Ghost Writer – Season One (1992 – 1993/Shout Factory! DVD Set)
Picture:
C Sound: C+ Extras: C- Episodes: C+
In one of
their later successes before their name change, The Children’s Television
Workshop created a series that combined mysteries, book reading, computers, a
Science Fiction storyline and the idea that education is a good thing in Ghost Writer, a hit for three seasons
on PBS that is now finally arriving on DVD, in this case from Shout! Factory
who already did two solid volumes on the original Electric Company.
We get 8
cases over five DVDs and 34 half-hour shows in all. Like 3-2-1
Contact, the show was not great or a classic, but managed to work well
enough to be higher quality education entertainment for viewers that have too
few such options to this day (and especially since the 1980s). It is smart, diverse, child-friendly and
would work today if revived. It is also
for children and younger teens, but it Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Linn-Baker and
even Spike Lee are among those who play guest characters.
It may be
nostalgia for some, but it is quality TV for all and it might even get the show
rediscovered.
The 1.33
X 1 image was shot on analog NTSC video and has some dated video effects, but
can look good. However, this is a little
digitally harsh a little too often and could look better. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo is just fine for
it age and holds up better than the picture, but can be distorted and show its
age. The only extra is a booklet inside
the case about the mysteries for this debut season dubbed the Ghostwriter Casebook.
- Nicholas Sheffo
