Topic: Addicted2dvd's Random TV Series Watched

[addicted2dvd]

A Haunting: Seasons 1 & 2 (Episodes 3-5)
In sixteen chilling tales of the supernatural, on 3 DVDs, New Dominion Picture's 'A Haunting,' takes you inside real-life horror stories. The series originally aired on the Discovery Channel, and each eerie one-hour episode features eyewitness accounts and cinematic re-enactments of some of most spine-tingling, ghostly hauntings ever recorded, filmed in actual locations where these apparitions took place. They are all but guaranteed to spook even the most skeptical observer, but you can judge for yourself: are they imagined, or are they real?

Episode by episode, you'll be shocked and surprised by the spell-binding tales. Take the case of the dance club haunted by ghosts from a by-gone era, the child inhabited by evil that only an exorcism will cure, or house-haunting specters, scaring the wits out of their unsuspecting victims. 'A Haunting' explores these and many other unexplainable, eerie, and macabre tales of the paranormal.

By the end of each amazing story, you will experience a lingering sense that life and death are much stranger than you could have possibly imagined!

My Thoughts:
These 3 episodes finishes off disc 1. These episodes consist of Hell House... where supposedly the new home of a family is haunted by 3 ghosts... who is supposedly being controlled by a demonic spirit. Then there is Cursed where a family is being tormented by a poltergeist. And then finally we have Echoes from the Grave where a rather large family (2 adults and 7 kids) supposedly has 2 spirits in the house with them... one good and one evil. The good supposedly protecting the family the best it can till the family sells the house. Then the good spirit supposedly let it known that when they leave do not return as he is leaving also so won't be there to protect them. So this was 3 more interesting stories. Out of the 5 stories on this disc... I have to say my favorite so far had to be episode #2... The Haunting of Summerwind. It was just the most interesting of the episodes for me so far.

[addicted2dvd]

Sliders: Season 4 (Disc 4)
Slide into an out-of-this-world adventure as all 22 thrilling Season 4 episodes of 'Sliders' land on DVD for the first time ever! Reunite with genius Quinn Mallory (Jerry O'Connell) and his fellow Sliders – Rembrandt (Cleavant Derricks), Captain Maggie Beckett (Kari Wuhrer), and Quinn's brother Colin (Charlie O'Connell) – as they jump in and out of alternate Earthly realms, battle the ruthless Kromaggs, deal with their tricky doubles, search for their mysterious birth parents, and try to land on the elusive Earth Prime. Accompanying them on various leaps through time and space are spectacular guest stars including Adrienne Barbeau ('Escape from New York'), Shane Westz ('ER') and Malcolm Jamal-Warner ('Jeremiah'). It's an absolute must-have for every sci-fi fan!

My Thoughts:
This disc has 4 more episodes. All of them decent episodes. One thing I found curios. The last episode on this disc they slide into an "Old West" world. But when it came to gunfighting... they didn't go with the obvious... Maggie, who was a marine... like they did with all the other episodes. This time they went with Colin... since they found him on a world that was in a similar time frame... I guess they figured he would be the smarter choice. Only problem... they never set up him being such a great shot before this. So, at least in my eyes, it felt a little forced.

[addicted2dvd]

The Dead Zone: The Final Season (Disc 3)
Prepare to experience all new spellbinding suspense and paranormal adventures as Johnny Smith (Anthony Michael Hall) faces the greatest challenges of his psychically-altered existence in this sixth and final season of this intense thriller based on the story and characters from sci-fi master, Stephen King.

My Thoughts:
This disc completes the season... well the series actually. Which I am really sorry to say. This season did try to answer a lot questions... but it did not finish off the biggest (Series Long) story line! From that it is obvious that they didn't realize at the time the series would be canceled. So I am now leaving this series wishing I had more. I wonder if there is any chance what so ever that there could be a TV Movie or even better.. a TV Miniseries to bring this series to a more satisfying ending.

[addicted2dvd]

Spy Smasher
Spy Smasher, the American free-lance agent in occupied France, is captured by the Germans while trying to get information about The Mask, the head of the German spy ring in the USA. After being rescued and returned to America, he enlists the aid of his twin brother and vows to bring the Nazi agent and his evil allies to justice and thwart The Mask's diabolical plans and operations which includes a counterfeiting ring and the attempted theft of a new weapon capable of melting plane engines in flight. It's all-out action and cliffhanging drama in one of the best serials ever made by Republic!

