HAPPILY N EVER AFTER DVD TALK REVIEW

Did you enjoy "Shrek?" Or last year's sleeper hit "Hoodwinked?" Well, "Happily N'Ever After" is a GC-animated release that's counting on that fandom. You could pass this picture off as faint homage, or even threadbare acknowledgment, but let's get serious: this is grand theft movie on a very uncomfortable and tedious scale. 2007 is barely three winks old, and we're kicking off the newborn year with this? It's going be a long, cold winter at the multiplexes.

"N'Ever" started life as a German animated riff on fairy tales; another jog around the irreverence track that "Fractured Fairy Tales" made cool and "Shrek" made magnificently profitable. Outside of the "N'Ever-ending" opening titles that list the endless companies that paid for this beast, there's one great clue that the picture was not born in Hollywood: the heaving bosoms. Only the Germans would bestow such careful, pillowy attention to the bustline of the wicked stepmother and the flying witches. It's enough to make Russ Meyer's corpse make involuntary gripping motions with his hands.

The rest of "N'Ever" isn't nearly as interesting. It's a harmless enough diversion for toddlers, but the sheer lack of any invention or wit is brutal to behold. It's a cheap, ugly production with animation on a level with the PS2's most mediocre cinema scenes, and padded ridiculously with nondescript "adventure" and "comedy" that puts the audience right to sleep. The only reason this was spared the cruel death of the direct-to-video market was because there's still gold in the "Shrek" hills, and Lionsgate wants their slice of the pie.

We have gags about Rapunzel's long hair, Sleeping Beauty's deep slumber, a dim-witted Prince Charming, and a union of evil fairy tale creatures irritated they never get their due. You've been here before, trust me. What truly fries the senses is the voice talent. Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr., and Sigourney Weaver (who actually seems to be enjoying herself as the aforementioned busty stepmother) show up to add their B-list spark and poor lip-synch to the film, while tired, unfunny hacks like Andy Dick, Wallace Shawn, and Patrick Warburton punch the clock in the comedy department. At this point, I'm ready to start a petition to keep Warburton out of any and all animated releases. Seriously, enough is enough.

It seems so impossibly strange to me that Lionsgate would allow "N'ever" to be shown to the press before release day, while they furiously scramble to hide their horror line-up and Tyler Perry films year after year. Clearly, someone at the studio must've been inhaling the eggnog this holiday season to allow this nonsense to be viewed early.

ROSWELL SEASON 3 DVD TALK REVIEW

The Third & Final Season

Roswell is a teenage melodrama with a mix of science fiction. The main cast is made up of teenage alien-human hybrids and their human friends. In the late 40s a UFO crashed in Roswell, New Mexico. Later in the mid-1980s, two children, Max and Isabel were found wandering in the desert. Months later Michael was also found. Max and Isabel were adopted into a good home with loving parents, while Michael jumped around in the foster care system. All three are alien-human hybrids--part human, part alien. As they grew up, they soon found out they were aliens with inhuman abilities. The stories are mostly about the events surrounding the alien's lives as they try to hide the fact they are not human from the general populace, while at the same time dealing with high school, jobs, and romantic relationships. For more details about this series please refer to John Sinnott's reviews of season one and season two.

When I first stared watching Roswell, I was at a hindrance because I have very little background with the show. Prior to this review, I have managed to only catch an episode here and there and nothing to really prepare me for what season three had to offer. (Oddly enough I have the first season on DVD, but have yet to open it.) Season three's first episode left me with a mix of emotions, which continued throughout the remainder of the season.

The stories that drive the series revolving around the alien-human hybrids is pretty damn exciting, but when it comes to the interpersonal relationships between Max and Liz, Michael and Maria, etc. it sometimes makes me want to puke. While the intricate relationships between the characters is key to both character and plot development, some of the drama is just so thick I had trouble getting through it. Overall, I was happy with the series and honestly disappointed it ended and even more with the way it ended. What I liked about the stories is that they were racy and gripping. Despite my turn off to the melodrama, it was still a lot of fun.

The third season picks up from where the second season ended. Tess got Max to sleep with her and was impregnated. She left Earth to return to their home planet with their child, tricking Max into believing it was the only thing he could do to save his child's life. Soon Max realizes he was betrayed and Tess handed him nothing but lies. The stories that follow have Liz coming to terms with the fact Max cheated on her and at the same time trying to help Max get his son back. Together they stage a robbery at a convenience store in Utah, where Max believes his spaceship is being held by the government. Liz's parents are distraught with the negative influence Max has upon her. They forbid her to see Max anymore and an overly melodramatic story follows. Their relationship continues to play a key role in the story, with plenty of ups and downs and many eye rolling moments.

At the same time, Max's dad becomes very suspicious about his son. There is something Max is hiding (the fact he, Isabel, and Michael are aliens) and he becomes determined to find out the truth, up until the very end of the series. I thought this was an interesting aspect because it put more than just the government on Max and company's tail. Another important development for this season is Isabel's relationship with a lawyer from her father's law firm. Their relationship becomes very serious and for the first time, Isabel finds someone to share her life with as Max has Liz and Michael has Maria. This brings Jesse Ramirez (Adam Rodriguez) as a permanent member to the cast for its short-lived final season.

For the majority of the season, the story about Max looking for a way to get to his son continues to play a significant role. It becomes a driving force behind Max, which even temporarily takes him away from Roswell to Los Angeles. In L.A. we learn more about the aliens and their past. Midway into the season this story dies off, but returns with the final episodes, where it is concluded with the series.

Overall, I enjoyed watching season three of Roswell. The general alien story was intriguing, but the way it and consequently the series ended, I was disappointed. The series' conclusion felt rushed, haphazard, and not nearly as intricate as some of the previous stories covered. In the end I felt cheated. I wanted more and really think a little more thought could have been applied. In the end, I was happier than not with the episodes in this season. When the stories were focused on the aliens and not the teenage melodrama, it was intense, gripping, and quite fun.

Episode Guide
1. Busted
2. Michael, The Guys and the Great Snapple Caper
3. Significant Others
4. Secret & Lies
5. Control
6. To Have and To Hold
7. Interruptus
8. Behind the Music
9. Samuel Rising
10. A Tale of Two Parties
11. I Married An Alien
12. Ch-Ch-Changes
13. Panacea
14. Chant Down Babylon
15. Who Died and Made You King?
16. Crash
17. Four Aliens and a Baby
18. Graduation

The DVD

Video:
The video transfer included with this release is the same as previous DVD releases, 1.78:1 ratio anamorphic widescreen color. The picture looks pretty good and despite that there are many dark/night scenes, colors and detail remain to look fairly sharp. There are a few traces of edge enhancement and minor compression artifacts.

