Top Five TV Shows to Watch on DVD

DVD has changed the way we watch TV. With no commercials and the ability to watch one TV show after the other, I often find myself devouring entire series in a matter of days. The following TV shows are ones that I watch over and over again on DVD because they're that good.

1. NewsRadio. This TV show, starring comedy greats like Phil Hartman, Dave Foley (from Kids in the Hall), and Andy Dick is still as hilarious as when it first came out. NewsRadio is about a news station in New York City, run by Dave Nelson (Foley), a young country bumpkin who rarely gets respect from his savvy staff. The TV series was the last that Phil Hartman starred in and it showcased his self-absorbed sense of humor perfectly. All five seasons are currently available on DVD and are a must-watch for sitcom lovers everywhere. Also, be sure to check out the DVD commentary; Andy Dick is in rare form for many of the episode discussions.

2. Veronica Mars. It only takes a couple of episodes before you're absolutely hooked to this ill-fated series starring Kristen Bell (from Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and Enrico Colantoni (from Just Shoot Me). Veronica Mars is a fast-paced, witty mystery show that follows the street-wise, high-school student Veronica Mars (Bell) as she solves crimes and searches for her best friend's murderer. While the notion of a high-school sleuth may seem a bit Nancy Drew, this show is anything but. At times Veronica Mars takes surprising, dark turns. The show also has a sharp and sometimes obscure sense of humor appealing to adult audiences. All three seasons are available on DVD, but the first two seasons (before the creators saw the axe coming) are the best.

3. Golden Girls. That's right; Golden Girls. Written, in part, by Micthell Hurwitz, creator of the hilarious Arrested Development, this TV show still delivers laugh after laugh. Golden Girls follows four older women, and best friends, living as roommates in Florida. The show's timeless sense of humor, mixed with touching moments and insights on growing older, make it one worth watching again and again. It is also worth noting that the Golden Girls is the last TV show of its kind, appealing to both older and younger audeinces. All seasons of Golden Girls are available on DVD (and you can also catch several episodes a day on the WE and Hallmark Networks).

4. The Larry Sanders Show. Before there was Larry David's show Curb Your Enthusiasm, there was Larry Sanders. Starring comic genius Garry Shandling, this HBO comedy had the same loose, improv style now seen in many TV sitcoms, complete with awkward moments that'll make you cringe. Larry Sanders (Shandling) is a late-night talk show host dealing with his own neurotic issues and an unruly staff. This show was a hothouse for up-and-coming talents like Judd Apatow, Jon Stewart, and Sarah Silverman. Sadly, the whole series is not available on DVD. You can, however, find, a best of DVD set as well as the first season.

5. Freaks and Geeks. Movies like40 Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, and Superbad can all be traced back to this sweet and funny sitcom by Judd Apatow. Freaks and Geeks is the coming-of-age story of a brother and sister in High School and the friends they make. Unlike the aforementioned movies, Freaks and Geeks doesn't waste its time with gross-out humor and sticks, mainly, to the funny situations that kids find themselves in when they're growing up. Always funny and often nostalgic, this TV show is a wonderful touchstone for people (like myself) who grew up in the early 1980s. Freaks and Geek's single season gave birth to the successes of Seth Rogen (writer of and actor in Pineapple Express), James Franco (of the recent Spiderman movies), and Jason Segel (from How I Met Your Mother). The one and only season of Freaks and Geeks is available on DVD.