November 26th, 2009 by admin

Having first aired after the 1999 Super Bowl, Family Guy really hit its stride via cable re-runs and DVD sales (prompting Fox to announce the launch of Season 4 in May 2005, following the show’s original cancellation following Season 3). An animated series building a similar cult following to The Simpsons and Futurama, Family Guy employs its own unique brand of humor distinct to its other animated peers…

Family Guy follows the life and exploits of Peter Griffin, an idiotic family man flanked by his intelligent and loving wife, Lois. The couple have two children – Chris (an overweight, mentally challenged teenage boy), Meg (a neurotic teenage girl with low self-esteem), and Stewie (a super-intelligent infant who believes his mother is his enemy). Together, the Griffins live with their human-like dog, Brian, in suburban Quahog, Rhode Island…
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November 25th, 2009 by admin

Initially broadcast in the Fall of 1996, Everybody Loves Raymond became an instant ratings boon its parent network, remaining a constant in the Nielsen Top 15 for its nine season run. Following the life of sportswriter Ray Barone (Ray Romano), audiences watch in hilarity as Ray and his wife attempt to deal with each other as well as Ray’s neurotic and dysfunctional family which includes Ray’s brother and his parents who live across the street…

The Everybody Loves Raymond (Season 3) DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere in which Ray and Debra’s house gets quarantined after they spray for termites. Moving into Frank and Marie’s house along with the kids, they decide to give Ray’s parents a dose of their own medicine, but quickly learn that it’s near impossible to turn the tables on their annoying relatives… Other notable episodes from Season 3 include “Getting Even” in which Debra vows revenge on Ray for embarrassing her, prompting Ray to drive himself crazy in anticipation of her retaliation, and “Moving Out” in which Robert attempts to move out of his parents house and into a garage apartment only to realize that the couple he’s now living with are clones of the very parents he sought to escape…
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November 24th, 2009 by admin

Premiering in Fall 1996, Everybody Loves Raymond struck an instant chord with TV audiences, becoming a beloved fan favorite that would last for nine successful seasons. Modeled after other successful TV series that cast stand-up comics in starring roles – Seinfeld, The Drew Carey Show, and Home Improvement – all come to mind, Everybody Loves Raymond relied on the talents of comic Ray Romano, but also drew upon a vast well of hilarity present in his fellow cast members…

The Everybody Loves Raymond (Season 2) DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere in which Ray appears on a television sports talk show only to turn in a less than flattering appearance. When his family reveals the truth about his awkwardness, Ray is determined to perform better on TV, but his second stint is worse than his first… Other notable episodes from Season 2 include “Brother” in which Ray attempts to bond with Robert on the anniversary of his divorce, and “The Children’s Book” in which Debra’s noble attempt to write a children’s book is turned into a one-on-one writing competition by Ray… Season 2 also features guest appearances by sports figures Roy Firestone, James Worthy, and Pat O’Brien…
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November 23rd, 2009 by admin

First telecast in the Fall of 1996, Everybody Loves Raymond became an instant favorite among TV audiences, a love affair that would last for nine memorable seasons. Following on the heels of a series of successful sitcoms starring stand-up comics – Seinfeld, Home Improvement, The Drew Carey Show, etc., Everybody Loves Raymond drew upon the comedic talents of Ray Romano who plays the role of the title character Ray Barone…

A successful Long Island-based sportswriter, Ray and his wife Debra (Patricia Heaton) enjoy a happy marriage and the company of their three children – daughter Ally (Madylin Sweeten) and twin sons Geoffrey (Sawyer Sweeten) and Michael (Sullivan Sweeten). But they also happen to live directly across the street from Ray’s parents, Frank (Peter Boyle) and Marie (Doris Roberts), who take it upon themselves to enter their son and daughter-in-law’s house whenever they wish (without knocking) and dispense advice and sometimes insults. Joining Frank and Marie is Ray’s brother Robert (Brad Garrett), a divorced policeman, who periodically lives with Frank and Marie and is often jealous of Ray’s idyllic life. Together, they create the perfect loving and dysfunctional family…
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November 22nd, 2009 by admin

Winner of numerous Golden Globes and Emmys, as well as the recipient of innumerable additional nominations, ER is widely considered one of the best television dramas of its era. Created by Michael Crichton, the show chronicles the inner-workings of a Chicago hospital emergency room. With subplots involving the characters’ various relationship woven into an action-packed plot involving the trauma ward, ER is a fascinating look at current America…

The ER (Season 4) DVD features a number of dramatic episodes including the season premiere “Ambush” in which the ER is put in the spotlight when it’s chosen as the site for the filming of television documentary. Trauma specialist Elizabeth Corday (Alex Kingston) joins the staff of the ER while Carter begins his residency. Meanwhile, the usual tragic cases pour into the ER, such as a man left paralyzed after trying to break up a gangland fight… Other notable episodes from Season 4 include “Fathers and Sons” in which Doug travels to California to settle his father’s estate while Mark goes with him to visit his San Diego family for the first time in years, and “A Bloody Mess” in which Dr. Corday performs an experimental procedure on a patient without getting the required permissions first…
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November 21st, 2009 by admin

The recipient of 25 Golden Globe and 110 Emmy nominations, including seven for Outstanding Drama Series, ER is considered one of the best “reality” dramas in television history. First airing in September 1994, the hour-long NBC trauma ward series vividly depicts the intense stress typical of a hospital emergency room. Created by Michael Crichton, the author of such bestselling books as Jurassic Park and Timeline, ER fulfills Crichton’s vision of an up-close and personal glimpse of the technologies and humans who run America’s ERs…

