Product Description

SCTV’s incredible 5th season (yes, that’s Volume 4) finds the show renewed on NBC and still in the 90-minute format. Three cast members have departed, Dave Thomas, Rick Moranis and Catherine O'Hara—although Catherine makes a memorable return in "The Christmas Show," but Martin Short's star rose in their absence. His inimitable character Ed Grimley finds his way into many of the sketches. The Shmenges are back and John Candy introduces Mr. Mambo.

The Volume 4 box set features four Emmy-nominated shows ("Towering Inferno," "Christmas Special," "Midnight Cowboy" and "Sweeps Week"), plus Robin Williams as a guest in the "Jane Eyrehead" episode; it also includes musical guests John Mellencamp, Joe Walsh, and Crystal Gayle.

Includes an extra DVD with 3 extra episodes—12 episodes total— 33% more content at the same price as the first 3 volumes! Also includes a collectible set of character trading cards.

Program Listing: DISC 1 EPISODE# 106 Sammy Maudlin 23rd Anniversary / CBC EPISODE# 107 Indecent Exposure with John Cougar, Harold Ramis and Fred Willard EXTRAS: Hinterland Who’s Who Goin’ Down The Road

DISC 2 EPISODE# 108 Melonvote with Linda Hopkins EPISODE# 109 Jane Eyrehead with Robin Williams and America EXTRA: SCTV At Play

DISC 3 EPISODE# 110 Towering Inferno with Banda Brava EPISODE# 111 Christmas with Catherine O’Hara and Andrae Crouch EXTRA: SCTV Remembers - Part 4

DISC 4 EPISODE# 112 A Star Is Born with Crystal Gayle EPISODE# 113 SCTV Classifieds / Vic Arpeggio EXTRA: Sammy Maudlin at Second City

DISC 5 EPISODE# 114 Bobby Bittman’s Retirement with Ben Vereen EPISODE# 115 Sweeps Week EXTRA: SCTV - The Producers Part 2

DISC 6 EPISODE# 116 South Sea Sinner with Betty Thomas EPISODE# 117 Midnight Cowboy II with Joe Walsh EXTRA: The Red Fisher Show

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15161 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-09-13
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Box set, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 6
• Running time: 840 minutes

Customer Reviews

SCTV At Its Best
I bought this set with low expectations, as Catherine O'Hara, Dave Thomas, and Rick Moranis had left the cast, replaced by the seemingly annoying Martin Short.

After I popped this into the DVD player, however, I was more than pleasantly surprised. Although I do lament the loss of three great castmembers, the writing on this cycle of SCTV is noticably sharper than the previous volumes. "Melonvote" is one of the greatest single epsiodes of sketch comedy that I've come across. SCTV had always been absurd, but cycle 4 does such a great job seamlessly integrating the weirdness, that it's definitely a cut above the past.

I was also greatly surprised by Martin Short. Knowing him pretty much from things like "Captain Ron" and "Jimmy Glick," I was prepared to be underwhelmed. Under the umbrella of SCTV, however, he really does stand out and show strong acting chops. Even Ed Grimely, whom I absolutely hated on SNL, is hysterical here.

If you are deferring from purchasing this set as I did, I would strongly suggest going ahead and givng it a viewing. This is a prime example of the detailed and maniacal satire that SCTV remains a cult favorite for.

What Life Is All Aboot...
Fabulous. After so many years PRAYING for this magnificent show to be released on DVD, they finally deliver the goods.

Although many cast members were missing during this time, it's amazing how much the remaining crew re-energized with the addition of Martin Short. Not all of the material is brilliant; the "A Star Is Born" satire with Crystal Gayle kind of falls flat. But 9/10 is pretty good for a show that's over 20 years old.

This set is worth it for the 'CBC' portion of the season, which was pure genius, especially their take on "Going Down The Road", which is just as much an integral part of Canadiana as the movie it spoofs.

"She's a nuclear physicist! And she's FRENCH! FRENCH, Larry, FRENCH, do ya hear me??? She's got an accent and everything!!!"

Other stand outs include "Midnight Cowboy II", "Towering Inferno", "The Brock Linehan skits (Steve Roman, Linda Hopkins, Rusty Van Reddick,)", "Scenes From An Idiot's Marriage", "Half-Wits"... the list is endless.

Now if they'd only see fit to release the original Canadian broadcasts, we'd be in heaven.

Pretty Great Again
The third cycle of NBC shows was somewhat dragged down by Thomas & Moranis "experimenting" with some silly pieces ... here, the show becomes a bit more focused and at the same time more mature than it had been to date. It lacks some of the danger of earlier years, but gains in dry satirical quality.

Martin Short isn't my favorite cast member, he's a bit of a ham sometimes and his comedy sometimes homophobic, but he and his co-writers give us some great stuff here in places - Brad Allen's "Artisans and Their Art", Jerry Lewis in "Scenes From An Idiot's Marriage" ... priceless.

There's gut-busting hialrity - see "Halfwits" (which SNL stole their "Celebrity Jeapordy" premise from). There's inspired dry satire - see the election episode, see Bobby Bittman's retirement documented. There are a couple of plot-driven episodes that rank with the best work SCTV ever did - the Fred Willard "Indecent Exposure" saga, the "Towering Inferno" episode. There's a lot here, and it's very funny and very well-made.