The Shield - Season 5 (4 Disks) (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)...is about the only way to describe the way the first part of season five of 'The Shield' ends. It's the hallmark of a truly terrific series that events from its very first episode (like, the first episode of season ONE) form the basis of the entire fifth season.
Detective Vic Mackey's original sin -- to keep it hushed for those not in the know -- comes back to haunt the entire Strike Team in the fifth season, while strings from seasons past (The Incident with Aceveda, Mackey and Danny's tryst, etc., etc.) are all pulled taut to make the entire season tense with ugly possibilities, the ugliest of which comes at the end.
Forest Whitaker is a commanding presence as Internal Affairs Lieutenant John Kavannaugh, a seemingly-dedicated member of the rat squad who SHOULD be perceived as the hero in this piece. But of course, we've all come to love Vic Mackey so much that we're actually rooting for Kavannaugh to fail (again, another impressive accomplishment for a series in which the hero is actually a less-evil villain). Kavannaugh's merciless pursuit of Mackey, along with a too-eager-to-deal-for-the-truth attitude that leads him to bargain with season four ubervillain Antwon Mitchell, spells tragedy for a lot of characters.
For someone like me, who is familiar with 'The Shield's entire run, this was an immensely satisfying, if painful, season. It brought in elements from seasons past, with a firm eye toward the (uncertain) future.
Killer scenes: 1) Kavannaugh's undercover 'sting' on the Strike team, 2) Kavannaugh being reduced to animalistic rage after making a crucial mistake, 3) Kavannaugh interrogating Mackey's wife (like I said, Forest Whitaker is a helluva presence), and 4) Mackey's late-season interactions with Antwon Mitchell (Anthony Anderson still gets maaaad props for being possibly the scariest L.A. gangbanger since Tookie Williams).
Start at the beginning, but once you do, you'll be fiendishly anxious to get to season five.

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As the Strike Team battles racial tensions in the city, friction inside the Barn escalates with the arrival of Lieutenant Jon Kavanaugh (Forest Whitaker), a dogged Internal Affairs cop obsessed with taking down Vic Mackey, squeezing Vic's ex-wife, Corrine, to do it. In the midst of this chaos, Dutch and Claudette's work relationship grows strained, Danny refuses to reveal the of her baby and Julien struggles with a new attractive, rookie partner.

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Street Kings (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)Keanu Reeves has come a long way as an actor. If you watch his early films you can see how he struggles to make his emotions authentic, without always succeeding. I think this was a break-through film for him. He is very believable as Tom Ludlow the soused "street fighter" cop who bends and breaks rules to get the job done. Whether he is romancing his gal, grieving over a dead cop, or exploding with rage - the emotions feel "real". And he is even more handsome than he was in his youth.
This was an exciting film from start to finish. There is not one dull moment where your mind begins to wander. The soundtrack was excellent- a menacing heartbeat that always forewarns us of dangers to come. The beautifully done cinematography included vivid colors, wrenching close-ups and sweeping panoramas of L.A. Great work! I think it is too bad that so many movie critics gave this one luke-warm reviews because "Street Kings" is a good film worth seeing. I know I will be eagerly awaiting the dvd release.

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Gripping performances by Keanu Reeves, Academy AwardÂ(r) Winner Forest Whitaker* and an all-star supporting cast power this action-packed crime thriller, in which a veteran cop finds himself ensnared in a deadly web of conspiracy and betrayal. Reeves stars as Tom Ludlow, a hard-nosed detective with a talent for delivering brutal street justice. When evidence implicates him in the murder of a fellow officer, the violence around Ludlow explodes as he realizes his own life is in danger and he can trust no one.

