DVD Corner

“Bambi II”: No classic, but hardly the disappointment some might expect given the animated classic it must follow. This direct-to-DVD feature is about Bambi’s relationship with his father, Great Prince (Patrick Stewart), who raises him in the wake of the shooting death that killed his mother, Prince’s mate. Here, father and son work through the grieving process while learning about themselves and what their own relationship means in the wake of their loss. It can be moving. The run of contemporary songs by such artists as Alison Krauss and Martina McBride mostly are not. Grade: B+

“Blue Collar TV: Season One, Vol. 2”: In spite of what its title promises, the show really isn’t about blue collar workers, a group to which it condescends, but about southern stereotypes, which it celebrates. Its stars, all working well above the minimum wage – Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, Larry the Cable Guy – guzzle beer, talk about babes and their wives, and deliver their share of backtalk, sometimes with a gun at the ready. If the show had guts, it would go behind the scenes and into its stars’ real backyards and homes, but that would just spoil the illusion, which nobody here wants to do. Grade: C-

“The Best of The Electric Company”: From 1971, a welcome blast from the past. Those who grew up with “The Electric Company,” which used sketch comedy to teach kids how to read, know the names of the company – J. Arthur Crank, Paul the Gorilla and Jennifer of the Jungle among them. Their energy is unflagging, the production, infectious. Funky hair and outfits aside, the show and its teaching techniques hold up. Features Bill Cosby, Morgan Freeman, Rita Moreno, Joan Rivers and Mel Brooks, among others, and a karaoke version of the song, “Silent E,” that’s out of sight. Grade: A

“Emergency! Season Two”: “Station 51, KMG365.” Those who recall this ’70s staple will know those words well – they were a precursor to plenty of 911 action. Set in Los Angeles, the show follows the efforts of paramedics Roy DeSoto (Kevin Tighe) and John Gage (Randolph Mantooth) as they aid the stricken. A scrambling ambulance ride pulls the rest of the story into the ER, where the smoldering Dr. Kelly Brackett (Robert Fuller) and the no-nonsense Nurse Dixie McCall (Julie London) tend to the wounded. Thirty-four years later, the show is pure corn for the hungry, just dated enough to be satisfyingly retro. Grade: B

“Golden Girls: Season Four”: One of the series’ best seasons, with appearances by Bob Hope as himself and Quentin Tarantino as an Elvis impersonator, as well as storylines that find Rose (Betty White) running for St. Olaf’s Woman of the Year and Blanche (Rue MacLanahan) literally on a blind date in the very funny “Blind Date.” The highlights keep coming, with one show in particular, the nostalgic “Valentine’s Day,” proving an excellent example of how this show effectively walked the line between comedy and drama. Grade: A-

“Grey’s Anatomy: Season One”: Maine native Patrick Dempsey stars as Derek Shepherd, a surgeon at Seattle Grace Hospital whose mop of hair could have its own show on the Style network. The focus is Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), who is in an intense relationship with Derek, and who, like him, must mine the personalities surrounding her – fellow interns Izzie (Katherine Heigl), Alex (Justin Chambers), Cristina (Sandra Oh) and George (T.R. Knight). The show has revived Dempsey’s career for good reason – it’s sharp, funny and well-written, a hospital drama that consistently and successfully goes for something beyond the cliche. The cast’s searing chemistry doesn’t hurt. Grade: B+

“The Ice Harvest”: Takes place during an ice storm, but don’t balk just yet. This black comedic thriller from Harold Ramis stars Billy Bob Thornton and John Cusack as two crooks who have embezzled $2 million from the sort of person (Randy Quaid) you never want to cross. Stuck in Wichita, Kan., on Christmas Eve during the aforementioned ice storm, they get to know the locals (echoes of “Fargo” abound) while all around them, the corners darken with those eager to get their money back. The fun, jaunty moments trump a second half that’s disappointingly flat. Rated R. Grade: B-

“The Pink Panther Collection”: Two boxed sets, the first of which features five Panther films – “The Pink Panther” (1964), “A Shot in the Dark” (1964), “The Pink Panther Strikes Again” (1976), “Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978), and “Trail of the Pink Panther” (1982) – as well as one bonus disc, which includes several well-done documentaries. The movies are a mixed bag, with the 1964 original and 1976’s “Strikes Again” proving the best of the lot. All of it is pure slapstick, with Peter Sellers iconic as Inspector Clouseau. It’s the other set, “The Pink Panther Classic Cartoons Collection,” that’s the real highlight here. It features 124 episodes of the classic Saturday morning television show, with few proving a misstep, and most redefining cool. Grades: Movies Collection: B; Cartoons Collection: A-.

“Pride & Prejudice”: This lush, romantic costume dramedy based on Jane Austen’s book can be wicked and wickedly funny, particularly given its flighty performance by the marvelous Brenda Blethyn as Mrs. Bennet and the ferocious appearance by Dame Judi Dench as Lady Catherine de Bourg. As Elizabeth, the Academy Award-nominated Keira Knightley shines as if she has been lit from within. She offers an Elizabeth who is pretty, which goes against form, but for audiences – and especially for Matthew MacFadyen’s Darcy – she remains a handful and a challenge. Rated PG. Grade: A