Recommendations for best TV to DVD sets (1 Viewer)

I'm currently working on an article about the best TV to DVD sets to own. My plan is to highlight five sets from each decade from the '50s to the '00s.

While I'm looking to mention seminal shows, I'm also looking for shows that are ideal DVD sets (great, comprehensive extras, non-syndication cuts, etc.), so it won't necessarily only be the well-known classics. For example, I will not include THE COSBY SHOW in the '80s section because they used syndication cuts; likewise, I'll probably use FIREFLY in the '00s section despite it being a short-run series because of the great set and the good story behind it.

Some of the stuff I know I will include: THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN, BUFFY, THE X-FILES, LOST, THE MUPPET SHOW, SEINFELD, FAMILY GUY, I LOVE LUCY, THE HONEYMOONERS.

Other stuff I'm considering: STAR TREK (TOS, DS9 and/or TNG), THE TWILIGHT ZONE (original series), THE SIMPSONS, CHAPPELLE'S SHOW, 24, LOIS & CLARK, MONTY PYTHON, COUPLING, ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS, THE OUTER LIMITS (original series).

I definitely need more ideas, especially for non-SF stuff. So: suggestions? What are your favorites? Why?

I think that both Futurama and Family Guy sets are worth a mention.

It was my understanding from this forum the Alfred Hitchcock Presents is edited, and has DVD-18 playback issues. So i would scratch that one off. Also i have read about playback issues with the 2nd season of the classic Outer Limits. My favorite set is the first Farscape release. Great extras, 5.1 surround and fantastic PQ. I also liked the DVD release of the new Galactica. You asked for some non si fi...hmmm...Moonlighting is the only one i have bought that was well made. Minus the crappy packaging.

From your "Other stuff I'm considering" category, I would definitely include:

24: Season Two has the best making of a TV show documentary that I've ever seen. They're great looking and sounding discs too.

The Simpsons pull out all the stops when it comes to DVD. Although narrowing it down to one specific season would be based on personal opinions of the episodes.

The Twilight Zone DVDs are absolutely amazing jumps in terms of PQ in my mind. You pay more than you normally would for a TV set but the extra money is well worth how much better the episodes now look.

Lost is a very, very nice set as well.

And for non-sci-fi stuff I would say Deadwood. Primarily due to the high quality of the show. There's also some nice extras and the PQ is great as well.

ANGEL.

All those shows listed and ANGEL isn't among them?

The Dick Van Dyke Show is a "must add" to the list.

-Scott

MIAMI VICE may deserve a mention, at least, as a "yes, it can be done" example of conquering the music clearance hurdles which plague so many other sets. (Other end of the spectrum = the whole Quantum Leap R1 fiasco, followed by the release of allegedly un-butchered R2 sets.)

Re: someone's mention of MOONLIGHTING - there was a very illogical and puzzling music replacement issue. I LOVE the show, but that one thing alone excludes it from such a "best of show" discussion, IMO.

"24" - Definitely! Excellent sets, IMO.

I think Hogan's Heroes deserves a mention. Good quality considering its age, and Season 2 even had some special features.

Thanks for all the recommendations, and keep 'em coming!

Nicholas, Angel is a personal favorite of mine, but as I am already including Buffy and Firefly, I don't want the article to become "the all-Joss Whedon revue" (huge Joss fan though I am). I personally own all five seasons and will probably make a brief mention of it within the Buffy entry. Which, I know, gives undeservedly short shrift to the Fang Gang, but given that this article will be appearing in a daily newspaper, my space will be quite limited and there's no way I can include everything, not even everything I own myself (for example, it's unlikely I'll find room for Wonderfalls or The Tick, though I love both shows dearly).

As an aside, I'm looking for overall series recommendations and not necessarily specific seasons, so the concern over, say, which Simpsons season to recommend isn't a big one.

There's been a few shows mentioned on here that are in my personal collection but that I haven't watched yet for one reason or another (in most cases, because I watched them religiously in their initial airings) that I'm going to have to make a point of watching soon based on the raves, especially 24 and Futurama. I think I might try to go on a big 24 spree in advance of the new season starting.

