It’s catch-up time here at Uncle D’s TV on DVD Ranch. Lots of fine sets here, spanning the late ’50s up to present day. So let’s get to it:

Star Trek The Original Series: Season Two, Remastered
Paramount

The first season of Trek remastered, which means new special effects sound upgrades and ultra-restored prints, was a hybrid HD (oh well)/ flip-side standard DVD package. This set is regular DVD only with no Blu-Ray…yet. But it’s still filled with what was arguably the best season of the original series back in the ’60s. We get “Amok Time,” as Spock surrenders to the Vulcan mating urge and rituals on his home planet; “Who Mourns For Adonais?” as Kirk takes on Apollo the Greek God (or so he claims); “Mirror Mirror,” which gives us our first trip to an alternate universe where Spock has…a beard. Actually, it’s a great episode. Also, the return of Roger C. Carmel as Harry Mudd in “I Mudd,” commanding scores of androids that only come in a few models. Also, “Metamorphosis,” co-starring Elinor Donahue (the first of two Father Knows Best Trek connections, plus the original look at warp-drive inventor Zefram Cochrane). And then three truly legendary Trek tales: “Journey To Babel,” as we meet Spock’s folks, the terrific Mark Lenard as Sarek, and…here it comes…Father Knows Best’s Jane Wyatt as Amanda Greyson. Both would reprise the roles in Trek movies of the ’80s. There’s “The Trouble With Tribbles,” those cute, ever-breeding fuzzballs that hate Klingons. And finally, “Assignment: Earth,” really a pilot for a potential spin-off, starring Robert Lansing as Gary Seven, the human trained by aliens, plus his befuddled secretary, Roberta Lincoln (a wonderfully ditzy and young Teri Garr). There’s much more, but you get the idea. And thanks to the upgrade in effects, it’s all new again and so watchable. There are plenty of extras on the discs too, including home movies shot behind the scenes, interviews, trivia bits, and also included among the bonus material are the sequels Star Trek: The Animated Series “More Tribbles, More Troubles” and loving Star Trek: Deep Space Nine tribute ep, “Trials and Tribble-ations.” With the new effects and more, this set will have you boldly going to it again and again.

***Win a copy of Star Trek, Season Two Remastered from Buzzine. Tell us the hobby of Spock’s mother and send your entry to Trek@Buzzine.com.

Torchwood - Complete Second Season
BBC Warner

The Dr. Who spin-off from BBC is one of the best things about BBC America here in the USA, and season two builds on the first season’s story arcs and takes us in new direcitons as well, including the introduction of Buffy and Smallville’s James Marster’s (back with Brit accent), who appears as Captain John Hart, another Time Agent/bi-guy like Torchwood leader Captain Jack Harkness. He turns up in the season opener and several other episodes, all tied together. Meanwhile, the supporting cast each get their chance in the spotlight, while Dr. Who’s Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman) plays a part in a three-episode arc about death and life returned (though not hers). Plenty of humor — dry and sharp — plot twists and sci-fi/horror elements to keep Torchwood burning bright.

Dexter - The Complete Second Season
Showtime/Paramount

Dexter may be a tough nut for some to crack — a serial killer as the hero (okay, he only takes out bad guys, but still). Nonetheless, what could turn into a corner-painting premise works and it picks up from the first season of the show, with Dexter questioning his deeds, his purpose, his reason fo anything. Brit Lila enters the picture and clearly has some skeletons of sorts in her closet, while Dex’s girlfriend Rita (Buffy/Angel alumnus Julie Benz) may be at the end of her emotional rope. There’s also F.B.I. Special Agent Frank Lundy (Keith Carradine) sniffin’ around, and Sgt. Daokes appears to be on to Dexter (Erik King) too. Just when you might’ve thought Miami was done as a backdrop (after Silk Stalkings, CSI, etc.), it makes it all the steamier as tension meets the humidity.

Terminal City-The Complete Series
Koch Vision

This program comes off at first like, well, a chick show. But Terminal City is sometimes more, from it’s grounded themes of an all-too-real cancer battle to flights of the fanciful, as the lead character, Katie (Maria Del Mar), becomes a reality TV sensation. Gil Bellows (Ally McBeal) co-stars as her husband. Definitely for fans of Weeds and Six Feet Under too.

Perry Mason
Season 3, Volume One
Paramount

Ah, Raymond Burr and the original courtroom drama, based on the novels of Earle Stanley Gardner. Burr will always be THE Perry Mason – that’s why, when the show came back decades later, they didn’t try to young it down, instead just letting Burr be a much older Mason. He has the fire here as a defense lawyer, the stories from fall 1959 through spring 1960, including “The Case of the Watery Witness,” “The Case of the Startled Stallion,” “The Case of the Bartered Bikini” (don’t ya love all that alliteration?), and many more. Some may wish they could just have the entire season in one set instead of the two-part approach, but for some reason, that’s how many of these old shows are being handled on DVD.

The Strauss Family
A & E

This British mini-series actually dates back to airings around 1973 — sort of a soap opera approach to chronicling the classical music family, with music by musicans from the London Symphony Orchestra providing the music. The eight-part program spans 85 years and the rise of Johann Strauss, Sr. to superstar status of the day as a composer. There’s scandal, ego, jealousy, and a case that includes Derek Jacobi (I, Cladius) and Jane Seymour (Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman)…and, of course, those Strauss waltzes.

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