Chappelle’s Show: The Lost Episodes. Once upon a time there was a comedy show that was so out there, so out of control, and so damn funny, that its star could do anything he damn well pleased just about. So he flipped right the hell out and ran away, leaving the third season of the show in tatters. Paramount and Comedy Central, God bless them, did the only thing they could do: release what they had. If they hadn’t, they would have gotten crap about it. And now that they have, some people are still giving them crap. Whatever. You get basically three episodes’ worth of material, plus around an hour’s worth of bonus performances, commentaries, unaired sketches, blooper reels, and whatnot. Hardcore fans of the show will want it. (Buy it)
[ad#rightpost]Coach: The First Season. All thirteen episodes of the first season of this much-beloved comedy–starring Craig T. Nelson and Jerry Van Dyke–hit thanks to Universal, complete with limited edition pigskin packaging. Very appropriate. All thirteen episodes are here across two discs. Bonus bits are lacking, as you get a retro featurette and a bonus episode from the second season, but fans are going to want to snag this to ensure that the rest of that second season hits as well. (Buy it)
Columbo: The Complete Fifth Season. Here we get all six episodes of Peter Falk’s fifth season as Columbo on this two-disc set from Universal. The number of guest stars is formidable: Janet Leigh, Patrick McGoohan, Robert Vaughn, Hector Elizondo, Leslie Nielsen, Ricardo Montalban, and Robert Loggia to name a few. McGoohan directed two of the episodes, and some guy named Spielberg was in the chair for one of them. The only bonus bit is an episode of Mrs. Columbo starring Kate Mulgrew, something that still freaks me out that it even exists. (Buy it)
Dharma & Greg: Season One. This Fox boxed set brings the first twenty-three episodes of the series to DVD, spread across three discs. While fans would be happy with just that, be of good cheer: there’s more. Three episodes get commentary from cast members Jenna Elfman, Mimi Kennedy and Alan Rachins. There’s interviews with the cast and the executive producers. There’s a few of the famous (infamous?) vanity cards from the end of episodes, and there’s also a quiz. (Buy it)
The Mary Tyler Moore Show: The Complete Fourth Season. Betty White and Georgia Engel join the cast in this fourth season, now hitting DVD thanks to Fox. You get all twenty-four episodes spread across three discs, including guest stars Jerry Van Dyke, Walter Cronkite, and Henry Winkler. In this season, both Cloris Leachman’s and Ed Asner’s characters find themselves in a shift when it comes to their relationships, secrets come out, and jokes backfire, all causing hijinks, as you might imagine. Bare bones, but fans won’t care and should grab it. (Buy it)
Punky Brewster: Season Three. The third season hits DVD thanks to the folks at Shout Factory, and fans will not be disappointed. You’ve got all twenty-two episodes here, spread across four discs. As a bonus, you get a slew of episodes from the animated show It’s Punky Brewster. And as a further bonus, for those of you that appreciate a bit of the good scary retro, be aware that the band DeBarge makes a guest appearance in the season opener. Luckily, they’re there to talk to Punky about reading and not hair care. You know what I’m talking about. (Buy it)
