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Cheap Star Trek Voyager – The Complete Second Season Review

It’s fitting that this season has an episode in which Voyager is duplicated, as this season demonstrated, perhaps better than any other, just how good or bad the show could be from episode to episode, especially in the early years.

Limiting my comments to just a few representative episodes: Voyager Season 2 has the much-maligned “Threshold” and the awful “The Thaw.” These are truly Voyager at its worst: bad ideas, poorly executed. “Threshold” could have been good, as it begins with an interesting premise, but the show degenerates into sheer stupidity. Along with it, “The Thaw” starts lamely and stays that way throughout. These two are best put aside and forgotten.

On the other hand, the season closes with a very strong set of episodes. “Tuvix” explores an interesting idea and, though it could have been improved in some ways, nevertheless builds to a kind of morally ambiguous conclusion that is rarely seen in this series. Like the doctor, I don’t agree with Captain Janeway’s final decision, but I very much enjoyed watching her deal with it. If only these emotions had carried through to future episodes, there could have been some interesting ramifications.

“Resolutions” is an interesting exploration of Janeway and Chakotay’s relationship, and asks the question of whether desperately trying to return home has been the right choice for them and the Voyager crew. Again in this episode, the conclusion is bittersweet, and I think the show is all the better for it.

And the season finale, “Basics, Part I,” has a great conflict and genuine tension. The return of a nasty villain and the Voyager crew in a real predicament with a cliffhanger ending is the perfect formula to close out the season.

When Voyager first aired, I was frustrated by its weaknesses more than I am now. To my pleasant surprise, I think Voyager has aged rather well. Though the season begins somewhat weakly, and the “Threshold” and “The Thaw” episodes are terrible, there’s much to enjoy. There are better seasons than this, but it’s certainly worthwhile viewing, and I’m sure the finale will have you rushing to start on season 3.

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Cheap The Boondocks: The Complete First Season Review

I enjoy the Boondocks. At first I didn’t really enjoy the show because of the repetitive use of the “n” word. I don’t really enjoy the language but the show is AMAZING. It’s deep and funny and very interesting as long as you can get past the language. This show is, at times outrageous but its a great show I recommend it to most adults. This is definitely not a cartoon for little kids.

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Cheap Leave It To Beaver: The Complete Series Review

This is indeed a dream come true for Leave It To Beaver fans, and classic TV fans in general. Every episode of one of the greatest and most fondly remembered TV shows in history all intact (unlike the episodes aired on TV) and remastered. Then Shout Factory goes one step further and rounds up the original cast members for bonus material. That would have been enough, but they top even that by including a replica of a vintage Leave It To Beaver board game! Those people at Shout must really love this show, and it shows. Well worth the money. If today’s shows were made with just one tenth of the care, craftsmanship and intelligence that went into making Leave It To Beaver, they might actually be worth watching.

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Cheap The Complete Monterey Pop Festival – Criterion Collection Review

I got disc one from Netflix to play BluRay. This is pure genius on every level. If you read the Criterion Collections essays [...], you’ll see that the bulk of the performers were merely experimenting with the new form — rock and roll — because most of the performers (Mamas and Papas, Janis Joplin and others) came directly out of, and were influenced heavily by the folk movement, blues and, of course, Jazz. What resulted was just magic on every level. Check the setlist. Check the performers. To see Hendrix perform The Troggs “Wild Thing” and then to light his guitar on fire after making love to it was unbelievable. To understand that before this concert that Hendrix was an unknown who had been riding the chitlin’ circuit for years, to get transformed into a guitar God is hard to imagine in light of the reputation that he built for himself in the next three years of his life before it was cut short by addictions to herion. The same was true with Janis Joplin. To see The Who bash apart their instruments was their way of performing destructive art, a concept that I understand intellectually but not emotionally, not that it matters — this was the world 40 years ago, a world whose relative innocence we could somehow all relate and the time when 50s social mores were out the window and, as of 1967 and this first rock festival, the death of JFK was ever-present on the minds of young people and artists as was the US’ growing involvement in Vietnam, and despite President Nixon’s attempts to control it all starting in 1968, society was in fact just up for grabs and music, relevant then like never before or since, drove the movement. Maybe it’s why Woodstock, in 1969, was such a raging success. Had it not been for Monterey, there would have been no Woodstock. Music was power.

