The Jacksons, Dalllas, Abbott & Costello, Man vs. Wild and Mad Men DVD

DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Eclectic Mix of Excellent TV Series Sets Available on DVD


The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty
Time sure flies for the Jacksons to have had a TV series already both air on the A&E Network and come out on DVD since Michael died. Nonetheless, this 6-episode reality show is now available and does a decent job of giving you a sense of how the siblings have come together to deal with their grief and resurrect their careers in the wake of their brother’s passing.

Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 282 minutes
Studio: A&E/New Video
2-Disc Set Extras: None

Dallas: The Complete 13th Season
I’m sure that if I showed the average teenager a copy of the Time Magazine cover asking “Who shot J.R.?” they’d have no idea that the inquiry was about a fictional TV character rather than an assassinated political figure. But the nighttime soap opera was just that big back in 1980, and this box set containing all the episodes from the penultimate season offers nostalgic fans of the franchise a fresh opportunity to delight in all the backstabbing antics of the oil-rich Ewing family.

Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 1,378 minutes
Studio: Warner Home Video
3-Disc Set Extras: None

The Abbott and Costello Show: The Complete Series
I hope I’m not dating myself, but I grew up at a time when The Abbott and Costello Show was among the best entertainment a kid could find while channel surfing on TV, ranking right up there with the Little Rascals and The three Stooges. This collection features the legendary comedy team’s complete series, restore and re-mastered for your viewing pleasure.

Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 1680 minutes
Studio: E1 Entertainment
9-Disc Set Extras: Over 3 hours of bonus features plus a 44-page commemorative book and 4 collectible photo postcards.

Man vs. Wild: Season 4
Bear Grylls earned a black belt in karate, climbed Mount Everest and served in Great Britain’s Special Forces before turning his love of adventure into a TV career. On his riveting, reality show, he’s parachuted, done paragliding, waded through rapids and climbed glaciers while circumnavigating the globe and dining on everything from snakes to elephant dung to his own urine to survive.
Jaw-dropping survivalist fare which speaks for itself.

Excellent (4 stars)
Rated PG
Running time: 602 minutes
Studio: Discovery Channel
3-Disc Set Extras: Extended scenes, preview episode, and Man vs. Wild with celebrity guest.

Mad Men: Season 3
This period piece set in the early Sixties inside the world of advertising at a prestigious Madison Avenue ad agency just gets better each season. The compelling costume drama recently won multiple Emmys, including one for the best dramatic series again. The show is worthwhile not merely for the office soap opera but for its realistic revelation of unspoken social sensibilities simmering beneath the surface during that bygone era.

Excellent (4 Stars)
Unrated
Running time: 611 minutes
Studio: Lionsgate Home Entertainment
4-Disc Set Extras: Cast and crew commentaries, Medgar Evers documentary, “We Shall Overcome,” a documentary about The March on Washington, plus a couple of featurettes: “Mad Men Illustrated” and “Clearing the Air: The History of Cigarette Advertising.”