Wednesday, November 19, 2014

14 notable TV shows not available on DVD

In 2010, I wrote an article about 10 good TV shows not available on DVD. This being 2014, I’ve decided to follow up that article with 14 interesting TV shows that have yet to be put out on DVD in the U.S.
Most of these shows were canceled after one season because of low ratings, but they’re worth a look.
I’ve included only scripted dramas and comedies, but there are some good fact-based series that have never been released on disc either.
  1. Herman’s Head (1991-94)
  2. Brimstone (1998-99)
  3. Cupid (1998-99)
  4. Robbery Homicide Division (2002)
  5. Miss Match (2003)
  6. Karen Sisco (2003-04)
  7. New Amsterdam (2008)
  8. Ashes to Ashes (2008-10)
  9. Cupid (2009)
  10. The Gates (2010)
  11. Awake (2012)
  12. Do No Harm (2012)
  13. 666 Park Avenue (2012-13)
  14. The Lottery (2014)
I covered seven of these shows in my article four years ago. So I’ll add a few notes about the other seven here.
“Herman’s Head” was a sitcom on the young Fox network. The main character is Herman Brooks who works in the fact-checking department of a major magazine publisher. It’s a typical office comedy except that the viewers see Herman’s emotions personified as characters inside his head. It’s a premise similar to Disney Pixar’s upcoming film “Inside Out.”
“New Amsterdam” starred Nikolaj Coster-Waldau before he had his breakout role in HBO’s “Game of Thrones.” In “New Amsterdam,” he plays an immortal Dutch man born in 1607, who has lived most of his life in New York City and is a homicide detective in the present day. The plot is very similar to the current ABC show “Forever.”
“The Gates” was a short-lived summer series for ABC. It takes place in a quiet, upscale planned community where the residents include vampires, witches, werewolves and a succubus. The cast featured Rhona Mitra, who now stars on “The Last Ship.” The show is available to download from Amazon Instant Video.
“Awake” was a daring show about a cop who is living two realities – one in which his wife is alive, but his son is dead, and the other in which his son is alive, but his wife is dead. It starred Jason Isaacs of the “Harry Potter” film series. The show is available for digital purchase from Amazon.
“Do No Harm” was a modern take on the classic “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” story. Actress Alana de la Garza played basically the same type of role here as she does currently on “Forever” – partner to a man harboring a big secret.
“666 Park Avenue” was a supernatural drama about a haunted Manhattan apartment building. It starred Terry O’Quinn and Vanessa Williams.
“The Lottery” was a drama set in a dystopian future where women have stopped having children due to an infertility pandemic. Lifetime recently canceled the show after its 10-episode first season.

Photos: Scene from NBC’s “Awake”; promotional art for “Do No Harm.”


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