Reviews (72)

Nothing's as dangerous as a Yellowbeard....
Why don't they make more pirate movies? Probably because the mold was broken after Yellowbeard. I mean, Cutthroat Island was funny, but I don't think they meant it to be. Graham Chapman stars as the scurvy dog himself, and his supporting cast is wonderful, including Pythons John Cleese and Eric Idle, Cheech Marin & Tommy Chong, Peter Boyle, Kenneth Mars, Susanna York, the late great James Mason, the late great Madeline Kahn, the late great Goon Spike Milligan, the late great Beyond The Fringe alum Peter Cook, the late Sir Michael Horndern, and finally, the late great Marty Feldman in his last role. Feldman died in Mayheeco before this was finished, hence the disjointed ending, but he was wonderful while he lasted. This sprang from the fertile & addled brain of Who drummer Keith Moon, who died before it was made. David Bowie was on vacation in Mexico in the same area while this was filmed, and makes an uncredited cameo. John Cleese is wonderful as Blind Pew (Cleese: "'oi 'ave acute 'earing." Idle- "I don't care about your jewelry"). James Mason is a hoot, playing it straight as a brutal English captain. Cheech & Chong are great, although I half expected to see them launch into their classic shtick of "Buggery On The High Seas". If your sense of humor is twisted, get this movie. If your SOH is just silly, get it too. If you miss Marty Feldman half as much as I do, then that means I miss him twice as much as you. There's also a "Making Of Yellowbeard" program out there. Keep your eyes peeled for it, too, it is worth it.

Wild and Crazy Pirate Movie!
I'm a Monty Python fan and I also happen to like pirate movies so when this movie was shown unedited and commercial free on cable I taped it and just watched it the other day and though it's not my all time favorite pirate movie as a spoof of pirate movies it does have it's funny moments and three of my favorite Monty Python members, Graham Chapman, Eric Idle and John Cleese. The movie has a huge cast that also stars, Peter Boyle, Peter Cook, Madeline Kahn, James Mason, Marty Feldman, Martin Hewitt, Cheech and Chong and also look out for Bernard Fox who played Dr. Bombay in the classic television sitcom Bewitched. I wonder why this movie isn't on DVD yet. The station I taped the movie from played it in fullscreen and I would think that a movie like this had to have been filmed in widescreen so maybe a widescreen DVD will be available someday.

Okay but Not Great!
I watched Yellowbeard recently and well it was basically a funny movie though there were some hits and misses with the humor and the rape jokes got tiresome after awhile!

The Unknown Sidesplitter
The great groups of 20th century comedy are all here: Spike Milligan from The Goon Show, Peter Cook from Beyond the Fringe, Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, and John Cleese from Monty Python, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Kenneth Marz, and Medeline Kahn from the Mel Brooks Art Players, Cheech and Chong -- plus British stalwarts like Michael Hordern and Peter Bull (in drag) -- plus James Mason in his rarely seen dry-as-dust comic mode -- plus an uncredited cameo by David Bowie. As a teenager, my daughter tested potential friends by showing them this movie and, if they loved it, they passed. A MUST for DVD.

One of the greatest of all time...
For fans of the Python, this is one of the greatest movies of all time. You will be in tears the entire time. Let's just hope someday they remaster and re-release it on DVD ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Very Underated
I know this is hard to believe, but this is one of my top ten video's of all time. As a theatre major I can really relate to the 'I can be loved by you' acting excercise that becomes a recurring theme. While the 'girl with boys name who acidentally winds up in the boys dorm' genre is usually pretty fluffy, in this case it works, going beyond laughs to a more serious and vulnerable (yet still fun) place. For the record, other movies that have affected me as deeply include 'Glory', 'The Muppet Movie', 'Monster High', 'Final Destination (1 & 2)', 'Schoolhouse Rock', 'The Specials', 'Mulan', and 'Not another Teen Movie'. Fairly eclectic I know, but I really encouarge you to give it a try, especially if you were involved in Drama or Writing in High School or University.

