The week’s DVDs begin in front of the TV:
DVDs and streaming for August 18 by Boo Allen
This week, we begin in front of the TV:
As the fall TV season approaches, several favorites from last season have begun to arrive:
NCIS—season 12
This TV warhorse continues its admirable long run with its core cast intact throughout its12 seasons. In these latest 22 episodes, on six discs, tracking the adventures of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service’s Major Case Response Team, Mark Harmon returns as Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Michael Weatherly plays Anthony DiNozzo, Pauley Perrette is Abby Sciuto and David McCallum again appears as Dr. Donald Mallard. Among this season’s many mysteries and adventures, a Naval officer is killed on the way to the White House, Dr, Mallard and Bishop (Emily Wickersham) travel to England, a local scientist is decapitated, the team tracks down a Russian terrorist, the wife of a SEAL is murdered, and more. The series’ highlight takes place in episode seven, “The Searchers,” with renowned character actor Bart McCarthy playing retired Marine Master Sargeant George Hawkins. The versatile McCarthy again shows why his presence always elevates a drama.
Rated TV-PG. Approximately 946 minutes.
Extras: select commentaries; a ten minute featurette about the difficulties of shooting on location; an eleven minute segment (“Bad to the Bone”) on Sergei, the main terrorist-villain; a 25 minute featurette on “Inside Season 12”; seven minutes on actor Rocky Carroll’s directing debut; a 30 minute roundtable discussion with cast and crew in “Table for Ten”; a seven minute featurette examining the NCIS phenomenon that has reportedly made it the world’s most popular TV drama; extended and deleted scenes and more.
Person of Interest—fourth season
This season confronts, in the words of its two main characters, “a brand new world.” Things have indeed changed for the mysterious John Reese (Jim Caviezel) and Harold Finch (Michael Emerson), the inventor of the all-seeing, all-knowing Machine that propels the series’ weekly plots. The season begins after last season’s ending looked like the Machine had been compromised and replaced by another device owned by the bad guys, including Senator Ross Garrison (John Doman). North Texas is well represented with former natives Amy Acker and Sarah Shahi playing, respectively, Root and Shaw, Reese and Finch’s deadly operatives. The season’s 22 episodes, on four blu-ray discs, begin with the four main characters assuming new identities along with “real” lives, all while weaving their way through a convoluted narrative with weekly missions against the nefarious Brotherhood. In addition to John Doman, season guest stars include Cara
Buono, Aasif Mandvi, Connor Hines, Patrick Kennedy, Adria Arjona, and many others.
Not rated, 957 minutes.
Extras: an 18 minute featurette on the series’ music, a five minute set tour with Michael Emerson and Amy Acker, a three minute gag reel, and 29 minutes of a Comic-Con panel featuring creator Jonathan Nolan and other cast and crew.
Mike and Molly—season five
When she takes a breather from being one of Hollywood’s most visible and successful actors, Melissa McCarthy still assumes her Emmy-winning role of Molly Flynn, life partner to Mike Biggs (Billy Gardell). The season begins with Molly returning from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop with a book contract and a big advance along with it. But, early in the season’s 22 episodes, she develops writers’ block, not helped by Mike’s weekly shenanigans. The season progresses with Molly fighting her writing assignment until the book’s release, while also dealing with a seemingly unstable publisher. McCarthy directed the series’ 100th episode, “Mike Check,” in which Mike goes to the doctor for the first time in ten years.
Not rated, 419 minutes.
Extras: a gag reel.
The Killing—fourth season
The six episodes, on two discs, of this excellent noirish series originally based on a Danish series and now set in Seattle bring the enigmatic drama to its close with yet a new mystery to solve. But during this new challenge, lead detectives tightly-wound Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos) and loose cannon Stephen Holder (Joel Kinnaman) strive to hide their past transgressions, specifically their surprise elimination of their former boss at the end of season three, Lt. Skinner (Elias Koteas). Now, however, the two have been assigned a multiple family murder that has left only the injured 17 year-old Kyle Stansbury (Tyler Ross) as the remaining survivor. Naturally, Kyle stands as the main suspect, as questions mount as to whether he staged the gruesome scene. He returns to school at his strict military academy, run by domineering and uncooperative Colonel Margaret Rayne (reliably solid Joan Allen). Holder and Linden slowly uncover family secrets along with some that burden the Stansbury’s shady neighbors. While the two detectives continue their investigation, pressure mounts at their precinct as detective Carl Reddick (Gregg Henry) closes in on unraveling the mystery behind the disappearance of Lt. Skinner. Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs) directed the series’ final episode.
Not rated, 346 minutes.
Rookie Blue—season five, volume one.
This collection of the 11 episodes, on three DVD discs, of last season comprise the entire season but is billed as “Volume one” for some vague contractual mysteries. The summer series, seen here on ABC-TV, begins with Sam Swarek (Ben Bass) and Chloe Price (Priscilla Faia) still in critical condition from their gunshot wounds. From there, the season offers its regular menu of weekly crime fighting, topped off by the expected inter-office romances. Andy McNally (Missy Peregrym) breaks up with Nick (Peter Mooney), struggles to break in new rookie Duncan (Matt Murray), helps discover a human trafficking ring, and ends back up with Sam Swarek. Gail (Charlotte Sullivan) begins a new love life with Holly (Aliyah O’Brien), Chris (Travis Milne) finally confronts his drug problem, and Dov (Gregory Smith, who also directed several episodes) seems to find endless problems in his relationship with Chloe. Other characters such as Traci Nash (Enuka Okuma, who co-wrote an episode) and Oliver Shaw (Matt Gordon) share in the weekly confrontations.
Not rated, 470 minutes.
Extras: the seven minute featurette “Life is Not a Fairytale,” which includes cast and crew interviews, and 10 webisodes totaling around 30 minutes.
And, finally, something for the kids this week:
Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection (****)
The Disney Animation Studios has selected twelve excellent shorts (or, if you prefer, “cartoons”) for this single disc collection. The selection includes titles from 2000 to the present. Seen here are such tie-ins as the Frozen-related Frozen Fever (2005), along with Best Animated Short Oscar winners Feast (2014) and Paperman (2012), as well as one-time Oscar nominees Get a Horse! (2013), The Little Matchgirl (2006), and Lorenzo (2004). All are excellent selections.
Not rated, 79 minutes.
Extras: each short receives a director’s introduction, a segment on Disney’s “Shorts Program,” and the Oscar nominated 2004 short “Runaway Brain” featuring Mickey Mouse.
Also on DVD and streaming: Club Life, Little Boy, The Riot Club, Skin Trade, Strangerland, Vendetta.