universal

For some reason I never watched Simon & Simon. Oh, I saw the crossover with Magnum, P.I., and it seems like the type of show I'd like, but for some reason I never paid much attention to it in the 80s. I guess I was too busy watching something else at the time, and keeping track of Magnum, Riptide, Moonlighting, and other private eye shows.

But now I can buy the DVDs this September ( and yes, and so can you!). The first season set will have 13 episodes, and since it's Universal the extras will probably be shoddy or non-existent. Still, I love it when these 80s shows come to DVD. I'm still waiting for more.

If you've ever wished there was a way to kill time while pumping gas, other than staring off into space and picking your nose, which is my preferred method of killing time, NBC Universal Television Stations group and VST Media Network may have a solution for you. They're equipping gas pumps in select areas with tiny screens which will broadcast three-minute news, sports, and entertainment briefs in markets with affiliate stations owned and operated by NBC. Right now only people in Los Angeles can see the screens, though more are expected to pop up in San Francisco and San Diego this year. The screens will eventually be added to other gas stations across the country. Apparently, the three-minute length is how long it takes to fill a typical gas tank. I wonder if they'll have longer versions for truck drivers.

At long last, Steven Spielberg's 1980s anthology series is coming to DVD! The first season of the show hits stores on July 18.

The bad news? This is a Universal set, so there are hardly any extras at all. But it's still good to finally have the show on DVD, even if overall the show was so-so (from what I remember anyway - haven't seen the show in several years).

Universal has offically announced that the entire first season of The Incredible Hulk, the 70s action show with Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno that I loved for about a year, will be coming out on July 18. It will be a 4 DVD set, with both TV films and the 10 episodes from the first season.

Universal is notorious for not having many extras on their TV DVDs, but fans will be happy to know that this set will have two extra features: a commentary track and special interview/intro with Ferrigno. Which is good, because you don't want to make Hulk fans angry. You wouldn't like them when they're angry.

The New York Times reports that Amazon is considering entering into the world of downloadable television and movies. Amazon.com is apparently deep in high-level talks with industry execs for a deal to sell television episodes and movies as downloads that can be burned onto DVD. The online retailer may be close to solidifying a deal with Paramount, Universal, and Warner Bros. Amazon owns IMDB (Internet Movie Database), and would likely use that website as a way to promote its new movie and television offerings. So far there is no speculation about how much it would cost to download an individual television episode or a movie.

Would you use this service? I kinda like my movie DVDs because of all the extras.