PEAKS!! ANGEL!! SO-CALLED!! LOONEY!! MST3K!! ROCKFORD!! Herc's Season-Box DVD Vault!!

I am – Hercules!!

“TAKE A LOOK, SONNY, IT’S GONNA HAPPEN AGAIN!!” “Twin Peaks” is ridiculously good, a spooky, hilarious, amazing TV series, one of the two best ever aired. And the big news in a week of big news is its “Definitive Gold Box Edition,” a set worthy of the series, finally hits store shelves today. It collects on Region One DVD for the first time both seasons of the supercool, seminal and groundbreaking David Lynch/Mark Frost effort, including its mesmerizing and (until now) hard-to-find pilot. It’s about a brainy but surreally cheerful young FBI agent named Dale Cooper, who finds himself dispatched to a small Washington State lumber town to investigate the death of a beautiful local teen named Laura Palmer. What Cooper doesn’t know at first is the murder – and Twin Peaks, Wash., generally – has tight ties to the supernatural. If you find merit in “Lost,” “The Prisoner,” “Alias” “Battlestar Galactica,” and/or the films of Stanley Kubrick, Wes Anderson, Quentin Tarantino and/or The Coen Brothers, I implore to consider the purchase of this set. If you can get though the pilot without wanting to immediately rush to episode two, you’re much stronger than most. Excerpts from the CBS DVD press release:

Co-creators David Lynch and Mark Frost and a large number of the cast and crew have returned to participate in this extraordinary new collection. "Finally the pilot is together with the series. The picture looks clean with good color correction. The sound is really good," said David Lynch. "I think this is a great definitive Twin Peaks Gold Set - the Gold represents the highest quality. A lot of work has gone in to this, and in my opinion it has really paid off." "Working closely with David Lynch, I believe we've put together the ultimate Twin Peaks DVD box set with the most unique, interesting and comprehensive collection of content possible that will more than excite the ardent fan and engage new ones," commented Ken Ross, Executive Vice President and General Manager, CBS Home Entertainment. "And we drank some damn good cups of coffee along the way.'" This 10-disc set includes "Greetings from Twin Peaks" collectable postcards and a plethora of special features, including hours of newly-minted bonus content, featuring exclusive cast and crew interviews and rare footage never before released on DVD, produced by award-winning DVD producer Charles de Lauzirika ("Alien Quadrilogy," "Spider-Man 2: Special Edition," "Blade Runner: The Final Cut.") "Secrets from Another Place: Creating Twin Peaks" is a collection of four new documentaries exploring the origins, production and impact of the show. The cast and crew, including co-creator Mark Frost, composer Angelo Badalamenti, singer Julee Cruise, actors Kyle MacLachlan, Joan Chen, Piper Laurie, Ray Wise, Sheryl Lee, Kenneth Welsh, Maedchen Amick, Miguel Ferrer and many others share their memories of creating the show in this in-depth piece covering the sensational and tumultuous evolution of TWIN PEAKS in four parts: "Northwest Passage: Creating the Pilot," "Freshly Squeezed: Creating Season One," "Where We're From: Creating the Music" and "Into the Night: Creating Season Two." Co-creator and four-time Academy Award(R) nominee David Lynch, Kyle MacLachlan and Maedchen Amick take an amusing look back at the series in "A Slice of Lynch," an all-new get-together of friends over piping hot coffee and sweet cherry pie. "Return to Twin Peaks" follows a group of devoted fans to the 2006 Twin Peaks Festival, where the show's faithful have been regularly gathering for costume contests, celebrity sightings, trivia games and other wildness in the woods outside of Seattle. And an Interactive Map allows viewers to revisit the show's unforgettable locations as they appear today...and how to find them in real life. Thought to have been lost forever, a selection of deleted scenes has been unearthed for this collection and approved by David Lynch, offering viewers additional clues and background on some of their favorite characters and locations in the series. The collection showcases the phenomenon that was TWIN PEAKS with such archival nuggets as the "Saturday Night Live" opening monologue and "Twin Peaks" sketch featuring Kyle MacLachlan, the "Falling" music video featuring Julee Cruise, the Richard Beymer behind-the-scenes photo gallery, original network promo spots and many more rare gems! Newly remastered from the original negative and personally approved by David Lynch, the episodes have never looked better. Moreover, viewers will have the option of enjoying the episodes in either new 5.1 Surround Sound or the original 2.0 network television audio.

