Mysterical-E

Mysterical-Eye

TV and Movie Gifts

Some crime TV and movie-themed gift ideas along with the usual update. (Spoiler alert.)

I'm writing six days after having seen Skyfall, Daniel Craig's third James Bond movie. Its release falls on the fiftieth anniversary of the first Bond movie, Dr. No, and everyone—from the actors, to the writers, to the director—rises to the occasion. This was important given that Craig's previous Bond movie, Quantum of Solace, felt the effects of the 2007 screenwriters' strike, and that Bond studio MGM faced bankruptcy between the two movies.

To keep spoilers to a minimum, I'll just say Skyfall bids a fitting farewell to one longstanding franchise character and reintroduces three others. And while longtime Bond screenwriters Neal Purvis and Robert Wade are also leaving the franchise, Bond producers were so pleased with Skyfall co-writer John Logan's work, they've signed him to write the next two Bond movies, whose plots will be connected.

That brings me to my first gift recommendation. Released September 25 on DVD and Blu-ray, Bond 50 collects the other twenty-two official Bond movies and boasts more than 120 hours of bonus material, including interviews with the six actors to play James Bond and behind-the-scenes footage of Skyfall.

Also of interest to Bond fans are the recently published memoirs Bond on Bond by actor Roger Moore and Catching Bullets by lifelong Bond fan Mark O'Connell.

Another storied franchise was released on Blu-ray September 18, Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures. I bought the set mainly for Raiders of the Lost Ark, still my favorite of the four movies. However, a disc of bonus material does have me revisiting the rest. One factoid from the bonus material: Indiana Jones came along when Steven Spielberg was itching to direct a Bond movie.

Turning to the small screen, released October 23 from Shout! Factory was Peter Gunn: The Complete Series, a new chance to catch the classic Craig Stevens private eye show that influenced many to follow.

For fans of the ten-season military-legal series JAG, starring David James Elliott and Catherine Bell, Paramount released a DVD collector's edition, including a 40-page booklet and replica coin, on December 11.

In current TV news, the third season of USA Network's spy drama Covert Affairs has raised the series' game with protagonist Annie Walker (Piper Perabo) assigned to a bolder boss (Sarah Clarke) and her romantic feelings for technician Auggie Anderson (Christopher Gorham) still simmering. If you're not already a fan of this well-written, globe-trotting show, I recommend Seasons 1 and 2 on DVD.

Meanwhile, USA's more veteran spy series, Burn Notice, is wrapping up its sixth season with Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan) having killed his former mentor (John C. McGinley) in vengeance for his brother Nate (Seth Peterson). Burn Notice was recently renewed for a probably-final season of thirteen episodes.

Checking in on the new TV series mentioned in my Spring-Summer 2012 column, three have been canceled. CBS's Friday night legal drama Made in Jersey was the first casualty of the fall, while at ABC, the high-intensity Last Resort could not compete with CBS's veteran Thursday night comedy block, and the already low-rated Sunday night gothic drama 666 Park Avenue--filmed in Brooklyn, NY--was hit hard by Hurricane Sandy. The latter two series will get to finish their initial 13-episode orders, so storylines will be wrapped up.

In better news, The CW's Arrow and CBS's Sherlock Holmes adaptation Elementary received full season orders. A&E's Longmire and TNT's Perception were renewed for second seasons.

Finally, on December 21, Jack Reacher hit movie theaters with Tom Cruise playing the strapping hero from the novels of Lee Child. Much fun has been poked at the disparity between Reacher's and Cruise's height. My concern is that Cruise's Reacher will be too similar to his Mission: Impossible character, Ethan Hunt. If I decide to see the movie, I'll share my thoughts next column.