My Thoughts:
As the overview says... this is considered one of the best serials ever made. And I can see why. Once I started watching this one I couldn't pull myself away till I watched all 12 chapters. This serial is pure non-stop action from beginning to end. And I enjoyed every second of it. This is a serial that a good friend gave me... is a homemade set as this is not officially available through the studio yet. Because of this... I was not expecting much quality wise... but I must admit... this is one of the better serials I have quality wise as well. Though I do hope there will be an official studio release of Spy Smasher before too long.

[addicted2dvd]

Sliders: Season 4 (Disc 5)
Slide into an out-of-this-world adventure as all 22 thrilling Season 4 episodes of 'Sliders' land on DVD for the first time ever! Reunite with genius Quinn Mallory (Jerry O'Connell) and his fellow Sliders – Rembrandt (Cleavant Derricks), Captain Maggie Beckett (Kari Wuhrer), and Quinn's brother Colin (Charlie O'Connell) – as they jump in and out of alternate Earthly realms, battle the ruthless Kromaggs, deal with their tricky doubles, search for their mysterious birth parents, and try to land on the elusive Earth Prime. Accompanying them on various leaps through time and space are spectacular guest stars including Adrienne Barbeau ('Escape from New York'), Shane Westz ('ER') and Malcolm Jamal-Warner ('Jeremiah'). It's an absolute must-have for every sci-fi fan!

My Thoughts:
Now that I am through with this set... I see that it is not season 4 that really bothered me much on this series. I actually really enjoyed most all this season. It must be just the 5th season episodes that really went downhill (IMO). I would have liked to have seen some decent show related extras on this set... but it just wasn't meant to be. At least I can enjoy the episodes themselves... and after all... that is the most important thing. Even though I remember not being all that impressed with season 5... I still hope to see it released before too long... as I would love to complete this series... and would hate to have all seasons but one. In my opinion when they get that far into the series they should be sure to complete it.

[addicted2dvd]

The Bill Engvall Show: Season 1
A pet snake is loose in the house. A teen daughter thinks "no" is an insufficient response to her desire to get a belly ring (okay, how about "NO!"). Welcome to the Pearson home, where dad Bill, a family counselor, finds that guiding his own family is an ongoing therapy session.

Blue Collar comedian Bill Engvall brings his winning dad-itude to the eight Season One episodes of this series that's easygoing, relatable and therapeutically funny. As his own brood can use more than its fair share of counseling, Bill and wife Susan (Nancy Travis) search for ways to raise three mischievous kids. Hassles, humor and heart are all in abundance - from the Pearson family to yours.

My Thoughts:
This is one of the sets that my daughter got me on Father's Day. I enjoyed every second of this sitcom... so much so that I watched the entire season in one afternoon... granted that is unfortunately only 8 episodes... but none the less... I just could not stop watching it! It is a fun series... I liked all the characters. Especially his family. Bill's wife is played by a lovely actress named Nancy Travis. Someone that looked oddly familiar to me... but I just could not place it. So when I looked to see what else I have with her in it... I found out just why she looked so familiar to me. She played Dr. Joyce Reardon on one of my favorite Stephen King miniseries... Rose Red. The woman that put together the expedition to the mansion together. I thought she did a wonderful job in Rose Red... and I enjoyed her just as much in this. I am really happy with this set... and I look forward to any additional seasons that may be released in the future. I know the second season only started to air on TBS... hopefully that season will be releases shortly after it finishes airing... and hopefully we will get more then 8 episodes!

[addicted2dvd]

Three's Company: Season 8 (Disc 1)
It's the unforgettable concluding season that began with Jack (Emmy® winner John Ritter) narrowly escaping marriage and children and ended in which he proposes to the woman he loves. In between, there were plenty of mistaken identities, sexual shenanigans, falls over furniture and even a visit from Jack's dad! But why are Janet (Joyce DeWitt) and Larry (Richard Kline) pretending to be French? How far will Terri (Priscilla Barnes) go to get a promotion> What happens when Jack and Mr. Furley (Don Knotts) get locked in the freezer? How did Jack get a tattoo on his derriere? And who is 'Grandma Tripper' and why is she being forced to bake cookies? Joanna Kerns, Rita Wilson, Mary Cadorette, Dick Shawn, Lana Clarkson and Robert Mandan co-star in these 21 episodes, including the double-length concluding episode, that bid a final farewell to the hilarious and beloved sitcom that changed television forever!

