Amazon.com

These first two episodes of the charming and perceptive series The Wonder Years are an appropriate setup for the uninitiated and a must-have for fans. The original pilot introduces Kevin (Fred Savage), his best friend Paul (Josh Saviano), his childhood playmate and budding girlfriend, Winnie (Danica McKellar), and his typical late-1960s, early-'70s family: older brother and nemesis Wayne (Jason Hervey), beautiful liberal sister Karen (Olivia d'Abo), mother (Alley Mills), and father (Dan Lauria). Kevin and his friends are entering Robert F. Kennedy Junior High School, Winnie gets contacts, her brother Brian (Bentley Mitchum) is killed in Vietnam, and Kevin and Winnie share a first kiss. The opener also features some fantastic music (the Byrds' "Turn, Turn, Turn," Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now," Tommy James and the Shondells' "Crystal Blue Persuasion," and Percy Sledge's "When A Man Loves a Woman")--a trademark of the series. Great music (Buffalo Springfield, Aaron Neville, Judy Collins) also highlights "Swinger," which follows with Brian's funeral and Kevin and his pals' growing obsession with sex, fueled by their curiosity with Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask. Daniel Stern's narration is warm and engaging and the voice-over is never intrusive. This series continues to be enchanting because of its ability to mix comedy and pathos, as well as infuse a sense of dignity and history in a period many consider their most awful years. --N.F. Mendoza ... Read more

Reviews (5)

You'll look back with Wonder too!
You can't help but interject yourself Kevin's life. He is so relatable. Also with the narration it makes us think of our own glory days of youth and the important people in our lives. The first kiss. First experience with someone dying. The intrigue of sex ed. Our best friend and knowing everything about that person. Nagging brother or sister. Fighting parents who loved each other and us. The popular music that defined the era we grew up in. I'm sure there are special songs that conjure up powerful images from your past just as the special songs from the Wonder Years does the same for each episode.

With the narration of the young Kevin and the 60s setting it reminds me of the movie Christmas Story. The Messy Marvin actor and the narration of his thoughts/dreams of the Red Ryder bb gun. Another classic! But I digres . . .

You have to see this first volume of Wonder Years! It will tug at your heart strings again! You won't be disappointed!

Kevin, Paul and Winnie start Junior High in the Fall of 1968
Kevin Arnold, Homer Simpson and I all graduated from high school in the same year. But when we first meet Kevin, Paul and Winnie as they are heading for their first day of school at the newly renamed Robert F. Kennedy Junior High School in the Fall of 1968. "The Original Pilot" (January 31, 1988) aired after the Super Bowl that year, guaranteeing itself a big audience. What they saw was Kevin (Fred Savage) having a hard time at school. His best friend Paul (Josh Saviano) is no help, his older brother Wayne (Jason Hervey) is out to get him, and Winnie Cooper (Danica McKellar), the tomboy down the street is now wearing go-go boots and inducing major hormonal problems. So Kevin immediately finds himself in trouble with the assistant principal, forcing his mom (Alley Mills) and dad (Dan Lauria) to come down and pick him up. However, when they drag Kevin home to be punished, his sister Karen (Olivia D'Abo) has some horrible news that makes everything moot. The ending of this first-rate pilot episode is a most bittersweet moment between Kevin and Winnie. Things are back to as normal as like got for young teenagers in the late Sixties in "Swinger" (March 29, 1988), where Kevin and Paul's Phys. Ed. teacher has started teaching Sex Education. Do you remember "Our Body, Ourselves"? Both of these episodes were written by Neal Marlens & Carol Black. Interesting footnote: The pilot episode was directed by Steve Miner, who got his start doing a couple of "Friday the 13th" films. In a lot of ways I think "The Wonder Years" was the "Leave It To Beaver" of its day, even if it was set twenty years in the past (when it first aired), with the key difference being Winnie. Beaver never had a girl friend like Winnie and it is their relationship, which goes from puppy love to teenage infatuation to something more lasting, is at the heart of "The Wonder Years." Also, before there was "Forrest Gump" it was this television show that made use of the music that was the soundtrack for our lives.