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Kill Zone (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)Now this is how you make a crime-drama action film. The less said about this film, the better. This film is directed by Wilson Yip, and is without a doubt one of the greatest action films to come out of Hong Kong in a long, long time. My friend gave this DVD to me a few months ago, and I can't believe I waited so long to finally open up the package and watch this film. It's terrific. The other reviewers are not exagerating or over-emphasizing how great this film is. It's totally terrific! The beginning, middle and ending of the film is just great!
As for the choreographed action scenes--they are the best I have ever seen. Donnie Yen is just outstanding! The film centers around a group of cops who have attempted to put a crime boss named Po (Sammo Hung) behind bars. However, they have run out of patience and decide to frame him for a crime he didn't commit. And I can tell you, in the action scenes, Sammo can move as quickly as anyone can. Don't let his physique fool you. He's lightening quick.
When Ma (Donnie Yen) is pegged as the replacement for Detective Chan (Simon Yam) he finds that he is in a pretty tangled predicatment. With Detective Chan making up rules as he tries to nab Po, Ma finds his loyalties to Chan in question. However, he views things from a distance. He is a clean cop, and wants to catch the bad guys the right way. The fight scenes with him in this film are so realistic, they are incredible. Please viewers, do not give away this film's ending. It's incredible. I never expected the ending of this film coming. It totally floored me. Highly recommended. [Stars: 5+]

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In this good cop versue bad gangster action thriller, Dectective Chan (Simon Yam) relentlessly pursues the vidious crime boss Po (Sammo Hung) but eventually gives up in frustration and looks toward retirement. His replacement, Ma (Donnie Yen) is a principled committed cop who is skilled in martial arts and has a reputation for violence.The death of a cop who was planted undercover in Po's gang causes further unbalance between the sides as the cops seek justice for the loss of their brother

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City of Vice (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)Koch Vision and BBC presents "CITY OF VICE:COMPLETE FIRST SEASON" (14 January 2008) (236 mins/Color) (Dolby Digital) --- Splendidly acted this drama is unlike any other it make you feel you are part of the mystery as it tells stories of these crimes --- But also has the makings of other crime dramas such as Cracker and Prime Suspect --- Historical true crime series CITY OF VICE pits magistrate Henry Fielding (Ian McDiarmid) and his brother John (Iain Glen) against the teeming criminal underworld of 18th century London --- The five part series follows the duo's attempts to police the city and rid its streets of prostitutes, violent gangs, and bands of thieves is dark and dusty streets and basic poverty --- But this story brought to life Georgian England, it's not your usual period drama.
Under the production staff of:
Justin Hardy - Director & Executive Producer
Dan Reed - Director
Clive Bradley - Screenwriters
Peter Harness - Screenwriters
Justin Hardy - Executive Producer
Lachlan MacKinnon - Producer
Rob Pursey - Producer
Richard Blair-Oliphant - Original Music
Story line set in the late 18th century, City of Vice tells the story of London's first police force the Bow street runners lead by John (Iain Glen) and Henry Fielding (Ian McDiarmid) --- London is a centre for debauchery with pick pockets, thieves, murderers and prostitutes, plus gang warfare combines the excitement of contemporary crime drama with actual historical events, this graphic, five part series follows magistrate and author Henry Fielding, his blind half brother John and the Bow Street Runners on their quest to clean up the streets of 18th century London amidst a population of prostitutes, pimps, gangs and villains --- Was very much impressed by the filming of the streets in that three dimensional dark style, the general Gothic- feel of depressingly, stifling despair is fantastic --- A great atmosphere! --- The two brothers are great actors and fascinating figures representing morality and justice, one Anglican one catholic, one blind one seeing. Great contrasts and characterization --- BBC and Koch Vision release.
the cast includes:
Ian McDiarmid ... Henry Fielding
Iain Glen ... John Fielding
Francis Magee ... Saunders Welch
Steve Speirs ... William Pentlow
Alice O'Connell ... Mary Fielding
Sam Spruell ... Lord Newcastle
Sean Francis ... Daniel Carne
Peter McDonald ... Tom Jones
J.D. Kelleher ... Quin
Ian Peck ... Talbot
Juliet Aubrey ... Jane Fawkland
SPECIAL FEATURES
1. The Making of Vice featurette
BIOS:
1. Ian McDiarmid
Date of Birth: 11 August 1944 - Carnoustie, Tayside, Scotland, UK
Date of Death: Still Living
2. Iain Glen
Date of Birth: 24 June 1961 - Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Date of Death: Still Living
Great job by Koch Vision --- looking forward to more high quality titles from the BBC Collection film market --- order your copy now from Amazon or Koch Vision where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch releases --- where they are experts in releasing long forgotten films and treasures to the collector.
Total Time: 236 mins on DVD ~ Koch Vision KOCV-6534 ~ (6/10/2008)