My Thoughts:
I don't know what it is about this sitcom classic. But this is one of the few that makes me laugh out loud even today. A series that... for me at least... stayed constantly good from the first season to the last. It is just a constantly hilarious series. And a series that surprisingly I don't see in syndication any longer. At least not on Nick@Nite... as I don't watch TVLand all that much. I haven't gone over the whole set to see what is included. But this first disc has no extras on it what so ever.

[addicted2dvd]

The Crow: Stairway to Heaven: The Complete Series (Disc 2)
Exactly one year after being brutally murdered, rock musician Eric Draven returns to Earth, searching for a way to right what has been wronged and to reunite with his missing soul-mate Shelly Webster. Guided by a mystical Spirit Crow, he is neither living nor dead, possessing strange new powers to aid him in his search for revenge which, ultimately, must become a quest for redemption.

The legend of "The Crow" began as a popular comic series by James O'Barr, and grew into a sensation with the release of the feature films. In the 1998-1999 season, "The Crow: Stairway to Heaven" became a successful television series starring world-wide action star and martial arts expert MARK DACASCOS ('Brotherhood of the Wolf', 'John Woo's Stranglehold', 'Iron Chef America'). The critically acclaimed series was developed for television anmd executive produced by TV feature writer/producer BRYCE ZABEL ('Mortal Kombat Annihilation', 'The Poseidon Adventure', 'Dark Skies'). All 22 hours of the original episodes have been collected into this five-DVD set.

My Thoughts:
This was a blind buy when I bought it 5 months ago. Back when I first bought it in January I watched the first disc... and loved every second of it! I don't know why it took me so long before watching the second disc. I guess simply that I got so many other titles in that I just never got around to it. That is probably a good thing since the series only lasted one season... I am able to enjoy the first viewing of the series for longer then normal. After getting my second taste of the series I am not so sure I will be able to wait so long before going to disc 3. Once again... this series has lots of great action and martial arts. I also like how Eric (The Crow) gets a smart-mouthed attitude when he gets fighting and "The Crow" persona takes over. He has given me a lot of laughs with some of the things he comes out with. Definitely turning into a great series for me!

[addicted2dvd]

The Best of Match Game (Episodes 5-7)
Get ready to match the stars...as we play everyone's favorite big money match game! On DVD for the first time ever, this is your chance to experience 30 of the greatest episodes of this iconic game show, uncut and beautifully transferred from their original masters.

As one of the most popular television shows in the '70s and early '80s watch a nostalgia masterpiece with a sharp fashion sense and a disco diva style. Match Game is a classic with a rich TV history watched by million over its broadcast lifetime and now fondly remembered as part of growing up around the TV set.

From your favorite stars, including Match Game perennials Brett Somers, Charles Nelson Reilly, Betty White and Richard Dawson to Gene Rayburn's custom microphone and crazy antics - this collection has it all! Enjoy hours of rare bonus material including the pilot episode of 1962's The Match Game, a special tribute to Gene Rayburn, an exclusive interview with Brett Somers and much more!

My Thoughts:
Well... this finishes off the first disc. As much as I am enjoying the episodes... so far this set is starting to disappoint me. Quality wise. Part of an episode the audio and video was out of sync.... the bonus material on the first disc seemed to be messed up... as well as other minor glitches in the video throughout a couple of the episodes. Hopefully the rest of the discs are in better shape then this one.

[addicted2dvd]

Three's Company: Season 8 (Disc 2)
It's the unforgettable concluding season that began with Jack (Emmy® winner John Ritter) narrowly escaping marriage and children and ended in which he proposes to the woman he loves. In between, there were plenty of mistaken identities, sexual shenanigans, falls over furniture and even a visit from Jack's dad! But why are Janet (Joyce DeWitt) and Larry (Richard Kline) pretending to be French? How far will Terri (Priscilla Barnes) go to get a promotion> What happens when Jack and Mr. Furley (Don Knotts) get locked in the freezer? How did Jack get a tattoo on his derriere? And who is 'Grandma Tripper' and why is she being forced to bake cookies? Joanna Kerns, Rita Wilson, Mary Cadorette, Dick Shawn, Lana Clarkson and Robert Mandan co-star in these 21 episodes, including the double-length concluding episode, that bid a final farewell to the hilarious and beloved sitcom that changed television forever!

