What's Happening: The Complete First Season (1976) Review

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(More customer reviews)What's Happening!!(1976) is such an essential addition to the other classic 1970's sitcoms that have already been released on DVD. The show was created by Eric Monte, writer of shows such as All in the Family and co-creator/writer of Good Times. It also featured executive producer Bud Yorkin, already known for his work with Norman Lear on All in the Family and Sanford & Son. What's Happening!! ran for only three seasons (1976-1979) and had 65 episodes. The show was inspired by the 1975 film, Cooley High and centered around three high school friends: Raj (Ernest Thomas), Dwayne (Haywood Nelson), and Rerun (Fred Berry) (The nickname Rerun coming from his habit of having to repeat classes). The action usually bounces between Raj's house, where he lives with his mother and annoying little sister Dee, and the burger hang out that Shirley (Shirley Hemphill) runs. The show had plenty of hilarious moments and was very well written and watching Rerun dance is always a highlight! Collected on this awesome 3 DVD set is all 21 episodes of Season 1. The tri-fold case is one of the most colorful I've seen (inside and out). Each DVD has one of the main guys on the face. There isn't much in the way of extra features except for some trailers for similar releases and the much loved "play all episodes" feature! I'm not totally interested in extra features when it comes to sets like these because I feel it's special enough that these classic shows get the season set treatment they get! This set includes the following episodes:
Disc 1:
01. The runaway
02. The birthday present
03. When daddy comes marching home
04. My three tons
05. Saturday's hero
06. The burger queen
07. Speak for yourself, Dwayne
Disc 2:
08. Shirley's date
09. The sunday father
10. Christmas
11. The maid did it
12. The incomplete shakespeare
13. The hospital stay
14. The firing squad
Disc 3:
15. The boarder
16. Dwayne's dilemma
17. The tickets
18. What's wrong with Raj?
19. Nice guys finish last
20. From here to maternity
21. Puppy love
Trivia:
*Out of the three main guys, Haywood Nelson was the only one to be of actual high school age (16) in real life. Ernest Thomas and Fred Berry were 26 & 25 respectively!
*After What's Happening!! ended in 1979, the "reruns" on TV in the 80s became so popular that a spin-off with the main cast, What's Happening Now!! (1985) was created. The show lasted for 3 seasons and like the original, centered around Raj, Dwayne, Rerun, Shirley, & Dee, only now in their adult lives. Also of note is comedian Martin Lawrence got his start on this show as a character named Maurice.

Fred "Rerun" Berry (1951-2003)
Shirley Hemphill (1947-1999)
Mabel "Mama" King (1932-1999)

Also highly recommended:
All in the Family (Seasons 1 & 2, 3 coming soon!)
Sanford & Son (Seasons 1, 2, & 3, 4 coming soon!)
The Jeffersons (Seasons 1 & 2)
Good Times (Seasons 1 & 2)
Barney Miller (Season 1)

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WHAT'S HAPPENING:SEASON 1 - DVD Movie

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Walt Disney Treasures - Tomorrow Land: Disney in Space and Beyond (1959) Review

