Christmas Gift Guide

Well, the holidays are almost here, and there’s always those one or two people who you just don’t know what to get. Well, have no fear, we’re back with our annual last-minute gift guide, to help you give the latest and greatest DVD and Blu-ray gifts that will be on everybody’s wish lists this year!

For the Die Hard Cinema Fanatic:

2001: A Space Odyssey (4K Ultra HD) – Ok, I’ll admit, I’d never seen 2001 before. It’s one of this movies I’ve always wanted to see and just never quite got around to. Now, with the film’s 50th anniversary upon us, Warner Brothers has re-released the film in newly restored and remastered 4K Ultra HD, and I finally get my chance to watch it. And I’ll say this: most of the film is brilliant. I’ve never been a huge Kubrick fan, but his work on this movie is stunning, especially from a visual perspective. But I’d be lying if I said the ending didn’t somewhat ruin the film for me. It’s such a fascinating movie up until the end, and then you just end up scratching your head, which is a huge disappointment. Still, overall I loved the film, and the fact that it looks as amazing as it does 50 years later is truly remarkable. The 4K Ultra HD restoration is astounding. Usually, older films only get a minor boost from the premium HD format but this film looks simply incredible. Image clarity is insanely detailed, black levels are deep and inky, and colors are vibrant and lifelike. The surround soundtrack has minimal sound to work with, but it represents well. This is an amazing presentation, hands down.

For the Die Hard “Die Hard” Fanatic:

Die Hard: Holiday Edition – This 30th Anniversary Edition of the greatest action film ever made comes with a new Ugly-Christmas-Sweater-Themed slipcover, plus it has the movie not only on Blu-ray but also a digital copy. It’s an inexpensive release, making it the perfect stocking stuffer or gift for the action film lover in your life.

Of course, Die Hard isn’t a Christmas movie, despite what the internet would tell you, but neither is just about any other title in this gift guide, so that’s okay. Who doesn’t love Die Hard?!?

For the YA Reader in Your Life:

The Maze Runner Trilogy Gift Set – I’ve really enjoyed this franchise, and each film matched the quality of the one before it. If you haven’t seen these films, track down this whole trilogy collection right now. It’s a fun, exciting, action-packed series and the finale is big, emotional, and looks great. The young cast is terrific and the special effects are top notch, and the films pack some real heft to them. I’m glad The Maze Runner films did well enough to complete the trilogy, but I wish they’d been the bigger hits that they deserved to be. This top notch collection included all three films on Blu-ray and digital, and it includes a cool maze-themed bandanna and a comic book. Very cool!

For Your Uncle Who May Or May Not Be in the Mob:

The Shield: The Complete Series – This gorgeous new box set from Mill Creek sees the home video company breaking out of their budget-release strategy. This new premium collection contains all 88 episodes on Blu-ray for the first time in one set, and it also comes loaded with extra features. But here’s the best part for fans: not only does it include all the original extra features from the previously released DVD season sets (such as commentaries, featurettes, deleted scenes, and more) it also comes with a whole host of new extra features produced this year, such as a cast and crew reunion, a retrospective documentary, a technological look at how the series was restored for Blu-ray, and more. Mill Creek has been specializing mostly in low-cost re-releases of cult and popular TV shows and movies, and with this set, they’ve moved up a notch into producing some really great collections that fans will be salivating over.

For the Kids (or My Sister-in-Law, Who Loves This Movie):

Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Ultimate Edition – It’s hard to find ways to repackage a 26-minute cartoon. Or so you would think. When it comes to the beloved Grinch, however, there’s never a shortage of new ways to package it, especially since there’s a CGI theatrical release on the horizon. This new version of the classic cartoon version of the Grinch features the original special, plus two other Grinch animated specials: The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat and Halloween is Grinch Night. On top of that, you get a digital copy and some niceextra features. So all in all, it’s a pretty good package, especially since you get those other two rarely-seen specials.

For the BatFan in Your Life:

Batman: The Complete Animated Series – This one is actually on MY Christmas list! This deluxe box set is one of the greatest things to hit home video ever. It includes ten disc that feature every single episode of the Batman Animated Series, all of the Animated Series movies, plus a ton of extra features. Now, keep in mind that Batman: The Animated Series is one of the greatest TV shows of all time, and having every single episode in one place (along with all the movies) is a true gift. Add to that the fact that Warner Brothers has done significant restoration to the episodes, and I can tell you that they look better than ever. This isn’t just your standard DVD-to-Blu-ray upgrade, either; they did massive work to remaster the entire series and it looks amazing. I love this box set so much!

