Sci-Fi TV Smorgasbord
Mill Creek Entertainment has done it again! After tackling TV Westerns, TV Crime Shows, TV Spies and Family TV Shows, this offering focuses on early television science fiction shows, with a bit of horror and the paranormal thrown in for good measure. There is quite a bit to savor in this set, so here's the rundown, by category:
Animated Series:
Captain Fathom - 3 episodes
Clutch Cargo - 1 episode
Space Angel - 9 episodes
Filmed TV Series:
Captain Z-Ro - 24 episodes
Flash Gordon - 14 episodes
Johnny Jupiter - 1 episode
One Step Beyond - 16 episodes
Rocky Jones, Space Ranger - 23 episodes
Thriller (Boris Karloff version) - 1 episode
Live Television Series:
Climax - 1 episode
Lights Out - 4 episodes
Tales of Tomorrow - 6 episodes
Filmed Dramatic Anthology Series:
G.E. Theater - 2 episodes
The Star and the Story - 1 episode
Your Jeweler's Showcase (Operation E.S.P.) - 1...
Out of this world!
I run the Sci-Fi Lists website and I have to say I am more than happy with this outstanding collection of public domain TV episodes and cinematic serials. Despite what one other reviewer said, some of this stuff is extremely hard to find anywhere else... especially the 24 time-tripping episodes of Captain Z-Ro. When you add in the TV version of Flash Gordon (14eps) and the well-produced Rocky Jones (23eps) there is no escaping the fact that this set is value for money.
Criticism of the inclusion of cinematic serials is also unfair. They were repeated mercilessly during the early days of TV, with the good quality transfers of the Commando Cody adventure Radar Men From the Moon being the pick of the bunch. For sheer low-budget joy check out failed pilot Here Comes Tobor and the three nifty 'Synchro-Vox' Cambia animated series. The episodes of the various TV anthology series are also generally very well selected on the basis of their sci-fi content. No Captain Video, Tom...
Looks to be a fun trip down memory lane for the whole family
Any reviewer stating that this collection is a rip-off couldn't be more wrong in my opinion. Mill Creek is a wonderful company that is one of the first distributors to provide public domain material at a budget, affordable price. Their price structure is the same for all their 150 episode box sets. If you can wait a little while you will be able to pick this up for around $16 or less. I couldn't recommend their other TV classics enough. Their 3 Western and Detective releases are wonderful, and should be sought-out. I have been asking Mill Creek to release a Sci-fi set this past year and they are now doing it and I couldn't be happier. Since they are releasing public domain material, they have to stick with what they have available. I'm sure they are putting the serials on the set to not only fill space, but they must have thought they would fit in nicely with the Sci-fi theme. I can't wait to watch some of these old episodes again. Looks like good family fun.
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