'Generation Baby Buster' DVD: Everything You Wanted to Know About Whether to Have a Baby but Were Afraid to Ask

The Cinema Libre Studio documentary "Generation Baby Buster," which is coming out on DVD and VOD on June 9 2105, is equally entertaining and comprehensive regarding the debate on the pros and cons as to having a baby. The accolades for this film about the significant number of women who are not on board regarding travelling down the mommy track includes winning the award for best documentary at the Geneva Film Festival.

"Buster" truly should be required viewing for any woman and anyone in her life who would help raise her child who is trying to decide whether she wants to undergo the life giving step that is incredibly life altering.

The following clip, courtesy of YouTube, provides a good sense of the basis for the above statement.

Filmmaker/narrator Terra Renton approaches this topic from the perspective of a happily married 32 year-old woman who has pushed the pregnant pause button on her biological clock.

A personal experience highlights a primary theme of this film that seemingly has a cast of 1,000s of experts (including the New York journalist who incurred the wrath of the nation after writing about allowing her eight-year old solo on the subway) and just slightly fewer lay persons. A reunion at a boarding school that is ranked in the middle of the top 50 prep. schools in the country was depressing because literally every female classmate in attendance spent the entire time either chasing young children or negotiating with tween offspring.

Later commenting to my highly significant other, who shares my view that the best children are those of the feline and canine variety, that watching these women who excelled in high school and went onto prestigious universities waste their education and intelligence prompted the response "they're using their Wharton degrees to change diapers."

Renton spends a significant portion of the film addressing that trend in a more polite and detailed manner. The participants in the film compare some of the scads o' tangible aspects, such as the enormous investments of time and money, of child raising to the intangible benefits. One challenge regarding that is a childless person fully grasping the concept of a parent stating with complete sincerity that he or should would actually kill for a child.

The "Seinfeld" catch-phrase "you gotta see the baby" addresses a related issue that "Buster" discusses. Many parents of today get so wrapped up in their children that adult friendships typically either end or must actively involve the children.

The larger theme of "Buster" is that 21st century life creates what can be considered neo-natal considerations regarding whether to have a child. These factors include most parents of babies and young children no longer having support in the form of large numbers of relatives living in the same community (or perhaps under the same roof.) An additional consideration is the conflict between pursuing the self-fulfillment and of overall enjoyment of going out for drinks and similar adult-oriented activity and raising a child. One spoiler is that the experts recommend reducing the amount and openness of pleasure-giving vices.

The most amusing scene has an adorable couple discussing the history of their thoughts regarding whether to insert a bun in the oven; the wife declares their final decision only to have the clearly startled husband state that he guesses that that is what they are doing.

The bottom line is the Renton amazingly covers every base regarding her topic; it is almost guaranteed that anyone watching will have no trouble coming out one way or the other at the end of the film.

Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Buster" is welcome to either email me or to connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.

'Codename: Kids Next Door Sooper Hugest Missions' DVD: The Kids Are Spytastic

[EDITOR'S NOTE: This Australian-produced DVD is coded for DVD Region 4; it will not play in a standard U.S. DVD player. It will play in a Region-free player, which will be the best roughly $75 that you ever spend.]

A misunderstanding regarding the nature of the Australian-based media company Madman Entertainment DVD release of the 2002-08 Cartoon Network original series "Codename: Kids Next Door" awesomely ties into the lore of that cartoon; namely, adults are stupid.

A "Kids" entry on the Madman site seems to be for a complete series set of that show; determining that that complete series is unavailable in the U.S, made the Madman set an excellent review candidate. Alas, an evil adult plot to create undue anticipation limits the Madman "Kids" offering to the 10-episode "Sooper Hugest Missions: File One" release.

The better news is that the relatively high price and seemingly limited stock of the (presumably discontinued) U.S. release of "Missions" make it likely that the Madman version is less expensive (even with shipping) and more readily available than its U.S. counterpart.

Madman offer the further benefit of providing the terrific description of "Kids" that is reproduced below.

Either you are in, or you are old

Codename Kids Next Door is about the secret Kids Next Door Organization, a worldwide group comprising thousands of kids joined in mutual struggle against adult tyranny. They fight villains that embody specific menaces to children overall; such as Knightbrace (going to the dentist), Count Spankulot (spanking), the Common Cold (self-explanatory), Windsor and the Queen Tie (wearing ties), Mrs. Dirt (taking a bath), and Father/Benedict Uno, (the ultimate figure of authority).

Following a period of training, kids are assigned a secret code and sent to a "sector", that is, a treehouse of gigantic proportions. The KND Organization HQ itself is set on the moon (Moonbase). Kids follow their oath of protecting other kids as well as battling adulthood until the age of 13, when they are "decommissioned": their brains are washed-clean of memories of any past KND activity, upon which they are thence considered teenagers, and a threat to KND! 

