The Providence Collection (TV compilation)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: B-     Episodes: B

 

 

The one-hour TV series is not what it used to be, especially on commercial network TV, but the five seasons of Providence was a rare exception for NBC.  Along with Homicide – Life On The Street and (to a lesser extent) ER, providence is the best drama the network came up with since St. Elsewhere and the early seasons of L.A. Law.  That is good company, but instead of issuing a “complete first season” set, Lion’s Gate has issued a four DVD set that samples the best of all five seasons.

 

The character-driven show stars Melina Kanakaredes as Sydney, a doctor who leaves her plastic surgery practice in Los Angeles to return to her hometown of Providence, Rhode Island.  Critics did not like it or get it, as TV critics are worse than the lame ones we have for motion pictures, and the show was a surprise hit.  That it had exceptional writing and a great cast to pull the teleplays off and you have a show that is far above the usual fare on the Lifetime Network.

 

Paula Cale is the eccentric sister, Seth Peterson as the responsible brother, Concetta Tomei as the mother, and Mike Farrell as the father whose work as a veterinarian was most influential in getting Syd into medicine herself.  Now she’s back home helping people in her local hospital.  I always find it annoying that a character selflessly gives up his or her life of greater wealth/happiness/success for something simpler and less successful, a TV cliché by now, but this feels more authentic and plays more believably than most.

 

The episodes featured are as follows:

 

Pilot

Home Again

Tying The Knot

The Letter

Don’t Go Changin’

The Thanksgiving Story

Falling

Best Man

Act Naturally

A New Beginning

Eye Of The Storm

The Eleventh Hour

 

Creator John Masius has pulled off a show that was a hit, but many people who like good TV have likely not seen.  I strongly believe there is a much wider audience for this show and hope this will be another series that gets rediscovered as Family Guy and Firefly did.  If it goes over very well, maybe we could see a possible revival as well.  This show is easily one of the best dramas of the 1990s, though it has plenty of comedy that is never overdone, and its recognition is only just beginning.

 

The full screen image is shot by various cinematographers and it all looks really good, but the transfer is slightly softer than expected throughout.  The prints are in exemplary shape and the matching of the scenery form the actual Providence and work on soundstage sets matches seamlessly.  The box credits the sound as “2.0 Dolby surround audio”, but there is hardly any surround information in the surrounds, while the Pro Logic decoding pushes the sound too much to the front three speakers.  Extras include several audio commentaries on each of the four DVDs, a documentary on the show and a blooper reel.

 

I also really enjoyed the book-like case the DVDs came in, that opens in a way to duplicate the feeling of a family album.  That’s appropriate, because when all is said and done, The Hansens of Providence are one of the greatest TV families of all.  If you have not seen the show, you should get this set.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo