I am – Hercules!!

Take a hard look at the cover of that DVD for “The Andy Griffith Show: The Complete Fifth Season.” It symbolizes the way season five bridged the show’s Emmy-winning era of Knotts-fortified greatness to the show’s era of George “Goober” Lindsay-fueled mediocrity.

Season five, broadcast in 1964 and 1965, was the last to offer us on a weekly basis Don Knotts as the agonizingly ill-equipped deputy sheriff Barney Fife. In season five (the last in black and white and the first to make do without writer John Whedon), Barney discovers he’s physically too puny to be a deputy, Barney tries to train a police dog, Barney argues with – and loses – Thelma Lou, Barney is menaced by a bully, Barney fills in as sheriff when Andy goes on a job interview in Raleigh, Barney ruins Andy’s romantic picnic, Barney believes a ghost is granting wishes, Barney moonlights as a real estate agent, Barney and Otis the Drunk have a falling out, Barney freaks out when Andy disregards a chain letter, Barney challenges Andy in the race for sheriff, Barney finds $250,000, Barney is duped by crooks posing as a TV crew, Barney gets involved with Floyd’s assault case, Barney gets in trouble with the visiting “fun girls” from Mt. Pilot, and Barney jails a visiting salesman (Don Rickles). Oh, and Ernest T. Bass falls for Helen Crump!

Herc’s Popular Pricing Pantry

Here’s what "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" season sets cost you now that the big Fox season-set sale is over:
$29.99 The Complete First Season
$44.99 The Complete Second Season
$44.99 The Complete Third Season
$44.99 The Complete Fourth Season
$44.99 The Complete Fifth Season
$44.99 The Complete Sixth Season
$39.96 The Complete Seventh Season

Now the good news: Fox is issuing “Buffy” "slimcase editions," with all the same commentaries and extras (and without that fucking annoying fold-out packaging), on May 30. Here’s how THOSE are priced if one pre-orders now:
$27.99 The Complete First Season
$27.99 The Complete Second Season
$27.99 The Complete Third Season
$27.99 The Complete Fourth Season
$27.99 The Complete Fifth Season
$27.99 The Complete Sixth Season
$27.99 The Complete Seventh Season

So if you can wait another three and a half months for your “Buffy” bargains? The slimcase sets seem the way to go.

If you own no "Buffy" season-sets at this time? The best deal of all remains the Buffy Chosen Collection, which gives you all seven seasons of the series, plus all the extras and a bonus disc, for just $169.99.

TV-on-DVD Calendar

Last Week

The Batman 1.x
Blue Collar TV 1.x Vol. 2
The Electric Company: Best Of
Emergency 2.x
Grounded For Life 1.x
Growing Pains 1.x

Hearts Afire 3.x
Inspector Alleyn Mysteries Set 2
The Lost World Vol. 1
The Lost World, Vol. 2

Moonlighting 3.x
One Step Beyond Collection
Pet Alien Vol. 4
Poltergeist:The Legacy 1.x
Sex and the City: Breakups
Sex and the City: Lust
Sex and the City: Mr. Big
Sex and the City: Romance
The Simpsons: Kiss and Tell
Survivor 7.x

Teen Titans 1.x
Touched By An Angel 3.x Vol. 1
Wildfire 1.x
Wire in the Blood 3.x

February 14
The Andy Griffith Show 5.x
Ballykissangel 4.x

Charles In Charge 1.x
Drake & Josh Go Hollywood

Farscape 3.x Vol. 2

Fresh Prince 3.x
Gimme A Break 1.x

Golden Girls 4.x

Grey's Anatomy 1.x

He-Man 1.x Vol. 2
Living Single 1.x
Little Lord Fauntleroy

Overhaulin 2.x

The Pretender 3.x

Shaq TV: The Complete Series

Significant Others: The Complete Series

February 21

Action: The Complete Series
The Adventures of Superman: Six Episodes
The Dick Cavett Show: Comic Legends
Goof Troop Vol. 1
The Irish R.M. 3.x
NYPD Blue 3.x
Quack Pack Vol. 1
Redwall 1.x
SpongeBob SquarePants: Lost In Time
Teddy Ruxpin Vol. 1
Teddy Ruxpin Vol. 2
3rd Rock From The Sun 3.x

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Vol. 1
What's New, Scooby-Doo Vol. 8

February 28
The Avengers: Emma Peel Megaset
Beast Machines Transformers: The Complete Series
Beverly Hillbillies Vol. 2
Bleak House
Charmed 4.x
Combat: Best of Hanley
Combat: Best of Saunders
C.O.P.S. 4-Disc Set
The Drew Carey Show: TV Favorites

Ellen 3.x
Kids Say The Darndest Things Vol. 2
Monty Python: Graham Chapman's Personal Best
Monty Python: John Cleese's Personal Best
Monty Python: Terry Gilliam's Personal Best
Monty Python: Terry Jones' Personal Best

Newsradio 3.x
Night Court: TV Favorites
The Real Ghostbusters Vol. 1
The Real Ghostbusters Vol. 2
The Real Ghostbusters Vol. 3
Rosemary and Thyme 2.x
Rumpole of the Bailey: The Complete Series
Weird U.S. Vol. 1
Weird U.S. Vol. 2
Weird U.S. Vol. 3
Welcome Back,Kotter: TV Favorites

March 7
Andromeda 5.x Vol. 4
Baby Looney Tunes Vol. 1
Baby Looney Tunes Vol. 2
Brady Bunch 5.x

The Cosby Show 2.x
The Flintstones 5.x
Go Go Gophers: Best Of
Hogan's Heroes 3.x
Lily The Witch Vol. 1
Lily the Witch Vol. 2
Nick Cannon Presents: Wild N Out
Police Woman 1.x
Scooby-Doo and Dynomutt: The Complete Series

Star Trek: Borg
Tennessee Tuxedo: Best Of
Three's Company 6.x
Walking Tall: The Complete Series
The White Shadow 2.x

March 14
All Dogs Go To Heaven Vol. 1
All Dogs Go To Heaven Vol. 2
Babylon 5: Legend of the Rangers
Columbo 4.x
Grosse Pointe: The Complete Series
I Dream of Jeannie 1.x
MacGyver 5.x

MacGyver Five-Season Pack
Murder, She Wrote 3.x
Naked City Set 3
A Perfect Spy: The Complete Miniseries
She Spies 1.x
The Simple Life 3.x
Sleeper Cell 1.x

Speed Racer Vol. 4
VIP 1.x
Zoey 101: Spring Break-Up

March 21

Batman Beyond 1.x
Bewtiched 3.x
Ed, Edd N Eddy Vol. 2
The Flying Nun 1.x Follow aicn