The fall TV season gets into full swing this week, but lots of TV fans are still getting their tube fixes with marathon catch-up sessions via DVDs.  Here, a few recent DVD releases to get viewers up-to-date on returning favorites:

Homeland: The Complete First Season (Fox Home Entertainment)
Surprise Emmy Best Drama winner Homeland is one of those rare shows that is so carefully and cleverly crafted that you’ll pick up new things even on your second or third viewing. Is Claire Danes‘ CIA agent Carrie crazy, or are her suspicions that returning war hero Brody (Emmy winner Damian Lewis) is actually a terrorist correct? Watch, and enjoy the twists, especially with season two just a week away (Sept. 30 on Showtime).
Bonus features: Deleted scenes; Under Surveillance, a making-of featurette; and The Visit, a preview of season two

Dexter: The Sixth Season (Paramount Home Entertainment)
Season six started off with one of the funniest storylines in Dexter history, as our favorite serial killer attended his high school reunion (picture it: Dexter dancing). Things were a little rocky after that, with some crazy storylines involving guest stars Edward James Olmos and Colin Hanks, but the season ended with shocking Dexter/Deb happenings, and that’s where we pick up with season seven, which debuts on Showtime on Sept. 30.
Bonus features: Cast interviews and episodes of other Showtime series, like House of Lies, The Borgias and Californication.

Supernatural: The Complete Seventh Season (Warner Home Video)
A sad loss for Sam and Dean meant the Winchester brothers were on their own just when they were faced with their toughest and most dangerous foes ever. And in further twists, the discovery of a demon facility to concoct a cure for cancer turned out to be a very bad thing, and Sam and Dean ultimately had to help destroy a friend to save him from himself. Season eight of the CW drama premieres on Oct. 3.
Bonus features: Unaired scenes, gag reel, episode commentaries, featurettes on show directors and composers and a fan-favorite video of star Jensen Ackles singing an Air Supply classic.

The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Third Season (Warner Home Video)
Elena made a couple of maaaajor choices in season three, one involving her love life and one involving the continuing existence of, well, her, as a human. And those choices will continue to play out in season four, which kicks off on Oct. 11 on The CW.
Bonus features: Bloopers, favorite scenes and featurettes on Stefan, the original vampires and the show’s writers.

Revenge: The Complete First Season (Buena Vista Home Entertainment)
Orphaned Emily’s plot for revenge against those who turned against her father took some surprising turns in this first-season drama, a delicious, guilty pleasure primetime soap. Catch up with all 22 episodes in time for the Sept. 30 season two premiere on ABC, during which Emily will try to locate her previously-resumed-dead mom (Jennifer Jason Leigh).
Bonus features: Bloopers, deleted scenes, pilot episode commentary, music videos and featurettes like Roadmap to Revenge and Haute Hamptons: Femme Fatale Fashion.

The Mentalist: The Complete Fourth Season (Warner Home Video)
Yep, Patrick Jane is still trying to track down Red John, the serial killer who killed Jane’s family. And season four introduced him to Red John’s cohort, Lorelai (Entourage‘s Emmanuelle Chriqui), who just might become Jane’s new love interest in season five, which premieres Sept. 30 on CBS.
Bonus features: CBI: Behind the Badge featurette.

Suburgatory: The Complete First Season (Warner Home Video)
One of last season’s few new comedy hits, Suburgatory finds single dad George and his teen daughter Tessa leaving their hip Manhattan apartment behind for a house in the cookie cutter ‘burbs when George frets Tessa is growing up too quickly. Curb Your Enthusiasm star Cheryl Hines is a scene stealer as rich chic neighbor Dallas, who, in season two (premiering Oct. 17), will have her first date with George.
Bonus features: Gag reel, unaired scenes and the Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell: Life in Suburgatory featurette

Person of Interest: Season One (Warner Home Video)
High concept, yes, but fantastic performances by Michael Emerson and Jim Caviezel sold the first season of this drama about a billionaire who uses access to U.S. intelligence agency data to team with a presumed dead CIA agent to try and prevent violent crimes. Season two begins Sept. 27 on CBS and we’ll learn what exactly Root has up her sleeve for the kidnapped Finch (Emerson).
Bonus features: Pilot episode audio commentary, gag reel, extended pilot episode and Living in the Age of Surveillance featurette.

