The weekend’s here. You’ve just been paid, and it’s burning a hole in your pocket. What’s a pop culture geek to do? In hopes of steering you in the right direction to blow some of that hard-earned cash, it’s time for the FRED Weekend Shopping Guide – your spotlight on the things you didn’t even know you wanted…
(Please support FRED by using the links below to make any impulse purchases – it helps to keep us going…)
Considering the legal tangle that has stymied its home video release for decades, miraculous is a perfectly suitable word to describe the arrival of the 1966 Batman (Warner Bros., Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$269.97 SRP) TV show to your home theater. And, as if one miracle weren’t enough, they’ve also gone and remastered and restored the original film elements in stunning high definition, making the show’s beautifully colorful 60s palette positively pop in crystal clarity literally never bore seen by audiences. And because you’re already excited, the only way you should buy it, true fans that you are, is via the deluxe collector’s edition box set, which packages all 3 seasons with copious bonus features, an Adam West scrapbook, an episode guide, a set of reproduction trading cards, and your very own 1:64 scale diecast Hot Wheels Batmobile. Holy nostalgia, Batman!
If you’ve been holding off on a grand refresher binge of The Sopranos, your perfect moment – and rationale – has arrived in the form of the honkingly massive 28-disc The Sopranos: The Complete Series (HBO, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$279.98 SRP), which marks the high definition debut of the now-classic drama that redefined both HBO and television. Not only does the series look and sound amazing, but there are plenty of brand new bonus features that make an already easy sell that much easier, including a retrospective documentary on the show’s creation and impact, a pair of cast & crew dinner roundtables, 25 commentaries, lost scenes, a 2-part interview with creator David Chase, and more. Don’t stop believin’.
After Paramount cruelly teased fans a few years back with both a best-of collection and a first season set, it took the miracle workers to deliver unto us the beautifully mastered complete four season set of the legendary Sgt. Bilko (aka The Phil Silvers Show) (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$129.99 SRP). If you’ve never seen the show and consider yourself a fan of comedy, you must rectify the oversight immediately. Not only is the writing sterling, but Phil Silvers is a brilliant comic performer, elevating the material and making his role as a con-happy army sergeant iconic. The 20-disc set contains all 142 episodes, plus audio commentaries, interviews with Phil Silvers, the original network opening, original cast commercials, the lost audition show, an episode of The New Phil Silvers Show, Silver’s guest-starring episode of The Lucy Show, and more.
There have been best-of clip package DVDs released in the past – all of which are well worth adding to your collection – but what makes The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: The Vault Series (Carson Entertainment Group, Not Rated, DVD-$114.99 SRP) so delightfully unique is that the 12-disc box set contains complete, unedited episodes, including the vintage commercials! The 24 episodes within are like little time capsules that are fun, funny, and fascinating. In addition to the 24 episodes, there are also over 4 hours of bonus clips. Here’s hoping there are many more sets to come.
I didn’t dislike the first Hobbit film, but it did suffer from a bloated sense of not much happening, as well as a decided lack of a dragon. And because of the decision to turn two films into three, its extended edition was not extended by very much, as most of the material that would have been put back in was instead shunted over to help fill out its first sequel. That being said, the extended edition of The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug (Warner Bros., Rated PG-13, 3D Blu-Ray-$54.98 SRP) certainly ups both the something happening and the dragon quotient, as our band of dwarves (and a thief) finally make their way to the Lonely Mountain and have their confrontation with the titular dragon, adding in some pretty significant scenes involving Gandalf at Dol Guldur and much more. The real draw to these extended editions for me, though, are the incredibly in-depth and riveting production Appendices, the excellence of which continues through the 10 hours contained in this new set. I could watch these all day. And I did.
Nothing says Turkey Day like Mystery Science Theater 3000, so Shout Factory has crafted the perfect way to fill your holiday viewing in proper fashion with Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XXXI – The Turkey Day Collection (Shout Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$64.99 SRP). Not only do fans get four more films to fill in the holes in their collection – Jungle Goddess, The Painted Hills, The Screaming Skull, & Squirm – but the set is packed with new Turkey Day intros from Joel Hodgson, Turkey Day featurettes, additional featurettes, mini-posters, and even comes packaged in a nifty collectible tin. Hi-keeba!
