Smallville Is An Instant Television Classic

Tom Welling stars in the imminent role of teenager Clark Kent, a refugee from the dying planet of Krypton. His ship having landed in the rural American town of Smallville, Clark is raised by locals Martha (Annette O'Toole) and Jonathan Kent (John Schneider - of Dukes of Hazzard fame) as their own son. Unlike some of the film and TV spin-offs, Smallville attributes powers to other individuals in the area as a result of some of the debris associated with Krypton's destruction. As a result, Clark is forced to keep his own powers a secret while battling against other individuals who are more powerful than traditional human criminal elements. The show also provides a glimpse into the early friendship experienced between Clark and Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) as well as Clark's romance with two high school classmates, Chloe Sullivan (Allison Mack) and Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk). Part sci-fi fantasy and part teenage soap, Smallville is an instant television classic

[B][URL="http://www.worthydvd.com/smallville-seasons-1-10-dvd-boxset.html"]The Smallville DVD[/URL][/B] offers a number of exciting episodes including the series premiere in which the stage for the series is set by recounting the story of Clark's voyage to earth in the aftermath of Krypton's destruction. Clark meets Lex Luthor for the first time as well as a human mutated by the strange green rocks which accompanied Clark's spacecraft in the meteor shower Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "Hourglass" in which the green rocks enable one man to reverse the aging process so that he can seek revenge on his enemies, and "Stray" in which a runaway kid named Ryan has the power to read minds, prompting his stepparents to attempt to exploit him for financial gain

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Line Between Realism

The brilliance of the series lies in this juxtaposition of the seemingly boring with the outrageous. Gervais and Marchant tread the line between realism and farce perfectly, and go just far enough to be bust-out hilarious, but not so far that it seems out of the realm of possibility. This is really the only way a show like The Office could really work, as it feels like you're part of the office staff, just observing the day-to-day happenings of the Wernham Hogg staff, from the subtle flirting between Tim and receptionist Dawn (Lucy Davis) to the raucous behavior of the boys who work in the warehouse.


Because it's a mockumentary, [B][URL="http://www.worthydvd.com/the-office-seasons-1-7-dvd-boxset.html"]The Office DVD[/URL][/B] doesn't rely on slapstick gags for laughs, but rather the comedy is formed around odd -- and usually uncomfortable -- situations, frequently initiated by David Brent, who wants to be more of a friend than a boss. David, who's a bit of a tit, just wants to be respected and liked by his staff, but the unfortunate thing is that he just isn't that lovable or funny, and his "sense of humor" leaves the staff disgusted and speechless. Ironically, these silent bits are some of the funniest parts of the show, most often coming when Brent makes an off-color joke that no one laughs at and Tim looks directly at the camera with an uncomfortable gaze as if we're in on the joke of David's unbearable lameness.

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It's More Than Just The Music

But it's more than just the music that makes the show work. Taking a page from the late John Hughes, [B][URL="http://www.worthydvd.com/glee-seasons-1-2-dvd-boxset.html"]Glee DVD[/URL][/B] also uses comedy to illuminate the universal truths of our American upbringing and the strength found in the diversity of our daily lives. Despite surface appearances, these characters aren't one-dimensional stereotypes. Each has their own unique set of triumphs and tragedies, ranging from religious persecution and sexual orientation, to abandonment issues and self-limiting behaviors. Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith) may be the golden boy quarterback with a gorgeous girlfriend, but he's a rather dim bulb fronting a football team that can't buy a win, and growing up without a father who died while on deployment in Iraq. Quinn Fabray (Dianna Agron) is McKinley's head cheerleader, protege of Coach Sylvester, and president of the school's chastity club, but whose life is unraveling after discovering she's pregnant and subsequently tastes the bitter fruit of alienation she used to dish out on a daily basis.


Mercedes Jones (Amber Riley) is the archetypal big girl with a voice that could give Aretha Franklin pause, but is unable to get anyone to listen to her, least of all the boy she lusts after. Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer) is a flamboyant stylist who wears his uniqueness like a sandwich board, but suffers in silence for the music he's not allowed to sing and the feelings he's not allowed to express. Rachel Berry (Leah Michele) is the resident drama queen, Jewish American princess, and daughter to a surrogate mother she's never met; a legend in her own mind, Rachel's often oblivious to disaster her ambitions leave in their wake. Artie Abrams (Kevin McHale) and Tina Cohen-Chang (Jenna Ushkowitz) represent the true outcasts, a handicapped nerd and a goth minority, who share a common bond and growing attraction; both want to be seen more for their actual talents than their obvious differences. And perhaps the most obvious archetype, Noah Puckerman (Mark Salling), is the resident jock bad boy who torments anyone he feels deserves it, but struggles with chivalrous feelings and a desperate need to grow beyond the limited, Middle America, working class existence he's pre-destined to live. Together this unlikely group struggle to achieve one goal, defeat a common enemy, and in the process unlock something of value within themselves they only vaguely knew existed.

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It's A Pretty Straightforward Plot

There are some shows that you know are likely going to be successful just because of the people involved. [B][URL="http://www.worthydvd.com/the-big-bang-theory-seasons-1-4-dvd-boxset.html"]The Big Bang Theory[/URL][/B] is an excellent example of this. The show's cast has two sitcom veterans in Johnny Galecki (Roseanne) and Kaley Cuoco (8 Simple Rules). Then there's the crew. Creators (and frequent writers) Chuck Lorre (Two and a Half Men, Roseanne) and Bill Prady (Dharma & Greg) are no strangers to the sitcom genre either.

The show is about a group of four geeks who live and work at CalTech. They are one day joined by a beautiful waitress (Penny, played by Kaley Cuoco) when she moves into a nearby apartment. Leonard, played by Johnny Galecki, has a thing for her right from the start. It's a pretty straightforward plot.

Leonard and his roommate Sheldon are joined by two good friends, Howard and Rajesh. All four of the fellas are very intelligent, each with their own area of expertise. One of the most obvious complaints about the writing is all the geek/nerd clichés. As much as I would like to criticize the writers for this, I must admit the show works very well.

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