Episodes of Danny Kayes variety series and Don Rickles TV specials have long been sought after by fans, and some of them have made their way to DVD this week.
Danny Kaye: Legends (MVD, 1964-67, b/w and color, six episodes, song selections). Vintage variety shows are the slowest to reach DVD because it takes an effort to clear musical rights to songs and singers. That may explain why Kayes 1960s four-season variety show the first two seasons in black and white, the second two in color has taken so long.
In 2012, a pair of Christmas episodes were released, then a year ago, six episodes were collected for The Best of the Danny Kaye Show. And now, here are six more. At this rate, burning through the programs 120 episodes may take a while.
But lets be glad for what we have. These six highly entertaining shows include Kaye clowning and singing in skits and musical numbers (emphasis on the latter) with Louis Armstrong, Lucille Ball, Tony Bennett, George Burns, Shirley Jones, Vikki Carr, Imogene Coca, John Gary and Liberace, along with Kayes regulars, Joyce Van Patten and pre-Carol Burnett Show Harvey Korman.
Mr. Warmth: Don Rickles: The Ultimate TV Collection (Time Life, 1970-78, eight discs, 41 episodes, introductions, bloopers, clips from The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson and TV Land Awards). The four discs in this set are the two seasons of Rickles late-1970s sitcom CPO Sharkey and two discs of Rickles 1970s TV specials, with guests including John Wayne, James Caan, Michael Caine, Bob Newhart, Dean Martin and many others. Volume Two of the TV specials is exclusive to this set.
My Favorite Martian: The Complete Series (MPI, 1963-66, b/w and color, 15 discs, 107 episodes, home movies, vintage commercials, test footage, talk show appearances, radio interview with Ball, photo galleries/comic strips, lost TV pilots: The Man in the Square Suit and The Reluctant Eye). Amusing vintage gimmick-sitcom about a Martian anthropologist (Ray Walston) with strange powers stranded on Earth. Hes discovered by a newspaper reporter (Bill Bixby) who takes him in and agrees to keep his secret. Guests include Linda Evans, Marlo Thomas, Gavin McLeod, Henry Gibson, etc.
Bates Motel: Season 3 (Universal, 2015, two Blu-ray discs/three DVD discs, 10 episodes, deleted scenes, featurette). Unhinged prequel to Alfred Hitchcocks classic horror film Psycho remains intriguing in this third season as teenage Norman Bates (Freddie Highmore) cant quite fit into high school so his mother (Vera Farmiga) decides to home-school him. (Season 4 will air on A&E next year.)
The Widower (PBS, 2014, three episodes). This three-part British miniseries is the troubling true story of male nurse Malcolm Webster (Reece Shearsmith) who drugged his first wife and staged her death in a car crash, then moved to New Zealand, married again and began the same cycle. After failing to kill his second wife, he escaped to Scotland and took up with another woman, whose life was also in danger.
Chasing Shadows (Acorn, 2014, four episodes). Shearsmith also stars in this four-part miniseries or, more correctly, a pair of two-part stories as a detective sergeant assigned to missing persons, partnered with an analyst (Alex Kingston). In the first story they investigate a spate of teen suicides and in the second a lawyer/single father goes missing, leading them to a serial killer.
Therese Raquin (Acorn, 1980, three episodes). Kate Nelligan stars in this British miniseries based on the Emile Zola novel about the titular young woman who is bored and feels trapped in a marriage with her wimpy cousin (Kenneth Cranham). Soon, she has an affair with her husbands childhood friend (Brian Cox) and then takes desperate measures to ensure they can be together. That, of course, is not going to end well.
Dumb it Down (Cinedigm, 2015, deleted/extended scenes). This hourlong documentary suggests that the entertainment industry coerces black entertainers into toning down their own intelligence so that their music can appeal to the lowest common denominator. Interviewees include MC Lyte, T-Pain, Trinidad James, etc.
