TV Show Info:
Writer: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Various Others
Director: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Eric Stough
Cast: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Mona Marshall, April Stewart,
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Comedy Central

Release Info:
Original Air Dates:August 13, 1997 - Current
Season Air Dates: March 7, 2007 – November 14, 2007
DVD Box Set Release Date: August 12, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $29.99, Wal-Mart for $29.86
Episodes:All 14 episodes from Season 11

Thanks to the use of current events and the best (and worst) moments of pop culture, South Park is something that will only get old when the creators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, want it to get old. Now, well over a decade old, this show about the misadventures of some elementary school kids in a sleepy mountain town is nothing short of classic. Even if you don’t watch the show, you’ve likely heard plenty about it. If you don’t watch, now might be the time to pick up a copy and reacquaint yourself, because things just continue to get better.

The eleventh season had a lot to live up to after the tenth season, which included the extremely popular (and seriously hilarious) “Make Love Not Warcraft.” That being said, I have to say that Trey and Matt always find a way to make things funnier than before because the eleventh season has some seriously funny episodes. In this season, you can see the entire class in South Park Elementary get lice, Hillary Clinton visits South Park and you learn about the importance of elementary school girls and the lists they make. You will also learn more about the Easter Bunny than you ever needed to know and Butters gets a chance to learn what bi-curious means…maybe. You even get a special appearance by Bono, who has it out for Randy when he is replaced as the person who took the biggest crap in the world.

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TV Show Info:
Cast: Jeff Bozz, Nick D’Anna, Devin Haman, Holly Huddleston, Janelle Perry, Molly Shea, Erin Tietsort, Keely Williams, Roxanne
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Lionsgate

Release Info:
Original Air Dates: May 28, 2007-September 30, 2007
DVD Box Set Release Date: August 5, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon, Wal-Mart
Episodes: All of the episodes from the first season of Sunset Tan

I hate reality television. We’ve seen physical competitions, endurance competitions, whiny celebrity mothers, whiny celebrities, drunken celebrities, celebrities who swear to be in love only to split up, celebrities that have daddy/mommy issues, celebrities in rehab, fat people trying to lose weight who may or may not be celebrities and just about anything else you can think of. Well, at least that’s what I thought. Then I found out that Sunset Tan was the *hot* new reality show on the E! Network. Seriously, have we hit a new low? We have seen celebrities do everything else, so why not see them go tanning?! That sounds about as exciting as watching paint thin, but trust me, somebody likes this show, since it just started its second season. I am not one of those people!

Have we become so obsessed with celebrities that we’ve had to find every possible situation and location where we can be voyeurs? Reality television has allowed this nation (no, world!) to hit a new low. Sure, not all of the people that come into ‘Sunset Tan’ are celebrities, but who really wants to watch anyone getting a tan? I don’t tan, personally. I find fake tan to look disgusting and think the whole process of baking yourself is moronic in and of itself. If I wanted to be exposed to excessive amounts of UV rays, I’d strip naked and run around without sunscreen on, in my backyard. Even then, I wouldn’t be nearly as exposed as I would be to these harmful rays, in a tanning bed.

So, when I received the box set to review Sunset Tan – Season One, I dragged my feet a bit. Why would I want to watch this? I don’t even like some of the more *possibly entertaining reality shows. Needless to say, I had no choice, but to sit down, pop these DVDs into my player (Sunset Tan – Season One comes in a two-disc set), and begrudgingly watch one of the stupidest shows on the planet. Seriously, this is nearly as bad as the Nick and Jessica reality show, only there is no mention of Chicken of the Sea and *most* of the workers at Sunset Tan are slightly smarter than Jessica, though not by much! The jury is still out on the Olly girls and Jeff and Devin for hiring them in the first place.

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TV Show Info:
Writer: Kenny Hotz, Spencer Rice
Director: Kenny Hotz, Spencer Rice
Cast: Kenny Hotz, Spencer Rice
Rating: Unrated
Studio: Comedy Central

Release Info:
Original Air Dates:November 2007 – Present (2002 in Canada)
Season Air Dates: 2007-2008
DVD Box Set Release Date: August 12, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $17.99, Wal-Mart for $17.86
Episodes: the first half of the first season

Considering the fact that I am not familiar with Canadian television, like most Americans I had no clue about this show until it hit Comedy Central last year. Had I known that you could make a show by being a gross guy I would be a millionaire by now. My friends and I used to have a show like this, but we called it life. We would dare each other to see who could do the most ridiculous things only to force the loser into awfully humiliating tasks. It was great fun. Our competitions ranged from eating contests to things at work that I can’t even talk about, to little silly things like who could spit the furthest. We took them seriously though. Hell, I even practiced! So, it is nice to see such an interesting show land on my desk.