For Anyone Who Loves to Laugh:

Robin Williams: Comic Genius – Speaking of amazing box sets, this new Robin Williams box set celebrates the comic’s genius (it’s even right there in the title.) Rather than being a collection of his movies, this set focuses on what made him famous in the first place: his stand up comedy. In the box set, you get 22 discs loaded with classic Williams performances. The highlight is all five of his HBO comedy specials as well as two other live stand-up specials. Then you get a ton of interviews and guest appearances by Williams, a feature-length documentary on him, and a ton of other archival comedy bits. Top that all off with a color book and a some beautiful packaging, and the end result is one of the best collections I’ve ever seen dedicated to a single performer. Top notch stuff, truly.

For Anyone Who Loves to Laugh But Has a Slightly Twisted Sense of Humor:

Community: The Complete Series – Dan Harmon’s incredibly popular (or is it cult popular) series has been released on home video before, but this collection marks the first time the entire series has been collected in one place on Blu-ray. And if there’s ever been a series that needed to be collected din one place, it’s Community. Rarely have I ever seen a show that benefits from binge-watching like this one does. The number of details from previous episodes that make callbacks in future episodes is staggering. I’m sure there’s a ton that you’ll only spot on repeat viewings. Luckily, that’s now easier than ever with this terrific box set from Mill Creek.

For the First Responder in Your Life:

Rescue Me: The Complete Series – Also from Mill Creek this season we have a box set collecting all seven seasons of Denis Leary’s terrific fireman drama, Rescue Me. And again, this marks the first time the entire show has been collected in one place on Blu-ray. I always loved this show; one because I’m a huge Denis Leary fan; and two, because it was always the perfect blend of hard-hitting drama and laugh-out-loud comedic moments. The show is ultimately a drama, but you’ll never feel overwhelmed thanks to all the comedy that filters in. This one is highly recommended!

For Your Aunt Who May or May Not be a Real Witch:

Charmed: The Complete First Season – With a new Charmed series on the TV, it seems the perfect time to revisit the original series that started it all. Paramount/CBS had already released all of the seasons of that long-running show before this, but never on Blu-ray. Now, the first season is available on Blu-ray for the first time, and I imagine if it sells well we’ll see more seasons in the future. The picture quality gets a nice upgrade on Blu-ray, and fans should be happy to have the show on a better format.

For Your Friend Who Insists Anime is Better Than American Animation:

My Neighbor Totoro: Limited Edition – I’ve documented plenty of times before how I’m not a huge fan of Studio Ghibli films, so I don’t really need to go into it again here. I will say that I find My neighbor Totoro to be one of the better entries from their output, so that’s a plus. Now, just in time for the holidays, we have a new Limited Edition Gift Set version of My Neighbor Totoro, which is perfect for fans of the film. It includes the movie on Blu-ray with all the extra features from the previous release, but it comes in bigger-than-the-standard-case package that includes a collectible book and a copy of the film’s soundtrack on CD. It’s not something I personally am excited about, but fans of Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli will really enjoy this one.

For Your Friend With Impeccable Taste in Films:

12 Monkeys – Not only my favorite Terry Gilliam film (although that’s an admittedly a pretty low bar), but one of my favorite films of all time, 12 Monkeys gets a deluxe Criterion-esque new edition on Blu-ray thanks to Arrow Video, who has really come on strong in the past couple of years with some terrific catalogue releases. Not only has the film been restored and remastered, but it also includes a TON of extra features, including a feature-length documentary, an audio commentary, a full-color booklet, and much more. 12 Monkeys is one of the greatest time travel movies ever, and for years we’ve had the standard Universal Studios Blu-ray, but this new Special Edition use the one every fan should have.

For Your Grown Up Friend Who Likes Pokemon:

Digimon Adventure Tri: 6-Film Collection – The Digimon Tri movie series has been dutifully released on home video two or three times a year for the past couple of years. Now, I’m not terribly into Digimon; If you had asked me any time in the last 20 years, I would have told you that Digimon probably died out back in the 90s in the wake of the original Pokemon/Dragonball Z craze. Turns out that, Like both Dragonball and Pokemon, it’s still going strong. This latest release is a collection of all six films in the series, which are surprisingly in-depth, complex movies. These aren’t just little kids’ films anymore; they have real characters and storylines and some pretty incredible animation. In this set you get all six films plus bonus features in one nice, slim collection.

