With the entire world at war, freedom needs a special power on its side to prevail. Fortunately, the war has attracted the attention of the Amazons on Paradise Island. Venturing off, Princess Diana (Lynda Carter) travels to the USA to join the fight of the Allies along side Major Steve Trevor (Lyle Waggoner). Constantly called on to help, Wonder Woman must use her super strength, bullet stopping bracelets, and unbreakable lasso of truth to stop the Nazis from taking over the world.

I was a little too young to watch this show when it was first on, but I've found reruns and grown to love it. Yes, it has a certain cheese factor, but it's fun. Lynda Carter is wonderful as our heroine. I honestly can't picture anyone else in the roll. And Lyle Waggoner is great as the sidekick. While some of the special effects are cheesy, others hold up remarkable well today.

Unfortunately, the first season isn't quite as good as the season that followed. Set in World War II, it seems cheesier then most. Part of it is the over abundance of the camp factor. And part of it is the dialog is rather poor at times. This is especially true when Wonder Woman/Diana Prince is given "women power" lines. The lectures just don't come off well. Still, there is stuff to enjoy here, and the guest stars are impressive. They include Cloris Leachman, Red Buttons, Robert Reed, Dick van Patten, Debra Winger in her first credited roll, and Roy Rogers.

Any fan of Wonder Woman will love this set. It contains the extended pilot plus all 13 episodes for the first season. These are all the World War II era episodes. The episodes are spread out over 3 double-sided discs. The picture (original full screen) looks sharp most of the time. The stock footage from the 40's looks worse then the rest, but it's not on for very long. The audio is 2.0 mono, which won't blow you away but certainly gets the job done. The bonus features consist of an uneven but mostly interesting commentary by Lynda Carter and Executive Producer Douglas S. Cramer on the pilot and a new 20 minute documentary on the creation of the series.

This isn't my favorite season of the show, but there are still some entertaining episodes here. It's interesting to watch the development of the TV show, and you certainly can't beat the price. Bring on season 2!

The Bob-Whites are crushed when Mr. Stratton gives them the news. The school has been hit by a string of petty vandalism and robbery, so the board has decided that secret societies will have to disband. Fortunately, Trixie comes up with a plan to save their club. To prove they are worthy, they decide to put on an antique show to benefit UNICEF. Not only does this mean lots of hard work, but it means constant run-ins with thieves out to steal the valuable stuff for sale and display. Now Trixie must track down the culprits in time to save the sale.

This book is the first book that series creator Julie Campbell didn't write and it shows. There seems to be more of a conflict between Trixie and her family and friends about her detective work. Still, this book has some of the best "fun" scenes of the series. And it introduces the idea of the Bob-Whites doing charity events and their hangout Wimpy's, both staples in later books in the series.

When I was a kid, I totally bought the premise, but as an adult I realize just how out there it is. Still, it does set up a decent if not nail biting story. This qualifies more as an adventure rather then mystery, but it's still fun to read and I enjoy it.

While Julie Campbell's touch is missed, the series takes a decided leap into new territory with this fun adventure. Another one sure to make fans out of any kid.

I love "I Love Lucy." Whenever I find it on TV, I watch and find myself laughing. Naturally, it was one of the first shows I knew I wanted on DVD. This set has good and bad points. In reality, I'd probably give it 4.5 if I could. But since I can't, I rounded up.

The biggest drawback is the price. It's expensive! Even though I've found it cheaper other places, it still costs a lot of money. Of course, you do get 9 DVD for the price. And if you bought the discs as they came out, you have no reason to get this set since you already have all the material.

On the plus side, you get the 35 official season 1 episodes plus the "lost pilot" that was found and released several years ago. The episodes have been restored and I doubt they looked this good when they first aired. Picture is original full frame black and white and sound is original mono. Bonus features include behind the scenes trivia and photos, guest cast information, restored footage (some of which is a hoot), the original animated opening, and at least one episode per disc of Lucy's radio show "My Favorite Husband" that inspired certain episodes.

