Good Episode, but only an Episode
928968
Good episode, but it was only a singe 22 minute episode.  Priced like a movie... it was worth my time watching but not worth the price.
353488
This episode certainly adds a new dimension to the series, but to me it had no emotional depth, unlike the others. Still, well written, well done.
3026836
There was something lacking in this episode. A role for Don. While a host of new characters take up space , he is relegated to another descent, this time into creepiness. I miss the old days of just drinking and philandering.
3507723
I was a huge fan of the first four seasons of this show, so I was excited to hear they were bringing it back.  The other movies mostly left me cold, though, and I've been unimpressed by the new episodes on Comedy Central.  At best, they've been forgettable, and at worst, they've felt like fan fiction -- stringing together references to funny things from the original seasons in place of new jokes, with plots that have little or no organic connection to the characters as established by the series.  This movie feels almost like a return to form, with an engaging story, a more or less steady rhythm of new gags, and all its references to previous installments feeling justified by the context rather than a lack of ideas.

The only thing that keeps this from being a 5-star show for me is that the feature length format leads to a lower density of laughs and general enjoyment than with the more natural fit of the half-hour episode.  It's the same problem I had with the Simpsons movie, which I enjoyed about as much as this.  All in all, this is a definite watch if you're a fan of Futurama, although I'd steer newbies towards the original seasons first.
3289277
I'm a big fan of Nova in general. This episode was good but not great. Some great content, but could have been much richer and faster paced. Would recommend that people go read Endless Forms Most Beautiful and Your Inner Fish instead of watching this.
3619173
The third season of the West Wing falters a little relative to the second and fourth seasons, but the worst West Wing episode is still better than most other TV shows.  This season consists of 21 episodes in continuity, plus 2 "bonus" shows.  The season opener (Isaac and Ishmael) is one of the bonus shows and is also one of the highlights of the series.  It deals with the aftermath of September 11 (airing only a month after the fact) outside continuity of the show, but with everyone in character.  The second special show is a documentary on the way government is run - it may be self-congratulatory, but it also assures the viewer that they are seeing a "truthful" representation of life in the West Wing.  Also reassuring is the presence of 3 former presidents (Ford, Carter, and Clinton) in the special as well as numerous presidential aides (including notable Republicans Henry Kissinger and Karl Rove): even if you don't agree with the politics of the liberal/Democratic president of the show, thoughtful members of both parties like the show because it shows the president always trying to do what he feels is right.  And that's what you need your elected leaders doing!

In between these two specials are the real, in continuity episodes.  They are a mixed batch, in terms of how interesting they are, but generally improve as the weeks go on.  The president accepts a congressional censure for hiding his medical condition after much angst and testimony from his staff.  The re-election campaign kicks off and Gov. Ritchie appears as the Republican nominee.  Meanwhile legislation is passed, the president vetoes a bill, and the cliffhanger ending sends reverberations through all of Season 4 and into Season 5.  There is one unfortunate addition to the semi-regular cast - the feminist Amy Gardner who is as annoying as the late unlamented Mandy from season 1.  For the most part, though, the supporting roles are great: the election spin-doctor Bruno, Leo's lawyer Jordan, Mark Harmon's secret service agent, and the first appearance of Adm. Fitzwallace (chair of the Joint Chiefs).

