NEW RELEASE TUESDAY!

New Release Tuesday for July 9, 2013 is full of classic and current television shows so let's dive into the TV-on-DVD bin and showcase our picks and suggestions.

Classic TV-on-DVD Pick of the Week

Bonanza - Season 6

Bonanza was an American western drama that remained on the airwaves for 14 seasons. The show followed the adventures of the Cartwright family on their spacious ranch, the Ponderosa. Unlike other western shows of the time, Bonanza spent less attention on the specifics of ranching and working on the range, and focused more on the family dynamics of Ben Cartwright and his three sons (from three different mamas, mind you). The show was a worldwide success and reached its peak during the sixth season when the show finished #1 in the ratings. The show would remain in the #1 spot for several more years during its long run. If old western dramas are your thing, or you just have to watch younger versions of Lorne Greene and Michael Landon on the small screen then pick up a copy of this sixth season today.

Campy TV-on-DVD Pick of the Week

Dynasty - Season 7

Greed, money, power -- those are all words that described the excessive '80s and the show that defined that decade, Dynasty. Over-the-top storylines, Aqua Net-styled hairdos, and huge shoulder pads pretty much sums up this soap opera drama. The seventh season incorporated many changes to the creative canvas, mostly in response to declining viewership and ratings. The repercussions of a hotel blaze opens the season and it ends with a wedding party taken hostage by a presumed dead enemy of the Carringtons. Other highlights of the season include a powerful foreclosure, an oil rig explosion, fake deaths, memory loss, rekindled romances, a heart transplant, and many arrivals and departures from the revolving casting department. Oh and the usual bitch slaps and catfights are very much included. Take a look from this video.

Retro Mini-Series Pick of the Week

How the West Was Won - Season 1

Loosely based on the 1962 film of the same name, How the West Was Won is a western series that began originally as a pilot movie then followed up with a mini-series. It ultimately was picked up for a 13-episode first season and remained on the air for three years. Since its premise was based on the movie and subsequent mini-series, Stay Tuned has included it as our Retro Pick of the Week. The story is about the Macahan family escaping to Oregon at the commencement of the Civil War in order to prevent the sons from being drafted by the Union Army. It is a timeless classic and will certainly appeal not only to western genre fans but also to Civil War buffs.

Sleeper Picks of the Week

This week we have two sleeper picks because we just couldn't choose one over the other. They are both excellent shows and deserve equal amounts of exposure.

Portlandia - Season 3

This sketch comedy series, created by and starring Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein, basically has no storyline since its premise is mostly to focus on the satirical aspects of the communities living in Portland, Oregon. Armisen and Brownstein play an array of different characters and despite its low budget and production values, there are frequent guest and cameo appearances by musicians, film and television stars. Portlandia is hit-or-miss and its audience either loves it or hates it. But if you love funny and satire, poking fun at community quirkiness, and Fred Armisen's humor then you definitely need to check out this show.

Warehouse 13 - Season 4

Warehouse 13's fourth and penultimate season continues the story of two U.S. Secret Service Agents assigned to protect mysterious and potential harmful artifacts in the secretive Warehouse 13. The season begins with the aftermath of the warehouse's destruction and the adventures continue as Pete and Myka continuing tracking down missing artifacts and preventing them from being possessed in the wrong heads. The season culminates to a finale with the agents trailing Paracelsus, the villian du season played brilliantly by Anthony Head (recognized primarily for his role as Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or the old school Taster's Choice commercials). Warehouse 13 is one of Stay Tuned's favorite gems and we have guarantee you will enjoy this sci-fi serial. If you want an inside view of the set and shenanigans then be sure to check out Eddie McClintock's Twitter page (@EddieMcClintock) for neat pics and posts.

Update:

Sci-Fi Pick of the Week

Time Trax - Season 2

Stay Tuned just learned about this release today and we couldn't be more thrilled. Part of the reason is that we are huge fans of syndicated television shows that filled the airwaves back in the 1990s. Syndicated serials were in boom during the '90s, some memorable and others down right forgettable (until we bring them up, right?). Time Trax was one of the shows that ran down the middle. This science fiction show followed police officer Darien Lambert as he tracked down convicted criminals who have escaped prison. What made Time Trax unique is that Lambert's present day was 2193 and he had to time travel back to 1993 and capture the fugitives who escaped prison in the future. Using a time machine called TRAX, Lambert wasn't allowed to return home until all the criminals were captured. Didn't that happen on Quantum Leap? Does the premise kind of sound familiar? Well FOX recently attempted the same kind of show with Alcatraz, which only lasted one season. Syndicated show buffs will enjoy this gem from the vault.

Note: The manufacture-to-order (MOD) DVD set is currently only available on Warner's Archive Collection website (Time Trax - Warner Archive Collection). There have been many negative reviews of the MOD-produced discs available through Warner Archive but Stay Tuned has obtained many television shows from the website and have encountered zero problems. Yes the downside is that these shows haven't been remastered but at least they are available. We have enjoyed seasons of Alice, Night Court, Superboy, and Falcon Crest thanks to this program, and Stay Tuned will have a future post regarding WAC's MOD library.

So what releases are you looking forward to this week?

Before we sign off, here's a little treat for you Anthony Head fans. Enjoy!