i enjoyed it thought it was sad though
this program brought back alot of menmories for my hubby ,and me we too grew up in the sixties and seventies would like to see more programs like that instead of these other court shows too many serious on them

great
l liked this drama so much and i would like to preview i

Kevin Arnold captures our memories as we go back to 1968.
A 12 year old boy named Kevin Arnold (played by Fred Savage) growing up in the 1960's through the 1970's. He has to deal with this parents (Dan Lauria / Alley Mills), brother, sister, best friend, school and of course girlfriend Winnie Cooper (played by Danica McKellar). The person who narrates and describes everything for us is off screen adult Kevin Arnold (portrayed by Home Alone's Daniel Stern). This is a TVG comedy-drama the whole family will enjoy. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Only for the die-hard fan
As a devoted fan of the Wonder Years, I must say that I was disappointed in this video collection. Not only is the quality poor (fading in and out, scratchiness, etc.) but there are only two episodes per video (on this one and on vol. 1). I appreciate the early episodes, but they definitely made a mistake by passing up some of the gems of the later seasons ("The Lake"/cara episode, "Goodbye", anything with Becky Slater...and of course, the 2-part series finale). Unless you're desperate and this is truly your only option, I would recommend holding out until something better comes along.

My review
The episodes on this video both really make you think. Not only are they both amusing, they also capture your heart. "My Father's Office" is a father-son episode, in which Kevin goes to work with his father and uncovers a few mysteries of the life of his father. He learns a few reasons why his father is the way he is. "Angel" is a funnier episode than the first, but it still manages to have a moral at the end and make you think. In it Karen, Kevin's older sister, has a new boyfriend, that Kevin discovers is cheating on her and Kevin tries to find ways to get rid of him. So if you're a Wonder Years fan, I reccommend you add this great video to your collection!

A fabulous trip down memory lane!
The Wonder Years is a show about innocence in a time not so innocent. The naration parallel to the beautiful script and hilarious acting, make the trip down memory lane a lot easier to swallow. Which, I assume, is it's initiative. As for these two episodes, the first is a must see. For those who had a father figure, this is a must see. It may make you want to reconsider the relationship with your son, or daughter. The other episode is another classic in a very classy t.v. show that will hopefully teach you as much as it has taught me about myself and my past. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

The Wonder Years is the best T.V. show ever created!
Wow! This tape would make an excellent gift for all Wonder Years fans! In the first episode, sweet 12-year-old Kevin Arnold is trying to find a present for his girlfriend Winnie and at the same time, the whole Arnold household is hoping Jack, the father will buy them a color t.v. for Christmas. In the end, Kevin learns that Christmas is more than presents and is about the memories and special moments in life. In the second episode, Kevin is older (sixteen-years-old) and is trying to find the perfect present for Winnie again. After the family, suffers a financial blow because Jack's partner decides to not invest in the furniture company, the holiday spirit is again being tested. I enjoyed the tapes so much and I watch them over and over. Definately a good tape.

Poor Tape Quality
The story was excellent, but the tape quality was awful. It looked like somebody taped it at home off their VCR. I was beginning to think it was bootlegged.

The Most Touching and Heartwarming Show I have ever seen
When I first saw an episode of the Wonder Years, I didn't connect with it much. I thought it was a show for kids, one that didn't have much bearing on me. As I watched it more, especially on Nick at Nite when there was nothing else on, I began to realize that this show was unique. Not only did it appeal to younger audiences with its light-hearted humor, but that it even appealed to middle to late teenagers like me, with its displays of Kevin's relationships, his feelings, and his growth as a person. This show deals with practically every difficulty that adolescents must face, from strange parents to changing friends. It is rare that a show has actually been able to reach out and touch my heart, but it seems that this show is able to do it whenever I watch it. My only wish was that they had the entire series available, so that I could watch it from start to finish.