My Thoughts:
I just finished watching several more hilarious episodes. Now that I finished disc 2 I only have a couple more discs to watch of this series. In an episode on this disc Janet lost her job at the flower shop... and is now an Aerobics Instructor. In the end of the episode this was still the case... it never said anything about her going back to the flower shop. I wonder if this is a permanent change (as there is only 10 episodes left in the series)... or if it will mention going back to work at the flower shop. I have seen several shows add something like this... and then just drop it an episode later or so... like it never happen. I am a bit curios if that will happen here or not.

[addicted2dvd]

24: Season 5(Disc 1)
Eighteen months after faking his own death, Jack Bauer is forced to return to L.A. when it becomes apparent that the only four people who know he is still alive are being targeted for assassination. The killings coincide with the signing of an anti-terrorism treaty with Russia, leading Jack to suspect a link between the assassinations, the treaty, and a group of Russian terrorists. But as the terror unfolds, Jack learns the day's events were set in motion by an individual within the U.S. administration - someone with the power and resources to thwart Jack's every move. 


My Thoughts:
This disc has the first 4 episodes from the 5th season. It has been a while since I seen any episodes of 24... I forgot how addicting this  series is. I liked that this season has Geraint Wyn Davies in it... I really enjoyed him in both the movie Cube and the TV Series Forever Knight.

[addicted2dvd]

The Eye
Sydney Wells is blind and has been so since a childhood tragedy. After undergoing surgery to restore her sight she learns to see again. But soon after, unexplainable shadowy and frightening images start to haunt her. Not knowing if they are an aftermath of surgery, her mind adjusting to sight, her imagination, or something horrifyingly real, Sydney is soon convinced that her anonymous eye donor has somehow opened the door to a terrifying world only she can now see.

My Thoughts:
Now I never seen the Japanese movie this was made from... so I can't compare the two. But I highly suspect that the Japanese version was much better then this one. Don't get me wrong I did enjoy it. But it should have been better then what it was. There just wasn't anything scary about the movie at all. Although... Jessica Alba looked great as usual. Unfortunately this release has no extras what so ever.

[Achim]

My Thoughts:
Now I never seen the Japanese movie this was made from... so I can't compare the two. But I highly suspect that the Japanese version was much better then this one. Don't get me wrong I did enjoy it. But it should have been better then what it was. There just wasn't anything scary about the movie at all.

Was it Japanese...? I thought it was from Hong Kong or even Thailand; by the Pang Brothers...

Anyway, Asian horror is much different to Western horror. Often it is not scary to us, as we prefer monsters and stuff yet the Asians are more into ghost / haunting stories. (I might add that they often don't get scared by our horror just the same....).

The Asian version has one stand out moment in it that I remember.

(click to show/hide)

It's shortly after the operation when the girl is getting used to her eyesight. She then sees a ghost, but I believe isn't aware at first, which the suddenly approaches her very quickly, almost like a "jump cut". Great scare!

[Najemikon]

The Asian version has one stand out moment in it that I remember.

(click to show/hide)

It's shortly after the operation when the girl is getting used to her eyesight. She then sees a ghost, but I believe isn't aware at first, which the suddenly approaches her very quickly, almost like a "jump cut". Great scare!

I prefer the bit where

(click to show/hide)

she realises the person she sees reflected in mirrors (and the person we see as well), is not who she looks like! Starts when she doesn't recognise a photograph of herself...

The Eye 2 is absolute rubbish though. A couple of decent scares if I'm being kind, but the story is just awful...

[addicted2dvd]

My Thoughts:
Now I never seen the Japanese movie this was made from... so I can't compare the two. But I highly suspect that the Japanese version was much better then this one. Don't get me wrong I did enjoy it. But it should have been better then what it was. There just wasn't anything scary about the movie at all.

Was it Japanese...? I thought it was from Hong Kong or even Thailand; by the Pang Brothers...

Anyway, Asian horror is much different to Western horror. Often it is not scary to us, as we prefer monsters and stuff yet the Asians are more into ghost / haunting stories. (I might add that they often don't get scared by our horror just the same....).

The Asian version has one stand out moment in it that I remember.

(click to show/hide)

It's shortly after the operation when the girl is getting used to her eyesight. She then sees a ghost, but I believe isn't aware at first, which the suddenly approaches her very quickly, almost like a "jump cut". Great scare!

You are probably right... I just thought I remembered a friend of mine saying it was a Japanese film.