The rules of the show are simple. Kenny and Spenny (Spencer) are roommates that live together. These contests occur frequently. The loser is forced to go through with some humiliating task, usually picked by the winner of said competition. Depending on the competition, the rules include an agreed upon time period and special rules in case they are necessary. The show is not funny just because of the outrageous competitions they put themselves in, but because of the personalities of Kenny and Spenny. If I wasn’t laughing at the contest I was laughing at one of the two guys. It makes for a great show, assuming it’s in the right demographic, which it seems to be doing just fine with the Comedy Central crowd.

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TV Show Info:
Writer: Wendy Aaron, Lisa A. Bannick, Kate Boutilier, Susan Borowitz
Director: Matthew Diamond, Alan Berqmann, Kent Bateman, Debbie Allen, Peter Baldwin
Cast: Michael J. Fox, Michael Gross, Tina Yothers, Meredith Baxter, Justine Bateman, Brian Bonsall, Marc Price, Scott Valentine
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: CBS/Paramount

Release Info:
Original Air Dates:1982-1989
Season Air Dates: 9/26/85 – 5/8/86
DVD Box Set Release Date: August 5, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon: $29.99, Wal-Mart: $29.86
Episodes: All Season Four Episodes, plus the Family Ties vacation movie that aired prior to the beginning of the season

Season four of Family Ties was a good year. Emmy nods were high, ratings had them in the number two spot, and things were only going to get better for this show. It was one of those shows that everyone you knew was watching. I was just in grade school back then, but I never missed it. As far as family programming that the whole family could enjoy went, you weren’t going to find anything better than this. Sadly, all these years later you might be hard-pressed to find something better on television that both parents and kids can thoroughly enjoy.

This was the year that Michael J. Fox won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy. He was also nominated for a Golden Globe. This was just one of many nods though, with acknowledgement also going to the series as a whole, Justine Bateman (Lead Actress), and outstanding writing. Add in the fact that this was on right after The Cosby Show and there was no logical reason to miss this hour of family entertainment.

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TV Show Info:
Writers: Various
Directors: Various
Cast: Yancy Butler, David Chokachi, Will Yun Lee, Anthony Cistaro, Eric Etebari
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Warner Home Video

Release Info:
Original Air Dates: June 12, 2001-August 26, 2002
DVD Box Set Release Date: July 29, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $49.99
Episodes: The Complete Series of episodes (two seasons) is available - 24 episodes in total (one TV movie and 23 full length episodes)

Yancy Butler just doesn’t do it for me. Sure, she can act, but I just don’t feel she brought the sex appeal needed to make the Witchblade series more interesting to me. That being said, her acting, at least part of the way through, was solid. Still, in a comic inspired drama, I want to see equal parts hotness, equal parts excellent acting/portrayal elements. Perhaps that’s why I found Witchblade - The Complete Series to be a disappointment.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Plenty of men think Yancy Butler is hot. I’m not one of them. There are still many fans of this show who’ve been waiting for the release of Witchblade - The Complete Series on DVD. Fans have been waiting practically since the end of the series, in 2002. The consensus for this box set (fans or not) is that the first season was really good and the second season pretty much sucked. Either way, I felt blasé about the entire experience, but then again I just couldn’t get into this show.

I admit it. I didn’t grow up in a place where comic books were huge. I lived in a small town so getting comic books to read wasn’t exactly the easiest thing to do. Still, in my mature age, I’ve found a great fondness for comic books and I always like to see how the stories of my favorite heroes translate to screen. Give me Batman, X-Men, or any of the other, more popular DC and Marvel comic book characters. Top Cow’s Witchblade just isn’t my style. It didn’t help that the show aired on TNT (I’ve never been overly fond of the Ted Turner networks). That pretty much guaranteed this show wasn’t something I’d watch. I’m more the HBO and Showtime, premium channel kind of guy.

