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The Simpsons

October 9, 2011 By StarVideo Leave a Comment

The Simpsons

Starting with the very first episode (airing December 17, 1989), The Simpsons (Season 1) DVD is packed with some of the best episodes in the show's history. All of these early episodes exhibit a bit of amateurish (by later Simpson standards) animation, seeing as how the popularity of the show had yet to land it the massive budgets of subsequent years. However, this does not take away from the show’s acerbic wit which is present and in full swing throughout all thirteen of the original episodes. A few details do stand out. Homer’s voice is slightly different, and he isn’t as stupid as his character is later portrayed to be. But all the other Simpson family members are firmly established from the get-go. These initial episodes witness the appearance of such beloved supporting characters as Krusty the Clown, Ned Flanders, Itchy & Scratchy (although they’re just cartoons!), Monty Burns & sidekick Wayland Smithers, Patty & Selma, Martin Prince, Grandpa Simpson, Reverend Lovejoy, and a host of other highly regarded inhabitants of Springfield who have climbed their way into the hearts of America since the show’s debut. As the longest running animated show in history, and the longest running prime-time show of any type, The Simpsons is an American treasure – a combination of humor, wit, and satire that examines not just the lives of its eccentric characters, but also the society, culture, and world in which we live. Fun for adults and children alike, The Simpsons is a cutting edge television comedy that, like Seinfeld, altered the television landscape in the 1990’s by dictating a new genre of TV fun that spawned network investment in new animated series such as King of the Hill, Futurama, and The Family Guy. Like all new things which smash the paradigm of life, The Simpsons is unrivaled by its knockoffs, and the show doesn’t show signs of slowing down. If you haven’t yet visited Springfield, then I definitely recommend you pick up The Simpsons (Season 1) DVD to catch a glimpse for yourself. You have no idea what you’ve been missing… The Simpsons DVD offers a number of hilarious episodes including the series premiere “Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire” in which Homer’s attempt to work a second job in order to buy the family a great Christmas ends in utter failure. Desperate, he and Bart drive to a local dog-racing track where they place everything they have on a dog named “Santa’s Little Helper”. The dog is an utter failure, but the Simpson Christmas is salvaged when the family receives a special gift… Other notable episodes include “Bart The Genius” in which Bart switches his I.Q. test with that of Martin Prince, the class brain. As a result, he ends up being placed in an advanced school where he’s overwhelmed by expectations. And “Krusty Gets Busted” in which Bart’s hero, Krusty the Clown, is videotaped robbing the Kwik-E-Mart, prompting everyone but Bart to turn against him…

Episodes included on The Simpsons (Season 1) DVD: Episode 1 (Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire) Air Date: 12-17-1989 Episode 2 (Bart The Genius) Air Date: 01-14-1990 Episode 3 (Homer’s Odyssey) Air Date: 01-21-1990 Episode 4 (There’s No Disgrace Like Home) Air Date: 01-28-1990 Episode 5 (Bart The General) Air Date: 02-04-1990 Episode 6 (Moaning Lisa) Air Date: 02-11-1990 Episode 7 (Call Of The Simpsons) Air Date: 02-18-1990 Episode 8 (The Telltale Head) Air Date: 02-25-1990 Episode 9 (Life On The Fast Lane) Air Date: 03-18-1990 Episode 10 (Homer’s Night Out) Air Date: 03-25-1990 Episode 11 (The Crepes Of Wrath) Air Date: 04-15-1990 Episode 12 (Krusty Gets Busted) Air Date: 04-29-1990 Episode 13 (Some Enchanted Evening) Air Date: 05-13-1990

