There´s A TV In My Dvd Player! 

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EXTRAS: Numerous interviews, Emmy Award presentations, and in the Season 1 set, the original pilot starring Carl Reiner.

LOOK FOR: The famous Twilight Zone send-up, "It May Look Like A Walnut!," with Danny Thomas, in Season 2 set.

- John Grooms

STRANGERS WITH CANDY

WHO AND WHEN: Starring Amy Sedaris, Steven Colbert, Paul Dinello. Originally broadcast on Comedy Central January 1999 - October 2000.

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON DVD: Entire series, divided into three "seasons," released by Comedy Central Home Video.

WHAT'S SO GREAT?: Maybe the ultimate "love it or hate it" comedy series, Strangers With Candy featured Amy Sedaris as Jerri Blank, a 46-year-old former hooker/thief who gets out of jail and goes back to high school to get her degree. SWC was an outlandish parody of network after-school specials — an undeniably weird, raunchy show with a talented cast whose greatest appeal was the thorough thrashing they gave any known concept of "correctness." Jerri's teachers, principal, and family are all self-absorbed and dysfunctional, while she has about a million times more "street" experience than her classmates (her version of "Is the Pope Catholic?" is "Does a pimp carry a razor?"). About half the time, SWC has enough depth that a current of sweetness often runs under the sharp, bizarre humor.

BEST SEASON: For full-tilt Strangers With Candy weirdness, we recommend either the second or third season.

EXTRAS: Season 1 disc contains the original pilot, Season 2 has a talking heads PBS cast appearance, and Season 3 has extensive bloopers and a compilation of dance sequences. Which brings us to. . .

LOOK FOR: Most episodes' credits roll during a big dance number.

- John Grooms

ANIMATED SERIES

THE SIMPSONS

WHO AND WHEN: Starring Homer Simpson, wife Marge, son Bart, and daughters Lisa and Maggie. Broadcast on Fox 1989-present.

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON DVD: Seasons 1-5.

WHAT'S SO GREAT?: For the past 15 years — 15 years! — The Simpsons has been one of the smartest and funniest shows on TV. What other program can boast such a bevy of full, rich characters and insightful story lines that address everything from religion, politics, homosexuality, divorce, corporate greed, and a man's fondness for sugared pastries? It's also one of the few shows to portray a "real" family with all its foibles, yet consistently maintains heart and compassion.

BEST SEASON: This is like trying to select which one of your children you love the best — except harder. In the first season, the artwork is more rudimentary and the characters less defined. By season two the show started hitting its stride, especially in episodes like "Dead Putting Society," where-in one of my favorite exchanges — Marge is troubled by Homer's overzealous attempt to coach Bart in the competitive sport of miniature golf.

Marge: "Homer, I couldn't help overhearing you warp Bart's mind." Homer: (While fishing for a beer in the fridge) "And?!" Most Simpsons aficionados agree that season five is the strongest. It marked the show's 100th episode, featured a number of celebrity guests, and contains such classic episodes as "Deep Space Homer," where the Simpson patriarch becomes an astronaut.

EXTRAS: Each DVD has commentary by creator Matt Groening and various writers, directors, and producers, chock full of obscure tidbits, including the inspiration for different scenes and characters. Other extras include deleted scenes, original sketches and audio outtakes.

LOOK FOR: www.thesimpsons.com, which has all you could ever hope to know about the show.

- Sam Boykin

SOUTH PARK

WHO AND WHEN: Starring Stan, Kyle, Cartman, Kenny and Butters. Broadcast on Comedy Central 1997-Present.

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON DVD: Seasons 1-5.

WHAT'S SO GREAT?: Yes, the show's about a group of foul-mouthed 4th graders. And yes, other characters include a talking piece of excrement, a stoned towel, and a teacher named Ms. Choksondik. It's crude and offensive, skewering celebrities and anything remotely politically correct with unmerciful glee. And it's also one of the funniest shows on TV, offering smart, social commentary delivered in the most irreverent ways imaginable-which is what makes it so hilarious.

BEST SEASON: Each season contains a number of classic episodes. Right out of the gate, South Park hit a homerun with "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe," in which aliens implant a giant satellite dish in Cartman's rear. There's also "Mecha Streisand," where the boys help save the world from the horrors of Barbra Streisand. While subsequent seasons have equally memorable shows, my vote goes to season five for the show's best. There's the instant classic "Cripple Fight," during which "handi-capable" Jimmy and Timmy throw down in an all-out slugfest. Then there's the unforgettable "Scott Tenorman Must Die." In this episode, Cartman has Tenorman's parents killed, cooks them up in a big bowl of chili, feeds them to the now orphaned tyke, then laps up his tears, relishing in his "unfathomable sadness." Dark? Disturbed? You betcha. And also funny as hell.