Extras: * International Version With Alternate Ending (1:52:47) The killer brought to justice is both different and the same as the one featured in the TV version, and brought to justice in a hospital basement. A truly odd alternate ending to the saga. * Log Lady Intros For Each Episode (Various lengths) Each typically less than a minute long, these were shot by Lynch years after the series ceased production for the show’s 1994 repeats on Bravo. Catherine Coulson returned as Margaret “The Log Lady” Lanterman to recite strange little poems that bore little if any relationship to the episodes they preceded. * Pilot Deleted Scene One: Jerry’s Wandering Eye (:50) At One Eyed Jacks, Jerry Horne cuddles and consoles one woman while watching another ascend a staircase. * Pilot Deleted Scene Two: 27 Going On 6 (2:29) Cooper asks Dr. Jacoby about Audrey’s troubled brother Johnny Horne, who was tutored by Laura Palmer. * Pilot Deleted Scene Three: Lucy, Andy and Donuts (:49) In a donut shop, Lucy orders two boxes of jelly donuts for Cooper. * Pilot Deleted Scene Four: Something About Johnny (1:35) Johnny Horne reacts badly to news Laura won’t be coming back. Dr. Jacoby explains the source of the young man’s difficulties. * Production Documents. Call sheets, lists of second-unit inserts, subtitle instructions, continuity notesand ADR agendas. * A Slice of Lynch (29:59) This segment represents David Lynch's sole (but much appreciated) contriubution to the DVD set. A very codgerly, cigarette-sucking Lynch reminisces with Kyle MacLachlan, Madchen Amick and “Peaks” post-production coordinator John Wentworth. Lynch explains he got together with “Peaks” co-creator Mark Frost to work on a screenplay about Marilyn Monroe. At the prodding of Lynch’s agents, Lynch and Frost went to DuPar’s Restaurant on Ventura Boulevard here in Studio City and brewed up a series called “Northwest Passage,” set in North Dakota. MacLachlan says he originally thought he was too young to play Cooper. Amick explains she was shooting the pilot for “Baywatch” when she got the call to meet about “Peaks.” (Amick then has the unenviable task of explaining to Lynch what “Baywatch” was.) Lynch recalls concocting the scene in which his character kisses Amick’s, and further recalls the kiss as one of the highlights of his life. Lynch also explains the origins of Gordon Cole’s disability. We learn that Lynch never intended to solve the murder of Laura Palmer, and that he regrets having done so. * Northwest Passage: Creating The Pilot (30:32) Learn that Mark Frost and David Lynch were introduced by a mutual agent around the time “Blue Velvet” was released. Learn they worked on feature projects together, including the almost-made “One Saliva Bubble.” Learn that the writing of “Peaks” was delayed by a long and acrimonious Writers Guild strike. Learn that a map Frost drew of the show’s fictional setting inspired its title. Learn that Ray Wise thought he would have been good for Sheriff Truman. Be reminded that Joan Chen’s part was written to be played by Isabella Rossellini. Learn that the role of Shelley Johnson was written specifically for Madchen Amick after producers realized she wasn’t right for any of the existing parts. Learn that it was Frost – and not Lynch, who had already worked with Kyle MacLachlan twice – who suggested MacLachlan for Agent Cooper. Learn what Chen, Sheryl Lee, Gary Hershberger, Michael Horse, Piper Laurie, Catherine Coulson and Kimmy Robertson look like now. * Freshly Squeezed: Creating Season One (30:35) Learn that while the pilot was filmed near Seattle, all the sets were recreated in a sprawling 50,000-square-foot milling warehouse on Balboa Boulevard in the North San Fernando Valley. (The building, now called City Studios, has been the home to many film productions since, but “Peaks” was the first.) Learn that Coldwater Canyon, which cuts through Beverly Hills, doubled for the Washington woodlands. Be reminded that the ubiquitous Todd Holland (“My So-Called Life,” “The Larry Sanders Show,” “Malcolm in the Middle,” “Wonderfalls”) directed installments of “Twin Peaks” early in his career. Learn that the show’s directors had an unusual amount of crative input. Learn what