Entertainment Spotlight:
TV on DVD

The advent of services like Netflix has made it possible to watch all the TV you want, without the commercials. Of course, this habit can be hazardous to the health of the show. It seems so many people wanted to wait for the DVD version of "Arrested Development" that the show got bad ratings. (Or maybe FOX just screwed the pooch.) Despite any potential drawbacks, watching TV shows on DVD has given way to a new kind of viewer, once who demands high production value, serial plotlines, and good writing. A variety of shows promise these characteristics:

Arrested Development: Canceled in its third season, but really only at its best for seasons one and two, "Arrested Development" is the kind of show you have to see to believe. Starting it at the pilot and watching it straight through only enhances the experience. I'd rank this show, at its best among one the best half-hour comedies of all time, alongside "Seinfeld" and season six of "The Simpsons." Sometimes when walking down the street in Iowa City, I remember a joke from the show and start laughing out loud. If you haven't checked this one out, you're missing a goldmine.

Freaks and Geeks: The recent movie "Knocked Up" reminded me how much I loved "Freaks and Geeks," a show that included in its cast basically everyone in the summer 2007 movie. "Freaks and Geeks" was doomed from the start, I always say. (It lasted only one season.) It was a full hour comedy with no laugh track that dared to spend upwards of a minute, at times, without a laugh line. The writers, instead, spent energy developing characters you could care about. Don't get me wrong--the show was hilarious. But watch a full episode before you decide how you feel about it.

Wonderfalls: Another short-lived show, "Wonderfalls" alienates most of its viewers with its premise. A dysfunctional Brown University graduate, who majored in philosophy, works in a gift shop near Niagara Falls. One day, for no apparent reason, inanimate figurines begin to speak to her, giving her directives about the future. She adheres, reluctantly at times, wondering all the while if she's loony tunes. A great show for anyone who appreciates irony in their TV.

The Office (UK): Many readers have likely seen the U.S. version of "The Office," but if you haven't seen the British counterpart, don't let another week go by. Committed even more completely to the everyday tone of the American version, "The Office" (UK) boasts a hilarious cast, with the one of a kind Ricky Gervais in the lead. The true beauty of this show cannot be described. Just watch it.

Firefly: I would have include all seven seasons of "Buffy: The Vampire Slayer" on this list in a heart beat, but I have the feeling that everyone who's going to watch the show has seen it by now. If you're a Joss Whedon fan looking for another fix, however, the single season "Firefly" and its concluding film "Serenity" will give you a small dose of what we all came to love in the Buffyverse. Also an excellent show if you like Sci-Fi Westerns as a rule.