PICKS OF THE WEEK
Beverly Hills, 90210: Season 9
Who does it star? Jason Priestley (as Brandon Walsh), Jennie Garth (as Kelly Taylor), Luke Perry (as Dylan McKay), Tori Spelling (as Donna Martin), Brian Austin Green (as David Silver), Ian Ziering (as Steve Sanders), Tiffani-Amber Thiessen (as Valerie Malone), Vincent Young (as Noah Hunter), Lindsay Price (as Janet Sosna), Daniel Cosgrove (as Matt Durning) and Vanessa Marcil (as Gina Kincaid).

What’s the premise? Prime-time soap opera chronicles the relationships of a group of close-knit friends.
 
When can I see it? On DVD — or, if you subscribe to paid network SOAPnet, you can catch reruns seven days a week.

Where does it air? During its original run, Beverly Hills, 90210 aired on Fox in the U.S. and Global in Canada.

Why is it worth my time? Technically, Beverly Hills, 90210 was not Vanessa Marcil’s first prime-time gig — the actress starred in the made-for-TV film To Love, Honor and Deceive and had a guest role on the Steven Spielberg-produced cop-drama High Incident before transitioning to the hit teen show.

Beverly Hills was, however, the beautiful brunette’s first big break after leaving her post on ABC soap General Hospital (she later reprised her role as Brenda Barrett in 2002, albeit only briefly) and her performance as Donna’s manipulative half-sister Gina Kincaid planted her squarely on the prime-time map, not to mention poising her for plum future roles such as Las Vegas’ Sam Marquez.

And although Marcil only appears in Beverly Hills’ last two seasons, the now 41-year-old shines as a deceitful, untrustworthy, often misunderstood opponent to the drama’s longstanding core characters — the fact that she evokes such irritation and hatred as the series’ bad girl only proves her talent and successful transition from a daytime to prime-time actress.

Nine seasons in, the addition of Kincaid and fellow newbie character Matt Durning (another soap alum, Cosgrove starred as Bill on the now-defunct Guiding Light) provide the spice needed to keep this teen soap fresh and fun, but don’t worry, 90210 fans — the twisted love triangles, dark secrets and shocking betrayals still abound.

In Season 9 … Kelly and Brandon deal with the aftermath of not getting married; Valerie admits to murdering her father; Noah’s dad commit suicide; David is arrested for statutory rape; Steve and Janet sleep together after being locked in a fridge; Dylan returns to Beverly Hills; Donna befriends a female gang member; Matt’s estranged wife suddenly shows up; and Gina discovers her mother has been stealing from her trust fund.

Guest stars: Jessica Alba.

Bonus features: N/A.

Number of discs: 6
Number of episodes: 26
Running time: 1,146 mins

The Price Is Right: Best Of
Who does it star? Former Price Is Right hosts Bill Cullen and Bob Barker, the voice of former announcer Rod Roddy, and a bevy of beautiful models.

What’s the premise? Contestants bid on the price of products in the hopes of winning big prizes and cash.
 
When can I see it? New episodes of The Price Is Right air weekdays at 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. PT.

Where does it air? CBS.

Why is it worth my time? The Price Is Right is my favourite TV game show of all-time and I know I’m not alone — there’s a reason this series has been on the air continuously for 30-plus years.

But I’m not too crazy about relatively new host Drew Carey, who took over from the face of the franchise, Bob Barker, back in 2007. I suppose anyone would have a hard time filling Barker’s polished shoes, though. His genial personality, authoritative yet friendly voice, and ability to build an instant rapport with contestants and viewers isn’t easy to match, especially after such a long, successful, establishing run on the tube. 

If you happen to be missing Barker’s presence like moi, this best-of compilation should help brighten your day. Not only does it include early episodes of a much-younger Barker, this three-disc set also features shows with The Price Is Right’s inaugural host, Bill Cullen — a fun treat for younger fans who weren’t around to see him on-air, and a pleasant trip down memory lane for those who remember him well.

Anyone else totally psyched for some price-guessing, Plinko-playing, “have your pets spayed or neutered” awesomeness?

Game show lovers, please note best of DVD anthologies of Family Feud, Match Game and Password are also available.

