(Showtime, Not Rated, DVD-$34.95 SRP)

Give it time, and every facet of life – even the most surreal – will get at least a 10 episode commitment as a reality TV show. When I heard about the premise of Showtime's Family Business, I thought, "We've finally gone to plaid." Shockingly enough, though, it's actually a great show. Adam Glasser is a single father who's looking for love, and he also runs a business with the aid of his mother and cousin Stevie. Sounds normal enough, right? Okay, how about if I told you that the business is the adult video industry and Adam Glasser is better known as "Seymore Butts?" As you would expect, there's plenty of "on the job" nudity to be found in the 10 episodes comprising the second season, but there's also a heart and humor to Adam and his interactions with his family – and, surprisingly, even at work. The 2-disc Complete Second Season  is virtually featureless save for some shorts.

(Image, Not Rated, DVD-$19.95 SRP)

Compared with Britain's entry into the mid-80's fad of star-studded socially conscious songs, "Do They Know It's Christmas?," the US's own "We Are The World" - co-written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Ritchie – just comes off as schamltzy, smarmy pop. It's also highly infectious, irritatingly ingratiating pop, that manages to latch onto your brain no matter how hard you fight it. We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song features the original behind-the-scenes documentary, but far more interesting in the 2-disc set are the candid outtakes from the marathon recording session, including a heated fight over the lyrics of the chorus, as well as an impromptu version of organizer Harry Belafonte's "Banana Boat Song" (aka "Day-O"). Sadly, none of the supplements explain the only real question I've had for the past 20 years – what in the hell was Dan Aykroyd doing at the recording session?

(Walt Disney, Rated G, DVD-$29.95 SRP)

If nothing else, Bambi is a masterpiece of animal animation. It's also a cornerstone of the traumatic children's films that shaped many a young mind, alongside Old Yeller, The Secret of Nimh, and Willy Wonka. Beautifully – if not stunningly – restored for this 2-disc special edition, bonus features include a look into Walt's story meetings for the film, deleted scenes, a brand-new making-of documentary, a featurette on the restoration process, an excerpt from the "Tricks of the Trade" episode of Disneyland, artwork, the animated short "The Old Mill," the original theatrical trailer, and a 1942 Disney Time Capsule.

(Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$39.95 SRP)

Can you think of a more powerful childhood touchstone than the endless parade of Brady Bunch reruns that filled each and every one of our heads with scads of memorable cut scenes, from the football incident to the eerie power of perm. Well, now's the time to own your first chunk of those memories with the complete first season. Not only do you get all 26 episodes across 4 discs, but there's also a trio of audio commentaries with creator Sherwood Schwartz and 3 of the Brady kids plus a retrospective featurette.

(Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$68.95 SRP)

A recent article at Salon praised the tremendous level of quality coming out of Warners classic back-catalogue releases, and you can add another set to the list with the Classic Comedies Collection, which is packed with 6 certified classics (5 of which are available for the first time) sporting absolutely stunning restorations (and I do mean stunning). The set features screwball classic Bringing Up Baby (featuring 2-discs of bonus materials, including an audio commentary with Peter Bogdanovich, 2 documentaries, and a period short and cartoon), Stage Door (with a musical short subject and a radio production of the film), Dinner At Eight (with a documentary on star Jean Harlowe and a comedy short), the original Jack Benny version of To Be Or Not To Be (with a Benny comedy short and War Bonds promo), Libeled Lady (with a rare radio promo), and a remastered 2-disc edition of The Philadelphia Story (with an audio commentary from film historian Jeannine Basinger, 2 documentaries, a Robert Benchley short, a cartoon, and 2 radio adaptations featuring the stars). Warners continues to deserve all kudos directed their way.

(Universal, Rated R, DVD-$9.99 SRP)

The 80's were a weird, weird time. What other decade would spawn a film like D.C. Cab, starring a far-too-young Adam Baldwin (yes, that one) as an aspiring cab driver who learns his lessons at the oddball D.C. Cab Co., which is staffed by the likes of Mr. T, Bill Maher, and Gary Busey. Be afraid. Be very afraid. Jebus, I love the 80's.

(BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$24.95 SRP each)

The countdown to the relaunch of Doctor Who marches on, but you can keep yourself busy catching up on some of the good Doctor's past adventures – The Visitation, from the Peter Davison years, and The Green Death, from Jon Pertwee's tenure. Both releases are packed to the gills in bonus features, as we've come to expect from these Doctor Who discs, including commentaries, documentaries, interviews, and much more.

(Fox, Rated PG-13, DVD-$29.95 SRP)

You want a high-octane mish mash of Con-Air, Gone in 60 Seconds, and My Little Pony in the desert? Well, take away My Little Pony and you've got the "remake" of Flight of the Phoenix, about a cargo plane that goes down in the desert after a bout of heavy turbulence. The survivors are led by an oddball passenger into building a plane to get them out of there. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, deleted/extended scenes, and a making-of documentary.

(BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$79.95 SRP)

In the pantheon of great comic teams, a place must be reserved for Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. Not only are they a rarity, being a female comedy duo, but they're also absolutely brilliant (they earn an extra gold star for co-creating Absolutely Fabulous, which starred Saunders as Edina Monsoon). You've probably seen their wicked parody of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings flicks from a few years back, but that's only the tip of the iceberg (literally, since their parody of Titanic is just as brutally funny). If you've yet to experience the joy of French & Saunders, you must pick up (and yes, that's an order) the 6-disc French & Saunders Collection . The set includes the previously available Gentlemen Prefer French & Saunders, At The Movies, Living in a Material World, and The Ingenue Years collections, plus two brand new releases – On the Rocks (which contains the aforementioned Titanic parody) and their most recent series, Back with a Vengeance.

(MGM/UA, Rated PG, DVD-$29.95 SRP)

I've mentioned it before, but it bear repeating that I'm not a sports fan. Not in the least. Therefore, it takes quite a special sports film to hold my interest – and trust me, they are few and far between. One of the select few is Hoosiers, which is getting the deluxe special edition treatment. Of course, part of my attraction towards it may be that it stars one of my favorite actors, Gene Hackman, as the coach who shaped the long-shot Indiana high school basketball team in question into winners. Bonus materials on the 2-disc set include an audio commentary with director David Anspaugh and writer Angelo Pizzo, deleted scenes, a documentary on the history behind the film, and footage from the actual 1954 championship game featured in the film.

(Fox, Rated PG-13, DVD-$27.95 SRP)

Incident at Loch Ness is a documentary about director Werner Herzog's quest to make a film about the mystery – or lack thereof – of the infamous Loch Ness Monster. Or maybe it's a documentary about producer Zak Penn's destruction of that film. Or maybe it's really a documentary about how Herzog and Penn found something out in the Loch. Or maybe it's none of those things. That's the fun little riddle of Incident, a nesting doll of a flick that can be enjoyed on many levels – some that aren't even evident at first. The disc features an audio commentary with Herzog and Penn, deleted scenes, outtakes, featurettes, testimonials, clips, photos, and more.

(Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$39.95 SRP)

I don't know what it is, but a certain "something" was lost when the various TV series that had begun their run in the 1960's made their transition to color. The Andy Griffith Show, Gilligan's Island, Bewitched… There's just some kind of intangible quality missing. Another show that went through that transition is Lost in Space, and you can see the differences for yourself in the previously available black & white first season and the two volumes comprising Season 2's transition to overwhelming color. The ride is almost over with the first volume of the shows third and final season, which contains the first 15 episodes, as well as a video clip retrospective featuring reminiscences from the cast.