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(More customer reviews)(...)
The contents of these shows are very special - entertaining, educational, and important historically. The first 3 TV shows usually had a fun, animated story for the first half of the show with scientists in the second half giving scientific info on how future space flights might be possible, based on the facts known in the 1950s. All three TV shows were directed by animator/director Ward Kimball.
Man In Space (3/9/55) Walt Disney introduces the show and then turns over the program to director Ward Kimball. The animated story concerns the development of rockets, the action/reaction principle, Jules Verne writing his story "From The Earth To The Moon", a humorous depiction of the medical challenges to man surviving a space trip - such as acceleration, pressure, weightlessness, radiation, and eating/drinking. Later scientists Willy Ley, Heinz Haber, and Wernher von Braun help explain the challenges of space travel and what a space rocket would probably look like.
Man And The Moon (12/28/55) This show was later shown in 1959 as "Tomorrow The Moon". Walt Disney introduces the show and shows scenes from the Disneyland attraction "Rocket Ship To The Moon". Walt then turns the show over to director Ward Kimball. There is a fun animated segment about man's superstitions about the moon over the ages, including stories about trips to the moon and the creatures found there. Literary references to the moon and songs about the moon are shown. Scientist Wernher von Braun introduces how scientists were preparing for a flight to the moon at that time. There is a nice live action/special effects rocket ship flight that photographs the back side of the moon.
Mars And Beyond (12/4/57) This is my favorite of these TV shows. A giant robot GARCO introduces Walt Disney, who is standing next to the robot. Walt presents this mainly animated program about the universe, including the various planets - with special emphasis on Mars. An animated history of mankind's fascination with space is very well done. A fun science fiction story about a female being kidnapped by a robot from Mars includes a very funny scene of Donald Duck being shown as part of a long line of Martian monsters chasing the female. There is fascinating animation exploring wildly imaginative ideas of different lifeforms that might exist on Mars. This animation caused Walt Disney to exclaim to Ward Kimball, "How do you guys come up with all these crazy ideas?"
Our Friend The Atom (1/23/57) Walt Disney uses a scene from the film "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea" to introduce the story of atomic energy and then turns the program over to Dr. Heinz Haber, a noted atomic energy scientist of that time. There is a fun animated tale of "The Fisherman and the Genie" included as part of extensive animation showing the history of the atom. This history of the atom also included another scene I much enjoy - how an early Greek theory of the atom was lost for centuries.
Eyes In Outer Space (6/18/59) This theatrical release is an entertaining live-action/animation program which is marvelously produced with several fascinating scenes about the future of satellite's ability to forecast and control the weather. There is a funny animated segment about how "folk tales" predict the weather. My favorite scene is the end of the show in which a high pressure ridge is intensified to keep a hurricane out to sea and away from land. This won the 1960 Thomas Edison Foundation Award. It was later shown on TV as part of the show "Spy In The Sky" (4/1/62).
EPCOT (filmed in 1966, shown in 1967) Walt Disney, in his last film appearance, talks about his company's plans for EPCOT and Walt Disney World. Fascinating and interesting info and very important historically.
I have seen these shows and have loved them over the years. I am thrilled that they are being released on DVD for anyone to enjoy.

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Walt Disney was a true visionary, and his most far-reaching vision examined the future. During the 1950s, his investigation into space exploration and the wondrous opportunities and challenges of space travel not only came alive in several Disneyland TV shows, but helped create strong public support for The United States space program. Go back in time to the beginning of the future and enjoy four episodes and a theatrical short that delve into the mysteries of the universe and space travel -- "Man In Space," "Man And The Moon," "Mars And Beyond," "Eyes In Outer Space," and "Our Friend The Atom." You'll also get a rare look at Walt's last film, "EPCOT," in which he reveals his concepts and plans for the Disney World and EPCOT projects. Other not-to-be-missed features include a special interview with noted futurist and author Ray Bradbury. Featuring exclusive introductions by film historian Leonard Maltin, this is a timeless collection from generations past for generations to come.

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Gidget - The Complete Series (1965) Review

