Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Check out our definitive list of the best-ever TV-DVD sets, including The Simpsons, The Sopranos, and many more small-screen classics. by Chris Carle, Todd Gilchrist, Eric Goldman, Dan Iverson, Jeff Otto, Kyle Watson and Brian Zoromski

May 4, 2006 - As IGN welcomes into its family of entertainment and gaming networks a new Television channel, IGN DVD thought it might be nice to offer a pre-emptive selection of the best TV on DVD sets in the history of the medium. After all, with some 60-plus years of small-screen action scurrying out onto DVD on an almost daily basis, it might be helpful to try to organize the best of the best into an easily-digestible list that will perhaps help you and your family find the right sets when time come to tally up your must-see TV viewing.

Bear in mind that this is not by any means a definitive list of the all-time best television shows, but a list of those programs which benefited from and took advantage of the opportunities afforded them via DVD technology. In some cases, the sets are great just because the show looks better than ever; in others, it’s because the creators provided commentary tracks and featurettes to flesh out the details of a delicate or sometimes confusing story line. But they’re all indisputably great in one way or another, and hopefully will provide you with a few suggestions for your next Wish List, or just maybe a stopgap between the seasons of your current favorite show. 25. Spider-Man: The ’67 Collection - Long before Sam Raimi brought Marvel Comics’ most enduring creation to life on the silver screen, ABC gave Spider-Man two-dimensional life as a cartoon character in its Saturday morning lineup. The series, which assembled a rogue’s gallery of Spidey’s most formidable foes as well as a few others engineered especially for the small screen, compiled two 10- to 15-minute episodes together for each weekly installment, and provided funny-book fans with long-awaited vindication that their medium of choice was as viable commercially as it had already proved it was creatively. Spider-Man: The ’67 Collection assembles all 52 newly remastered episodes of the series - complete, fully restored and uncut, with chapter stops that allow the viewer to bypass the title sequence and the series’ memorable theme song.

24. NewsRadio: The Complete First and Second Seasons - This boxed set chronicles NewsRadio’s start as an NBC midseason replacement to its first full season run. The set is a little light on special features, but 20 of the episodes feature funny and informative commentaries with the cast and crew, where we learn about such things as Dave Foley’s ability to memorize an entire script and how Ray Romano was originally cast in the role of the handy-man (the part Joe Rogan played before becoming the host of Fear Factor). 23. X-Files: The Complete Third Season - If you are a fan of X-Files, you know that Season Three is easily the best, and that goes for the DVD set as well. This set includes excellent commentaries, a documentary, twelve interviews with X-Files creator Chris Carter, special effects clips, behind the scenes material, deleted scenes, "behind the truth" spots on seventeen of the episodes, promos on all 24 of the episodes, and a small DVD-ROM game. And with the new price reduction on the slim case version, this set becomes even more tempting than it was before.

22. The Complete Monty Python’s Flying Circus 16-Ton Megaset - Although the original Megaset featured a metric ton of content, the 16-ton Megaset improves on it by chucking in an extra two discs of funniness. Almost every Python moment in memory can be found on the 16-disc set, which includes the same extras from the previous 14-discer. Monty Python’s Fliegender Zirkus: German Episode #1, Troupe Career Highlights, Post-Python Troupe Highlights, the Trivial Quest and Useless Tidbits segments make a rich package even better. 21. The Cosby Show Season 2 - While the DVD set for Season One committed the cardinal sin of compiling only the syndicated versions of each episode, Season Two finally and fully restores such classic shows as "Happy Anniversary" and "A Touch of Wonder." The set is somewhat light on extras - there’s a single commentary track by director Jay Sanders on "Denise’s Friend," a blooper reel and a couple of clip montages - but the greatest virtue of this set is highlighting the lasting appeal of one of the greatest families ever on television.

20. The Sopranos - The Complete First Season - Still the best season of HBO’s critically-acclaimed Mafiosi show. It introduced us to one of the great characters in television history, depressed patriarch of "the family," Tony Soprano. Mafia had been done (and over-done) by Hollywood a million different ways over the years, but Sopranos offered a new twist, offering an inside look into the trappings of "the life" as well as the show’s most revealing hook, a mob boss in therapy. Sopranos broke new ground on what could be done on a television show, opening the door for HBO to create a continuing series of the best shows on television. The set includes commentary on the pilot by creator David Chase and fan/recurring character Peter Bogdanovich as well as an extended interview with Chase. 19. Battlestar Galactica Season One (2004) - Look, even if it had no extra features, this would still be a great box set, simply because the series itself is so compelling and wonderful, but in fact, the collection of the first season of the critically acclaimed Sci Fi Channel offers quite a bit. Universal hasn’t always put out the best TV show box sets, but they did the fans right with this one, most especially when it came to including the three hour miniseries that aired a year before the series, and is essential viewing to begin the storyline on Galactica. There are several fun and informative behind the scenes features, and best of all, nearly every episode features commentary from executive producers Ronald Moore and David Eick, who go into great detail on their thought process when it comes to various scenes and situations on the show. Some commentaries by cast members would be a welcome addition to future sets, but this is a very well done set for a rather amazing show that should be required viewing. So say we all.