For Your Friend Who’s a Huge X-Files Fan:

The Night Stalker & The Night Strangler – I was super excited to finally get to see these two classic TV movies from the ‘70s, and I was even more excited to discover just how good they are. A direct inspiration for The X-Files(Cris Carter famously quotes the Kolchak movies as major sources of inspiration for the show), I’d been familiar with them for years but had never actually gotten around to watching them. So I sat down for a double feature, and entered the world of Carl Kolchak, lone wolf reporter who tracks down vampires and immortal men when nobody else believes him. In fact, the second film, The Night Strangler, is the source of the story for two of The X-Files most popular episodes, Squeeze and Tooms. Darren McGavin is terrific as Kolchak, and these films hold up so well, it’s extremely impressive. These two new Blu-ray releases of the films from Kino Lorber include new extra features and essay booklets, all under slipcovers with terrific new artwork on them. HGHLY RECOMMENDED!

For Your Friend Who Loves The ’80s:

Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey & Streets of Fire: Steelbook Collector’s Editions – Shout Factory has released new Steelbook Limited Edition releases of two beloved cult classic films. The first one is Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, which has always been my favorite of the two and a film I just really, really love. The second film is Streets of Fire, which is one of those movies that was a staple of the video stores I would frequent as a child. Of course, since it’s directed by Walter Hill (The Warriors, 48 Hours), who’s become one of my favorite directors over the years, this rock n roll epic action film is an incredible amount of fun. While Michael Pare doesn’t light the screen up with his charisma, seeing performances by a very young Diane Lane, Willem Dafoe, and Bill Paxton is a lot of fun. Both films come in gorgeous steelbook cases with all-new cover art and both come with a bevy of extra features (all previously released.) Each one is limited to 10,000 copies, so get em before they’re gone!

For Anyone, Because It’s One of the Best Movies of All Time!:

The Princess Bride – While there have been approximately 272 previous versions of The Princess Bride on home video, the fact that it is now officially part of the Criterion Collection is a nice badge of honor. The film is presented in a nice hardcover book package and it features the usual sound and picture quality we’ve come the expect from Criterion, as well as a ton of extra features, but to be honest, most all of it has been available before. I was a little surprised that Criterion didn’t really add much new to this release, which is sort of their hallmark. Still, it’s the best, most complete version yet of one of the greatest films of all time, so it’s hard to complain!

For Your Friend Who Loves Zombies But Only Watches The Walking Dead:

Zombie – Blue Underground releases a new Collector’s Edition of the most famous zombie movie you’ve never heard of: Lucio Fulci’s Zombie. Okay, admittedly, die-hard horror and zombie enthusiasts have surely heard of this film, but the casual Walking Dead/Night of the Living Dead viewers probably haven’t. The film is extremely popular, released in Europe as a sort of pseudo-sequel to Dawn of the Dead. What it’s most famous for, though, is an eyeball scene which is both terrifying and hilarious. This new edition comes as a three-disc set, loaded with extra features (two commentaries, eight making-of featurettes, even an intro from Guillermo del Toro) and a lenticular 3D cover, PLUS a soundtrack CD with a bonus track! This is the real deal for Zombie fans!

For the Boston Red Sox Fan in Your Life:

The 2018 World Series & 2018 World Series Collector’s Edition: Boston Red Sox – Are you a Boston Red Sox fan? Then you’ll definitely want to pick up one or both of these 2018 World Series releases. There are two versions of this available: one for the casual fan, and one for the die-hard fan. 2018 World Series Champions: Boston Red Sox is a one-disc highlights film which gives you the movie-length version of the Red Sox journey back to the championship. Then there’s also Boston Red Sox: 2018 World Series Collector’s Edition, which is an eight-disc box set includes every single game of the World Series in its entirety. There’s also an entire bonus disc filled with goodies from extra interviews to audio clips and much more. Either one of these is a must-have for die-hard fans!