Audio:
The audio track in this release is in English 5.1 Dolby digital surround. The audio track is dynamic, utilizing the surround sound capability and offer sound effects and music with a rich and vibrant feeling. Dialogue sounds clean and is easy to hear. There are also subtitles in English, Spanish, and French, and closed captioning is supported. The DVD box set case, similar to previous releases, states it "includes new cutting-edge songs selected by the original Roswell music team". Since I never followed the show on TV, I can't point out any changes. As far as I could tell, everything seemed to fit in fine.

Extras:
The first extras include four audio commentaries. The commentaries are for episodes "Secret & Lies" with Executive Producer/Director Jonathan Frakes, "Behind the Music" with Frakes, "I Married an Alien" with Executive Producer/Writer Ronald D. Moore, and "Graduation" with Executive Producer/Writer Jason Katims. I thought the commentaries were decent. I really didn't care for any of them, except the one for the series finale. In general I was disappointed none of the actors participated. The next extra is the featurette "Class of 2002" (13:27), which is a making of season three. It has cast and crew sharing their thoughts on the stories and characters. Finally, there is "Shiri Appleby's DVD Tour to Japan" (8:37). In this featurette Appleby answers questions from her Japanese fan base. Unless you are a big fan of Appleby, this is a pretty dry watch.

Final Thoughts: Despite not having a strong background with Roswell, I found it pretty easy to get into season three. The overall story driving the season turned out to be pretty exciting; except for the way it ended. Unfortunately there were a few other aspects I had trouble getting accustomed to. The teenage melodrama aspect tended to turn me away more often than not, and not in a good way where it can get so sappy and corny you can't help but like it. Instead the drama felt wishy-washy and it was something I thought didn't always add a lot to the episodes. Overall I enjoyed watching this season and look forward to going back to the first and second seasons. For fans of the series this is an easy pickup, but everyone else might want to rent it.

ROSWELL SEASON 2 DVD TALK REVIEW

The Series:

After a pretty good opening set of shows, I was looking forward to the following second season's exploits of the teenage aliens (and their human friends) living in a small town in New Mexico. In this season of Roswell, the aliens that are living among us learn more about themselves, encounter new threats, and discover the results of not being careful when you have sex. There's still the teenage angst from the first season, and the on-again/off-again relationships between the various cast members, but this season doesn't have the charm that embodied the first one.

The show starts up three months after the first season ended. Liz and Kyle have been away for the summer, and the rest of the gang have been having a quiet summer. Liz was really effected by the revelations from last season, and when she gets back into town she doesn't even bother to look up Max. After all, he's destined to be with someone else isn't he?

Nasedo has been using his powers to dismantle the government agency that was causing so many problems in the past, and the ominous threat implied in last year's season finale hasn't come to pass. Yet. But when Nasedo turns up dying at Max's window with the warning "They are among you." Things get bad pretty quickly.

This show still has a lot of continuity, and there are several twists that occur even early on in the season which keep viewers interested, but the show has a different feel this time around. One of the things that I really liked about the first season is that there was an interesting mystery that was the show's driving force, and they actually wrapped it up in the season finale. However this presents a problem: what do you follow it up with in the next season. Though the writers make a valiant effort to continue including the enigmas and ciphers that gave the original series it's kick, to a large extent they fail. The questions and puzzles that pop up this time around just aren't a effective as they were in the first season. Part of the reason is because they include too many mysteries, jumping from one to the next in fairly rapid order, sometimes without satisfactorily resolving the first one.

The show has a different feel to it this time around. With the ratings not where the network wanted them, the show is being pushed to become more like Buffy. Instead of government agents and the police, the group in now having to deal with extraterrestrial menaces. While I liked some of the alien monsters, they didn't fit into the show seamlessly, and felt a little forced.

That's because this show isn't Buffy, and you can't turn it into that show. Roswell never had that hipper-than-thou dialog that Buffy scripts were filled with. The characters don't have a witty quip on their lips ready to turn any situation into a comic moment. This gives the show a more realistic feel. That's why people could relate to the characters, even if they were from another planet. This season's constant threat of alien monsters took away from that real feeling, and made the show feel awkward in several places.

That's not to say that their weren't any good show, there were. A Roswell Christmas Carol was very good on several levels, and Cry Your Name throws an interesting twist into things that I didn't see coming. Viva Las Vegas had a good amount of humor, and was one of my favorite episodes in the season.

I have to admit that I have a love/hate relationship with this show. Some parts of it are interesting and fun, while other aspects are really stupid. The problem is that it's not that some shows are good and others bad, most programs have a mixture of entertaining and moronic elements. I think the blame lies on the shoulders of the writers. Though there are flashes of greatness in the scripts, when taken as a whole they are fairly mediocre. There are many plot holes throughout the season, and many things aren't explained. The scripts rely on coincidence too often and often don't think situations all the way through. For example, in an early episode a suspected alien antagonist is able to knock Michael down without even trying. So the aliens go to confront this menace with the intention of killing him. But they don't bring Tess, one of their most powerful members! Why would they do that??

Another flaw with the scripts, albeit a more minor one, is that the writers put science in their scripts, but have no idea what they are talking about. In one episode Max climbs into a cyclotron while it is in operation. Apparently this is one of those rare instruments where they don't bother to pull a hard vacuum on the chamber before accelerating the electrons. It was also interesting the Max suffered no ill effects while standing in the electron stream which was traveling at relativistic speeds, nor from the microwaves generated by the Klystons. I could go on and on, but you get the point.

Another pitfall the writers fall into is the way they write themselves out of corners. If they are stuck for a resolution, they just make one of the aliens more powerful. Without giving away anything, near the end of the season one of the cast gets a boost in powers that is just too unbelievable without any warning or explanation. It was as if the writers said, lets just end this any way we can. It really left a sour taste in my mouth.

The DVD:

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Like the last set, this season comes on six DVDs encased in thinpacks and stored in a thin pressboard slipcase.

Audio:

The 5.1 English mix for this show is very good. The sound was very full and rich. There is a good amount of bass, especially in the suspenseful parts where ominous low music would slowly swell up from the background. The incidental noises, crickets at night, street noises, etc. were clear an easy to pick out, but not overpowering. Full use was made of the soundstage, with music and effects frequently coming from the rear speakers. I was pleasantly surprised at how good these discs sounded.

