Disclaimer: Warner Brothers Home Entertainment requests we note that it provided a free copy of “FLCL: Progressive & Alternative”, “Swamp Thing: The Complete Series”, “Krypton: The Complete Second and Final Season”, “Ballers: The Complete Series”, and “Veep: The Complete Series”. The opinions I share are my own.
“The highly anticipated sequel to the 2001 original FLCL, FLCL: Progressive tells the story of 14-year-old Hidomi and her classmate, Ide, as the war between Medical Mechanica and Fraternity continues. Now in the form of their teacher, Haruko Haruhara returns alongside another otherworldly being, Jinyu, a gorgeous Chrysler Bel Aire and her yellow Vespa to unleash their hidden potential. FLCL: Alternative, the third and final season centers on the misadventures of 17-year-old Kana and her friends, Mossan, Hijiri and Pets. Living a seemingly normal life, the group’s lives are flipped upside down when Mecha falls from the sky and arrives with the guitar-wielding Haruko Haruhara. Once again determined to take out Medical Mechanica, Haruko works to awaken Kana’s N.O. channel before the relentless iron takes over the world.” — from Warner Brothers
FLCL: Progressive & Alternative Combo Pack is available now on Blu-ray and includes all twelve episodes from both seasons along with some making-of featurettes and an introduction to the show’s creators and English voice actors. You can currently snag it on Amazon for $40.82.
“When firefighter Jake Carson (John Cena) and his team (Keegan-Michael Key and John Leguizamo) rescue three siblings in the path of a wildfire, they quickly realize that no amount of training could have prepared them for their most challenging job yet – babysitting. While trying to locate the children’s parents, the firefighters have their lives, jobs and even their fire station turned upside down and learn that kids – much like fires – are wild and full of surprises.” — from Paramount
Playing with Fire is now out on Blu-ray combo pack which presents the film on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital formats along with a handful of extras. Bonus features include a quick “storytime” special with John Cena telling his own version of “The Three Little Pigs,” short featurettes on the cast’s take on family, real-life smokejumpers, and behind-the-scenes glimpses at humorous antics and tea parties on the set, Cena and Key reading humorous email selections, deleted scenes, and a blooper reel. Fans can grab the Blu-ray Combo Pack on Amazon for $19.96.
“From executive producers James Wan (The Conjuring Universe films, Aquaman), Mark Verheiden (Heroes, Constantine), Gary Dauberman (IT and Annabelle films), Michael Clear (The Nun) and Len Wiseman (Sleepy Hollow, Underworld films), Swamp Thing follows Dr. Abby Arcane as she investigates a deadly swamp-born virus in the small town of Marais, Louisiana. When a mysterious creature emerges from the murky marsh, she finds herself facing the nightmares of a supernatural world where no one is safe. With nature wildly out of balance and coming for the people of Marais, in the end, it may take some Thing from the swamp to save it.” — Warner Brothers
Swamp Thing: The Complete Series is coming out on DVD and Blu-ray on February 11. Both formats include all ten episodes of the show, but, sadly, with no bonus features (a true missed opportunity considering all that could have been done with behind-the-scenes looks at costumes, sets, etc. on this one, plus who doesn’t want to see some bloopers with a crazy-looking swamp monster?) On Amazon you can pre-order the DVD for $19.96 and the Blu-ray for $22.99, but considering you can get the series digitally there for only $18.99 with no difference in content, that might be the savviest route in this case.
“Season two [of Krypton] brings us back to a changed Kandor, locked in a battle over its freedom and its future. With Zod now in control, he’s on a ruthless mission to rebuild Krypton according to his ideals and to secure its future by conquering the universe. Faced with a bleak outlook, Superman’s ancestor, Seg-El, attempts to unite a dispersed group of resisters in an effort to defeat Zod and restore hope to their beloved planet.” — from Warner Brothers
Krypton: The Complete Second & Final Season is now available on DVD and Blu-ray and includes all ten episodes of Season Two. Bonus features on this one are limited to two featurettes — “Villains: Modes of Persuasion” (an exploration of the motivations of beloved DC villains) and “The Fate of Superman” (where executive producer David S. Goyer examines Kal-El’s lineage and how it relates to the fate of both the world and the universe). Fans can purchase the DVD and Blu-ray on Amazon, currently both priced at $19.99.
“While peacefully enjoying retirement and reflecting on his past, Spencer (Dwayne Johnson) gets a tantalizing offer. A year after splitting with Spencer, Joe (Rob Corddry) eyes a big swing at Sports X with his new partner, Lance (Russell Brand). Ricky (John David Washington) finds himself in hot water with Charles (Omar Miller), and Vernon (Donovan W. Carter) considers a life change, much to Reggie’s (London Brown) chagrin.” — from Warner Brothers
The show’s main cast includes Dwayne Johnson as Spencer Strasmore, Rob Corddry as Joe Krutel, John David Washington as Ricky Jerret, Omar Miller as Charles Greane, Donovan W. Carter as Vernon Littlefield, Troy Garity as Jason Antolotti, London Brown as Reggie, Jazmyn Simon as Julie Greane, Arielle Kebbel as Tracy Legette, and Brittany S. Hall as Amber. Ballers: The Complete Series is now available on DVD, which includes all five seasons of the series. No bonus features appear on this collection (again, why??? Wouldn’t we all be happy to see Dwayne Johnson talk about…well, anything??), but if you want to have it on the shelf regardless, you can get the set on Amazon for $42.91.
“[In Veep,] Julia Louis-Dreyfus is Vice President of the United States Selina Meyer, who finds the job is nothing like she expected, but everything her incompetent staff warned her about.” — from Warner Brothers
The series starred Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Selina Meyer, Anna Chlumsky as Amy Brookheimer, Tony Hale as Gary Walsh, Reid Scott as Dan Egan, Matt Walsh as Mike McLintock, Sufe Bradshaw as Sue Wilson, Clea DuVall as Marjorie Palmiotti, and Sarah Sutherland as Catherine Meyer. Beloved by fans and critics alike, Veep garnered multiple award wins and nominations, including seventeen Primetime Emmy Awards, two Critics’ Choice Television Awards, four Screen Actors Guild Awards, two TCA Awards, three Writers Guild of America Awards, one Peabody Award, and nominations for seven Golden Globe Awards. Veep: The Complete Series is available now on DVD and includes all seven seasons of the series along with a few bonus features. Among the extras are character retrospectives, an invitation to the set, audio commentaries, and deleted scenes. You can find the set on Amazon, currently priced at $97.52.