Castle: The Complete Fourth Season (Buena Vista Home Entertainment)
It’s the season that featured the season finale that answered the question: will they or won’t they? In case there’s still any doubt, the season five premiere, on Sept. 24 on ABC, will answer it definitively.
Bonus features: Audio commentaries, deleted scenes, bloopers and featurettes Nathan & Friends: Castle Goes Radio and Anatomy of a Stunt.

Private Practice: The Complete Fifth Season (Buena Vista Home Entertainment)
The fifth season ended with Kate Walsh‘s Addison “forced” to choose between two love interests, played by Taye Diggs and Benjamin Bratt. So, you know she had quite a season leading up to that. Her choice, by the way, will be revealed in the season six finale on ABC on Sept. 25.
Bonus features: Blooper reel and The Practice of Parenthood featurette.

The Office: Season Eight (Universal Home Entertainment)
James Spader made his exit as Robert California, Darryl finally got his dream girl, Andy got his shot at running the office and Jim and Pam’s marriage was just fine, despite that plotting co-worker who set her eyes on Mr. Halpert. That was the show’s penultimate season, and here’s hoping things end up on even happier notes for the Dunder Mifflin gang in its ninth and final season, which began last Thursday.
Bonus features: Deleted scenes, webisodes and extended episodes.

The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Fifth Season (Warner Home Video)
Howard got married, Leonard and Penny got back together (again) and that clever — and very patient — Amy Farrah Fowler finally got Sheldon to make her his girlfriend. As the new season debuts on Sept. 27 on CBS, AFF tried to push her relationship with her reluctant even further along.
Bonus features: A gag reel, a behind-the-scenes feature on the various departments that bring the show to life very week, a cast reflection on season five and The Big Bang Theory @ 100 feature on the show’s 100th episode.

2 Broke Girls: The Complete First Season (warner Home Video)
Roommate waitresses and aspiring cupcake shop owners Max and Caroline met up with Martha Stewart in season one, so, when the show kicks off season two on Sept. 24, they’re even more jazzed to launch their bakery. But first, Steven Weber will pop in as Caroline’s estranged, Bernie Madoff-y dad.
Bonus features: Unaired scenes and a behind-the-scenes featurette called 2 Girls Going 4 Broke with cast and crew interviews

Parks and Recreation: Season Four (Universal Home Entertainment)
Leslie Knope finally got her guy and her dream city council seat, and we got to see the funniest collection of supporting actors on TV: Rob Lowe‘s Chris (“lit-trally”), Chris Pratt‘s Andy, Aziz Ansari‘s Tom, Aubrey Plaza‘s April and, of course, Nick Offerman‘s Ron Swanson.
Bonus features: Deleted scenes, extended scenes, alternate scenes, webisodes, gag reel and The Swanson Zone, a series of mini features on Offerman and his scene-stealing Ron.

Boardwalk Empire: The Complete Second Season (HBO Home Entertainment)
If you’re following the show, you probably already know about Jimmy, even if you haven’t actually seen the episode yet. But the who/what/how/why/when backstory of how he got there — along with the continuing Emmy-worthy performance of star Steve Buscemi — is the reason to catch up with season two, so you can jump in on season three, which is already in progress.
Bonus features: Audio commentaries, promos, recaps and featurettes on the show’s new characters and changes to the season two landscape.

Grimm: Season One (Universal Home Entertainment)
Season two debuted in August, but it’s not too late to catch up with this drama about homicide detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli), who finds out he is a Grimm, a group of people who keep others safe from supernatural creatures.
Bonus features: Gag reel, audition tapes, highlight reel and multiple featurettes.

Grey’s Anatomy: The Complete Eighth Season (Buena Vista Home Entertainment)
A plane crashed, someone died and not all of the survivors are doing so well themselves. And that’s where season nine begins on Sept. 27 on ABC.
Bonus features: Deleted scenes, outtakes, an extended episode and a trip to Scotland with star Kevin McKidd.

The Walking Dead: The Complete Second Season (Anchor Bay Home Entertainment)
Shane … oh, Shane. The zombie drama that even non-zombie fans love just got better in season two, with fresh gruesome-ness (poor well-dwelling dude), fresh friction among the survivors and at least two shocking deaths. Catch up for season three, which premieres on AMC on Oct. 14 and promises to unfold the stories of the Governor, Michonne and life at the prison for Rick and company.
Bonus features: Audio commentary, deleted scenes and more than 10 featurettes.

