My So-Called Life: The Complete Series

I purchased as a gift for my younger sister.she never mentioned it.

August 25, 1994 saw the debut of MY SO-CALLED LIFE on ABC-TV. I watched the pilot episode that night and when it was over I felt it just didn't belong on television. It was too good.MY SO-CALLED LIFE was in the wrong place at the wrong time. And yet it was in the right place at the right time. Each episode is worthy of a theatrical presentation and I would gladly pay to see the entire series presented in such a manner. The cinematography by Ernest Holzmann and Charles Leiberman is wonderful - warm and friendly, making the Chase's house cozy and inviting. Ron Rosen's editing calls to mind THE SOPRANOS and the brilliant juxtaposing of characters, storylines, and misunderstandings. The show has garnered numerous accolades for its portrayal of adolescence. It is so good, in fact, that it does not feel like television at all. Each episode unfolds with its own interesting pace and is its own short chapter. Claire Danes is nothing short of brilliant as Angela Chase. She possesses a maturity and poise rarely seen in actresses her age. She lusts after the dreamy Jordan Catalano, a guy whom she is understandably attracted to but who, in the end, is a true dolt.The rest of the cast is wonderful, too. Despite their often-annoying idiosyncrasies, you like these people. The character of Brian Krakow can be unbearable, making you want to punch him in the face, but I think that's a compliment to the actor who portrays him (in a strange sort of way!!)What is truly amazing about this show is that it took place just eight years ago, when the World Wide Web was just coming into its own, and the world seemed still full of possibilities. The current state of violence - school shootings, anthrax cases, and overall terrorism - today makes these episodes a true joy to escape to.The show only lasted 19 episodes, and there never was a "final" episode - it was just cancelled. Most of the show's most zealous fans caught up with it on its MTV-marathons, but the episodes were slightly cut to add more annoying commercials than you could possibly imagine. Thank heavens for home video, as the new DVD box set has arrived. The complete episodes of one of the best shows I've ever seen is now available.The series is spread out to five discs and they contain only the episodes. No effort appears to have been made to make this release into a special edition, which is a shame because it would have been nice to have had some commentaries by the creators and performers, as well as on-the-set interviews and the like. I suppose that once we all buy this set, they'll re-release it with the aforementioned inclusions, which is something that most companies do deliberately today.The transfers are the best I have seen for this show. While not stellar, they are better than the broadcast quality. It's a joy to see each episode in its entirety without commercials destroying your brain every twelve minutes. The audio is nicely represented as well. Simply put, if you're a fan of this show, you must own this collection on DVD. Not VHS, but on DVD. The Christmas episode with Juliana Hatfield is beautifully lit and is quite moving.MY SO-CALLED LIFE is proof of just how excellent television can really be. It's better than just about anything on cable and in theaters now. I would personally like to thank everyone who was involved with this show for being a part of it and making it what it is. This is a classic television series that lends itself to repeat viewings. You do not have to be a teenager to appreciate this show. I'm now 34 and I still see things that I missed the first time I saw it.Now, if they would only release 1987's A YEAR IN THE LIFE on DVD...

