Click here to learn more about anamorphic widescreen!
Go to the Home Page
Go to The Rumor Mill
Go to Todd Doogan's weekly column
Go to the Reviews Page
Go to the Trivia Contest Page
Go to the Upcoming DVD Artwork Page
Go to the DVD FAQ & Article Archives
Go to our DVD Links Section
Go to the Home Theater Forum for great DVD discussion
Find out how to advertise on The Digital Bits

Site created 12/15/97.

review added: 2/9/00



Ally McBeal:
Ally on Sex and the Single Life
1997 (2000) 20th Century Fox

review by Todd Doogan of The Digital Bits

All McBeal - Ally on Sex and the Single Life Film Ratings: A

Disc Ratings (Video/Audio/Extras): A-/B+/B+

Specs and Features

264 mins, NR, full frame (1.33:1), single-sided, dual-layered (disc one), single-sided, single-layered (disc two), Amaray keep case packaging, preview of Ally McBeal: The Official Guide Book, video for Searchin' My Soul by Vonda Shepard, film-themed menu screens, scene access for each episode: Pilot (14 chapters), The Attitude (15 chapters), Cro-Magnon (14 chapters), Silver Bells (13 chapters), Theme of Life (16 chapters) and The Playing Field (15 chapters), languages: English & French (DD 2.0), subtitles: English & Spanish, Closed Captioned

Well, everyone's favorite emotionally mixed-up attorney, Ms. Ally McBeal, has found her way onto everyone's favorite home video format -- DVD. For you closeted fans out there, you can finally pull out those videotapes you've been hiding behind the VCR. I'm not a big fan of Ally, but I have to say that these episodes look great and sound just as good. This two-disc set preserves some of the best episodes from the first season (but sadly not in any particular order) and it's a huge step for DVD just to have them. Personally, I would rather have Fox put out a Simpsons set, but I'll take this.

If you're a fan, you don't need much of an introduction. If you're not a fan, you probably couldn't care less. Let's all just keep in mind that DVD does a great justice to TV programming, because it solidifies the format that much more. The more mainstream DVD gets, the more people will have no choice but to jump on board. In terms of quality, the picture is crystal clear and surprisingly colorful for a TV program. The sound quality is also much better than television (surprise, surprise). After seeing it for myself, I can't see any fan of this show not picking this set up right now -- having a DVD player or not. Each episode is also introduced with a short text summary of the show, that includes chapter break and sound/subtitle selection options.

The extras are all on the second disc, where there's a preview of an official guide book on Ally McBeal's characters and show history. It's actually pretty cool, and given all the information they tease you with (which is quite a bit), it's surprising to know there's even more in a book at your local bookstore. There's also a video for the theme to Ally (Searchin' My Soul) performed by Vonda Shepard.

This works out to be a great set, and hopefully Fox will keep more of them coming. After seeing the good work done with this, I can't wait to see what Fox cooks up for the upcoming X-Files seasons and (hopefully) The Simpsons. Check it out if you dare. It's honestly worth it if you're an Ally addict.

Todd Doogan
todddoogan@thedigitalbits.com




E-mail the Bits!


Don't #!@$ with the Monkey! Site designed for 800 x 600 resolution, using 16M colors and .gif 89a animation.
© 1997-2015 The Digital Bits, Inc., All Rights Reserved. billhunt@thedigitalbits.com