What is it? The Colbys, Complete Series, 49 episodes on 12 discs from Shout! Factory
When? Tuesday
How much? $119
Who are the Colbys? An outrageously wealthy, insanely messed-up family.
At the head of the family (and the multinational corporation that bears its name) is Jason Colby (Charlton Heston). Jason is married to Sable (Stephanie Beacham), a glamorous, sophisticated type with a wicked tongue and a stop-at-nothing attitude when it comes to her children.
Those children are twins Miles and Monica (Maxwell Caulfield and Tracy Scoggins) and younger daughter Bliss (Claire Yarlett). Miles has recently married Fallon Carrington (Emma Samms) -- of the Dynasty Carringtons -- who is suffering from amnesia and doesn't remember that she used to be married to Jeff Colby (John James), Miles' cousin and Jason's nephew (or is he?).
Meanwhile, Jason has long been in love with Francesca (Katharine Ross), the wife of his late brother, mother of Jeff and sister of Sable.
Jason's sister Constance (Barbara Stanwyck) draws some of Sable's wrath by getting involved in the family business and trying to help Jeff step in as the next to run the company.
There's a lot of partner swapping, divorcing and remarrying, so as the series progresses, it gets even more complicated.
Is it any good? That depends on what one is looking for. There are a few things viewers should keep in mind.
This is a Dynasty spinoff. So, it's basically another Dynasty, just with some different people and a different setting.
The series was also a creation of Aaron Spelling, the king of what actor John James calls "junk food for the mind." It requires very little thought. Keeping track of the characters and their relationships could require some sort of advanced-level graph, but really it's best to just turn your brain off and let it go.
Despite the presence of classic film stars like Stanwyck, it is not a show to be taken seriously. It's ridiculous. It's over the top. In two seasons, it managed to throw in kidnappings, amnesia, near-fatal accidents, multiple cases of adultery and lots and lots and lots of scheming.
For the sartorially sensitive, this is the 1980s in all its flashy, trashy glory: sequins, poofy hair and shoulder pads. Massive shoulder pads.
In short, it's a series to satisfy the show's original fans, those who miss the days of flashy prime-time soaps and those who get a kick out of making fun of said soaps. There's some good, catty banter and wicked scheming, but this is not a show that would win Emmys for acting or writing.
Are there extras? There's almost an hour of new interviews with James, Caulfield and Beacham reminiscing about the series and their costars.
New this week: Battlestar Galactica, Definitive and Remastered collections (Blu-ray); Broadchurch, Season 2; Dallas, Seasons 1-3; Glee, Season 6 and Complete Series; Heartland, Season 5; Mister Ed, Season 6; Nash Bridges, Season 5; Nikita, Complete Series; Revolution, Complete Series; Southland, Complete Series; Unforgettable, Season 3; Walker, Texas Ranger, Complete Series.
Next week: American Dad, Volume 10; Beauty and the Beast, Season 2; Boardwalk Empire, Complete Series; Call the Midwife, Season 4; The Larry Sanders Show, Complete Series; Married ... With Children, Seasons 9-10; Midsomer Murders, Seasons 14-15; NewsRadio, Complete Series; Orange is the New Black, Season 2; Rogue, Season 2.
Style on 05/10/2015