Filed Under: Top 25 TV Shows Tagged With: DVD, show, television

The Cosby Show

October 9, 2011 By StarVideo Leave a Comment

The Cosby Show

Nominated for 29 Emmys, and winner of six including Outstanding Comedy Series, The Cosby Show dominated prime-time TV from the mid- to late-eighties. The brainchild of popular comedian Bill Cosby, the series followed the life and times of a normal upper-middle class African-American family. One of the most successful sitcoms in network television history, The Cosby Show earned the #1 Nielsen rating for five consecutive years (1985-1990), and in its eight seasons it never dropped out of the Top 20. Coupled with the hit comedy series Cheers, the two shows made Thursday nights a weekly ratings sweep for NBC… The Cosby Show is set in a New York brownstone where Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable (Bill Cosby) and his wife Clair (Phylicia Rashad) live with their five children - Sondra (Sabrina Le Beauf), Denise (Lisa Bonet), Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner), Vanessa (Tempestt Bledsoe), and Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam). Cliff is a popular obstetrician/gynecologist who runs his practice out of the home's basement (which has its own street entrance), while Clair is a successful attorney with a local law firm. In the first season, Sondra is not seen because she's attending Princeton, but she and her boyfriend (and later husband) Elvin (Geoffrey Owens) become major characters in subsequent seasons. Most of the comic relief derives from Cliff and Clair's struggles with their children and the often stupid things they do, but in general, the family gets along very well. If The Simpsons are the quintessential dysfunctional TV family, then The Cosby Show is illustrative of the ideal real-life family. Bad language is non-existent in the series, and it showcases a plethora of African-American role models such as Stevie Wonder, Lena Horne, and Sammy Davis Jr. One of the best written sitcoms since I Love Lucy, The Cosby Show holds its own in the hallowed halls of the TV elite… The Cosby Show DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere in which Theo returns from school sporting a report card with 4 D's. Believing he doesn't need to go to college, Theo is given a memorable lesson (using Monopoly money) by Cliff - prompting him to vow to do his best from now on. This episode is especially interesting given the various aspects of the family and home that are different from the rest of the series. Since this was the pilot, the characters and their lives had yet to be firmly established… Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "Mr. Fish" in which the family participates in a formal toilet funeral for Rudy's dead goldfish, and "Father's Day" in which Cliff rebels against the oddball Father's Day presents he's received over the years, such as a giant polka-dot tie with twinkling lights…

Episodes included on The Cosby Show (Season 1) DVD: Episode 1 (The Pilot) Air Date: 09-20-1984 Episode 2 (Mr. Fish) Air Date: 09-27-1984 Episode 3 (Bad Dreams) Air Date: 10-04-1984 Episode 4 (Is That My Boy?) Air Date: 10-11-1984 Episode 5 (A Shirt Story) Air Date: 10-18-1984 Episode 6 (Breaking With Tradition) Air Date: 10-25-1984 Episode 7 (One More Time) Air Date: 11-01-1984 Episode 8 (Play It Again, Vanessa) Air Date: 11-08-1984 Episode 9 (How Ugly Is He?) Air Date: 11-15-1984 Episode 10 (Bon Jour Sondra) Air Date: 11-22-1984 Episode 11 (You're Not a Mother Night) Air Date: 12-06-1984 Episode 12 (Rudy's Sick) Air Date: 12-13-1984 Episode 13 (Father's Day) Air Date: 12-20-1984 Episode 14 (Independence Day) Air Date: 01-10-1985 Episode 15 (Physician of the Year) Air Date: 01-17-1985 Episode 16 (Jitterbug Break) Air Date: 01-31-1985 Episode 17 (Theo and the Joint) Air Date: 02-07-1985 Episode 18 (Vanessa's New Class) Air Date: 02-14-1985 Episode 19 (Clair's Case) Air Date: 02-21-1985 Episode 20 (Back to the Track, Jack) Air Date: 02-28-1985 Episode 21 (The Younger Woman) Air Date: 03-14-1985 Episode 22 (Slumber Party) Air Date: 03-28-1985 Episode 23 (Mr. Quiet) Air Date: 05-02-1985 Episode 24 (Cliff's Birthday) Air Date: 05-09-1985

Filed Under: Top 25 TV Shows Tagged With: African American, Air Date, home, prime time tv, TV

