The Joy of Sets: The Gift Guide Begins!
Knight Rider and The 4400
So how much do we love those gift guides that start popping up around the holidays? So much fun, right?! And since I'm a personal-shopper trapped in the body of a TV Guide writer who totally loves helping people find their way to the perfect present, I've decided to get a jump on the jolly-jolly ho-ho vibe and start showcasing some of the DVD sets that will make every holiday between now and the crack of 2009 exercises in gift-giving glory.
For the Gearhead Brother
Knight Rider — The Complete Series
OK, first off, the box lights up like the front of K.I.T.T.! Woo hoo! Secondly, it's not the one on NBC right now! Woo hoo times two! And finally, hello? Hasselhoff! Until we get a complete Baywatch, this monster is gonna keep David's fans very happy, especially once we, er, they get a peek at the TV-movie sequel Knight Rider 2000, which ironically aired in 1991. Whatevs, this is campy, cool and completely under my brother Joe's tree this year!
For the Overgrown Kiddie
Batman: The Complete Animated Series
I say an overgrown kid, because you don't give 17 discs of awesomeness to just anyone. Plus, for a cartoon, this Emmy winning triumph veered into some dark territory over its four seasons, although it never waddled around in the murky mope that makes the Caped Crusader's recent film incarnations so emo-hip. Honestly, this is a must-have for anyone who calls themselves a Batman fan and a major joy for anyone who gets a thrill from figuring out who is doing what character voices. (Hint: Yes, that's Marilu Henner, Tim Curry, Mark Hamill, Harry Hamlin and Mickey Dolenz you're hearing!)
For the Shameless Romantic
Beauty and the Beast —The Complete Series
Chase any thoughts of Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson from your heads. This is so not the Disney tale that's old as time. It's the 1987-89 CBS fantasy starring Linda Hamilton before she got all buff for The Terminator, and Ron Perlman before he got all red for Helboy as Vincent, the furry sub-level Casanova she falls for. And maybe I was too young to appreciate what was going on here, being a teen at the time, but I didn't remember how stylish this was until I cracked into the 16-disc set. Nor did I remember how they wrote off Hamilton's lovestruck assistant D.A. Catherine Chandler, but let me tell you, it is heartbreaking! Which is exactly how romance should be, right?
For the Slightly Violent Uncle
The Godfather — The Coppola Restoration Giftset
One word, people. Corleone. That is all you need, and this package more than lives up to the family name. On top of stunning restorations for the trilogy, there is a killer extras DVD jammed with featurettes on the making of the series, its influence on The Sopranos, and my own personal fave, the production battles between Coppola and Paramount. Did you know they wanted Steve McQueen for Michael? Love him to pieces, but that just would have been wrong on soooo many levels.
For the Sci Fi Guy Who Is Actually Cool
The 4400 — The Complete Series
You know those shows that sort of catch you off guard and then, before you know it, suck you in? Yeah, this USA Network sci-fi soap about a slew of alien-abductees who suddenly returned to Earth is one of those. And in one massive collection, you get a better grip on who's who in the huge cast and what is really going on with the whole mythology surrounding the abductees' alien-infused new powers. Think Lost meets Close Encounters, with Billy Campbell all but eradicating his usual good-guy image with a deviant turn as a cult guru with some nasty plans for his fellow space cases. So much better than you could even imagine.
