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Gift Guides

Blu-ray Holiday Gift Guide 2010: TV on Blu

Continuing with our look at what’s best to buy on Blu this year, here’s a fairly comprehensive guide to the years most extraordinary Blu-ray TV releases.

Tomorrow: Animation on Blu-ray

MORE GIFT IDEAS:

* GIFT & BOXED SETS
* ANIMATION
* CLASSICS
* THE BEST OF THE YEAR


Deadwood: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]

I hope you’ve been working out because HBO’s 13-disc Deadwood: The Complete Series Blu-ray boxed set is a seriously weighty affair. This is one solid brick of high-def western goodness! The discs, which feature all 36-episodes from the series’ three seasons as well as gobs of special features, are housed within the pages of a gorgeous, solid hardcover book – much the same as last years’ Rome: The Complete Series set. The packaging is honestly a beautiful thing to behold, providing a slipcase for the book and all of the discs to rest in. Along with stunning video transfers, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks that border on perfection and all of the special features from the previously issued DVD sets (17 audio commentaries and over 6-hours of HD docs and featurettes), you’ll be hard pressed to find anything to dislike about this amazing Blu-ray boxed set. Unless, of course, you have an aversion to foul-mouthed (VERY foul) cowboys.

READ MORE: HBO’s Deadwood: The Complete Series Blu-ray officially announced and detailed

AMAZON: $124.99


The Pacific (HBO Miniseries) [Blu-ray]

Following their hit WW II miniseries Band of Brothers, HBO brings us a kind-of sequel in The Pacific – a 10-part look at the allies’ struggles against axis powers in the far east. Producers Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg do their best to live up to Brothers‘ epic, emotional narrative and, for the most part succeed. The Pacific isn’t quite as engaging but proves to be equally cinematic and equally as memorable. The Blu-ray disc set consists of 5 discs in digibook packaging, housed in a tin case (almost exactly matching the Band of Brothers Blu-ray set, but a touch thinnner.) The series looks and sounds spectacular and features a great selection of quality of extras – “Enhanced Viewing Experience” picture-in-picture and “Field Guide” on all episodes as well as over an hour of docs and featurettes.

READ MORE: HBO The Pacific Blu-ray set announced and detailed

AMAZON: $66.99


Lost: The Complete Collection [Blu-ray]

Ah, Lost. It’s been over half a year since the groundbreaking series came to an end and I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about it as a whole. I mean, it had it’s high points (see my review of the Season 5 Blu-ray boxed set) and it’s dreadfully low points (remember Season 2?) But no matter how you feel about the series, there’s no denying it was infectious and quite memorable. Another point you can take to the bank is that it looks and sounds like a million bucks on Blu. In fact, I’d argue that it’s very nearly a different experience in high-bandwidth high-def. You can start over from the beginning with Lost: The Complete Series Blu-ray boxed set, pictured above – a comprehensive puzzle box filled with all 6 seasons worth of episodes along with scads of extras, collectibles and hidden secrets.

AMAZON: $179.99


Star Wars: The Clone Wars - The Complete Season Two [Blu-ray]

The CG Clone Wars series has been my guilty pleasure now for a couple of years. I record and save new episodes as they air, hoarding them for those perfect Saturday morning marathons. The Blu-ray collections of the series do one better than just slapping the show on disc. These beautiful high-def presentations allow the Clone Wars to be seen as it was meant to be – in its original aspect ratio, instead of the cropped-for-TV versions we see on The Cartoon Network. The newest collection, Star Wars: The Clone Wars – The Complete Season Two features all 22 episodes, “Jedi Temple Archives“, featurettes and a 64-page book.

READ MORE: Star Wars The Clone Wars: The Complete Season Two Blu-ray Disc Review

AMAZON: $41.99


The Pillars of the Earth [Blu-ray] (2010)

The Pillars of the Earth is the perfect gift for that person in your life who loves their sword fights and royal intrigue laced with a hefty dose of melodrama. This is a quality production from producers Ridley and Tony Scott that both looks and sounds great on Blu-ray. You won’t find a lot of special features here but no matter. The play’s the thing.

READ MORE: The Pillars of the Earth Blu-ray Disc Review

AMAZON: $44.99


Futurama: Volume 5 [Blu-ray]

I admit to not keeping up with Futurama since its miraculous return but am excited to catch up when this new Blu-ray boxed set turns up on December 21st. The 2-disc set includes all 13 new episodes and features such as deleted and extended scenes, audio commentaries and featurettes.

AMAZON: $30.99


The Simpsons: The Thirteenth Season [Blu-ray]

Season 13 of The Simpsons marked the beginning of the shows return to form, after several seasons of less than spectacular episodes. Fans will definitely want to add this Blu-ray set to their collections for the exceptional DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack as well as the substantial batch of extras (commentary tracks on every episode!!) Take note that the episodes were produced in SD so the video presentation is a high-def encoded up-convert and a pretty nice one at that.

