The comedy series Just Shoot Me! leads a wide variety of TV shows being released on DVD this week.
Just Shoot Me!: The Complete Series (Shout!, 1997-2003, 19 discs, 148 episodes, audio commentaries, featurette, photo gallery). Laura San Giacomo as Maya Gallo is the nominal star of this very funny ensemble workplace sitcom about eccentrics at the fictional Blush, a high-end fashion magazine in Manhattan. Mayas wealthy, materialistic father Jack (George Segal) owns the publication and she reluctantly comes to work for him, though shes also opposed to women being treated as sex objects, which is, of course, the magazines stock in trade.
The other central characters are fashion editor/former model Nina (Wendie Malick, more recently of Hot in Cleveland), photographer Elliot (Enrico Colantoni, the father of Veronica Mars) and Jacks assistant Finch (former Saturday Night Live comic David Spade). All are very good, and the writing is generally crisp and witty. Take note of the running gag about Jack having a competition with (off-camera) Donald Trump about who is smarter and richer, and who gives more to charities, which has a peculiar resonance these days.
Rowan and Martins Laugh-In: The Complete First Season (Time Life, 1968, four discs, 14 episodes, pilot episode, featurettes, bloopers). Season one of the blackout-skit comedy series Laugh-In is dated in some ways but is still often hilarious, and its certainly nostalgic for baby boomers with its 60s political references. Goldie Hawn is among the regular cast, with guests Harry Belafonte, John Wayne, Johnny Carson, Tim Conway, Sammy Davis Jr., Sally Field, Jerry Lewis, Tom Smothers, Flip Wilson, etc.
Endeavour: The Complete Fourth Season (PBS, 2017, two discs, four feature-length episodes, featurettes). This prequel to Inspector Morse is a British police procedural set primarily in Oxford and begins season four with Endeavour Morse (Shaun Evans) discovering that his sergeants exam has gone missing, even as hes up to is neck in dead bodies and is about to confront the 1967 Summer of Love. (Season five will air in early 2018.)
The Flash: The Complete Third Season (DC/Warner, 2016-17, four-disc Blu-ray/six-disc DVD, 23 episodes, deleted scenes, featurettes, bloopers). A spinoff from Arrow, this superhero series about the fastest man alive finds him dealing in season three with the consequences of saving his mother from Reverse Flash and disrupting the timeline. The eighth episode, Invasion!, kicks off a crossover story that continues in Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow, but those episodes are not included in this set. (Season four begins Oct. 10 on The CW.)
Hawaii Five-0: The Seventh Season (CBS/Paramount, 2016-17, six discs, 25 episodes, deleted/extended scenes, featurettes, bloopers). McGarrett (Alex OLoughlin) and Danny (Scott Caan) track down the chess-piece killer in the seventh season of this reboot of the popular 1970s show. With Claire Forlani and Rosalind Chao in recurring roles, and guests Christine Lahti and Hal Holbrook. (Season eight is now airing on CBS.)
Criminal Minds: Season 12 (CBS/Paramount, 2016-17, six discs, 22 episodes, deleted/extended scenes, audio commentaries, featurettes, bloopers). Joe Mantegna and Paget Brewster star in this police procedural about FBI profilers that track down serial killers. Thomas Gibson leaves the show after the first two episodes here, and Mantegna directs two episodes. Recurring cast members include Jane Lynch and Aubrey Plaza, and guests include Tatum ONeil and Sherilyn Fenn. (Season 13 is now airing on CBS.)
Supernatural: The Complete Twelfth Season (Warner, 2016-17, four-disc Blu-ray/six-disc DVD, 23 episodes, deleted scenes, audio commentaries, featurettes, bloopers). Demon hunters Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Sam (Jared Padalecki) finally confront Lucifer this season. Guests include Rick Springfield and Alicia Witt. (Season 12 begins Oct. 12 on The CW.)
Narcos: Season Two (Lionsgate, 2016, three-disc Blu-ray, four-disc DVD, 10 episodes, deleted scenes, audio commentary, featurette). The story of real-life drug lord Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura) begins this season immediately after his escape from a Colombian prison at the end of season one, as the Colombian police, DEA agents and rival cartels all attempt to take him down. (Season three is airing now on Netflix.)
The Great British Baking Show: Season 4 (PBS, 2013, three discs, 10 episodes). Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood judge the best efforts of 12 amateur bakers as they compete in this fourth season of the popular series from across the pond. Cakes, biscuits, bread, pastries and desserts are among the offerings. (The show is on its eighth season on British television.)
The Churchills (Athena, 2012, three episodes). This documentary miniseries has historian David Starkey relating parallel stories of Winston Churchill, who led Britain and its allies to victory against Nazi Germany in World War II, and John Churchill, the first Duke of Marlborough, who battled aspiring dictator King Louis XIV of France and provided Winston with inspiration.
Bannons War (PBS, 2017). Your interest in this documentary about Stephen Bannon may be influenced by his resignation (some would say ouster) from President Trumps administration last month. But with interviews with some 30 political insiders, Breitbart associates and journalists, the film remains relevant, especially given Bannons return to Breitbart and his subsequent declaration of war on Trump enemies.
Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood: King Daniel for a Day (PBS Kids, 2015-17, seven episodes). The title episode is extended in this latest collection from the series, an animated spinoff of the puppet Daniel Tiger from Mister Rogers Neighborhood.
PAW Patrol: The Great Pirate Rescue (Nickelodeon/Paramount, 2013-14, six episodes). The PAW Patrol is comprised of rescue dogs (the acronym is for Pups at Work). Here, they look for pirate treasure, run into a pirate ghost and are called to a circus, among other adventures.
