It’s always funny when it comes to movies or television shows. In my experience, what everyone likes is always different. The DVD Patrol has been getting ready for the new Fall TV Season and I thought it would be a great idea to assemble my TV crew and see what some of their favorite shows are. Some you can find, and some you can’t because of one thing or another. Their choices are surprising – see what you think. The Toddster might have a good one, too. Let’s see what we’ve got.

Jeff Genung
Falcon Crest (CBS)
An admitted 80s prime time soap fan, I was long ago sated by the DVD releases of Dallas and Dynasty. Those two powerhouses have been out on DVD for a long time; in the case of Dallas, I believe they’ve released every single season by now. But what about the third player in the prime time soap triumvirate, Falcon Crest? While Dynasty and Dallas were probably more popular and certainly garnered more attention, Falcon Crest was always my personal favorite, with a strong run from 1981-1990. Jane Wyman (Ronald Reagan was president at the time, and to have his ex-wife as the star of a TV show was certainly a novelty) stars as vintner Angela Channing, ruling her own wine-making dynasty with an iron fist (and a pretty snazzy wardrobe). She’s foiled of course by her salt-of-the-earth nephew, Chase Gioberti (Robert Foxworth) and his wife Maggie (Susan Sullivan), whose adventures as a stalwart reporter may have influenced yours truly a tad, in retrospect. Throw in once and future stars like Lorenzo Lamas, David Selby, Lana Turner, Gina Lollobrigida, Cliff Robertson and Cesar Romero, and you’ve got yourself a perfect vintage soap opera. Season One finally came out on DVD this year, and inspired by this column, I picked it up over the weekend. Have yourself a glass of vino or two and enjoy this wild romp in the vineyards, 80s-style.

Brian Golden
The Wonder Years (ABC)
When informed of this latest Toddster team-up, I had serious misgivings about finding an unreleased television series I’d truly like to see on DVD. For one, I really don’t watch all that much television and haven’t for years. However, a little research went a long way and I couldn’t believe it when I found out one of my favorite programs growing up, and a successful one I might add, has never graced the shelves in full-season DVD format.
 ABC’s The Wonder Years, which ran from 1988 to 1993, was in many ways my introduction into the lifestyle, attitudes and experiences of a young teenager in the late 60s and early 70s. All it took for me was the introductory music of Joe Cocker belting out his legendary rendering of the Beatles’ classic “With a Little Help from my Friends” and I was hooked.
A poetic look at small-town America through the eyes of a young Kevin Arnold (portrayed by Fred Savage) at a time when the country’s political and social boundaries were being tested – the Vietnam War raged on and Flower Power was at its peak – the show featured a number of memorable actors and actresses whose performances brought the flavor of the times to the television screen.
Danica McKellar as Kevin’s on-again-off-again love interest Winnie, Josh Saviano as best friend Paul, the classic big brother, little brother relationship between Kevin and Wayne, Karen as the hippie sister who runs away and of course, Ben Stein as the monotone high school teacher, all came together to portray a unique and confusing period of time in American history.
Sadly, due to issues with the music rights for the iconic program, this classic series may never be available as a season by season DVD boxed set, something I find unfortunate and disappointing. Due to the fact that I was only slightly younger than Kevin, Winnie and Paul, this series had a profound influence on me growing up and I hope someday to see it once again in its entirety. A classic television comedy-drama.

Melissa Stagnaro
Father Ted (BBC)
One of my most prized possessions is my Father Ted box set. I feel happy just thinking about the BBC series, which features three dysfunctional Irish priests living out an exile of sorts on the fictitious Craggy Island.
Comedian Dermot Morgan plays Father Ted Crilly, a once well-respected clergyman relegated to the remote isle after its discovered he was skimming from the church coffers. As part of his penance, he is saddled with the care of both Father Dougal McGuire (Ardal O’Hanlon, who also played Thermoman in “My Hero”), an endearing sot who doesn’t quite get the whole religion thing, and the ancient, alcoholic Father Jack Hackett (Frank Kelly) - who really can’t be left alone for a minute. He must also suffer the ministrations of their tea-pushing, blind as a bat housekeeper, Mrs. Doyle, played by Pauline McLynn.
My love for the series can be traced back to my Northern Virginia days, when I first began palling around with Brian and Ed, who became two of my closest friends. I would describe their attachment to the show as an addiction - one which was fed by their friend Fletcher, who would tape the show off BBC for them.
I thought they were nice guys when I first met them. I just couldn’t figure out why they kept randomly shouting “DRRINK” and “GURRLS” in pseudo- Irish accents. But then I watched my first episode of Father Ted, and everything started falling into place.
For the first five minutes, I stared almost dumfounded at the screen, shocked to the core of all of my Catholic sensibilities. But then I started to snicker, then chortle. Before long I was rolling on the floor.
Thrilled as they were to find someone else who enjoyed Father Ted as much as they did, I quickly became a fixture in their apartment. I can’t tell you how many hours we spent sitting on their couch, sipping cocktails, watching one grainy episode after another.
Those days are long behind us, of course. But every time I watch an episode of Father Ted I think back to those golden years in Northern VA. And find myself rolling on the floor once more.