(Criterion, Rated R, DVD-$39.95 SRP)

When it comes to getting films like My Own Private Idaho on DVD, I'm happy that a company like Criterion exists. Who else would give this haunting yet controversial film (starring Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix, and directed by Gus Van Sant) a deluxe 2-disc special edition? The film itself is restored and remastered, while the supplements include an audio interview with Van Sant conducted by Todd Haynes, a brand new making-of documentary, a documentary examining Van Sant's adaptation of both Orson Welles and Shakespeare, a conversation with producer Laurie Parker and River's sister Rain Phoenix, deleted scenes, and an audio interview with writer JT LeRoy and filmmaker Jonathan Cauoette. The set also features a 64-page book full of essays about the film and interviews with the principals.

(Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$24.95 SRP)

It's been years since it saw completion, but Warner Bros. has decided to open the vaults and finally release Eric Idle's sequel to the legendary Rutles: All You Need Is Cash – The Rutles: Can't Buy Me Lunch. The Rutles, if you don't know, were a brilliant Beatles parody crafted by Eric Idle and Neil Innes in the 1970's for their show Rutland Weekend Television (which was Idle's follow-up to Python). After showing the brief Hard Day's Night Parody crafted for Rutland during one of his many SNL hosting gigs, producer Lorne Michaels asked Idle to craft a longform network special based on the Pre-Fab Four, and so he did. Ex-Bonzo and brilliant songwriter Neil Innes was tapped to write the songs- which, while brilliant pastiches of Beatles tunes – were wholly original, and bloody marvelous, compositions in their own right. The continued success of The Rutles is due in no small part to Innes' songs, and so Idle taps the songs released on 1996's Rutles: Archeology for Can't Buy Me Lunch, which acts as a parody of the constant regurgitation and repackaging of the Beatles story, complete with numerous celebrities chatting about the importance of the Rutles and their work (celebrities like Tom Hanks, Robin Williams, David Bowie, Billy Connolly, Conan O'Brien, Bonnie Raitt, Steve Martin, and more). Bonus materials include over 25 minutes of additional interviews, outtakes, and an alternate ending. Sadly, it does not feature a commentary track with Idle and Innes – which is a damn shame.

(Shout! Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$89.95 SRP)

It was during the 3^rd cycle of SCTV's Network 90 NBC shows that Martin Short joined the cast. In addition, it was also the swan song for Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas, who would be moving on to better and better things, taking their massive character list (plus Bob & Doug MacKenzie) with them. Those cycle 3 shows are featured, appropriately enough, in SCTV Network 90: Volume 3. The 9 episodes featured in the 5-disc set also contain the first appearance of the polka-riffic Shmenge Brothers, Bob & Doug's "Great White North Palace" special, and Hall & Oates in "Chariots of Eggs." Bonus materials include a pair of audio commentaries, the Museum of Television & Radio panel discussion with the cast, a John Candy photo retrospective, and a discussion with the writers.

(Paramount, Rated PG, DVD-$29.95 SRP)

If I were to name my biggest disappointment with the Spongebob Sqaurepants movie, it would be that the film didn't live up to the complete insanity promised by the trailer. Oh, there's plenty of lunacy to go around, but come on – who didn't see Hasselhoff in that trailer on go, "I gotta see whatever the heck kind of film has that scene in it..."? The sponge-like disc is full of extras, including a behind-the-scenes featurette, a 20-minute animatic, featurettes, and a Submarine teaser trailer.

(Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$39.95 SRP)

It's always a treat when a show that you remember liking a great deal still holds the same charm and quality when you experience it on DVD sometimes years later. Such is the case with Columbo: The Complete Second Season. Even if the writing wasn't there to support it, Peter Falk's shuffling, unkempt detective would still have been memorable, as the 8 films in this 4-disc set attest. Guest stars this go-round include Leonard Nimoy, Martin Landau, Robert Culp, Valerie Harper, Marc Singer, and Dean Stockwell.