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In the mid-eighteenth century London's perilous streets were overrun by notorious gangs, prostitutes, pimps and corrupt night watchmen. Out of this dark underworld, emerged two Westminster magistrates - novelist Henry Fielding (Ian McDiarmid) and his blind half brother, John (Iain Glen). These unlikely crime-fighters organized the infamous Bow Street Runners and introduced law and order to the crime-riddled city. Combining the excitement of contemporary crime drama with the detail of actual historical research, this graphic, five-part series tells the true story of London's first police force.

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The Shield - The Complete Fourth Season (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)At the end of the third season of FX's the Shield, crooked cop Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) and his strike team split up. As the fourth season opens, the Farmington precinct meets their new captain in Monica Rawling (Glenn Close), and it's not long before she makes herself noticed. With Aceveda (Benito Martinez) on his way to political office, Rawling makes her presence felt re-organizing the force with Vic as her right hand man, and they both put their sights on charismatic drug dealer Antwan Mitchell (Anthony Anderson). In the meantime, Vic's ex-partner Shane (Walt Goggins) works vice, and gets in way too deep with Mitchell, which leads to the reformation of the strike team in an effort to save Shane, and themselves, before it's too late. Sub-plots throughout the season include Aceveda discovering a dark side he never knew he had, Julian (Michael Jace) looking to be transfered as he opposes Rawling's approach to the seizures, and Dutch (Jay Karnes) finding romance with Vic's ex-wife (Cathy Cahlin Ryan) while trying to get both his partner (CCH Pounder) and himself out of the doghouse with the DA. Many agree that the third season was a step down compared to the landmark first two, and the fourth season delivers firing on all cylinders. Glenn Close is perfect casting as the no-nonsense new captain, while Michael Chiklis is excellent as always as crooked cop Mackey, who this season, appears to be searching for redemption. The Shield is back on track, and it's once again the best original drama on cable TV. By the end of the season, there is a big change for all the main players, and it will leave you salivating for what's coming next.

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Heart-pounding. Intense. Gripping. Keeping the streets safe has never been more brutal. Season 4 introduced Glenn Close in a leading role and was the highest rated season yet. Live the suspense with THE SHIELD SEASON 4 on DVD!

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The Shield - The Complete First Season (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)I love this show! I first got into it after reading some of the reviews posted here on these Season One dvds, so I thought I would give it a try and I purchased this complete season. I am truly glad that I did. I was hooked from the first episode to the last and I am now watching Season 2 on FX. What makes this show far better than all the other cop shows is that the production value is more in line with HBO or a movie than a cable television show. The acting is extremely good as are the scripts and dialogue. Even though Vic and his team are labeled "dirty" cops you can't help but root for them in the end. Michael Chiklis deserved his Golden Globe award for best actor, he takes on this role as if Vic Mackey was himself in a former life. I was also glad this show won the award for best drama series on TV. If you haven't seen the show yet and are unsure if you would like it, give it a try. It's a bit brutal and graphic, but by the time you finish the final episode, "Circles," you will be speechless, praying to catch repeats of Season 2.

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The Road to Justice will blow you away! Detective Vic Mackey is the leader of an elite Strike Team unit, a group of cops effective at eliminating crime but also operating under Vic's own set of rules.But his rules sometimes cross the fine line between legal and illegal.Now the precinct has a new captain who doesn't like Vic's tactics and wants to bust him off the force-even as he finds himself going to Vic for help whenever the going gets rough.There's a reason this show is on cable. It "takes the grit and reality of a 'Homicide' or 'Sopranos' to a whole nother level" (Newsday). "The Shield" also made Emmy history by earning the most nominations ever for a basic cable drama series, with Michael Chiklis winning the coveted Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Now's your chance to experience all the action and excitement of television's most controversial show . . . from the beginning

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The Dragnet Collection (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)I love it and this dvd allow me to look at times gone by. There only two problems that I found with this dvd. First some of the episodes are repeats other volumes .Now that not a problem if you dont have any other volumes. Second none of the original commericals where included. I feel that would have been a plus. I will cherish these dvds for a long time and pass them to my children.