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(More customer reviews)The 1965 ABC-Screen Gems sitcom of GIDGET, based on the the adventures of author Frederick Kohner's real-life daughter (which had already formed the basis for the 1959 Sandra Dee movie "Gidget" and a slew of sequels). It launched the career of promising up-and-coming actress Sally Field, whose heroine became the quintessential picture of 1960s wholesomeness and girl-next-door charm.
Frances Lawrence, known as Gidget to her family and friends, spends every spare moment on the beach at Malibu where she surfs and enjoys harebrained adventures, though her married sister Anne loves to interfere with Gidget's plans. GIDGET suffered from poor ratings and only lasted for one full season before being shelved, though the show did generate some interest during summer re-runs. However, a second season could not be filmed due to Sally Field having been all but signed to do "The Flying Nun", and GIDGET was axed altogether.
The series remains pleasant and enjoyable viewing with fine performances from the entire cast, particularly Don Porter ("Private Secretary") as Gidget's widowed father Russ and Lynette Winter ("The Parent Trap") as Gidget's shy best friend Larue. Sally Field, in her first big starring vehicle, is perky, appealing and everything else we expect Gidget to be. The rest of the cast includes Betty Conner, Pete Duel and Michael Nader. Keep an eye out for several guest stars including Richard Dreyfuss, Bonnie Franklin, Barbara Hershey and Henry Jaglom.
Sony Pictures has released the entire series of GIDGET in this well-presented boxset, joining their other outstanding season-sets of "Bewitched", "The Flying Nun" and "I Dream of Jeannie".
Extras include the rarely-seen original pilot episode as well as a brand-new retrospective interview with Sally Field.
COMPLETE EPISODE LISTING:
"Dear Diary...Et Al" - Anne reads Gidget's diary and assumes her sister's highly imaginative entries are true.
"In God and Nobody Else, We Trust" - Anne begins to worry when John escorts Gidget to a luau.
"The Great Kahuna" - An older man dates Gidget as part of a plan to make his girlfriend jealous.
"Daddy Come Home!" - Gidget becomes concerned when her father begins dating a woman she suspects is a gold-digger.
"Gidget Gadget" - When Anne and John have a major spat, it's up to Gidget to play marriage counsellor.
"A Hearse a Hearse, My Kingdom for a Hearse" - Deciding she should have her own means of transportation, Gidget becomes the part-owner of a broken-down hearse.
"Gidget is a Proper Noun" - Gidget is convinced her new English teacher hates her.
"Image Scrimmage" - Gidget becomes infatuated with Larue's cousin Roger.
"Is it Love or Symbiosis?" - Anne and John convince Russ he's too dependent on Gidget, so he decides to send her to a private school in Paris.
"All the Best Diseases are Taken" - When the price of movie tickets begins to go up, Gidget organises a demonstration to bring them back down.
"My Ever-Faithful Friend?" - Gidget helps Larue look more attractive by giving her a makeover, and then becomes alarmed when she thinks her father has become attracted to her.
"Chivalry Isn't Dead" - Gidget and her friends come up with a scheme to stop their boyfriends from taking them for granted.
"The War Between Men, Women and Gidget" - An isolated beach cove becomes the object of a battle between the boys, Gidget and her girlfriends.
"Gidget's Foreign Policy" - Gidget educates a foreign bride-to-be in the "American way" and nearly wrecks her impending marriage.
"Now There's a Face" - Gidget falls for a fashion photographer, not realising he's engaged to be married.
"Too Many Cooks" - Gidget unintentionally makes a date to go to the dance with both of the Cook brothers.
"I Love You, I Love You, I Love You...I Think" - Gidget develops a crush on a surfer, not realising he's her new math teacher.
"Like Voodoo" - When accidents begin to happen, Gidget believes a fortune-telling gypsy has put a curse on her.
"Gidget's Career" - When Gidget's singing group gets to perform on TV, she changes their name to "Gidget and the Gories".
"Ego a-Go-Go" - Gidget decides to build Durf the Drag's self-confidence by inviting him to the Spinster Hop.
"In and Out with the In-laws" - When Jeff suddenly invites Gidget to meet his parents, she mistakenly believes he's going to propose.
"We Got Each Other" - Although jealous of her father's dates, Gidget tries to prove she's not.
"Operation Shaggy Dog" - When her favourite hamburger joint is threatened to be torn down, it's Gidget to the rescue!
"Ringa-Ding-Dingbat" - The fab British singing duo, The Dingbats, is in town, and their biggest fan Gidget hatches a scheme to meet them.
"Love and the Single Gidget" - When Russ goes out of town, Anne and John hire a college student to keep an eye on Gidget.
"Independence, Gidget-Style" - When Gidget gets a job to buy Russ a birthday present, he mistakenly believes she's working in a nightclub.
"One More for the Road" - Gidget's new job requires her to learn how to drive.
"Ask Helpful Hannah" - Taking over the school magazine's advice column, Gidget gets wrapped up in bringing two lonely hearts together.
"A Hard Night's Night" - Unaware Russ invited a friend to stay in their home while he's away, Gidget begins to believe that the house is haunted.
"I Have This Friend Who..." - When her boyfriend's father insists on coming along on their dates, Gidget tries to find a way to discourage him.
"Don't Defrost the Alligator" - To comfort her new young friend over the death of his pet alligator, Gidget preserves the remains in her family's freezer.