Each "Kids" episode is titled Operation __ with the operation name being a clever acronym related to the nature of the task at hand for the five tree-house dwelling operatives around which the show revolves.

Operation I.S.C.R.E.AM. starts out the collection with an adventure in which our heroes hi-jack an ice cream truck in response to an evil plot to deprive the children of the world of ice cream. The hilarious true nature of these nefarious dealings climaxes in a typical "Kids" battle with the foe of the moment.

Operation L.I.C.E. involves evil doppelganger foes the Delightful Children from Down the Lane getting a monstrous parasite into the headquarters of our group. Both the manner of the substance needed to eliminate that threat and the related wonderful puns make this one particularly memorable.

The "Children" are also the focus of the epic two-part "Operation G.R.O.W.U.P." that rounds out the "Missions" set. This one follows the grand tradition of an arch-nemesis dealing a hero a potentially fatal blow.

The series itself is particularly special because it is among the shows that DVD releases provides a second life, Candor requires sharing not liking "Kids" on its debut but loving the DVD episodes. They are witty, fun, and terrifically off-beat.

"Kids" further is a show that youngsters and their oppressive overlords can equally enjoy. Younger viewers will get wrapped up in the action and the fantasy regarding living in an adult-free environment; those of us with secondary sexual characteristics will chuckle at the creative takes on the challenges that real-life kids face.

The DVD extras include an episode of the incredibly cute Unreal TV reviewed Cartoon Network series "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends."

Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Kids" is encouraged to either email me or to connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.

'The Pillow Book' DVD: Ewan McGregor Bares Soul (and All Else) in Sensual Erotic Classic

Uber-awesome (mostly foreign) indie flick distributor Film Movement continues expanding beyond its spectacular Film of the Month DVD club, VOD streaming service, and theatrical releases by launching a series of home video releases of classic films. The separate June 9, 2015 Blu-ray and DVD releases of the equally highly sensual and erotic 1996 Peter Greenaway film "The Pillow Book" is the perfect inaugural title for this venture.

The following clip, courtesy of YouTube, of the theatrical trailer for "Book" wonderfully conveys the symbolism and other wonderful imagery of this genuine art house film.

"Book" centers around the related highly psychological quests of Nagiko, played by renowned Asian actress Vivian Wu. The strongest childhood memories of this complex character consist of her beloved father using her face as a canvas for a special  birthday tradition calligraphy project and her aunt reading passages from the titular tome. That literary work essentially is the ancient memoir of a lady-in-waiting.

The etched-in-acid deep impression of these experiences and of other childhood memories prompt the aforementioned crusades of Nagiko. She seeks out men who can meet the challenges of being a suitable human canvas for her own calligraphy and a sexual partner who can satisfy her physical needs.

All of this relates to Nagiko writing her own Pillow Book and otherwise yearning to express herself.

The depiction of those encounters clearly fall within the sensual/erotic (rather than the pornographic) range of stories that are chock full o' sexuality. The intensity, passion, and numerous other strong emotions associated with the plethora of modeling/intimate activity sessions in which Nagiko engages will entertain and evoke the other assorted desired responses. Wu truly brings that character to life and gets you to feel her joy, sorrow, anger, etc.

Nagiko finds the seemingly ideal man for those tasks (and a related darker purpose) in professional translator Jerome, played by an absolutely beautiful Ewan "Obi-Wan Kenobi" McGregor. The numerous nude scenes featuring a fully nude and semi-aroused McGregor will appeal to his fans.

Further, the incredibly exquisite cinematography, creative filming techniques, and beautifully bright colors are tailor-made for Blu-ray; choosing that format over DVD is a no-brainer.

The special features include what must be a fascinating commentary by Greenaway.

Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Book" is strongly encouraged to email me; you can also connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy,

'Dad' S2: Six Episodes (and Christmas Special) of Classic BBC Britcom

 
[Editor's Note: This Australian-produced DVD set is coded for Region 4; playing it in the U.S. requires a region-free DVD player.]

This review of the Australia-based Madman Entertainment DVD set of the 1999 second series (my people call them series) of the BBC Britcom "Dad" (as well as the recent review of S1 of the program) is timed to allow ample notice should you chose to get one or both releases for your male parental figure for his upcoming special day.

The well-executed simple premise of "Dad" is that everybloke Alan Hook is caught in the middle between his well-meaning but disaster-prone senior citizen father Brian and charmingly snarky late teens son Vincent. The twin goals of our hero are to be a good son while being a better father than his perceived version of Brian. Meanwhile, Alan's wife Beryl is a seemingly perfect spouse and mother.