Scott, regarding Dick Van Dyke, I thought I remembered hearing that those weren't available in B&M stores but only via one particular online merchant. Is this true? If so, can you point me to where? I grew up with Dick Van Dyke in syndication (I'm only 34, so I'm too young to have seen 'em the first time around) and definitely agree that it's a classic show.

I bought mine at the local Best Buy.
A quick search also shows it at Amazon, Deep Discount DVD and Borders.

-Scott

Thanks, Scott. Those look like a good bet for including in the article -- lots of great extras. Something to add to my personal wishlist, too -- given the hefty price, I'll need to either get them as gifts or wait for DDD's next 20% off sale.

Alias is definitely worth mentioning for this decade, as is Scrubs. Friends would be worth mentioning, too, since they actually add scenes into every episode and cut out the commercial fadeouts.

I would suggest Remington Steele as an 80's show.

The Hercules and Xena sets are all good, too...great commentaries from both cast members and creative personnel, and some good extras. Also, the first season Hercules set included all five of the Action Pack movies which preceeded the series, one of which had been broadcast, but otherwise had never been released in ANY format...a definite gem for long-time completist fans. (All sets - of both shows - were also available in Best Buy Exclusive versions.)

Julio,

You may wish to mention Freaks and Geeks. The show had a brief run and was cancelled before the end of the first season. Nevertheless, the show's 18 episodes display excellent writing, acting, and direction. All episodes are UNCUT. All exhibit excellent film-to-video transfers. All licensed music is presented INTACT.

Supplemental material for each and every episode is included -- deleted scenes, one or two commentaries per episode (featuring all major and several minor cast members {either as themselves or in character}, the entire writing and production staff, studio execs, etc.), cast auditions, and so forth.

The six-disc "regular" set is one of the best TV-on-DVD releases of all time, and the eight-disc limited edition (packaged in a High School Yearbook) is even better, with two extra discs of table reads, cast & crew interviews, and other materials.

This set has no flaws of any kind (that I know of) and either meets or exceeds my expectations in every other area. As much as I love Star Trek, Seinfeld, Buffy, and many other shows, I would have to say Freaks and Geeks is the best TV-on-DVD boxed set ever made.

BTW, Buffy may not meet the high standards you have set for inclusion in your article. Many episodes on DVD lack the "Previously on Buffy..." intros that were present in the original broadcasts. This doesn't bother me personally, but I understand why a purist may object to this flaw.

Babylon 5 for the shear top quality of the series and some nice extras

Farscape: Starburst Edition for a great series and extrodinary extras (both in quality and quantity).

Sopranos: Mostly for the quality of the series, but the video and audio is top notch and contains just enough extras to make it into a list like this IMO

Andy

Also: Arrested Development.

No music is replaced in Buffy.

LOST -- great, unique show with superb picture and sound quality and a ton of extras.

Desperate Housewives -- same as above.

Dead Zone -- great writing, good performances, outstanding anamorphic video and commentary on every single episode as well as other extras.

Arrested Development -- hands down, the funniest, most clever show on television and DVD will soon be the only way to enjoy it since the American public is too supid to embrace an intelligent show, but loves "The War at Home" and "Stacked."

At the risk of sounding like a broken record (or scrached CD? What do they call it these days?), I'm going to recommend: Doctor Who.

Not nessassary because of how much I love the show (which is true), but because the treatment that the episodes get would make any other DVD on the planet green with envy.

It starts with each story lovingly restored frame by frame (often by hand) to a nearly prestine print. Considering that some of these broadcast masters were lost for 30 years under a church porch, that's quite a feat. They look like they were broadcast yesterday. Sound is also restored in a likewise manner. (If you want to see the scope of the work, look for yourself)

If the original soundtracks and effects elements are avalable, they sometimes include a 5.1 mix (in addition to the original of course), or an isolated score.

After all this, they lavish the disc with extras. They include commentary on all episodes, often from the Doctor, companion and director - but not always. There's usualy a documentary about the production of the show featuring cast and crew, plus a documentary focusing on one aspect of the show (This writer and his impact on the series, this Doctor, the making of the title sequance and theme - that sort of thing). Oh - and a subtitle trivia track is included on all of the discs.

They include other BBC programs - segments from Blue Peter and Basil Brush turn up all the time - and bumpers/trailers where avilable.

Oh, and the show is a whopping good bit of television, too.