Sherilyn Fenn looks like now. Be reminded that the pilot premiered on Easter to huge ratings. Be reminded that the cover of “Entertainment Weekly” proclaimed it year’s best show. Be reminded that “Sesame Street” produced a parody called “Twin Beaks.” Be reminded that “Peaks” put David Lynch’s face (“The Wild-at-Art Genius Behind Twin Peaks”) on the cover of Time. Be reminded that Kimmy Robertson was among the “Peaks” cast members invited on Letterman twice. (I still have a tape somewhere of Letterman telling MacLachlan he thought Cooper killed Laura.) Be reminded that “Peaks” was nominated for 14 Emmys its first season, including outstanding drama series. Learn that as interest in the show grew, the cast got less and less of each week’s script. * Where We're From: Creating The Music (17:44) Learn that the amazing Angelo Badalamenti has a New York accent. Learn that Badalamenti brought Julee Cruise into the series as the roadhouse singer. See what Cruise looks like now. Learn how different her speaking voice is from her singing voice. Listen to Badalamenti relate a surprising story involving “Peaks,” Paul McCartney and the Queen of England. * Into The Night: Creating Season Two (30:18) Learn that Lynch and Frost knew who killed Laura from the beginning, but told no one else. Learn that fake scenes were written and shot: one identified Ben Horne as Laura’s murderer; another fingered Dr. Jacoby as the big bad. Learn that when the actor who played Laura’s killer learned of his character’s misdeeds, he found the news “almost incomprehensible” and “very distasteful.” (And, of course, he realized he would have to leave what was at that point a wildly popular show.) Learn that an intended “consummation” between Cooper and Audrey was aborted for what Frost calls “reasons I don’t want to go into.” (Apparently Sherilyn Fenn was all for it, but MacLachlan was uncomfortable with Cooper putting the bone to a high-school girl.) Learn that MacLachlan was frustrated that so many new characters were introduced in season two. Be reminded that Cooper’s old/new nemesis, the psychotic Windom Earle, was quite an entertaining villain. One does come away from this minidoc with the idea that most who worked on the show liked the second season just fine – until Laura’s killer was exposed and dispatched. Learn that directors Holland and Caleb Deschanel (husband of “Peaks” player Mary Jo, father of Emily & Zooey) blame Lynch and Frost’s anxiousness to return to big-screen work. Learn that actors Coulson and Don Davis blame ABC/Capital Cities decision to move the show from Thursdays to Saturdays killed it. Learn that Frost also blames Gulf War I, which kept pre-empting “Peaks,” as well as the too-gradual nature with which Earle was introduced. Learn that Frost and MacLachlan defend the power of the second season’s final episodes, which were crafted following Frost’s return from writing and directing “Storyville.” Learn that the astonishing Lynch-directed finale, which sucked Cooper into the hellish confines of something called The Black Lodge, was apparently quite different from what was scripted. Harley Peyton, who co-wrote the finale that wasn’t quite used, terms Lynch’s version of the second-season finale “brilliant.” Lynch “blew the doors off,” says Peyton. It’s hard to disagree! For those of us who stuck with the show, that finale, which closed with a mammoth (and still unresolved) cliffhanger, made the show’s cancellation particularly difficult to bear. * “Saturday Night Live” Monologue With Kyle MacLachlan. (4:28) In the 1990 “SNL” season premiere, David Lynch (Phil Hartman) bitches out MacLachlan for revealing on live television that waitress Shelley Johnson murdered Laura. * “Saturday Night Live” Twin Peaks Sketch. (9:07) Later that night, MacLachlan reprised his Cooper role opposite Kevin Nealon as Sheriff Truman, Chris Farley as Leo Johnson, Conan O’Brien as Deputy Brennan, Phil Hartman as Leland Palmer, Victoria Jackson as Audrey Horne, Mike Myers as the dancing dwarf and Jan Hooks as Nadine Hurley and the Log Lady. Leo confesses again and again to the murder of Laura, but Cooper refuses to let the case go. Both sketches: truly hilarious. * Return To Twin