The Andy Griffith Show

October 9, 2011 By StarVideo Leave a Comment

The Andy Griffith Show

One of the most beloved shows in television history, The Andy Griffith Show takes its viewers back to a simpler time of small town America, apple pie, and black and white television… The trademark whistling theme song is one of the most recognizable in history, and the duration of the show in syndicated reruns is unrivaled by its peers. The Andy Griffith Show follows the exploits of the small town of Mayberry and its family values, no nonsense sheriff Andy. Widowed, and father to a small boy named Opie, Andy is joined in Mayberry by his sidekick Deputy Barney Fife, his relative and housekeeper Aunt Bee, and a host of other eccentric characters. But the show stealer is Barney Fife (Don Knotts) who plays the role of a sometimes incompetent, kooky deputy always in over his head. The onscreen dynamic between Griffith and Knotts is truly magical. Both men would go on to heralded careers in show business with Knotts starring in numerous roles, such as Mr. Furley on Three’s Company, and Griffith as the title star of Matlock. And Ron Howard (Opie) would go on to establish himself as one of Hollywood’s most well-known directors… This first season DVD of The Andy Griffith Show is packed with some of the best episodes in the show’s history. Episodes three and thirty-one feature the talented guitar playing of actor James Best, better known as Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane from The Dukes Of Hazzard. Numerous other famous faces turn up throughout season one. In fact, if you look closely enough, you might even see the Maytag repairman… The Andy Griffith Show DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the series premiere “The New Housekeeper” in which Andy’s former housekeeper, Rose, gets married, prompting his search for a replacement. But Opie, unhappy with Rose’s departure, doesn’t take too kindly to the new woman in the house, Andy’s Aunt Bee… Other notable episodes include “The Guitar Player” in which Andy utilizes his powers as sheriff to help a young local guitarist (James Best) realize his dream of playing in a band for a living, and “Alcohol and Old Lace” in which, while on a quest to shut down local distilleries, Andy and Barney are surprised to uncover a trail that leads them to two aged sisters…

Episodes included on The Andy Griffith Show (Season 1) DVD: Episode 1 (The New Housekeeper): Air Date: 10-03-1960 Episode 2 (The Manhunt): Air Date: 10-10-1960 Episode 3 (The Guitar Player): Air Date: 10-17-1960 Episode 4 (Runaway Kid): Air Date: 11-07-1960 Episode 5 (Opie’s Charity): Air Date: 11-28-1960 Episode 6 (Ellie Comes To Town): Air Date: 10-24-1960 Episode 7 (Irresistible Andy): Air Date: 10-31-1960 Episode 8 (A Feud Is A Feud): Air Date: 12-05-1960 Episode 9 (Andy The Matchmaker): Air Date: 11-14-1960 Episode 10 (Stranger In Town): Air Date: 12-26-1960 Episode 11 (The Christmas Story): Air Date: 12-1960 Episode 12 (Ellie For Council): Air Date: 12-12-1960 Episode 13 (Mayberry Goes Hollywood): Air Date: 01-02-1961 Episode 14 (The Horse Trader): Air Date: 01-09-1961 Episode 15 (Those Gossipin’ Men): Air Date: 01-16-1961 Episode 16 (Andy Saves Barney’s Morale): Air Date: 02-20-1961 Episode 17 (Alcohol And Old Lace): Air Date: 01-30-1961 Episode 18 (Andy, The Marriage Counselor): Air Date: 02-10-1961 Episode 19 (Mayberry On Record): Air Date: 02-13-1961 Episode 20 (The Beauty Contest): Air Date: 01-23-1961 Episode 21 (Andy And The Gentleman Crook): Air Date: 02-27-1961 Episode 22 (Cyrano Andy): Air Date: 03-06-1961 Episode 23 (Andy And Opie, Housekeepers): Air Date: 03-13-1961 Episode 24 (The New Doctor): Air Date: 03-27-1961 Episode 25 (Plaque For Mayberry): Air Date: 04-03-1961 Episode 26 (The Inspector): Air Date: 04-10-1961 Episode 27 (Ellie Saves A Female): Air Date: 04-17-1961 Episode 28 (Andy Forecloses): Air Date: 04-24-1961 Episode 29 (Quiet Sam): Air Date: 05-01-1961 Episode 30 (Barney Gets His Man): Air Date: 05-08-1961 Episode 31 (The Guitar Player Returns): Air Date: 05-15-1961 Episode 32 (Bringing Up Opie): Air Date: 05-22-1961

