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Tom, Dick And Hooray: The most debated TV series of the Vietnam Era was Tom and Dick Smothers’ 1967-1969 CBS variety show The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, and its enduringly fervent fans will welcome its upcoming debut on DVD. In addition to a hip roster of guest musicians and comics, the skits were marked by the siblings’ trenchant observations on American society, and caused the establishment and the network boardroom no end of headaches, which factored in its cancellation despite strong ratings. The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour: The Best Of Season 3 offers eleven uncensored episodes on four discs.

Crystal Set: AMC won kudos for the series Mad Men, and now garners similar reverence for the offbeat Breaking Bad: The Complete First Season. The 2008 series stars Bryan Cranston plays a chemistry teacher who also works at a car wash to make ends meet, and whose life is shaken when he finds out he has a fatal illness. An epiphany hits him, and he decides to manufacture crystal meth with the assistance of student Aaron Paul. To add to the offbeat nature of the series—which has been called Weeds with speed—Cranston has a wife (Anna Gunn) who is obsessed with eBay and a physically challenged son (RJ Mitte). This surprise-filled two-disc set offers nearly six hours of bad breaks.

Syn City: One of the most requested TV productions that we at Movies Unlimited have been begged for is finally galloping our way. Walt Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn: The Scarecrow Of Romney Marsh, a fabulous effort from 1963, was originally broadcast over three nights on Walt Disney’s Wonderful World Of Color, and was also theatrically distributed as a shortened feature in Great Britain. Exciting, historical and stirringly conceived, it stars The Prisoner’s Patrick McGoohan as a kindly country vicar in 18th century England who dons the disguise of a scarecrow to pull off Robin Hood-like feats and help townsfolk battle King George III’s taxes and oppression. The show is presented with both the three-part Disney TV version and a 98-minute feature film in a collectible, limited edition tin—so act now!

Working With Annette: Before Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears and Vanessa Hudgens, there was Annette Funicello, a dark-haired Disney star who sang, danced and acted, starting with the popular The Mickey Mouse Club. She also had her own mini-show, Walt Disney Treasures: The Mickey Mouse Club Presents Annette: 1957-1958 Season, that ran as part of the Club. Annette played a country gal who comes to the city and soon learns how the other half lives. Annette, who was 15 when this was filmed, sings such tunes as Lonely Guitar and How Will I Know My Love?, and is joined by Tim Considine, Richard Deacon, Shelley Fabares, and Judy Nugent in this two-disc, 19-episode presentation, also part of the limited edition tin-encased collection.

Don’t Fear The Reaper: In Reaper: Season 1, slacker/home improvement store worker Sam Oliver (Bret Harrison) discovers that his parents sold his soul to the Devil (Ray Wise) before he was born, and now he has to help old Beelzebub return souls to Hell. Sam’s not too keen on the idea, especially when his fondness for his dream girl and coworker (Missy Peregrym) gets in the way. Co-produced by Kevin Smith, the 2007 CW show also features Tyler Labine, Rick Gonzalez, and Valarie Rae Miller, and is presented in a five-disc, 14-plus hour set.

Pay The Piper: Billie Piper, also known as Rose Tyler on Doctor Who, is sizzling in the Showtime series Secret Diary Of A Call Girl: Season 1. Based on the actual writings of a sex worker named Belle de Jour, the British TV production that bowed overseas in 2007 presents Piper as a bored legal secretary by day and hot-to-trot escort by night, and we get the lowdown on her sensual encounters, replete with pretty explicit scenes and her own commentary to the camera. Filled with kinky encounters, nudity and raw language, this Secret Diary doesn’t skimp on the lurid, based-on-fact details of the life of a likable and sometimes happy hooker.

Joke And Bagger: The TBS sitcom 10 Items Or Less: The Complete First And Second Seasons is a quirky affair, showcasing John Lehr as a successful New York city-based businessman who heads back to his small Ohio hometown after his father’s death. He begins running the family grocery store, which is a challenge because of the odd assortment of employees, and he has to confront his high school nemesis, who’s now his competition with the town’s other market. A mix of scripted comedy and improve that’s been a favorite since its 2006 bow, the series—presented as 14 episodes on two discs—also boasts Jennifer Elise Cox, Roberta Valderrama and Chris Payne Gilbert.

Princes And The Revolution: In the 2005 Fox reality series The Princes Of Malibu: The Complete Series, music producer David Foster and trophy wife Linda Thompson attempt to change the ‘tudes of David’s stepsons, spoiled Brody and Brandon Jenner, sons of Bruce Jenner. It’s not too easy after the twentysomething slackers have led the life of luxury with everything coming easy for them. Guests in this six-episode series include Celine Dion and Michael Buble.

Tracey Lords Over: Tracey Ullman’s State Of The Union: Complete Season One offer British comedienne Ullman in fine form in this 2008 Showtime series, laying into the foibles of America and Americans, with an accent on celebrities. The canny impersonator turns into such figures as Renee Zellwegger, David Beckham, Arianna Huffington, Rita Cosby, an Indian pharmacist with a penchant for Bollywood movies, and a public access TV yoga instructor. Five half-hour episodes are offered here.

Not A Lemmon: We all know the classic 1955 film with James Cagney, Henry Fonda, William Powell and the Oscar-winning Jack Lemmon as Ensign Pulver, but Acorn has re-discovered the 1984 live TV version of Mister Roberts. The cast is fascinating to say the least: Charles Durning plays the Captain, which Cagney essayed; Robert Hays tackles the Fonda role of Lt. Roberts, Howard Hesseman steps into Powell’s shoes as Doc, and Kevin Bacon makes Pulver his own. Meanwhile, Marilu Henner, Raye Birk, and Joe Pantoliano add able support to this unique production, which was shown on NBC.

Ho Ho Ho, You Are Correct, Sir: The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Celebrates Christmas is sure to be a collector's item. Johnny welcomes such guests as Robin Williams, Garry Shandling, Tony Bennett, and Bob Hope for interviews and sketches in the yuletide mode. It runs 72 min., and is sure to keep you laughing throughout the entire year.

Powers Of Persuasion: There’s an enduring cult for the British-made action series The Persuaders!, which had a 1971-1972 run on ABC and featured the high-style Robin Hood heroics of British noble Roger Moore and self-made businessman Tony Curtis, who pooled their considerable resources in order to bring connected criminals to heel. Pairs of episodes from the series’ run were also featurized, and three are coming in a set from Lionsgate called The Persuaders! 3-Film Collection.

Lost In The Stars: One of the more notorious and famously troubled productions to surface in the annals of TV science fiction is coming into our orbit with the release of The Starlost: The Complete Series. The show’s premise, as devised by genre maverick Harlan Ellison, concerned a massive space ark bearing segregate sections of Earth’s cultures away from the doomed planet, and whose command center was destroyed early into the evacuation. Centuries later, members of the isolated populaces (including Keir Dullea, Gay Rowan and Robin Ward) learn the truth regarding the mission, and of their vessel’s trajectory into a sun. The 1973-1974 NBC series’ production was shifted to Canada in order to cut costs, leading to Ellison’s public disavowal of the enterprise. All 16 episodes are collected here.

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