Peaks. (19:41) Learn that fans regularly converge upon Snoqualmie Falls, Wash., site of the pilot shoot. They take pictures of Big Ed’s Gas Farm even though it’s no longer Big Ed’s Gas Farm and is impossible to recognize. There are costume contests, guided tours trivia matches and rocks thrown at bottles. Kimmy Robertson (sheriff-station receptionist Lucy Moran), Phoebe Augustine (surviving victim Ronette Pulaski) and Jan D’Arcy (Audrey’s mom Sylvia Horne) turn up to field questions. (Augustine has a funny story about a meeting she and Sheryl Lee had with producers regarding nudity.) * Interactive Map: Town Sign (:34) We are shown new footage of the bend at which the “Welcome to Twin Peaks” sign was once posted. * Interactive Map: Packard Lodge (1:15) We are shown new footage of the Kiana Lodge, which doubled for Pete Martell’s home. * Interactive Map: Laura’s Log (1:03) We are shown new footage of the giant log that shadowed Laura’s corpse when Pete found her. * Interactive Map: Packard Saw Mill/Sheriff Station (:52) We are shown new footage of the former Weyerhauser Paper Mill, which was transformed into the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Station. The Weyerhauser power plant, right across the street, doubled as the Packard Saw Mill. * Interactive Map: The Great Northern (1:26) We are shown new footage of the waterfall-adjacent Kiana Lodge and the Salish Inn and Spa. The Kiana’s interiors doubled for The Great Northern Hotel, as did the Salish Inn’s exterior, now famous for its adjacent waterfall. * Interactive Map: Ronette’s Bridge (1:00) We are shown new footage of the old railroad bridge Ronette Pulaski staggered across following her assault. Actress Phoebe Augustine, who played Ronette, poses with it. * Interactive Map: Double R Diner (:46) We are shown new footage of Twede’s Café. When it was the T-Mar Café, it doubled as the Double R Diner that employed Norma Jennings and Shelley Johnson. * Interactive Map: The Roadhouse (:34) We are shown new footage of the former Colonial Inn. Its rear doubled as the front of The Roadhouse. * “Falling” Music Video (4:21) Julee Cruise sings David Lynch lyrics’ for the series’ haunting title theme. Lots of scenes from the series, with lots of dissolves and slo-mo. * Georgia Coffee Commercial: Lost (:44) These are wonderful Japanese ads (directed by Lynch, I’m guessing) hawking cans of ice coffee manufactured by the Coca-Cola company. The spots were all shot on familiar “Peaks” sets using “Peaks” characters interacting with a young Japanese man named “Ken” (a cop? A P.I.?) looking for a beautiful Japanese girl who disappeared in Twin Peaks. There is a great deal of commercial-to-commercial continuity. The first, set in the sheriff’s station, features Cooper, Lucy, Andy, the Log Lady, a deer head and a photo. The deer head leads them to Big Ed’s Gas Farm. * Georgia Coffee Commercial: Cherry Pie (:46) Red snooker balls in a car parked outside the gas farm lead Ken and Cooper to the Double R Diner. The Log Lady is there, and so is waitress Shelley Johnson, who gives Ken an origami clue. * Georgia Coffee Commercial: A Mystery of ‘G’ (:48) Back at the sheriff’s station, Hawk, Andy, Lucy, and the Log Lady are lurking as Ken and Coop figure out the “G” on the origami has something to do with Glastonberry Grove, home of the Black Lodge. * Georgia Coffee Commercial: The Rescue (:47) Ken, Hawk, Andy and the Log Lady tag along as Cooper enters the Black Lodge and extracts the missing girl. (Learn that Cooper speaks fluent Japanese!) All celebrate with cans of delicious Georgia Coffee. * Georgia Coffee Commercial: A Mystery of ‘G’ & Pet (:49) An alternate version of the third spot. I’ve no idea what the “Pet” part means. * Image Gallery: The Richard Beymer Gallery. Ben Horne’s alter ego took many cool stills as the Black Lodge sequences of the series finale were shot. * Image Gallery: Unit Photography. Promotional stills are rare on-set photos. * Image Gallery: Twin Peaks Playing Cards. The whole pack is displayed. I still have mine (note the Jennifer Lynch card in the center):