• No Comments
• Filed in Boardwalk Empire, Dexter, Fall 2012-13 TV season, Review - DVD, The Office, TV on DVD, Walking Dead

HOORAY! We have our winners:

Caitlin and Ethan! Congrats, and thanks for entering. Your awesome prizes will be on their way to your mailbox shortly. Enjoy, and thanks again for checking us out at TV Screener.com!

And everyone, stay tuned to TVScreener.com … we’ve got lots more TV goodies coming your way!

The season five premiere is just a couple of weeks away, and TVScreener.com is thrilled that our friends at Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment have given us two copies of the Sons of Anarchy season four DVD box set to give away to readers who want to get up to speed with the show before season five action begins!

The box set is loaded with all 14 season four episodes, as well as bonus goodies like deleted scenes, extended scenes, commentary from series creator Kurt Sutter, director Peter Weller and stars Katey Sagal and Maggie Siff and a gag reel (which is always extra funny coming from an intense drama like SoA).

From Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment:

TV’s Affair with Drug Trafficking: Featuring Sons of Anarchy Season 4

Debuting on Blu-ray and DVD Aug. 28

In Sons of Anarchy’s fourth season, the SAMCRO gang gets involved in a dangerous and ruthless Mexican drug cartel led by Romeo Parada, played by Machete star Danny Trejo. This isn’t the first popular television show that has gotten mixed up in the underground world of drug trafficking, so here, we’ll take a look at fan favorite TV shows that fight cartels and work to get the perfect product.

Sons of Anarchy
Ride full-throttle with the Sons of Anarchy into the most intense, adrenaline-charged season ever! Out of prison and back in business, SAMCRO faces a powerful new nemesis as they forge an unlikely alliance and head in a dangerous new direction. As a deadly internal power struggle rocks the club to its very core, Jax struggles with the legacy of his father and makes plans for the future of his family amid chaos, corruption, betrayal, and murder. Action-packed with electrifying extended episodes, Sons of Anarchy Season Four will take you for the ride of your life!

Breaking Bad
Walter White (Brian Cranston) learns he has cancer he panics and decides he needs to find a way to save money for his family. Taking his chemistry knowledge, he partners with an ex-student/drug dealer Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) to create the most perfect form of crystal meth ever sold on the streets. But soon, the cartel is after the duo and they are in way over their heads.

Weeds
Mary-Louise Parker stars in this dark comedy as Nancy Botwin, a widowed suburban mom who turns to marijuana as a means for money to support her two sons. Throughout the series she becomes involved with the DEA and also international drug cartels, all to support her family.

The Wire
The HBO drama set in Baltimore takes each season and focuses on a different facet of the city, including illegal drug trade.  The many faces of character actors include a cop, a longshoreman, a drug dealer, a politician, a judge and a lawyer whose lives are all in peril.

True Blood
Following the complicated life of Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) and her on-again off-again love triangle with vampires Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) and Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard), True Blood takes a closer look at the fictional town of Bon Temps and the dangerous events that continue to unfurl. These side stories include Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) as a drug dealer of V – vampire blood – a substance that acts as a controlled substance for humans.

Now, for your chance of winning a copy of Sons of Anarchy season four on DVD, simply tell us who your favorite Sons character is.

Remember:
- Leave a comment on this post, with the name of your favorite Sons of Anarchy character, and an e-mail address where you can be reached. For this giveaway, U.S. and Canadian entries only, please
- Deadline to enter is September 11 at 11PM ET (according to recorded comment time)
- The winner will be chosen by random, using Random.org’s Random Number Generator
- The winner will be announced on the evening of September 11, as an update to this post

Good luck, Sons of Anarchy fans!

• 2 Comments
• Filed in Sons of Anarchy, TV on DVD, WIN THIS!
• Tags: DVD, Giveaway, Sons of Anarchy

After last season’s finale — the Gus head and the flower pot reveal — how could the Breaking Bad season five opener (Sunday, AMC, 10PM ET) possibly live up to the expectations fans have for the final season of one of the best (the best, I’d argue) TV dramas of all time?

