TV Series on Blu-Ray/DVD for Christmas

Since there is only a few days before Christmas and the year is about to end, there are a few noteworthy TV series (to me at least) being released on blu-ray/dvd that might just make it to some lucky person's Christmas stocking. The first is 'The Strain' a series shown on the FX channel from Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan based on a series of novels written by them. I'm not going to delve too much into the story except to say that it deals with a diverse group of people who have banded together to fight an ancient evil and a plague that transforms those infected into zombie/vampire like creatures. Although the story may seem cliche but the series is very well written and addictive. As mentioned earlier, this series has been released on blu-ray earlier this month and would make a great gift for someone who's a horror drama fan. Actually, I can't wait for Del Toro's upcoming gothic horror movie 'Crimson Peak' which will be shown somewhere around Halloween next year.

However, I was a little disappointed to learn that the first season of another TV series 'Salem' from WGN America (which has been renewed for a second season) will only be released as a MOD (Manufactured on Demand) product using DVD-Rs. It is a shame that sometimes shows being produced by small/obscure channels are given a shabby treatment when it comes to being released on home video. Perhaps if response is encouraging, the series might be released later on proper dvds with some special features (at this point, don't keep your fingers crossed for a blu-ray release).

Another series which is being released on blu-ray on the 23rd of this month (which is pretty late for a Christmas release) is the new Syfy series 'Dominion'. Lately, Syfy has been releasing a slew of new series e.g. Defiance, Z Nation, Continuum etc in an attempt to revamp the channel (the latest being the 3 part series Ascension). Although I have always avoided Syfy for some unfathomable reason, I decided to give their new series 'Helix' a try due to the positive reviews it was getting. The series, which is about a team of CDC scientists sent to the Artic to investigate a possible disease outbreak in a high tech lab, was above Syfy's usual standards. The series had a dark but well written story, a great cast and high production values. Encouraged by this series, I was curious about another new series from Syfy 'Dominion' because I heard it was a (TV series) sequel to the 2010 movie 'Legion' which starred Paul Bettany. Although the movie had received mixed reviews, I have always liked the movie but then I have always been fond of films about fallen/warring angels ever since 'The Prophecy' films with Christopher Walken and Eric Stoltz in the 1990s. Besides, I heard that Australian actor Christopher Egan (last seen in the TV series Kings and the indie movie Crush) and British actor Tom Wisdom (from the original movie 300) was involved in it so it had to be good right? After watching a few episodes, I found Vaun Wilmott's (Sons of Anarchy) writing to be surprisingly good and the series highly watchable thanks to a great cast and some decent special effects which makes its blu-ray release an anticipated item on my watchlist. The series (first season comprises of only 8 episodes) has already been renewed by Syfy for a second season of 13 episodes.

Lastly, I would like to mention that the first season of the Hallmark TV series, When Calls The Heart, has also been released on dvd (no blu-ray release). This excellent series from Michael Landon Jr, was previously released on individual dvds of 2 episodes each but late last month Millennium Entertainment decided to release the first season of this series in one complete dvd boxset which also includes the (pilot) tv movie. I have no gripes regarding the boxset since it includes English subtitles, extended scenes and even some special features except that all the 12 episodes are crammed on 3 double sided discs (the fourth disc contains the 2013 tv movie). But for less than $20 ( I bought it from Amazon at 50% off), I guess 'dual discs' are to be expected although I still find handling them to be confusing and tricky. Most of the time, I avoid buying 'dual discs' unless the price is really cheap or I'm unable to find the material on another format. In this case, the boxset is much cheaper than the individual dvds. However, the boxset which comes in a digipak and attractive slipcover, will still make a perfect Christmas gift for someone who loves romance and period dramas (e.g. Little House on The Prairie).

Above are only some of my favourite blu-rays/dvds being released in November/December for Christmas (?). As said earlier, I hope some of them might end up in some lucky person's Christmas stocking :). If you plan to buy any stocking stuffers for pre-teen/teen girls, you can also check out my other post Christmas Gift Ideas for Pre-Teen/ Teen Girls  dated 5th December 2014.

Addendum (4th May 2024) : If you are thinking of treating yourself to some quality horror drama in 2024, you can do no wrong with Guillermo Del Toro, Carlton Cuse and Chuck Hogan's TV series 'The Strain' which lasted four seasons. Even after a decade, I still think it is one of the best horror series to grace the small screen and if you're interested in revisiting this series or wish to watch it for the first time, I have provided the links below to Amazon and Amazon Prime. Unfortunately, the series did not get a proper blu-ray release in the US with 20th Century Fox releasing the blu-ray for the first and second seasons only. However, the complete series is available on DVD. 

