DVD Verdict reviews: FRASIER: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON and more!

Today, DVD Verdict posted reviews of ABC NEWS PRESENTS: JESUS, MARY,
AND DA VINCI, ANDROMEDA: SEASON FOUR, COLLECTION ONE, BENNY HILL
COMPLETE AND UNADULTERATED: THE NAUGHTY EARLY YEARS, SET TWO (1972-
1974), BLONDIE: VH1 BEHIND THE MUSIC, CHRISTMAS WITH JACK BENNY, THE
FLINTSTONES: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON, FRASIER: THE COMPLETE FOURTH
SEASON, GILLIGAN'S ISLAND: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON, HIGHLANDER:
THE SERIES, SEASON SIX, and THE MAN IN THE MIRROR: THE MICHAEL
JACKSON STORY:


ABC NEWS PRESENTS: JESUS, MARY, AND DA VINCI (reviewed by Eric
Profancik, overall score 80/100):
"A good historical mystery is always fun to wrap your brain around.
Jesus, Mary, and Da Vinci is a well-done television special, but it
merely scratches the surface of a fascinating and deep topic. It will
give you a taste and a little background on something possibly worthy of
more investigation on your part."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/jesusmarydavinci.php

ANDROMEDA: SEASON FOUR, COLLECTION ONE (reviewed by David Ryan, overall
score 82/100):
"Season Four is a meandering conglomerate of loosely-connected stories
that lacks the fun and panache of Andromeda's early years. And yet, it's
still better than a lot of action-oriented TV today, and definitely
worth a bit of attention."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/andromedas4c1.php

BENNY HILL COMPLETE AND UNADULTERATED: THE NAUGHTY EARLY YEARS, SET TWO
(1972-1974) (reviewed by Dennis Prince, overall score 90/100):
"Although his unapologetic assortment of sexual assertions and seemingly
insensitive innuendos should have been a flash pot of controversy, Hill
grew an audience that enjoyed an indiscreet snicker now and again."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/bennyhillcomplete.php

BLONDIE: VH1 BEHIND THE MUSIC (reviewed by Paul Corupe, overall
score 62/100):
"The value of this 55-minute release, even for die-hard Debbie Harry
freaks, is pretty questionable. Like most episodes of Behind the Music,
the majority of this bio feels like it was structured by a particularly
melodramatic 14-year-old."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/blondievh1behindmusic.php

CHRISTMAS WITH JACK BENNY (reviewed by Maurice Cobbs, overall
score 75/100):
"I can tell you with all honesty that nobody -- and I mean nobody -- can
get so many laughs out of a blank expression as Jack Benny can, and his
deadpan delivery and on-the-spot comic timing are something to see."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/christmaswithjackbenny.php

THE FLINTSTONES: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON (reviewed by Paul Corupe,
overall score 88/100):
"While almost all of the plots in the second season are time-tested,
classic sitcom fare -- overplayed misunderstandings, embarrassing turns
of fate, and pratfalls -- a few episodes like 'Alvin Brickrock
Presents' and 'The Soft Touchables' broke with the conventions relied
upon so heavily in the first season to herald a more satirical future
for the show."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/flintstonesseason2.php

FRASIER: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON (reviewed by Amanda DeWees, overall
score 95/100):
"Keenan writes like a combination of P.G. Wodehouse, Noel Coward, and
Waldo Lydecker from Laura, and his extraordinary gifts as a writer and,
eventually, producer for Frasier have undoubtedly contributed
immeasurably to the show's distinctive flavor."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/frasierseason4.php

GILLIGAN'S ISLAND: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON (reviewed by Joel Pearce,
overall score 70/100):
"In the introduction to the second season on the first disc, Gilligan's
Island series creator Sherwood Schwartz refers to the show as the 'ideal
babysitter,' because you can sit your kids down for a half an hour and
know that they will not have their senses assaulted with inappropriate
content. No offense, Mr. Schwartz, but I wouldn't let my children
anywhere near this horribly antiquated exercise in discrimination."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/gilligansislandseason2.php

HIGHLANDER: THE SERIES, SEASON SIX (reviewed by Rob Lineberger, overall
score 70/100):
"Highlander is implausible as it is. The minute we have Indiana
Jones–lite raiding buried temples and facing mist demons that
shoot laser beams while laughing evilly, I'm thinking that Highlander
has jumped the shark for good."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/highlanderseason6.php

THE MAN IN THE MIRROR: THE MICHAEL JACKSON STORY (reviewed by Patrick
Naugle, overall score 53/100):
"VH1's The Man In The Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story is one of the
worst TV biopics in recent memory. Aside from poor production values, a
lack of Jackson's music, and an attempt to squeeze the singer's
complicated life into 86 minutes, the film makes the cardinal mistake of
never giving viewers anything to chew on."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/maninmirror.php

Mike Jackson
Editor & Webmaster, DVD Verdict
www.dvdverdict.com

 

Nurse: "Could I see a sample of your specimen, please?"
Benny: "My what?"
Nurse: "Er--<points> Could you fill that glass?"
<beat pause>
Benny: "...Not from *here*."

(In the US, where Shock-'n-Smugness are King, you just can't imagine
getting away with a joke like that so *innocently*...)

Yep: Every time "The Simpsons" (or similarly snarky/dour "hip-edgy"
clone of our day) tries to compare themselves to the Flintstones, a
quick viewing of Larry ("Jetsons") Markes' satirically
sarcastic-absurdist Season 2 episodes is grounds for "Matt, you can only
WISH."

Derek Janssen (who felt they both needed the plug)