New Spy DVDs Out This Week

Today sees the release of two spy TV series, one contemporary and one classic.

For starters, Fox unleashes a new Special Edition of 24: Season One. Unlike subsequent, extras-laden seasons, the initial release of the first season was a bare-bones affair. The studio remedies that with this Special Edition, whose all new bonus features include a documentary called "The Genesis of 24," five extended episodes (comprising the hours of 7PM to 12AM, or the final five episodes of the season), twenty-five extended or deleted scenes, yet another, never-before-seen alternate ending for the season finale (the alternate ending seen on the original DVD is still there, too), commentaries on the premiere and finale, and two of those "The Rookie" online short films. Whew! I think all that should at least make this encore worthwhile to hardcore fans. The original introduction from Kiefer Sutherland will also be retained from the first release. All that is wrapped up in a cool metal tin package, complete with a ticking digital counter! Finally, the set also includes "special introductory letters from both series co-creators on their inspiration and challenges working on this groundbreaking show."

Meanwhile, from the dawn of television comes Dangerous Assignment: The Complete Series, courtesy of Infinity Entertainment. The five-disc set included all 39 episodes of the 1950s NBC series, which starred Brian Donlevy as American secret agent Steve Mitchell. He pretty much sums up the premise in his opening narration: "Yeah, danger is my assignment. I get sent to a lot of places I can't even pronounce. They all spell the same thing, though: trouble." Hey, I like trouble!