Tyler Murphy
Rome (Showtime)
There are few seasons of anything I enjoy enough to anxiously await their Dvd release with the stand out exception being hits from the HBO and Showtime series. Six Feet Under, Dexter, Rome, Weeds, the Wire, and Deadwood just to name a few of the seasons I’ve picked up for my collection. 
My obsession with the premier channel shows probably began with one of the best shows I’ve ever seen on TV, Rome.
I guess one reason might be that a lot of mainstream channels are broadcast with a certain amounts censorship, but HBO and Showtime don’t have to play by the FCC’s rules. You get all the sex, blood, violence and controversial topics you can handle, or as I like to call it, real life. That’s where Rome flourishes: you feel the grimy streets, you fear the sudden act of violence and over all, we probably get the most accurate perspective of the average Roman in visual media to date.
Being a history buff with a media realism chip on my shoulder, I was completely blown away by the show’s historical presence. The creators wanted a historically authentic feel, if not perfect with historical accuracy.
 It’s isn’t all blood and violence, not at all, but those aspects of life are at every unavoidable turn in ancient times and shaped their cultures greatly. The idea of slavery being the largest force in an economy is something very aliens to us in modern times and the series refuses to spare you the horror of it. At other times it shows you the very valuable meaning of what it meant to be a “Citizen,” something also lost in our times.
 The show starts as Caesar is rising and the republic is dying.  The series shifts from several points of view, from the low soldiers, criminals and shop keepers of the time to the titan sized personalities of Caesar, Marcus Anthony, Cicero and many others. It gives an incredible range of sights, sounds and struggles to absorb on all levels. The show continues through Rome’s civil war, which was the largest military conflict in Antiquity. The second season shows the chaos of Caesar’s death and the scrambling of political powers to fill the void, eventually ending with Octavian Augustus becoming Rome’s first, and longest ruling, Emperor. 
From the politicians in Rome’s senate to the assassins in the Colleguim (Mafia) the show is a twirling world of monumental changes face on a very human level. I couldn’t wait to buy the series and convert many of my friends to the show. The viewing became an routine evening ritual. “Roma Victor!”

Todd Campbell
The Six Million Dollar Man (ABC)
Everyone always asks me what my favorite this or that is. Most of the time for me I can’t really nail down one particular one. When it comes to my favorite TV show as a kid, the choice is easy. I had to tune in to see the adventures of Steve Austin, “The Six Million Dollar Man” every week. These days when you refer to Steve Austin, a lot of people think of the Wrestling star. Where do you think he got his name from?
“The Six Million Dollar Man” tells the story of Test Pilot Steve Austin. Austin was testing a space shuttle when it crashed. The crash left him near death and he lost his left eye, right arm, and both legs. A radical decision was made. Steve would become the first man to test “Bionics.” Bionics was a blending of man and machine. After Steve was given his new parts, it gave him some unique abilities including being able to run at 60 MPH, bend steel, and see for great distances. Steve took on some incredible enemies that took him from under the sea to menaces from beyond the stars. Such as Bigfoot, Russian spies, and evil robots. Probably the thing that comes to mind most with Steve is that everyone remembers “The Bionic Woman.” Steve met his high school sweetheart Jaime Summers (Lindsay Wagner) and after she had an accident Steve begged the Government to make her bionic. This paved the way for her own spin off series.
Unfortunately, both series have been tied up with one legal hassle or another with everything from who owns the rights to money troubles over the years. Finally, all of the problems have been taken care of and the series will finally be available on DVD in the U.S. for the first time. I know what I want for Christmas. (Hint, Hint)

Most of the choices will eventually be on DVD and when they are, they will be featured here. There will be a lot of great movies to catch up on with a TV show thrown in for good measure in the next few weeks with a certain Golden Avenger on the way. Come on back! The Toddster will be here next time.