There are a few shows long since passed that I could still see running today and being every bit as enjoyable, and one of that select few is most certainly Reno 911 (Comedy Central, Not Rated, DVD-$45.98 SRP). If you don’t believe me, or you just want a refresher course, check out the brand new set collecting all 6 seasons of the whip-smart and absurd Cops parody from a handful of alum of The State. Bonus materials include audio commentaries, deleted/alternate scenes, featurettes, and more.
Age and familiarity have in no way lessened the weird wonderfulness of Weird Al Yankovic’s UHF (Shout Factory, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$22.97 SRP) as it makes its high definition debut replete with an audio commentary, deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes footage, easter eggs, promo materials, and a 2014 retrospective panel from Comic-Con.
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (Paramount, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$26.98 SRP) is a certifiable holiday classic, so it’s perfectly acceptable that it’s being celebrated with a brand new diamond anniversary edition. Looking and sounding great, it adds a bag of new bonus materials, including an audio commentary with Rosemary Clooney, classic holiday TV appearances by Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye, a special UNICEF documentary from 1954 featuring Kaye, photo galleries, and a sing-along feature.
I really do despise the “Anakin Effect”. I am a firm believer that there not all evil needs a backstory, and a tender, forgiving one, at that, and that is sadly what Maleficent (Walt Disney, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$36.99 SRP) does for one of the most iconic villains in either animated or live action film history. By making the antagonist of Sleeping Beauty into the central character, this prequel has decided to defang the character and instead make Briar Rose’s father into the villain of the piece, as the person whose actions transformed Angelina Jolie into a fallen faerie bent on revenge. Unfortunate, really. Bonus materials include deleted scenes and a handful of featurettes.
The single-disc releases of Adventure Time have made it up to season 3 with Adventure Time: Finn The Human (Cartoon Network, Not Rated, DVD-$24.98 SRP), featuring 16 episodes (from “The New Frontier” to ” Sad Face” and comes packaged with a limited edition Finn backpack to add to your Finn and Jake hats from previous releases.
If you were expecting a truly batshit crazy final season from True Blood (HBO, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$79.98 SRP) – you know, in keeping with the tone of the series thus far – then the final fate of the denizens of Bon Temps certainly delivers. Because it is just as batshit crazy as it’s ever been. Bonus materials include audio commentaries and a behind-the-scenes special. And because this is the end, and it’s also the holidays, also available is the full caboodle True Blood: The Complete Series (HBO, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$299.99 SRP) continuing all 7 seasons and bonus features from the original single-season sets.
Even when the film is an I-wish-it-was-better road trip comedy, there’s something eminently and irresistibly watchable about Melissa McCarthy. Such is the case with Tammy (Warner Bros., Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$35.99 SRP), which pairs McCarthy’s down-on-her-luck Tammy with her desperate for freedom grandmother (Susan Sarandon) in a multigenerational Thelma & Louise. Bonus materials include featurettes, deleted scenes, and a gag reel.
Let Seth Green and Co. into your hearts for the holidays with the Robot Chicken Christmas Specials collection (Adult Swim, Not Rated, DVD-$14.97 SRP), which brings together on a single disc all of the show’s Yuletide episodes, plus audio commentaries, deleted scenes/animatics, and promos.
If you’re jonesing for some Star Wars and were a fan of the abruptly terminated animated series Clone Wars, see where it all was going with Clone Wars: The Lost Missions (Walt Disney, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$45.99 SRP), containing the final 13 episodes, plus four story reels for now never-to-be-produced future episodes and a brand new documentary. However, if you’re in the mood for a more lighthearted journey to a galaxy far, far away, see the classic tale told with a spin via Phineas & Ferb: Star Wars (Walt Disney, Not Rated, DVD-$19.99 SRP), in which the toon cast take on story.
If you’re in the mood to be uplifted, Legends Of The Knight (Virgil Films, Not Rated, DVD-$19.99 SRP) is a documentary built on tales of people who have overcome adversity and given back to their communities, inspired by the character Batman. Bonus materials include a featurette, deleted scenes, and a trailer.