18. Walt Disney Treasures: Disneyland USA - Here’s a collection that not only contains some wonderful, classic television programming, but is also a tribute to a theme park that has extremely powerful connections to many many people across the world. Sadly now out of print, the Disneyland DVD did not focus on a single series, but rather on several programs and specials that were created in conjunction with the theme park. There is some excellent, long sought after material here, including the debut episode of The Disneyland Story from 1954, an anthology series used to promote the park as it was being built. The show is hosted by Walt himself, who explains to the viewer what Disneyland will be like when it opens, section by section. Perhaps the highlight of the set is Dateline Disneyland, the live special that aired the day Disneyland opened. There are plenty of amusing sights here, from Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. riding Autopia, to the hosting duties of none other then Ronald Reagan. There are also two specials from the 1960’s showing Disneyland performances and highlights from the park, along with the progress on upcoming rides about pirates and ghosts that would soon become iconic. On the down side, the extras are minimal; there are some nice introductions from Leonard Maltin that give good context for the programs, a short featurette and a nice still gallery of poster art from Disneyland. But as a keepsake of nostalgic television and a look at the history of Disneyland, this collection more then lives up to the word treasure. 17. Futurama, Vol. 2 - Fox always does a good job with their DVD sets, but Matt Groening’s hilarious vision of the future, Futurama, excels in every aspect. When any of the four sets could have been picked, we chose Volume 2 because it had the most acclaimed and memorable episodes. The DVD set contains all 19 episodes from the second production season (all which include humorous commentary), deleted scenes, animatics, concept art, trailers, and even a couple of easter eggs to keep you busy. This is a great DVD set for a great television program.

16. Six Feet Under: The Complete Second Season - When one hears the premise for Six Feet Under, one might wonder how HBO is able to glean a textured, amazing series from the story of a family-owned funeral home. The best season of one of the best drama series to grace HBO, the 6FU set is beautifully packaged and technically solid. There are episode commentaries on five of the 20 included on the disc, plus a featurette. While the extras aren’t plentiful, they are sufficient to enhance an already amazing set. Fans of HBO drama that have not seen this series will relish in Season Two, the best in the bunch.

15. Lost: The Complete First Season - J.J. Abrams’ penchant for open-ended, inconclusive storylines is indulged to terrifically entertaining effect during Season One of this ratings champ and critical favorite, which combines mythological mumbo jumbo and traditional character development just subtly enough to deceive all of those folks who vowed never to watch a show characterized as "science fiction." While there are precious few of the show’s secrets revealed in this set, Abrams and co. bolster Season One with a plane-load of bonus materials, including production documentaries, behind-the-scenes footage, audition tapes, making-of featurettes and lots more. But even without any extras at all, the true allure of a complete set of Lost episodes is the sheer thrill of watching long-form storytelling at its best - even when you realize you’ll never reach a real conclusion. 14. Sex and the City: The Complete Series - HBO’s groundbreaking, acclaimed show about a quartet of single women living in New York, began back in 1998 - almost the dawn of HBO’s now-absolute trouncing of network TV - and offered the world a more-or-less unprecedented (save for sex-crazed soap operas) glimpse at single white females in all of their unfettered, libidinous glory. This Complete Series set not only compiles every last episode and extra on all of the previous single-season sets, but boasts the best packaging perhaps ever for a TV show: a ginormous, pink velvet book that holds each disc like it was a succession of sexy diary entries (which in a way is the core appeal of the show - to offer vicarious experiences for women afraid to act out their hedonistic fantasies).

13. Arrested Development: Season One - Loved by critics and a decisively loyal but small fan following, Arrested Development was simply too smart to survive on network television. For one, the show generally followed an episodic storyline, meaning that those looking for the mindless "quick-fix" of more simplistic shows like Friends would find themselves confused, missing out on the many biting in-jokes of the show’s brilliant writing. It’s hard to pick out any one season of Arrested Development, since they were all pretty much perfect, but Season One is the obligatory starting point. The set features an extended version of the pilot, featurettes, interviews and deleted scenes.