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TV Show Info:
Writers: Richard Carpenter, Anthony Horowitz, Andrew McCulloch and John Flanagan
Directors: Ian Sharp, Robert Young, Ben Bolt, James Allen, Gerry Mill, Sid Roberson and Alex Kirby
Cast: Michael Praed, Jason Connery, Ray Winstone, Clive Mantle, Phil Rose, Peter Llewellyn Williams, Mark Ryan, Judi Trott, Nickolas Grace, Robert Addie, Philip Jackson, John Abineri
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Acorn Media

Release Info:
Original Air Dates: April 28, 1984-June 28, 1986
DVD Box Set Release Date: July 29, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $74.99

I really like shows about Robin Hood. I’m into the time period in which the show is most often set. I’m not really sure what it is about a simpler time in Britannia, but I really like to find well written shows and movies that explore this specific period in history. This is what prompted me to request a copy of Robin of Sherwood – The Complete Collection. I’d never heard of this series before reviewing it. Released on DVD by Acorn Media, this show aired on British television in the mid-1980s. The show was a collaborative effort by HTV and Goldcrest Films.

It’s not just that I didn’t have a channel that aired Robin of Sherwood. The show first aired when I was four years old. I was much more interested in Sesame Street and The Smurfs then any of the adult shows my parents were watching. Had I been a teenager (or older) I am sure I would have enjoyed watching this show, but I was just too young to appreciate or even know that Robin of Sherwood existed.

Now that I’m in my 20s, I can enjoy this show for what it is. I love British television shows, especially those that are well written. Robin of Sherwood is no exception. I’d say that this series is the definitive version of the legend of Robin Hood. The story sticks close to the myths and the historical aspect, which even included filming in a location that was historically accurate with the setting, made this show a step above all other versions of the Robin Hood tale.

It’s hard to explain exactly what makes this the best version. You just have to watch Robin of Sherwood to appreciate the show for what it is. With excellent writing, a stellar cast that includes Ray Winstone, interesting storyline progression and snippets of humor that are interwoven with drama Robin of Sherwood has all the elements of an exceptional television series. You hear those of us who grew up in the 80s or before say “they don’t make television series like these anymore”. Well, I believe that for Britain, the same can be said about Robin of Sherwood.

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TV Show Info:
Writer: Various
Director: Various
Cast: Jennie Garth, Tori Spelling, Ian Ziering, Brian Austin Green, Jason Priestley, Luke Perry, Gabrielle Carteris, Tiffani Thiessen, Kathleen Robertson
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: CBS/Paramount

Release Info:
Original Air Dates: 10/4/90 – 5/17/2000
Season Air Dates: 7/12/94 – 5/24/95
DVD Box Set Release Date: July 29, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon: $39.99, Wal-Mart: $39.86
Episodes: All season five hour long episodes are included

Once upon a time Beverly Hills 90210 was a weekly part of my life. It used to be my favorite show. Admittedly, I was a teenager back then, but still it was one of those things that I couldn’t miss. These days I cannot recall finding a nighttime soap opera that compared to the drama and closet entertainment that 90210 provided. That being said, I did not watch the series from beginning to end. I was there at the beginning, but left regular viewing about the time that this season started. I would occasionally tune back in to see what the old gang was up to, but the addition of cult storylines and David (Brian Austin Green) becoming a smack-head was just too much for me.

This season is known for the change in cast, especially where the bitches of the show are concerned. Brenda (Shannen Doherty) has headed off to London and has not returned (Doherty was fired). With a free bitch spot to fill, Brenda’s spot was filled with Valerie Malone (Tiffani Thiessen, who at this time had an Amber in there somewhere). Like Doherty, she was meant to be the sexy, troublesome siren. I can’t feign particular attraction to either, though I see why some guys might like them.

Fans of Thiessen will love this season just because she is in it. I am not sure that was enough to do it for me, but there were some good moments here that reminded me of why I watched the show in the first place. Granted, this feels like a weakening shell of what the show used to be, but it still had a few redeeming moments. There were many episodes here that I watched for the first time. It’s certainly not the best of 90210, especially if you prefer Doherty over Thiessen, but you might still find this season to be enjoyable. I know that when I least expected it those old feelings crept back in and I found myself enjoying the show.