(Buena Vista, Not Rated, DVD-$59.99 SRP)

Keri Russell's hair was back but the ratings weren't, but the fourth and final season of Felicity was a truly bizarre – and fun – ride, with the non-answer to the whole Ben or Noel quandary and even alternate realities. The 5-disc set contains audio commentaries on select episodes, behind-the-scenes reflections filmed during the production of the final episode, a cast & crew MT&R  Q&A, and exclusive never-before-seen footage that resolves the big question.

(MGM/UA, Not Rated, DVD-$29.95 SRP each)

I mentioned this when the first season was released over a year ago, but when I interviewed Dave Foley a few years back, he professed to share a passion with the character he was playing at the time, Dave Nelson on Newsradio. They both were fans of the 60's sitcom Green Acres. If you only have dim memories of the theme song ("Goodbye city life!") or of a pig named Arnold, then you should pick up a copy of both the first season and second seasons  and discover just was a surreal, groundbreaking, and completely underappreciated sitcom it was. Both DVDs are completely featureless, but the episodes alone are worth it. Also available is the second Mister Ed: Best Of collection, featuring another 20 episodes starring everyone's favorite talking horse and his owner, Wilbur (Alan Young, who went on to voice Scrooge McDuck in DuckTales).

(Touchstone, Rated PG-13, DVD-$29.95 SRP)

While Backdraft essentially became a whodunnit? mystery revolving around arson, Ladder 49 attempts to remain grounded to the actual firefighters themselves as it follows the story of rookie Jack Morrison (Joaquin Phoenix) as he gains experience and meshes with his fellow firefighters, including his company's captain (John Travolta), while building a life with his wife and kids. Does it succeed? Mostly. I've always been fascinated by exactly what drives a man to risk hi own life – continually – for the sake of rescuing others, and a lot of those themes are addressed in the flick. The DVD features an audio commentary with director Jay Russell & editor Bud Smith, deleted scenes, a making-of, interviews with real firefighters, and a music video.

(Buena Vista, Not Rated, DVD-$59.99 SRP)

If you were to make a more mainstream version of the classic Freaks & Geeks, it would probably be Popular – which revolves around the eternal struggle between the popular and unpopular at the fictional Kennedy High School. Like F&G, the show attempted to blend humor and drama which – while mostly successful – never reached the levels of the former. Still, it's a quirky bit of fun that made its contemporaries (like channel-mate Dawson's Creek) look all the more stilted. The second and final season is now available via a 5-disc set, which contains all 21 episodes plus audio commentaries on select shows.

(Paramount, Rated R, DVD-$29.95 SRP)

As remakes go, the biggest failing of Alfie is an inability to truly update the film's womanizing lead – played in the original by an effortless Michael Caine, and here by Jude Law. In the original version, Caine's Alfie was truly unaware of the pain and hurt his antics caused those "birds" he would toss aside, but Law's Alfie understands what he's doing, making the behavior much less forgivable. Still, Law is a thoroughly engaging actor, and the asides to camera are still the highlight of the film. The DVD features an audio commentary with writer/director Charles Shyer and editor Padraic McKinley, a second commentary with Shyer and writer/producer Elaine Pope, a roundtable discussion on the film's production, featurettes, Gedde Watanabe dance footage with optional commentary with Shyer and Pope, deleted scenes with optional commentary, and the theatrical trailer.

(MGM/UA, Rated PG, DVD-$14.95 SRP)

By no means is Charly a great film, but it has become a rather iconic adaptation of Flowers for Algernon, the story of a mentally challenged man whose intelligence is greatly increased via an experiment, opening up a whole new world to him – a world that is torn away from him as the effects of the procedure begin to fade. The film is held together by Cliff Robertson's performance as Charly, a touching portrayal of a mental Icarus.

(Rhino, Not Rated, DVD-$19.95 SRP)

I still find it hard to believe that two of the Ramones are dead… a part of me just can't process that. In order to placate that part of me still suffering from the cognitive dissonance, I watched a perfect document of the band's formation, early days and rise to fame, End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones. Bonus features include additional interviews, a deleted scene, a trailer, and more.

(Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$14.95 SRP each)

Not to be outdone by Warners commitment to releasing its classic noir catalogue, Fox has inaugurated their own film noir series with a trio of classic catalogue releases that are some of the best of the genre – Elia Kazan's Panic in the Streets, Jimmy Stewart in Call Northside 777, and Laura. Both Panic and Northside contain commentaries with authors/historians James Ursini & Alain Silver, while Laura features an extended cut of the film with an alternate opening, A&E Biographies of Vincent Price and Gene Tierney, a deleted scene, and a pair of commentaries.

(Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$39.95 SRP)

Considering how controversial its subject matter was – a comedy about American and British inmates in a German POW camp during WWII – I'm still stunned that Hogan's Heroes the series made it to 6 seasons. And was popular. Very popular, in fact. Of course, in the years since it ran, its characters have moved into the pop culture lexicon, from Colnel Klink's frustrated "HOGANNNN!!!!!" to Sergeant Schultz's "I know nossink!!!" And now you can own all 32 first season episodes as they originally aired, in glorious black & white. The set also features the original pilot episode.

(Walt Disney, Rated PG, DVD-$29.95 SRP)

As I write this review, The Incredibles has won the Academy Award for Best Animated Picture, which it most certainly deserved (Shark Tale ?!?!? PLEASE!). Brad Bird brings the same kind of singular vision that made The Iron Giant a classic to the artist-friendly halls of Pixar, and the result is a film that deserves all the accolades it's gotten, plus more. Heck, as a superhero flick, it already – months before its release, even - puts the live action adaptation of The Fantastic Four to shame (and this is coming from someone who loved the FF as a kid, and can't even bear to l0ook at what Avi Arad has wreaked). The 2-disc special edition features audio commentaries, an all-new short featuring Jack-Jack's adventures with the babysitter, deleted scenes with intros/context from Bird, almost 2 hours of behind-the-scenes featurettes, Pixar's short Boundin', bloopers and outtakes, and much more.

(Lions Gate, Not Rated, DVD-$19.95 SRP)

They aren't the fully restored, deluxe special editions that a fan dreams of, but the films include on the second volume of Laurel & Hardy classics look better than they have in years. Of the two films included, the stand-out is one of their best, Way Out West, but Block-Heads is no slouch. Also include is the short subject Chickens Come Home, which finds Ollie running for mayor, but girl trouble from his past that may derail his campaign.

(Warner Bros., Rated PG, DVD-$24.95 SRP)

As has been now firmly established, when a sequel approaches it's release date in theaters, the original film will be re-released on DVD with some "value-added" elements (including a preview for the aforementioned sequel). The latest flick to get the "remember me?" treatment is Sandra Bullock's amiable awkward government agent infiltrating a beauty pageant comedy Miss Congeniality, which gets the sneak peek, 2 deleted scenes, and a quiz hosted by William Shatner in addition to the original release's commentaries and featurettes. The Deluxe Edition Giftset also features the soundtrack to the sequel, Armed and Fabulous.

(Warner Bros., Rated PG, DVD-$19.95 SRP)

Nascar fans who were unable to make it to their local (or not-so-local) large format movie screen – or just want to take home the experience – will probably want to nab their very own copy of Nascar: The IMAX Experience, in which fans are taken inside the car to experience the speed, as well as seeing a car built from the ground up and the thrill of a pit stop. For some reason, the disc is presented in full screen (which definitely hurts it on my HD set), and nothing matches the experience of seeing it on the massive IMAX screen.

(BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$69.95 SRP)

Though I'll always be fond of the early duct tape and cardboard seasons of Red Dwarf , I can't deny that the show really hit its stride during its 5^th and 6^th series. Not only did you get episodes like Gunmen of the Apocalypse, but you also had a cast who knew their characters perfectly, and writer/producers who knew how to write to their strengths. As with previous seasons, each episode features cast commentary (though an ill Craig Charles is absent from Series 5), and the second disc of each series is packed to the brim with an in-depth documentary, deleted scenes, outtakes, featurettes, audio features, and easter eggs. The real big featurette to check out, though, is the one detailing the failed pilots for the US version of the show (you'll be amazed at how candid everyone is).