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Twenty-six "big" Dragnet episodes, plus 14 classic episodes of Racket Squad, Follow That Man, and Federal Men! Dragnet stars Jack Webb as detective Joe Friday in the iconic crime show that set the mold for all that followed. 1. The Big September Man2. The Big Seventeen 3. The Big Show4. The Big Break 5. The Big Hands6. The Big Betty 7. The Big Thief8. The Big Little Jesus 9. The Big Trunk 10. The Big Boys11. The Big Shoplift 12. The Big Hit-Run Killer13. The Big Girl 14. The Big Frame15. The Big Producer 16. The Big Crime17. The Big Pair18. The Big Bar 19. The Big War20. The Big Oskar 21. The Big Cast22. The Big Phone Call 23. The Big Casing24. The Big Lamp 25. The Big .22 Rifle for Christmas 26. The Big Grandma Racket Squad stars Reed Hadley as Captain Braddock of the Bunko Squad in this realistic crime series! 27. The Case of Sweet Charity 28. Home Wreckers29. Any One Can Be A Sucker 30. One More Dream Follow That Man stars Ralph Bellamy as hard-boiled private detective Mike Barnett. (a.k.a. Man Against Crime). 31. Fuller's Folly32. The Third Rail33. Death Takes a Partner34. The Doll Bandit35. The Polecat Shakedown 36. Murder in the Rough Federal Men stars Walter Greaza as the chief of a group of federal agents (a.k.a. Treasury Men In Action). 37. The Gentleman Cheat 38. The Green Feathers39. The Tight Squeeze 40. The Slippery Eel

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Closer: Complete Seasons 1-3 (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)My wife has enjoyed the Closer tv series, but missed the first season. We enjoy the real life give and take of the characters in the series, especially how Kyra Sedgwick handles the underlying theme of sexism found the the earlier episodes. A real winner in our book!

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The Shield - The Complete Second Season (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)Critics are a lot like infants. They want new toys, and they want them now, because none of the old ones is good enough. The sophomore backlash against The Shield began on schedule with the first published reviews of Season 2: One-dimensional performances, excessive violence, blah blah blah.
If only they had watched more than two episodes. The first two episodes of S2 were distinguished by brilliant writing and acting, but episode 3, Partners, was the best of the season. Partners is proof positive that Chiklis deserves his Emmy nomination (and that co-star Benito Martinez and guest star Carl Weathers should have been nominated as well).
The critics were outraged over Chiklis' repeat Emmy nomination, but, as rogue detective, Vic Mackey, Chiklis is even better this time around, trying to set limits on a life gone out of control. His scenes with guest stars Weathers and Mark Rolston, Cathy Cahlin Ryan (as estranged wife, Corinne), and Walton Goggins (both appealing and scary as Vic's partner, Shane), were masterful.
Even better is Benito Martinez, subtle, volcanic, and fiercely intelligent as the reviled, ambitious City Council candidate Capt. David Aceveda. Martinez is heartbreakingly adept at letting silence speak for him. The look in his eyes, whether he is defying his campaign manager or having a showdown with his new boss, conveys all the moral struggle, passion for justice, and yearning for something better that are The Shield's major themes. Michael Jace also brings a quiet strength and deep, abiding kindness to his role as closeted beat cop, Julien Lowe. These two were the best actors on the show this season, and my only complaint about Season 2 is that they didn't get more screen time. Both bring awsome natural talent and presence to their roles.
Kenneth Johnson's Lem is likeable, as is new Strike Teamer, Brian White (Tavon Garris), and I look forward to seeing more of these watchable actors next season. Jay Karnes is always on the money as Dutch, the squad room scapegoat with daddy issues.
The Shield has always featured outstanding guest performances and S2 is no exception. The astounding Jamie Brown as hooker/informant, Connie; Danny Pino as the relentless drug lord, Armadillo; Weathers as Vic's down-and-out ex-partner, Joe Clark; the terrific Camilla Sanes as Capt. Aceveda's pragmatic, politically savvy wife, Aurora; and Rolston as a P.I. who turns emotional baggage into a contagious disease, are all superb.
The Shield's music supervisor, Evyen Klean, is in top form, too. The S2 soundtrack features brilliant scene-to-song matches, and other, larger networks are taking notice. The transcendent 'Aleluia Melisma', from unsigned artist, Steve Edwards, isn't available commercially. Yet, a few months after it was featured in S2's soundtrack, it showed up on one of the hottest new shows from one of the Big Three networks. S2's final montage -- set to Live's "Overcome" -- is every bit as good as last season's capper, and recalls Miami Vice in its brilliant fusion of music and images.
As usual, The Shield was there first. Ignore the critics and check it out.