* Promo: Coming April 8th (:43) * Promo: Only One Place (:24) * Promo: What They’re Trying To Say (:34) * Promo: A Show Like This (:44) * Promo: If You Miss It (:33) * Promo: Tape Recorder (:33) * Promo: Lumber Truck (:33) * Promo: Next (:61) These are the original, fabulous ABC promos, which serve to explain why so many tuned in for the pilot on Easter Sunday 1990. The spots are teeming with quotes from TV critics, who were absolutely (and understandably) gaga for the show. I recommend looking at these (they’re all on the 10th and final disc) before plunging into the episodes. They really build excitement! * Promo: There’s No Place Like Home (:44) A “Wizard of Oz” takeoff, starring Kyle MacLachlan, Piper Laurie, Harry Goaz, Catherine Coulson and Michael Anderson, promoting the show’s move back to Thursdays following a disastrous stint on Saturdays. * Promo: T-Shirt Ad (:44) Lucy and One-Armed Mike hawk licensed “Peaks” merchandise. * Promo: Holiday Greeting (:25) A stop-motion effort featuring dancing donuts, pine cones, coffee cups and MacLachlan’s voice. * Promo: Patriot Greeting (:49) MacLachlan, Madchen Amick, Dana Ashbrook and David Lynch express their support for the troops fighting Gulf War I. * 1-900 Promo Spot (:34) Kimmy Robertson promotes a “Twin Peaks” update line. * 1-900 Message One (2:48; audio only) * 1-900 Message Two (2:44; audio only) * 1-900 Message Three (2:50; audio only) * 1-900 Message Four (2:45; audio only) * 1-900 Message Five (2:48; audio only) * 1-900 Message Six (2:43; audio only) * 1-900 Message Seven (2:52; audio only) * 1-900 Message Eight (2:51; audio only) Kimmy Robertson, Harry Goaz and Warren Frost, in character, catch viewers up on season-two plotlines as Badalamenti’s music plays. * Lucy Bumper: Get The Sheriff (:07) * Lucy Bumper: Cup O’ Joe (:07) * Lucy Bumper: Donut Time 1 (:07) * Lucy Bumper: Donut Time 2 (:07) * Lucy Bumper: Douglas Firs (:07) * Lucy Bumper: Stop Sawing Logs (:07) Kimmy Robertson advises viewers that “Twin Peaks” will be right back. * 12 of the 61 “Greetings From Twin Peaks” postcards. My set came with a card depicting an uproarious scene that demonstrated how great the series could get, even late in its second season:

Hats off to CBS (which owns the series), NBC Universal (which owns the SNL sketches) and ABC Disney (which owns the original promos) for figuring out how to get all these elements onto this set, one of the most prized components of my DVD collection.

“Go now! Go!” Longtime readers of this column know that, for the longest time, the two most expensive items on my all-time favorites list were the first season of “Twin Peaks” and the complete series set for “My So-Called Life,” because they were both so long out of print. Miraculously, today is the day the episodes on both sets are available in new, better, cheaper DVD sets. The acclaimed “So-Called” was the tale of brainy 15-year-old high school student Angela Chase (Claire Danes), who fell in love with a super-handsome developmentally disabled boy (Jared Leto). A mammoth neighbor nerd (Devon Gummersall), in turn, fell in love with Angela. And Angela started hanging out with a homosexual (Wilson Cruz) and a delinquent (A.J. Langer), much to the alarm of Angela’s parents (Bess Armstrong, Tom Irwin) and former best friend (Devon Odessa). It was created by “thirtysomething” writer Winnie Holzman and marked the screenwriting debut of current “Friday Night Lights” showrunner Jason Katims. It lasted 19 episodes on ABC in 1994 and 1995 and episodes rerun incessantly for a time on MTV. BOOKLET: One major bonus attending the new set is a 34 page booklet containing: * “Notes From Winnie,” in which the series mastermind explains what would have happened to Angela, Brian, Sharon, Rickie, Mr. Katimsky and Angela’s parents had someone ordered more episodes. * “Reality TV,” an essay by famous fan Joss Whedon, who would begin making the TV show “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” not long after “So-Called” was cancelled. * “The Limbic Appeal,” an essay by famous fan Janeane Garofalo, who would provide the voice of the title character’s absent mentor Sally on “Felicity” not long after “So-Called” was cancelled. * “A Timeless Life,” an essay by Mary’s University professor Michele Byers, author of “Dear Angela: Remembering My So-Called Life.” * A rundown of all the episodes, listing writers, directors, guest stars, key dialogue and songs. COMMENTARIES: 1.1 “Pilot.” Series mastermind Winnie Holzman, executive producer Marshall Herskovitz, director Scott Winant. 