Note: Like the first season set, there is an ominous statement on the back of this slipcase too. It says that these DVDs "Include new cutting-edge songs selected by the original Roswell music team!" This means that they were not able to secure the rights for some of the music used in the series when it originally aired. The music that was included did not sound out of place, and fit well. If you would like a list of the changes, DVDTalk member PHMustang2000 has created an excellent web page that tracks all the differences. You can find a link at the bottom of this review.

Video:

Like the first season, the video for this show, presented in anamorphic widescreen, was very good. There were a lot of night scenes and details were easy to pick out. The colors were accurate and looked fine. There were only a few minor encoding defects, mostly involving pixelation of smoke, which is very hard to encode without some defects. A nice picture.

Extras:

Like the first season, there are a good number of extras included with this set.

Commentaries: There aren't as many commentaries as were included with the previous set, and none of the actors give their thoughts, but the three commentaries are still insightful. Series Co-Executive Producer and Writer Ronald D. Moore comments on two shows, Ask Not and Cry Your Name. He talks about the changes in the show between seasons, and mentions the friction between the show and WB execs who want some aspects of the show altered. He also talks about the decision to kill of a character and why it was made.

There is also a commentary by Executive Producer/Writer Jason Katims and Director Patrick Norrris on the episode A Roswell Christmas where the pair talk about the idea of the Christmas Nazi, and how they were trying to make the all of the characters fit in a little bit more. None of these commentaries were especially interesting, but each one did give some insight to the goings on behind the scenes.

Here With Me: Making of Roswell Season 2: This featurette is over half an hour long, and was the best bonus material included with the set. It has various cast and crew members commenting on a number of shows from the second season. Some fun stuff included and they talk about how the characters interacted and how the writers wanted the humans to have something to do in the series besides just tag along. A good look at the show, and not one of those HBO making of pieces of fluff.

Storyboard to Scene: A two minute comparison between the actual scene and the storyboards for the episode Wipeout.

Art of Composing Roswell: Composer Joe Williams talks about how he created the background music for a particular scene, followed by the completed version of the segment he discusses.

The Shiri and Majandra Show: This 11 minute featurette had the two female leads talking about their characters, how they felt about them, and how they went to the producers and asked for some changes. It was a little long for me, but it had some intersting parts.

A Little Something Extra for the Fans: This is the least interesting piece of bonus material. It's basically a montage reel set to music that shows the relationships between the major members of the show. *yawn*

Final Thoughts:

While this season of Roswell had some interesting villains and monsters, the tone of the show changed, and not for the better. The show went down hill in this season, partially because of pressure from the network to make the show more like other successful teen SF shows, but mainly because the writing wasn't up to snuff. There were just too many plot holes and inconsistences and they took away from my enjoyment of the series. If you thought the first season was wonderful, this set is really worth picking up. You'll still get a good amount of enjoyment out of it. If you are like me and thought the first season was okay though flawed, this might not be the set for you. I felt that the weakness of the first season were magnified this time around. Still not a horrible show, it would be best to pick this one up as a rental.

ROSWELL SEASON 1 DVD TALK REVIEW

The Movie:

The teenage years can be very awkward. You aren't a kid anymore, but not an adult yet either. There's the difficulties associated with first romances, and changing relationships with friends and parents. It can be trying in the best of circumstances, but it's even more tricky when you find out that some of your best friends are aliens.

That's the predicament Liz Parker (Shiri Appleby) finds herself in. While working at the Crashdown Cafe in Roswell, NM one afternoon, two men get in an argument. One pulls a gun, and they start grappling. During the fight, the gun goes off and Liz is shot in the stomach. As the two men run off, one of Liz's schoolmates, Max (Jason Behr) runs to her. He places his hand on her wound and heals her. He asks her not to tell anyone what happened, and runs off. You see, Max is an alien. He, along with his sister Isabel (Katherine Heigl) and friend Michael (Brendan Fehr,) arrived on Earth in the UFO that crashed near Roswell in the late 1940's. (They were contained in incubation chambers and didn't emerge until the late 80's looking about 5 years old.) They each have special powers, but they are afraid that the government will lock them up if they are found out, so they hide their abilities.

By saving Liz's life, Max has put himself, and his alien friends at risk. The local sheriff, Jim Valenti (William Sadler,) realizes that something strange happened during the shooting. First of all, the bullet that was fired couldn't be found at all. Added to that was the fact that the uniform that Liz was wearing had a bullet hole in it. Neither Liz nor any of the other people in the restaurant will admit that anything out of the ordinary happened, but Valenti is not about to give up that easily.

Liz promises Max she won't tell anyone, but she isn't really good at keeping a secret, so her best friends Maria (Majandra Delfino) and Colin (Colin Hanks son of actor Tom Hanks) soon find out about the aliens too.

Max, Isabel, and Michael want to find out where they come from and who they really are more than anything,. So with the help of the three humans who know their real identity, they start searching for the truth. Unfortunately it looks like someone else is searching for aliens too, the FBI.

The youths finds some evidence that leads them to believe that there is another alien on Earth, one who has used his powers to kill. So these six teenagers have to track down an alien who may be a serial killer, while staying one step ahead of the local sheriff and the FBI. Who said being a teenager was easy?

Though Roswell has all the trappings of a science fiction show, it is more of a teenage soap opera. The story about the aliens often takes a back seat the budding romance between the main characters and the fact that they can't be together because they aren't the same species. Sort of a modern day version of Romeo and Juliet. As the series progresses, more characters pair off, and more road blocks to happiness pop up.

I was happy to see that there is a story arc in this season, which is pretty well wrapped up at the end (though there is ample room for more stories.) The science fiction aspects of the show were interesting and the strongest aspect of the show. Though I wasn't really impressed with the first few episodes, as the season went on I found myself being drawn into the story. By the end of the season I was really wanted to see how it was all wrapped up. The murdering alien and some of the more eerie aspects of the show worked well.

The romance subplots, on the other hand, never did much for me. I'll admit that this show is aimed at teenagers, a group that I have not been a member of for quite some time, but I thought they spent much too much time on this part of the show. Younger viewers, particularly women, might find the 'we love each other but can't be together' plots touching, but I didn't. They never really explained to my satisfaction why the aliens (or humans depending on the episode) didn't feel that they could date another species. The various on-again off-again relationships just left me cold.

There were a higher than average number of shows that felt like filler. Some clues and trails that were explored over several shows turned out to be dead ends, and that was disappointing. Others shows dealt mainly with the romances and didn't advance the main story very much. Had they cut these episodes out, the series would have been much stronger as a whole.