S2 starts strongly with an episode that finds the planned move of the family of Alan hilariously expedited;  putting micro-manager Brian in charge of the project only adds to the humor. The overall "com" regarding this "sit" relates to the intense impact of every element of the move (and life in general) on an already stress-prone Alan.

This episode is equally notable for including arguably the best scene in the entire run of "Dad." An individual who finds himself the object of wrath by Alan achieves wonderful poetic justice by hilariously placing the latter on the wrong end of the stick in a manner that results in Alan once again mortifying Vincent. Much of this relates to Alan being the butt of the joke even more than usual.

An episode in which all three Hook men spend several mind numbing boring hours in a polling place tinkers with the formula of Brian humiliating and/or physically injuring Alan in the course of a project by bringing Vincent into the mix. The "com" this time largely relates to Brian insisting on adhering to bureaucratic nonsense causing Alan great distress. Further, one guest star coming out of his shell has strong consequences.

The arguably overall funniest episode of the entire run of "Dad" pits Alan and Brian against both a small furry nemesis and vandals with an awesome sense of humor.

The official series finale relates to the overall theme of the deteriorating health of Brian being a primary impetus for current close relationship with Alan. This one had Brian being scheduled for bypass surgery.

"Dad" later wraps up  its run and the DVD with a 1999 Christmas special in which a childhood classmate, played by veteran British television actor Stephen Tompkinson, who bested Alan at every turn in their youth, comes home for the holidays. Indications that the current life of the former golden boy is worse than that of Alan prompts a not very charitable invitation to spend Christmas with the Hook clan. Of course, things go horribly awry.

Nice aspects of "Dad" are that the characters and their portrayors are appealing and that even the predictable humor is minimally amusing and sometimes hilarious. Further, it is funny because it largely is true.

Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Dad" is encouraged to email me. You can also connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.

Cinqo Estrellas Por Dos Amigos Burritos Opening in Newburyport, MA

A sign in the small coastal city of Newburyport, Massachusetts announcing the upcoming opening of a Dos Amigos Burritos was a nice surprise a few weeks ago. Speaking with uber-hands on Amigos co-owner Joel Harris a week later was the queso sauce on the taco.

Other great timing related to the conversation with Harris roughly coinciding with a memorable line from a  recent sitcom. A character observed that he had no need to visit Mexico because they had brought their food here.

The Portsmouth, New Hampshire Amigos location has been a personal favorite for years. Plans to visit the other four Amigos restaurants (all of which are in New Hampshire) are unfilled.

Harris will complete the south-of-the-border venture for Amigos when the Newburyport location opens between June 15 and June 30, 2015. Folks who do not opt to get their meals to go can enjoy their eats in the completely renovated restaurant that veteran Amigos employees will staff. Having Amigos cater a personal or business event will be another way to get your Mexican food fix without traveling to Acapulco.

The Mexican Food Revolution

Similar to the origin story of the Newburyport Brewing Company, which was the subject of a July 2013 Unreal TV article, Amigos began with a casual conversation. Watertown, Massachusetts native (and son of a preacher man) Harris was friends with  future business amigo Portsmouth restauranteur Jay McSharry through interviewing McSharry for the newspaper the employed Harris.

Harris jokingly asking McSharry "what's next" during one of their sessions evoked the response "how about a burrito shop?" This idea coinciding with Harris craving a substitute for the exceptional fare at the Bueno Y Sano restaurant that he savored during his college years in Amherst, Massachusetts led to McSharry contributing the three Ws of "work, wisdom, and wealth" that resulted in Amigos.

McSharry contributed sweat equity, shared his extensive knowledge of the restaurant business, and invested funds that helped make the project a reality. Harris further shared that McSharry sent him to work at Bueno Y Sano and other burrito restaurants to properly learn the business.

The Proof is in the Salsa

The combination of the love of Harris for Mexican cuisine and the hands-on training that McSharry assigned prompted asking the former if he either developed or tweaked the Amigos recipe. He terrifically responded "I certainly trust my taste buds and provide feedback."

Harris further shared that the menu included vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free items.

Other sources of feedback include consultations by graduates of the Culinary Institute of America and Harris' table service Mexican restaurant Vida Cantina in Portsmouth.

This discussion regarding the Amigos fare led to discussing the seasonal and shrimp items that Harris plans to add to the menu. A philosophy of being "really staff driven" and "encouraging staff to come up with innovations" is another anticipated source of new menu items.

Why Newburyport? Why Now?

Harris explained that the appeal of the central-retail district of Newburyport related to his motto "we love being downtown; we love local business." An observation that many competing burrito restaurants end up in shopping centers was an aspect of the desired downtown vibe.

The space, which formerly housed Greta's Great Grains bakery becoming available was the primary reason for expanding to Newburyport at this time after several years of looking for the right location.