The Bomb (PBS, 2015). This two-hour documentary explores the harnessing of nuclear weaponry, starting with the first atomic bomb and how it changed life on this planet. Rare footage, some only recently declassified, is used, along with interviews with former Secretary of State George Shultz and former Secretary of Defense William Perry, among others.
The Making of the Mob: New York (Anchor Bay, 2015, two discs, eight episodes, deleted scenes, featurettes). This miniseries is part documentary (with interviews punctuating each episode) and part dramatic re-creations with actors, focusing primarily on the story of Lucky Luciano and his rise in the New York City mob. (Season 2, The Making of the Mob: Chicago, will air on AMC next year.)
Girlfriends Guide to Divorce: Season One (Universal, 2014, three discs, 13 episodes, deleted scenes, bloopers). Comedy-drama series about a self-help author (Lisa Edelstein) who has a breakdown during a book signing and confesses that her marriage has collapsed. She hangs out with a pair of divorced friends for solace and tries to rebuild her life. Janeane Garofalo has a recurring role. (Season 2 begins Dec. 1 on Bravo.)
Nurse Jackie: Season Seven (Lionsgate, 2015, two-disc Blu-ray or three-disc DVD, 12 episodes, deleted scenes, audio commentaries, featurettes, bloopers). This is the final season of this very dark satirical Showtime series (with the requisite R-rated elements) as Edie Falcos character gets out of jail and resorts to drug-dealing, but then she gets her hospital job back, albeit in a new role.
Olympus: Season One (Shout!, 2015, three discs, 13 episodes, featurettes). This variation on Greek mythology has Hero (Tom York) challenging the gods as he takes on monsters and men, gradually maturing from a fresh-faced youth to a warrior, all the while accompanied by the twisted Oracle (Sonya Cassidy). Matt Frewer is among the co-stars in this Canadian series.
The Curse of Oak Island: Season 2 (Lionsgate, 2014-15, two discs, 10 episodes, eight webisodes). This History Channel reality TV show is about two brothers searching for treasures that are supposedly buried on Oak Island, a 140-acre land mass south of Nova Scotia.
(Impractical) Jokers: The Complete Third Season (Warner, 2014, four discs, 32 episodes, deleted scenes, audio commentaries). Half-hour hidden-camera series with four lifelong pals daring each other to do outrageous things, this season including posing as bellhops, joining a focus group and try to get signatures on a petition for a phony holiday.
Mike Tyson Mysteries: Season One Uncensored (Warner, 2014-15, 10 episodes). Former heavyweight boxing champ Mike Tyson lends his voice to his animated image for this raunchy adult cartoon comedy series that has him playing Scooby-Doo with his own Mystery Team, which includes an alcoholic pigeon voiced by Norm Macdonald. Proceed at your own risk. (Season 2 begins Nov. 1 on Adult Swim.)
Regular Show: The Movie (Warner, 2015, audio commentary, featurettes, trailer). This feature-length (68 minutes) TV special (to air on the Cartoon Network on Nov. 25) has blue jay Mordecai and raccoon Rigby going back in time to save the universe after a gone-wrong high school lab experiment creates a dangerous time-nado.
Enough Already! (SISU, 2010). Aimed at children ages 2-6, this animated musical is based on a classic folk tale about a poor farmer who seeks advice from his Rebbe (rabbi), and that results in his bringing his animals, one by one, into his house. The lesson is to be grateful for what we have.
Transformers: Robots in Disguise A New Autobot Mission (Shout! Kids, 2015, five episodes, featurette). A prison ship crashes on Earth, setting free hundreds of Cybertrons vile Decepticons. Its up to Bumblebee and his new squad to save the day. This is a new Robots in Disguise animated series and these are the first five episodes of Season 1. (A second season has been confirmed by the Cartoon Network but there is no airdate as yet.)
Bubble Guppies: The Puppy and the Ring Great Guppy Gift Set (Nickelodeon, 2012-14, four episodes; coloring book, crayons, poster, sticker sheet). The four animated episodes of this childrens series are The Puppy and the Ring, Sir Nonny the Nice!, Bubble-Cadabra! and The Wizard of Oz-Tralia!
