was brought a lot of attention by Katherine Heigl’s frank (and not inaccurate) comments about it around Emmy-nomination time, is a bit dull. For the most part, it’s still a pretty good show, but it’s definitely lost some of the spark it once had, and some of the romantic entanglements have gotten a bit too convoluted. However, as everyone knows by now, the season finale saw Meredith and Derek reunited, and hopefully that will ignite some creativity that will usher in the new season by returning it to its former glory. Still, with all that said, it does make for some entertaining television.
Private Practice was a risky move for ABC (it’s been a long time since there’s been a successful spin-off on TV. Joey, anyone?) but it seems to have paid off both creatively and commercially. The show was a ratings success in its first year, and for the most part is pretty enjoyable, if a bit uneven. Some of the episodes offered up some really magical moments, and some of them seemed a bit haphazard and less effecting. The beginning of the season especially wore on me, as it seemed like it was one episode after another of sick children, which is a story element I have a hard time with. But a winning cast, sharp writing, and a sense of humor have ensured that I’ll revisit Private Practice in the second season, and I have a feeling it’s going to really start to reach its potential in Year Two.
Samantha Who? turned out to be one of the 2007-2008 television season’s fun little surprises. I thought the idea for a sitcom about a bitchy girl with amnesia who tries to reinvent herself had a lot of potential, and it seems I was right. Christina Applegate is terrific as Samantha Newly (clever name there, no?), and manages to play smart, dumb, cute, manipulative, sweet, charming, and bumbling all in the span of a single episode. With Jean Smart continuing her reign as one of the most talented and versatile actresses on television as Samantha’s low-class mom and Star Trek: Voyager’s Tim Russ in place as a sardonic doorman, the show has struck a perfect balance between caustic wit and sweetly funny. It’s not always a laugh-out-loud show, but it’s cute and fun and I like it.
Brothers & Sisters and Dirty Sexy Money are the two shows in the collection that I don’t watch regularly. For the most part, they’re a little interchangeable for me, in that they’re both big cast ensemble soap operas. Brothers & Sisters edges out Money simply for the fact that it has a political bent to many of the storylines, and I always find material such as that interesting. With fan favorites Calista Flockhart and Rob Lowe leading the talented cast, Brothers & Sisters is a good show that is understandably popular, even if it’s not the kind of thing I’m going to follow regularly. Dirty Sexy Money also has a great cast, but it’s a little more hedonistic in terms of storytelling and is probably the most traditionally “night time soap” of all the shows. I can see why people like it, and I do like Peter Krause quite a bit, but it doesn’t really get my juices flowing.
Here is the breakdown of each set’s extra features:
Ugly Betty: The Complete Second Season –
- On Set With The Besties
- The Suarez Tour
- Wilhelmina Slater: Love To Hate Her
- Las Pasiones De Telenovelas
- I Love Betty
- Betty Bloops
- Deleted Scenes
Grey’s Anatomy: The Complete Fourth Season –
- Extended Episodes
- Audio Commentaries
- New Docs On The Block
- On Set With Patrick And Eric
- Good Medicine: Favorite Scenes
- Dissecting Grey's Anatomy: Unaired Scenes
- In Stitches: Season Four Outtakes
Private Practice: The Complete First Season –
- Kate Walsh: Practice Makes Perfect
- Alternative Ensemble: Behind The Scenes Of Private Practice.
- Two Extended Episodes
- Deleted Scenes
- Outtakes
- Commentaries
Samantha Who?: The Complete First Season –
- Samantha Whoops? - blooper reel
- Deleted scenes
- Audio commentary
Brothers & Sisters: The Complete Second Season –
- Guest Book
- TV Dinners: Food From Season 2
- Open House: Designing The BROTEHRS & SISTERS Set
- Bloopers & Outtakes
- Audio Commentaries
- Deleted Scenes
Dirty Sexy Money: The Complete First Season –
- The Road To Excess: Making Dirty Sexy Money.
- Enter The Penthouse: The VIP Set Tour.
- Haute Couture: Dressing The Darlings.
- The Other Woman: Candis Cayne.
- Dirty Sexy Bloopers
- Audio Commentaries
- Deleted Scenes
While I like most of the shows in the new ABC-TV slate of DVD releases, Ugly Betty is the one that easily gets my HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! stamp. I also strongly urge you to check out Samantha Who? (ah, heck, I’ll toss it a RECOMMENDED! stamp). If you like Grey’s Anatomy, you should probably check out Private Practice, while Brothers & Sisters and Dirty Sexy Money I’m going to say are probably best enjoyed by nighttime soap fans.