The Blu-Ray transfers are, in a word, magnificent. The video is as clear as full of life as you could possibly imagine and the audio, remastered into DTS HD Master Audio is a revelation, and makes the whole experience that much more present, which is to say that you feel like you are there, albeit through the 16mm lenses of the Pennebaker camera crew, who did a wonderful job of filming not only the artists on stage, but those same artists sitting in the audience enjoying the music themselves. There is a shot of Mama Cass after Janis Joplin sings “Ball and Chain” that is just priceless. As always, it’s the cameraman’s eye for detail like this that make small moments in a film that much more special. I was, however, dismayed to learn that the Grateful Dead’s performance was, in fact one of their best performances with everybody dancing and grooving in the aisles. But no video. No audio. I’m going to get the second disc and when finances allow, this will become a treasured piece of my video collection. I was only 6 for the bulk of 1967, but for some reason feel a deep connection to this music. Perhaps it’s because the crop of artists that were here in America then, dominating popular music, were so many. What passes for pop music these days is just a travesty of all that these very excellent musicians put into their music, body and soul, those things that are sadly lacking today, when pop music is too often all about celebrity and not art. This is art. Five stars. And if I could give it six, I would do that. All I have to say is: enjoy it.

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Cheap American Diagnostic Corporation ADC 5215 Complete 2.5v Bayonet locking Otoscope / Ophthalmoscope Instrument Set Review

During first year of medical school I had to decide whether to buy the 0 otoscope that the USC bookstore sold and recommended, or one like this ADC one for over 0 cheaper. I am so happy I made the decision to save 0. The other reviews are right in saying that the light of the otoscope isn’t as bright as some other models. However, I feel that this difference is not significant as I was able to see everything my classmates could with their devices, and some of our physician mentors preferred mine due to the additional attachments (mirrors to see the larynx, nasal speculum etc). This set is totally sufficient to serve a student physician or other health practitioner, so save your money and buy it!

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Cheap The Powerpuff Girls: The Complete Series – 10th Anniversary Collection Review

The DVD Collection was a wonderful gift for our daughter. Unfortunately it arrived after Christmas even though I ordered it two and a half weeks prior to Christmas. This was very frustrating to me and I will not use super shipper ever again! On the bright side, the DVD set came two days after Christmas and my 11 year old daughter was thrilled and watched the movies over and over. The quality was great and completed her collection of Powerpuff Girl media.

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Cheap The Acoustic Guitar Method: Complete Edition (Book/CD) (Acoustic Guitar (String Letter)) Review

David Hamburger has put together a wonderful beginning course for those that want to learn to play the acoustic guitar. I have the book and the DVD set. Each, on their own, is a VERY good resource. Together they are fantastic. Everything positive that is said about this course in the other reviews is absolutely true. Whether you read the book or watch the video, Hamburger comes off as someone who has thought about the best way to communicate to a new learner. The extras on essential listening and other information just make this superb instructional material that much better.

If you are thinking about buying this material don’t hesitate. Get it today. You’ll be glad that you did.

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Cheap Complete Jazz Guitar Method: Mastering Jazz Guitar: Chord/Melody (BOOK & CD) Review

I think this method should be really good, but if you order this book and you need an international shipment, well, prepare yourself to a very very long waiting…..I ordered this item in January and maybe it will arrive in May, from what I read in my account!! So….I’ve to be very patient….

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Cheap Carnivale: The Complete First Season Review

First off, a warning if you haven’t seen the whole series yet – wait until you watch the whole series before listening to the director/writer commentary on episode 1 of season 1. Unfortunately they seem to assume everyone has done this, and let loose with a couple of big spoilers even within the first 15 minutes (at which point I turned it off since I’ve only made it 2/3 through season 1 so far, and what they said was complete news to me!). They really should’ve put a warning at the beginning of the commentary that they would be trigger-happy with the spoilers, that they were going to be talking in a “series-specific” context and not an “episode-specific” context.

I’ve seen the first 8 out of 12 eps of season 1, and so far I rate this 5 out of 5. Exceptional writing, acting, directing. They capture amazingly the world of traveling carnivals out west during the dust bowl / great depression. Really interesting, well-rounded characters. If you’re frustrated by drawn-out story arcs and plot lines though, a la Lost, this series may not be for you. Myself, I love the involving mythology and the pacing works perfectly for me. For me, this ranks along with Lost and Firefly as some of the best television of the past decade.

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Cheap Brothers and Sisters – The Complete First Season Review

I am a huge fan of the 90’s show “thirtysomething” and didn’t realize, until two weeks ago, both Patricia Wttig and Ken Olin were a part of this show. Once I did, I got this DVD set and started watching! What an amazing show! I spent the last week watching one episode after another not wanting to leave these characters and wanting to see what happens next. Sally Field is wonderful as Nora! And, who doesn’t like see Rob Lowe on screen?

The women on this show really shine. I have to admit, I’m not a total fan of the actors who play Kevin and Tommy, but they are given great storylines.

My only slight criticism is that, at times, the writing does seem weak. But then it comes on so strong. I found myself crying at the loss of the baby and when Justin left for Iraq.

I will never miss an episode of this show again.

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