- Release Date: May 26, 2009
- Publisher: Paramount
- Price: $11.99 on Amazon.com (Buy It)
- Rating: Not Rated
- Run Time: 236 minutes
- Features: The first episodes of “Walker, Texas Ranger,” “NCIS,” “MacGyver,” and “Mission: Impossible”
- Genre: Drama, Compilation
“Action Packed T.V. Sets” is a sample disc made almost exclusively for people who haven’t tried any of the four shows included before but want to give them a shot before investing $20 or more for the season sets. For that specific group, the DVD is definitely worth purchasing even though I personally think the price is a little high (4 episodes for $11.99 means about $3 an episode). However, since all four shows are pretty well-known that is a very, very small target audience. If you have already sampled some or all of the shows or have no interest in any of them, there is absolutely no reason to purchase this disc.
For those of you who haven’t seen an episode of any of these shows, I will give you a quick rundown on the basic plot of each show. “Walker, Texas Ranger” is a western/crime drama starring Chuck Norris as a member of the Texas Rangers (the bureau of investigation, not the baseball team). It’s a pretty normal crime drama other than the use of martial arts and the western feel of the show.
“NCIS” is the only show still running and with the series gaining popularity every single season, I’m not shocked that the pilot is included in this collection. It’s another crime drama but the twist is that it takes place in the Navy. It features the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which is the primary law enforcement of the Navy. I’m not really a huge fan of the show (I generally prefer serialized shows over procedurals) but if you like crime dramas with a comedic touch, I’m sure you’ll like it.
My favorite show in this collection is definitely “MacGyver.” I’m not sure it’s possible to have never heard of the show but if you somehow haven’t, it stars Richard Dean Anderson as an extremely resourceful agent who uses everyday items like gum to get out of jams. It’s a very fun and original hour that most action fans should enjoy.
I also really enjoyed “Mission: Impossible,” which as you probably know spawned a successful film franchise. Like the movies, the show features a team of secret agents in the Impossible Missions Force (IMF). As their name suggests, they take on some very dangerous and occasionally even close to impossible missions.
The decision on whether to purchase this disc or not should ride on whether you are interested in sampling some or all of these shows. The DVD is a little high-priced in my opinion but I guess its better to try the four shows on a $12 sample disc rather than buying the first seasons of all four for $20+ and hoping that you wind up liking them. For that very specific target audience, this disc is recommended. For everyone else, there’s just no reason to pick this DVD up.
(for viewers who want to sample some or all of the shows in the collection only)