However, outside of the "23rd" (documentary) episode, the extras on this DVD are mainly disappointing.  Not in quality (they are short, but enjoyable), but in quantity.  There are only 3 commentaries (as oppposed to The Simpsons or Futurama, for example, which have commentaries on every episode).  Finally, I will voice once again my main objection to the extras - why aren't there political scientists and/or politicians on commentaries explaining the actual governmental workings?  For example, on the episode where Bartlet vetoes the bill (Ways and Means), or one with the senate hearings (Bartlet for America), or how the primary system works (Hartsfield's Landing).
3303443
The first three seasons of this show are great.  But I know that eventually this show loses its shine from the newer episodes I catch every now and then on TV.  I can see it starting in this Season 4.  Instead of clever, witty banter between the characters, the dialogue is starting to come across as more mean-spirited than fun.  Plus, as the kid grows up, he's not as believable as an innocent, which in turn doesn't make him as funny on the show.  Still worth buying, and I'll buy the 5th season, too, but that might be the last one I buy.  I'll see.  For now, like I said, this Season 4 is still pretty good, just not as reliable for LOLs as the previous three seasons.
203435
Another pairing of great if mismatched episodes.  I guess the idea was to pool dissimilar episodes rather than the episodes which seem like slight variations on a single idea (like sending the crew to planets ruled by modern day versions of Nazi Germany or Imperial Rome).
In "A Piece of the Action", the crew journeys to Iotia, a planet whose inhabitants prove incredibly resourceful and adaptive.  Based upon a single book on 1920's Gangsters left behind by a previous starship, the Iotians have modeled their entire culture to resemble Jazz-era Chicago - Tommyguns, mob-molls, hits and all.  Landing on Iotia to open contact, Kirk and crew find themselves in the middle of a gang war.  The episode is funny without being too campy (forgetting that this is the story requiring the heroes to sneak around a Paramount backlot in period costume).  Kirk struggles to unite the warring gangs for the good of the planet without taking sides and without becoming another hit.  The last shot is classic - leaving open the possibility that the Iotians may one day demand a piece of the Starfleet's action.
In "By any other name", the Enterprise is hijacked by the Kelvan - an advanced race of beings from the Andromeda galaxy.  Having been marooned when their ship was crippled by the energy barrier at the rim of our galaxy (the same barrier that has made appearances in "Where no man has gone before", "Is there no truth in Beauty" and the fifth Trek film), the Kelvan took on the shape of human beings.  Their actual forms - immense being with many tentacles and huge brains - would have trouble managing turbolifts.  Once past the barrier, the Kelvan use their advance technology to reduce much of the crew into small styrofoam boxes, and otherwise keep the remaining crew in submission.  Their mission is to reach their home galaxy and return to ours with a massive invasion force.  This is a great episode, combining some subtle wit and quick thinking with some matchless direction.  In one excellent cut, Scott, Spock and Kirk weigh their options enroute to the bridge.  With the Kelvan homecoming a possible harbinger of invasion, the crew realizes that more than their own lives are stake.  Yet, against the Kelvan technology, only a single plan is available and suicidal at that.  "The Kelvan will be stopped here", Spock intones gravely "and so will we."  Kirk is about to respond in fury - there's got to be something else we can do - when the door opens.  None of the nex-gen episodes can touch that moment.  Get this DVD.
4457783
I like this episode, if only for the fact that the Daleks can finally get down a flight of stairs!!!  Actually, this one is a pretty solid episode with lots of memorable scenes, and is one of the few McCoy episodes I enjoy from start to finish
4064902
I love this show, but like the last couple of seasons, Season 8 was hit and miss.
There are at least 4 episodes that remind me why I have loved this show from the beginning, but there are at least 3 that were a total waste of time, especially the remake episode. If you are going to give a season with a reduced episode count (and seasons of Psych were already shortened enough normally), than a gimmick episode like "Remake A.K.A. Cloudy...With A Chance Of Improvement" is a complete waste of time and energy.
I did like the way the show ended. Satisfying last episode.
472151
A decent compilation but they could have picked some better episodes. For example, the Voyager episode "Prophecy" should have been on this. I also don't think the pilot episode for Enterprise should have been selected cause it had little to do with Klingons until the very end of the episode. Still it's an okay compilation.
1231850
I enjoyed the show, even though at times the pace seemed a bit fast for the story as it unfolded. It could have used several more episodes for the characters to be developed more. I was looking for some redeeming quality in a particularly ghastly character but sadly, what was presented was too brief.
3171099
I saw that this episode ranked #1 in a recent Doctor Who magazine poll so I decided to revisit it.  Thinking about this review, I had to decide whether it was worth 3 stars or 4.  In the end, I opted for the latter because overall I was entertained, although this episode is certainly overrated if considered to be #1.

