TV NEWS ON SEPTEMBER 22

http://blog.sitcomsonline.com/2012/09/digital-digest-possible-earlier-release.html Welcome to Digital Digest! We don't actually have any sitcom news for you this week, but we do have other TV on DVD news of interest for you, along with reviews of CSI - The Twelfth Season and Charlie's Angels (2011) - The Complete Series. Let's get going! DIGITAL NEWS We've talked about the Cagney & Lacey - The Complete Series DVD release for quite some time now, and this week, we finally got a "sneak peek" of what is to come from VEI after they were kind enough to send us a promotional screener disc for the set. Essentially, we received a disc which contained seven episodes as chosen by the series producer (yes, it was crammed, but this isn't intended for the general public), the original pilot movie, and a preview of one of the panel interviews which will be included on the release. From the preview we've seen, though, we already feel that we can say that the full set will be a release that is well worth it for fans. But an even more interesting note is that the information we received with the set gives a release date which is about a month earlier than what we've seen anywhere else... in fact, it gives a release date of October 16. Is this new "earlier" release date correct? We don't know yet, but we are hopeful! Last week, we told you about TGG's release of In the Heat of the Night - The First Season. Now, TGG is planning something a little bit more with In the Heat of the Night - 24 Hour Marathon. The eight disc collection will contain 32 episodes of the classic series, just enough to fill up 24 hours, and come at a $29.96 MSRP. It is set to be released on October 23. CBS is gearing up for a final "mission" on December 11 with Mission: Impossible - The Complete Television Collection. The 56 disc collection will not only include all seven seasons of the original series, but will also include both seasons of the follow up series from the '80s and a bonus disc containing special features new to DVD. It isn't a cheap set, though, and comes at a $379.99 MSRP, but we expect that to be discounted somewhat. UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW Tuesday (September 25) has many releases, beginning with Fox's release of Family Guy - Volume 10. We'll have a review of this set soon, and if you're a big fan of the Griffin family, don't forget that you can still enter our contest to win a copy of this set through Sunday evening! ABC Studios wraps up Desperate Housewives with their releases of Desperate Housewives - The Complete Eighth and Final Season and Desperate Housewives - The Complete Collection Deluxe Edition. Meanwhile, CBS ties up the most recent seasons of their CSI franchise series (including the final season for the Miami variety) with CSI - The Twelfth Season, CSI: Miami - The Tenth and Final Season, and CSI: NY - The Eighth Season. Sony goes back to the classic Charlie's Angels series with Charlie's Angels - The Complete Series. Finally, MPI goes for a little variety with Dick Van Dyke from the '70s with Van Dyke and Company - The Complete Series. BLOG FEATURE REVIEW CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - The Twelfth Season DVD Review: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - The Twelfth Season (CBS DVD/Paramount Home Video, $63.98) by Todd CSI's forensic team never says die, even in a season packed with old friends and new faces...beginning with the introduction of CSI supervisor D.B. Russell (Emmy winner Ted Danson). From the start, Russell thinks outside the box in a locked room murder-mystery aboard a casino tram. From there the team, which also includes George Eads, Paul Guilfoyle, Jorja Fox, Eric Szmanda, Robert David Hall, David Berman, Wallace Langham and Elisabeth Hornois, takes on Vegas, including going old school science to solve a mysterious kidnapping during a citywide blackout. And they say goodbye to Catherine Willows (Emmy winner Marg Helgenberger) as they welcome blood expert Julie Finlay (Academy Award nominee Elisabeth Shue). Now in its twelfth season, Emmy and People's Choice Award-winning CSI continues to be the most watched show in the world. See why. The 6-disc set contains all 22 sizzling episodes from the twelfth season (2011-12) season of the long-running crime drama. The episodes are presented in anamorphic widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1, English Stereo Surround and Spanish Stereo audio available. It has a total running time of approximately 15 hours, 46 minutes. The attractive packaging follows the eleventh season style, with a thin outer cardboard box and clear plastic snapcase. Marg Helgenberger, Elisabeth Shue and Ted Danson are featured on the front cover, with some buildings in the background. There is an embossed CSI: Crime Scene Investigation logo at the top of the box. The outer cardboard box and inner keepcase have the same design basically, with only the back cover photo of the case being slightly less cropped. A clear plastic snapcase slides out from the right of the outer cardboard box. The entire cast is in a montage of photos on the back of the box/case. Paul Guilfoyle, Elisabeth Hornois, George Eads, David Berman, Jorja Fox, Robert David Hall, Eric Szmanda, Marg Helgenberger, Ted Danson and Elisabeth Shue are featured in the photo. A short synopsis of the set, a listing of the special features and the DVD specs are provided. Opening up the snapcase, there is a content locator which lists