ANOTHER GREAT ONE FOR A RAINY DAY!
DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT I SEEM TO ENJOY PATRICK DEMPSEY'S 80'S FILMS A LOT. THIS VIDEO IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITES. JUST AS "CAN'T BUY ME LOVE" THIS ONE IS CHESSY AND PREDICTABLE, AND I THINK THAT IS THE MAGIC ABOUT IT, THAT'S PROBABLY THE REASON WHY EVERYONE WHO HAS SEEN THIS FILM SEEMS TO ENJOY IT. A GREAT ONE FOR A BAD DAY... IT WORKS FOR ME JUST LIKE STRAUSS' MUSIC DOES "UPLIFTS ME UP, DRAWS A SMILE ON MY FACE AND MAKES ME WANNA DANCE" AND AGAIN, JUST LIKE STRAUSS' MUSIC: ITS BEAUTY LIES IN ITS SIMPLICITY. NOT TO MENTION THAT HELEN SLATER LOOKS SPECIALLY LOVELY ON THIS FILM.

AS YOU CAN TELL... I NEED THIS ONE ON DVD A.S.A.P.

'80s musical montage madness
One of the most ridiculously fascinating films ever created, containing every cliche you can imagine regarding college romance--including the obligatory paint fight scene, the wacky dance scene/musical montage (set to what else? "Happy Together"), the threatening punk rocker ex-boyfriend, and witty, heartfelt exchanges such as "I'd like for you to love me." "Well, I'd love for you to like me." "Supergirl" Helen Slater opposite the king of all '80s PG-13 teen romantic comedies, Patrick Dempsey. This film is cheese-ball heaven!

Just as advertised, a nice and endearing movie
A funny and sometimes touching movie set in college, or what we'd like college to be. Recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Very Underated
I know this is hard to believe, but this is one of my top ten video's of all time. As a theatre major I can really relate to the 'I can be loved by you' acting excercise that becomes a recurring theme. While the 'girl with boys name who acidentally winds up in the boys dorm' genre is usually pretty fluffy, in this case it works, going beyond laughs to a more serious and vulnerable (yet still fun) place. For the record, other movies that have affected me as deeply include 'Glory', 'The Muppet Movie', 'Monster High', 'Final Destination (1 & 2)', 'Schoolhouse Rock', 'The Specials', 'Mulan', and 'Not another Teen Movie'. Fairly eclectic I know, but I really encouarge you to give it a try, especially if you were involved in Drama or Writing in High School or University.

ANOTHER GREAT ONE FOR A RAINY DAY!
DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT I SEEM TO ENJOY PATRICK DEMPSEY'S 80'S FILMS A LOT. THIS VIDEO IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITES. JUST AS "CAN'T BUY ME LOVE" THIS ONE IS CHESSY AND PREDICTABLE, AND I THINK THAT IS THE MAGIC ABOUT IT, THAT'S PROBABLY THE REASON WHY EVERYONE WHO HAS SEEN THIS FILM SEEMS TO ENJOY IT. A GREAT ONE FOR A BAD DAY... IT WORKS FOR ME JUST LIKE STRAUSS' MUSIC DOES "UPLIFTS ME UP, DRAWS A SMILE ON MY FACE AND MAKES ME WANNA DANCE" AND AGAIN, JUST LIKE STRAUSS' MUSIC: ITS BEAUTY LIES IN ITS SIMPLICITY. NOT TO MENTION THAT HELEN SLATER LOOKS SPECIALLY LOVELY ON THIS FILM.

AS YOU CAN TELL... I NEED THIS ONE ON DVD A.S.A.P.

'80s musical montage madness
One of the most ridiculously fascinating films ever created, containing every cliche you can imagine regarding college romance--including the obligatory paint fight scene, the wacky dance scene/musical montage (set to what else? "Happy Together"), the threatening punk rocker ex-boyfriend, and witty, heartfelt exchanges such as "I'd like for you to love me." "Well, I'd love for you to like me." "Supergirl" Helen Slater opposite the king of all '80s PG-13 teen romantic comedies, Patrick Dempsey. This film is cheese-ball heaven!