Á¤¸» °¨µ¿ÀûÀÎ µå¶ó¸¶ "ÄɺóÀº 12»ì?" "ÄɺóÀº 13»ì?"
Çѱ¹¿¡¼­' Áö³­ 1990³âµµ¿¡ "ÄɺóÀº 12»ì?""ÄɺóÀº 13»ì?"À̶ó' Á¦¸ñÀ¸·Î ÀÌ µå¶ó¸¶¸¦ ¹æ¼ÛÇß¾ú'Ù.±×·¯'Ù°¡ ¾î'À ¼ø°£,Çѱ¹ÀÇ Á¤¼­¿Í' Àß ¸ÂÁö ¾Ê'Â'Ù' Å͹«'Ͼø' ÀÌÀ¯·Î Áß°£¿¡ ¸·À» ³»·È'Ù. ±×¶§ ³ªÀÇ ³ªÀÌ' Äɺó°ú ºñ½ÁÇÑ 10»ì...ÀÌ µå¶ó¸¶¸¦ º¸¸é¼­ ³ªÀÇ À¯³â½ÃÀýÀ» º¸³Â°í ±×¼Ó¿¡¼­ °¨µ¿°ú ¿ôÀ½À» ã¾Ò'Ù.µå¶ó¸¶°¡ Á¾¿µµÈ ÀÌÈÄ¿¡µµ 96³âÁ¤µµ±îÁö' ±×µ¿¾È ³ìÈ­Çصξú'ø ¸î¸îÀÇ ¿¡ÇǼҵ带 º¸¸é¼­ ¿©ÀüÈ÷ °¡½¿À» ¼³·¹¾ú'Ù.±×·±µ¥ ½Ç¼ö·Î ¸ðµç Å×ÀÔÀÌ Áö¿öÁ³'Ù. Áö±ÝÀÇ ³ª' ¹ú½á ½º¹«»ìÀÌ µÇ¾ú°í ÄɺóÀº ÀÌÁ¦ 'ëÇÐÀ» Á¹¾÷ÇßÁö¸¸ ¾ÆÁ÷µµ ³ª' ÄɺóÀ» ±â¾ïÇÑ'Ù.±â¾ïÇÏ' Á¤µµ°¡ ¾Æ'϶ó ÄɺóÀ» »ý°¢ÇÏ¸é °¡½¿ÀÌ ¹¶Å¬ÇØÁú Á¤µµ'Ù...Äɺó,À§'Ï,Æú,Ä®¶ó,º£Å°,ij·±,¿þÀÎ,ÄɺóÀÇ ¾Æºü Àè,ijºóÀÇ ¾ö¸¶...'Ùµé ³ªÀÇ °¡±î¿î Ä£±¸µé°°Àº 'À³¦ÀÌ'Ù.±ØÁß ÀèÀº 1950³â'ë Çѱ¹ÀüÀï¿¡ ÂüÀüÇÑ °æ·ÂÀ» °¡Áø »ç¶÷ÀÌ'Ù.±×·¡¼­ ¿ØÁö 'õ¿í Ä£±ÙÇÑ 'À³¦ÀÌ µç'Ù. KBS ¿µ»ó»ç¾÷'Ü¿¡ "ÄɺóÀº 12»ì?"ÀÇ ºñµð¿À Å×ÀÔÀ» ±¸ÇÒ ¼ö ÀÖ'ÂÁö ¹°¾îºÃÁö¸¸ ¿ÜÈ­' ÆDZÇÀÌ ¾ø¾î¼­ ÆǸŰ¡ ºÒ°¡'ÉÇÏ'Ù°í ÇÑ'Ù.'ٽà ÇÑ ¹ø¸¸ ÀÌ µå¶ó¸¶°¡ ¿ì¸®³ª¶ó¿¡¼­ ¹æ¿µµÈ'Ù¸é Á¤¸» '«¹°À» È긮¸ç ȯȣÇÒ °ÍÀÌ'Ù.º¸°í½Í'Ù.Äɺó¾Æ³îµå...À§'ÏÄíÆÛ...±×¸®°í Æú

the wonderful wonder years
I have enjoyed watching The Wonder Years from a toddler to a teen and tears still roll down my cheeks when i see the reality of the pain in the world that this program shows. Through Kevin's eyes I have seen the Vietnam War. I have felt love, rejection, acceptance, care, compassion and loss. The Wonder Years is the truth of the world then and now. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Best Show!
This is the Best Show to ever come out in the Wonder Years collection.I really liked it and I couldn't stop watching it.It's the best show on Nickelodeon,in my opinion.I loved the video.

Good, slightly twee sometimes, and...
The script of the series is good and the actors did a great job. However, I just "wonder" what happened to Fred Savage during the years spent on the making of the series. Did he grow up normally, as we were watching him, in this sort of Truman's show? Of course, we did not watch his real life but we did watched him all the same. It would be a relief to know if he does not hate this series now.

The most unforgettable and best t.v. show ever!!!
This show is most definately the best show ever made! I love THE WONDER YEARS! I'm trying to collect all the episodes. Kevin Arnold is just like me in so many ways. He's so hilarious and sweet. Each episode is unforgettable and makes you laugh or cry...

Poor Tape Quality
The story was excellent, but the tape quality was awful. It appeared as if someone taped it at home on their VCR using ELP speed. I was beginning to think it was bootlegged.

