Show: Anime Legends: Cowboy Bebop Remix, Complete Collection (Bandai)
Format: DVD
What is it?: In the year 2071, mankind has spread itself across the solar system, which not only gives us more exotic places to vacation, but more places for criminals and bail jumpers to hide. This is where the bounty hunters of the starship Bebop come in. Like a jazz-infused version of “Firefly,” complete with the Old West vibe, “Cowboy Bebop” is a classic animated sci-fi show from 1998 which helped spur the American anime craze when it became the first Japanese cartoon to air on Adult Swim in 2001. But it never looked this good: This all-inclusive boxed set (well, all-inclusive if you don’t count the movie) presents the remastered version, complete with a 5.1 surround sound mix, making this a must for sci-fi fans and anime addicts alike.
Number of discs/episodes: 6 discs/26 episodes
Extras: 5.1 Surround Sound; staff interviews; commentary; bonus episode, “Session 0.”
Price: $49.98
Buy, borrow or ignore: Buy.
Show: Perfect Strangers, The First And Second Seasons (Warner Home Video)
Format: DVD
What is it?: At a time when immigration is shaping up to be one of the big issues of the upcoming Presidential election, it seems apt to revisit this mid-’80s sitcom about an American who shares an apartment with his immigrant cousin. But the show isn’t just about someone coming to the country to take a job away from an American—Jerry Lewis, to be specific—since by making him a free-spirit (read: liberal) and his cousin totally uptight (read: conservative), “Perfect Strangers” is also a parable for our divisive political times. Plus with the humor being dated and rather obvious, this works as a “Hannity & Colmes” parody as well.
Number of discs/episodes: 4 discs/28 episodes
Extras: Karaoke music video; original animatic.
Price: $29.98
Buy, borrow or ignore: Borrow.
Show: Beauty And The Beast, The Final Season (CBS/Paramount)
Format: DVD
What is it?: As a man who doesn’t look like George Clooney, I can appreciate the story of a lovely lady who falls in love with a guy who would never land on the cover of “People.” And yet, I never did get into this show, in which the real Sarah Connor, a.k.a. Linda Hamilton, falls in love with a guy who looks like a lion. (Even if he does have a cool voice like that “Hellboy” dude.) Maybe it was the very ’80s costumes, or the terribly Lifetime-esque plots—which always involved beast having to save beauty like she was some helpless maiden in a Disney cartoon—but the show just never spoke to me the way Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley’s marriage did.
Number of discs/episodes: 3 discs/12 episodes
Extras: None.
Price: $49.99
Buy, borrow or ignore: Borrow.
Other TV DVDs out this week:
.hack/ROOTS, Volume 6 (Bandai)
The Care Bears, Grizzle-ly Adventures (Fox)
Clockwork Fighters: Hiwou’s War, Volume 3 (Bandai)
Dresden (Koch)
Elmo’s World, Opposites (Sesame Street/Genius Products)
Go, Diego, Go! Diego’s Magical Missions (Paramount)
Jerry Springer: Undressed, Unleashed & Uncensored Volumes 1, 2 and 3 (Lionsgate)
McLeod’s Daughters, The Complete Fifth Season (Koch)
Romeo & Juliet, A Monkey’s Tale (Animal Planet/Genius Products)
Soul Food — The Series, The Third Season (CBS/Paramount)
Strictly Confidential (Koch)
The Best Of Comedy Central Presents (Comedy Central/Paramount)
The Jewish Americans (PBS/Paramount)
The Whitest Kids U’ Know, Season One (Genius Products)
Wire In The Blood, Season Four (Koch)
Editor’s note: Actual releases may differ; Metromix is not responsible for injury, loss of life or wasted time if you go to the store to buy one of them and the clerk says, “Uh, no, that’s not coming out until next week.”
