How to Spend $20
By Eric Hughes
July 8, 2008
For people who like stealing things: Fastlane: The Complete Series
Oh Kelly Kapowski, how you've grown. Here, former Saved by the Bell star Tiffani Thiessen plays a harpy police lieutenant for a secretive division of the LAPD, while keeping two mismatched cops (Peter Facinelli and Bill Bellamy) under constant check. The series, about undercover officers who take down dangerous evildoers with a surplus of stolen cars and weapons at their disposal, was abruptly cancelled by Fox after a single season way back in 2003. High production costs, which covered its excessive explosions and guest star appearances, were said to be the root cause of why the network brought out the ax. However, the crime drama lives on through DVD, with the complete series being made available today.
Disc includes: Hot Stuff: Inside the Candy Store - Evolution of a Series featurette, Stunning Rides - Muscle Machines and Kit Cars featurette, Smoking Stars - The Cast featurette, Sizzling Action: Stunts and Chases featurette, bloopers, unaired and extended scenes.
For people without real weekend plans: Stargate Atlantis: The Complete Fourth Season
Originally a mere spinoff of the now-defunct Stargate SG-1, which itself is a televised spinoff of the original 1994 feature film, Stargate Atlantis has quietly made a name for itself over at the Sci-Fi network, with the series' 20-episode fifth season set to begin just a few days from now. As its name implies, Stargate Atlantis focuses on a human expedition to the lost city of Atlantis, located in the Pegasus Galaxy, according to the show's mythology. With this exploration comes human contact with powerful enemies, like the Wraith and Genii, both of which battle the humans who are trying to uncover Atlantis' secrets.
For those not typically around on a Friday night to watch new episodes, save for the most serious of fanboys (aka single men), now's your chance to get all caught up on DVD since all previously-aired seasons are now available.
Disc includes: Commentaries on every episode, A New Leader: Amanda Tapping Joins Atlantis featurette, Mission Directive: Doppelganger with Robert C. Cooper featurette, The Doctor Is In: The Return of Paul McGillion featurette, Mission Directive: This Mortal Coil with Will Waring featurette, Mission Directive: Quarantine with Martin Wood featurette, Mission Directive: Outcast with Andy Mikita featurette, The Making of Trio featurette, A Look Back at Season 4 featurette, bloopers, deleted scenes, photo gallery, production design gallery.
For people who are tired of gritty cop dramas: Psych: The Complete Second Season
Launched in 2006 to more than six million viewers, comedy Psych quickly became appropriate, complementary programming for USA Network's other hit detective series, Monk. The series stars James Roday as faux-psychic Shawn Spencer, whose heightened observational skills landed him a job as a crime consultant for the Santa Barbara Police Department. Former West Wing star Dule Hill plays his best friend, Burton "Gus" Guster. At this point, I've got no real qualms to speak of with this light comedy, except that Roday's contemplative, I'm-pretending-to-be-a-psychic face annoys me to no end (see all promos and/or publicity photos related with this show). Season three starts up next week.
Disc includes: Audio commentary, deleted scenes, gag reel, Where's the Pineapple featurette, The Name Game, Psychouts, Lil' Shawn and Gus webisodes.
For people who will boldly see any film at the movie theater for the sake of getting out of the house: Superhero Movie (Extended Edition)
If nothing else, the fine folks behind the Scary Movie franchise, Date Movie, Epic Movie, and the like really do offer something back to greater society. No, I'm not talking about the actual finished product – here, it's Superhero Movie – but rather the comically cruel movie reviews that pile up faster than the automobile carnage at a demolition derby. Memorable examples include: "This parody film plagiarizes Spider-Man to virtually laughless effect" and "Essentially a retread of every bad grade-school joke you're happy to have forgotten." Then there's James Lane, of Sacramento News & Review, who had nothing better to say than "...the gags just lie there and die..."
Seriously, don't tell me you went out and saw this one, a comedy spoof on many superhero movies, but mostly the first Spider-Man (which in itself is odd, considering that movie came out like seven years ago). But if you did see Superhero Movie in theaters AND enjoyed the thing – which accounts for probably 0.0003 percent of you – you'll be happy to know director Craig Mazin already announced that a sequel is in the works. So thanks to you, incompetent viewer of the American movie-going public!
Disc includes: Audio commentary with writer-director Craig Mazin and producers David Zucker and Robert K. Weiss, deleted scenes, alternative ending, Meet the Cast featurette, The Art of Spoofing featurette.
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