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Catch a wave with America's favorite southern California beach teen in GIDGET: THE COMPLETE SERIES. Join two-time Academy Award® winner Sally Field (1984, Actress in a Leading Role, Places in the Heart) as perky 15-year-old Frances Elizabeth Lawrence (better known to her family and friends as Gidget), Don Porter as her ever-loving father, Russ, and a host of such soon-to-be-famous faces as Richard Dreyfuss, Barbara Hershey, Bonnie Franklin, Harvey Korman and Henry Jaglom, for 32 winning episodes of fun-in-the-sun comedy, romance and adventure.

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Tonight - 4 Decades of The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson Review

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(More customer reviews)Other reviewers have done a great job at detailing what is on this new Carson collection - and as a huge Carson fan who owns all the DVDs I want to offer a few tips to potential buyers.
The library of Carson DVDs are divided into "clip shows" that have clips of the best moments in the history of the program, and cutdowns of "full episodes", like the ones included in this collection. If you want to see the really famous clips (Ed Ames throwing the tomahawk, classic banter between Johnny and Ed or Doc, and the other really monumental moments), then the best collection to start with is the three disc Ultimate Collection, which has the best moments of the thirty years of the show, divided up by decade. If you are even a bigger fan, buy the "Heeres Johnny" Collection, which contains the Ultimate Collection discs, and all the other clip DVDs and few full episode DVDs, including the second to last episode with Bette Midler and the final episode. Both The Ultimate Collection and Heeres Johnny have been out a few years, so if you are buying a gift for a fan they might already own them.
This new collection, "Tonight", is the first new release from the Carson library in several years, and features cutdowns of full programs, so when you watch it you get a much better feeling for what it was like to sit down at 11:30 pm and watch an episode of Tonight Show, versus watching random but great clips from different shows. These are wonderful programs with great guests, and it is like a time capsule of America over thirty years. Carson sets the standard for talk show hosts, and as you watch these shows you see that almost all of today's hosts are simply trying to replicate (most of them unsuccessfully) the magic that made Johnny's show the best.
I have also found it interesting to play Carson episodes for people too young to have experienced him. Without exception - he is still funny, and suprisingly very hip - and young people love him! If they like watching Mad Men - they can watch Carson episodes from the 60's and see how people really dressed and acted during the period.
Some reviewers have been upset that these are not full unedited episodes - since some of the material is cut out. This is a true and a matter of personal taste. These are thirty minutes long - not the 60 to 90 minutes of the original shows - and I know there are some that want to exactly replicate the original shows. Of course the commercials are gone, and some of the material is edited down or eliminated, probably due to clearance issues. However, the upside of this is that you get cut downs of many more episodes and get to see many more guests, as opposed to fewer episodes that are longer and my have material that is not up to par. Still, myself and many Carson fans have been asking for a full episode collection, and this is a great start. The best moments of the episode are there - including the monologue and guest segments, and you still feel like you are watching an entire show, albeit a shorter one than the original.
And along with the great material, you will love the packaging. It comes in a beautiful box with a great collectors book, and the remastering is top-notch, though some of the edits between episodes could be smoother. There is a total of 1800 minutes of The Tonight Show, so this is a major collection. It is a set that belongs on the shelf of any serious fan of television. In the past I have given the other collections as gifts, as it is the kind of DVD set that virtually everyone would appreciate. This is by far the nicest packaging of any of the sets, and would look really impressive.
So if you are new to Carson, you might want to start with The Ultimate Collection or better yet, Heeres Johnny, which will have the most classic moments from the show. If you own those collections, or are buying for an established fan, you / they should consider this box set.