Thoughts of the "buy local" policy extended to purchasing produce from a local farm and to selling the products of the aforementioned brewery on acquiring a liquor license. The statement "we love to partner with local businesses" indicated an intent to further contribute to the local economy.

The Whole Enchilada 

The above look at Harris and Amigos shows that his instincts regarding the restaurant being a perfect fit for Newburyport are spot on. Making tasty tasty burritos et al available to residents and tourists provide another compelling reason to stroll the downtown area.

'Don't Wait Up' S1 & S2 DVD: BBC Britcom of Father-Son Doctors/Roomies Practicing Patience

[Editor's Note: This Australian DVD set is coded for Region 4, which prevents playing the discs in a standard U.S. DVD player. You need a highly-recommended region-free player to watch it.]

The Australian-based DVD producer/distributor Madman Entertainment complete series of the witty BBC britcom "Don't Wait Up" is a terrific example of (primarily) Australian and U.K. Madman fare that has never been released in the U.S. The two series (my people call them seasons) in this "Wait" collection first ran on the BBC in 1983 and 1984 but does not look very dated beyond the earth tones. the cars, and the rotary telephones. The plots and dialogue would be just as effective in 2015 as they were in the '80s.

One can only hope that he future plans of Madman includes releases the remaining four seasons of "Wait."

The following clip, courtesy of YouTube, of a hilarious scene from the first episode of "Wait" shows how series creator/writer  (and accomplished actor) George Layton mines wonderful humor from common sitcom techniques.

"Wait" stars a very endearing Niger Havers, whom Unreal TV readers met in the post on the later Havers britcom "Sleepers," as 30-something recently divorced National Health Service General Practitioner Dr. Tom Latimer. The catalyst for the "sits" that provide the "com" in the seven S1 and six S2 episodes occurs when Tom's father Toby announces in the first episode both that he is divorcing Tom's mother and is moving into the one-bedroom apartment, which is a typical abode of a recently divorced man with a burdensome alimony duty, in which Tom resides.

The highly prolific and versatile Tony Britton is well-cast as the elder Dr. Latimer, who is a posh Harley Street dermatologist. He further is a very vocal advocate for the finer things in life and the attitudes that accompany those pursuits.

Although aptly promoted as a "The Odd Couple" style sitcom, that element (which includes determining whether two divorced men can share an apartment without driving each other crazy), is not particularly strong in "Wait." It seems to be more about a father and son in the same profession struggling to come to terms with being peers. A related aspect is the humor associated with Toby treating Tom as his domestic servant in the same manner that he treated his wife. This is particularly true in S2.

The most distinguishable aspect of "Wait" evokes wonderful memories of the 2005-06 Henry Winkler sitcom "Out of Practice" in that it derives laughs from the extreme contrasts between the medical practices of the father and son leads. Tom accurately comments that his father spends his afternoons playing golf and bridge, and Toby criticizes socialized medicine.

At the same time, a second season episode that has a nervous Toby going into a rough neighborhood to treat a patient of Tom's practice shows that the former is a dedicated physician. A more hilarious episode later that season further focuses on issues related to the two healthcare systems.

"Wait" also merits comparison to "Seinfeld" in that it it mines absurd humor from "nothing" and masterfully blends verbal and physical humor. The arguably most predictable (but equally arguably the most amusing) episode is an S1 offering that has a clumsy Toby accidentally staining Tom's cricket uniform Kramer style. This leads to Toby having to visit bitter ex-wife Helen to get his back-up uniform only to learn the fate of his entire wardrobe.

It is equally predictable that the cricket ball that Tom sends sailing crashes through the windshield of the Rolls Royce that Toby just purchased. Further hilarity ensues regarding wacky misunderstandings related to stolen cars. This culminates in yet another highly predictable but still hilarious mishap at the end of the episode.

The very "Seinfeld"esque S1 finale has a very George-like Toby promising his wife a romantic weekend away only to have hilarity ensue on the way to the hotel and for the warm feelings to evaporate within hours. In true "Seinfeld" fashion, this turn-of-events involves Tom.

The liner notes for the first season set in this collection share that the cliffhanger related to that derailed weekend prompted a large audience for the premiere episode in the second season.

Well-crafted elements of "Three's Company" enter in other episodes regarding things such as unintentionally odd bed fellows, unwarranted presumptions regarding potentially dangerous liaisons, and a scheme by Tom to get his father out of the apartment so that he can enjoy a romantic evening with his girlfriend. Great "Company" style physical humor includes injury-inducing repeated opening and closing of a door and an argument over closet space taking its toll.

This "Company" vibe may be partially attributable to Layton and Britton having previously worked together on the Britcom "Robin's Nest," which is a spin-off of "Company" inspiration "Man About the House." For that matter, "Nest" inspired the "Company" spin-off "Three's A Crowd."