Just Shoot Me!: The Complete Series (Shout!, 1997-2003, 19 discs, 148 episodes, audio commentaries, featurette, photo gallery). Laura San Giacomo as Maya Gallo is the nominal star of this very funny ensemble workplace sitcom about eccentrics at the fictional Blush, a high-end fashion magazine in Manhattan. Mayas wealthy, materialistic father Jack (George Segal) owns the publication and she reluctantly comes to work for him, though shes also opposed to women being treated as sex objects, which is, of course, the magazines stock in trade.
The other central characters are fashion editor/former model Nina (Wendie Malick, more recently of Hot in Cleveland), photographer Elliot (Enrico Colantoni, the father of Veronica Mars) and Jacks assistant Finch (former Saturday Night Live comic David Spade). All are very good, and the writing is generally crisp and witty. Take note of the running gag about Jack having a competition with (off-camera) Donald Trump about who is smarter and richer, and who gives more to charities, which has a peculiar resonance these days.
Rowan and Martins Laugh-In: The Complete First Season (Time Life, 1968, four discs, 14 episodes, pilot episode, featurettes, bloopers). Season one of the blackout-skit comedy series Laugh-In is dated in some ways but is still often hilarious, and its certainly nostalgic for baby boomers with its 60s political references. Goldie Hawn is among the regular cast, with guests Harry Belafonte, John Wayne, Johnny Carson, Tim Conway, Sammy Davis Jr., Sally Field, Jerry Lewis, Tom Smothers, Flip Wilson, etc.
Endeavour: The Complete Fourth Season (PBS, 2017, two discs, four feature-length episodes, featurettes). This prequel to Inspector Morse is a British police procedural set primarily in Oxford and begins season four with Endeavour Morse (Shaun Evans) discovering that his sergeants exam has gone missing, even as hes up to is neck in dead bodies and is about to confront the 1967 Summer of Love. (Season five will air in early 2018.)
The Flash: The Complete Third Season (DC/Warner, 2016-17, four-disc Blu-ray/six-disc DVD, 23 episodes, deleted scenes, featurettes, bloopers). A spinoff from Arrow, this superhero series about the fastest man alive finds him dealing in season three with the consequences of saving his mother from Reverse Flash and disrupting the timeline. The eighth episode, Invasion!, kicks off a crossover story that continues in Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow, but those episodes are not included in this set. (Season four begins Oct. 10 on The CW.)
Hawaii Five-0: The Seventh Season (CBS/Paramount, 2016-17, six discs, 25 episodes, deleted/extended scenes, featurettes, bloopers). McGarrett (Alex OLoughlin) and Danny (Scott Caan) track down the chess-piece killer in the seventh season of this reboot of the popular 1970s show. With Claire Forlani and Rosalind Chao in recurring roles, and guests Christine Lahti and Hal Holbrook. (Season eight is now airing on CBS.)
Criminal Minds: Season 12 (CBS/Paramount, 2016-17, six discs, 22 episodes, deleted/extended scenes, audio commentaries, featurettes, bloopers). Joe Mantegna and Paget Brewster star in this police procedural about FBI profilers that track down serial killers. Thomas Gibson leaves the show after the first two episodes here, and Mantegna directs two episodes. Recurring cast members include Jane Lynch and Aubrey Plaza, and guests include Tatum ONeil and Sherilyn Fenn. (Season 13 is now airing on CBS.)
Supernatural: The Complete Twelfth Season (Warner, 2016-17, four-disc Blu-ray/six-disc DVD, 23 episodes, deleted scenes, audio commentaries, featurettes, bloopers). Demon hunters Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Sam (Jared Padalecki) finally confront Lucifer this season. Guests include Rick Springfield and Alicia Witt. (Season 12 begins Oct. 12 on The CW.)
Narcos: Season Two (Lionsgate, 2016, three-disc Blu-ray, four-disc DVD, 10 episodes, deleted scenes, audio commentary, featurette). The story of real-life drug lord Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura) begins this season immediately after his escape from a Colombian prison at the end of season one, as the Colombian police, DEA agents and rival cartels all attempt to take him down. (Season three is airing now on Netflix.)
The Great British Baking Show: Season 4 (PBS, 2013, three discs, 10 episodes). Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood judge the best efforts of 12 amateur bakers as they compete in this fourth season of the popular series from across the pond. Cakes, biscuits, bread, pastries and desserts are among the offerings. (The show is on its eighth season on British television.)
The Churchills (Athena, 2012, three episodes). This documentary miniseries has historian David Starkey relating parallel stories of Winston Churchill, who led Britain and its allies to victory against Nazi Germany in World War II, and John Churchill, the first Duke of Marlborough, who battled aspiring dictator King Louis XIV of France and provided Winston with inspiration.
Bannons War (PBS, 2017). Your interest in this documentary about Stephen Bannon may be influenced by his resignation (some would say ouster) from President Trumps administration last month. But with interviews with some 30 political insiders, Breitbart associates and journalists, the film remains relevant, especially given Bannons return to Breitbart and his subsequent declaration of war on Trump enemies.
Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood: King Daniel for a Day (PBS Kids, 2015-17, seven episodes). The title episode is extended in this latest collection from the series, an animated spinoff of the puppet Daniel Tiger from Mister Rogers Neighborhood.
PAW Patrol: The Great Pirate Rescue (Nickelodeon/Paramount, 2013-14, six episodes). The PAW Patrol is comprised of rescue dogs (the acronym is for Pups at Work). Here, they look for pirate treasure, run into a pirate ghost and are called to a circus, among other adventures.