For Grandma or Grandpa:

Golden History of Hollywood – This box set includes three separate non-fiction releases focusing on classic Hollywood. The first one is Hollywood’s 50 Greatest Screen Legends, a really cool collection of short biographies (about 25 minutes apiece) about all of classic Hollywood’s most notable luminaries. Humphrey Bogart, Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Cary Grant, James Cagney, Ava Gardner, Rita Hayworth, Betty Grable, James Stewart… you name it, they’re in here. As a huge fan of classic Hollywood, I really enjoyed diving into this set. Then you get Hollywood’s Best & Brightest, a collection of 30 short biographical programs featuring a veritable who’s who of some of the biggest legends and superstars in Hollywood. Each program gives an overview of the highlights of big, big Hollywood stars like Warren Beatty, Sean Connery, Robert De Niro, Clint Eastwood, Mel Gibson, Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino, Robert Redford, Burt Reynolds, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, John Travolta, Julie Andrews, Kim Basinger, Faye Dunaway, Jane Fonda, Jodie Foster, Goldie Hawn, Angela Lansbury, Shirley MacLaine, Barbra Streisand, Kathleen Turner and Raquel Welch, among others. Finally, And The Award Goes To… focuses on the Oscars, largely the 1972-2002 years, which makes the set feel a little limited. Honestly, this is the weakest entry of the three, but for the low price of the box set, it’s hard to complain.

For the Kids (But Secretly For You, Too!):

Elf: Buddy’s Sing & Cheer Along Edition – Warner Brothers will never run out of ways to revisit the hit Christmas movie starring Will Ferrell, and I’m mostly okay with that. At this point, Elf is a holiday tradition in our house, and nothing will change that. But it’s nice to get something new in the world of Buddy and his friends, even if it’s just a sing-along version of the film. (there’s also some animated “quote-along” moments, trivia bits, and more.) My biggest gripe is that the studio chose to release this only on DVD, which I’ll basically never watch a DVD on if a Blu-ray is available. Still, Elf is always worth watching because it’s the best, even in standard definition!

For Your Friend Who Loves Low-Budget Creature Features:

The Critters Collection – The Critters movies are the epitome of horror/creature flicks from the ‘80s: cheesy, low-budget, fun movies that offer a series of diminishing returns. In these flicks, the critters — little fur ball alien monsters that eat everything in sight — go up against humans (and alien hunters) and mayhem ensues. They’re not great movies, but they’re a lot of fun if you grew up in the 80s, and they have pretty good casts. A pre-fame Leonardo DiCaprio headlines Critters 3, while the other films include familiar faces such as Brad Dourif, Angela Bassett, Scott Grimes, Dee Wallace, and Billy Zane, among others. This box set from Scream Factory includes all four films on four Blu-rays, and each comes with a litany of extra features as well. This is a great collections for fans of the franchise or cheesy ‘80s flicks in general.

For The Home Theater Aficionado In Your Life:

Superman: The Movie (4K Ultra HD) – The original Richard Donner classic from the ‘70s has no shortage of home video releases to date, but this newest one marks the debut of the film in the 4K Ultra HD format. Superman remains one of the best films in the franchise, which now numbers eight films if you count the Man of Steel/Justice League era. But how does a 40 year-old-film look in the premium HD format? Well… it looks pretty okay. I mean, the film looks good, it’s certainly not like the presentation here is worse than Blu-ray, DVD, or VHS. But I’ve found with 4K the upgrades you get from the new format tend to lessen with the age of the film. A film four decades old benefits from slightly brighter colors and more solid black levels than we’ve seen previously, but it’s not exactly a visual revolution. Still, this release includes a Blu-ray and a digital copy of the film as well, so it’s a nice way to upgrade a classic superhero movie.

For the Conspiracy Theorist in Your Life:

The Matrix Trilogy (4K Ultra HD) – Okay, I’ll skip going into too much detail about the films themselves here. I mean, I think we can all agree that The Matrix is a groundbreaking sci-fi/action film that is incredibly beloved by many movie fans (myself included) and that the sequels are… less good. Now, however, the trilogy has been released in the premium 4K Ultra HD format in a trilogy box set, and the results are… outstanding! The films may be twenty years old, but they were made with the utmost in technology at the time, and it’s reflected here. The movies look and sound better than ever (and I’ve watched them on every format imaginable!) In addition, all three films come with all of their original extra features, which means you get hours and hours of bonus features. The only major disappointment for me is that The Animatrix film isn’t included like it was on a Blu-ray box set of the films that came out several years ago.) You do get digital copies of the films, which is mice for those of us who have owned them on Blu-ray since before digital copies were a thing. So if you’re a fan of this trilogy (and who isn’t?), then this is simply a must-have.

