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'Mad Men,' 'Friday Night Lights': Watch One While Waiting for New Episodes, Watch the Other Instead of Waiting
April 5, 2011  | By David Bianculli  | 1 comment
 
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Season five of AMC's Mad Men won't arrive until 2012, but season four has just been released on home video. And while NBC is waiting until April 15 to begin broadcasting the fifth and final season of Friday Night Lights (already shown on DirecTV), it, too, has just been released on home video.

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Thank the TV gods for DVD boxed sets...

These two sets are what I would call -- so here I am, calling them -- mandatory purchases for hard-core quality TV fans.

The four-disc DVD from Lionsgate, containing all 13 episodes of Mad Men: Season Four, can be purchased by clicking HERE. The three-disc Blu-Ray, which retails for a penny more, can be purchased HERE.

And I shouldn't have to make much of a case for buying it. Mad Men, created by Matthew Weiner, is one of the finest TV series of the current era -- and it looks and sounds so good on DVD, especially in Blu-Ray, that it's virtually a best of breed.

Even if you loved it on AMC, it's worth seeing again, because there's plenty of subtext that bubbles to the surface on a second viewing.

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Besides, each episode of season four comes with its own audio commentary, and there are special extra documentaries and features as well. But with about a year to go before we see any NEW Don Draper adventures, this will be a handy box set to have around just to fight back the cravings.

And for the same reason, the last season of Friday Night Lights is worth buying, too. You can purchase it HERE.

Special features include a documentary featurette, a couple of audio commentaries, and a sampling of deleted scenes. But, as with Mad Men, the play's the thing.

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I marvel at the naturalistic acting of Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton as Coach Taylor and his wife, Tami, and at the way the young cast shines, despite having to tackle some very raw and exposing emotional material.

It's not spoiling anything to note that some of the young actors who had left the series in previous years find a way to return this final year to make a farewell appearance -- or that the final season has a story line, and a final episode, as powerful and satisfying as any other.

The real question with Universal's Friday Night Lights: The Fifth and Final Season isn't whether you should buy it on DVD (that answer's yes), but why you should watch it on NBC.

Usually, the price to pay for watching a show on live TV, and not having to wait for the DVD release, is having to endure all the annoying advertisements and superimposed messages and shrunken closing credits.

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But this DVD is coming out BEFORE it's coming out on broadcast TV. Sure, it was available first on satellite's DirecTV, but that was a wonderful experience already: No interrupting ads, no supers, and credits ran full. But why wait a week or two for the NBC "experience," when you treat yourself to a much better experience now?

Clear eyes. Full hearts. No ads.

Can't lose.

 

4 Comments

 

Christina said:

I just added Friday Night Lights to my Netflix queue. Sadly the status is Long Wait, but it's been my experience that Netflix clears their wait lists pretty quickly. I'm on the edge of my seat.

I have heard from DirecTV subscribing family members that the series finale contained a scene, or perhaps a "remember when" type montage, that was "exclusive" to the DirecTV broadcast. Do you know if this is included in the DVD release? I'm afraid to Google it for fear of spoilers. (And though I share your sentiments about spoiler warnings in general, in this case I think we cable subscribers deserve a little leniency.)

[Whatever it is, it's on the DVD. That's as vague as I can get. -- DB]

Comment posted on April 5, 2011 5:15 PM


Susan Harris said:

Or if you're *really* late to discover FNL, you can watch four years' worth streaming on Netflix as fast as you can and become totally obsessed with life in Dillon, like I just did.
Hope they're bringing back Tyra - that actress has presence!

[They are. And that actress, Adrienne Palicki, has been cast as the title role in David E. Kelley's new TV remake of Wonder Woman. Boy, do I hope THAT goes to series! -- DB]

Comment posted on April 5, 2011 7:02 PM


Tausif Khan said:

I am waiting for The Friday Night Lights complete series box set. Any news on when that might appear?

Is there any chance that ABC Family will bring back Friday Night Lights for syndication?

-No date yet for the complete set, but you can get it's coming, probably before the year is out. No idea about ABC Family, though. -- DB]

Comment posted on April 5, 2011 7:22 PM


jan said:

I pre-ordered both a long time ago, so I should have them within a few days. Love both shows. Thanks for the support of both of them--I don't think either one is a ratings killer, unfortunately. (Sometimes I feel like I have to buy the DVD of something just to support quality movies or TV, but this was a no brainer.) Can't wait to see FNL, and Mad Men has SO much going on that one viewing really isn't enough.

Comment posted on April 5, 2011 8:59 PM
 
 
 
 
 
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