Yet, the first two episodes rate a five out of five stars, two thumbs up, 10 on a scale of one to 10 … by whatever rating system you use, the season premiere is flawless, picking up where season four left off and offering a hint into what I think is going to be Walter White’s downfall.

In short: his ego. Walt (Bryan Cranston) was feeling super badass after pulling off his Gus plot, but he’s not satisfied with being able to tell wife Skyler (Anna Gunn) that he won. Nor is he going to be satisfied with the fact that he did win. Without any major spoilers, there’s a moment in the season five premiere — the episode’s called “Live Free or Die” — where Walt Jr. (RJ Mitte) tells his dad that Hank (Dean Norris) is going to be hailed as a hero for being the only person to have been onto Gus’ real activities.

Walt’s reaction is priceless, and so telling. He bristles ever so slightly at the thought of Hank as a hero, or more specifically at the fact that Walt Jr. sees his uncle as one, and it’s not because Walt knows Hank’s ongoing investigation of Gus threatens to expose Walt’s own misdeeds.

It’s because Walt wants his son to know what a tough guy he is (or thinks he is). And more than wanting his son to know how tough he is, the things he’s gotten away with and the people who fear him, Walt wants Hank to know.

Hank, who’s been vulnerable and insecure himself since his shooting, spent years poking fun at Walt and his meek high school chemistry teacher persona. And now that Walt’s Mr. Chips-to-Scarface transformation — as Cranston and BB creator Vince Gilligan frequently refer to Walt’s journey — is near completion, Walt wants Hank to know he’s no longer the schlubby teacher.

Despite what it would mean if Hank (DEA officer Hank) found out, Walt is dying for him to know what he’s done, what he’s doing and who he’s doing it to/for/with/against.

And that, I’m guessing, is going to ultimately be the specific cause of Walt’s downfall (and no spoiler there, because Cranston and Gilligan have often said Walt is not going to get away with his bad works).

Speaking of … if you still had any smidgen of sympathy left for Walt after his plot with the ricin and kiddie Brock, a scene in the season premiere between an ever more manipulative Walt and a still too trusting Jesse (Aaron Paul) should take care of that.

There are a couple of little surprises in the first two episodes of the new season (“Live Free or Die” and “Madrigal” are the eps AMC provided for review), and a couple of much-welcome moments of levity (two words: truck and magnet), but the most chilling scene is the one in which Walt utters the words “I forgive you.”

Because he doesn’t, and the person he says it to is very aware of what that could mean.

And if that isn’t enough to get you jazzed for the new season, check out these Breaking Bad goodies:

– The Hollywood Reporter‘s cover story on BB, with tidbits like the network that rudely rejected the show and the actors AMC initially wanted to cast as Walter White (John Cusack?!?!).

– Though he’s gone (and how), Gus Fring (Emmy-deserving Giancarlo Esposito) will certainly not be forgotten, and he continues to play a big role in BB events. In honor of his exit, AMC has a fun little “Go Fring Yourself” game, in which you put your head on Gus’ body and, well, a few “ding ding dings” later, you’re, ahem, facing off with Tio (RIP).

– The New York Daily News has an interview with the underrated Dean Norris, who plays Walt’s brother-in-law Hank. Norris, a Harvard grad, says playing the moral character isn’t as fun as playing the bad guy, and is often overlooked come Emmy time, but he’s giving a standout performance in a cast where there isn’t a bad performance.

– Dish subscribers who are freaking out about being AMC-less for Sunday night’s premiere can sign up to watch the episode live at AMCTV.com.

– You will love Aaron Paul even more than you already do after reading GQ‘s interview with him.

– Bryan Cranston picks his 13 favorite Breaking Bad moments at The Daily Beast.com.

– The 27 best Breaking Bad memes (numbers 16 and 19 crack me up).

– 25 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Breaking Bad from Buzzfeed.com.

– Aaron Paul in a Corn Pops commercial.

– A Breaking Bad A to Z feature I wrote for AOL before season 4 (so yes, it’s in serious need of an update, but still fun).

• No Comments
• Filed in Breaking Bad
• Tags: Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad, Breaking Bad Dish subscribers, Breaking Bad season 5, Bryan Cranston, Dean Norris, Giancarlo Esposito, Gus Fring, Walt White