THE BEST SHOW EVER!!!
"The Wonder Years" is the BEST where all talents come together. All tapes and DVD of "The Wonder Years" are valuable, and this tape is no exception. If possible, please put out tapes and DVD of all episodes. If you have a whole collection of this show, I WILL PAY ANY PRICE TO GET IT. Thanks. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

A movie for all of us who were "outcasts" in High School!!!
I loved this movie!!!! Frank Whaley is an underated actor who gives a very energetic perfomance, and Jennifer Connoly, well...'nuff said. I guess I'm a little biased in this review because I was one of those labeled in high school "Outcast", and I identify with the main character. It's about damn time one of us got the most girl popular girl in high school!!! Sorry that's the pain from High School talking. And which one of wouldn't imitate Jim Dodge's antic's if we were locked in Target for one night!?!?!?!?!

The amazon.com reviewer needs to get his facts straight!
This is a great movie...I think I have a review here or the VHS version...anyhow, I wanted to point out, the movie is not really about Whaley's character lusting after Jennifer. It's more focused on the comedy of it all. Also..Dermot Mulroney does NOT play Connely's boyfriend, he plays the robber/murderer who breaks into Target to rob the place, and runs into Whaley and Connely! You can't write a bad review basically trashing the movie, if you clearly haven't even seen it!

I like it for what it could have been.....
I absolutely love this film- it's strangely endearing. and the best part is, it is most endearing for what it COULD have been. i think that's why i like watching it so much. the film was made during john hughes' fall from grace (his deal with the devil had to run out sometime) and the early 90's weren't as kind or interested in his fantastic dissections of 80's class conflicts and teenagers know best philosophy. career ops does run a tad thin but there was a great deal of potential. i think whaley's performance was really underrated. if the film had kept some of the scenes shown in the teaser trailer in 1991, he would have been even more likable. the problem is, hughes wants whaley to be a cross between Duckie in 'pretty in pink', ferris bueller and even the anthony michael hall char. in 'weird science'. this amalgamation doesn't do Whaley justice in what was probably a sincere attempt to create an original character of his own. His Jim Dodge is actually really interesting- a cool guy that doesn't trust his own coolness, a lower middle class son who doesn't know how to do well in his parent's eyes and an imaginative, articulate guy who can't quite escape midwest america. if the film would have been less about slapstick (please please please shoot whoever decided bringing in the mulroney brothers for their unecessary subplot that just ruins the film) and more about the dynamic between whaley and connelly, it could have been fantastic. connelly, meanwhile, is also let down by someone- the editor. she is fantastic- beautiful, articulate, classy, and graceful, but appears to be acting in a totally different movie than whaley. the scenes both about and with her father border on the uneasy. i have a feeling that in the original script she was really abused by the bullying dad, perhaps both physically and sexually. i could see it as a possibility with that character. we get a hint of this but then the movie shies away from it completely and we never quite get if its a joke or not (although the scene of connelly in profile with the father outside her door always made me nervous.) i really do like she and whaley together but both hughes and the editors don't seem to know what kind of movie they wanted to make- a slapdash comedy in a newly popular chain store, or a character study of a 'much cooler than his town gives him credit for' guy and the genuinely kind and rich girl who befriends him under strange circumstances. for this matter, we also (b/c of the editing) are never quite sure where connelly's afections lie- in liking jim dodge, or in getting the hell out of town. i just have a soft spot for this film and what it could have been if everyone involved in the production had agreed on what they wanted to make. the ending is atrocious and corny but the rest has promise. this is a great film for aspring filmakers and especially WRITERS to watch both for its good points but mostly for its wrong turns. A great deal can be learned from it.

Yes, It Definitely Has Jennifer Connelly In It
I watched this movie for the first time in many years the other day and had to come to this board to see the comments. Just as I thought, a lot of guys oogling Jennifer Connelly. And with very good reason. This movie was the worst in the John Hughes collection, but I can't tell you why because I didn't care a thing about the plot or the lead male character or the robbers or even John Candy, of whom I was a very big fan. I just know that Jennifer Connelly is an absolute doll in this movie, whether it be on roller skates or on a mechanical dime-store horse (especially a mechanical dime-store horse). In fact I think she comes across sexier here than she does in The Hot Spot, where she shows even more of her assets.

Alas, today Jennifer Connelly has gone the way of Calista Flockhart and lost the babyfat and become a serious actress, even carting home an Oscar, but her role in Career Opportunities will be the one remembered by fans years from now.

