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The Couch Potato Report

“Did you ever notice that Dan’s initials are ‘D.R.’, like doctor?”

The Couch Potato Report – February 14th, 2006
This week The Couch Potato Report includes the Doctor, David and Maddie and the Richard Pryor Collection.
DOCTOR WHO is a British Broadcasting Corporation science fiction show about a mysterious time-traveling adventurer known only as “The Doctor”.
Doctor Who first appeared on BBC television at 5:15 p.m. (GMT) on November 23rd, 1963. The BBC produced the show for the following twenty-six seasons, but with the show’s ratings falling it was cancelled as an ongoing series in 1989.
A TV movie was produced in 1996, but that did not lead to a regeneration for the series.
Although novels and audio plays provided new stories for the Doctor’s fans, the TV show remained dormant until last year!
The new series, starring Christopher Eccleston as The Doctor and former pop star Billie Piper as his sidekick Rose, debuted on BBC on March 26, 2005, and on CBC on April 5th, 2005.
Now, it has debuted on DVD in a six-disc set!
The DOCTOR WHO 2005 -COMPLETE FIRST SERIES box set features all 13 of the episodes starring Eccleston. There is also a wide array of special features and interviews.
While I admit to being a huge fan of DOCTOR WHO, I can’t admit to having enjoyed all of the episodes from the series first twenty-six seasons. Some are great, yes, but some are quite cheesy, and even awful.
But I haven’t got one awful thing to say about this new series, even if it is still cheesy at times. The two main actors are a treat to watch, the storylines are all interesting, and the show is filled with some very good special effects.
The DOCTOR WHO 2005 – THE COMPLETE FIRST SERIES box set is the first release of 2006 that I am truly excited about! It is a great show that makes a great box set!
Another great DVD box that I am excited about is the four-disc set for MOONLIGHTING – SEASON THREE.
MOONLIGHTING ran for five seasons from 1985 until 1989. Each week we were given an inside look at the unique cases that an ex-model and a wise guy detective ended up with at their private detective agency.
Bruce Willis and Cybil Shepherd were the shows two stars and Season Three was the time when they were part of a perfect show.
Once the two of them became a couple in later seasons the show went downhill, but Season Three is all uphill!
From twenty-four hours on a murder mystery train, to a trip to New York to Atomic Shakespeare, MOONLIGHTING – SEASON THREE had, and has it all!
MOONLIGHTING remains one of my all-time favorite television shows, and this is a great box set!!
I wish I could say that THE RICHARD PRYOR COLLECTION was a great box set honouring a groundbreaking comedian who we lost late last year.
But even though the collection contains the very funny films WHICH WAY IS UP?, BREWSTER’S MILLIONS, CAR WASH and BUSTIN’ LOOSE, its not a box set.
Instead, it is a single DVD – in a box – with two films on one side, and two films on the other. That is not bad for low retail cost of the item, but when I first heard about this collection, I was hoping for an expansive set with bonus footage and special features.
The only special feature I found in THE RICHARD PRYOR COLLECTION was the trailer for BREWSTER’S MILLIONS.
But, in the end, I can’t complain about the lack of special features and such because, in the end, it is the films that make the disc worth owning.
And WHICH WAY IS UP?, BREWSTER’S MILLIONS, CAR WASH and BUSTIN’ LOOSE are all films worth owning, and watching again. They are far from Richard Pryor’s best film work, but anytime the late, great comedian makes me laugh is welcome.
And I laughed a lot at THE RICHARD PRYOR COLLECTION.
THE RICHARD PRYOR COLLECTION, MOONLIGHTING – SEASON THREE and the superb DOCTOR WHO 2005 – THE COMPLETE FIRST SERIES are all available now at a store near you.
Coming up on the next Couch Potato Report
Charlize Theron stars in NORTH COUNTRY as a woman who goes to work in a Minnesota Steel mine, to the dismay of her male co-workers.
Scott Baio is the title character in the goofy, but enjoyable 1980’s TV show CHARLES IN CHARGE.
The first season of the medical ensemble drama GREY’S ANATOMY also debuts on DVD; and so does SAW II.
I’m Dan Reynish. I’ll have more on those, and some other releases, in seven days.
For now, that’s this week’s COUCH POTATO REPORT.
Enjoy the movies and I’ll see you back here next time on The Couch!