1.10 “Other People’s Mothers.” Actress Bess Armstrong, director Claudia Weill. 1.11 “Life of Brian.” Actor Devon Gummersall, director Todd Holland, writer Jason Katims. 1.12 “Self-Esteem.” Actress Claire Danes, Holzman. 1.15 “So-Called Angels.” Actor Wilson Cruz, Holzman, Winant. 1.18 “Weekend.” Armstrong, actress Lisa Wilhoit, writer Adam Dooley. FEATURETTES: * “My So-Called Life Story.” (23:53) Learn that Alicia Silverstone was the other major New York-based candidate to play Angela. Learn that the series became an ensemble show because Claire Danes was only 13 and could only work five hours a day. Learn that Ed Zwick hired Jason Katims, then working “a computer job,” off of an 11-page play Katims wrote. Learn that the role of gay Rickie was described in the pilot script as half-black and half-Latino before Holzman had ever heard of half-black, half-Latino homosexual Wilson Cruz. Be reminded that MTV played the show several times a day for several years. * “A Conversation With Claire Danes and Winnie Holzman.” (21:45) They talk to each other. Learn that Holzman rarely visited the set and had very little contact with Danes while the series was being made. Learn that Holzman did not pitch the teen-girl concept to Zwick and Herskovitz; it was the other way around. Learn that Danes favored exploring an Angela/Brian romance. Learn that Holzman would have probably kept Angela and Jordan together as Angela grew closer to Brian. * “A Conversation With Marshall Herskovitz and Winnie Holzman.” (14:19) Learn that Herskovitz looks like Mandy Patinkin but doesn’t sound like him. Learn that Holzman long wanted to be an actress, and utilized Stanislovskyian sense memory while writing the show. Learn that the show was originally conceived as a half-hour drama. * “The Characters: Angela.” (15:57) Learn that Claire Danes still celebrates Thanksgiving with TV mom Bess Armstrong. Learn that Danes’ first make-out sessions were for the camera. Learn what Devons Gummersall and Odessa look like now. * “The Characters: The Chase Family.” (16:02) See what Bess Armstrong, Tom Irwin and Lisa Wilhoite look like now. Learn that Bess Armstrong somehow looks better now at age 52 than she did while shooting the series more than a decade ago. Learn that Holzman is married to veteran character actor Paul Dooley, who played Angela’s maternal grandfather. * “The Characters: The Friends.” (28:52) Learn that Devon Odessa is still one of Claire Danes’ closest friends. Learn what A.J. Langer and Wilson Cruz look like now. Learn that Rickie may have been the first homosexual regular on a network TV series. Learn that Cruz is a fan of “Ugly Betty,” which currently occupies “So-Called’s” old ABC timeslot. Learn that Langer was very taken with the Rayanne-like Patty D’arbenville (“Great tits!”), who played Rayanne’s mom. Be reminded that Rayanne had some sort of weird fascination with Brian. * “The Music.” (15:41) Learn that “thirtysomething” was the first project ever scored by William Garrett “Snuffy” Walden, which went on to “So-Called,” “The Stand,” “Cupid,” “Roswell,” “Felicity,” “Sports Night,” “The West Wing,” “Boomtown,” “Studio 60,” “Kidnapped” and “Friday Night Lights.” Be reminded that Juliana Hatfield appeared in an episode. * “Interview With Claire Danes.” (8:02) Learn that Danes, who danced without pants in a recent Gap commercial, studied modern dance from age four and played a teen murderer on “Law & Order” before doing “So-Called.” * “Highlights: 1995 Museum of Television & Radio Panel.” (31:23) Taped subsequent to production of the series’ final episode but before announcement of its cancellation, series mastermind Winnie Holzman, producer Ed Zwick, writer Jason Katims, producer Alan Poul, composer Snuffy Walden, director Scott Winant, producer Monica Wyatt, and actors Bess Armstrong, Wilson Cruz, Devon Gummersall, Tom Irvin, Devon Odessa, Lisa Wilhoit and a brunette Claire Danes gather to field audience questions. * “Photo Gallery.” Dozens of publicity photos.

