Skip to main content

TV on DVD: "Black Adder Remastered: The Ultimate Edition" and "Fawlty Towers: The Complete Collection Remastered"

Just a few quick words on two Britcom TV on DVD releases today that brought a smile to this jaded writer's face.

BBC Video today releases new editions of British comedy classics Blackadder and Fawlty Towers, both in deluxe remastered versions that not only include all episodes produced but a healthy dose of extras and bonus features. (Just don't mention the war.)

It's a testament to the creative forces behind both Black Adder and Fawlty Towers that both series have stood up extremely well, even after all of these years; both series remain as sharp, incisive, and hilarious as they were when they aired.

The sumptuous six-disc Black Adder Remastered: The Ultimate Edition contains all four seasons of BBC's Black Adder as well as Blackadder's Christmas Carol, Blackadder's The Cavalier Years, Blackadder: Back and Forth, new commentaries, documentaries (including the 25th anniversary doc "Blackadder Rides Again"), behind-the-scenes featurettes, video diaries, and much more. It's a treasure trove of Blackadder-related goodies that not only celebrates the original comedy series but its enduring legacy.

Likewise, there's a hell of a lot of love put into Fawlty Towers: The Complete Collection Remastered, which contains all twelve episodes of the entire series run (all masterful gems, each and every one), new commentary from John Cleese, extended 2009 interviews (and an exclusive interview with Connie Booth), interviews, commentary, outtakes, and a documentary about Torquay. It's the perfect 30th anniversary present for Fawlty Towers and just looking at the box set artwork (which features the cast) makes me wistfully nostalgic...

Fawlty Towers


Blackadder


Black Adder Remastered: The Ultimate Edition retails for $79.98. Fawlty Towers: The Complete Collection Remastered is available at a suggested retail price of $49.98.
Labels:

Comments

Veronica said…
I used to watch both of these shows as a kid with my dad. I love re-watching them now as they really are timeless comedies. They make me nostalgic but they still also make me laugh!
11/10/2009
Savvy Veteran said…
I'm a little frustrated by this, as I seriously just bought the previous boxed set-versions of both Fawlty Towers and Black Adder for last Christmas. Oh well. I'll live without the new extra features, I guess. Hmph.
11/10/2009
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Katie Lee Packs Her Knives: Breaking News from Bravo's "Top Chef"

The android has left the building. Or the test kitchen, anyway. Top Chef 's robotic host Katie Lee Joel, the veritable "Uptown Girl" herself (pictured at left), will NOT be sticking around for a second course of Bravo's hit culinary competition. According to a well-placed insider, Joel will "not be returning" to the show. No reason for her departure was cited. Unfortunately, the perfect replacement for Joel, Top Chef judge and professional chef Tom Colicchio, will not be taking over as the reality series' host (damn!). Instead, the show's producers are currently scouring to find a replacement for Joel. Top Chef 's second season was announced by Bravo last month, but no return date has been set for the series' ten-episode sophomore season. Stay tuned as this story develops. UPDATE (6/27): Bravo has now confirmed the above story .
20 comments
Continue reading full story...

BuzzFeed: Meet The TV Successor To "Serial"

HBO's stranger-than-fiction true crime documentary The Jinx   — about real estate heir Robert Durst — brings the chills and thrills missing since Serial   wrapped up its first season. Serial   obsessives: HBO's latest documentary series is exactly what you've been waiting for.   The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst , like Sarah Koenig's beloved podcast, sifts through old documents, finds new leads from fresh interviews, and seeks to determine just what happened on a fateful day in which the most foul murder was committed. And, also like  Serial  before it,  The Jinx may also hold no ultimate answer to innocence or guilt. But that seems almost beside the point; such investigations often remain murky and unclear, and guilt is not so easy a thing to be judged. Instead, this upcoming six-part tantalizing murder mystery, from director Andrew Jarecki ( Capturing the Friedmans ), is a gripping true crime story that unfolds with all of the speed of a page-turner; it
Post a Comment
Continue reading full story...

BuzzFeed: "The Good Wife Is The Best Show On Television Right Now"

The CBS legal drama, now in its sixth season, continually shakes up its narrative foundations and proves itself fearless in the process. Spoilers ahead, if you’re not up to date on the show. At BuzzFeed, you can read my latest feature, " The Good Wife Is The Best Show On Television Right Now," in which I praise CBS' The Good Wife and, well, hail it as the best show currently on television. (Yes, you read that right.) There is no need to be delicate here: If you’re not watching The Good Wife, you are missing out on the best show on television. I won’t qualify that statement in the least — I’m not talking about the best show currently airing on broadcast television or outside of cable or on premium or however you want to sandbox this remarkable show. No, the legal drama is the best thing currently airing on any channel on television. That The Good Wife is this perfect in its sixth season is reason to truly celebrate. Few shows embrace complexity and risk-taking in t
Post a Comment
Continue reading full story...