Search - The Best of the Best of Electric Company on DVD

Tracey M. from COLUMBUS, GA
Reviewed on 10/4/2010...

I like the DVD and it was even able to hold my 15 month old's attention for about 15 minutes. This is evidence to me that programs like this are truly timeless and benefit kids from all generations. That being said, I was disappointed with the programs. I watched this show in the 80s. I was looking forward to hearing Rita Moreno scream "Hey you guys" in the beginning of the show and to singing along with the "1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12" song. Alas, these features are not on any of the shows on this DVD. These appear to be the very early Electric Company episodes. While I still found them entertaining, they're not what I remember watching as a child. I'll keep this for my little one and I to enjoy. I've got others on my wish list so I'm sure I'll get what I'm looking for soon.

5 episodes is not enough....

Low-Ranking Reviewer | US of A | 03/27/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Trust me, you're gonna want more. I made the 'mistake' of buying this(the single-disc version of their 'best of' box set) awhile back because I remembered watching this when i was a kid back in the 70's, but didn't fully remember how much i enjoyed it. So i played it safe and bought this bargain-priced sampler dvd with 5 episodes(spanning the series entire run including the pilot episode). Anyway, when i first saw it again, i just had this big grin on my face as nostalgia of me watching this as a kid went through my mind. Unfortunately, after i exhausted the 5 episodes, i was craving for more. Then i realized...I should've bought the bigger, 20-episode, 'Best of'(@ about $40) box set. Solution? I'll just give this to my nieces to introduce them to this wonderful 70's 'kids' show, while i order the box set for me. Don't worry, i'll share the box set with my nieces as well.

About the show though, it's been said that it was a show for kids to help them learn, and be interested in, reading. The reason why so many adults like it now and can still appreciate it though(outside of it being a nostalgic 70's time capsule), is because it taught its lessons through clever, interesting, or hip comedy skits and animations. It helps that you had a great cast of regulars too like Bill Cosby, Rita Moreno, Morgan Freeman, etc and even Spider-Man! And the list of memorable, long-running skits and animated segments is just too numerous to mention here. And that theme song...catchy as heck. And the ever-changing, opening montage credit sequences set to that theme song...cheesy and fun as heck.

Ok, the dvd. It comes with a few minutes of outtakes, trivia to open and close the episodes, and a nice Rita Moreno interview(who also does the episode intros). I'm not a dvd-expert, but the picture quality looks great considering this is a 70's public broadcasting show. The mono sound you're gonna have to turn up, but hopefully you've got some type of enhanced audio system anyway(some good musical bits plus the theme song demand that you have a stereo hook-up at the very least). Overall, if you're unfamiliar with this show, the 5-episode $10 version is a great intro and highly recommended. But i can almost guarantee you're gonna want to see more and you're probably going to purchase the 20-episode $40 version at some point so keep that in mind. Die-hard fans(esp with kids) should go straight to the box set, or hope they release season sets soon."

Wonderful to reminisce over, but...

70s Girl | Phoenix, Arizona | 03/23/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I loved The Electric Company when I was growing up in the 70s and 80s. Why they took it off of television is beyond me. My husband and I loved watching the DVD and reminiscing over our favorite characters and sketches. Morgan Freeman is my all time favorite from this show. My 5 and 7 year olds were automatically hooked on the show after one episode! But I do have one complaint about this particular DVD. There is the offer to buy this AND the Best of Electric Company together. My advice...don't buy them together! They fail to tell you that the five episodes on "Best of the Best" are also included on the 4 disc set, so you will have 2 copies of these five episodes if you buy both. But the entertaining and educational memories from this show are priceless; I wouldn't return them for anything!"

Wonderful

C. Porter | 08/24/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I had to have these for my son. I believe that we have lost a lot in childrens programming over the last few decades. Unfortunately, it is our children's education that is being lost. Today's programming is being overun with entertainment rather than learning. I happen to find that there are some programs that are educational and entertaining at the same time. Unlike most of today's shows! The Electric Company teaches children in a comical way how to read using phonics. What other show today does that?
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