Here's a batch of new-to-DVD TV series that will arrive in stores on Tuesday.
"Fantasy Island: The Complete First Season" (Sony, 1977-78, not rated, $49.95, four discs). On this '70s "Love Boat"-style anthology series, Mr. Roarke (Ricardo Montalban) and his assistant Tattoo (Herve Villechaize) welcome guest stars each week to a remote island paradise, where they work out soap-opera problems, sometimes comically, sometimes dramatically. Guests are a mix of (at the time) young up-and-comers, fading former stars and beloved character actors. The pilot features Bill Bixby, Sandra Dee, Peter Lawford, Carol Lynley, Hugh O'Brian, Eleanor Parker and Victoria Principal. Others include Don Knotts, Leslie Nielsen, Ray Bolger, Diane Baker and Jerry Van Dyke.
Extras: Full frame, 16 episodes, making-of featurettes, promos, language and subtitle options (English, Portuguese, Spanish), chapters.
"The Huckleberry Hound Show: Volume 1" (Warner, 1958-59, not rated, $44.98, four discs). Huck and friends finally arrive on DVD, with cartoons featuring Huck, Pixie & Dixie, and scene-stealer Yogi Bear. Great nostalgic fun for fans of Hanna-Barbera TV animation. (Love the show; hate the laugh track.)
Extras: Full frame, 26 episodes, making-of featurettes, optional English subtitles, chapters; animation cel.
"The Yogi Bear Show: The Complete Series" (Warner, 1960-62, not rated, $44.98, four discs). This is all the episodes of the first series to star Yogi Bear (he's "Smarter than the average bear"), as he and sidekick Boo Boo make trouble for the Jellystone Park ranger and steal picnic baskets galore. "Snagglepuss" and "Yakky Doodle" segments round out each episode.
Extras: Full frame, 33 episodes, original pilot, making-of featurette, art gallery, optional English subtitles, chapters; animation cel.
"Tales from Avonlea: The Complete First Season" (a k a "Road to Avonlea") (Disney, 1990, not rated, $34.99, three discs). Sarah Polley stars in this series about a formerly wealthy young woman sent to live with her uncle on Prince Edward Island in the early part of the 20th century, where she must adjust to rural life and deal with an array of eccentric supporting characters.
Extras: Full frame, 13 episodes, trailers, chapters.
"Five Mile Creek: The Complete First Season" (Disney, 1983-84, not rated, $39.99, four discs). Enjoyable series set in Australia during the 1860s, as pioneers trek through the Outback during a gold rush. This could be an American Western if not for the locale, and a few characters and plot points.
Extras: Full frame, 13 episodes, trailers, chapters.
"Scrubs: The Complete Second Season" (Buena Vista, 2002-03, not rated, $39.99, three discs). J.D. (Zach Braff) is back for a second year at Sacred Heart Hospital in this very funny medical-show spoof, with great support from John C. McGinley, Donald Faison, Sara Chalke, along with guests Heather Locklear, Tom Cavanagh, John Ritter and Dick Van Dyke.
Extras: Full frame, 22 episodes, deleted scenes, making-of featurettes, outtakes, trailers, chapters.
"Friends: The Complete 10th Season" (Warner, 2003-04, not rated, $44.98, four discs). This final season of "Friends" was abbreviated; 17 instead of 22 episodes. But fans didn't seem to care, eating it up as the sitcom wound down and stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox Arquette, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer all prepared to go their separate ways. Guests include Danny DeVito, Dakota Fanning, Selma Blair, Greg Kinnear and Christina Applegate.
Extras: Full frame, 17 episodes, audio commentaries (by producers on three episodes), deleted/extended scenes, making-of featurettes, bloopers, music video, subtitle options (English, French, Spanish), chapters; DVD-Rom applications.
"Cheers: The Complete Seventh Season" (Paramount, 1988-89, not rated, $38.99, four discs). The seventh season of this sterling sitcom sees Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) in her second year, as Sam (Ted Danson) is named as the Boston bar's manager, causing more sparks between them. Everyone shines among the great supporting cast — Kelsey Grammer and Bebe Neuwirth as Frasier and Lilith, George Wendt and John Ratzenberger as Norm and Cliff, Rhea Perlman as Carla and Woody Harrelson as Woody.
Extras: Full frame, 22 episodes, optional English subtitles, chapters.
"Frasier: The Complete Seventh Season" (Paramount, 1999-2000, not rated, $38.99, four discs). This "Cheers" spinoff with Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) back in Seattle, with his father (John Mahoney), his brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce), his radio-show producer Roz (Peri Gilpin) and Dad's physical therapist Daphne (Jane Leeves) gets more raunchy and soap opera-y in this season, and, as a consequence, less funny. But there are still some big laughs here and there as Niles pursues Daphne in earnest, especially when she gets engaged to someone else.
Extras: Full frame, 23 episodes, optional English subtitles, chapters.
"Three's Company: Season Five" (Anchor Bay, 1980-81, not rated, $39.98, four discs). The Ropers are gone, replaced by Don Knotts as the landlord, but the plots are virtually the same, with John Ritter pretending to be gay so he can share rent with two women, Joyce DeWitt and Suzanne Somers. A salary dispute with Somers reduces her role to small supporting moments, and then she's gone, replaced by Jenilee Harrison. Some funny stuff, though it's starting to creak.
Extras: Full frame, 22 episodes, making-of featurettes, clips, optional English subtitles, chapters.
"Charmed: The Complete Third Season" (Paramount, 2000-01, not rated, $49.99, six discs). The three modern-day witch sisters in San Francisco, Prue (Shannen Doherty), Piper (Holly Marie Combs) and Phoebe (Alyssa Milano), continue to battle evil and try to find true love. Julian McMahon joins the cast as Phoebe's love interest, and Doherty directs the season finale. This is also Doherty's last season on the show.
Extras: Full frame, 22 episodes, language options (English, French), chapters.
"The Flintstones: The Complete Fourth Season" (Warner, 1963-64, not rated, $44.98, four discs). In this fourth season of the first prime-time animated series, Barney and Betty have a baby, Bamm-Bamm, giving Fred and Wilma's baby, Pebbles, a playmate. And the season opens with Ann-Margret voicing Ann Margrock for some song and dance.
Extras: Full frame, audio commentaries (on two episodes), making-of featurettes, subtitle options (English, French, Spanish), chapters; animation cel.
"SpongeBob SquarePants: Where's Gary?" (Nick/Paramount, 2005, not rated, $16.99). The two-part episode "Have You Seen This Snail?" kicks off these shows from the fourth season, which includes "The Lost Mattress," "Krabs vs. Plankton," "Good Neighbor," "Skill Crane" and "The Great Snail Race."
Extras: Full frame, karaoke, chapters.
"Beavis and Butt-Head: The Mike Judge Collection, Volume One" (MTV/Paramount, 1993-95, not rated, $38.99, three discs). If you're fans of the title cartoon characters, nothing I can say will deter you, but a little of these adolescent sleazeballs goes a long way. These are Judge's picks as the best episodes.
Extras: Full frame, 40 episodes, 11 music videos (with Beavis and Butt-Head commentary), making-of featurette, Thanksgiving special, Video Music Awards appearances, promos, chapters.
E-mail: hicks@desnews.com