Danny Kaye: Legends (MVD, 1964-67, b/w and color, six episodes, song selections). Vintage variety shows are the slowest to reach DVD because it takes an effort to clear musical rights to songs and singers. That may explain why Kayes 1960s four-season variety show the first two seasons in black and white, the second two in color has taken so long.
In 2012, a pair of Christmas episodes were released, then a year ago, six episodes were collected for The Best of the Danny Kaye Show. And now, here are six more. At this rate, burning through the programs 120 episodes may take a while.
But lets be glad for what we have. These six highly entertaining shows include Kaye clowning and singing in skits and musical numbers (emphasis on the latter) with Louis Armstrong, Lucille Ball, Tony Bennett, George Burns, Shirley Jones, Vikki Carr, Imogene Coca, John Gary and Liberace, along with Kayes regulars, Joyce Van Patten and pre-Carol Burnett Show Harvey Korman.
Mr. Warmth: Don Rickles: The Ultimate TV Collection (Time Life, 1970-78, eight discs, 41 episodes, introductions, bloopers, clips from The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson and TV Land Awards). The four discs in this set are the two seasons of Rickles late-1970s sitcom CPO Sharkey and two discs of Rickles 1970s TV specials, with guests including John Wayne, James Caan, Michael Caine, Bob Newhart, Dean Martin and many others. Volume Two of the TV specials is exclusive to this set.
My Favorite Martian: The Complete Series (MPI, 1963-66, b/w and color, 15 discs, 107 episodes, home movies, vintage commercials, test footage, talk show appearances, radio interview with Ball, photo galleries/comic strips, lost TV pilots: The Man in the Square Suit and The Reluctant Eye). Amusing vintage gimmick-sitcom about a Martian anthropologist (Ray Walston) with strange powers stranded on Earth. Hes discovered by a newspaper reporter (Bill Bixby) who takes him in and agrees to keep his secret. Guests include Linda Evans, Marlo Thomas, Gavin McLeod, Henry Gibson, etc.
Bates Motel: Season 3 (Universal, 2015, two Blu-ray discs/three DVD discs, 10 episodes, deleted scenes, featurette). Unhinged prequel to Alfred Hitchcocks classic horror film Psycho remains intriguing in this third season as teenage Norman Bates (Freddie Highmore) cant quite fit into high school so his mother (Vera Farmiga) decides to home-school him. (Season 4 will air on A&E next year.)
The Widower (PBS, 2014, three episodes). This three-part British miniseries is the troubling true story of male nurse Malcolm Webster (Reece Shearsmith) who drugged his first wife and staged her death in a car crash, then moved to New Zealand, married again and began the same cycle. After failing to kill his second wife, he escaped to Scotland and took up with another woman, whose life was also in danger.
Chasing Shadows (Acorn, 2014, four episodes). Shearsmith also stars in this four-part miniseries or, more correctly, a pair of two-part stories as a detective sergeant assigned to missing persons, partnered with an analyst (Alex Kingston). In the first story they investigate a spate of teen suicides and in the second a lawyer/single father goes missing, leading them to a serial killer.
Therese Raquin (Acorn, 1980, three episodes). Kate Nelligan stars in this British miniseries based on the Emile Zola novel about the titular young woman who is bored and feels trapped in a marriage with her wimpy cousin (Kenneth Cranham). Soon, she has an affair with her husbands childhood friend (Brian Cox) and then takes desperate measures to ensure they can be together. That, of course, is not going to end well.
Dumb it Down (Cinedigm, 2015, deleted/extended scenes). This hourlong documentary suggests that the entertainment industry coerces black entertainers into toning down their own intelligence so that their music can appeal to the lowest common denominator. Interviewees include MC Lyte, T-Pain, Trinidad James, etc.
The Bomb (PBS, 2015). This two-hour documentary explores the harnessing of nuclear weaponry, starting with the first atomic bomb and how it changed life on this planet. Rare footage, some only recently declassified, is used, along with interviews with former Secretary of State George Shultz and former Secretary of Defense William Perry, among others.