Another problem I had with the show was the many plot holes and continuity errors that cropped up throughout the show. Maybe I noticed as many as I did because I watched the entire season over a short period of time, but it really got annoying after a while. There were little things, like Max healing Liz with his left hand and leaving a right hand print on her stomach. And then there were the big things, like a man being shot in the chest, and then perfectly fine the next day. (He even admitted that the bullet missed his heart by six inches.) Or the kids parents (they all still lived at home) not noticing that they would be gone over night. Things like that happened a lot. The show also wins the award for the most inconspicuous FBI agents ever.

There were a lot of mistakes with time too. In one episode Michael and Maria take a road trip. Max, Liz and Isabel start following them an hour later. Three or four hours after that, Liz's old boyfriend Kyle (Nick Wechsler,) starts after the other two groups. Yet Kyle arrives at the destination about ten minutes after Liz's group. Things like that happen throughout the series, and it really made it hard to suspend my disbelief.

One last aspect that I didn't care for was the fact the aliens' powers were not very well defined at the beginning of the series. They could do whatever the situation called for. It really wasn't a Deus ex Machina device, since it was small things usually, but the strange things they could do left me scratching my head. They could play a CD out loud by holding it, see into people's past by kissing them, mend broken pottery by waving a hand over it, and just about anything else that the writers can think up. By the end of the series they limited the aliens one major power each, and that worked much better.

One thing I will give the series, is that the ending was very good. Without giving anything away, I thought it wrapped up the major plots and did not seem contrived or stupid.

The acting in the series was fairly good, but not outstanding. My favorite actor had to be Majandra Delfino as Maria. She was able to play the kooky friend well, without turning the character into a parody. She made Maria seem three dimensional and real. Brendan Fehr was excellent as Michael, the bad boy of the group. He though his character was mad most of the time, but he didn't hit the same angry note each time. He tired (and mostly succeeded) in varying the character's mood enough so that he didn't come across as a caricature.

Oddly enough, I thought Shiri Appleby, the main character Liz, was the weakest actor. She preformed really well in the serious heart-to-heart scenes, but she played every scene with the same tone and style. It seemed like she only had one emotion throughout the show. Ironically, her character had the least amount of development throughout the show. Usually the person a show revolves around has the deepest history and background, but not in this case. That may have hampered Shiri's performance some.

The DVD:

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Audio:

The 5.1 English mix for this show is very good. The sound was very full and rich. There is a good amount of bass, especially in the suspenseful parts where ominous low music would slowly swell up from the background. The incidental noises, crickets at night, street noises, etc. were clear an easy to pick out, but not overpowering. Full use was made of the soundstage, with music and effects frequently coming from the rear speakers. I was pleasantly surprised at how good these discs sounded.

Note: There is an ominous statement on the back of the slipcase. It says that these DVDs "Include new cutting-edge songs selected by the original Roswell music team!" I assume this means that they were not able to secure the rights for some of the music used in the series when it originally aired. Having never watched this show on TV, I can't say for sure. The music that was included did not sound out of place, and fit well.

Video:

The video for this show, presented in anamorphic widescreen, was very good. There were a lot of night scenes and details were easy to pick out. The colors were accurate and looked fine. There were only a few minor encoding defects, mostly involving pixilation of smoke, which is very hard to encode without some defects. A nice picture.

The Extras:

There are some nice extras included with this set.

Commentary Tracks: There are commentaries on the following episodes: The Pilot with writer Jason Katims and director David Nutter; Blood Brother with David Nutter; The Balance with writer Thania St. John; Sexual Healing with Shiri Appleby (Liz) and Majandra Delfino (Maria); Crazy with Shiri Appleby and Majandra Delfino; and Destiny with Jason Katims and director Patrick Norris.

None of these interested me too much. The ones with the directors, they mainly talk about what they were trying to do with the direction and background music. They tell you what you are looking at on screen a lot, something I rather dislike. ("And here the character is watching two people talk. From the look on his face, you can see he's not happy." That kind of stuff.)

The commentaries with Appleby and Delfino weren't any better. They talked about how much they liked the other actors, and mentioned which scenes were difficult to film, but there were long gaps in the dialog where nothing was said. There just wasn't a lot of information in the commentaries that I found interesting or added to my enjoyment of the show.

Deleted Scene from the Pilot: A single short scene that was probably cut for reasons of time. It didn't add anything to the plot.

Area 51 Featurette: A half hour featurette discussing the show's origin and premise with the cast and crew. It wasn't too exciting, a promo piece but the looks of it. They mainly talk about things you already know if you just finished watching the entire series.

Roswell High Featurette: An interview with the writer and editor of the book series that the show was based on. This is only 10 minutes long, but it was more interesting. They discuss how the series got started, and how quickly it was turned into a TV show.

Emilie de Ravin Audition Tape: Two audition scenes with the actress who plays Tess (a character who is introduced later in the show.

Music Video: Save Yourself by Sense Field

Final Thoughts:

Though it wasn't the best show ever, Roswell's story does grow on you, and by the time the last episode arrives you'll be wanting more. There was a lot of continuity, and I like that in a show. There were several episodes that mainly dealt with the romance between the main characters, and I didn't care for those as much. They felt like filler to me. Had they shortened the season, and concentrated on the mysteries concerning the aliens, it would have improved the show a lot.

This show is highly recommended for people who appreciate teen romance shows mixed with science fiction. This will be right up your alley. Though I did have some problems with the show, when all was said and done, I did enjoy watching it. Recommended.

NYPD BLUE SEAON 4 DVD TALK REVIEW

THE SHOW

People were opposed to "NYPD Blue" before it even premiered because of early word that it would have more profanity and nudity than had theretofore been allowed on prime-time network TV. The protests earned the show some extra viewers out of the gate -- protests usually work that way -- but what America quickly discovered was, naked butts and cuss words or not, "NYPD Blue" was one of the best cop shows ever made.

By season 4 (1996-97), the series had hit its stride and was enjoying its glory days. These 22 episodes demonstrate an almost perfect balance between the personal lives of the characters, their interactions with one another, and the police work they're involved in. And with the creative direction of Steven Bochco (whose "Hill Street Blues" and "L.A. Law" had earlier become hits) and David Milch (whose legendarily nuanced and precise dialogue is now the hallmark of HBO's "Deadwood"), it's no surprise that these episodes are packed with vivid characters and memorable verbal exchanges.

Plot-wise, season 4 has two major developments: the relationship between detectives Bobby Simone (Jimmy Smits) and Diane Russell (Kim Delaney), and the introduction of new female detective Jill Kirkendall (Andrea Thompson). Simone also has an arc involving undercover work with the FBI, Greg Medavoy (Gordon Clapp) might become a father through non-traditional means, and Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) -- the heart and soul of the series, though still second-billed at this point behind Smits -- continues to grow and evolve as a multi-faceted character.