In the Fall of 1994, ABC premiered what Entertainment Weekly would eventual hail as "the greatest cancelled television series of all time." Airing for a total of 19-episodes, with the final installment airing February of 1995, "My So Called Life" not only jump-started the careers of Claire Danes and Jared Leto, but garnered young Danes a Golden Globe for her performance (she was the youngest actress to receive the honor). Years after the show was cancelled ABC regretting their decision by trying to make lightening strike twice by producing similar series, yet ultimately known of them would garner the acclaim or magic of MSCL. Eventually TV Guide would call the series "the sixth best cult show of all time."The premise of the show is simple enough, but yet complex enough to make it unique. Premiering in 1994, right at the emergence of the teen-soap genre MSCL was a breath of fresh-air. Unlike "Beverly Hills 90210" and latter "Dawson's Creek," this series was grounded in reality. Instead of glorifying every teenage rite-of-passage for film, the series seems to gloss over these moments in favor of the emotional outburst they produce: much like real life. Many people don't remembers every detail or their prom, first kiss, and first independent car ride? Yet they remember exactly how they felt, and MSCL capitalized on these moments.The show follows 14-year-old Angela as she tries to ultimately survive not only her freshman year of high school, but the highs (and lows) or first love, as well as becoming her own independent self - separated from the person she tried to be for other people in Middle School. High School is a turbulent time for anyone from the Jocks to the Brains to the Leadership to the Outsiders. Everyone has their ups and downs, just like Angela. But she makes it harder on herself, and yet easier by befriending two outsiders, when she had always been part of the `in-crowd.' The audience follows Angela's transition from quiet wall-flower to her beginning to emerge from her cocoon sometime towards the end of her first year of high school.While on the outside the show may seems like another "90210"/"The OC" teen-soap, but it really isn't. This is a rich, emotional, and movie relationship-drama that once it gets your hooks into you, you cannot stop watching. Unlike most shows of its genre its realistic and each of the major characters represents a person you probably knew in high school. Yet, they probably weren't the most popular kids. They were the kids you were friends with, hung out with, the ones you actually knew. It is a downright disgrace that ABC only allowed this series 19 episodes. More than almost any other show I've ever watched I would have loved to watch these character bloom into full-grown adults through their high school (and possibly college years).But what we are ultimately are given is just this one 8-month snap-shot into these characters lives. But this could ultimately make this show the masterpiece that it really is. There was no room for it go downhill, no room for error. And forever it will be remembered. It has been years since my sister and I sat up all night long one weekend watching horrible copies of these episodes on VHS, and I cannot wait for Halloween, when I will finally have a chance to watch them on DVD, almost anew.This incredibly comprehensive box set includes all 19 episodes uncut (in their ORIGINAL full-screen presentation) on 6 discs. The special features so far include: Interviews with Edward Zwick/Marshall Herskovitz/Winnie Holzman (creator/producers), Todd Holland/Jason Katism/Scott Winant (Directors), Wilson Cruz/Paul Dooley/Devon Gummersall (cast); Audio Commentaries on "the pilot," "Life of Brian," "So-Called Angels," as well as additional episodes; Deleted Scenes; Promos' Book with tridutes from Joss Whedon, Winnie Holzman, and Janeane Garofalo; and more.

UPDATE: I've increased my star review based on the companies response to get this sorted ASAP. Great customer service, sending a replacement and have apologised for the inconvenience.So I've tried to watch these, the disks are scratched and greese on them, they jump or don't play at all. The box is covered in food and one of the disks is too 🤢I'm returning the item.

from the early nineties, this series came out when i was at primary school and i watched it in about year eight. it's very cool, all about grunge, nice hair, angst, music. it made me remember school kind of better than i remembered before watching it...i love claire danes, who went on to be in romeo and Juliet and jared leto, who was in a really famous band. i always thought they'd get married in real life.i'm probably going to watch it again soon to get cosy, warm, loved upness you only get from shows like this.i know there was only one series and ms danes got some blame for it, but i quite like the cliffhanger. however it would be ultra amazing if they brought out another series now.

I waited for this series on Dvd for a long time.Its a such a nostalgia hit to see these episodes again! If first saw this show when I was 17 I thought this show could have been all about me.lol. Axed before the first series completed, My So Called Life predates Dawson's creek and was smarter and more subtle, all the more watchable now as an adult for it's lack of pop culture references and self references of the later.The adult characters are also given as much weight as the teenage protagonists which make it interesting to watch over so many years later. Less sympathetic maybe than Freeks and Geeks (which is also excellent), it is awkward, truthful and unsentimental. My So Called Life remains timeless, and yet very much of its time. Well worth watching again.

The tv show itself is incredible. Takes you through the life of teens, as well as problems within marriages - so would definitely recommend a watch.However I was a bit disappointed with dvd of it. Amazon sometimes doesn't specify whether there will be extra features on a dvd (the making of... and such) and i assumed that the dvd would have additional special features. But it is just the episodes and a uk trailer on the disks - so if you're looking for anything extra, don't buy thisOtherwise, the dvd casing, disks and episodes are amazing.

My So Called Life was binned after the 1 and only series but it now has cult status.... and rightly so. I've introduced some friends to it who love it equally as much as I do. If you haven't watched it yet then do. If you watched it as a teenager in the 90's then it's interesting to see it from the parents POV as well. Cannot recommend enough! Plus Jared Leto playing Jordan Catalano (the most popular boy in school...eeek!) you'll fall a little bit in love with him as well.