The Making of the Mob: New York (Anchor Bay, 2015, two discs, eight episodes, deleted scenes, featurettes). This miniseries is part documentary (with interviews punctuating each episode) and part dramatic re-creations with actors, focusing primarily on the story of Lucky Luciano and his rise in the New York City mob. (Season 2, The Making of the Mob: Chicago, will air on AMC next year.)
Girlfriends Guide to Divorce: Season One (Universal, 2014, three discs, 13 episodes, deleted scenes, bloopers). Comedy-drama series about a self-help author (Lisa Edelstein) who has a breakdown during a book signing and confesses that her marriage has collapsed. She hangs out with a pair of divorced friends for solace and tries to rebuild her life. Janeane Garofalo has a recurring role. (Season 2 begins Dec. 1 on Bravo.)
Nurse Jackie: Season Seven (Lionsgate, 2015, two-disc Blu-ray or three-disc DVD, 12 episodes, deleted scenes, audio commentaries, featurettes, bloopers). This is the final season of this very dark satirical Showtime series (with the requisite R-rated elements) as Edie Falcos character gets out of jail and resorts to drug-dealing, but then she gets her hospital job back, albeit in a new role.
Olympus: Season One (Shout!, 2015, three discs, 13 episodes, featurettes). This variation on Greek mythology has Hero (Tom York) challenging the gods as he takes on monsters and men, gradually maturing from a fresh-faced youth to a warrior, all the while accompanied by the twisted Oracle (Sonya Cassidy). Matt Frewer is among the co-stars in this Canadian series.
The Curse of Oak Island: Season 2 (Lionsgate, 2014-15, two discs, 10 episodes, eight webisodes). This History Channel reality TV show is about two brothers searching for treasures that are supposedly buried on Oak Island, a 140-acre land mass south of Nova Scotia.
(Impractical) Jokers: The Complete Third Season (Warner, 2014, four discs, 32 episodes, deleted scenes, audio commentaries). Half-hour hidden-camera series with four lifelong pals daring each other to do outrageous things, this season including posing as bellhops, joining a focus group and try to get signatures on a petition for a phony holiday.
Mike Tyson Mysteries: Season One Uncensored (Warner, 2014-15, 10 episodes). Former heavyweight boxing champ Mike Tyson lends his voice to his animated image for this raunchy adult cartoon comedy series that has him playing Scooby-Doo with his own Mystery Team, which includes an alcoholic pigeon voiced by Norm Macdonald. Proceed at your own risk. (Season 2 begins Nov. 1 on Adult Swim.)
Regular Show: The Movie (Warner, 2015, audio commentary, featurettes, trailer). This feature-length (68 minutes) TV special (to air on the Cartoon Network on Nov. 25) has blue jay Mordecai and raccoon Rigby going back in time to save the universe after a gone-wrong high school lab experiment creates a dangerous time-nado.
Enough Already! (SISU, 2010). Aimed at children ages 2-6, this animated musical is based on a classic folk tale about a poor farmer who seeks advice from his Rebbe (rabbi), and that results in his bringing his animals, one by one, into his house. The lesson is to be grateful for what we have.
Transformers: Robots in Disguise A New Autobot Mission (Shout! Kids, 2015, five episodes, featurette). A prison ship crashes on Earth, setting free hundreds of Cybertrons vile Decepticons. Its up to Bumblebee and his new squad to save the day. This is a new Robots in Disguise animated series and these are the first five episodes of Season 1. (A second season has been confirmed by the Cartoon Network but there is no airdate as yet.)
Bubble Guppies: The Puppy and the Ring Great Guppy Gift Set (Nickelodeon, 2012-14, four episodes; coloring book, crayons, poster, sticker sheet). The four animated episodes of this childrens series are The Puppy and the Ring, Sir Nonny the Nice!, Bubble-Cadabra! and The Wizard of Oz-Tralia!