S2 ends with a cliffhanger that is a hilarious variation of the end of S1. This one involves Toby and his wife set to take a reconciliation cruise only to have things go comically awry in a manner that leads to potential actual "cabin fever."

Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Wait" is strongly encouraged to email me; you can also connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.

'Unfreedom' Theatrical/VOD: Banned in Mumbai (But Presumably Not Boston)

Dark Frames awesomely kicks off its venture distributing non-Bollywood Indian films in the U.S. with the banned-in-India future art house hit "Unfreedom." As shown below, the tag line for this film "how far would you go for what you believe"  is very apt. Additionally, the theme of repressed lesbian love makes the May 29, 2015 VOD and New York and Los Angeles (ahead of a larger rollout) releases of "Unfreedom" just before the Pride month of June very timely.

The following clip, courtesy of YouTube, of the trailer for "Unfreedom" offers looks at the range of intense emotions and views around which the film centers. The sense of the exceptional cinematography is a nice bonus.

Writer/director Raj Amit Kumar wonderfully conveys his themes of the extremism and intolerance that sadly mark our modern times in parallel tales (in a manner similar to the recently reviewed Mexican film "Days of Grace") that occur in New York City and New Delhi. The New York story tells the tale of a Pakistani Muslim with good cause for a grudge participating in an uber-violent campaign against a not un-American Muslim scholar; the New Delhi tale, which has its own moments of bloodshed, centers around a 20-something secret lesbian whose stalling techniques regarding moving forward with an arranged marriage to a man are starting to fail.

As seems typical for Muslim terrorist organizations, the Pakistani man is "called up" soon after arriving in New York, His mission (which he must accept) involves kidnapping the scholar and getting him to renounce his widespread message of international peace. The graphic means of persuasion regarding that are extreme to say the least.

Meanwhile back in New Delhi, the impending shotgun wedding finds our heroine fleeing toward the arms of the female acclaimed artist who is her real true love. Things not going as planned leads to some gun play, hostage taking, and a brief Utopian existence before an abrupt return to harsh realities.

An indirect spoiler regarding these plots is that "Unfreedom" being made roughly 8,000 miles from Tinsel Town means that there is no guarantee that that film will produce a Hollywood ending.

On a larger level, "Unfreedom" is among an increasingly rare breed of film that has a blatant bias but provides food for thought while stuffing your gullet with popcorn. Presenting these ideas in the form of a good storytelling makes the entire experience a memorable night at the movies.

Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Unfreedom" is welcome to email me; you can also connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.

'Butterflies of Bill Baker' DVD: A Modern Jekyll and Hyde Story

The recent DVD release of the 2013 Running Bear Media drama "Butterflies of Bill Baker" provides a good primer on the night terrors known as pavor nocturnus in an entertainingly understated film. The titutlar middle-aged man is a textbbook Jekyll and Hyde type in that he is the nicest guy imaginable during the day and a brutal monster driven by horribly violent images (which are a confusing mix of imaginary images and memories of past  events) on becoming mobile while asleep.

The fabulous Baker boy is happily tending to his yard, running his classic car sales/restoring/repair business, and managing his long-term condition well when the surprise reappearance of his ex-wife prompts his id to wake up. This takes the form of equally incredibly surreal and violent images and literally unconscious hostile acts.

The other big change in the life of Bill comes in the form of becoming an (initially highly reluctant) surrogate parent to aptly named seven year-old orphan Annie who is having a hard-knock life. Meanwhile, the new treatment by the latest doctor to care for Bill is less effective than desired.

These elements collide as Bill and his ex-wife quasi-reunite and the manifestations of the terrors directly and indirectly threaten the mutually beneficial relationship between Bill and Annie. A cool aspect of that bond is that it incorporates a few elements of "The Sixth Sense" despite Annie the outcast not being the one who sees dead people.

A really cute scene has Bill explaining to Annie that his night-time behavior precludes spending time together and her using kid logic in responding that they spend time together in the day. This pluck additionally comes through in a few other scenes in which the moppet pushes her way into the heart of Bill.

The past and present collide in the climatic ending sequence in which the emergence of "Hyde" disrupts a previously idyllic weekend that Bill and Annie are enjoying. One spoiler is that the turmoil regarding that provides a relatively unpredictable happy ending that is Shakespearean regarding its surreal elements and the gathering of every major player.

Will Chase of the ABC prime time drama "Nashville" nicely portrays the two faces of Bill nicely. He portrays the light and dark sides of that character equally well and will make many people think twice when striking up a friendship with someone who seems too nice to be true.

Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Butterflies" is encouraged to email me; you can also connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.

'Star Trek: The Next Generation' S5 BD: Spock, Klingons, and Mark Twain Oh My

This review of the CBS Home Entertainment Blu-ray (BD) release of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" S5 wraps the formal element of the intended "Year of Trek" on Unreal TV that in reality is more "Federation Winter." A wrap-up post later this year will discuss lesser-known elements regarding what makes the "Trek" universe so special.