The music is iconic, the story is interesting, and the actors are game, but there just doesn’t seem to be any real spark to Clint Eastwood’s big screen adaptation of the musical Jersey Boys (Warner Bros., Rated R, Blu-Ray-$35.99 SRP), which tells the tale of the rise , break-up, and rapprochement of Franki Valli and the Four Seasons, from their rough and tumble Garden State roots to the heights of stardom. Bonus materials include a trio of behind-the-scenes featurettes.
Add years of advancement in effects technology and the deadening of audience expectations for drama after numerous SyFy spectacles and you get this generation’s Twister, Into The Storm (Warner Bros., Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$35.99 SRP). The story, if it really matters, focuses on a group of storm chasers on a day where a small Midwestern town is targeted by an onslaught of deadly tornadoes. Because why not? Hey, it looks cool. Bonus materials include a clutch of behind-the-scenes featurettes.
As a story, the wholly unnecessary sequel Planes: Fire & Rescue (Walt Disney, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP) is just as slight and merchandise-driven as its predecessor. However, it’s very clear that the filmmakers were well aware of the script’s plot and character shortcomings and decided to have some fun with a couple of actually quite showstopping action set pieces that are really the only reason to take the time to give the disc a spin. Bonus materials included a bonus short, deleted scenes, featurettes, and more.
I feel bad for Dwayne Johnson. Supposedly, he always dreamed of playing a certain hero of Greek myth. It’s just a shame that when he finally did, it was the painfully dull and thoroughly forgettable Hercules (Paramount, Rated PG-13, 3D Blu-Ray-$54.99 SRP), which at least manages to look nice, even if that’s all it really has going for it besides the enthusiastic Johnson. Bonus materials include deleted/extended scenes, an audio commentary, featurettes, and more.
So there you have it… my humble suggestions for what to watch, listen to, play with, or waste money on this coming weekend. See ya next week…
-Ken Plume
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Much like the film it gets compared to most often, 
We’ve left the summer behind and I didn’t see a single firefly. I recall the summers of my youth being filled with fireflies. Well, I can alleviate some of that nostalgic disappointment with the electronic 
Often overlooked, the artistry that exists behind the action is explored and given a chance to shine in the latest installment of Disney’s incredible art series 
While it’s not the release of 1941 I was hoping for, I suppose it is nice to have beautiful high-definition editions of Spielberg’s dinosaurs via the 
Disney’s 
I’ve seen plenty of documentaries, and very few of them are as entertaining as 
If you’re not watching Idris Elba’s new series, then pick it up with the second release, 
There might have been an interesting film to be had with the idea of presenting exactly why fans feel so betrayed by George Lucas’s handling of the Star Wars franchise over the past 15 years, but 
Now only do you get 20 regular episodes in the 5th season set of 
Get your man flick fix this weekend with the high definition release of 
It’s been a few months, so it makes sense that we’re getting the second volume of the first season of 
Those fans that have only experience the butchered editions of The Mighty Boosh that have been running on Adult Swim need to run – not walk – to their favorite DVD emporium and snag copies of the new-to-the-US unexpurgated editions of 
Some may call it kitschy. Some may call it corny. Some may call it Shirley. The fine folks at Thinkgeek call it the 
As a fan of both the Neil Gaiman book and the previous work of director Henry Selick, I was eager to see what the stop-motion cinematic adaptation of 
Spurred on by the fun they had with their original foray into a galaxy far, far away, the Robot Chicken team decided to jump back in with 
Another quirky show still going strong (and also a network-mate of Monk is 
I once chatted with John Hodgman about the importance of supporting a film like 
Truly a leader in John Hodgman’s vision of a nerdier America, Ira Glass’s 
Spongebob makes a momentous decision about his very identity in the latest single-disc release, 
Like many a quirky, innovative show before it, 
Years after defining the television sitcom and becoming a cultural icon, a now-single Lucille Ball returned with 
In a nature mood? The Smithsonian has a quartet of new documentaries that may help with that. Explore the massive blue whale in 
Hey! Fans of Homestar Runner! Get your DVD fix with a pair of new Strong Bad DVDs – 
It’s completely mind-off entertainment, but at least you can say that the techno-thriller 
It’s not a terribly great adaptation of the Terry Pratchett book, but there is a measure of fun to be had in the made-for-TV 