Just as advertised, a nice and endearing movie
A funny and sometimes touching movie set in college, or what we'd like college to be. Recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Romantic comedy - 1950s style
This is truly one of the most entertaining Romantic Comedies I have ever seen. Set in the 1950s, the film exudes this happy-go-lucky innocence that is absolutely charming.

The cast is great, featuring Doug McKeon as a "Fonzie" type guy who wears a leather jacket, and Chris Nash as a nerdy (let's make that VERY nerdy) teenager who is trying his best to lose his virginity. The friendship that develops between this unlikely pair is a treat to see. It makes the movie a feel-good kind of experience that you will savor for days after the credits roll.

The female side includes the lovely Catherine Marie Stewart, playing a wholesome 1950s girl. Kelly Preston plays a shallow & superficial babe who acts as a foil to Stewart's personage. As tender as this all sounds, I would not recommend this film for family viewing. Preston does a nude scene and I must concede.......she has one of the most incredible bodies I've ever seen.

The 1950s Rock & Roll songs in the movie are a wonderful complement to the story on-screen. In truth, I've never cared too much for 50's Rock. However, in this movie I found the songs very refreshing. They did a lot to re-inforce the 1950s feel. In fact, the songs comprise the whole soundtrack - there is no incidental music @ all in the entire film.

If you're looking for an RC movie that covers different territory than the present day movies, you may well like this one. Back to the 50s we go - HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN!

Mischief represents America lost in a comical way
Anyone who was living during the 50's or who may be a fan of the time period would be missing out if they failed to sit back and enjoy this movie as I have on numerous occasions. Not only is the movie funny, but the sets and the music are top notch. Mischief gives you a sense of being there or wishing you were there. Doug Mckeon is the star of the movie along with a young Kelly Preston. Many people may not have heard of Mr. Mckeon but he was perfect for his role as Johnathan. Other movies I would recommend include American Graffitti, Back To The Future which includes a trip back to the fifties, Peggy Sue Got Married, Grease, The Wanderers which takes a look at the early 60's, and from a televison series standpoint....Happy Days.

Mischief is a funny comedy about.........
just a typical guy trying to make it with the most popular girl in school.This is one of the best romantic comedy I have ever seen starring a great cast. Doug Mckeon plays the lead as Johnathan a clumsy and not particularly popular boy attending high school in the 50's has one overriding wish in life - to "make it" with the hottest girl in school. With the help of his slick new friend Gene played by Chris nash, his dream just might come true. Also starring Kelly Preston as marilyn the popular girl.
this is a very funny movie.Johanthan finds himself in some crazy and ridiculous situations. I hope that the studio gets the brains and release this film again on vhs/ dvd.
Great film.

One of the best!!!
This is one of my favorite movies of all time! The only thing I could ask for is that it were on DVD!!!

mischief!! one word DVD!!
great fun where is the dvd for peets sake??? cmon already.. this is a cult classic... ... Read more

Reviews (31)

"Bionic" Blast from the Past!
This two part episode of "Six Million Dollar Man" is a real treat. Just hearing Lee Majors sing is worth the price. I can't believe that this show was the "coolest" in its time. (Then again, I can't believe I'm 37!) Majors and Wagner are good together, and the video makes you hunger to revisit some more of these episodes. Why Universal has only released these particular shows is beyond me. Universal Playback, their European distributor, has many episodes of both "SMDM" and "Bionic Woman" available, but in the PAL format. It's time for Universal to open the vaults and make these shows available to fans in the U.S. I'm sure there are many people like myself who want to see Jaime Sommers fight the Fembots and Steve Austin slug Bigfoot! UNIVERSAL- get it together!