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TV Show Info:
Writer: Adam Divello
Director: Jason Sands, Hisham Abed
Cast: Lauren Conrad, Heidi Montag, Kelly Cutrone, Whitney Port, Audrina Patridge, Stephanie Pratt, Spencer Pratt
Rating: Unrated
Studio: MTV/Paramount

Release Info:
Original Air Dates: May 31, 2006 - Present
Season Air Dates: August 13, 2007 – May 5, 2008
DVD Box Set Release Date: July 29, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon, Wal-Mart: $24.86
Episodes: 28 episodes

I have nothing against reality shows. Personally, I don’t watch too many, but I realize that for one reason or another, our current culture seems to be obsessed with them. I am guessing that the primary watchers of reality shows are older (possibly senile) adults and teenagers along with the younger 20-somethings. Unfortunately, I buy into the craze as much as the next guy, but there are some reality shows that I won’t watch. Most of them are on MTV or have associated plotlines that make them appear as if they could be on the network.

Shows like The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, or any other dating shows are definitely avoided, and when they are watched by my mother I cringe just by having to hear the sound of them permeating throughout the house from her living room. This is also my reaction to shows like The Hills. I mean seriously, I know that I have 25 or so MTVs and that most of them play music, but is it necessary to keep a time slot open for one of the most asinine, unnecessary shows on television? I would have expected better from MTV (a station that once aired cool stuff like the long defunct Remote Control). Shame on you.

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TV Show Info:
Writer: N/a
Director: Michael McNamara
Cast: Ashley, Moriah, Garnette, Roqui, Sal, Staci, Gaven, Jordan, Willie, Gerren, Daymeon
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: BET/Paramount

Release Info:
Original Air Dates: July 10, 2007 – Present
Season Air Dates: July 10, 2007 – August 28, 2007
DVD Box Set Release Date: July 29, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon
Episodes: All ten episodes of the first season

Baldwin Hills could have been something special. Alright, scratch that. It probably wouldn’t have been special, but it could have at least been somewhat worthwhile. However, what viewers are offered is something along the same vein as The Hills and Laguna Beach. Supporters of the show will be quick to tell you that parental involvement is more prevalent on Baldwin Hills than it ever was on Laguna Beach and that may be true. That doesn’t make the show any good though. In fact, it doesn’t even come close to good, which is quite sad if I do say so myself.

This is one of the only all African American reality shows that I can think of on television. This could be handled in a way where people could learn about culture and the way of life of African Americans. This is not to say that African Americans are completely different, but this would have been a good way to bust up some stereotypes that are all too common. Unfortunately, the kids go from beginning to break the stereotypes one minute to feeding into them wholeheartedly the next. Considering the fact that this is reality television you can expect to see a lot more acting and drama and a whole lot less of the breaking stereotypes.

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TV Show Info:
Writers: Various
Directors: Various
Cast: Tress MacNeille, Charles Adler, Joe Alaskey, Frank Welker, Don Messick, Cree Summer, Danny Cooksey, Kath Soucie, Maurice LaMarche, Rob Paulsen, Candi Milo
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Warner Home Video

Release Info:
Original Air Dates: September 14, 1990-December 6, 1992
Box Set Season Air Dates: September 14, 1990-November 9, 1990
DVD Box Set Release Date: July 15, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $30.99, Wal-Mart for $30.86
Episodes: The first 35 episodes from Season One

They’re Tiny, They’re Toony,
They’re All a Little Loony,
And in this Cartoon-y,
They’re Invading your TV!

I was born in 1980. You have to know that I grew up with this show. It first aired when I was nine years old. The semi-sarcastic wit that made Looney Tunes a household name for generations before my own is ever present in this series. Why shouldn’t it be? Tiny Toon Adventures is a hilarious adaptation of that original formula. With some of the biggest names in voice talent, a production staff that includes the best from Warner Bros. Animation and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment, and a show that even happens to carry Spielberg’s name (it was known as Steven Spielberg presents Tiny Toon Adventures in a formal setting) you’d be an idiot not to expect one entertaining cartoon.

What I liked the most about Tiny Toon Adventures was the repartee between the characters and the inclusion of the audience as an active member of the show, with characters actually talking to the screen. All of the characters have similarities to the original Looney Tunes regulars, yet the Tiny Toon cast all have their own distinct personalities and quirks. Sure, some of them are annoying, but together, they make up an ensemble that works as well together as the original Looney Tunes.

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