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Like many latchkey kids, I grew up with television as my babysitter. She watched over me as I watched her. Slowly, steadily, and inevitably, she has shaped my life.

It was always awesome to watch show’s over and over again. Syndication made that possible. I don’t know how many times I saw the complete runs of Taxi, Three’s Company or Seinfeld, but I’ve seen them over and over that their episode plotlines run into each and have become indestinguishable.

So imagine my surprise at finding that many television shows have replaced their syndication revenue stream with that of DVD. It is a godsend that the producers are now releasing their shows on DVD. Plenty of the ones out of syndication or even the unpopular ones can now be found at your local Best Buy. So if you want ot catch up or just catch a show you’ve missed, rent the DVD and enjoy.

But what to watch?

These are four discs that are in my personal TV on DVD library. Each of these discs I find to be essential in grokking the show’s concept. If you like to learn more, put them on your netflix queue.

The X-Files: Season 5, Disc 1
The X-Files was the first television show to be released on DVD. I loved that show. I queued the request to buy the first season a couple of months in advance on Amazon. It was originally priced as $129.00, but early buyers could get it for $90. That price today is outrageous as the discs can be got for as little as $30, but I guess they didn’t know who’s going to buy it. That disc sold well.

My choice disc, season five, disc one, will help you grokk The X-Files. It comes from the beginning of the end of the show’s run. Around this time the show “jumped the shark.” It still had another five years left, but the show before season five is completely different than the show after it. Yet, the four episodes on this disc still capture The X-Files in all its glory.

These were the first episodes after the movie. It opens with a standalone episode for the Lone Gunmen, “Unusual Suspects,” which is one of my favorites. There goes the idea of continuing the momentum from the movie. But then it does dive back into the conspiracy with “Redux” and “Redux II“. You would think these episodes would try to resolve lingering plotlines from the movie and the previous season’s cliffhanger. It does and doesn’t leaving many plotlines dangling and unleashing a few more. Finally, you get another standalone episode, “Detour,” which finds our favorite FBI agents lost in the woods just as they have always been. Not a particularly strong episode, but it does have Scully singing. Mmmm, Scully!

After this season, the show officially moved production from wet and dank Vancouver to sunny LA. The tone changed and thus began it’s steady decline.

Northern Exposure: Season 3, Disc 3
The packaging of the first two Northern Exposure discs was highly regarded as dumb. It was a neat little parka. Sounds as stupid as those iPod socks. Also, the first two seasons were short, because the show was a summer/spring replacement. The cost for these two discs were $40, as outrageous a price as The X-Files discs.

With season three, the producers have put the discs in the standard slip case and finally have some idea of what episodes are on each disc.

I have chosen season three’s disc three side B to best represent the show. It is the last few episodes of their magnificent season 3, and they go on hiatus with a set of strong episodes. The show ignites the lustful emotions between Joel and Maggie by locking them up in the same hotel room in Juneau in “It Happened in Juneau.” This episode sums up the love-hate-love that the two main characters go through. It’s as silly as all your other “will they or won’t they” plotlines. Next is “Our Wedding.” Not Joel and Maggie’s, bit Adam and Eve. Bringing fun for everyone but the groom. Finally, on this disc, you have the best episode of the show ever, “Cicely.” You come to know about the town of Cicely and how it became the “Alaskan Riviera.” It also keys you on the magic between the cast and of the place that is Northern Exposure.

News Radio: Season 3, Disc 1
I would like to have you watch every disc of this show, but I have to choose one which is unfair to the rest of them. You already know of my passion for this show if you stick around for NewsRadio Quote Month.

As the show opens it’s third season, it finds itself looking to stay on television. It’s not that the show was bad, but just the executives at NBC who were. They couldn’t give this most funniest of shows a decent time slot. It didn’t follow the nineties Friends-like template. It harkened back to workplace comedies which have been as old as the lembego trick.

When you watch this disc, you’ll find nine of the most funniest sitcoms episodes. They’ll make you want to watch all the rest of the discs.

“President” with Jimmy James running for and losing out in one day. A side plot is Matthew’s mustache. “Review” is for all those office drones who have to ge through this process. You’ll instantly recognize the cringe-inducing factor of this suckful work place phenomena. “Message Chair” is to remind you of the loss of Phil Hartman. “Arcade” is to remind you of all the quarters you pumped into video games as a kid. StarGate Defender! Plus Lisa Miller and the SAT. “Holloween” and “Award Show” highlight the ensemble cast at their goofiest. “Daydream” sums up all those dream episodes in television rather succinctly. “Movie Star” has James Caan intrigued by the spaz, and “Stocks” has you wishing for more secret of management advice from Jimmy James.

I think I’ll pop this disc in and watch a few eps…

The Simpsons: Season 2, Disc 4
This past Christmas I had received five seasons worth of this show on DVD. That’s an insane amount to view, especially since they are all from the waning years of the show. Yes it’s still on, but have you watched it? Religiously? Like you did when you were younger? I thought so.

Yet, the Simpsons still has it’s funny sides. I had to dive into the early run of the show to be reminded of the fact.

“Lisa’s Substitute” is the classic episode with Dustin Hoffman voicing the Jewish cowboy teacher that Lisa has a crush on. “The War of the Simpsons” has Homer catching General Sherman, beatin the mighty catfish down, but releasing it because of his love for Marge. “Three Men and A Comic Book” has Milhouse, Bart, and Martin fighting over the titular comic book. Reminds me of the time that my brother ripped up one of mine. “Blood Feud” a mediocre fare that is still better than today’s show.

I have a few more shows on DVD, but they aren’t my favorites.

Share with me yours.