August 14, 2009

Canadian TV-on-DVD Roundup (August 14, 2009)

Recently I’ve been re-evaluating what gets included in these Canadian TV-on-DVD Roundups.  I removed all mention of Iron Man: Armored Adventures from the Roundups, as the only sign that the show was Canadian came from Wikipedia, not the world’s most accurate information source.  IM:AA is properly a French/Isle of Man show.  I apologize for the error.

I will still include industrials like Highlander: The Series, Inspector Gadget and Just For Laughs.  Highlander and Gadget were co-productions, while Just For Laughs is a Montreal-based festival with tendrils in Chicago.  I hate including them, but I do include as much proper CanCon as I can.  I’m even wondering whether Fear Itself qualifies for the DVD Roundups.


Little Mosque on the Prairie‘s second season on DVD September 15, 2009 through Paradox Entertainment Group/E1 Entertainment.  I guess Morningstar Entertainment lost DVD rights for the show.  E1 is a better label, anyway.  The set includes a Dan Redican commentary track, among other random extras.


Fraggle Rock‘s final season, as well as A Merry Fraggle Holiday (i.e., a Christmas compilation), coming out November 3, 2009 through Lionsgate.  The complete series is being reissued the same day, in proper bookcase format.

Lionsgate is now working directly with The Jim Henson Company.  HIT Entertainment has been freezed out of the picture, and I couldn’t be happier.  Fraggle Rock was treated shabbily by HIT Entertainment at the end, while the Lionsgate/Henson arrangement takes the fans’ complaints into account – better packaging, a stand-alone fourth season set, cheaper prices.  How can you not like that?

I think the Lionsgate/Henson arrangement is going to bear fruit.  Is a Dog City DVD set on the horizon?  Such a thing looks far more likely than it did a year ago.  Make it happen, JHC.


Gord Lacey reviews Total Drama Island‘s season set.  This is a review of the American DVD set, obnoxious Cartoon Network logo adorning the box art.

Lacey quite likes the show, which I’m surprised by.  Then again, Total Drama Island/Action is one of Cartoon Network’s juggernauts, as well as being omnipresent on Teletoon.  If Fresh TV doesn’t subsume CN within a few years, I’ll be surprised.


Reviewersblog.com “reviews” of Blood Ties: “The Complete Season One.”  As for the blog, it’s blatant content scraping from Amazon.com, just so you know.

I’m quite surprised this release is selling well, as it currently ranks #1,055 in Amazon.com Movies & TV sales.  It’s not a blockbuster ranking, but the set’s been out for a month and a half.  People are buying Blood Ties.


Highlander: The Series‘ first-season Blu-ray set pushed back to September 22, 2009…possibly.  The only place to buy it right now is LegendaryHeroes.com.  Hell, buy a sword for yourself while you’re at it.  THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!  MOO! and stimulate your need for crap.


Oh, I almost forgot, Flashpoint‘s first season on Canadian DVD and Blu-ray October 13, 2009 through Phase 4 Films.  That isn’t important, is it?

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August 7, 2009

Canadian TV-on-DVD Roundup (August 7, 2009)

Highlander: The Series’ first season out on Blu-ray September 15, 2009, at least if one pre-orders the set through LegendaryHeroes.com.

Temporary package art for the Blu-ray set.  For Highlander: The Series‘ first Blu-ray release, “subtle” animated graphics fill bars left by the transition from full-frame to widescreen.

I think it’s a cheesy image, Super Game Boy meets the Quickening, but I’m not the consumer Davis-Panzer Productions is trying to impress.  Highlander: The Series is a cash cow, an immortal cash cow.  THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!  MOO!


Press release for Inspector Gadget: The Go Go Gadget Collection.  Don Adams’ and Frank Welker’s voiceover talents are noted.  What, no Cree Summer?  Brain gets credit over Penny?  Eh, what can you do.  It’s a press release and you’ve already forgotten about it by now.


TVOntario’s Get Ready For School DVD out since August 4, 2009.  I can’t believe it took TVO until 2009 to enter the world of consumer DVD, but it’s a start.  Yes, Polkaroo’s involved, although the godlike kangaroo mutant plays second fiddle to Gisèle’s Big Backyard.  Everyone does now.

Mongrel Media and TVO might each have a steady revenue stream on their hands, even if TVO entered the home entertainment game at a horrible time.  If the success of Get Ready For School leads to Eureka! and Prisoners of Gravity sets down the road, I’m all for it.  The story so far…


Just for Laughs Volume 3: Launching Pad on DVD October 20, 2009 through Image Entertainment.  Just for Laughs is selling this set on the strengths of Jeff Dunham, Dane Cook, Ray Romano, Russell Peters and other profitable comedians.