In this best-of compilation … Bob Barker boasts a head of dark hair; Rod chipperly announces fabulous prizes to be won; and contestants come away with envy-inducing showcases.

Guest stars: N/A.

Bonus features: N/A.

Number of discs: 3
Number of episodes: 26
Running time: Unknown


READER MAIL
Hi Diana, is the TV show Men in Trees with Anne Heche ever going to be released on DVD? I really enjoyed this show and was surprised it was cancelled. – Mavis Tetlock

They say no news is good news Mavis, but unfortunately that doesn’t ring true in the case of Men in Trees. At press time, Warner Bros. Home Videos, which owns the distribution rights to this romantic dramedy, has yet to announce a release date — even a tentative one — for this two-season, filmed-in-Canada show. I’ll be sure to post an update should this series ever make its way onto DVD, though.


OTHER TV AVAILABLE THIS WEEK

21 Jump Street: Season 1
Johnny Depp shot to teen idol fame in this hour-long cop-drama		 A Mind to Kill: Series 1
A widowed detective solves crimes while trying to protect his teen daughter		 Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Vol. 3
DC Comics superheroes take down villains
Collision
Strangers lives intertwine following a devastating car crash 		Doc Martin: Series 3
The hilarious antics of an eccentric, abrasive, British GP		 Doctor Who: The Complete Specials [Blu-ray and DVD]
Four action-packed features serve as a farewell to series star David Tennant
Doctor Who: The End of Time, Parts 1 & 2 [Blu-ray and DVD]
The final story of the 10th Doctor culminates with a glimpse of his successor		 Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars [Blu-ray and DVD]
The Doctor discovers the first human colony on Mars and plays with fate		 Dora the Explorer: Let’s Explore! Dora’s Greatest Adventures
Over three hours of episodes and a Dora game are included
Dynasty: Season 4, Vol. 2
Prime-time soap follows the exploits of the wealthy Carrington and Colby families		 Elmo’s World: Let’s Play Music
Elmo teaches preschoolers about drums, bells and violins		 G.I. Joe A Real American Hero: Season 1.3
Season 1 comes to a close with 22 fan-favourite episodes
Hitler’s Bodyguard
Miniseries deciphers how Hitler survived more than 40 assassination attempts		 Hunter: Season 1
The ‘80s cop-drama is TV’s answer to Clint Eastwood’s Dirty Harry films		 Mister Ed: Season 2
An architect and his wife cope with their meddlesome talking horse
Murder, She Wrote: Season 11
Author and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher helps solve crimes		 Place of Execution
Three-part drama is based on the novel of the same name by author Val McDermid		 Ramen Fighter Miki Collection
The funny predicaments of a young Chinese food delivery girl
Renegade: Season 1
A cop framed for murder goes on the run and becomes a bounty hunter		 Route 66: Season 3, Vol. 2
Two young men travel across America in this anthology drama		 Scruff: The New Season
The adventures of a lost puppy who is adopted by a farmworker
Skull Man: Complete Collection
An orphaned hero takes revenge in this animated manga series		 The Mary Tyler Moore Show: Season 6
A single, thirtysomething woman tries to make it as a radio station producer		 Tom & Jerry’s Greatest Chases: Vol. 4
Fourteen family-friendly cartoons will please kids of all ages
Wolverine & the X-Men, Vol. 4: Fate of the Future
Wolverine is forced to repay old debts; Logan’s captivity spawns a new breed of Sentinels		 Yo Gabba Gabba: Birthday Boogie
Brobee is thrown a surprise birthday party		 Zane’s Sex Chronicles: Season 1
Urban series is based on a collection of short stories by New York Times author Zane


 

Questions or comments? diana@tvguide.ca

Diana's DVDs every Tuesday

 

 

To escape from the daily chaos of life, Diana enjoys curling up on the couch to watch a good movie, and is guilty of partaking in the current TV-on-DVD trend. From documentaries and dramas to comedies and animated flicks, no genre is off-limits.

Before her current editorial gig, Diana worked in TVGuide.ca’s listings department, so she’s a pro at getting the most up-to-date info to keep fellow movie buffs in the know with the latest TV and film releases. Now a content specialist, Diana graduated from the Broadcast Journalism program at Seneca College in Toronto.


 

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