(Paramount, Rated PG, DVD-$19.95 SRP)

Of the four Star Trek films featuring the Next Generation cast – Generations, First Contact, Insurrection, and Nemesis – First Contact is head-and-shoulders the best of the lot (which honestly isn't terribly hard, considering how abysmal those other installments are). Still, the film managed to incorporate tried-and-true Trek time travel, humor, the Borg, and a Picard who managed to both kick ass and chew gum (a version of the character that never, ever appeared in the series or those other films, sadly). And now it gets the 2-disc special edition treatment, with commentaries from director Jonathan Frakes and writers Ron Moore & Brannon Braga, production featurettes (similar to the previous 2-disc editions), and a touching tribute to the late Jerry Goldsmith.

(Acorn Media, Not Rated, DVD-$59.95 SRP)

Roald Dahl was a master of the darkly humorous – macabre with a twist of lime, if you will – but few people remember that his work extended past the printed page into the realm of television with the UK series Tales of the Unexpected. Think of it as a playful Twilight Zone and you wouldn't be far off the mark. Set 2 features an additional 23 episodes, with guest stars such as Telly Savalas, John Gielgud, Eli Wallach, and Joan Collins.

(Sony, Not Rated, DVD-$29.95 SRP)

There's nothing more fascinating for a comic book fan who was raised on the 60's Batman series, coupled with the 90's film versions of the Caped Crusader, than to watch the productions found on the 2-disc Batman and Robin: The Complete 1949 Movie serial Collection. The Dynamic Duo are portrayed in stilted, schlocky fashion by Robert Lowry and John Duncan, and their main villain is the dastardly Wizard, who has the ability to control vehicles across Gotham remotely. Trust me, you gotta see this.

(BCI, Not Rated, DVD-$14.95 SRP each)

If you've ever seen Conan O'Brien's comedy bits with Bill Clinton or Arnold Schwarzenegger on the drop-down video monitor, where it's a static image with super-imposed video of an actor's mouth, then you know the style of "animation" pioneered by the ultra-low budget 50's kiddie adventure cartoon Clutch Cargo. In fact, to say that the show was cheap is a gross understatement – it was beyond cheap. Ah, but there was a charm to its glorious cheapness, which you can experience for yourself with the release of the complete series across 2 sets. Heck, you even get bonus materials, including a behind-the-scenes documentary, a look at Clutch memorabilia, character bios, and bonus cartoons.

(Fox, Rated PG, DVD-$29.95 SRP)

Kenan Thompson is a talented guy. I loved Good Burger, and I feel he's criminally underused on SNL (a gig I was happy he got). Why, then, do I hate Fat Albert so much? Maybe it was the insipid, pointless script that isn't even self-aware enough to know that it's cartoon characters exiting TV Land and entering the "real world" was done a few years back in the big screen Rocky & Bullwinkle flick (which, coincidentally, featured Thompson in a small role). Any way you shake it, this film is thin on laughs (ha ha – joke…). Run away. Fast. Bonus features include an audio commentary with director Joel Zwick and producer John Davis, extended scenes, a behind-the scenes featurette, and the theatrical trailer.

(Miramax, Rated PG, DVD-$29.95 SRP)

I don't know why, but I've been more disappointed by this year's Oscar nominations than most. For the most part, when I've finally seen the films in question, I walk away thinking, "What was all the fuss about?" Sadly, one of those films was Finding Neverland, a film I was actually looking forward to. I mean, here you have Johnny Depp playing playwright J.M. Barrie, creator of Peter Pan, in a slightly fictionalized account of how his playtime with the children of an ailing single mother (the always-interesting Kate Winslet) led to that classic fantasy creation. Unfortunately, the film just never seemed to make the magical leap to cinematic Neverland. The DVD features an audio commentary, deleted scenes, and making-of featurettes.

(Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$39.95 SRP)

There's something oh-so-oozingly 70's about The Hardy Boys Nancy Drew Mysteries, which took the fictional sleuths – played here by "Me Decade" icons Shaun Cassidy, Parker Stevenson, and Pamela Sue Martin - and unleashed them on viewers in 1977. The 2-disc set features all 14 episodes from the show's first season. Can you believe the guest stars included Jamie Lee Curtis, Bob Crane, and Mark Harmon?

(Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$39.95 SRP)

Pass the lollipops! The famous sucker-sucking New York City homicide detective immortalized by Telly Savalas is hitting DVD via the complete first season of Kojak. Even better, the show actually holds up extremely well despite its age. Who loves ya, baby?

(Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$39.95 SRP)

The Pretender was one of those series that I always intended to watch, based on its premise alone, that I just never got around to watching during its run. That premise found a genius named Jarod on the run from the think-tank facility that raised him after taking him from his parents at a young age, who used his unique abilities for financial gain. When he learned of this, he escaped from the Centre (a suitably creepy name for a thin-tank, no?) and went looking for his real identity, while assuming various fake ones at will and righting any wrongs he runs across. Think of it as Quantum Leap sans sci-fi. The 4-disc complete first season set features all 21 episodes plus audio commentaries on select episodes, featurettes, and TV spots.

(Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$19.95 SRP)

So far, I have hated the Star Wars prequels. With a passion. In fact, there aren't words to describe how much I've hated the fourth rate Z-movie pulp of them. Having said that, I was surprised that I found the first volume of Cartoon Network's Clone Wars series mostly watchable. Don't get me wrong – leave it to Lucas to take the one of the most anticipated aspects of the prequels (not that there are many left) and *not* show it in the films. Still, Genndy Tartakovsky (of Dexter's Lab and Samurai Jack fame) manages to make the best of a bad situation, attempting to interject some energy and interest into what has so far been a mightily disappointing affair. Volume One features the first 20 installments of the series (running a little over an hour), plus a pair of behind-the-scenes featurettes (one of which, "Bridging the Saga," oddly talks more about the second batch of episodes), two commentaries, galleries, game trailers, and the Revenge of the Sith teaser.

(New Line, Rated PG-13, DVD-$27.95 SRP)

I hate Brett Ratner, and I tend to hate Brett Ratner films. However, I tend to like Pierce Brosnan in just about anything, so I was heavily conflicted while viewing the jewel heist popcorn-o-rama, After the Sunset. Brosnan plays a master thief who decides to abandon a beach-bound life of leisure with his beautiful accomplice Lola (Salma Hayek) for one last heist – leaving him open to the FBI agent still tracking him (Woody Harrelson). It's a brainless pic that perfect for killing an evening with. Bonus features include an audio commentary with Ratner, deleted/extended scenes with optional commentary, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and a blooper reel.

(Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$39.95 SRP)

I really don't care about the world of modeling. In fact, I think most models are vapid, self-absorbed pains in the… well, you know. But I couldn't take my eyes off of Tyra Banks reality show America's Top Model, which pits 10 beauties against each other in a bid for a modeling contract. Sadly, I was hooked… And I think the best model won. The 3-disc set contains all 9 episodes, plus a trio of featurettes.

(BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$34.95 SRP)

Auschwitz: Inside The Nazi State is one of those documentaries that is, because of the events depicted, truly painful to watch. However, it's also important viewing, as it's an incredibly well-researched and presented look at the mindset – both political and social - that was able to create one of histories greatest atrocities. Spanning almost 5 hours and 2 discs, it's a gripping look at a profoundly dark chapter in human history. Bonus materials include follow-up discussions hosted by Linda Ellerbee, and an interview with filmmaker Laurence Rees. Also worth picking up is the companion book, Auschwitz: A New History (Public Affairs, $30.00 SRP).