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The Dragnet Collection, Vol. 1 (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a great collection of the original Dragnet show from the 1950s.
Those who are familiar only with the 1960's version will be pleasantly surprised how close the original series is to that version.
Some of the same actors and actresses appear in both series, even some of the stories are the same!
Anyway, there are 20 episodes (8+ hours) of great black & white crime drama.
The quality of the prints used ranges from so-so to good.
The digital transfer is generally good.
The sound level is a bit low on some episodes.
Part of the opening and closing credits have been edited out.
If you are looking for a DVD collection of the 1950's version of Dragnet, this set offers the best value.

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Starring Jack Webb as Sgt. Joe Friday, Dragnet is one of the greatest detective shows in the history of television! This exciting 2-DVD set features twenty of the very best original episodes presented in chronological order! DISC ONE - total run time 4 hr, 7 min. The Big September Man 5/8/1952 The Big Seventeen 11/6/1952 The Big Show 1/22/1953 The Big Break 3/19/1953 The Big Hands 5/21/1953 The Big Betty 9/24/1953 The Big Thief 12/17/1953 The Big Little Jesus 12/24/1953 The Big Trunk 1/7/1954 The Big Boys 1/21/1954 DISC TWO - total run time 4 hr, 6 min. The Big Shoplift 3/11/1954 The Big Hit-Run Killer 3/18/1954 The Big Girl 4/1/1954 The Big Frame 4/22/1954 The Big Producer 8/26/1954 The Big Crime 9/9/1954 The Big Pair 9/16/1954 The Big Bar 10/14/1954 The Big War 4/10/1958 The Big Oskar 10/14/1958

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The Shield - The Complete Third Season (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)"The Shield" seems to up it a notch with every season. I remember watching the very first season and thinking to myself that there was no way this show could get any darker, more intense or more outrageous. I was proven wrong when I saw the second season, but yet again I made the wrong assumption and thinking there was no way in the world that the next season would be more devastating and brutal.
After seeing Season 3, I have finally learned my lesson and will no longer make that silly assumption. This is because "The Shield: Season 3" takes you even further down the rabbit hole that is this amazingly dark and take-no-prisoners cop drama that pretty much breaks all of the rules. You are given some deeply flawed characters... and yet, we still want to learn more about them and even care what happens to them.
After successfully robbing the money train, the heat is on the Strike Team more than ever. Vic needs to keep his team in line until the dust settles, but that proves to be an impossible task as emotions and paranoia run high among the other participants. Captain Aceveda is still trying to maintain his political career while taking care of The Barn, but something horrific will happen to him that will leave him never being the same again. Claudette is still striving for the position of the "top dog" at The Barn and doesn't make things easier for Vic when she decides to include a Decoy Squad, while keeping a close eye on Vic and his team. Still, Vic has other problems to deal with, and I'm not even talking about his family issues. The Strike Team is in constant danger of being the latest victims of the Armenian Mob, who is willing to kill anyone involved with the whole money train robbery. This is only a small part of the fun that lurks in this explosive third season.
The show is still extremely dark and brutal at times, but it still gets in a lot of the ironic humor in it as well. Fans of the first two seasons will most likely enjoy this new season, as each episode is engaging and addicting. The great writing and execution is still there and by the time you finish these 15 episodes, you'll want more. Michael Chiklis does an excellent job of playing "Vic," and even though there are times you really hate him, there are also times where you cannot help but root for him.
This show is not for those who get offended easily or are extremely sensitive. Just like the other two seasons, these guys pretty much get away with ANYTHING (the only exception I've seen is the usage of the F-word). This is definitely something you'd think you would catch on HBO. There's a lot of violence, language, disturbing situations and content, and there is a pretty horrible rape scene... but it's not what you would think. Anyways, just be cautious. If you can handle the first two seasons, then you shouldn't have too many problems dealing with Season 3. Extras included are commentary on selected episodes, deleted scenes and a making-of documentary.
"The Shield: Season 3" delivers the goods when it comes to addicting and mesmerizing TV. All of the episodes are highly entertaining and you will find yourself having a hard time putting the DVDs away. Once you start, it is VERY hard to stop watching. If you haven't seen the other seasons, then I'd recommend checking those out first, although it is possible to get the gist of what's going on without doing so. "The Shield" has definitely kept its edge, and Season 3 proves that big time. -Michael Crane

