'Knots Landing' lands on DVD

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Mar 30, 2006 | by Chris Hicks Deseret Morning News

Fans of "Knots Landing" finally get the first season of the prime- time soap opera on DVD, and sci-fi buffs will want to take note of the black-and-white British series "The Invisible Man."

-- "Knots Landing: The Complete First Season" (Warner, 1979-80, not rated, $39.98, five discs). This spinoff of "Dallas" was a hugely successful prime-time soap and has been referred to as "the original 'Desperate Housewives.' " (And down the road, Nicolette Sheridan joins the cast.)

Ted Shackelford plays Gary Ewing, a reformed alcoholic and member of "Dallas" clan, who tries to start over with his wife Val (Joan Van Ark) in a cul-de-sac in Knots Landing, Calif. They meet the Fairgates, Karen (Michele Lee) and Sid (Don Murray), among others, and the underhanded shenanigans begin.

An enjoyable introduction to the series, which would gain its footing after a season or two, and for many years held the record for seasons of a prime-time contemporary drama -- 14 -- until "Law & Order" passed it a couple of years ago.

Extras: Full frame, 13 episodes, audio commentary (Van Ark, Shackelford), making-of featurette, subtitle options (English, French, Spanish), chapters.

-- "H.G. Wells' The Invisible Man: The Original Series: Season One" (DarkSky, 1958, not rated, b/w, $29.98, two discs). The special effects are pretty good in this 1950s British TV series, which bears little resemblance to Wells' book. Here, a government scientist becomes invisible and eventually becomes an agent for the British Empire, traveling the world. Great fun.

Extras: Full frame, 13 episodes, language options (English, Spanish, French), chapters.

-- "Walking the Bible" (WGBH, 2005, not rated, $39.95, two discs). Based on the best seller of the same title, this engrossing three-hour PBS show follows author/host Bruce Feiler through 10 countries and four war zones as he explores the lives of such biblical prophets as Noah, Abraham and Moses. Bonus features include an interesting Q&A with Feiler.

Extras: Widescreen, featurette, photo galleries, slide show, optional English subtitles, described video for the visually impaired, chapters.

-- "Resurrection: A Search for Answers" (MPI/ABC, 2005, not rated, $14.98). ABC news anchor Elizabeth Vargas travels to Jerusalem to speak with scholars, theologians and archaeologists about the resurrection of Jesus in this TV special.

Extras: Widescreen, slideshow, text biographies of scholars, optional English subtitles, chapters.

-- "Galileo's Battle for the Heavens" (WGBH, 2002, not rated, $19.95). This two-hour "NOVA" program has actor Simon Callow as Galileo, confounding his fellow philosophers and scientists -- and the Roman Catholic Church -- with outrageous theories about the universe, such as the Earth revolving around the sun.

Extras: Widescreen, printable materials, optional English subtitles, described video for the visually impaired, chapters. (If you can't find this title in a local store, they can be ordered by phone at 800-949-8670, or on the Web at shop.wgbh.org.)

-- "American Muscle Car: Season 1" (MPI, 2000, not rated, color and b/w, $29.98, two discs). Car fanatics rejoice. This series from the Speed Channel! explores the glory days of automobiles, focusing on the unusual, from the 1964 Pontiac GTO to the Shelby Mustang.

Extras: Full frame, 13 episodes, chapters. (Also available in two- episode single discs, $9.98 each.)

-- "Justice League: The Animated Series 1" (Warner, 2001, not rated, $44.98, four discs). The Justice League -- comprised of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Hawkgirl and Martian Manhunter -- battles bad guys in this animated series.

Extras: Full frame, 26 episodes, audio commentaries, featurettes, storyboards, never-shown promo, subtitle options (English, French, Spanish), chapters.

-- "Batman Beyond: Season One" (Warner, 1999, not rated, $26.99, two discs). This reimagining of the crime-fighter finds Bruce Wayne a middle-aged man forced into passing the mantle to teenager Terry McGinnis, whose father was killed for exposing criminal activities.

Extras: Full frame, 13 episodes, audio commentaries, featurettes, subtitle options (English, French, Spanish), chapters.

-- "Robot Chicken: Season One" (Cartoon Network/Warner, 2005, not rated, $29.98, two discs). This stop-motion animation show is aimed at perpetual adolescents. Yet another show that relies heavily on pop-culture references and vulgar gags to a degree that becomes annoying after awhile.

Extras: Full frame, 20 episodes, audio commentaries, featurettes, alternate audio takes, deleted scenes, chapters.

-- "Friends Collection: The One With All the Babies" (Warner, 1995-2002, not rated, $14.97).

-- "Friends Collection: The One With All the Weddings" (Warner, 1998-2004, not rated, $14.97). Five episodes about babies being born and four about weddings (including nuptials with Ross, Monica and Chandler, and Phoebe), are collected here from the decade-long, hugely popular sitcom.

Extras: Full frame, audio commentaries (by producers), subtitle options (English, French, Spanish), chapters. (Also available is "Friends Collection: The One With All the Birthdays.")