The ER (Season 3) DVD features a number of dramatic episodes including the season premiere “Dr. Carter, I Presume” in which Carter begins his internship at the ER with a difficult day filling in for Peter as the ER surgery consultant. Meanwhile, several plotlines related to the staffers’ personal lives take twists when Carol runs into Shep and his new girlfriend and Peter runs into an old friend at a barbecue… Other notable episodes from Season 3 include “No Brain, No Gain” in which Peter fights to save the life of a gang member already declared dead by Doug, and “The Long Way Around” in which Carol is held hostage during a robbery at a local store…
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November 20th, 2009 by admin

One of the more popular “reality” dramas on prime time TV, ER follows the lives of several of emergency room doctors and staff personal working a bustling Chicago ER. The makes a concerted effort to reveal the true details of the inner-workings of an emergency room. From the high point of saving lives to the boring minutae of paperwork, the highs and lows of hospital ER work are examined. The initial years see several characters appearing regularly. Among them are doctors Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards), Peter Benton (Eriq La Salle), Douglas Ross (George Clooney), and Susan Lewis (Sherri Stringfield); Lead Nurse Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies) and resident intern John Carter (Noah Wyle)… Read the rest of this entry »

November 19th, 2009 by admin

Nominated for 25 Golden Globes and 110 Emmys, including 7 for Outstanding Drama Series, ER has long been one of the best prime-time shows on television. Premiering in September 1994 on NBC, the hour-long hospital drama vividly illustrates the intensity and fast-paced stress endemic to hospital emergency rooms across America. Brought into being by Michael Crichton – famous Hollywood insider, novelist, and brains behind such films as Jurassic Park, Twister, and Timeline – ER fulfills its creator’s ultimate vision (it took over a decade of pitching the show before network executives bit) for a close-to-life glimpse of the technology and the humanity omnipresent in the ER. Since its inception, many cast members have passed through the halls of ER, many of them having gone on to become big stars in Hollywood…
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November 18th, 2009 by admin

This Christmas, discover your inner elf… At least, that’s the tagline for Elf, one of the funniest films of 2003. Packed with a cast of Hollywood all-star talent, Elf is guaranteed to make you laugh. The touching story about an adopted elf who discovers he’s really a boy is sort of a bizzaro-Pinocchio story that opened to such widespread critical acclaim that it unanimously swept zero Oscars at the 2004 Academy Awards ceremony! Nevertheless, Elf is worth the price of admission. Although Christmas Vacation still holds the title as the top Christmas comedy, Elf is still a great night’s entertainment…

Buddy (Will Ferrell) is an oversized elf working away at the North Pole. Always wearing a smile, he dwarfs his comrades and never seems able to find his niche in the toy-making arena. Eventually, Papa Elf (Bob Newhart) is forced to reveal the truth to Buddy. He’s actually a human. He’s not really an elf at all. The elves love buddy just the same, but Buddy feels the need to strike out on his own and try to find himself – and maybe even his family too…

Scouring the streets of New York City, Buddy must learn the urban rules of life. In due time, he manages to track down his biological father, a successful publishing executive named Walter (James Caan). But despite the prodding of his wife Emily (Mary Steenburgen), Walter is reluctant to start a relationship with the over-eager grown-up child…

In the meantime, Buddy spends his days working at Gimbel’s department store where he stars as a department store Santa’s elf and a Christmas season decorator, creating a magical wonderland that thrills customers and employees alike. Striking up a relationship with fellow employee Jovie (Zooey Deschanel), Buddy’s life is slowly transitioning from elf to human… But will he be able to survive in the big city? Will he be able to rekindle a relationship with his father? Elf thoroughly entertains us while we find out…

With a great cast of writers, Elf manages to keep the laughs rolling throughout the entirety of the film. Although lacking in some areas (it’s not one of the greatest comedies of all-time), Elf is a hilarious movie in its own right. Will Ferrell turns in an amazing performance as Buddy. Like Tom Hanks in Big, he’s actually believable as the innocent man-child roaming the streets of New York City. It’s this farcical innocence that provides Elf with the charm necessary to keep the audience involved in the story beginning to end. Because of its laugh factor, and the surprisingly small number of decent Christmas-themed movies, Elf is a definite must-see film… Check it out this Christmas!

November 17th, 2009 by admin

Nominated for 19 Emmys and 5 Golden Globes, including Best TV Series – Drama, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman experienced the rare double victory of audience loyalty and widespread critical acclaim. Premiering in mid-season (January 1993), the hour-long CBS original series illustrated American frontier life like few other shows before it. Like the smash hit Little House On The Prairie, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman vividly portrays the hardship, struggle, and community kinship endemic to the era. One of the first Western-themed shows to cast a female doctor (as the star of the show nonetheless), Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman enjoyed a successful five-year run, marked by two highly-touted made-for-TV movies…

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman follows the exploits of Dr. Michaela “Mike” Quinn, a female doctor living in 19th Century America when that sort of thing was unheard of. Working for years as an assistant in her father’s New England medical practice, the death of her father prompts Dr. Mike to answer a want ad for a doctor in the thriving American frontier town of Colorado Springs. When she arrives, the town is taken aback, having expected she was a man. But Dr. Mike quickly endears herself with the townsfolk and expands her family by adopting three orphan children – Matthew (Chad Allen), Colleen (Erika Flores/Jessica Bowman), and Brian (Shawn Toovey). As the show progresses, she eventually marries local Byron Sully (Joe Lando), and the final seasons focus on the lives of their nuclear family. Sporting an assorted cast of loveable, and sometimes eccentric, characters, the town is never short of excitement or drama…
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