Has it ever occurred to JfL to release the Andy Kindler State of the Industry Addresses in their entirety?  They would be the DVDs to own, rather than the CliffsNotes run-throughs of stand-up comedy material.  The Just for Laughs merchandising juggernaut will continue unabated, so here’s a praying mantis puppet to end this post.

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July 24, 2009

Canadian TV-on-DVD Roundup (July 25, 2009)

The Gemini Award®-winning (it pains me to write that) Chop Socky Chooks debuts on DVD October 6, 2009.  It’s a volume set, since kids’ shows are released that way.

The show’s minor Aardman at best, and it isn’t very funny or engaging.  It won a Gemini Award®, though.  A show about martial-arts film archetypes in vaguely avian form?  I’m sure Chop Socky Chooks was better than Total Drama Island in 2008.  I also think a weak season of This Hour Has 22 Minutes outranked Kenny vs. Spenny.  The Gemini Award jurors just know quality.


Monster Warriors: War of the Water World out August 25, 2009 through Anchor Bay Entertainment Canada.  Monster Warriors vs. Creepy Crawlers came out June 30, 2009.  Ah, the volume set, every kids’ show loves that format.

The show’s premise – 1950s movie monsters come to life via mad scientist – sounds fun.  Sadly, the show is poorly realized and Seán Cullen plays the mad scientist.  Cullen doesn’t go into stream-of-consciousness rants about his penis on Monster Warriors, but that’s hardly a small mercy.


Show Me Yours: The Complete Series out November 10, 2009 through E1 Entertainment.

This is one of the more esoteric announcements I’ve seen in some time, as Show Me Yours is a sex-oriented Showcase dramedy from five years ago.  It’s nice to see more Showcase product out there, but where are Billable Hours and Testees‘ sets?  I haven’t seen Show Me Yours, but I’m sure it’s better than Monster Warriors.


The rest of Heartland‘s first season out November 10, 2009 through E1 Entertainment.  That’s a speedy turnover in sets.  It makes me wonder why E1 bothered to split the first season.  Not that it matters, since I’m sure the two volume sets will be bundled a year from now.


Flashpoint first-season box art.  The Flashpoint release is American-only, not that parallel releases are illegal to own in Canada.

At this point I’m supposed to point out Flashpoint star Amy Jo Johnson’s role on Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers.  The Pink Ranger is her most notable role, after all.

There, I’ve made the reference.  Let me never speak of it again.


Blood Ties “second”-season box art.  I could have knocked that “art” out in an hour via Photoshop.  It won’t stop the fans from buying this set, but everything about Blood Ties‘ “second” season screams quickie release.


No Stargate news this week?  Good.

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October 13, 2008

Canadian TV-on-DVD Roundup (October 13, 2008)

Life With Derek first-season DVD set.  When I contacted Zoltan Varadi of KOCH Canada about updating my contact information and availability of the Terminal City box set, I was sent a press release concerning this show.  I haven’t seen Life With Derek so I have no comments good or bad about this release, but there are far worse shows being given box sets.

The Blu-Ray box sets of The Tudors‘ first two seasons have been delayed until November 25.  This doesn’t affect the DVD version of the second-season box set, which is still coming out on Remembrance Day.  The American DVD release of The Tudors will have other Showtime hits tacked onto the set, just in case you’ve been living in a garbage bag and don’t know what Dexter is.

ReGenesis first-season DVD set.  I never watched this show, but it has its fans and it’s good to see this come out.  Koch and VSC tend to grab the choice titles, and I have a feeling this will sell well.

TVShowsOnDVD.com links to the frightenstein.com boards concerning a new Hilarious House of Frightenstein box set.  This is being put out by CRiTiCAL MASS Entertainment and Anchor Bay Entertainment Canada.  Wait, is it Starz Home Entertainment Canada now?  Whatever, at least it’s a Canadian release.

As a special bonus, David Lambert of TVShowsOnDVD.com thanks someone whose name sounds very familiar to me:

Our thanks to reader Sean Palmerston for tipping us off about this

Sean Palmerston?  The writer for Exclaim! and Unrestrained!?  Alright, he’s a Hamilton boy and Hilarious House of Frightenstein was shown on CHCH back when it had a soul, so the connection isn’t that far off.  I never thought I’d see Sean Palmerston’s name referenced at TVShowsOnDVD.com.  He’s branching out.

Bruce Kirkland puts over a few Canadian TV-on-DVD sets, including Corner Gas, Durham County and Terminal City.  I don’t see how Corner Gas is “out-of-mainstream” since that show is the most successful Canadian sitcom since Trailer Park Boys, but whatever.  Duckman and Robot Chicken are recommended, so Kirkland has some semblance of taste.

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