Filed Under: Top 25 TV Shows Tagged With: comedy, hilarious episodes, leads, nonsense, show

Sanford and Son

October 9, 2011 By StarVideo Leave a Comment

Sanford And Son

Nominated for six Golden Globes and seven Emmys, including Outstanding Series - Comedy, Sanford And Son became one of the first shows in television history to be almost entirely centered around African-American characters. Modeled after the British TV show Steptoe And Son, the series showcased the underappreciated talents of comic genius Redd Foxx (whose skin color and bad language prevented him from becoming a superstar decades earlier). The brainchild of All In The Family creator Norman Lear, Sanford And Son signaled the beginning of a decade of sitcom classics for the prolific 1970's TV writer - Maude (1972), Good Times (1974), and The Jeffersons (1975) being the others. Wrought with memorable one-liners and well-timed humor, Sanford And Son was a Top 10 Nielsen rated show every year in which it aired except for its final season (ranking a respectable #27)… Sanford And Son, set in the Watts district of Los Angeles, follows the life of Fred Sanford (Redd Foxx), a 65-year-old African-American junk dealer who shares his business with his 34-year-old son Lamont (Demond Wilson). With Fred's wife Elizabeth having passed away twenty years earlier, he often evokes Lamont's sympathy by clutching his heart and proclaiming, "Oh, I'm coming to join you Elizabeth!" But Fred always survives those near fatal heart attacks, continuing to disperse sarcastic putdowns (often directed at his sister-in-law Esther) and racist stereotypical remarks aimed against whites and Hispanics (especially Lamont's friend Julio). Using guilt to manipulate his ambitious son into staying and helping run the salvage shop instead of pursuing other endeavors, Fred Sanford spends most of his days lounging around the house (his junk store and home are one and the same) and hanging out with his friends - Grady, Melvin, and Bubba… Well-written and hilarious, Sanford & Son is comedian Redd Foxx at his absolute best… The Sanford And Son DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the series premiere "Crossed Swords" in which Lamont purchases a collectible porcelain figure from a silent movie star for $15. When he and Fred get the statuette appraised, they determine that they can fetch a bundle for it if they put it up for auction, but while at the auction, the two decide to pose as buyers to bid up the price, a decision that ends up costing them… Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "The Copper Caper" in which Fred and Lamont purchase their own copper from a man who's been stealing the metal all across town, and "A Pad for Lamont" in which Lamont decides to move into his own apartment for privacy reasons. At first, Fred is upset - until he learns he enjoys having some time to himself…

Episodes included on the Sanford And Son (Season 1) DVD: Episode 1 (Crossed Swords) Air Date: 01-14-1972 Episode 2 (Happy Birthday, Pop) Air Date: 01-21-1972 Episode 3 (Here Comes the Bride, There Goes the Bride) Air Date: 01-28-1972 Episode 4 (The Copper Caper) Air Date: 02-04-1972 Episode 5 (A Matter of Life and Breath) Air Date: 02-11-1972 Episode 6 (We Were Robbed) Air Date: 02-18-1972 Episode 7 (A Pad for Lamont) Air Date: 02-25-1972 Episode 8 (The Great Sanford Siege) Air Date: 03-03-1972 Episode 9 (Coffins for Sale) Air Date: 03-10-1972 Episode 10 (The Barracuda) Air Date: 03-17-1972 Episode 11 (TV or not TV) Air Date: 03-24-1972 Episode 12 (The Suitcase Case) Air Date: 03-31-1972 Episode 13 (The Return of the Barracuda) Air Date: 04-07-1972 Episode 14 (The Piano Movers) Air Date: 04-14-1972