“I’ll say it anyway. Winifred Burkle. Go.” Those who have been wondering when Fox might issue an “Angel” version of its “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” Complete Series Megaset can stop the wondering. Angel: The Complete Series Collector's Set has arrived at the price of $97.99, less than $20 per season. That’s some kind of deal when you remember that one season of “La Femme Nikita” costs $89.99 and one season of “Star Trek: Enterprise” costs $116.99. The new box contains all the discs and extras now available in the separate sets. Right now if you buy the five “Angel” seasons separately you’ll pay abut $140. My advice is to lock in the $97.99 price right now; those “Buffy” series-sets went up in price in a big fat hurry. Sister show “Buffy” is the better series overall, but “Angel” made my top-ten list every year it aired on The WB, and was number-one on that list the year it was cancelled. Made me laugh, made me cry, made me stare in awe. It really is one of the greatest TV shows ever aired and – unlike “Buffy” – always got better with each succeeding season.

“Oh, what is-a happened to my little baby? My little bambino! Oh, where is-a my killer?” With today’s release of Looney Tunes: Golden Collection Volume 5, 30 percent of all the theatrical Warner Bros. cartoon shorts – for my money the funniest ever made – are now available on DVD. Like its four older siblings, volume five contains 60 shorts and more than five hours of extras spread over four discs. As described by some fellow from Waco on Amazon.com:

Disc One: Bugs and Daffy 1. 14-Carrot Rabbit 2. Ali Baba Bunny (commentary by filmmaker Greg Ford & music only track) 3. Buccaneer Bunny 4. Bugs' Bonnets 5. A Star is Bored 6. A Pest in the House (commentary track by writer Paul Dini) 7. Transylvania 6-5000 (with commentary by historian Jerry Beck) 8. Oily Hare 9. Stupor Duck (with music only track) 10. The Stupor Salesman 11. The Abominable Snow Rabbit (with music and effects track) 12. The Super Snooper (with music and effects track) 13. The Upstanding Sitter 14. Hollywood Daffy 15. You Were Never Duckier (commentary track by director Eric Goldberg) Extras: 1. Chuck Jones: Extremes and In-Betweens, a Life in Animation Part 1 (estimated time: 45 minutes) 2. Featurettes: The Bugs Bunny Show a. Bad Time Story Bridging Sequences (estimated time: 8:26) b. What's Up Dog? Audio Recording Sessions (estimated time: 3:00) Disc Two: Fairy Tales 1. Bewitched Bunny (with commentary by director Eric Goldberg & music and effects track) 2. Paying the Piper 3. The Bear's Tale 4. Foney Fables 5. Goldimouse and the Three Cats (with music only track) 6. Holiday for Shoestrings (with commentary Track by historian Daniel Goldmark) 7. Little Red Rodent Hood 8. Little Red Walking Hood (with commentary by animator Mark Kausler) 9. Red Riding Hoodwinked (with commentary by filmmaker Greg Ford & music only track) 10. The Trial of Mr. Wolf 11. The Turn-Table Wolf (music and effects track) 12. Tom Thumb in Trouble (commentary track by historian Jerry Beck) 13. Tweety and the Beanstalk (with music-only track) 14. A Gander and a Mother Goose 15. Senorella and the Glass Huarache Extras: 1. Chuck Jones: Extremes and In-Betweens, A Life in Animation, Part Two (estimated time: 45:00) 2. Behind the Tunes a. Once Upon a Tune (estimated time: 8:27) b. Drawn to Life: The Art of Robert McKimson (estimated time: 15:00) 3. A Chuck Jones Tutorial: Tricks of the Cartoon (estimated time: 13:21) 4. Bonus Cartoons SNAFU a. Coming!! [1943] (estimated time: 3:00) b. Gripes [1943] (estimated time: 3:00) c. Gas [1944] (estimated time: 4:00) Hook a. Take Heed Mr. Tojo [1943] (estimated time: 3:00) b. The Good Egg [1945] (estimated time: 3:00) c. The Return of Mr. Hook [1945] (estimated time: 2:00) d. Tokyo Woes [1945] (estimated time: 4:00) Disc Three: The Best of Bob Clampett 1. Bacall to Arms (commentary by historian Jerry Beck) 2. Buckaroo Bugs (commentary