It is also worth noting once again that the nature of TNG and the tremendous enhancements in the BD set makes owning that series in that format worthwhile even if you have the DVD sets. Your reviewer has put his money where his mouth is regarding this.

This 1991-92 season is notable for being the final voyage of "Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry, who passed away in October 1991.

Related nice timing regarding this review is that this season including the two-part episode "Unification," which features "Trek" god Leonard Nimoy as Spock Prime. Once again seeing that actor in that role that seems written for him is a nice reminder of the awesomeness of Nimoy within weeks of his passing away. (of course, the relative interval between that death and this post is much shorter in Vulcan years compared to human years.)

A third  aspect of the season creates an imperfect trifecta regarding the involvement of deceased show business luminaries with TNG. The unavailability of Robin Williams to play the role of a quirky human who claims to be a time traveler from 200 years in the future in the episode titled "A Matter of Time" resulted in casting an able Matt Frewer, best known as "Max Headroom," in the role.

Following the "Year of Trek" tradition, the trailer for the S5 BD set is the selected YouTube clip for this review. This one has more humor than promos for other seasons and also includes great looks at the cast interviews in the extras.

The S5 season premiere is the second half of the cliffhanger "Redemption" in the Unreal TV reviewed TNG S4. This story focuses on a power struggle for control of the Klingon Empire that prompts Enterprise Klingon officer Worf to trade in that job (and his Starfleet uniform) for a post on a Klingon ship (and the corresponding garb).

This episode further brings back an S1 cast member in a new role that closely relates to both the former character of that individual and a classic S3 episode.

"Silicon Avatar" brings back another S1 character in having the Enterprise re-encounter the destructive crystalline entity from the "Datalore" episode.

S5 further introduces combative Bajoran Starfleet officer Ro Laren into the "Trek" universe in the aptly titled "Ensign Ro" episode. This one has her called onto the Enterprise to serve as a Starfleet representative to her people.

Conspicuous absences from S5 are a lack of an episode involving the impish Q and a Borg episode in which that fan favorite threatens the Enterprise and the entire Federation to which it belongs. "I, Borg" has our heroes first rescue and subsequently rehabilitate and actually befriend an injured Borg in a relatively benign manner. However, Trekkers and Trekkies alike know that this is not the end of the story.

The entertaining series finale "Time's Arrow" has the discovery of the head of android Enterprise officer Data at a site on earth that dates back 500 years leading to an adventure that involves time-traveling aliens, Mark Twain, another notable literary figure of that era, and the past of Enterprise bartender/"listener" Guinan.

The remaining episodes involve the standard "Trek" style scifi mysteries, seemingly friendly guests with malicious intent, and a handful of ill-fated romances.

The always spectacular special features in these sets this time around includes "A Remembrance of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and a tribute to Roddenberry.

Anyone with any "Trek" related questions or comments is encouraged to either email me or to connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy,

'Dad' S1 DVD: The Life of Brian

[EDITOR'S NOTE: This Australian-made DVD set requires either a Region 4 or international DVD player; it will NOT play in a standard U.S. player.]

The fruits of the initial exploration of the awesome catalog of Australian DVD producer/distributor Madman Entertainment includes the 1997-99 two series (my people call them seasons) BBC Britcon "Dad." This review is of the first season; a review of the second season is scheduled for late May 2015.

The many nice things about "Dad," which revolves around the efforts of middle-aged Alan Hook to relate to his 18 year-old son and his elderly father, include that is supports the theory that foreign shows generally are much better than the American programs that they inspire. In this case, "Dad" is the precursor of the recent Seth Green Fox failedcom "Dads."

A typical episode has either the titular well-meaning but oblivious parent Brian Hook as the instigator by initiating a project that inevitably leaves Alan both physically and psychologically injured or depicts the efforts of Alan to be a better father to son Vincent than Alan perceives that Brian was to him to fail comically miserably. The inevitable collision of the two themes makes the good humor in the show even better.

The pilot titled "Dadism" starts out strong with a delighted Vincent regaling his mother with a list of things that are uncool only to have Alan prove the point on entering the room a moment later. This scene leading to Alan intentionally raising the expectation of Vincent for a spectacular gift for his 18th birthday only to have those hopes almost immediately dashed.

All of this relates to a hilarious flashback to '70s England in which Alan goes to great (but futile) lengths to avoid Brian embarrassing him on his own 18th birthday.

Alan then visiting Brian for one of their very regular visits leads to a wonderful series of mishaps related to the impact on the former of the well-meaning actions of the latter. These include slapstick involving a mannequin.