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"The Shield" made history with the most Emmy nominations ever for a basic cable drama.It won a Golden Globe for Best Drama Series and star Michael Chiklis won the Emmy and Golden Globe awards for Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Get ready as this hard-hitting, award-winning cop drama returns with a vengeance for a pulse-pounding third season.

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The Closer: The Complete Second Season (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)First Brenda has made me confess--I love this show. The second season features some complications --for Brenda. Fritz proposes moving in and being asked out on a date by her boss spurs her to say yes even though she probably should say no. Then he moves out. Why? Brenda's mom (Francis McDormand)comes to town and, well, she'd just be horrified if her adult daughter had a live-in boyfriend.
The cases vary from bizarre (a police officer and psycho killer manage to kill each other at exactly the same time even though the they weren't standing in the right proximity)to sad (a juror dies just before she and the jury are about to annonce a verdict for a client of a heart attack. It turns out that the jury was threatened). This second season continued the terrific writing,acting and direction as Brenda tried to crack difficult murder cases by cracking the suspects. Kyra Sedgewick continues to be top notch in the role and I'm disappointed and surprised that she hasn't won more awards for her performance. The reality is that this show has such a small but devoted audience (relatively large for basic cable though and TNT)that it's easy to overlook. You shouldn't.
We get a short featurette on the show this time around, a gag reel and deleted scenes. Thank you TNT/Warner for including some nice extras this time around!
She still works for the same cranky boss (now single and who wants to ask her out on a date no less)that she once had an affair with and still pursues her passion of junk food just as ruthlessly as she pursues criminals. The second season is presented in anamorphic so it fills up a widescreen TV. The picture looks terrific.

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Brenda's back. Finally accepted by her LAPD homicide team after a year of hard-won victories, Deputy Police Chief Brenda Johnson spends less time fighting her co-workers and more time fighting the bad guys - like whoever left a body in Provenza's garage, or dropped a porn star's head in a dumpster, or offed a drug-addicted heiress. And there's almost as much happening on the domestic scene as the crime scene: Gabriel and Daniels kindle a romance and Brenda and Fritz put the flame under theirs when Fritz moves in. Kyra Sedgwick reprises her acclaimed role of Brenda and makes her the brilliant, complex, flawed, funny and totally irresistible heart of this crime-series powerhouse. Clue yourself in! DVD Features:Additional ScenesAdditional ScenesAdditional ScenesAdditional ScenesFeaturette:Breaking Down the Closer - In the same way Brenda Johnson breaks down suspects during her interrogations, we will break down this hit series in our behind-the-scenes featurette to uncover the origin of the shows unique cases, the history behind its quirky lead character and the production teams efforts to bring a sense of reality to their startlingly original stories.Gag Reel