I didn't start watching "NYPD Blue" until season 5, so the episodes in this set were new to me. I was riveted by how much better the series was here than in its later years -- and it was still pretty good in its later years! Where subsequent seasons settled into a routine of police procedural stuff mixed in with just a little about the cops' personal lives, season 4 handles both angles equally, and it truly makes a difference. Even if you have little interest in the day-to-day cop work, there is plenty to enjoy about the people involved. These conflicted, flawed characters feel like real people and are never portrayed as over-the-top or absurd. It's TV drama at its best: respectable, realistic, thought-provoking and entertaining.

Here are the episodes included:

1. Moby Greg - 10/15/96
Sipowicz admits he froze during a shootout because he was afraid of dying, and Russell seems equally afraid to accept Simone's marriage proposal.

2. Thick Stu - 10/22/96
Simone and Sipowicz grow suspicious while investigating a missing persons case, and Martinez runs for Squad Delegate.

3. Yes, We Have No Cannolis - 10/29/96
Simone investigates a murder in his apartment building, and he and Sipowicz reopen an old robbery case as they come to suspect the wrong man was convicted.

4. Where's Swaldo? - 11/12/96
Medavoy and Martinez investigate a shooting at a bodega; Sipowicz and Simone look for the guys who shot two men in their car.

5. Where'd the Van Gogh? - 11/19/96
Martinez's first delegate case involves a cop with two wives; Simone and Sipowicz investigate a robbery that might be fake; Russell's sobriety is tested.

6. Yes Sir, That's My Baby - 11/26/96
New detective Jill Kirkendall arrives in the squad; Simone and Sipowicz investigate the murder of a chauffeur.

7. Ted and Carey's Bogus Adventure - 12/10/96
A mother claims her daughter was raped; Sipowicz is worried when a man once committed to Bellevue shows up at the precinct.

8. Unembraceable You - 12/10/96
Fancy tries to help Maceo after he's arrested for possession; Simone and Sipowicz look for the shooter who gunned down a man in the East Village.

9. Caulksmanship - 12/17/96
Russell thinks she was drugged while working undercover; the detectives encounter strangely uncooperative neighbors while investigating two murders.

10. My Wild Irish Rose - 1/7/97
Medavoy and Martinez find drug addicts bidding on a dead man's belongings; Simone arrests the man who drugged Russell.

11. Alice Doesn't Fit Here Anymore - 1/14/97
Simone and Sipowicz hunt for $1.4 million in stolen jewels; the other detectives investigate after one of their own is attacked.

12. Upstairs, Downstairs - 1/21/97
Simone and Sipowicz are skeptical of testimony offered by an off-duty cop in a double homicide.

13. Tom and Geri - 1/28/97
Russell and Kirkendall look into a case of autoerotic asphyxiation; Simone and Sipowicz investigate a murder involving two warring labor coalitions.

14. A Remington Original - 2/11/97
The detectives have two homicides where the bodies were dumped: one in a salvage yard, the other in a vacant lot.

15. Taillight's Last Gleaming - 2/18/97
Fancy wants to deal with a racist cop who pulled him over for a broken taillight; Sipowicz has dreams about his dead son.

16. What a Dump! - 2/25/97
Garbagemen find a partially clad body; the detectives investigate a gang-related shooting.

17. A Wrenching Experience - 3/15/97
A baby might have been shaken to death by a babysitter; a gang member and car repair shop owner are shot.

18. I Love Lucy - 3/22/97
Kirkendall tries to help a friend kick a drug habit; Sipowicz and Simone look into the murder of a drag queen.

19. Bad Rap - 3/29/97
Abby wants Medavoy to donate sperm so she and her partner can have a baby; Simone and Sipowicz investigate the shooting of a rapper.

20. Emission Impossible - 4/6/97
A woman claims her husband raped their daughter; Medavoy prepares to give Abby what she wants.

21. Is Paris Burning? - 4/13/97
Simone's work with an FBI probe gets him in trouble with Internal Affairs; Det. Gotelli hijacks a city bus.

22. A Draining Experience - 4/20/97
Simone's undercover work threatens his career; Sipowicz and Russell investigate a case where a woman had drain cleaner poured down her throat.

THE DVD

All 22 episodes are included on four double-sided discs. No one likes double-sided discs (if for no other reason than they're harder to take care of, since there's no label side), but it does make the set slimmer than if eight discs had been used. With all four discs sharing two thin Digipak cases, the whole set is only slightly wider than a typical single-disc release.

Disc 1 has episodes 1-6 (four on one side, two on the other), Disc 2 has 7-12 (ditto), Disc 3 has 13-18 (ditto), and Disc 4 has 19-22 on side A, with bonus features on side B. (The Digipak claims there are two episodes on each side of Disc 4, but the Digipak is wrong.)

Each Digipak has titles, summaries and original airdates of the episodes included on the discs it contains.

There are optional subtitles in English and Spanish and even alternate audio tracks in French and Spanish. I am impressed at how much the French-speaking actors sound like the original ones. (The Spanish-speakers, not so much.)

VIDEO: Presented in their original full-frame (1.33:1) ratio, the episodes are spotless and shiny, as should be expected from source material that's only 10 years old.

AUDIO: The set features a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix, which sounds fantastic, though the percussion-heavy musical score sometimes overpowers a bit of the dialogue. (Luckily, there's not much background music anyway.)

EXTRAS: The main extras are two featurettes.

"In with the New" (16:35) has new interviews with several actors who had recurring roles this season: the actresses who played the season's two new secretaries -- Lourdes Bendicto as Martinez's love interest Gina and Debra Christofferson as saucy plus-sized Geri -- recurring guest pest Willie Garson as Henry Coffield, Andrea Thompson as Det. Kirkendall, and Paige Turco as Abby, who wants Medavoy's sperm. One motif that pops up a lot in their interviews: They were originally signed for only a couple episodes, then were made regulars. Beyond that, they have nothing to say beyond basic summaries of their characters and storylines.

"Through the Lens: The Look of Blue" (22:41) is much more substantive. With the production crew on hand, the featurette covers all the elements of the show's visual style, from lighting to sets to the signature jittery camera movement. (On that last point, it's interesting to learn the camera was never actually hand-held.)

"We wanted the audience to feel like they're standing in the corner of the room and watching what's happening," says one behind-the-scenes wizard, perfectly summarizing the "feel" of the show. Director Mark Tinker and cinematographer Brian J. Reynolds even enlist a camera operator and a couple of actors to demonstrate how they'd shoot a scene, with Tinker giving the operator constant instructions about how to move the viewer's "eye" around the action. Without too much technical jargon, the featurette gives fascinating background on how "NYPD Blue" came to look the way it did.

