DVD Review - NewsRadio: Seasons 1 & 2

NewsRadio: Seasons 1 & 2
Starring: Dave Foley, Phil Hartman, Khandi Alexander, Maura Tierney, Andy Dick, Joe Rogan, Stephen Root, Vicki Lewis
Studio: Mill Creek Entertainment
Release Date: April 1, 2014
Retail: $14.98
ASIN: B00I099JUK
Running Time: 10 hours 12 minutes
Rating: Not Rated

Review:

Arriving on DVD earlier this month from Mill Creek entertainment is the first and second seasons of the  90s comedy series NewsRadio, starring Dave Foley, Khandi Alexander, Maura Tierney, Andy Dick, Joe Rogan, Stephen Root, Vicki Lewis and the late comedian great, Phil Hartman.

The series aired on NBC from 1995 to 1999 with 97 episodes produced over five seasons. It went into syndication for a few years before officially disappearing from the airwaves. However, the complete series made its way on DVD between 2005 to 2008, but all the season sets are now out-of-print. Mill Creek Entertainment acquired the rights of several Sony Pictures titles, including NewsRadio, in 2013.

NewsRadio is centered on the antics of the office staff of New York City's WNYX radio station, which is owned by Jimmy James (played by Stephen Root). The pilot introduces the new news director, Dave Nelson (played by Dave Foley), who has to fire the current news director on his first day at work. There is an instant chemistry between Dave and the reporter/producer Lisa Miller (played by Maura Tierney), but there is a slight problem - she wanted to be the new news director. Despite the tension between the two, they enter a relationship which they try to hide from the other employees, Bill McNeal (played by Phil Hartman), Beth (played by Vicki Lewis), Matthew Brock (played by Andy Dick), Catherine Duke (played by Khandi Alexander) and Joe Garrelli (played by Joe Rogan).

The episodes on the three disc-set are:

Season One:

1. Pilot
2. Inappropriate
3. Smoking
4. The Crisis
5. Big Day
6. Luncheon at the Waldorf
7. Sweeps Week

Season Two:

1. No, This is Not Based Entirely on Julie's Life
2. Goofy Ball
3. Rat Funeral
4. The Breakup
5. The Shrink
6. Friends
7. Billy's Autobiography
8. Negotiation
9. The Cane
10. Xmas Story
11. Station Sale
12. Bitch Sessions
13. In Through the Out Door
14. The Song Remains the Same
15. Zoso
16. Houses of the Holy
17. Physical Graffiti
18. Led Zeppelin
19. Presence
20. Coda
21. Led Zeppelin II
22. The Injury

NewsRadio is one of several television comedies that was on my must-watch list when I was teenager. Actually, it is one of the funniest sitcoms from the 1990s, mostly thanks to Phil Hartman's memorable performance as the news co-anchor, Bill McNeal. The rest of the cast are hysterical in their roles, even actor/comedian Andy Dick, who I don't care for, does a decent a job. Crazy plots and smart dialogue makes every episode unique and fun to watch. Overall, I had a blast re-watching the first 29 episodes of the series on the NewsRadio: Seasons 1 & 2 DVD set and I recommend it to other fans.

*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.