The Strain Amazon Prime (paid link)

The Strain Season 1 Blu-Ray Amazon US (paid link)

The Strain Complete Series DVD Amazon US (paid link)

For fans of movies like Legion (2010) and The Prophecy Series (1995-2005) which deals with angel mythologies, you can try Syfy's Dominion (2014-2015) which lasted two seasons. The links are below.

Dominion Amazon Prime (paid link)

Dominion S1 Blu-Ray Amazon US (paid link)

  

Dominion S2 Blu-Ray Amazon US (paid link)

Kingsman : The Secret Service

            

(Trailer Courtesy of 20th Century Studios)

Since it is nearing Christmas and I have some spare time before the holidays, I wish to highlight  a particular (British) movie that will air in the UK somewhere around January 2015, Kingsman : The Secret Service. The movie which will be directed by Matthew Vaughn (who dropped out from directing X-Men: Days of Future Past) stars Colin Firth, Samuel L Jackson, Michael Caine and a bunch of other diverse actors (Elton John, Lady Gaga & Luke Skywalker?). Adapted from an actual comic book by Dave Gibbons and Mark Millar and produced by Marv Films (not Marvel), it depicts a veteran agent who initiates a young recruit into a new world of espionage and introduces him to a top secret and exclusive agency. Not unlike 'Men in Black' or 'The Avengers' I really liked the fun premise of the movie which promises to be entertaining and the fact that Samuel L Jackson is always an interesting (if somewhat deranged) villain. Besides, I have always been a fan of Colin Firth since Pride & Prejudice/Bridget Jones Diary and here he is playing a deadpan and serious veteran secret agent so what's not to like right?

Addendum (30th May 2024) : For further information and trailers on the Kingsman Franchise, you can check out the links below. 

Kingsman Franchise Timeline (ScreenRant)

Guide to Kingsman Movies (Odeon.co.uk)

All three movies Kingsman : The Secret Service (2014), Kingsman : The Golden Circle (2017) and The King's Man (2021) are available on blu-ray and Amazon Prime. Links are provided below.

Kingsman 2 Movie Collection Blu-Ray (Amazon US) (paid link)

The King's Man Blu-Ray (Amazon US) (paid link)

Kingsman Secret Service (Amazon Prime) (paid link)

Kingsman Golden Circle (Amazon Prime) (paid link)

The King's Man (Amazon Prime) (paid link)

Christmas Gift Ideas (for Pre-teen/Teen Girls)

Well it's that time of the year again and I'm sure after the recent Black Friday Deals and ongoing Year End Sales, many of us have gotten Christmas gifts for our loved ones but for those who haven't, there is still time :). Lately, I was hard pressed to find some gifts suitable for pre-teen/teen girls. My Christmas list usually consists of dvds, blu-rays or books because they're budget friendly compared to tech gifts like smartphones, playstations etc and because I truly believe they make great gifts since movies & books are truly food for the mind and soul (not video games). Anyway, back to my original problem which is finding suitable gifts for pre-teen/teen girls. After browsing online for some good Black Friday Deals (yes, I'm actually getting a little too old and tired for frenzied shopping trips to the mall), I managed to spot some good books suitable for pre-teen/teen girls which are not too racy but still interesting enough. A favorite among teen girls at the moment is The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instruments/Infernal Devices) which is a collection of short stories based on a fan favorite character from The Mortal Instruments, flamboyant warlock Magnus Bane. And for those who already have all her books from The Mortal Instruments/Infernal Devices series, why not try the manga/graphic novel version of  The Infernal Devices (Volumes 1-3) from Yen Press. In my humble opinion, you can never go wrong with graphic novels, mangas and comics which are undeniably a hit not only with kids and teens but many adults as well.

  

Another author to look out for is Melissa de la Cruz (Blue Bloods/Witches of East End). The first season of Witches of East End, which was adapted into a popular TV series by the Lifetime Channel, is already out on dvd. You might consider buying the dvds as a gift if she already owns the book series or the always popular Blue Bloods vampire series which consist of 7 novels. Another alternative would be the Blue Bloods graphic novel adapted by Robert Venditti and artist Alina Urusov. The artwork for this graphic novel is truly exceptional but the downside is the publisher, Disney Hyperion , doesn't seem interested in releasing the graphic novels for the other remaining 6 novels in the Blue Blood series which is the continuation of the story unlike Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series which is being published by Razorbill.

 

If you think that Gail Carriger's Soulless series (please refer to my older post) is a little racy and meant for older teens, you might want to get her new Finishing School series for younger readers. The latest and third book in this series, Waistcoats & Weaponry, was just released early last month. The story concerns a young Victorian lady sent to a girl's finishing school who discovers that the school (in a floating airship) is actually a front for a school that teaches espionage skills instead. As usual, you can expect steampunk adventure/mystery (involving werewolves & vampires) and Carriger's trademark humor.