Overall Picture:
Shows:
Ugly Betty: A
Private Practice/Samantha Who?: B+
Grey’s Anatomy: B-
Brothers & Sisters/Dirty Sexy Money: C+
DVDs (average): B+
- Mike Spring
Editor
Official Synopsis:
Ugly Betty: The Complete Second Season –
Hotter than the latest fashions from Milan, Ugly Betty is back for an even bigger, bolder and "Bettyer" Season Two. Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner America Ferrera leads an all-star cast in the fabulously fun comedic drama. Hit the runway in style with every episode of Season Two - a five-disc set tastefully accessorized with exclusive bonus features. Make a date today with the intriguing and unique characters of Ugly Betty, television's most fashionable comedy.
Grey’s Anatomy: The Complete Fourth Season –
Enter a world of change in the irresistible and unforgettable fourth season of one of television's most acclaimed dramas. Love, lies and family ties are revealed as the surgeons of Seattle Grace discover that their choices have major unintended consequences. And coupled with the arrival of some very eager new interns, life at the hospital sizzles with more emotion, excitement and heartbreak than ever before. Get an extra dose of Grey's Anatomy in this comprehensive 5-disc DVD box set, complete with never-before-seen extended episodes and exclusive bonus features that take you inside the world of your favorite doctors. From the very first minute, you'll be hooked on TV's most talked-about show.
Private Practice: The Complete First Season –
From the Golden Globe-winning creator of Grey's Anatomy comes ABC's new hit drama, Private Practice: The Complete First Season Extended Edition -- now on DVD. Seattle fades into grey as renowned surgeon Dr. Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh) aims to reinvent herself. The promise of a simpler golden state of mind has her working alongside medical school friends at California's Oceanside Wellness Group. But is this new life prescription her cure? Join Addison, newly-divorced-but-professionally-bound Naomi and Sam Bennet, the kissable Pete Wilder, the by-the-book Dr. Charlotte King, Cooper the Internet surfer, Dell the wave surfer and Violet Turner -- a psychiatrist with her own issues -- as affairs of the heart bring on symptoms of love, lust, and high drama in a journey worth taking. You have an appointment with an all-star cast including Taye Diggs, Amy Brenneman, Audra McDonald, Tim Daly, Paul Adelstein, KaDee Strickland and Chris Lowell for every Season One episode, never-before-seen bonus features, and the perfect dose of complicated modern living, which is anything but a Private Practice.
Samantha Who?: The Complete First Season –
Samantha...WHO? That's what Sam Newly irresistibly played by Christina Applegate would like to know! Upon waking up from an eight-day coma she can't remember a thing -- not her boyfriend her parents her job not even herself. Although some things are best left forgotten Sam is determined to dig up the "goods" on herself. With a little help from her ex-boyfriend ex-doorman her too (make that two) few friends and slightly odd parents Samantha gets a once in a lifetime opportunity to become a bad-girl-gone-good. Indulge yourself in the ultimate do-over fantasy with the fresh new hit comedy SAMANTHA WHO? -- THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON starring Emmy(R) Award-winning Christina Applegate and a hilariously quirky cast of supporting characters including Jean Smart Jennifer Esposito and Kevin Dunn. With every Season One episode and exclusive bonus features cheer for the charmingly imperfect Sam -- whoever she is!
Brothers & Sisters: The Complete Second Season –
Enter the fascinating world of the Walkers and explore what is means to be an American family in the 21st century. Though they live very different and conflicting lives the Walkers find unity under the family roof. Relationships bend but never break as they strive to find their own identities and embrace each other's differences. Calista Flockhart Sally Field Rachel Griffiths and Ron Rifkin lead a stellar cast in ABC s critically-acclaimed hit Brothers & Sisters.
Dirty Sexy Money: The Complete First Season –
Keeping America's richest family out of trouble, out of jail, out of the headlines and out of his personal life may be more than lawyer Nick George bargained for when he became entangled in the lives of the Darlings. Don't let their last name fool you -- this family gives new meaning to the phrase "filthy rich"! The Darlings of New York are raising the bar on paternity suits, illicit affairs, divorces, extravagant parties and outlandish spending. Their parade of strange bedfellows and political power plays has this once respectable, civic-minded lawyer up to his neck in scandal and Dirty Sexy Money. ABC's new hit drama, Dirty Sexy Money -- with a stellar cast led by acclaimed actors Peter Krause, Donald Sutherland, William Baldwin, Jill Clayburgh and Blair Underwood -- is a wildly guilty pleasure. Complete with every captivating episode from Season One and eye-opening bonus features, you'll finally be exposed to how the other half lives.
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