Even as Sci-Fi… err, Syfy… is on the verge of launching a new, neutered series, Stargate fans can pick up a newly recut, refurbished version of the original series pilot, 
By the time the fourth season of 
James Brolin and Connie Selleca star in Aaron Spelling’s land-based equivalent of The Love Boat, 
Hope is in the air that this isn’t the end, but the release of 
Over the years, I’ve hunted and hunted for a good set of portable laptop speakers that are a) actually portable, b) provide good sound, and c)don’t require any outside power supply (including batteries). My current favorite that matches all of those criteria is the 
Fans of Disney animation – both its process and history – will want to tear into the lavish hardcover 
As a complimentary volume to that, might I also suggest 
If anyone was wondering why Bryan Cranston won an Emmy for his role as a sad sack, trying to make ends meet chemistry teacher who gets diagnosed with terminal cancer and decides – to hell with it – to use his knowledge to make crystal meth with one of his former students, watch the first season of 
Every once in awhile, someone hits on an idea for a documentary where you just have to sit back and go, “Brilliant!” and then enjoy the heck out of it. Such is the case with 
It’s a 50/50 proposition with kids shows (which, because of my nephews, I’ve been forced to watch a lot of these past few years). Either they’re really good, or they’re abysmal. One that manages to a fun half hour is The Mighty B!, which is co-created by Amy Poehler (who provides the voice of the titular feisty girl Bessie, using a voice fans of UCB will find familiar). The first Mighty B! release – 
Years after the release of the first two seasons, Sony has decided to allay fears it had given up the ghost by releasing the third season of 
Another classic has made its way to high definition with a port of the deluxe special edition of William Friedkin’s 
I’m just this close to over the dopey, one note aww-shucksism of Michael Cera, but he manages to make it work for 
There’s nothing like spending a Saturday afternoon kicking back and watching a 70’s car chase classic like 
Bring a little Hong Kong action to your weekend with Derek Yee’s 
Want a nice primer of a few classic British series? Try 
Although it tries to be Porky’s, Risky Business, and American Pie for today’s kids hoping to sneak into an R-rated sex comedy, 
With the new edition of the musical tearing up London’s West End, take a gander at the BBC’s recent dramatic take on Dickens’ classic 
If you keen on a cheap thriller this weekend, then you’re probably thinking of something like 
The Brits have a knack for taking the tired old sitcom format, blowing it up, and creating some absolutely brilliant television. Those bastards. Most definitely to be included in their long line of triumphs is Spaced, a show about a pair of twenty-something slackers – Tim & Daisy (Simon Pegg & Jessica Stevenson) – who pose as a professional couple in order to get a North London apartment. Sure, Tim could be a comic book artist if he tried, and Daisy’s quite a good writer, but being successful in either of those careers would mean applying themselves… By, of all things, *working*. Gah! With a gaggle of off-the-wall friends and acquaintances, if you think of it as a twenty-something Seinfeld with a postmodern pop culture twist (there are frequent surreal diversions) you wouldn’t be far off the mark. After much legal wrangling, fans and soon-to-be fans in the US can now pick up 
I have a massive photo and slide archive. Ridiculously large, actually. And like anyone in this modern age, I’d like to digitize it. Unfortunately, digitizing that much material with old-school flatbed scanner adapters or standalone scanners has been a pain ass. Well, get one of these nifty 
If you want a sure sign that an action figure line has gotten traction, a good indicator would be that they’ve been successful enough to begin releasing a second wave. Such is the case with 
Every comic book series seems to be getting the snazzy deluxe treatment nowadays – with some bewildering choices – but certainly deserving of the honor is Mike Mignola’s Hellboy. The clothbound, hardcover 
After months and months of taunting and numerous delayed release dates, finally – FINALLY – we see the release of Comedy Central’s short-lived surreal gem, 
I admit to really loving the deluxe, hardcover, archival editions that Dark Horse has been releasing of titles I never thought would get that kind of treatment – namely the Gold Key runs of both 
Before Family Guy decided to jump on the bandwagon, Adult Swim’s Robot Chicken decided to venture into a galaxy far, far away for a bit of a good-natured puncture. With full cooperation from Lucasfilm, 
There’s no Kurosawa quite like overlooked Kurosawa, and that’s what makes his taut, high-tension 
Set in a dystopian Los Angeles in the not-too-distant future, 
Certainly living up to its name, 
James Caan may have departed, but Tom Selleck more than fills his shoes in the fifth season of