Bionic babe
At 32 years of age, I have to say that today's TV shows do not compare to the shows I watched as a child. One of my favorite shows as a kid, and heck, even today, may be The Bionic Woman. Lindsay Wagner is just a unique woman, no other actress compares. What happened to all those wonderful and imaginative TV shows like Six Million Dollar Man, Bionic Woman, and Wonder Woman? The only way to see them is reruns on TV. This tape is available, but who really buys VHS anymore? I want all of the Bionic Woman on DVD. The company that owns the rights to this show should realize they are sitting on a goldmine, and release it on DVD. I remember I had received the Six Million Dollar Man and Bionic Woman dolls for Christmas one year, it was the best present ever. I wish I had kept those dolls.
I want to see Jaime Sommers run with the Bionic Dog. I want to see her fight the Bionic Bigfoot. I want to see her rip telephone books in half and jump from windows. But most of all, I want to see the lovely Lindsay Wagner whenever I please, simply by popping in the DVD.

The BIonic Woman
This is a great intro to the Bionic Woman series, and also the Six Million Dollar Man. I grew up watching these two classic shows. I can believe that they are not already out on dvd. But you know what. They are out on region 2 in the UK and Europe. For those of you out there not familiar with region 2 dvd formats, and PAL, they will not play on region 1 dvd players, in which we have in the US. Why Europe has them all and we in the US do not? I really dont have the answer to that. I wish I did. If you can get your hands on this tape, I recommend you do so. Its all we have, at least until Universal wakes up and decides to put these classic shows on dvd. But, when will that be?

The Bionic Woman: Simply the best!!
I've had this release in my collection for ages and it is a good introduction to Jaime Sommers, The Bionic Woman. However, this is not a good example of what was to come in her own series. The episodes had a lot more action and first-class acting from Emmy-award winner, Lindsay Wagner. The story lines varied from week to week and there was a lot of variety. Lindsay did not want to be typecast, so she made sure she was impersonating someone different every week so that the audience would get used to her in different roles and it paid off; she has been featured in over 50 feature films and made-for-tv movies in the last 25 years. Now Universal needs to get their act together and release DVD season sets of this classic series starring one of the most talented and busiest actresses on television.

Bring Jamie & Steve Back!!
I love this video! Steve & Jamie were my favorites growing up! Someone needs to release all the Bionic shows on DVD. This is just a tease. I glad there are still so many die hard fans out there that agree, Bionic Fans unite!! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Winner Never Quits
I have been searching for this movie almost my entire adult life and am so happy to now own it. This movie is just as wonderful as I remembered it being years ago. I would tell everyone with children to buy or rent this movie, they simply don't make movies for people of all ages like this anymore.

Inspiring Family Movie!!
In this inspiring family movie is about a young boy who loses his right arm but inspite of his handicap goes on the play major league baseball,starring Keith Carradine,it's a must see!! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great fun!
This was one of my favorite movies when I was a kid. I loved the fact that it starred two of my favorite sitcom stars, Keshia Knight Pulliam and Michael Gross. This film is exciting from beginning to end. It's all about a young girl, living in the late 80s, who wants to be treated like a grown-up. She is magically transported to Camelot, where she stuns everyone with her futuristic contraptions (Polaroid camera, tape recorder, etc.), gains popularity, and helps King Arthur fight the bad guys. It's a really fun movie that's great for kids. ... Read more

Amazon.com

While Billy sits speechless at ringside, "Theme of Life" (first season, episode 17) gives Ally and Georgia the opportunity to vent their suppressed animosity in a kick-boxing match, and the battering leaves them bruised but closer as friends and colleagues. Meanwhile, Ally defends Greg (Jesse L. Martin), a handsome young doctor who transplanted a pig's liver into a dying woman without securing official permission. A romance begins between him and Ally that will continue in subsequent episodes. Fish is seen on the town with Attorney General Janet Reno (later Whipper confronts him about his obsession with Reno's wattle), and Ally reluctantly visits a therapist (Tracey Ullman) who urges her to choose a lively, danceable "theme song" for her life. While the kick-boxing match is surely a season highlight, this episode is memorable for creator David E. Kelley's seemingly effortless balance of crackling wit and engaging drama. Here we have an episode that's as moving as it is amusing--a quality that gives the series its singular appeal.