I haven't watched Doctor Who since I was a kid viewing the original PBS broadcast.  Like many I started with Tom Baker but I appreciate what all of the actors who play the doctor bring to the show.  Davison is probably the least humorous and most serious of all of the actors who play the role and knowing this in advance, I don't hold it against him.  In addition, everyone who enjoys this program knows that it was made with no money for special effects, costumes, sets, etc.  Therefore, the story is paramount, which brings me to the problem with this episode...

There are just too many important parts that do not logically make sense.  For example, the first cliffhanger where the Doctor and Peri are executed.  How does Sharez Jek make the swap with the androids?  The only place it could have happened is in the holding cell.  How does he get in?  Wouldn't the doctor have found a way out if possible.  And how does he get the exact replicas made in such short notice, complete with voices and mannerisms...all this in less than an hour!?  None of this is ever explained.  This continues throughout the story, even to the finale that everyone raves about, where the Doctor saves Peri by recovering the milk from the Queen Bat.  The sacrifice is made because the Doctor has only enough milk for Peri...why?  He knows that the sickness causes paralysis so why would he take a chance of being paralyzed before getting the milk to her...why wouldn't he drink some himself first, while he had access to the source?

Don't get me wrong, this is a fast-paced story that keeps the viewer interested and I suppose no longer being a kid, I notice problems which are evident in all episodes.  However, there is a distinct element of contrivance that makes this episode not quite as enjoyable as many others.
1900254
Episode title: Explorers
Teleplay by: Rene Echevarria
Story by: Hilary J. Bader
Directed by: Cliff Bole
After continuous attempts at political drama, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine gives us a story about the basic "wagon train to the stars" idea by the way of "Explorers", an episode dealing with space flight in it's primitive stages.
This is managed with a story that deals with Commander Sisko coming across records of an ancient Bajoran solar sail ship that supposedly carried a small crew of Bajorans to Cardassia in sublight speeds.
The Cardassians have denied this, of course and Sisko desides to prove the design spaceworthy by building it from the records and making a little trip with Jake.
So begins a journey by Sisko and Jake, as they take on a trip towards Cardassia.
The episode is clearly meant to be a character story, as it follows Sisko and Jake on a small ship, talking about their lives, their past and their future, but all this is done in a surprisingly shallow way and these scenes don't offer anything substantial about the characters.
It is nice to see some attempt at deppening Jake, but "Explorers" portrays him like all the episodes he has been shown briefly before it. As an immature teenager and a destinationless and superficial character. The acting performances don't help these scenes either.
Also the framing plot is far too unbeliavable and coincidence-based, and the pacing of the episode doesn't work adequately, partly due to the bad addittional plot about Bashir meeting the only person who outdid him in med school.
"Explorers" is watchable and I appreciate the effort put into a purely character-driven episode, but the execution of that good idea lacks considerably.
1143788
This review is about the show itself, not about the Blu-ray since it's not out yet.  I'm not going to post spoilers, other than what people have seen in the trailers.

This season of 24 was a very good season but not the best, which is why it only gets 4 stars.  I'm not a fan of the 12 episode season, it's called "24" for a reason and removing 12 hours of isn't a good idea.

A lot of the characters are back but one distinctly missing is Carlos Bernard (Tony).  I know bringing him back would have taking some creativity in the writing but I do miss that character.  I'm not a fan of Chloe's new "Goth" look but she played her character great.  James Heller does an EXCELLENT job as President and I'm glad Audrey was brought back.

The story line was very well written and I can see why it's only 12 episodes but I'm just not a fan of a 12 episode season, it went by too fast.

Overall this season is a top 5 season, but it's not even close to the best season of them all.... Season 5.
829839
After season three, it all goes downhill. "Chocolate with Nuts" is still one of their best episodes. I hope the creators go back instead of forward with their vision for the show.
2112492
This is where the series gets good. You have to see the previous episodes to really appretiate the events that unfold here. The previous episodes were seemingly just that. Episodes. However in the main stories, they were always giving bits and pieces to the puzzle of the main agenda of the story arc. If you've seen the other series before this part, and are wondering if this is worth the buy...then wonder no longer. This is truely where the story, and the action gets good.