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Tonight is an all-new release from Carson Entertainment Group and Respond2 Entertainment. This deluxe collection features over 30 hours of timeless entertainment from 4 decades of The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson that has never before been released to DVD. Featuring over 50 shows - hand-selected by an original Producer, as the best episodes from the most popular late night show in history! DVD bonus features include over an hour of rescued footage from shows originally airing in the 1960s + all-new interviews with some of the most celebrated and regular guest stars that appeared on the show including Loni Anderson, Comedian David Brenner, and animal handler Jim Fowler!

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Living Single - The Complete First Season (1993) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is one of my favorite tv shows. It's centered around four single women and two single men, all in their twenties, who happen to be childless. I'm ecstatic by the release of this dvd. If only we can get Martin released on dvd....
This dvd set includes all 27 episodes from season 1 on four discs.


DISC 1
Judging By The Cover(Regine dates a married man)
I'll Take Your Man(Max dates Regine's ex)
Whose Date Is It Anyway?(Regine & Max help a dateless Synclaire)
A Kiss Before Lying(Max has dinner with her ex and his fiancee)
In The Black Is Beautiful(Max loans money to Khadijah)
Great Expectations(The girls go out to a night club)
Full Court Press(Khadijah goes to court over an accident)DISC 2
Living Single....With Children(Regine dates a single father)
Just Friends?(Khadijah dates her old friend Scooter)
Quittin' Time(Synclaire quits Flavor after Khadijah refuses to promote her)
The Naked Truth(Overton moves in with the girls after a fight with Kyle)
Crappy Birthday(The girls go to Atlantic City for Khadijah's birthday)
Love Takes A Holiday(Kyle falls for a woman who's just not that into him)
Burglar In The House(Regine's purse is snatched on the subway)DISC 3
Living Kringle(Synclaire is upset her friends have no Christmas spirit)
Fatal Distraction(Khadijah hires a handsome but talentless new writer)
The Hand That Robs The Cradle(Max dates a college freshman)
Love Thy Neighbor(Synclaire becomes jealous of Overton's date)
Mystery Date(Khadijah, Max and Regine throw themselves at the new neighbor*played by Morris Chestnut*)
Hot Fun In The Wintertime(Synclaire wins a trip to the Bahamas and has to decide who to take, Khadijah or Overton)
Friends Like These(Khadijah's mooching college friend comes to town)DISC 4
Whose The Boss?(Synclaire takes charge of Flavor while Khadijah is laid low with the flu)
U.N.I.T.Y.(a.k.a five card stud)(Kyle's boss insults the girls)
Love Is A Many Splintered Thing(The girls feel neglected when Khadijah spends all her time with a new man)
A Tale Of Two Tattles(The girls vow not to gossip)
She Ain't Heavy, She's My Mother(Regine's mom comes to town and drives her crazy)
What's Next(Kyle and Max wake up together naked and covered with a blanket. The much loved season cliff-hanger)Special Features:
"Featurette - How Ya Livin?: Season One Retrospective with all-new cast interviews of the comedy series about four fly women living large and living single. From " ?round the way" to "Rodeo Drive", Regine (Kim Fields) has a new look (and a new man!) for every occasion. Hard-nosed attorney Maxine Shaw (Erika Alexander) has an appetite for winning, both in and out of the courtroom. Sweet cousin Synclaire (Kim Coles), legendary for both her charm...and her naivete. And rounding out the crew is Khadijah James (Queen Latifah), a burgeoning entrepreneur who holds Flavor Magazine, and the household, together. Smart, sassy and single --- now that's Living." excerpt from the dvd.

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Best friends and "sista-girls", this group of seemingly mismatched women have found the recipe for twenty-something happiness. Enjoy all 27 Season One episodes (plus terrific Bonus Featurette) of the comedy series about four fly women living large and living single. From " ?round the way" to "Rodeo Drive", Regine (Kim Fields) has a new look (and a new man!) for every occasion. Hard-nosed attorney Maxine Shaw (Erika Alexander) has an appetite for winning, both in and out of the courtroom. Sweet cousin Synclaire (Kim Coles), legendary for both her charm...and her naivete. And rounding out the crew is Khadijah James (Queen Latifah), a burgeoning entrepreneur who holds Flavor Magazine, and the household, together. Smart, sassy and single --- now that's Living.

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