For Your Tween Sister or Soccer Mom:

Twilight (4K Ultra HD) and The Twilight Saga: 10th Anniversary – Speaking of anniversaries, it’s been ten years since the first Twilight movie came out, so now we get new editions of all five films. Well, sort of. Twilight itself has been released on 4K Ultra HD with some new special features that includes a ten-year retrospective documentary. The remaining four films have been rereleased on Blu-ray, but really what you’re getting there is new slipcovers and over art. Admittedly, they do look really sharp, and they include digital copies, so if you only own the original releases, this might be a good time to upgrade. The 4K Ultra HD presentation is similar to a lot of other catalogue titles: you get a slight upgrade in terms of visual quality. In this case, what works best is that the darker scenes are a little more visible, which is nice, and image clarity is improved. There’s not much difference in the surround soundtracks to my ear. Still, for fans of the franchise, these are nice releases.

For the other Anime Snob in Your Life:

Osamu Tezuka’s Metropolis – I’m not always a big fan of anime films, although there are some I enjoy. Metropolis is one of them, although it’s no surprise when you look at the talent involved: it’s based on a comic book by Osamu Tezuka (creator of Astroboy), written by anime legend Katsuhiro Otomo (creator of Akira) and directed by Rintaro (director of Galaxy Express 999). It’s hard to go wrong there. While the film has been available on home video before, this new Blu-ray edition comes in a gorgeous steenbok package and includes lots of extra features. A terrific package for fans of the film of anime in general.

For Your Dad Who Likes to Laugh:

The Best of the Three Stooges: Volumes 1-3 – Okay, admittedly, I’ve never been the biggest fan of The Three Stooges, but that’s not really germain to the point here. What is the point is that if you’re a Three Stooges fan, than you need this DVD set. Created by Time Life and exclusively available at threestoogesdvds.com, this set gives you three volumes of comedy, which includes 13 discs, with 45 Hours of material. This means you get all of the Columbia Pictures Shorts made between 1934 and 1945 (and these are probably some of my favorite Three Stooges bits, because they’re short and funny), four feature films (The Three Stooges — the 2000 biopic; Have Rocket, Will Travel; The Outlaws Is Coming; and Rockin’ in the Rockies, plus a bunch of cartoons, a documentary series called Hey Moe! Hey Dad!, some physical goodies, and more. It’s a pretty comprehensive look at the comedy legends, and it will keep you entertained for hours and hours.

For Your Family Member Who Only Watches PBS and British Mystery Shows:

Murdoch Mysteries: The Christmas Cases – This limited edition release features three feature-length mysteries from the extremely popular mystery show: A Merry Murdoch Christmas, Once Upon a Murdoch Christmas, and Home for the Holidays. The three-disc set is packaged in a box resembling a Christmas gift and comes with a collectible Christmas card for a limited time. Each of these movies has been available on DVD before, but this is a nice set that might make a great gift for that friend you’ve been trying to get to watch the show!

>For The “Dude” In Your Life (You Know Who They Are):

The Big Lebowski: 20th Anniversary Edition – I’ll be honest, I’ve never liked this movie. I like it even less considering all the fan-love it gets; people absolutely WORSHIP this film, and I can barely tolerate it. But, this new 20th Anniversary Edition isn’t for people like me; it’s for those die-hard fans who I just don’t understand, and it’s been released on 4K Ultra HD as well as Blu-ray. This new version includes all of the previously released extras plus a digital copy, and it’s also available in a limited edition package that comes in a bowling bag package. The 4K Ultra HD version offers up some improvements on video quality, but this is a 20-year-old movie and it’s not like you’re getting a complete overhaul, Colors are a little more vivid and imagery is a little more clear, but that’s about it. If you’re a fan, it’s probably still worth the upgrade, but I wouldn’t say you have to go out of your way for it.

