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.
Released on DVD in May 2014 were two season wonders: Cimarron Strip (CBS, 1967-1968) and The New Normal (NBC, 2012-2013), plus the reissue of a third Gidget (ABC, 1965-1966). Plus, another pair of episodes from The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson are out on DVD. And Hulu added two relatively recent obscurities to its streaming offerings: A Gifted Man (CBS, 2011-2012) and Life is Wild (The CW, 2007-2008).
DVD/Blu-ray Releases
Cimarron Strip – The Complete Series (TV Series, Entertainment One, DVD)
This CBS Western ran for 23 episodes during the 1967-1968 season. It is perhaps most famous for being one of television’s rare 90-minute weekly series. Stuart Whitman starred as Marshal Jim Crown, charged with protecting the peace in 1888 Oklahoma. This 8-DVD set includes an interview with Stuart Whitman.
Gidget – The Complete Series (TV Series, Mill Creek, DVD)
Mill Creek is reissuing this ABC sitcom on DVD with a suggested retail price under $10. The series starred Sally Field and ran for 32 episodes during the 1965-1966 season. Back in 2006, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the series on DVD with the original unaired pilot episode and an interview with Sally Field. It doesn’t appear that the Mill Creek reissued set contains the same bonus features.
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: The Vault Series – Volume 6 (TV Episodes, Carson Entertainment Group, DVD)
Includes two complete episodes from 1973, with original commercials. The September 7th, 1973 episode featured guests Muhammad Ali and Ken Norton as well as Karen Valentine. The October 2nd, 1973 episode was Johnny’s 11th anniversary and featured guests Dean martin, Buddy Hackett, Burt Reynolds and Don Rickles. Plus, a bonus clip from the September 14th, 1973 episode.
The New Normal – The Complete Series (TV Series, Fox Home Entertainment, DVD)
This recent one season wonder ran on NBC from September 2012 to April 2013, producing 22 episodes. Manufacture-on-demand.
DVD/Blu-ray News
CBS DVD/Paramount Home Video will release Now and Again on DVD on August 26th. The CBS sci-fi/action series ran for 22 episodes during the 1999-2000 season (TVShowsOnDVD.com).
NBC sitcom Growing Up Fisher, which premiered in February of this year, will air its final two episodes on June 11th. A 2-disc complete series set with all 13 episode is available for pre-order through Amazon’s manufacture-on-demand program but no release date has been announced at this time (TVShowsOnDVD.com).
Streaming
Two fairly recent one season wonders have been added to Hulu. A Gifted Man, which starred Patrick Wilson as a brilliant but troubled surgeon, ran on CBS for 16 episodes from September 2011 to March 2012. Life Is Wild, which ran on The CW for 13 episodes from October 2007 to February 2008, was about a New York City veterinarian who decides to move his family to South Africa to work at a game reserve.
Hit the comments with any news about upcoming DVD/Blu-ray releases or additions to streaming services.
Correction: ‘Cimarron Strip’ was a CBS series, not ABC.
Thanks for the correction. I am cursed when it comes to confusing ABC/CBS/NBC.