The Month in Home Media is a monthly column highlighting short-lived or rare television series, specials, miniseries or made-for-TV movies released on DVD or Blu-ray during the previous month, as well as recent additions to streaming services like Warner Archive Instant. The releases discussed in this column are encoded for Region 1 use in the United States and Canada. The Month in Home Media is published on the first Thursday of each month.
December was a good month for fans of very recent obscurities. 20th Century Fox released six short-lived shows originally broadcast during the 2013-2014 season. These may be part of the studio’s new 20th Century Fox TV Archives manufacture-on-demand (MOD) label. There were no streaming additions to Warner Archive or Hulu.
DVD/Blu-ray Releases
Gang Related: The Complete Season 1 (TV Series, 20th Century Fox, DVD)
This cop drama ran on FOX from May to August 2014 and this three-disc set includes all 13 episodes. Ramon Rodriguez starred as an LAPD detective who was actually working undercover for a gang. Manufacture-on-demand.
Back in the Game: The Complete First Season (TV Series, 20th Century FOX, DVD)
ABC only aired 10 of the 13 produced episodes of this sitcom staring Maggie Lawson and James Caan. It premiered in September 2013 and was off the air in December. This two-disc set contains all 13 episodes. Manufacture-on-demand.
Crisis: The Complete First Season (TV Series, 20th Century FOX, DVD)
This mid-season NBC drama starring Dermot Mulroney got a decent series finale, wrapping up the main storyline, but nevertheless ended with a cliffhanger. It ran from May to June 2014. All 13 episodes are included on this three-disc set. Manufacture-on-demand.
Enlisted: The Complete First Season (TV Series, 20th Century FOX, DVD)
Geoff Stults, Chris Lowell, and Parker Young starred in this FOX mid-season replacement that premiered in January 2014 to very low ratings and was pulled in March after nine episodes had aired. The final four were burned off in June. Manufacture-on-demand.
Friends with Better Lives: The Complete First Season (TV Series, 20th Century FOX, DVD)
James Van Der Beek starred in this CBS sitcom that premiered as a mid-season replacement in March 2014. It was off the air two months later after eight episodes had aired, leaving five unaired. They were later made available through Amazon Instant Video. All 13 episodes are included in this two-disc set. Manufacture-on-demand.
Mind Games: The Complete First Season (TV Series, 20th Century FOX, DVD)
ABC yanked this comedy-drama starring Steve Zahn and Christian Slater off the air after just five low-rated episodes had aired. It premiered in late February 2014 as a mid-season replacement and was itself replaced just five weeks later. This three-disc set includes all 13 produced episodes. Manufacture-on-demand.
DVD/Blu-ray News
Here’s a head-scratcher: all six episodes of Canterbury’s Law will be re-released on February 3rd by Mill Creek Entertainment. The legal drama starred Julianna Margulies and ran on FOX during March and April 2008. But it’s already available on DVD and has been since February 2009, through Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The Sony release is still in print and although the manufacturer’s suggested retail price was apparently $29.99, Amazon has it listed for $19.99 and it is currently on sale for just $8.99, which is actually slightly lower than the $9.98 pre-order price for the upcoming Mill Creek release (TVShowsOnDVD.com).
Streaming
Although nothing new has been added to Warner Archive Instant, a few shows that were removed in November are now back and available for streaming once more: Jericho, The Jimmy Stewart Show, and Lucan.
Hit the comments with any news about upcoming DVD/Blu-ray releases or additions to streaming services.
20th Century Fox seems to have had a lot of ratings duds in 2013-2014.