by historian Michael Barrier, director John Kricfalusi, director Eddie Fitzgerald and cartoonist Kali Fonecchino) 3. Crazy Cruise 4. Farm Frolics (commentary by actor Keith Scott) 5. Hare Ribbin' 6. Patient Porky 7. Prehistoric Porky 8. The Bashful Buzzard (commentary by writer Paul Dini) 9. The Old Grey Hare (commentary by Filmmaker Greg Ford) 10. The Wacky Wabbit (commentary by director Eric Goldberg) 11. The Wise Quacking Duck 12. Wagon Heels 13. The Daffy Doc (commentary by animator Mark Kausler) 14. A Tale of Two Kitties (commentary by historian Michael Barrier) 15. Porky's Pooch Extras: 1. Behind the Tunes a. Wacky Warner One-Shots (estimated time: 8:40) b. Real American Zero: The Adventures of Private SNAFU (estimated time: 8:45) 2. From the Vaults a. Hare Ribbin' Director's Cut (estimated time: 8:00) b. The Bashful Buzzard Storyboard Reel (with Bashful Buzzard Orignial Opening Music Cue) (estimated time: 8:00) 3. Alternate Milt Franklin Opening Themes (introduction by Greg Ford)(estimated time: 5:00) Disc Four: "The Early Daze" 1. Alpin Antics 2. Eatin' on the Cuff or the Moth Who Came to Dinner (commentary by historian Jerry Beck) 3. Milk and Money 4. I've Got to Sing a Torch Song 5. Porky at the Crocadero (commentary by historian Daniel Goldmark) 6. Polar Pals 7. Scrap Happy Daffy 8. Porky's Double Trouble 9. Golddigers of '49 10. Pilgrim Porky 11. Wise Quacks 12. Porky's Review (commentary by filmmaker Greg Ford) 13. Porky's Poppa 14. Wholly Smoke (commentary by historian Daniel Goldmark) 15. What Price Porky Extras: 1. Unsung Maestros: A Directors Tribute (estimated time: 15:00) 2. The Looney Tunes Television Specials a. Bugs and Daff's Carnival of the Animals [1976 TV Special] (estimated time: 24:23) b. Bugs Bunny's Looney Christmas Tales [1979 TV Special] (estimated time: 24:13) c. Bugs Bunny's Bustin' Out All Over [1980 TV Special (estimated time: 23:46)

A whole disc dedicated to Bob Clampett is great news. Clampett rules, almost as much as Beaky Buzzard!!

Mystery Science Theatre 3000 Volume 12 contains four more installments from the revered movie mock-fest: 4.19 “The Rebel Set” (1959) is a heist thriller about a con man who gets beatniks to help him rob an armored car. Joel reads “Life’s Little Instruction Book.” Originally transmitted by Comedy Central Dec. 12, 1992. Frank demonstrates the “Quick-Primp Kit.” Crow gets his acting lessons in the mail. Servo pretends to be Hercule Poirot. 5.4 “Super Agent Super Dragon” (1966) is a spy thriller about an espionage agent who comes out of retirement when his friend is killed while investigating a drug ring. Originally transmitted by Comedy Central Aug. 7, 1993. Crow and Servo create their own robot. Joel invents Micro Golf. The bots form a jazz combo. Joel explains where spies get their post-kill puns. Dr. Forrester organizes a super-villain seminar. 6.12 “The Starfighters” (1964) is a drama about three young Air Force pilots starring real-life Air Force pilot and future U.S. congressman Bob Dornan (R-Calif.). Originally transmitted by Comedy Central Oct. 29, 1994. Forrester and Frank get cranial ports. The bots refuel as Mike looks on. Crow jumps onto the Information Superhighway to play a game of Boogers. 8.11 “Parts: The Clonus Horror” (1979) is a sci-fi thriller about wealthy individuals who have themselves cloned in case they ever need spare parts (it’s famous for its similarities to Michael Bay’s 1995 actioner “The Island”). Originally transmitted by the SciFi Channel June 14, 1997. Mike grows a mustache. Pearl, Bobo and Observer contend with runaway space children. Crow gets rhinoplasty. Extras include interviews with “Clonus” director Robert Fiveson and “Rebel” star Don Sullivan.

All need be said about Scrubs: The Complete Sixth Season is it contains some of the first work of longtime AICN contributor Kevin Biegel to find its way before a national audience.

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