The episode titled "Dadcipline" arguably best illustrates the concept of the show. The manner in which worlds collide in this outing that involves hilarious mishaps regarding Alan painting Brian's house relates to strict discipline by Brian during the adolescence of Alan strongly impairing an effort by Alan to be part of an important aspect of the live of Vincent.

Another episode in which Brian is largely responsible for a cat becoming glued to Alan and that incident mortifying Vincent is one of the most hilarious things seen on television in several years.

The "Holidad" season finale also wonderfully ties in the great elements of the show by having the group take a typically horrible family outing. Watching the clan navigate via a series of road directions from 1962 is almost as hilarious as the aforementioned scene with the cat.

Very prolific British actor Kevin McNally, who arguably is best known to American audiences through his work on the "The Pirates of the Caribbean" films, plays middle-class mid-level bureaucrat everyman Alan very well.

Equally prolific  British actor George Cole brings the good natured cluelessness of Brian to life; he makes it very hard to get angry at him despite antics that are very at home in a Looney Tunes cartoon.

Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Dad" is encouraged to email me; you can also connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.

'Rumperbutts' DVD: Indie Band 'Mates of State' Hilariously Groove on 'Z Rock/' Dan Zanes Kiddie Music Vibe

The comedy film "The Rumperbutts" does not disappoint regarding expectations that it offers the same quirky humor as the IFC sitcom "Z Rock," which tells the tale of a group that play clubs at night and kiddie shows in the afternoon. A personal aspect of this type of split personality relates to knowing former Del Fuegos front man/current children's music performer Dan Zanes when he was s a teen dishwasher/doo wop group Kitchenettes singer at a New Hampshire summer camp. (The autographed photo of Zanes and a cassette of his performance still in a box marked "stuff" may be the first of both for Zanes.)

This 90 minutes of fun, which derives knee slappers from actual low-hanging fruit, hits movie screens and VOD menus on Friday May 22, 2015.

The following clip, courtesy of You Tube,of the "Rumperbutts" trailer provides a very nice recap of the story in a manner that communicates the humor and vibe that make it worth watching.

The titular toddler faves are a duo of lions with a hit kids' show and popular musical tour; the mane man and feline fatale in the cat suits are former indie rock performers (and former couple) Jack and Bonnie. Economic necessity prompts breaking up the wonderfully named and talented Dean's List band and trading in the corresponding grumge ware for the mascot outfits.

The real-life counterparts of these characters are power-ballad couple Jason Hammel and Kori Gardner of the real-life indie rock group mates of state. The taleented indie projects actor Josh Brener plays Richie, the impish magical being (whom the Winchester boys of "Supernatural" would gack with gusto) who rocks the world of the reluctant toddler idols.

A hilarious early scene has a theater crammed with hyped-up oblivious youngsters excitedly listening to Jack and Bonnie complaining about their lot in life in the upbeat style of a typical Rumperbutts song.

The combination of List and the current discontent of Jack and Bonnie bring them to the attention of Richie, who offers a chance of returning to their old lives. This aspect of a rock-based Faustian deal evokes thoughts of the Greg Evigan/Paul Shaffer '70s failecom "A Year at the Top."

The must-see fall-on-the-floor scene that provides the impetus for the demise of the Rumperbutts begins a series of fortunate and unfortunate events for Jack and Bonnie. Uncertainty regarding whether the Q-like Richie is the only one messing with the couple contributes to the fun.

The numerous entertaining surreal elements include parallel timelines, Richie having great fun with his special abilities, and apparent time travel. Jack hitting the name "mates of state" on a wall listing the performers who have played a club adds another fantastic (in both senses of the word) element to "Rumperbutts."

The final note regarding "Rumperbutts" is that it is a film that anyone from 12 to 60 can enjoy. The wry deadpan humor will amuse, everyone plays his or her part well, and sour notes are few and far between.

Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Rumperbutts" is encouraged to email me; you can also connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy,

'Jonah Lives' DVD: 'That '70s Show' Meets 'Night of the Living Dead'

The Recent Wild Eye Releasing, which offers the best in low-budget slasher movies, DVD of the zombie slasher flick "Jonah Lives" is notable both for being filmed in Fall River Massachusetts, which is the home of axe-wielding Lizzie Borden, and for wonderfully placing parallel universe versions of the "That '70s Show" sitcom teens in mortal danger. The "Jonah" tagline "a rude spiritual awakening" is another fun element.

Our flock of zombie bait is six middle-class teens who seemingly spend most of their time hanging together and use the quasi-finished basement in the home of Francis, who roughly is the Kelso of the group, as a club house. Further Francis and the Eric of the group date the Jackie and the Jackie 2 of their gang.

As an aside, endearing Francis portrayor Ryan Boudreau has potential to follow in the footsteps of Kelso actor Ashton Kutcher at least to the extent of making popular but not-so-great films.

