Comic Norm Macdonald's decade-old sitcom is on DVD for the first time, and Helen Mirren's "Prime Suspect" episodes have been collected in a single box set, leading off the week's new TV releases.
"The Norm Show: The Complete Series" (Shout! 1999-2001, eight discs, $59.97). Norm Macdonald's offbeat, sometimes dark sense of humor is an acquired taste — and if you haven't acquired it fully, well, a little Norm goes a long way. But Macdonald's sarcastic slacker persona does have a devoted following, so I suspect this box set of his three-season series will find its target audience.
Macdonald gained fame on "Saturday Night Live," in particular with his tenure as, arguably, the show's most sardonic news anchor. That persona is transferred to a workplace setting for "The Norm Show" with little softening.
Norm Henderson (Macdonald) is a former pro hockey player banished from the league over gambling. If that's not enough, for his refusal to pay taxes, he is sentenced to an unlikely community-service project, five years as a social worker. Right.
His co-workers include by-the-book Laurie Metcalf ("Roseanne"), their worrywart boss Max Wright ("Alf"), Norm's loyal pal Ian Gomez ("Cougar Town") and two women whom Norm pursues: Nikki Cox ("Las Vegas"), who is only in a few episodes, and delightful Faith Ford ("Murphy Brown"), who surprisingly seems attracted to him, too.
All the cast members shine here and there, but the focus is clearly on Macdonald. Guests include Dr. Phil, Drew Carey, Cloris Leachman, Mickey Rooney, Richard Pryor (in his last role) and Tommy Smothers as Norm's dad.
Extras: full frame, 54 episodes, audio commentary; booklet
"Prime Suspect: The Complete Collection" (Acorn, 1991-2006, nine discs, $124.99). Fans of this compelling, often seamy British cop series (which was shown on PBS) know how perfectly the amazing Helen Mirren inhabits the lead character in this fine match of talent in front of and behind the camera.
All the usual crimes are on display in the nine series: political and police corruption, pedophilia and pornography, racial tensions and murders of every stripe. But plot points take a back seat to the development of Mirren's dysfunctional character, Scotland Yard detective Jane Tennison, a tough investigator who is good at her job, despite having to fight sexism to rise in the ranks, and despite her personal life being a complete mess.
Mirren really is brilliant in the role, for which she won two Emmys and a bevy of other accolades.
Extras: full frame/widescreen, 14 episodes, featurettes, filmographies, photo gallery
"Supernatural: The Complete Fifth Season" (Warner/Blu-ray, 2009-10, four discs, $69.97). Sam and Dean Winchester (Jared Padelecki, Jensen Ackles) continue to battle monsters and demons, but in this season, some of the fun is drained as they try to avert the apocalypse. And with some of the angels as evil as some of the demons, one wonders if the writers have actually read the Bible. Still, the show has its moments, with a promise to get out off this rut as the sixth season begins Sept. 24.
Extras: widescreen, 22 episodes, deleted scene, audio commentary, featurette, Web series: "Ghostfacers," bloopers
"Smallville: The Complete Ninth Season" (Warner/Blu-ray, 2009-10, four discs, $59.98). In an attempt to get more creative after eight years of dragging young Clark Kent (Tom Welling) closer to his destiny of becoming Superman, this season turned to other DC Comics characters for guest appearances. The evil Zod attempts to colonize and take over Earth, and such characters as Hawkman, Stargirl and the Wonder Twins show up as well. Will Clark don the familiar Superman suit during season 10 (allegedly the show's final season)? Find out when it starts up again Sept. 24 (leading into "Supernatural").
Extras: widescreen, 21 episodes, deleted scenes, audio commentary, featurettes
"Chuck: The Complete Third Season" (Warner/Blu-ray, 2009-10, four discs, $59.98). This season finds our nice guy sort-of spy (Zachary Levi) with that chip in his brain discovering new abilities, but still bumbling in that lovable Chuck way. Funny, action-filled and romantic to a fault, this is a fantasy series that deserves a bigger audience. Season 4 begins Sept. 20.
Extras: widescreen, deleted scenes, audio commentary, featurettes, bloopers
"Pie in the Sky: Series 3" (Acorn, 1996, two discs, $39.99). Richard Griffiths is a part-time cop, part-time restaurateur in this unique British cop show. He's trying to leave the detective life and make a go of the restaurant, but he keeps getting pulled back into police work for more investigations.
Extras: full frame, six episodes
"It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (Warner/Blu-ray, 1966, two discs, $24.98)."A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" (Warner/Blu-ray, 1973, two discs, $24.98). These two wonderful "Peanuts" classics have been remastered in high definition, giving them a pristine, like-new look. The "Pumpkin" disc also has "It's Magic, Charlie Brown" (1981), with "The Mayflower Voyagers" (1988) on the "Thanksgiving" disc.
Extras: full frame, DVD and Blu-ray discs, featurettes, trailers
"Bugs Bunny's Howl-Oween Special" (Warner, 1978, $14.97). This TV special takes very funny spook-themed clips from classic Looney Tunes shorts ("Bewitched Bunny," "Hyde and Go Tweet," etc.) and links them with newer, but sadly inferior, connecting animation. Still, it's a nice way to introduce kids to classic cartoons, and the very funny 1946 cartoon "Hair-Raising Hare" is here in its entirety.
Extras: full frame, bonus cartoon, interactive puzzle
"Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Road Rally" (Disney, 2010, $26.99). Mickey and other classic Disney cartoon characters come together (in computer-animated form) in this new episode (showing on the Disney Channel this week) as they ride through Mickey Park, the desert, Mistletoe Mountain and the jungle. Includes another new episode that won't air until November.
Extras: widescreen, bonus episode: "Pluto Lends a Paw," interactive games
e-mail: hicks@desnews.com