They mocked me for buying complete and uncut Sanford and Son DVDs five years ago. "Who wants to watch TV on DVD? What a waste!" Cut to present day, and TV DVDs are more popular than movies on DVD. Studios are dusting off all kinds of old series that stopped being profitable for them years ago. Many new shows broadcast during the current season will be out on DVD before their next seasons begin. And thus it has been for the past few years.

It should be noted that the studios have their hands tied in regards to some TV classics, such as WKRP and The Wonder Years, wherein popular music was used throughout most episodes. Trying to negotiating the rights to release all those musical tidbits on DVD is thus far been prohibitively expensive.

Meanwhile it's getting to where lots of obscure, weird stuff is being released that not very many people ever thought would be released. Three such favorites are coming out over the next month. Next week sees a complete set of the funky early 1970's Saturday morning cartoon series The Groovie Goolies. Next up is Police Squad! -- a six-episode 1982 comedy series by the creators of the Airplane! movies, which served as the basis for the Naked Gun movies. Last, but certainly not least: a 30-episode compilation called The Best of Match Game... that wacky game show which was the most watched daytime program of the 1970s! When I heard about this release earlier today, I just about ________ed my _________!

UPDATE: The Groovie Goolies comes in a nifty package with nice extras, but... the show is unbearable to watch. Basically, it's an animated Laugh-In with monsters. It was a little before my time. All I had remembered was the "Where Ya Goin', Little Ghoul?" song and that this cartoon was the genesis for the hit single "Chick-a-Boom". On to Police Squad, which comes out on Election Day, and then Match Game a couple of weeks later. I already know those hold up better for me...

UPDATE #2: Police Squad is good, but moves at a very slow pace. It pales in comparison to the hyper modern non-sitcom TV comedies like My Name Is Earl, The Office, and Scrubs. OK, so that leaves Match Game. Since I spent 1999-2002 re-watching all of the 1970s series on GSN, I surely won't be disappointed in the DVD set unless the episode selection is lame.