cherm500 Reviews

Once and Again (1999–2002)

Season 3

[10/10 · 9 October 2013]

Still hoping that they will someday release Season 3 for sale... This was such an excellent series. I own the first two seasons and have been left hanging for the third for over a decade.

Sela Ward and Billy Campbell are fantastic as parents of a blended family. There are very few shows of this caliber which deal with merging families and this one dealt with all aspects, not just from the view point of either the children or the parents. You got to see how everyone was affected including the exes.

The use of black and white photography to depict various cast members as though talking to a psychiatrist lent an authenticity to the entire concept. So many families in similar situations have to get some guidance to help with integrating the relationships. I miss this show and the high level of writing that went into the scripts. There was an attempt to tie up loose ends at the end of the series, but I wish they had been given more time.

Murphy Brown (1988–2018)

Fantastic series deserving of preservation

[10/10 · 24 June 2013]

Who would have thought that a show featuring a recovering alcoholic as the main character could have any redeeming entertainment value or provide much to laugh about. And yet, Murphy Brown did just that. As the fallen-from-grace news celebrity, she became an icon of not only how she turned her life around, but also a symbol of newswomen dedicated to excellence. The show took on subjects not normally tackled in sitcoms of that time period. Murphy was tough, because in the time frame of her rise to the top, a woman had to be tough to succeed. As this show demonstrated, this sometimes came at great personal cost.

I cannot believe that this show, which won award after award and challenged sitcoms to be more than "just funny" has not had the entire series released. In recent times, TV Land recognized it as one of the most innovative shows of its time and rightly so! The plots took into consideration real current events and brought attention to real life issues, all the while entertaining us and making us laugh and sometimes cry.

Murphy Brown was criticized by none other than, then Vice President, Dan Quayle for deciding to become a single mother, thus catapulting a fictional character into a realistic arena. And yet the character did not make the decision to become a single mother lightly. Once made, however, she stuck by that decision with all the second-guessing that goes into such a dilemma.

The show didn't take that course because it was popular with the "family values" proponents of the time, but because it was simply a reality of our society and one the show's creators and writers apparently felt was important to address. One of my favorite scenes was when Murphy had doubts about whether she was doing the right thing. She asked Eldin if he thought she would make a good mother. I believe he reassured her, but I also recall him saying, after she was out of earshot, something to the effect of "I'm not sure if you'll be a good mother, but I know I will be!" I would love to watch that episode again.

The list of guest stars alone would be a worthy reason to produce them on DVD, but truly, the entire cast deserves to be immortalized for future generations to view. As the characters grew and developed, I welcomed them into my home every week and was happy to lose myself in Murphy's world for every second. There are so many moments that come to mind, Jim Dial's very proper demeanor dissolving into laughter, Miles Silverberg's frustration in trying to control Murphy's mood swings and prevent disaster on the show to finally earning her respect, Corky Sherwood's growth from beauty queen fluff pieces to emulating her idol, Murphy Brown, to take on more newsworthy items. The friendships between Murphy and Frank and her ever-present house painter, Eldin. I could go on, but there is limited space here, after all.

A series of this caliber cannot be duplicated, but needs to be re-introduced and promoted. I've owned the first season DVD for years and would be most happy to find the entire series available. I will continue to hope for the release the series!

80 Steps to Jonah (1969)

Wondering if this will ever be released

[10/10 · 5 October 2009]

I, too, saw this when I was quite young and wish it would be released. I thought the movie was quite well done. I have been looking for this movie for some time. I kept hoping it would at least be run again on TV where I might enjoy seeing it again, but I would love to own it on DVD.

It featured a very young Jo Ann Fleet as a blind woman teaching a host of engaging children who are learning to exist in a world of blindness. Jonah finds a niche for himself, assisting the children in locating various landmarks by running rope guidelines around the property. Some good music is included and it's a treat to listen to Wayne's voice.

I, for one, would purchase this if it were available.

Thanks IMDb for actually acknowledging its existence! This was the only place I could even find reference to it.

St. Elsewhere (1982–1988)

Thoughtful and well written, worthy for DVD release

[10/10 · 8 July 2006]

This was one of the more thoughtful and well-written series of the 80s and one I would love to see brought out in series for purchase on DVD. The characters were well-developed and multi-dimensional. Even the ones that were irritating were still riveting to watch. It was a forerunner and a ground-breaker to what ER has become today. ER is faster paced, but the elements are still there with characters we've come to know and care about. Dr. House could have been an intern learning the ego-maniacal traits of Dr. Craig which would easily have helped him to grow into the character he now portrays. St. Elsewhere was the medical arena's response to Hill Street Blues (police drama), another acclaimed series. Two hours of TV not to be missed at that time.

Who could forget watching Dr. Ehrlich preparing to perform a GYN exam on Bonnie Bartlett who portrayed the wife of the irascible Dr. Craig (William Daniels), when he tells her to lay back and "spread 'em". This was drama and humor and human emotion all mixed together at its very best and it would be a shame if it were never to be made available for people in a newer generation to view. Give me a "St. Elsewhere" over a "Survivor" any day of the week!

Ally McBeal (1997–2002)

Full Season DVDs of Ally McBeal?

[9/10 · 23 January 2006]

Has anyone heard of any plans to finally release FULL seasons of Ally McBeal? The show had such a big following for such a long time that I cannot believe the only DVD to be found is a selected episode version. This was a young, fresh, innovative, and enjoyable show - unlike anything else that has been on TV either before or since its airing. Does anyone know of an address where a person could make inquiries about any future plans to release this series on DVD? I missed most of the first season, having been a late-comer to the series and would very much like to be able to view it at home from beginning to end. I was very disappointed in the manner in which it was ended so abruptly.