Tuesday, November 26, 2013

NEW RELEASE TUESDAY: 'BREAKING BAD' IS NOW COMPLETE, AND 'MST3K' CELEBRATES 25 YEARS


Normally the Tuesday before Thanksgiving has very few noteworthy releases due to the impending Black Friday sales. This week, however, there are several exceptions worth adding to your Must Buy list.

Complete Collection Pick-of-the-Week

Breaking Bad - The Complete Series (DVD/BD)


All 62 episodes from the five seasons are presented in a replica money barrel case. Apart from including the explosive final season of the show, this complete series set has many special features geared towards the true Breaking Bad fan. An all-new two-hour documentary is included in this set, as well as the alternate ending for the final episode. The only con about this set is the price tag of $199.99 but the studio planned the release carefully, just in time for the holiday season.

Retro Pick-of-the-Week

Mystery Science Theater 3000: 25th Anniversary Edition


The cult classic show from the 1990s releases another DVD set through Shout! Factory. This time it celebrates its 25th anniversary with a limited-edition tin case. As with prior releases, this set features four episodes (films) that include Moon Zero Two, The Day the Earth Froze, The Leech Woman, and Gorgo. If ordered through Shout's website (http://www.shoutfactory.com/), you'll also get a bonus double disc that features the transition of hosts, when Joel passed the torch to Mike, and the films Mitchell and The Brain that Wouldn't Die.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

FALL 2013: CABLE NETWORKS ENCORE & Me-TV OFFERING MORE CLASSIC TV SHOWS IN DECEMBER


Cable networks are making some changes and bringing more classic television shows to the menu.


Encore is making several changes to some of its channels. Those with the Starz package from their local cable company know that Encore offers over 10 channels, each geared towards a specific audience or genre. Beginning December 2, Encore Drama will cease to exist and will be replaced by Encore Black, which will showcase programming for the African-American community. Apart from movies, Encore Black will air sitcoms What's Happening!!, Diff'rent Strokes, 227, and Amen, among others.

Additionally, Encore Classic will replace Encore Love and be geared to the Baby Boomers with movies and television shows like Murphy Brown, Magnum P.I., and Night Court. The December 2 re-launch will present new logs and graphics as the premium cable package reinvents itself before the new year.


Classic TV channel Me-TV, on the other hand, has obtained the off-network rights to two shows from the world of Sid and Marty Krofft. A staple of Saturday mornings in the early 1970s, both H.R. Pufnstuf and Land of the Lost will begin airing on Me-TV next Friday, November 29. Also, the rare Sid & Marty Krofft & Me special will air on Christmas morning before the shows join the network's Saturday morning line-up.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

FALL 2013: USA NETWORK CANCELS 'NECESSARY ROUGHNESS'


USA Network is pulling the plug on its low-rated sports-centered drama Necessary Roughness. The show's third season ended back in August and yesterday it was announced that it wouldn't be returning for a fourth season.  

Necessary Roughness tried to attract new viewers to the show last season by casting John Stamos as Dr. Santino's new boss. Despite the casting coup, change in setting, and new tension for the show's main antagonist, it didn't result in higher ratings.

Monday, November 18, 2013

FALL 2013: AMC'S 'THE KILLING' IS COMING BACK TO LIFE...TO NETFLIX.


The Killing is coming back to life...again.

The mystery drama that was canceled twice by AMC will be returning for a short fourth and final season thanks to the good folks at Netflix. The highly praised third season concluded several months ago with a cliffhanger of sorts. Fans took to the internet to vent over the network's decision to cancel the show a second time without giving Sarah Linden and Stephen Holder a proper ending.

Netflix has picked up the series for a 6-episode final season to wrap up all the loose ends. The streaming service stated that "the rich, serialized storytelling in The Killing thrives on Netflix, and we believe it is only fitting to give Sarah Linden and Stephen Holder a proper send off."

No date has been given for the show's return.

Sunday, November 17, 2013

FALL 2013: 'BREAKING BAD' ALTERNATIVE ENDING REVEALS IT WAS ALL A DREAM


Breaking Bad fans are still missing the hit drama that ended last month. Well don't fret fans, an alternative ending has been released and gone viral.


In true Newhart fashion, it turns out that the five-season run of Breaking Bad was all just a dream by Malcolm in the Middle's Hal Wilkerson (We're going to go with Wilkerson, as it was given in the pilot episode, but the running gag of the show was that the family had no last name). Hal wakes up from his dream and tells his wife Lois (Jane Kaczmarek) of being Walt and running a meth lab. Despite being off the air now for seven years, both Cranston and Kaczmarek pick up their Malcolm characters with ease and begin dropping the inside references of the FOX comedy. Wait for the ending and you'll hear the hook of the catchy theme song.

Life is unfair.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

WINTER 2014: BROOKE SHIELDS TO LIVEN UP 'THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW'


Brooke Shields will soon brighten a dull The Michael J. Fox Show.

The actress is scheduled to appear on the struggling NBC comedy in a multi-episode arc. But don't expect any fireworks or wandering eyes from Fox's character Mike Henry. Shields, who'll portray single mom Deborah, will instead be hitting it off with Mike's 19-year old son Ian. The odd couple will meet during a ballroom dancing class.

Shields' episodes of The Michael J. Fox Show are scheduled to appear in 2014.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

WINTER 2014: COURTENEY COX AND MATTHEW PERRY TO REUNITE ON TBS' 'COUGAR TOWN'


2014 is going to be a little more Friend-lier for TBS' Cougar Town.

While the former ABC comedy's fifth season isn't slated to begin until January 7, 2014, casting news has surfaced that Matthew Perry will reunite with his former Friends co-star for one episode. Perry's guest appearance is scheduled for one of the last episodes of the season, and there is no word yet on his character but expect to see him involved with Courteney Cox's alter ego, Jules Cobb. 

This wouldn't be the first time the former Friends couple have worked together since the comedy ended in 2004. Last year Cox was a guest on Perry's short-lived NBC comedy Go On.