For Your Best Friend in High School:

Saved By The Bell: The Complete Collection – The extremely popular ’90s sitcom has been collected into a box set collection before, but this one goes above and beyond that. You see, mot only does it include the entire Saved by the Bell series, it also includes the original series that SBTB spun out of, Good Morning Miss Bliss, as well as the entire run of Saved by the Bell: The College Years. Add to that the SBTB TV movies and this really is The COMPLETE Collection for SBTB fans. Oh yeah, and it also has a ton of extra features, including two new documentaries and a 16-page booklet. I grew up watching Saved by the Bell, and even though it’s aged rather badly, it’s still a lot of fun to go back and revisit Zack, Screech, Kelly, and the whole gang. Going back and watching this show again has been a lot of fun.

For Your Friend Who ALWAYS Celebrates “National Talk Like A Pirate Day”:

Black Sails: The Complete Collection – Starz’s hit pirate series makes its final appearance (for now) on home video, and ultimately I’m okay with that. With Michael Bay producing, the production values on this show are amazing, but I could never get all that into it despite a terrific cast. Starz was clearly trying to create a Game-of-Thrones-with-pirates show, but I think they never quite pulled it off. The cast is strong and the action sequences are outstanding, but I could just never get engaged. If you like the show, this is a must-have for your collection so you can have the complete series (with a boatload of extra features) in one nice package, but for me, I won’t really miss Black Sails.

For Your Mother-In-Law:

Wrapped In Christmas/Snowed-Inn Christmas and A Very Merry Toy Store/Four Christmases and a Wedding – These two DVD double features bring us two Lifetime Christmas movies each. Now, it’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movies, so I was excited to sit down and devour these four films. Yes, I’m being serious, not ironic, and no, I don’t care if you judge me for that. Fans of these movies know exactly what they’re getting and how much fun they are. These two sets feature performances by well-loved stars such as Bethany Joy Lenz, Brendan Fehr, Tatyana Ali, Kim Fields, Jasmine Guy, Melissa Joan Hart, Mario Lopez, Markie Post, and many other familiar faces. Yay!

For The Die-Hard Mystery Fan in Your Life:

Vera: Sets 1-7 Collection – Vera is a terrific series of cop/mystery dramas starring the excellent Brenda Blethyn in the lead role. While the show doesn’t really offer up anything new (gruff but effective police detective solves crimes), it does benefit from Blethyn’s performance and the show having a strong sense of identity. Inspired by Ann Cleeves’s bestselling mysteries, Vera is set in the Northumberland of the original books. It gives the show a different feel from a lot of the more urban set BBC dramas, and there is a consistent mood and tone throughout the series that is very refreshing to see. And it showcases the characteristics of a lot of the best qualities of similar shows: great acting, strong scripts, and compelling mysteries, and that adds up to some quality mystery television viewing. This chunky box set includes the entire series, all seven seasons worth, in a nicely decorated package that includes all of the original extra features.

For Your Sister or Brother That You Grew Up Watching TV With:

Fraggle Rock: The Complete Series – I’ll be honest, I was never a Fraggle Rock fan. Not because I didn’t like it, but because I could never watch it. As I recall, Fraggle Rock aired originally on HBO or one of the pay channels that we didn’t have, so I never saw it as a kid. Revisiting as an adult without the sheen of nostalgia doesn’t really work, so I’m at best a casual observer of the show. That said, I can appreciate the high quality of the show’s debut on Blu-ray. This beautifully-packaged box set includes the entire series in high def for ht first time, and it also includes a metric ton of special features (including several ones that are new and exclusive to this release) as well as a full-color retrospective book. It’s the real deal for fans, the best packaging of the show so far. If you love singing muppets that aren’t Kermit and Fozzie, this is a must have set for you.

>For A Girl Who Needs a New Show to Binge Watch:

Soul Food: The Complete Series – It may never have been a juggernaut ratings hit, but Soul Food ran for five seasons, which is certainly respectable. The prime reason for that longevity, in my opinion, is the terrific cast, which includes Nicole Ari Parker, Vanessa A. Williams, Malinda Williams, Rockmond Dunbar, and Boris Kodjoe. Over the course of 74 episodes (all included in this chunky box set), we watch three sisters as they navigate kife;s trials and tribulations, often resulting in laughs, and just as often ending in tears. It’s not a show I’ve ever gone out of my way to watch, but I can appreciate it, and this box set is a nice one to have for fans of the show.