12. Chappelle’s Show: Season 2 - Thirteen episodes of a series that became a part of pop culture and propelled Dave Chappelle to stardom and, apparently, temporary insanity. The second season expands on the first, featuring some truly hilarious skits, including Charlie Murphy’s "True Hollywood Stories" with Rick James and Prince, and Wayne Brady’s masterful performance as a pimpin’, drug dealin’, bad ass mo’fo. The set has some great special features as well, including entertaining commentaries on five episodes by Chappelle and series co-creator and writer Neal Brennan. There’s also extra stand-up material from Chappelle, a Rick James Extended Interview, Charlie Murphy’s Rick James memories, Two unaired Charlie Murphy’s "True Hollywood Stories," and a whopping 71-minute collection of deleted scenes and bloopers with commentary by Chappelle and Brennan.

11. Undeclared - This college-set, spiritual sequel to Freaks and Geeks wasn’t quite as wonderful as the show that proceeded it, but it still was another very funny, relatable series from the pre-40 Year Old Virgin Judd Apatow. Freaks has the well deserved, more rabid fan base, but having already worked on that box set, Apatow made sure to not neglect Undeclared. While it doesn’t hit the unbelievable standards of the Freaks and Geeks collection, there is still more on this box set then almost any other TV series on DVD offers. There are deleted or extended scenes and a commentary track on every single one of the far too short 17 episodes of the series, and Apatow was able to not only secure the participation of all the Undeclared cast members, but also guest stars like Fred Willard and David Krumholtz. There is also a vastly different alternate version of one episode —featuring a deleted guest appearance from no less the Ted Nugent!— that contains its own separate commentary. And while other TV show box sets have included highlights, this is one of the few to contain the entire panel discussion the show had honoring it at the Museum of Television and Radio’s William S. Paley Festival. Add in other material like audition footage and a script to an unproduced episode and you have an excellent collection made by people who clearly had a lot of love for the show they created and made sure to put time into the DVD. 10. Twin Peaks: The First Season (Special Edition) - Let me just get out of the way that yes, the fact that we still don’t have season two, nor even the initial pilot television movie of this classic show also on DVD available is absolutely ridiculous. Be that as it may, the one set released so far was extremely well done. The image quality was simply excellent; For years, the only way to get Twin Peaks was on an incredibly poor quality VHS version that actually crammed six episodes on each tape. These newly remastered versions of the show truly do look better then ever. Though only seven episodes long, each episode of this set contained commentary from various directors and crew members. There also were new interviews with almost the entire cast, which were the first time many of these people were speaking about the show in a very long time. Other great touches included material from the old Peaks fanzine "Wrapped in Plastic," and the introductions the show had when it aired on Bravo. Now can we please get the complete series out?

9. Deadwood - The Complete First Season Be not ye afraid of the potty-mouthed dialogue, nor its decidedly filthy approach to rendering the Old West: Deadwood may well be one of the most elegant and intelligent television shows ever produced thanks to the meticulous drive of creator David Milch. The show, which takes western legends and explores the nitty-gritty true-life details, isn’t merely a series of episodes but a magnum opus of storytelling that grows ever more complex with each twist and turn. The characters, meanwhile, are so vividly created by both the writers and the actors (including Ian McShane as Al Swearengen) that they’ve become our unlikely friends and companions; even when a bad decision is made or an unfavorable turn of events comes to pass, we judge them not because the show never fails to see them as full-fledged people rather than devices for some sort of intricate narrative ballet. The DVDs, meanwhile bolster such claims with commentary tracks celebrating Milch, addressing the myriad production problems, and similarly offering an academic portrait of something that might normally be reduced to the number of remaining bullets in the main character’s six-shooter. 8. He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Season One, Volume 1 - The undisputed king of the after school programming, He-Man returns on DVD. Skeletor, Man-At-Arms, Evil Lyn (extra points for giving a villain the preface of "Evil") and even Orko have been lovingly restored to all their jerky, two dimensional glory. Aside from containing the first thirty-three episodes, this six disc set packs in the features. There are two documentaries, a full length episode animatic, fifty character bios with video, collectable postcards and more all wrapped up in deluxe packaging. All your old toys might be gone forever, but the shows are still in reach.