A lively round in the battle of the sexes, "The Playing Field" (first season, episode 18), finds Ally returning to the therapist (Tracey Ullman), worried that the "dancing baby" that plagued her in previous episodes has reappeared as a roller-blading hockey player! ("Get him!" advises the counselor.) Continuing the "baby" theme, Ally finds herself pitted against child prodigy Oren Koolie (Josh Evans), a pint-sized 9-year-old attorney whose negotiation strategy consists primarily of crying when he doesn't get his way. Kelley continues to probe the gender gap in a case of harassment via sexual exclusion, the outcome of which causes a tempest of fury in the office, with Ally and Georgia confronting Fish over his backward theories of gender inequality. All's well that ends well in the closing nightclub scene, where men and women call a truce. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The best "Ally McBeal" from Season 1 is on this tape
This set of episodes from the first season of "Ally McBeal" includes the one that ended up being my personal favorite, Episode 17 "Theme of Life." Written by David E. Kelly, of course, this is the one where Ally (Calista Flockhart) and Georgia (Courtney Thorne-Smith) go toe to toe in kickboxing class and where Ally tries out "Tell Him" by the Exciters as her theme song, which makes crossing the street on of the great moments in the history of the quirky series. The episode begins with Ally finally giving in to Cage (Peter MacNicol) and visiting his therapist, Dr. Tracy Clark (Tracey Ullman), who offers the sage opinion that kickboxing Georgia is great therapy: "She's a beautiful, smart woman married to the man you love! Smack her!" Meanwhile, Ally's client du jour is the handsome Dr. Greg Butters, who is being sued for offending a patient by performing an operation to save her life (it mean putting a hog liver in her body, which is not strictly kosher). I would say that if you watched one episode of "Ally McBeal" this would be the one to watch, but you sort of have to watch the rest to understand the context of such things as Cage's new smile therapy.

Episode 18, "The Playing Field," also written by Kelley, finds the dancing baby is becoming aggressive (he plays street hockey now). This is not good news for Ally who is defending Dr. Butters from a lawsuit being brought against her new love interest by Oren Koolie, a nine-year-old genius who is practicing law until he is old enough to go to medical school. What can Ally do against a lawyer who cries before he demands $125,000? Meanwhile, Cage/Fish is also representing a woman who is suing her boss because he only promotes women who have slept with him. The title comes from Ally's conversation with Georgia, who once won a sexual harassment case against her old bos (he transferred her because she was beautiful) and complains that she wished she had fought him on an even field: he gave up when she threatened to make a claim. Ally takes this as a sign that she should ignore the sex-role conventions that stop her from speaking first in a romantic relationship. "Playing the Field" is only a notch below "Theme of Life" but has another great moment when Ally makes the mistake of following Dr. Tracy's advice and treating the Dancing Baby like a hockey puck the next time she sees him--or thinks that she does.

Both of these Episodes are Priceless!
In the entire set, this tape offers two episodes that aired almost back to back! They involve Tracy Ullman (hilarious as the therapist) and the early stages of the romance with the doctor! I own all three tapes, and have to say this one is a worthy addition to any collection. What a great way to enjoy this show all over again, or for the first time. ... Read more

Reviews (72)

Nothing's as dangerous as a Yellowbeard....
Why don't they make more pirate movies? Probably because the mold was broken after Yellowbeard. I mean, Cutthroat Island was funny, but I don't think they meant it to be. Graham Chapman stars as the scurvy dog himself, and his supporting cast is wonderful, including Pythons John Cleese and Eric Idle, Cheech Marin & Tommy Chong, Peter Boyle, Kenneth Mars, Susanna York, the late great James Mason, the late great Madeline Kahn, the late great Goon Spike Milligan, the late great Beyond The Fringe alum Peter Cook, the late Sir Michael Horndern, and finally, the late great Marty Feldman in his last role. Feldman died in Mayheeco before this was finished, hence the disjointed ending, but he was wonderful while he lasted. This sprang from the fertile & addled brain of Who drummer Keith Moon, who died before it was made. David Bowie was on vacation in Mexico in the same area while this was filmed, and makes an uncredited cameo. John Cleese is wonderful as Blind Pew (Cleese: "'oi 'ave acute 'earing." Idle- "I don't care about your jewelry"). James Mason is a hoot, playing it straight as a brutal English captain. Cheech & Chong are great, although I half expected to see them launch into their classic shtick of "Buggery On The High Seas". If your sense of humor is twisted, get this movie. If your SOH is just silly, get it too. If you miss Marty Feldman half as much as I do, then that means I miss him twice as much as you. There's also a "Making Of Yellowbeard" program out there. Keep your eyes peeled for it, too, it is worth it.