The other extras are three commentaries: director Mark Tinker and writer Bill Clark on "Where's Swaldo?" and "Alice Doesn't Fit Here Anymore"; and actresses Andrea Thompson and Debra Christofferson on "Tom and Geri."

Tinker and Clark are extremely dry, even when they're making jokes to one another (and at one another's expense). Clark was a real NYC cop for 20 years and offers insight into the realities of the fictional events depicted, almost to the point of being a downer. (Tinker asks him early in one track, "Did you take an Ambien before this?") When Tinker gets a little too technical about how a scene was shot, Clark says, "Are we playing this for the Directors Guild? Are these going straight to the DGA?" -- a case of what Sipowicz calls "breakin' balls."

They're entertaining with their self-deprecating deadpan jokes; I wish they talked more, though. There are many stretches of silence, and they BOTH sound like they took Ambien before the session. Maybe it's fitting, though: They remind me of Sgt. Joe Friday of "Dragnet," drowsy but quick-thinking.

(Did you know Lindsay Krouse was David Mamet's ex-wife? And why would Bill Clark be having lunch with David Mamet and Ed O'Neill? You learn some interesting things on these commentaries.) Thompson and Christofferson are more chatty on their commentary, though what they have to say isn't nearly as insightful into the process of making the show. Their enthusiasm is infectious, though.

IN SUMMARY

"NYPD Blue" remains one of the greatest examples of its genre, and one of the finer series of any kind. Season 4 is among its best years. Fans could wish for more commentaries or for interviews with some of the lead actors, and those wishes are not unreasonable. Still, the 22 episodes have been given quality treatment, and what extras are present are solid. I recommend it especially for fans of the series, and for non-fans: Check it out. You don't know what you're missing.

NYPD BLUE SEAON 3 DVD TALK REVIEW

The Third Season

In March 2003 the first season of NYPD Blue was released on DVD and in August of the same year season two came out. However due to licensing related issues the third season was delayed for several years. Now almost three years after the first season release, the third season comes to DVD and fans of the series can re-live their favorite season three moments of NYPD Blue. Season three offers plenty of intense and well-developed drama to keep you hooked to the screen. It is an exciting experience you will not want to miss.

For those who are not familiar with the show, it comes from the mind of Steve Bochco. NYPD Blue is a show unlike any other. At the time it first aired on television in 1993, it was one of the roughest and grimmest productions to air with bits of brief nudity, vulgar language, and an abundance of violence. The series ran for twelve seasons and recently aired its final episode in early 2005.

The series is about the nitty-gritty lives of NYPD detectives from the 15th precinct. The show looks at their daily lives in respect to their cases and personal lives. The stories are traditionally heavy on the drama and tend to get emotionally powerful. This is done in such a way you will be glued to your seat wanting to see what happens next. The series' first season showcased two detectives in frontline, Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) and John Kelly (David Caruso, CSI: Miami). Franz and Caruso were great together on the screen. However in the beginning of season two Caruso left the show and was replaced with Jimmy Smits. Smits played Bobby Simone, the new second lead who brought a powerful character to play besides Franz. While Smits brought an entirely different character than Caruso, he fit in really well amongst the rest of the cast. For more details about the series please refer to DVD Talk's reviews of season one and season two.

The third season gets pretty dramatic with many changes and challenges for the detectives to deal with. In the beginning of the season Sipowicz helps Russell deal with her alcoholism while at the same time she rekindles her taboo office relationship with Simone. Also in the beginning of the season Martinez takes a bullet, but fortunately it is not fatal. Afterwards Martinez continues to pursue a romantic relationship with fellow detective Lesniak. Detective Medavoy continues to struggle with his broken marriage and romantic desires for the squad's P.A.A. Donna Abandando. Detective Russell deals with her unstable family. Sipowicz and A.D.A. Costas venture into their first year of marriage and top it off with their first child. All the while lieutenant Fancy keeps the squad intact and functioning like a well-oiled machine.

What really works for season three is similar to what made the first two seasons so enjoyable. The writing is topnotch and the stories deliver some truly dramatic content that is not over top, but solid stuff you can really sink your teeth into. Furthermore, the cast continues to give some outstanding performances which make it easy to feel the emotions the characters go through during their various situations.

For individual episodes, it is really hard to pick the good ones. Unlike the series from the Law & Order family, NYPD Blue focuses a lot of story-arcs and character development throughout multiple episodes. In that respect, all of the episodes tend to be strong because they are all an integral part to delivering this story arc or helping develop that aspect of a particular character. However some of the highlights include stories involving the Internal Affairs Bureau, who keep popping up at the 15th precinct for one reason or another. Additionally there are a couple of times when the FBI makes an appearance, and those episodes include some great stories. Another strong storyline includes guest star Giancarlo Esposito (Homicide: Life on the Street) as a confidential informant of Simone's who gets caught up in a messy situation that is surrounded with plenty of drama. It is stories like these that help make this season intense and a lot of fun to watch.

In the end while the content of NYPD Blue may seem grim and rough at times, it still a great drama that delivers some intense emotions through its stories and characters. After watching a few episodes you'll be hooked and wanting more. For intense and gripping drama, you cannot go wrong with NYPD Blue: Season Three.

Episode Guide
1. E.R.
2. Torah! Torah! Torah!
3. One Big Happy Family
4. Heavin' Can Wait
5. Dirty Laundry
6. Curt Russell
7. Aging Bull
8. Cold Heaters
9. Sorry, Wong Suspect
10. The Backboard Jungle
11. Burnin' Love
12. These Old Bones
13. A Tushful of Dollars
14. The Nutty Confessor
15. Head Case
16. Girl Talk
17. Hollie and the Blowfish
18. We Was Robbed
19. Auntie Maimed
20. A Death in the Family
21. Closing Time
22. He's Not Guilty, He's My Brother

The DVD
Season three comes with twenty-two episodes which are spread across four double sided DVDs. The first three discs hold six episodes, with four episodes on side A and two episodes on side B. The final DVD has two episodes on sides A and B, with side B containing the season three extras. The DVDs are stored in two slim pack cases and they each hold two discs. The slim pack cases are housed in a cardboard box about the same size as a regular DVD case.

The menu system is different than the first two season releases. If you own either season one or two on DVD, than you know what a pain those menus can be. The menus were heavily animated and it could take several seconds to move from one episode selection to another. While a minor annoyance, I was still relieved to find season three lacked the heavy animation and you are able to toggle episode selections without the lengthy delay.