7. Jackass the Box Set - Regardless of your feelings about Jackass as a show, this set is nearly perfect. One of the big features for fans of the Jackass troupe is a round table commentary with every member, spanning more than half of the episodes. If you ever wondered if they were acting on camera, this commentary will help you figure that out. The DVD also includes a full cribs episode on the main players, an unaired episode of Jackass with a European cross country trip (with commentary), and even a documentary chronicling the rise and fall of Jackass. Normally this would be enough, but they add in extra skits, appearances, a photo gallery, and even a 50 page book. This is the type of set every good show deserves. 6. Muppet Show - Season One (Special Edition) - The Muppet Show will top my personal list of family favorites when I get around to having a rugrat or two. Outwardly a send-up of such variety shows as Laugh-In re-enacted by a cast of colorful puppets, Henson’s ensemble rattled the cages of conventional television and offered a cross section of inspiring and informative material that engages adults as well as children. Meanwhile, the first season’s Special Edition DVD set 24 episodes of the show, the original series pilot, Henson’s pitch reel, ’Muppet Morsels’ and more, should be an immediate, essential and permanent addition to any video library. So take my advice, run out and buy it, and let the light-hearted learning begin. But even if it doesn’t make you want to have kids, at the very least, it will make you feel like one for a little while. (Oh, yeah, and if you were lucky enough to get the first edition they released, the box art is as fuzzy as Kermit’s tummy.)

5. Firefly - The Complete Series - This boxed set is a must-own for any fan of Joss Whedon. The series, mangled by FOX in promotions and aired totally out of order, lives and breathes on these discs. The special features are aplenty for a series with only 15 episodes: commentaries on eight episodes, a gag reel, deleted scenes, and several very well done behind-the-scenes featurettes. 4. Seinfeld Season 4 - After a bit of a slow start in the first season, most all of the nine seasons of Seinfeld were on the border of classic TV status. The show went out at its prime and remains one of the best network comedies ever. Season 4 remains one of the benchmark seasons of the show. It was the season when the series first garnered cross-over appeal, transitioning from merely a critical success to a ratings contender. The series took home the Emmy for Best Comedy series and some of the most memorable episodes were born, including "The Contest," "The Junior Mint" and "The Bubble Boy," to name just a few. The DVD set offers some nice insights into the breakthrough season, including some informative docs featuring interviews with just about everyone in the cast and crew. The set also includes deleted scenes and a nice selection of commentaries that provide some great insights and tidbits into the behind-the-scenes workings of the show. 3. The Simpsons - The Complete Season Three - Fox treats us to another excellent Matt Groening set. Much like Futurama, The Simpsons has commentary on every one of their 24 episodes. Also gracing the set are television ads, pop-ups, outtakes, a jukebox, and storyboards. And if that wasn’t enough for you to buy this great season of a great show, The Complete Season Three DVD also includes a baby translator. 2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Chosen Collection - Having long since gotten past the stigma of being based on a bad movie and having —let’s face it— a rather ridiculous title, Buffy is now seen as a television classic, in which Joss Whedon took his high concept of Teen Girl Vampire Slayer and used it as the basis for some amazing drama and thrills. This 40 disc set collects the entire seven year, 144 episode run of the show in one compact little box. The episode discs themselves contain the same extra content that the individual seasons had, but that includes many great commentaries from Whedon and other participants and other well done behind the scenes features. The collection also comes with an exclusive extra disc that contains a newer roundtable discussion with Whedon, cast members and writer/producers, along with additional features. Admittedly, if you already have the separate box sets, the added features aren’t enough to justify needing the set. But for those new to Buffy, or at the least new to purchasing Buffy, this is a phenomenal value that gives you the entirety of one of the best TV series of all time. 1. Freaks and Geeks - The Complete Series (Limited Edition) - There are a whole host of unheralded TV "classics" in the annals of the medium’s history - those shows that were brilliant, but for one reason or another never caught on with mainstream audiences - but in recent years there is probably no greater example of the brilliant-but-cancelled syndrome than Freaks and Geeks. The show, created by 40 Year-Old Virgin writer-director Judd Apatow, was a watershed moment in TV’s long history of coming-of-age stories in that it offered laughs and tears in equal measures, and never managed to slide into empty sentimentality or inappropriate celebration of its outward raison d’etre - looking at weirdos and oddballs - that perhaps some detractors perceived from its title. Shunted from one bad time slot to another, the show quickly disappeared off of NBC’s prime-time schedule; but the release of its DVD set, available in not one but two expansive versions, offered a well-deserved second chance for immortality - among its hardcore fans, at the very least. The set available to most audiences features, amongst other extras, some 29 audio commentaries for 24 episodes, a director’s cut of the pilot, more than 60 deleted scenes, auditions, trailers, promos and more; but the fan-only deluxe edition added two more discs, including a one hour q&a with Apatow, three ’table reads’ of some of the show’s best episodes, a script that was never shot, surprise easter eggs, and quite frankly, more than any fan could possibly ever want.