Wild and Crazy Pirate Movie!
I'm a Monty Python fan and I also happen to like pirate movies so when this movie was shown unedited and commercial free on cable I taped it and just watched it the other day and though it's not my all time favorite pirate movie as a spoof of pirate movies it does have it's funny moments and three of my favorite Monty Python members, Graham Chapman, Eric Idle and John Cleese. The movie has a huge cast that also stars, Peter Boyle, Peter Cook, Madeline Kahn, James Mason, Marty Feldman, Martin Hewitt, Cheech and Chong and also look out for Bernard Fox who played Dr. Bombay in the classic television sitcom Bewitched. I wonder why this movie isn't on DVD yet. The station I taped the movie from played it in fullscreen and I would think that a movie like this had to have been filmed in widescreen so maybe a widescreen DVD will be available someday.

Okay but Not Great!
I watched Yellowbeard recently and well it was basically a funny movie though there were some hits and misses with the humor and the rape jokes got tiresome after awhile!

The Unknown Sidesplitter
The great groups of 20th century comedy are all here: Spike Milligan from The Goon Show, Peter Cook from Beyond the Fringe, Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, and John Cleese from Monty Python, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Kenneth Marz, and Medeline Kahn from the Mel Brooks Art Players, Cheech and Chong -- plus British stalwarts like Michael Hordern and Peter Bull (in drag) -- plus James Mason in his rarely seen dry-as-dust comic mode -- plus an uncredited cameo by David Bowie. As a teenager, my daughter tested potential friends by showing them this movie and, if they loved it, they passed. A MUST for DVD.

One of the greatest of all time...
For fans of the Python, this is one of the greatest movies of all time. You will be in tears the entire time. Let's just hope someday they remaster and re-release it on DVD ... Read more

Amazon.com

With the premiere of its untitled pilot episode on the Fox network in1997, Ally McBeal arrived as a comedy-drama worth watching. Springing from the observant mind of creator David E. Kelley, the show briskly established its well-cast ensemble of oddballs, legal sharks, neurotics, and semihappy couples in love, lust, or various stages of personality crisis. The pilot instantly sets the tone for the series, introducing Ally (Calista Flockhart), a young Boston lawyer who's just joined a firm where her now-married former boyfriend Billy (Gil Bellows) is also employed. To make matters worse, Billy's wife, Georgia (Courtney Thorne-Smith), is jealous of Ally's romantic past with her husband (a conflict developed in subsequent episodes), and Ally loses her first case in court. Through all of these emotional crises, this impressive pilot introduces meddlesome legal assistant Elaine (Jane Krakowski); Ally's former classmate and new boss, Richard Fish (Greg Germann), who excuses every tactless remark he makes with the word "bygones"; Ally's hip and headstrong roommate, Renée (Lisa Nicole Carson); and Vonda Shepard as the house singer at the nightclub that provides the show's after-hours pressure valve and watering hole. A slick, engagingly comedic study of human foibles, the pilot gets this popular series off to a rousing start.

"Silver Bells" (first season, episode 11) is a Christmas episode, following an impasse in the relationship between Fish and Judge "Whipper" Cone (series semiregular Dyan Cannon), while Georgia continues to stew when husband Billy confides in Ally over private marital matters. The episode also deepens the platonic affection between Ally and law-firm partner John Cage (Peter MacNicol), who, like Ally, is at odds with being perpetually single. Culminating in a memorable scene during an office Christmas party, this delightful episode conveys series creator David E. Kelley's expert ability to combine humor and melancholy in a way that perfectly captures the personalities of the characters, all of whom reflect some quirky manifestation of human strengths and weaknesses. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The pilot episode for "Ally McBeal" still holds up
This is certainly an interesting combination of episodes from the first season of "Ally McBeal" given that there is the very first episode, "Pilot," and then the "Christmas" episode, "Silver Bells." In searching for a common denominator the only things I can come up with would be that there is a lot of music in both episodes and the theme of being alone together is clearly present as well.

I tend to collect pilot episodes and so the "Pilot" written by David E. Kelley is of historical importance to me because it is what established the tone for the show. In retrospect, of course, it is interesting to watch this episode again and see how Kelley's vision was quickly refined over the course of that first season. The story of Ally McBeal (Calista Flockhart) begins with an ending as the Harvard Law alumna gets fired by her firm after a lecherous senior partner, Jack Billings, gropes her in the hall and she blows the whistle on him. However, he claims he has obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and she ends up losing her job. Ally runs into Richard Fish (Greg Germann), and the joins the firm of Cage and Fish where we discover that Ally's world is not only quite imaginative but small. That is because Billy Thomas (Gil Bellows), Ally's first love not only works there but has a wife. You can tell this show is going to be different becuse Ally takes four arrows in the chest when she learns Billy is married and there are a dozen songs worked into the episode (including "Neighborhood," "Maryland," "Tell Him," and the theme from "Psycho").

In Kelley's "Silver Bells" (Episode 11 for those counting) Ally takes a case of two women and a man who want to have their unique relationship recognized as a legal marriage (one woman gave birth to three children one of which was the fertilized egg of the other). However, as is usually the case on "Ally McBeal," the case resonates with the characters, causing Judge "Whipper" Cone (Dyan Cannon) to yearn for commitment from Richard, while Ally and Georgia (Courtney Thorne-Smith) are both upset that Billy has been a better love with his wife since his ex-girl friend showed up. Ah, the bitter irony of it all. This episode features the Cage/Fish Christmas party where both Renee (Lisa Nicole Carson) and Elaine (Jane Krakowski) gets to do production numbers and even Fish sings ("More Today Than Yesterday").

Looking back on these episodes what I find most interesting is how Kelley uses legal cases to explore relationship issues. This is obviously truer of "Silver Bells" than the pilot, but in that regards the second episode on this tape is more representative of the series as a whole. You can also see how halfway through the first season the pace of the show had picked up considerably. Everybody has more to say and is saying it faster. Consequently, I am not sure that this is an ideal pairing from Season 1, but I find it insightful. I might have gone with "The Promise" instead of "Silver Bells," although the "Kiss" would be the obvious one to emphasis the Ally-Billy dyad. Since it is not, I kept playing with the idea that this pairing was appropriate until I came up with a rationale that justified the choices. You can decide if the circle gets the square.

If you love Ally, you can't miss it.
Personally among many of Ally Mcbeal series,I prefer Season one.That's why I can't help buying this VHS. This VHS has the begining story of Ally Mcbeal. That is really attractive. Sometimes I wonder how David E. Kelly who is not a woman, can describe the inner feelings of women like this.Unbelievable!
Especially, I like her voice over. It reminds me of Doogies diary in my childhood.
Well, if there is a DVD version, that must be a better choice...

Ally Rocks My World!
First of all, Ally Mcbeal is a brilliant show. I was very upset when Billy left the show and thought it would go downhill from there, but with the addition of Ann Heche, Robert Downey Jr., and Taye Diggs it keeps on rocking! If you love Ally these videos are a must have!

