DVD Reviews: TV Season Collections: Gossip Girl and Heroes
There are a few TV series that are must-records but, in case you missed some episodes of "Gossip Girl" or "Heroes" or forgot to set up the DVR, last season's episodes are collected on two chocked-full-o-extras DVDs!
From Warner Brothers Home Entertainment
Gossip Girl: The Complete First Season
Based on the novels of the same name, this campy, slightly risque series features regular guy from Brooklyn Dan Humphrey (Penn Badgley) and his younger sis Jenny (Taylor Momsen) as they become involved with rich, upper-crusty, private-schooled hotties like snooty queen bee Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester), super rich playboy out after younger chicks, Chuck Bass (Ed Westwick), and the gorgeous, recently returned to Manhattan party gal Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively). Secrets, backstabbing, sexy hook ups, betrayal and social class clique clashes rule this show. Snarky, fun Gossip Girl is voiced by Kristen Bell. Oh, and everybody dresses really, really well! XOXO
The DVD - With this set you get a nice little photo booklet with great cast pictures and synopses of each episode. Great for fans
Video/Audio: The set sounds and looks as good in this transfer as the show did on TV; the New York skyline, snow, hot clothing, skin tones etc. all are clean and bright. Dialogue is very hearable as well as the cool indie/alt soundtrack.
Special Features: "Unaired Scenes" offer extended stuff but also a few scenes relevant to character development not seen. Worth a look at all these. The making of featurette "The Beginning, XOXO, Concept to Execution" gives you background on series development, novel to TV show transitions etc. Very entertaining and informative.
"Gossip Girl Couture" spotlights the fashion in the show, make-up, accessories and how it all has effected real-life fashion. Fashion trends are examined and each character's wardrobe is explained. Really cool. "A Gossip Girl Wedding" is a behind-the-scenes on the episode in which Lily van der Woodson got married in a posh, floral outdoor setting; all the pomp and splendor is there. Fun.
Since the music in the show is up-to-the-minute and cutting edge, it's nice to see it showcased in this DVD with "The Pierces Music Videos". You check out the composers getting the score together. Popular artists like Justin, Fergie, Amy, Rihanna, Gwen and Timbaland have been used on the series. Fun featurette.
You can download Christina Ricci's audio reading of the original novel. I didn't have time to check it all out but fan/friends tell me it's a great addition and Christina reads the copy very well.
The "LOL: Gag Reel" is just that and lots of it. Line flubs, face-making and silliness is divided into categories featuring each key actor. Even the noises on New York streets that mess up takes are funny. Really more fun and a lot longer that most of these outtake featurettes.
Wrapping Up: This DVD of season one is a must for fans of the show or any of the actors. All appear in on-camera interviews, behind the scenes featurettes etc. The DVD is stuffed with fun extras and the episodes look and sound great. A definite buy for fans and a great rental for the curious just wanting to see what all the fuss is about.
From Universal Home Entertainment
Heroes: Season 2
This series about ordinary folks discovering they have super powers and struggling with how to use them was a huge hit first season. Second season has been criticized for losing steam when the core cast was separated, put in other countries or stuck in the past. We've got Hiro in Feudal Japan, Milo V. in Ireland, a weird bro/sis team in South America and a whole tale about the older, first generation of Heroes being stalked etc. A delightful addition was Kristen Bell as a sociopathic lightning thrower whom you really don't want to tick off! Added was Monica (Dana Davis) who lives in New Orleans and actually wants to be a superhero for her community. Cheerleader Claire and dad deal with more mundane action than first season offered. But hey, it's still a neat show!
Video/Audio: The Writer's Strike shrank episodes to 11, thus we get only four discs for the whole season. The transfers are really gorgeous with great color and detail. The Dolby sound is well-divided with dialogue coming through fine and music and sound effects really dynamic! Good job.
Special Features: You get one audio commentary for each episode and it's cool to hear from the cast, crew and show runners as the stories unfold. You get a mix of cast and crew and, as usual, some are more interesting and upbeat than others.
"Deleted Scenes" run throughout the four discs.. most are longer versions of existing scenes but some are interesting and offer the road not taken.
You get several featurettes over the four discs; "'Heroes': Season 2 - 'A New Beginning'," is really a promo piece for the 2nd season and since those being interviewed discuss plot points that we now know about, it can be boring but if you are new to the series or the 2nd season, it is worth a look.
Disc Two offers a really cool fake history of "Takezo Kensei: Sword Saint." It's about Hiro's family fellowship and love of the Kensei character told with animation and drawings. Like a real documentary. You also get some interactive news clips on the life of Richard Drucker, a character from the Heroes Evolution online graphic novels. This character isn't in Season Two so not sure why this is here.
On Disc Three is "Genetics of a Scene," an in-depth look at four scenes from season 2 with on-set footage, effects shots with cast interviews exploring challenges and how-they-did-it stuff. Very enjoyable and you learn about production. The last disc is jam-packed with interviews and on set footage in a "Season 3 Sneak Peek". Watch out for a few story spoilers.
You get the reveal of the season's "Alternate Ending". The season wasn't supposed to end where it did. Due to the Writers Strike in Hollywood, this changed and you got a different story. This new "intended" ending runs 18 minutes, including a few storyboards to finish it off. The new ending involves the Nathan Petrelli character. Is it a better ending? You decide. There is a talk with showrunners about where they were taking the show if they had kept this other ending. This is very interesting.
"Untold Stories," is next with six clips giving you story ideas and characters the showrunners intended to explore had the season not been cut short. Again, very interesting. You get a little scene from episode 13 that looks like it might be a part of season 3. Featurettes first appearing on NBC.com are slight but totally watchable. You get a picture gallery of Tim Sale's art. He painted all the comic book-like paintings by Isaac and Peter that predicted the future.
Wrapping Up: Even if Season 2 was disappointing for you, it did contain some cool episodes and this DVD is full of extras that add to the experience, show you what might have been plus give you a teaser for the new season coming up. This is a very comprehensive, well-produced DVD and well worth collecting.
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Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.
