On the Boob Tube

Call it a fad, call it a trend, call it a revolution. Any way you slice it, the studios are raiding their vaults for what seems like every last television property of even marginal interest to repurpose, remaster and repackage on DVD. So if you are all interested in small screen fare, prop your feet up on the coffee table and grab your remote control, because it is going to be a hard holiday season on your pocketbook.

Today is all about TV on DVD news, and the first of the new announcements is the arrival of the classic Star Trek: The Original Series, which Paramount Home Entertainment will at last release in season-by-season episodes starting this year. All of the box sets will feature remastered 4:3 full screen transfers and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround tracks (the original mono tracks are also included), a wealth of extras, and sport a $129.95 price tags. The Complete First Season hits on August 31st and includes five new featurettes: "The Birth of a Timeless Legacy," "Life Beyond Trek: William Shatner," "To Boldly Go...", "Reflections on Spock" and "Sci-Fi Visionaries." Sure to delight fans, the original crew have contributed all-new interviews, which should be a treat for your Trekkers. And following on November 2nd is The Complete Season, with The Complete Third Season soon thereafter on December 14th. Both will also include multiple making-of featurettes, with exact details to be announced soon.

Also coming from on October 12th Paramount are two classic TV staples, both remastered in 4:3 full screen and Dolby 2.0, but affordable list prices of $39.95: The Andy Griffith Show: The Complete First Season and Taxi: The Complete First Season. Even more Paramount TV on DVD on the 12th includes: CSI: The Complete Fourth Season, The Jamie Kennedy Experiment: The Complete Second Season, Ren & Stimpy: The Complete First & Second Season - Uncut and Punk'd: The Complete Second Season. Extras for each have not yet been announced as of yet, but stay tuned.

Other major studio TV on DVD includes Northern Exposure: The Complete First Season, which Universal Studios Home Video will release on November 2nd. Again presented in 4:3 full screen and Dolby 2.0 surround, extras include never-before-seen footage, deleted scenes and episode info. Retail will go for $59.95.

Next, on September 28th the folks at A&E Home Video will bring you Ellen: The Complete First Season, Ellen DeGeneres' soon-to-be ground-breaking network sitcom. Presented in 4:3 full screen and Dolby 2.0 stereo, there are no extras, and retail will list for $39.95.

For you animation fans, watch for Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends: The Complete Season 2, which includes 4:3 full screen transfers, Dolby 2.0 stereo tracks, promo spots and a collectible booklet. List price will be $39.95.

Attention, Johnny Depp fans. Anchor Bay Entertainment will unleash 21 Jump Street: The Complete First Season on October 26th. Each episode has been remastered in 4:3 full screen and Dolby 2.0 surround, with extras that include audio commentary with star Peter DeLuise and an eight-page collectible booklet. Retail will list for $39.95. And you cop show fans will also enjoy The Commish: Season One, which Anchor Bay will release on November 16th. Also presented in 4:3 full screen and Dolby 2.0, extras include audio commentary on select episodes, a still gallery and a collectible booklet. Retail will list for $59.95.

Last but not least, what would the day be without some Star Wars news? The world now knows that the title for (hopefully) the last film in the saga will be Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, news which was announced at this past weekend's Comi-Con spectacular (held every year in San Diego). But also announced at the show by Lucasfilm head of Fan Relations Steve Sansweet was the arrival, sometime in 2005, of three other Star Wars properties long requested by fans: The Clone Wars and Droids animated series, plus The Ewok Adventure and Ewoks & Droids Adventure Hour television movies. (What!? No Star Wars Christmas Special with Bea Arthur audio commentary!?!?) Sansweet could not offer any further details, specs or exact release date, but expect more information to be forthcoming in the coming months.

But even more exciting (or depressing) information that came out of the convention were the copies of the Star Wars Trilogy DVD Collection (due September 21st, as if you weren't aware) that were making their way around the convention to those in the know, with connections, or sticky fingers. So for those fearing (or hoping) that Lucas would again make extensive changes to the classic first three movies in the saga, you will get your wish. Everything from less readily apparent changes - sound effects to the color of a lightsaber - to more substantive additions, including Ian McDiarmid (the evil Emperor) replacing Clive Revill in The Empire Strikes Back, to Anakin Hayden Christensen's face (badly) added to the body of Sebastian Shaw at the end of Return of the Jedi, or a chorus of cheering Gungians (or whatever those Jar Jar things are called) also tacked on to the finale of Jedi, will be found in the new DVDs. Sigh...but find out for yourself when the set reaches a galaxy near you this fall.