The Queen makes small screen debut
Selected home-video releases:Night at the MuseumBen Stiller seems to make a go of things no matter what job he takes around the holidays. Stiller follows up on his “Meet the Fockers” December smash by teaming with Robin Williams for this blockbuster comedy that helped carry Hollywood through the holidays last year. Stiller plays a divorced dad who takes a night watchman job at New York’s Museum of Natural History and learns that the dinosaur skeletons, wax figures of Attila the Hun and other displays come alive in the wee hours. Williams co-stars as the wax figure of Teddy Roosevelt, who becomes an adviser to Stiller’s character. The movie comes in a two-disc DVD set, a single-disc DVD and a single-disc Blu-ray release, all with commentary tracks from director Shawn Levy and the screenwriters. The two-disc DVD set also has deleted scenes with Levy commentary and a range of featurettes.
“Tsunami: The Aftermath” — Tim Roth, Toni Collette, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Sophie Okonedo lead the cast in this miniseries dramatising the devastating 2004 tsunami in Thailand. The two-disc set includes two featurettes.
“The Lost Tomb of Jesus”<$> — James Cameron serves as executive producer for this Discovery Channel documentary examining whether a tomb discovered in Jerusalem was Christ’s final resting place — and that of his wife and child. The DVD has a longer director’s cut of the movie and an epilogue with Cameron and director Simcha Jacobovici.
“The Odd Couple: The First SeasonR<$> — Slob Oscar (Jack Klugman) and finicky Felix (Tony Randall) are back in the 1970s TV spinoff of Neil Simon’s play and film about two divorced men sharing an apartment. The first 24 episodes come in a five-disc set, with episode introductions by producer Garry Marshall.
“Ironside: Season 1<$> — Raymond Burr stars as a police detective who must use a wheelchair after he’s shot by a sniper in the cop drama that ran from 1967-75. An eight-disc set has the first 28 episodes, along with the feature-length pilot movie. <$>
“The Drew Carey Show: The Complete First Season” <$>— Comedian Carey was the star and co-creator of this sit-com that premiered in 1995 about a gang of friends and associates making their way through dead-end jobs and dull lives in Cleveland. A four-disc set packs the first 22 episodes.
“WKRP in Cincinnati: The Complete First Season <$>— The sit-com that debuted in 1978 centres on wacky colleagues trying to breathe life into a third-rate radio station. The first 22 episodes come in a three-disc set.
“One Day at a Time: The Complete First Season” — Bonnie Franklin stars as a single mom with teen daughters (Mackenzie Phillips and Valerie Bertinelli) in the sit-com that premiered in 1975. A two-disc set has the first 15 episs.
“Flipper: Season One” — TV’s favorite dolphin is back in the spinoff of the feature film that debuted in 1964, centered on the watery mammal, two boys and their dad, a Florida park ranger. A four-disc set has the first 30 episodes.
“NCIS: The Third Season” — Mark Harmon resumes his duties as head of a team that investigates crimes involving the Navy. 24 episodes are included in a six-diset.
“The New York Yankees: 1977 World Series” — A seven-disc set chronicles the journey of a championship team including Reggie Jackson, Thurman Munson, Lou Piniella and Sparky Lyle. The set includes all six World Series games against the Los Angeles Dodgers and game five of the Yankees’ American League series against the Kansas City Royals.