Video:
The video in this release is given in its original television aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame color. The picture quality looks good. As found with the earlier season releases, there is a slight roughness, grain in the picture, and hints of edge enhancement. Overall it is a solid picture.

Audio:
The audio track supplied with release is Dolby digital stereo surround and comes in English, Spanish, and French. The sound quality is good, the track is pretty clean and spoken dialogue is easily heard. Like most TV on DVD releases it is fairly flat and some use of the surround sound setup. This release also comes with subtitles in English and Spanish and supports closed captioning.

Extras:
The first set of extras includes selected episode commentaries. The unfortunate part about the commentaries is the limited number of episodes included (only two episodes). The commentaries are for "Sorry, Wong Suspect" with director Michael M. Robin and "Head Case" with director Randall Zisk and actor Gordon Clapp. The season premiere would have been a perfect episode to cover and also the very intense last few episodes "A Death in the Family", "Closing Time", and "He's Not Guilty, He's My Brother" would have been even better. In this regard, I was disappointed there were not more commentaries and the strongest episodes of the season were not selected.

The next extras consists of three featurettes. The first featurette is "Life in the 15th Precinct" has creator Steve Bochco and actors Dennis Franz, Jimmy Smits, Kim Delany, Gordon Clapp, and Nicholas Turturro talking about the show, season three, and their characters. It lasts for nine and a half minutes. The next featurette is "Father and Son", which is seventeen minutes with Dennis Franz, Michael DeLuise, and Steve Bochco discussing the relationship between Andy and Andy Jr., as well as key developments in season three. The final featurette is "Women of NYPD Blue". It offers thirteen and a half minutes with Justine Miceli, Sharon Lawrence, and Steve Bochco talking about the female characters and their roles in the show.

The final item is a short teaser for The Shield. It runs for twenty-two second and offers a quick look into season five.

Final Thoughts:
Finally after several years of waiting, fans of NYPD Blue have a chance to relive all of the dramatic moments on season three. As for the content, season three continues to deliver intense and gripping stories to keep you hooked and wanting more. The show offers some great writing and well developed characters. Overall it is really hard not to appreciate season three. It comes highly recommended.

NYPD BLUE SEAON 2 DVD TALK REVIEW

THE EPISODES

Most people know that David Caruso left NYPD Blue after only one season, but only fans of the show remember that he actually appeared in the first four episodes of Season Two before making his departure. And that's how this nice box set of NYPD Blue Season Two begins, with officer Janice Licalsi (Amy Brenneman) on trial for the killing of a mob boss (which happened in Season One) and with Detective John Kelly (Caruso) also finding himself in a world of trouble when he lies on the witness stand to help Janice.

Caruso leaves at the end of Episode Four, and in Episode Five we are introduced to the new kid on the block – Detective Bobby Simone, played by Jimmy Smits. Smits proves not only to be the perfect replacement for Caruso, but he actually elevates the show, and from a personal perspective, his character has always been my favorite of all the partners Detective Andy Sipowicz has had over the years.

In addition to breaking in his new partner, Season Two also further develops the relationship between Andy and lawyer Sylvia Costas (Sharon Lawrence), and the two finally get engaged in Season Two, with the final episode of the season focusing on their wedding.

Watching Season Two for the first time since it initially aired on ABC, it's kind of impressive how gritty the series still is, especially considering that this season is almost ten years old now. But it's also interesting that a show that was so controversial at the time (due to language and occasional nudity) now seems fairly typical when compared to other network cop shows…and I'm using the word "typical" in terms of style, not in terms of plot and storyline, since I believe NYPD Blue (or at least these early episodes of the show) are vastly superior to much of what we see in the cop genre on TV today.

THE DVD

Video:
The video is presented in full frame, and is in reasonably good shape. There is the occasional piece of dirt on the print, but not so often that it becomes distracting. Viewers may notice that a lot of scenes seem to have a grainy and dark look, but those familiar with the show will immediately realize that this is the intended look of the episodes, rather than any problems with the transfer.

Audio:
The audio here is a 4.0 Dolby track, and it sounds good, although not outstanding. Even though NYPD Blue is a cop show, it is one that is dialogue-heavy and not one that has a lot of shootouts or fights (Unless, of course, Sipowicz is banging some "skell's" head off an interrogation room table!).

Extras:
FOX has done a nice job with the extras on this box set. There are four episodes on each disc (except the sixth disc, which contains the last two episodes and the bonus features) and for every four episodes, there is one which contains a Commentary Track by either the writer of the episode or the director of it (sadly, no actor commentary…but perhaps there will be in future season releases).

The sixth disc contains the wealth of the bonus material, including an hour-long Season 2: A Season of Change featurette, which goes through each episode in Season Two and has comments by the actors, writers and creator Steven Bochco about each and every episode. Also on Disc Six is a seven-minute featurette called Wedding Bell Blues which takes a behind-the-scenes look at the filming of Andy and Sylvia's wedding. There's also a seven-minute segment entitled The Music of Mike Post, in which the composer talks about his opening theme score and the music he uses in the series. Finally, there's a Script To Scene Comparison section, in which viewers will be able to read pages from the shooting script and then jump to that scene to see how the words on the page compare to the final filmed version.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Fans of the series should be quite happy with this box set, and those who are new to the show since it has been released on DVD should also be quite pleased. FOX seems to be the leader in releasing quality box sets of their television programs, and this set is comparable to releases of programs like The X-Files and Buffy The Vampire Slayer in the amount of material and content provided on these discs.

NYPD BLUE SEAON 1 DVD TALK REVIEW

The Feature:
Although it seems tame compared to the show's currently on television (most notably "The Shield"), "NYPD Blue" was groundbreaking back in the day. It was one of the first television shows to truly push the envelope, featuring nudity, violence, and cuss words; things you thought you'd never see on network television… at the time.

It's now 10 years, and 86 Emmy nominations later. "NYPD Blue" is still on the air, although not really resembling the show that initially caught America's attention. The first thing I noticed was how different the cast was back then. Of course there's always Detective Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz), who's still alive and kicking on the show. And then there's Detective John Kelly (David Caruso). Unfortunately, people remember more about how Caruso's career went downhill after he left the show (only for it to be resurrected when he landed "CSI: Miami"), then just how good he was at playing Kelly.

Now, I'd be lying if I said I was a loyal viewer of "NYPD Blue." I think that all stems from the fact that I never even gave the show a chance until I sat down and reviewed the DVD box set of the first season. Like most cop shows, each episode follows a specific case. Some cases and storylines are spread over a few episodes (similar to "The Shield"). The result is a show that is easy to follow. It's a very simple formula that has no doubt influenced countless other shows.

