By Season Three, the show about the inner workings of a group of close friends and married couples had reached full maturity as a series. The relationships and conflicts existed on a completely realized level that allowed ... more »the viewer to associate, to new heights, with what was happening on their TV. Whether it was Michael and Hope trying to keep their fire lit, Gary evolving into fatherhood, the ongoing struggles of Melissa with the opposite sex, the wandering moral judgment of Ellyn, or a transformed Elliot caring for his cancer-stricken wife Nancy (an Emmy-winning performance by Patricia Wettig): the lives of these characters had come a long way in just a couple of seasons, much like the progression of real life.
thirtysomething: The Complete Third Season features all 24 episodes mastered from new high-definition transfers with select in-depth commentaries from creators, cast and crew.
Bonus Features
* New Introduction by Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz
* Commentaries by Creators, Cast and Crew« less
If you like slow 80s style drama, then this is for you! The rest of us will be bored to death!
Movie Reviews
Season Three - Thirtysomething
Book and music lover "Jane" | 03/24/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is an excellent season full of great episodes between Patricia Wettig and Timothy Busfield (as well as many cameos - Mariska Hargitay, Patricia Heaton, Angela Bassett, Stanley Tucci, Tess Harper, and others). Great episodes in general. Enjoyable commentary by Peter Horton and Patricia Wettig. One more thing, after going back and visiting these episodes it's obvious that much of television today pales in comparison to the quality of thirtysomething's writing, the characters, and the show in general. I absolutely LOVE going back and watching these episodes and hearing the commentary about how the scenes were filmed, the actors/directors' memories of the episode and the writing, etc. (I would like to hear commentary by Polly Draper though, maybe on season 4?)"
STILL RELEVANT
ireadabookaday | chicago IL | 05/23/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"It would be wrong to think that a tv show that so personified specific time and culture would not still be relevant-this is a TV show that holds up. How many recent broadcast tv dramas will do the same?
I was twentysomething when it was broadcast, and while my life could not have been less like those of the characters, I enjoyed it. As a fortysomething(due to the long delay in this series coming out on DVD) I still enjoy it. Strong writing, characters, and acting ensure that this does not feel dated( though it is amusing to relive the fashions of the time and see how big the cell phones were).
I can't comment on the extras- I rarely ever watch/listen to them- I prefer to let the work speak for itself. The quality of the video and audio were just fine on my non- HD tv. The booklet is worth looking at only for the hilariously banal one line descriptions of the episodes.
I was surprised by how much of this show seemed familiar after all this time- more stuck in my memory than I would have guessed, but I related to it somewhat differently than when I was younger. This is a quality tv show that has stood the test of time - if you liked it then, rewatch it now, and if you dismissed it as yuppies whining back then, give it another try.
Now can we get China Beach on DVD?"
A wonderful show!
Denise M. Everett | california | 06/12/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I am really excited to have Thirtysomething on dvd in my collection. I used to watch it when it aired on tv. The acting and writing is superb and the stories are interesting. I can't wait to get season 4 on dvd!! If you enjoy great drama I highly recommend this series."
Great show but WARNING about DVD
S&S | London | 07/23/2010
(1 out of 5 stars)
"I love this show; it is clever, witty and a superbly crafted drama. Was very happy to see it on DVD with extras.
HOWEVER be warned; the commentary contains spoilers! Imagine watching it with my partner, who is seeing it for the first time, only to hear the writer commentary drop the details of the "Nancy storyline" (so as not to spoil it futher) in an early episode of the season!!
They really should have taken more care.
Oh, and the sequencing of the second episode is completely wrong: they show part 1, 3, 2 then poart 4 so it really doesn't make sense!
Sadly, very poor quality control for a great show."