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Boomtown - Season One (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'd say a lot more about NBC, but I don't want to be sued for slander. Suffice it to say that the day they canceled this show after only two airings in the TV-graveyard of Friday nights, I promised to never watch any new NBC drama again. This was one of the most well written dramas i have ever seen, with characters that really carried the series. It wasn't just a situation drama, the protagonists were flawed and human yet still larger than life. I am happy to see that it's coming out on DVD and I'm more than willing to pay up for it (and I don't usually buy TV shows on DVD). Hopefully DVD can do for "Boomtown" what it has done for "Family Guy"; resurrect it back for a new season in the future.
If you want to see good quality TV, watch this show. No one will ever remember "Lyon's Den" which killed it, or "Kingpin" which NBC tried to replace it with; but this show and NBC's shoddy treatment of it will be remembered as long as television exists.
Amended on Nov 3, 2004
I just wanted to say that I don't think Vanessa Williams ruined the show. I was willing to give it a chance and see where it would go from there, they never got a chance to focus an episode on her and it's only because NBC put her on at the same time that they forced the writers to be more "procedural" that we may think she brought the show down.
Me, i'm just smiling at NBC's predicament now, what with Lost and Desparate Housewives bringing intelligent and gripping TV back to us and them wallowing in last place with not one critical or ratings hit in site. Ah, Karma is a female dog...
As of April 4 2006, the only new NBC show I have watched is My Name Is Earl, and NBC still refuses to do the intelligent thing by teaming it up with Scrubs. I follow the West Wing out of respect in the downtime between the Simpsons and The Sopranos, but never again will I view an NBC drama series.

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Item Name: Boomtown - Season One; Studio:Artisan Entertainment

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The Closer: Complete First Season (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)A great well written show with great performances and direction, "The Closer" focuses on Deputy Chief of Police Brenda Leigh Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick) is a fish out of water lured from Atlanta to L.A.by Assistant Police Chief Will Pope (J.K. Simmons J.J. Jameson from "Spider-Man" and "Spider-Man 2") lead an elite unite that tackles high profile murder cases with her unusual approach to solving crimes. Her Georgia accent immediately sets her apart from her colleagues. She's much savvier underneath her down home accent than many give her credit for allowing her, like Columbo to tackle crimes that others might not be able to solve. Like Columbo and Monk she's got her own quirks (an addiction to junk food, she shows up at a crime scenes with her sick cat--named Cat--in a paper back and her southern charm can't quite hide her abrasive personality). It's a marvelous TV show with a terrific supporting cast (Jon Tenney, Robert Gossett among others). Unlike Columbo this show is much harder edged.
"The Closer" is presented in a goofy looking presentation; the show is presented in widescreen but because its not anamorphic when you watch it on a widescreen TV the images are stretched or boxed on the sides, bottom and top. The presentation is rather bizarre and I can't quite figure out why they made this idiotic decision but, again, the show looks quite good despite this flaw. The colors are accurate with accurate skin tones. The show has a significant amount of dark sequences but that's the way the show is shot with lots of use of shadows and moody lighting dominating the look of the series. The audio sounds fine and is presented in 2.0 stereo surround as it was originally broadcast. It's primarily dialogue driven so there isn't a huge amount of surround type of effects.
Unfortunately there are no featurettes on the development of the series, how Kyra Sedgewick became involved in the show, interviews with the supporting cast or a glimpse into the creative process of the show. We get deleted scenes for the bulk of the episodes (they were clearly cut for time constraints) presented with the time code at the bottom of the images so clearly most were cut prior to the final assembly of the show. No commentary tracks which is disappointing but the price is right for the show and it's presented in thin packs making it easier to store the DVDs without taking up much room.
Well written, performed and directed "The Closer" looks solid in its DVD presentation but could be improved significantly for the second season. I'd suggest that Warner present the show anamorphically enhanced and include some featurettes or commentary tracks in addition to the deleted scenes. This top notch show one of the best of the season deserves a deluxe treatment but because it's on TNT and has a smaller audience it's unlikely we'll probably see either one of these improvements for future


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Synopsis: An offbeat personality, a tough-as-nails approach and a track record as one of the country's leading investigators--these are just a few of the traits exhibited by television's next great detective, Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, played by three-time Golden Globe Award nominee Kyra Sedgwick in "The Closer." In her first lead role in a dramatic series, Sedgwick plays a tough CIA-trained detective, with Southern charm, who has been brought from Atlanta to Los Angeles to head up the Priority Murder Squad, a special unit of the LAPD that handles sensitive, high-profile murder cases. "The Closer" is executive produced by the team behind "Nip/Tuck." DVD Features:Deleted ScenesDeleted ScenesDeleted ScenesDeleted Scenes

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