Ugh!
Little did I know as I watched this movie that Jennifer Connelly would be a huge star or that a Target would acutally open in my neighborhood in the years to come. But even that doesn't mitigate the bad taste I still have in my mouth from this movie.Try not to watch it if you're in a career slump or in between jobs or depressed! I was all of the above at the time, and watching this was the worst punishment I could have inflicted upon myself.This was surely the last hurrah of 20something-bashing, you know, the kind of uneducated diatribes in which this demographic was perceived as lazy, unambitious, boring, and jaded. In reality the 20somethings were in a slump in the early 90's because of a recession and a poor job market, not because of any lack of ambition on their part. But you wouldn't know it to watch this movie. It does great injustice to GenX. ... 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

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

Reviews (3)

Charming
This is one of those delightful movies that gets overlooked by critics and viewers. But it is one of my favorites because it is so charming and sincere. I love the fact that it's about traffic engineering- something that I've always wondered about myself when driving through congested streets. I would think about the optimal way to time the lights so that less people would be stuck in traffic. The other reason why this movie is special to me is because of the memories it brings back of the time when I first saw it in 1996, with my ex-girlfriend, on HBO on a lazy Friday night. The scenes with the beautiful lighting in the apartment yard or the hilarious scenes of Christine Lahti as the horny landlord sort of meld into the memories and impressions I have of that ecstatic time in my life. I love the way movies or music can do that. So I guess we all have our personal movies that do that to us.

Cute
Hey, sometimes it's great to see a simple movie. This one is no great genius, and it's pretty predictable, but it IS perfectly adorable. An entertaining 2 hours.

a quirky, fun movie about traffic and naked people
One of my favorite new actors teams up with Anne Heche to produce a fun, wacky view of live traffic reports and interpretive dance. I was hooked the first time I saw it. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Charming
This is one of those delightful movies that gets overlooked by critics and viewers. But it is one of my favorites because it is so charming and sincere. I love the fact that it's about traffic engineering- something that I've always wondered about myself when driving through congested streets. I would think about the optimal way to time the lights so that less people would be stuck in traffic. The other reason why this movie is special to me is because of the memories it brings back of the time when I first saw it in 1996, with my ex-girlfriend, on HBO on a lazy Friday night. The scenes with the beautiful lighting in the apartment yard or the hilarious scenes of Christine Lahti as the horny landlord sort of meld into the memories and impressions I have of that ecstatic time in my life. I love the way movies or music can do that. So I guess we all have our personal movies that do that to us.

Cute
Hey, sometimes it's great to see a simple movie. This one is no great genius, and it's pretty predictable, but it IS perfectly adorable. An entertaining 2 hours.

a quirky, fun movie about traffic and naked people
One of my favorite new actors teams up with Anne Heche to produce a fun, wacky view of live traffic reports and interpretive dance. I was hooked the first time I saw it. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Overrated.
Parts of this series was interesting, but there were a lot of letdowns...Kevin has several rather sexist attitudes; Winnie really is rather insipid in that she whines too much and has only Kevin, Paul, and his guys friends as her only friends. The one year she's at a different school, she comes back to Kevin wailing that she "doesn't fit in" and how lonely she is instead of attempting to make some friends on her own (she does wind up hanging out with another group of all guys from that school). The only characters I really liked here and sometimes it was the reason I watched this series occasionally were Paul and Debbie Pfieffer. There were both so cute and funny! They were basically the only two intelligent, enjoyable characters there and I loved their dark hair, eyes, and thick glasses. I liked how gentle and loyal Paul was.

Toching funny and everything in between
I really love this video of the wonder years and i think that you and your family would treasure it so much after you bought it! I just started watching the Wonder Years and it is already my favorite show and when you watch the videos i know that you will fall in love with the series just as i did and it will become your favorite show to! This movie brings the Wonder Years to life! It is unlike amy other movie you will see!!!

A Great Little Set
The Wonder Years tells the story of a young boy (Kevin Arnold) growing up in the 60's and 70's in a small town. I am a huge fan of this show when you order you will get two tapes with great episodes on each of them. If you are a big fan you should check out the other videos that Amazon.com has to offer for this show like, The Best of the Wonder Years which has the last eposiode in its entirty and clips for the whole running of the sitcom. Also The Original Pilot & Swinger, My Fathers Office & Angel, and The Holiday Episodes which makes a great christmas gift. But this set today! ... Read more