The following clip, courtesy of YouTube, of the "Jonah" trailer provides a good sense of the gory goodness of the film.

As is typical in horror flicks, the mayhem begins ensuing roughly 45 minutes into "Jonah." The girls expressing intense boredom watching the boys play their usual Friday night poker game in the basement first leads to rejecting the impassioned pleas of Tony, who is a mix of Fez from "'70s" and Michael Anthony Hall of the real '80s, to play strip poker.

The solution of Francis to stop the whining is to pull out a Ouija board; his "Captain Planet" style logic is that the combined energy from all six teens is enough to contact the spirit world. Six becomes five when wimpy Tony begs off.

Things then turn hilariously dark when the (soon convulsing) participants in the game contact the titular zombie, provide him the juice to climb out of this grave, and become his meat suits. This leads to plenty of basement-centered blood and gore that proves the adage that it is fun until someone loses an arm.

Meanwhile upstairs, the parents of Francis are hosting a swinging '70s style key party that would send "Red" Foreman of "'70s" out to his garage (if not a divorce attorney). The star of that event Zora Matthias is a very proud gold digger/cougar with a voracious appetite. Seeing Zora pounce on a delighted Francis and watching her dish with her trans-sexual friend/fellow outcast are highlights of "Jonah."

Other humor that is funny because it is true relates to the repentant teens figuratively trying to put the genie back in the bottle in the form of regathering around the Ouija board to vehemently apologize in an effort to get Jonah to return to this grave. This reflects the modern parenting style/Roman Catholic philosophy that no sin is not so great that a sincere confession cannot absolve you of the harm. The harsh life lesson that our gang experiences regarding this is a "must-see" scene in the film.

Although much of the publicity regarding "Jonah" spoils the central premise of the film, learning that in advance ruins the fun of the film. Suffice it to say that the "Honey; I'm home" aspect of the film is not coincidental.

The bottom line is that "Jonah" will appeal to tween and teen boys who enjoy this type of film and their older counterparts who still find them entertaining.

Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Jonah" is welcome to either email me or to connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.

'Inspector Morse: The Dead of Jericho' DVD: Commencement of Timeless British Procedural

This review of the BFS Entertainment DVD release "Inspector Morse: The Dead of Jericho" is a follow-up to the recent post that provides a broad overview of the epic 25th Anniversary Morse set of which "Jericho" is a part. The three feature-length episodes of this classic style whodunit in the aptly named "Jericho" comprise the first series (my people call them seasons) of "Morse." U.S. airings of these episodes include runs on "PBS Mystery!" and the A&E network during the better days of the latter.

The titular police detective is the wonderfully quirky unmarried middle-aged heterosexual who enjoys his beer as much as his three Bs of classical music and who has the deductive and observational skills that solving his cases require. In many respects, this makes him a more socialized Sherlock Holmes.

The titular region of Oxford is where the three cases around which the episodes revolve occur.

The first episode, which shares the name of this subset of the 25th Anniversary Collection, revolves around the apparent suicide of a music teacher to whom fellow choir member Morse is attracted. The multiple flies in the ointment that contribute to the typical very manageable intricacy of a "Morse" episode include the victim being involved in romance, giving up a child at birth several years ago, trying to be supportive of a very troubled college-aged man, and having a creepy and intrusive neighbor. As always, Morse expertly sorts this all this out and gets his man (or woman) after an initially rough start. This episode is notable as well for being the first pairing of Morse and longtime (and long suffering) professional partner Sgt. Lewis.

Nice elements of this one are that it starts with wonderful humor that provides insight into the challenges that Morse faces, balances the need of any new show for exposition and the desire of the audience to get right to the action, and provides Americans with both a sense of the past of Oxford and a look at this historic locale.

"The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn" requires that Morse solve the mystery related to poisoning the titular academic in the wake of the latter uncovering a scandal related to selling exam secrets. This one nicely involves even more elements of classic British mysteries than the first episode.

The (cynical) insider look at the world of academia contributes brilliant humor in this one.

The third episode, "Service of All the Dead" arguably is the best of the three. The reported murder of a church warden during a service begins with simple assumptions that nicely escalate into great intrigue that involves several forms of family drama, adulterous affairs, church scandals, gambling, apparent blackmail, and bodies piling up like firewood. Directly borrowing from Alfred Hitchcock and Agatha Christie only makes this better.

There is no doubt that these "Morse" episodes (and the 30 others in the "Collection") are an important part of a well-balanced video-viewing diet. Merely being an entertaining program that provides a very doable mental workout sets this series apart from most other fare from any television era. These elements further make "Morse" episodes ones to savor, rather than gorge upon as if you are competing in a hot-dog eating contest that is most likely to end in extreme distress.

Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Morse" is strongly encouraged to email me; you can also connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy,