Extras abound on TV show DVDs

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Jun 25, 2009 | by Chris Hicks Deseret News

The long-awaited second season of "Everwood" leads off these new- to-DVD television programs.

"Everwood: The Complete Second Season" (Warner, 2003-04, six discs, $39.98). Since the first season's DVD release in 2004 (while the show was still on the air), fans have been clamoring for the second season of this family drama. Hey, better late than never, I say.

The show has a high-rolling New York surgeon (Treat Williams) being widowed and moving his two teenage children to Everwood, Colo., where he opens a free clinic. There, the family tries to adjust to a new lifestyle.

The first season ended with a cliffhanger as Williams performed a delicate operation on a teenage boy in town. The first episode here reveals the unexpected outcome, which has a ripple effect on several of the show's central characters.

Marcia Cross ("Desperate Housewives") becomes a regular as a doctor, and James Earl Jones and Betty White have recurring roles. Another "Desperate Housewives" star, Brenda Strong, shows up, as does Kristin Bell ("Veronica Mars").

And, of course, since the show was filmed in Utah, a lot of local actors are also here: Kirby Heyborne, Joyce Cohen, K.C. Clyde, Michael Flynn, Jeff Olson.

Extras: widescreen, 22 episodes, deleted scenes

"Murdoch Mysteries: Season One" (Acorn, 2008, four discs, $59.99). Sherlock Holmes meets "CSI" in this Canadian mystery series set in the 1890s as a detective adopts such modern scientific techniques as lie detectors, "finger marks" and forensics to track down killers. Clever and smart, with likable characters.

Extras: widescreen, 13 episodes, audio commentaries, featurette, photo gallery, text filmographies/character bios

"The Hunger: The Complete First Season" (E1, 1997, four discs, $39.98). This sleazy half-hour anthology horror show is only remotely related to the film of the same title (which was directed by Tony Scott, who also helped develop this series). Gory and quite sexual on an R-rated level; hosted by Terence Stamp. Guest stars include Daniel Craig, Margot Kidder, Karen Black.

Extras: full frame, 22 episodes, preview of Season 2 (hosted by David Bowie)

"Dominick Dunne: After the Party" (Mercury, 2008, $24.95). Documentary about journalist, best-selling author and social gadfly Dunne, perhaps best known as a contributor to Vanity Fair, covering sensational murder trials. Interesting and amusing look inside high society, to include its darker side.

Extras: widescreen, featurette, trailer

"Extreme Ice" (PBS, 2009, $24.99). This "NOVA" hour is devoted to snow-covered peaks in Alaska, the Alps and Iceland, where melting icecaps may or may not signal a coming disaster. This scientific approach is admittedly imperfect but nonetheless fascinating.

Extras: widescreen, printable materials

"Poisoned Waters" (PBS, 2009, $24.99). This episode of "Frontline" explores the results of the Clean Water Act three decades after its creation, only to find that some areas being polluted by industry and home development continue to contaminate the food chain.

Extras: widescreen

"Ten Trillion and Counting" (PBS, 2009, $24.99). "Frontline" again, this time looking into the federal government's efforts to stem the ongoing financial meltdown. Causes and potential outcomes are identified by experts.

Extras: widescreen

E-MAIL: hicks@desnews.com