Filed Under: Top 25 TV Shows Tagged With: African American, comedy, comic genius

Little House on the Prairie

October 9, 2011 By StarVideo Leave a Comment

Little House on the Prairie

Nominated for 17 Emmys, including one Golden Globe for Best TV Series - Drama, Little House On The Prairie is one of the most popular shows in television history. Based on the autobiographical series of "Little House" books written by Laura Ingalls Wilder, the show explores the inner-workings of a small town and family on the 19th Century American frontier. Director/Co-Executive Producer Michael Landon (of Bonanza and Highway to Heaven fame) also wrote one-third of the episodes (in addition to playing a lead role as the family's father, Charles, when the actor originally cast for the part failed to show). Charles would go on to become one of the show's most popular characters, and Little House On The Prairie would become an American favorite, boasting ten successful seasons to its credit… Little House On The Prairie follows the lives of the Ingalls family as they settle on the banks of Plum Creek in the township of Walnut Grove, Kansas during the 1870's. A true pioneer family, the story is seen through the eyes of the Ingalls' middle-daughter, Laura (Melissa Gilbert), who experiences all the normal growing pains and emotions of a young girl growing up on the prairie. Carpenter Charles Ingalls (Michael Landon) and his former school teacher wife, Caroline (Karen Grassle), head up a family of three that includes two additional daughters, Mary (Melissa Sue Anderson) and Carrie (Lindsay & Sidney Greenbush). The town also includes a loveable cast of supporting characters, such as Walnut Grove School teacher Eva Beadle (Charlotte Stewart), town doctor Hiram Baker (Kevin Hagen), pastor Robert Alden (Dabbs Greer), family friend Isaiah Edwards (Victor French), the wealthy Oleson family, and a host of other characters… The Little House On The Prairie DVD features a number of dramatic episodes including the series premiere in which the Ingalls family travels from Big Woods, Wisconsin to the more open and fertile lands of the Kansas prairie. Along the way, they make friends with Mr. Edwards (who helps them settle), have a run-in with some Indians, and fight a dangerous fire… Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "Ma's Holiday" in which Charles and Caroline decide to go on a second honeymoon, and "Circus Man" in which a traveling salesmen tries to hoodwink the people of Walnut Grove into the notion that he possesses magic healing powers… Below is a list of episodes included on the Little House On The Prairie (Season 1) DVD: Episode xx (Pilot) Air Date: 03-30-1974 Episode 1 (Harvest of Friends) Air Date: 09-11-1974 Episode 2 (Country Girls) Air Date: 09-18-1974 Episode 3 (100 Mile Walk) Air Date: 09-25-1974 Episode 4 (Mr. Edwards' Homecoming) Air Date: 10-02-1974 Episode 5 (The Love of Johnny Johnson) Air Date: 10-09-1974 Episode 6 (If I Should Wake Before I Die) Air Date: 10-23-1974 Episode 7 (Town Party, Country Party) Air Date: 10-30-1974 Episode 8 (Ma's Holiday) Air Date: 11-06-1974 Episode 9 (School Mom) Air Date: 11-13-1974 Episode 10 (The Raccoon) Air Date: 11-20-1974 Episode 11 (The Voice of Tinker Jones) Air Date: 12-04-1974 Episode 12 (The Award) Air Date: 12-11-1974 Episode 13 (The Lord is My Shepard) Air Date: 12-18-1974 Episode 14 (Christmas at Plum Creek) Air Date: 12-25-1974 Episode 15 (Family Quarrel) Air Date: 01-15-1975 Episode 16 (Doctor's Lady) Air Date: 01-22-1975 Episode 17 (Plague) Air Date: 01-29-1975 Episode 18 (Circus Man) Air Date: 02-05-1975 Episode 19 (Child of Pain) Air Date: 02-12-1975 Episode 20 (Money Crop) Air Date: 02-19-1975 Episode 21 (Survival) Air Date: 02-26-1975 Episode 22 (To See the World) Air Date: 03-05-1975 Episode 23 (Founder's Day) Air Date: 05-07-1975

Filed Under: Top 25 TV Shows Tagged With: show, town