"NYPD Blue – Season One" features 22 episodes, each having a running time of approximately 45 minutes. Below are episode summaries and commentary listings, broken down per disc. Be forewarned, there are some potential spoilers in their descriptions.

Disc 1:
Pilot - Detective Andy Sipowicz's life is in danger, and it's up to his partner, Detective John Kelly to investigate the mob-related attempt on his life.

4B or Not 4B - Sipowicz finally regains consciousness following the latest attempt on his life, but has no recollection of what happened. Kelly and his wife sign separation papers.

Brown Appetit - Kelly and Sipowicz investigate the brutal murder of a woman in her home; meanwhile, Kelly moonlights as security for a woman who wishes her abusive husband was dead.

True Confessions - A liquor store robbery/homicide is investigated by the detectives. Kelly, after quitting his security job, is called back to the woman's home only to find out her wish has come true.
Commentary by writer David Milch.

Disc 2:
Emission Accomplished - Detective Art Stillwell's pranks annoy Lt. Fancy, and Laura questions Giardella, the man who almost killed Sipowicz.

Personal Foul - The term flagrant foul has a whole new meaning when one of Kelly's friends is killed playing basketball. Sipowicz investigates a case of foul play.
Commentary by director Brad Siberling.

NYPD Lou - Sipowicz discovers that his son's fiancé is not as faithful as she is supposed to be. Meanwhile, a man who believes himself to be a werewolf wishes to be detained before he kills someone.

Tempest in a C-Cup - Sipowicz arrests a stripper for prostitution in an effort to get to her boss. Laura looks for a way to protect her reputation from the questionable ethics of her partner, Jimmy Craig.

Disc 3:
Ice Follies - The mob continues to strong-arm Janice Licasli, asking her for more favors. The father of an OD victim sets out to kill the man who sold him the drugs.

Oscar, Meyer, Weiner - The detectives investigate the murder of an affluent family. Also, a screenwriter's Academy Award statuette is stolen.
Commentary by director Brad Siberling.

From Hare to Eternity - It's Christmas Eve, and the detectives are investigating a kidnapping. Sipowicz dresses up as Santa Claus for the neighborhood children.

Up on the Roof - Newly promoted Detective Martinez looks for the persons responsible for utilizing a fake ATM machine in a scam. Laura identifies a hit man.

Disc 4:
Abandando Abandoned - Kelly and Sipowicz investigate the death of a former policeman. Medavoy confesses his love for Abandando.

Jumpin' Jack Fleishman - The detectives investigate a strangulation murder, in which the prime suspect is a cross-dresser.

Steroid Roy - Laura requests that Kelly get more evidence in a murder case. Officer Roy Larson is suspected of using steroids.
Commentary by actress Sharon Lawrence.

A Sudden Fish - Kelly moonlights as a bodyguard. A victim of a robbery takes his former tormentors hostage. Laura has big news for Kelly.

Disc 5:
Black Men Can Jump - The father of a murder victim brings the killer down to the precinct himself. Meanwhile, Sharon considers quitting her job.
Commentary by technical consultant Bill Clark.

Zeppo Marks Brothers - A woman is afraid to finger the man who killed her boyfriend. Kelly meets Laura's new boyfriend.

Serge the Concierge - Sipowicz looks to clear his son of drug pushing charges. Kelly investigates a wealthy hotel owner of foul play.

Good Time Charlie - Kelly suspects his friend is being framed for murder. Lt. Fancy's wife is unhappy his wife is pregnant again.

Disc 6:
Guns 'n Rosaries - Racial tensions come to a boil when a black motorist is shot and killed. Sipowicz attends an AA meeting.
Commentary by director Michael Robin.

Rockin' Robin - Kelly investigates the murder of a priest, while an innocent lunch between him and Robin ends passionately.

Video:
"NYPD Blue" is presented in full frame 1.33:1. Shot in the days when the idea of television shows presented in 16x9 wasn't even considered; "NYPD Blue" looks a little better on DVD than it does on television (I did a comparison with syndicated episodes and noticed some differences in picture quality). The picture is intentionally bright at times, causing flesh tones to look a little bit on the "white" side than usual. The print does suffer from specs of dirt, as well as grain; but that is more than expected from a television show 10 years old. Overall, I have no complaints, as this is the best we're ever going to get… which isn't so bad at all.

Audio:
The audio is presented in Dolby Digital Surround 4.0, Spanish 2.0, and French 2.0. There are no audio dropouts whatsoever, and character dialogue is crisp and clean. The soundtrack sounds very good, as the DVD presentation gives my system a good workout. Action scenes sound good, and everything else is spread nicely across the front three channels. Overall, this is as good as I expected considering the age of the show.

Menus:
Every DVD, except for the fourth disc, has the same exact menu. An interactive screen with audio allows you to select between four episodes (the fourth disc has the season finale, plus the special features). Each episode has the following options: "Previously on NYPB Blue", "Play Episode" (English or Spanish Subtitles), "Scene Selection", and "Language Selection" (this is where you can access the commentaries). Everything is laid out neatly, and everything is easily accessible.

Extras:
"NYPD Blue – Season One" is packed with special features, including: episode Commentaries and three lengthy, and informative featurettes. Except for the episode commentaries (one per DVD), all the special features are located on Disc 6.

Fox decided to treat us to three featurettes on this DVD set. The first one is a rather lengthy "The Making of Season One." Clocking in at nearly 60 minutes, this featurette pretty much covers everything. The cast and crew offer their comments as clips from the show play. Next up is a 12-minute featurette called "Love on NYPD Blue." Like you'd expect, it discussed the relationships between the characters (although some of it was already covered in the first featurette). "Cast Blotter" is very neat, as it plays out like a "before they were stars" featurette. Some of the stars discussed include David Schwimmer and Amy Brenneman. This featurette also runs for approximately 12 minutes.

The "Pilot Script to Screen Comparison" is just what it sounds like. Using your remote, you can navigate through a static version of the script. By pressing the play button on your remote, you can view how the actual scene plays out. There are four different scenes you can do comparisons with. Lastly, we are also treated to the usual "Cast & Crew Bios."

Final Thoughts:
Okay math majors, let's break it down. 22 episodes, 6 commentaries, 90 minutes of featurettes, and a MSRP of $59.98... equals a must-have for ANY fan of "NYPD Blue", or cop shows in general. Sure, I wouldn't qualify "NYPD Blue" as excellent television, but I'd be hard pressed to say that it's not worth checking out. Fox continues to impress me with their recent television releases (good video/audio, extras, and a reasonable price tag), and "NYPD Blue – Season One" continues their streak. With all that in mind, I must "Highly Recommend" this DVD set.