GET THIS NOW! YOU"LL LOVE IT!
Watching these episodes are like watching them for the first time. NO COMMERCIALS AND NO HOLD BARRRED as Alley and rest of the cast display their usual wackinest and sorrow. A sure hit! ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Cro-Magnon" (first season, episode 12) will be remembered by Ally McBeal fans as the "dancing baby" episode, in which Ally--woefully celibate and tortured by the ticking of her biological clock--envisions a strutting, diapered infant who haunts her at home and office. The little tyke's appearance (accompanied by the "ooga-chocka" refrain from the 1970s hit "Hooked on a Feeling") coincides with Ally's obsessive attraction to a well-endowed male model she meets in a sculpting class. A prime example of the series' capacity for frank and hilarious sexual content, the episode finally gives Ally a chance to unleash her pent-up sexual energy (courtesy of the model), while the guys in the law firm are left to ponder if "size really matters." By the final scene, Ally (sporting the flannel pajamas that became a modest fashion trend) has come to terms with her imaginary dancing baby, and the episode closes with the two of them dancing happily together... at least for the time being.

"The Attitude" (first season, episode 7) finds Ally struggling to navigate the stormy seas of romance. She's coping with close proximity to Billy, the former love of her life, and the tension increases when Billy's wife, Georgia, is invited to join the firm of Fish & Cage. While Ally defends a woman (Brenda Vaccaro) who's been wrongfully expelled from her synagogue, Cage takes on Georgia's ex-boss on a sex-discrimination charge. During a disastrous dinner date Ally obsesses over salad dressing on her date's chin, and later she simultaneously offends and attracts the young rabbi who ousted her client, leading Ally to trade her pursuit of "Mr. Right" for more pragmatic dates with "Mr. Not-Likelys." As usual, this episode is blessed with Kelley's rapid-fire dialogue, but it's best remembered for the superbly written scenes between Ally and Georgia, who forge a friendship despite their shared history with Billy. Calista Flockhart and Courtney Thorne-Smith really shine here, making this one of the first season's pivotal episodes. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Ally takes some chances on a trio of Mr. Not Likelys
I keep trying to draw some significance out of the fact that the two episodes from the first season of "Ally McBeal" are shown in reverse order of how they originally aired, but all I can come up with is that the better known episode (where Ally dances with the infamous dancing baby) goes first. Both episodes, written by David E. Kelley, deal with Ally's decision to take some chances on some Mr. Not Likelys instead of waiting for Mr. Right:

"Cro-Magnon" (Episode 12) finds Ally (Calista Flockhart) and Renee (Lisa Nicole Carson) are taking a sculpture class where they discover that Glenn, the male model, is rather "gifted" (they need more clay). Georgia (Courtney Thorne-Smith) joins the class but it is Ally who actually dates Glenn. Meanwhile, in court our heroine is defending 19-yeard old Clint, who punched out a guy for insulting the virtue of his date and who's cute little behind has become the object of his lawyer's attentoin. The title of the episode comes from Ally's declaration that she likes a little Cro-Magnon in her man. Actually, this episode is one of the more heavy handed ones, with the contrast between the girls oggling the model and the guys watching a prizefight on pay-per-view lacking subtlety.

"The Attitude" (Episode 7) has Ally getting the hots for district attorney Jason Roberts, a colleague of Renee's, who fortunately asks her out before the theme from "Jeopardy" ends. Ally's client this week is Karen Horwitz, who is trying to get Rabbi Joseph Stern to grant her a divorce because her husband is in a coma (the poor guy was hit by a bus before he obtained a "get," the formal Jewish divorce decree). Ally cannot get the rabbi to change his mind, but she does get another offer for a date.

I would not label either of these as classic Ally McBeal episodes, but they are certainly representative of Ally's love life in Season 1, before things became increasingly bizarre in Season 2. I would have paired up "Cro-Magnon" with the follow up episode, "The Blame Game," where Ally and Renee take vengeance on Glenn by giving him "the penguin," but that is just my impulse towards narrative completeness.

These are the two best Ally McBeal episodes
I have the DVD box set thing, and it has these two episodes, and they are the strongest. So if you don't want to spend all the money that the box set costs, you can buy this. ... Read more