Reviving the TV Past

Remember Grosse Pointe?

Chances are you don't. The WB show, a satirical send-up of teen soap operas like Dawson's Creek, was only on the air for one season. Grosse Pointe had an impressive pedigree (it was created by Darren Star, the producer of Sex and the City) and copious critical acclaim-the New York Times called it "wicked and clever." What it didn't have was a good Nielsen rating, the ultimate deciding factor when it comes to whether or not to keep a show on the air. The sardonic program was often one of the lowest-rated shows in its time slot, and in the spring of 2001, WB executives announced that Grosse Pointe would not return the following fall.

If you were one of the few who obsessively followed Grosse Pointe, you'll be pleased to know that it has been given a second chance. Following in the footsteps of other prematurely canceled series, Grosse Pointe was released on DVD on Nov. 7. DVD has been a godsend for television junkies who, until recently, were forced to helplessly stand by while their favorite shows were axed. Now, they can comfort themselves with the knowledge that even if a show never reaches the 100-episode mark, it will eventually be available for purchase.

Cult favorites aren't the only series that make it onto DVD. TV shows released in this manner seem to fall into one of four categories: the aforementioned one-season wonders, classics like The Twilight Zone, current favorites like Grey's Anatomy, and cheesy family sitcoms and soaps from the '80s and '90s, such as Full House.

It's easy to understand why the DVD set of a hit show like Lost is a huge seller. Loyal fans snap up the DVDs of their favorite shows so that they can obsessively analyze past episodes and look for clues of what's to come. Keeping track of the backstory on a show like this can pose difficulties, so would-be viewers who want to find out what all the fuss is about rent or buy DVDs in order to catch up. It also makes sense to put classics on DVD-these shows are rarely aired as reruns anymore, so DVD is often the only source for programs from the '50s and '60s.

Who actually buys or watches the other two categories, though? Does anyone really feel incomplete without their own copy of the fourth season of Step by Step? And if people haven't even heard of a show because it was on for a single year in the mid-'90s, what are the chances that they'll want to watch it on DVD?

It turns out the chances are pretty good. Some DVD releases have been so popular that they've actually led to the resurrection of a dead show-because of amazing sales of Family Guy discs, Fox ordered new episodes of the cartoon. Futurama, Matt Groening's follow-up to The Simpsons, followed a similar path, selling well enough on DVD that a fifth season is now in production.

A quick look at the bestselling DVD list on amazon.com reveals that shows with nostalgic appeal are equally popular. The first season of Beverly Hills, 90210, the classic teen soap which just became available for the first time on DVD, is the 28th best-selling DVD title on the site. The sixth season of The Golden Girls is number 47 on the list.

Perhaps people watch this stuff on DVD because it's nothing like what's on the air right now-a preponderance of reality show competitions, procedural crime dramas, and intricate serials that demand unwavering and constant loyalty. While many of today's shows are definitely more realistic than programs like Full House or even Friends-what New Yorkers have apartments like that?-these iconic TV shows made life seem easy and friendly, which is exactly what a sitcom should do. Plus, the familiarity of DJ, Michelle, and Stephanie allows a viewing experience reminiscent of chatting with old friends, a relaxing break from the grit of everyday life that pervades TV today.

The viewing public clearly misses old-fashioned sitcoms and guilty-pleasure soap operas. If Family Guy does indeed set a precedent, this may mean that network schedules will soon be changed to give television addicts what they want. If not, DVD still allows us to sit back with friends-new, old, popular, or relatively unheard of-while reinvigorating the medium of television for today's consumers.