Box Set Heaven

Having spent a great deal of my life worshipping the TV screen (or computer monitor) I have enjoyed some of the best shows currently available. And nothing does a great TV series justice like the Full watch through.

By that I mean getting hold of the Full DVD boxset and settling in for a few weeks of solid TV heaven, with no adverts, no delays between the next episode and if you pick the right series the chance for a complete and full story arc from beginning to end.

This Hub is about three of my top picks for the Ultimate DVD BoxSet.

I've picked three shows that not only offer the satisfaction of being full and complete but also give a range of different themes, from intense Drama to laugh out loud comedy.

I'm going to start with my favourite which is the updated version of the classic Sci-Fi TV show BattleStar Galactica.

Even if you usually write off Sci-Fi shows i'd urge you to make an exception for BSG, it more than delivers in both Sci-Fi action, intense drama and fascinating interwoven story lines that will keep you locked to the screen and the edge of your seat right up to the end.

With four entire seasons there's plenty to keep you busy and despite having seen the entire thing at least twice now I'm still more than willing to watch it again due to the incredible production quality, deep complex story and impressive acting quality by the surprisingly large cast.

Best of all with all four seasons out and no more in the works you have the luxury of enjoying the whole story in it's completion with no loose ends or cliffhangers left to annoy you as can happen with cancelled shows or ones that are still in production.

I'm sure you must have at least heard about this great series by now, but just incase here's a brief over view of the plot:

What's BSG About:

The story centres on the BattleStar Galactica and her crew who are some of the last surviving humans left after a sudden surprise attack by the entirely cybernetic race called Cylons. Who were originally created by man as robotic slaves but then in a violent uprising left the Human settled 12 colonies to make their own lives.

While the frosty peace held between man and machine no contact had been made with the Cylon for years until on the dawn of the surprise attack it is revealed that the Cylons have developed the technology to form entirely human looking bodies, rather than the massive chrome robots they once were.

The Galactica an ageing BattleShip in space only escapes the devastating first volly of the Cylons due to it's lack of networked systems and manages to gather a small fleet of the last human ships still flying.

Facing extinction and surrounded not only by the vast and powerful forces of the Cylons but also at risk from within from the various dramas and inter personal tensions common in humanity but also the potential of Cylon sleeper agents working to destroy and sabotage the fleet the BattleStar her crew and the last vestiges of Human government must somehow navigate hostile space but also stay united long enough to survive.

Inter woven within the story of survival, drama and politics is a far vaster and more spiritual story that borrows from the Zodiac and Greek myths among others to create a truly gripping and enduring story that will have you wondering and savouring it's twists and turns long after you've finished the series.

In Closing:

BSG is a faultless series in my opinion it does everything right and will appeal to almost all types of viewer. The story is well written and holds together better than most, it really feels like a complete and epic film that was simply cut up into four seasons. It uses plenty of great CGI without relying on it and brings together a large cast of amazing acting talent each one of which is a deep and complex character that will make you really care.

Best of all its story is well balanced not showing any one side as entirely right or wrong while exploring complex social and personal issues, involving government the military, religion and even terrorism.

I know I'm going to be watching it at least once more and I'd be surprised if that was the last time :) so I can't recommend it enough really, especially on HD with surround sound since it's action scenes are also up there with many big budget movies.

Okay this one is slightly bending the rules of my own Hub, because it's still going to have a fifth series. But I think even upto four you are left with a satisfying and very complete feeling story, plus this is such a good show that it really doesn't matter if you only see one season you'll still be happy ;)

So first of all why is Breaking Bad so good?

Well it's one of the rare dramas that manages to hold an air of tension episode after episode, there is no down time, no let up in the pressure for either the characters or the watcher.

But this isn't achieved through endless action or over the top set pieces it's just a slow unending pressure that keeps building as the story progresses. Supporting this is the excellent acting from the two main leads Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul who manage to work perfectly together while also building complex and detailed characters in their own rights.

The Story:

The story of the show is relatively simple yet offers plenty of twists and turns giving a real depth and realism to the characters after a few seasons.

Mr.White (Cranston) is a school chemist who works a dead end job at a car wash while also teaching to try and support his disabled son and wife. When he discovers he has terminal Cancer he decides to take drastic action to try and leave something behind to support his family.

Keeping his illness a secret he enlists the help of a school drop out and general trouble maker Jesse (Aaron) who he happens to know has a connection with Meth. Together with Jesse's criminal connections and Mr.Whites chemical skill they begin to cook Meth with a mind to sell.

The problems that arise and rules (or morals) that need bending to achieve the financial goal Mr.White desires make for edge of the seat viewing and raise many interesting dilemmas and concepts along the way.

Unlike many TV shows I rarely found myself feeling like they applied a bit of TV magic to make it all work out, the choices are believable and make sense...and the outcomes are often brutal and sudden. The acting from all the characters even the smaller parts, give so much to the viewer it would be easy to re-watch any episode and still find more layers. And the attention to detail and production quality is impressive. While the cinematography also deserves note for it's uniqueness and the way the shots often tell a story in their own way.

In Closing:

For a drama this is near perfection for me, not over the top while delivering all the tension and moral issues you'd need. The acting is top notch and the story has a great progression that deals perfectly with the concept of slowly slipping into a life of crime with one compromise after another.

Each season will leave you wanting more while also finishing enough of the story lines to give satisfaction, and by the time the fourth's credits roll you'll be happy to restart no.1 The fact that a fifth is on the way is just gravy.

I'll leave you with a smile by adding my third recommendation as Arrested Development. This is a sadly short comedy series that was know for having the largest number of jokes back to back in it's dialogue and I can personally vouch for the fact that your face will hurt from over use of the smile muscles after watching through this box set! :)

The superb writing and memorable performances from the large and very talented cast work perfectly together to produce one of the funniest shows I've seen, jam packed with quotes and scenes that will last with you for years. It's also more than able to stand up to several watch throughs each offering a new chance to enjoy each character more and get more of the well layered in jokes and links.

The Story:

The Show follows the fortunes and mis-fortunes of the Bluth Family and their property development company as it struggles to survive the aftermath of a police raid to arresst the patriarch in the opening episode.

But the real fun is the various and complex family relationships between the members of the Bluth family who having been used to the good but now have to somehow work together to save their company and keep the family together long enough for them to have a chance of getting George Bluth out of jail.

Writing this I realise the story is actually a bit too elaborate and interwoven to describe as it involved all the characters and many hilarious situations. But if you've ever had a family get together you'll know the kinds of expectations, old grudges and hidden family secrets that here become the source of comedy gold.

In Closing:

This is still an unique and impressive production that managed to cram as many jokes as possible into it's dialogue without making it seem forced. And this depth and detail makes it a treat to watch and re-watch. Plus since it only ran for 4 seasons you get so see the whole story before the comedy staleness sets in that can often be a problem for long running comedy shows.

Having seen many sitcoms and comedy shows, I still think that Arrested Development stands out as one of the best of it's type, taking the 'reality' approach like Curb and mixing it with a good deal of off the wall situations and characters to craft a real feeling hilarious world of it's own.