(Docurama, Not Rated, DVD-$26.95 SRP)

Blue Vinyl is the type of documentary I hate – those that go in with a premise and do whatever they can to prove that their viewpoint is correct, spinning the information gathered. I much prefer a piece that will go in with a point of view, but be open enough to discovery that they can accept their premise being challenged, and possibly even proven false. In Vinyl, filmmaker Judith Helfand decides to go after the makers of PVC, aiming to prove the hidden, horrible nature of the product and its manufacturing process. Unfortunately, Helfand tends to contradict the interviews she's gathered via her voiceover, and choosing to utilize Greenpeace "scientists" to prove her case certainly did her no favors in my eyes. Still, the one saving grace of the piece is the humor found throughout, even if I disagreed with the conclusions presented.

(Kultur, Not Rated, DVD-$24.99 SRP)

While Groucho Marx: A Life in Revue is an excellent, spry overview of the life and career of the most beloved of the Marx Brothers (and was co-written by Groucho's son, Arthur), the real brilliance of this production comes from Frank Ferrante's lightning-in-a-bottle performance, which is so incredibly spot-on that you'd think the man before you really was Groucho (his ad-libbing skill is right up there with the legend himself). If you've never seen this production, there's no better time like now.

(Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$39.95 SRP)

I wouldn't say it was a home run, but the X-Files spin-off The Lon Gunmen – starring everyone's favorite trio of conspiracy theorists; Byers, Langley, & Frohike – was definitely a base hit. Quirky and fun (two aspects sorely missed from the leaden latter-day X-Files ), Fox never really gave it a chance to get on its feet. Still, you can relive all 13 episodes over 3-discs (in anamorphic widescreen), plus the X-Files coda "Jump the Shark" that wrapped up the story of the trio. Bonus features include audio commentaries on select episodes, a making-of featurette (which also discusses the pilot, featured here uncut, that contained a pre-9/11 storyline about a plane being flown into the WTC), and 4 TV spots. It's a show worth taking a second look at.

(Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$49.95 SRP)

You would think, after a few years of knowing her, that maybe Jessica Fletcher's friends would catch on to the fact that she's an angel of death, bringing nothing but misery wherever she goes. Either that, or she's a killer who hides behind an alibi as a mystery writer who just so happens to be at the right place at the right time. All the time. The clues are all there in Murder She Wrote: The Complete First Season. The 3-disc set contains all 21 episodes plus the original pilot movie.

(Universal, Rated NC-17, DVD-$19.95 SRP)

A few years and a few mergers later, Trey Parker's Mormon porn star classic Orgazmo is finally making its way to DVD, loaded to the gills with bonus features sure to excite fans who have been left in the lurch as release dates kept getting shoved back ad infinitum. Those bonus features include two versions of the film (one slightly more risqué than the other) a trio of commentaries (one drunken, one with the cast, and one featuring a bevy of guest celebrities), deleted scenes, a making-of documentary, a behind-the-scenes featurette, outtakes, interviews, easter eggs, and more. Huzzah!

(A&E, Not Rated, DVD-$59.96 SRP)

The entire color run of Britain's classic The Saint, starring Roger Moore as justice-seeker Simon Templar, has been available for a few years, but the black & white first season finally gets its release via the 3-disc The Saint: The Early Years Set 1, which features all 12 debut episodes. Bonus features include a featurette on the history of The Saint and a photo gallery.

(A&E, Not Rated, DVD-$29.95 SRP)

Ever since I first saw the wild master of Toad Hall and his crazy fascination with motorcars in Disney's The Adventures of Ichabod & Mr. Toad , I've been fascinated by Kenneth Grahame's Wind in the Willows, a small portion of which the Disney film was derived from. For a much better, and just as fun, look at the stories, pick up the complete first series of the Thames TV adaptation of The Wind in the Willows. The 2-disc set features all 13 episodes, plus a bonus episode from series 2.