3rd Rock
From The Sun – Season Four
Picture: C+
Sound: C+ Extras: C Episodes: B-
Skipping the third season, 3rd Rock From The
Sun - Season Four shows signs of wear on the concept as it entered the 1999
– 2000 season. Logging 24 episodes, John
Lithgow, Jane Curtin, Kristen Johnson, French Stewart and Joseph Gordon-Levitt
settled in their roles and the chemistry remained, but you can tell they were
hitting a peak and stride that would lead the producers to end it
Highlights this time are more about moments within the
shows than any episode in particular, but I was never the biggest fan of the
series and at this point, I would have dropped out from total involvement. The show was for the fans who had been
watching since day one and the weekly TV grid started to have it wearing way
with the series. I give the cast credit
for giving their all and keeping the show as fresh as they did, but at this
point, these sets are for fans only.
Non-fans should start with the earlier sets, reviewed elsewhere on this
site.
Fans will yet again be happy that the DVDs have turned out
as nicely as they have, issued by Anchor Bay in another nice DigiPak box and
the 1.33 X 1 professional NTSC analog video image quality is good, though it
lacks some detail and the older animated credits (which looked fake to begin
with on purpose for laughs) has aged a bit.
The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo is also good, as it was originally
broadcast, but the sound once again has no surrounds either. Extras again include highlights of the
season, another 16-page booklet in the foldout, new Curtain interview and
bloopers.
- Nicholas Sheffo