the episodes and the special features on the inside cover. The discs are very plain looking, with just a silver background and the CSI logo on them. Episode titles and the special features are listed on the discs. The menus are simple and easy to navigate. There are no previews on this release, so it jumps right to the main menus. The main menu opens with some views of Las Vegas that lead to a montage of video clips from the show. A nice instrumental cue plays in the background and then the sequence loops. Options for Episode Selection, Set Up and Special Features (on Disc 6 only) are available at the bottom of the screen. Episode titles are listed vertically in blue boxes on the Episode Selection menu. You can play the deleted scenes for selected episodes from this menu. English 5.1, English Stereo or Español audio options are available on the Set Up menu that features Ted Danson. Some options and special features are not rated any may not be subtitled. As you would expect from such a recent show, the video and audio quality is outstanding. They do a lot of nighttime shooting and make the show look dark and like a theatrical film. There is no disclaimer on the back of the box about any of the episodes possibly being edited or any of the music being changed. Episodes are presented in their original broadcast order and numbered by the production number. The broadcast and production order differed for episodes 3-6 this season. Running times are between 42-43 minutes in length. Hopefully we'll see some seasons released on Blu-Ray in the U.S. at some point. Here is the episode breakdown by disc, including the runtimes: Disc 1 Episode 1201 "73 Seconds" (43:18) Episode 1202 "Tell-Tale Hearts" (43:28) Episode 1203 "Bittersweet" (42:48) Episode 1204 "Maid Man" (43:18) Disc 2 Episode 1205 "CSI Down" (42:08) Episode 1206 "Freaks and Geeks" (42:08) Episode 1207 "Brain Doe" (43:28) Episode 1208 "Crime After Crime" (42:08) Disc 3 Episode 1209 "Zippered" (43:08) Episode 1210 "Genetic Disorder" (43:38) Episode 1211 "Ms. Willows Regrets" (43:28) Episode 1212 "Willows in the Wind" (43:38) Disc 4 Episode 1213 "Tressed to Kill" (43:38) Episode 1214 "Seeing Red" (42:58) Episode 1215 "Stealing Home" (43:38) Episode 1216 "CSI Unplugged" (42:38) Disc 5 Episode 1217 "Trends With Benefits" (43:08) Episode 1218 "Malice in Wonderland" (43:28) Episode 1219 "Split Decisions" (42:38) Episode 1220 "Altered Stakes" (43:28) Disc 6 Episode 1221 "Dune and Gloom" (42:28) Episode 1222 "Homecoming" (43:28) A nice amount and mixture of special features are spread out over the six discs. Once again, there are only two audio commentaries on this set. This has been the norm with all of the CSI franchise releases recently. There are deleted scenes for four episode included. All of the interviews/featurettes can be round on Disc 6. Here is the breakdown by disc: Disc 1 "Bittersweet" Deleted Scenes (4:26) - Ted talks to Ed Burrows. Sara talks to Janet Hughes at the hospital. Sara confronts Gina at the hospital. D.B. asks Sara what kind of food she likes. Disc 2 "Brain Doe" Deleted Scene (1:28) - Catherine talks to Detective Vartaan outside the police department. Disc 3 "Zippered" Deleted Scene (1:39) - D.B. and Agent Matthew Pratt talk to Drillbit. "Genetic Disorder" Deleted Scenes (2:03) - D.B. talks to Hodges and Henry at the lab. D.B. and Catherine walk and talk. Dr. Robbins talks to David Phillips. "Ms. Willows Regrets" Audio Commentary by Marg Helgenberger, Louis Milito (Director), Christopher Barbour (Writer), Wallace Langham, Elizabeth Harnois, David Berman and Jon Wellner "Willows in the Wind" Audio Commentary by Marg Helgenberger, Alec Smight (Director), Christopher Barbour (Writer), Wallace Langham and Elizabeth Harnois - This was Marg Helgenberer's final episode. Disc 6 Death, Trucks and Rock 'n Roll (8:34) - Fans can enjoy behind-the-scenes of Dune and Gloom and delve into the world of trophy truck racing. Follow the action as it takes us across the desert to a Hollywood recording studio with Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry as he scores the fast-paced action with stellar original music. Interviews include Director Jeffrey Hunt, Executive Story Editor Tom Mularz, Co-Producer Phil Conserva, Stunt Driver Rich Minga, Off Roader Alex Staats, Off Roader Ryan Staats and Joe Perry. The featurette provides some good background information on the episode, but it easily could have been double in length. A Crime a Dozen: Season 12 of CSI (23:29) - Executive Producers Carol Mendelsohn and Don McGill, along with the cast and crew, discuss the surprising mysteries that make the twelfth season the best season yet. This was a season of big changes with Laurence Fisburne having left after season 11 and Marg Helgenberger leaving sometime in season 12. They talk about the addition of Ted Danson to the cast. Marg Helgenber's exit from the show is discussed. Other topics discussed include Nick's journey this season, the relationships between D.B. and the other characters, Conrad Eckley's daughter, Hodges' mother (Jaclyn Smith), Elisabeth Shue's character, the tram scene, the second episode with three confessions, the helicopter episode, the stolen house episode, the blackout episode, the softball game, and other season highlights. Other interviews include Ted Danson, Executive Producer Louis Shaw Milito, Eric Szmanda, George Eads, Paul Guilfoyle, Jorja Fox, Elizabeth Harnois, Wallace Langham, Elisabeth Shue, David Berman, and Robert David Hall.