AMAZON: $40.99


Peanuts Holiday Collection (A Charlie Brown Christmas / It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown / A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving) [Blu-ray]

Warner has packaged the three individual releases of the Peanuts holiday specials together into one handy boxed set. That means, if you or your loved one don’t already own the Christmas, Halloween and Thanksgiving Blu-ray discs, you’re in luck because you can now get them all together at a lower price. The discs and special features are identical to the individual releases, each one presenting an additional animated special and a short featurette. This is not reference material high-def but a definite improvement over whats previously been available.

AMAZON: $38.99


Fringe: The Complete Second Season [Blu-ray] (2009)

I think I can safely say, after watching two entire seasons of Fringe, that it’s hands-down the best genre show currently airing on TV. I actually held off watching season 2 for the entirety of the last year in anticipation of burning through it on Blu-ray. And burn I did!! The X-Files vibe takes even more of a back seat this season, in favour of furthering the story of agent Olivia Dunham, the Bishops and the secret experiments that tie them together. The episodes, once again look amazing on Blu. But, as they continued to do, WHV only serves up a compressed Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track. Ah well. Such a small disappointment in an otherwise amazing set. Special features include commentary on four episodes, a gag reel, a host of featurettes and more!

AMAZON: $45.99


Human Target: The Complete First Season [Blu-ray] (2010)

My girlfriend got me into The Human Target last year. I wasn’t interested for the longest time but finally gave in and boy am I ever glad I did. What a fantastic, fun series this has been. This collection of first season episodes are so spirited and packed with adventure and fun and danger and… well, everything you’d want from a TV show adapted from a comic book.

Christoper Chance is a bodyguard and security expert for hire. Along with his crack team of operatives, he integrates himself into his client’s lives in order to draw out the forces that threaten them. The Blu-ray transfers are nice, if not a bit compressed (12 episodes onto 2 discs!) with Warner’s typical DD 5.1 audio mix souring the milk slightly. Special features include commentary on the pilot, deleted scenes and a couple of featurettes.

AMAZON: $35.49


True Blood: The Complete Second Season (HBO Series) [Blu-ray]

From my review of the boxed set:

“With a cast of great characters and compelling b-movie storylines, True Blood is just as silly, soap operatic and supernatural in its second season as it was in its first. Perhaps even more so! And that fun transfers in whole to this exceptional Complete Second Season Blu-ray set!”

This is another killer (pun intended!) Blu-ray boxed set from HBO. As is par for the course, all episodes look and sound fantastic. Outside of the excellent commentary tracks the supplemental material is fairly anemic. See what I did there? With the blood-thing? Urgh…

READ MORE: True Blood: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray Disc Review

AMAZON: $47.49


The Vampire Diaries: The Complete First Season [Blu-ray] (2009)

And hey, speaking of vampires, here’s another great series about TV and film-goers’ favourite bloodsuckers! I didn’t expect to like The Vampire Diaries at all. AT ALL! And yet, after watching this first season on Blu-ray I’m hooked. It’s one of the shows I never miss on TV now, week to week. All 22 episodes are present and accounted for, all looking amazing in their high-def debut. Again WHV cheaps out on the audio, delivering only compressed DD 5.1 tracks. Not to worry though, they actually sound pretty good. Special features include a commentary track, tons of featurettes, a downloadable audio book and tons more!

READ MORE: Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of August 31

AMAZON: $45.99


Entourage: The Complete Sixth Season [Blu-ray] (2009)

Entourage has been another guilty pleasure for me for years. And this season, the sixth season feels like a climax of sorts. Despite the fact that the show has continued on into a seventh year, this Blu-ray boxed set collection gives a real sense of closure for the Hollywood escapades of movie star Vinnie Chase, manager Eric Murphy and all their pals by the time it ends. All 12 episodes look and sound better than they deserve, thanks to the wizards at HBO. Special features include commentaries, featurettes and a short film directed by Matt Damon!

AMAZON: $26.99


Hung: The Complete First Season [Blu-ray] (2009)

Thomas Jane stars in Hung as coach and “happiness consultant” (read: male hooker) Ray Drecker, doing what he does best with the gifts the good Lord has given him. Like, um…coaching sports and stuff. This half-hour drama is honestly a lot of fun but feels brief at a paltry 10-episodes. Collected in boxed set form, they just zoom by! The technical presentation isn’t quite up to HBO’s usual high standards but that doesn’t mean things look or sound grim here. The Blu-ray boxed set is, sadly a bit lite on the special features with a handful of commentary tracks being the most noteworthy.

AMAZON: $27.99


TV SHOWS ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY
Clicking an image will take you to Amazon.com where you can learn more about and purchase the Blu-ray disc:

Modern Family: The Complete First Season [Blu-ray] (2009)Glee: The Complete First Season [Blu-ray] (2010)Mad Men: Season Three [Blu-ray]Dollhouse: Season Two [Blu-ray] (2009)



Nurse Jackie: Season One [Blu-ray] (2009)The Office: Season Six [Blu-ray] (2009)Smallville: The Complete Ninth Season [Blu-ray] (2009)Supernatural: The Complete Fifth Season [Blu-ray] (2009)


MORE GIFT IDEAS:

* GIFT & BOXED SETS
* ANIMATION
* CLASSICS
* THE BEST OF THE YEAR

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5 comments for “Blu-ray Holiday Gift Guide 2010: TV on Blu”

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