Another perennial favorite among teens (boys and girls) is author Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson). Among his latest novels to be adapted into graphic novels are The Red Pyramid (Kane Chronicles) and Heroes of Olympus : The Lost Hero. The other graphic novel which I picked up accidentally in a bookstore but still an excellent (but often overlooked) choice is Chris Wooding's Pandemonium by Scholastic's Graphix. This 'Prisoner of Zenda 'like tale set in the Darkling Realm is both a humorous and interesting read.

If you're thinking of getting blu-rays/dvds instead, you might consider the post-apocalyptic teen drama, The 100, which is a new TV series from The CW. The first season, which is adapted from a book by Kass Morgan, is already available on blu-ray/ dvd. Believe me, most teen girls would prefer Vampire Diaries but why not try something different. I was also surprised to see that Shout Factory has released a dvd for the animated motion comic 'Eternals' under the Marvel Knights series from author Neil Gaiman and artist John Romita Jr. I have been a long time fan of Jack Kirby's original comics so seeing this on dvd is such great news although I heard that the characters/story has been changed somewhat for modern times.

                                            

             

        

            

(Trailer Courtesy of Shout! Studios)

Lastly, I thought it was worth mentioning (as a long time fan of the author) that Yen Press has released the graphic novel for Anne Rice's The Wolf Gift last month. However, I believe that this graphic novel as with Anne Rice's other novels are more suitable for older teens and adults. 

Above is just a few ideas that I spotted online but it is not an exhaustive list. A lot depends on her interest/hobbies and she might prefer other genres of books/movies. As you probably noticed, I have a fondness for graphic novels, comics and mangas. Too often I have seen parents/adults discouraging kids/teens from buying them in bookstores but what they failed to realize is that some of them are of very high quality, well written and beautifully illustrated. They are stepping stones for the child (especially reluctant/slow readers) to progress to books and novels. Some very creative writers and talented artist are themselves fans of comics. Lots of films and TV series have been adapted from comics and Japanese mangas. I remember a time, as a kid, when I read Marvel/DC comics which adults coined as 'rubbish' literature. Now, these comics have become valuable collector's items and adults themselves are  flocking to cinemas to see the latest Marvel movies. I believe as an adult we should always allow kids freedom to choose their literature (as long as they are age appropriate and do not contain any harmful content). When we try to control their reading and limit it to our tastes, we are actually killing their budding interest in reading. Just my 2 cents. I have another post on 22nd December 2014 for those who interested in purchasing high quality TV Series on Blu-Rays or DVDs as Christmas gifts for adults who are TV addicts like me :) . The link to the post is here TV Series on Blu-Ray/DVD for Christmas.

Addendum (6th May 2024) :

I wrote this post on 6th December 2014 (nearly a decade ago) when my niece was just fourteen years old. It was near Christmas and I ended up purchasing most (if not all) of the items above for her as gifts. She has since outgrew them but if you have any teen girls in your family that might be interested in the above items, I have provided the links below.

Bane Chronicles Paperback Amazon US (paid link)

Infernal Devices Trilogy Manga Yen Press

Witches of East End Book 1 Amazon US (paid link)

Witches of East End Amazon Prime (paid link)

Witches of East End Season 1 DVD Amazon US (paid link)

Witches of East End Season 2 DVD Amazon US (paid link)

Blue Bloods 3 Books Boxset Amazon US (paid link)

Blue Bloods Graphic Novel Amazon US (paid link)

Vampire Academy 6 Books Boxset Amazon US (paid link)

Vampire Academy Graphic Novel Amazon US (paid link)

Frostbite (Vampire Academy) Graphic Novel Amazon US (paid link)

Etiquette & Espionage Paperback Amazon US (paid link)

Curtsies & Conspiracies Paperback Amazon US (paid link)

Waistcoats & Weaponry Paperback Amazon US (paid link)

Manners & Mutiny Paperback Amazon US (paid link)

The Red Pyramid (Kane Chronicles) Graphic Novel Amazon US (paid link)

The Throne of Fire (Kane Chronicles) Graphic Novel Amazon US (paid link)

The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus) Graphic Novel Amazon US (paid link)

The Son of Neptune (Heroes of Olympus) Graphic Novel Amazon US (paid link)

The Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus) Graphic Novel Amazon US (paid link)

Pandemonium Graphic Novel Amazon US (paid link)

The 100 Amazon Prime (paid link)

The 100 Complete Series DVD Amazon US (paid link)

Eternals 2021 Movie Amazon Prime (paid link)

Eternals 2021 Movie Blu-Ray Amazon US (paid link)

Marvel Knights Eternals DVD Amazon US (paid link)

The Wolf Gift Graphic Novel Amazon US (paid link)