For me, I find some of the episodes near the start of season 1 to be rather slow and not as funny. This is a common complaint of mine with most TV shows. The writers and actors need time to find the characters before things really take off. Still, there are some early gems like "The Diet" and "The Fur Coat." The second half more then makes up for the first with many classic moments and hilarious episodes like "The Ballet," "Breaking the Lease," "The Gossip," "Pioneer Women," "The Freezer," and "Lucy's Schedule." I can watch these episodes over and over again and laugh myself silly every time.

Of course, this doesn't mention the single most famous episode of season 1 - "Lucy Does a TV Commercial." If this title doesn't ring a bell, I have just one word for you. Vitameatavegamin.

Is this a perfect set? No, and its flaws are a little more obvious then most. The good news is that future seasons of this classic show will be released in cheaper to buy full season sets. In the end, if you love Lucy, you will be glad you spent the money to get this set.

When Sweeney St. George is asked by the police to help identify some mourning jewelry found on a murder victim's body, she never dreams that the victim was also one of her students. Brad Putnam was quite interested in burial customs and Sweeney really liked him. Naturally, she is quite upset when she learns of his death.

Brad was a member of a powerful and well known family in Boston whose influence goes back generations. As Sweeney helps the police, she finds herself drawn into other aspects of the case. Why was the jewelry left on Brad? What was he so upset about the night he was killed? And does it have anything to do with his research for her class?

I enjoyed Ms. Taylor's debut mystery and was looking forward to this book as well. I wasn't disappointed. Sweeney is as interesting a character as before, and I find her knowledge of burial and mourning customs fascinating. The plot is well paced with clues and red herrings scattered throughout. Since this book focuses on the past of only one family, I had an easier time keeping the historic characters straight this time around. I must admit to being a little confused as to why one sub-plot was in the story, but it was an interesting balance to one of the characters. The book is slightly darker then much of what I read, but I really enjoyed it for a change of pace. The writing style in engaging, inviting the reader in and making it hard to put the book down.

With a fresh writing style, interesting main character with a unique interest, and intricate plot, this is a series not to be missed.

When one hit wonder turned TV star Jasmine escapes from police custody, Shauna J. Bogart can't wait to break the story on her afternoon radio talk show. After all, this is huge news, and the star's local Sacramento roots will make it a huge ratings boost. And when the star, still claiming she's innocent, asks Shauna to meet with her, how can she say no? This is the opportunity of a lifetime and then some. The more Shauna learns about the story, the more she realizes that Jasmine's claims of innocence may be real after all. Meanwhile, Shauna's new boyfriend Pete disappears while researching the history of some old records he got of a local doo-whap group. What's he up to? And can Shauna figure out who framed Jasmine and why?

I was impressed with Joyce Krieg's debut mystery, and I was hoping this book could live up to its predecessor's huge shoes. I'm glad to say it did. Once again we have an intricately plotted mystery with several nice twists to keep everyone confused. The book felt like it was getting off track for a little while in the middle, but it all winds up being important in the end. The climax has a radio personality's flair for the dramatic, which serves the story well. The radio background is used to provide a nice setting without slowing down the story. Personally, I find the setting fascinating. And we have some interesting characters who we get to know a little better as they continue to grow. I could actually hear their distinctive voices, something I don't normally hear when reading period.

I highly recommend this excellent series to anyone who enjoys a mystery with an interesting setting, real characters, and plenty of twists. Is the next one out yet?

Meg isn't thrilled to be spending the weekend at the convention for Porfiria, the TV show that boyfriend Michael stars in. This year's festivities have been enhanced by the addition of monkeys and parrots, which have escaped from their cages and are wandering the hotel at random. Meg is hoping to make some money off her swords in the dealer room to keep the weekend from being a complete loss.

All that's before the star of the show is murdered. Nicknamed the QB (which doesn't stand for Queen Bee), there isn't a person who works on the show who didn't have some beef with her. Despite protests that she's not going to get involved, Meg begins collecting clues. But can she follow them back to the real killer before the convention ends?

If you are at all familiar with the books in the Meg Langslow series, you know to expect plenty of antics along with your mystery. This book is no exception. Donna Andrews pokes gentle fun at fandom with some of the over the top antics. I grinned and laughed my way through the entire book. At the same time, there's a great mystery. While it takes a while to get going, it is a cleverly plotted story with several nice twists before the ending.

Donna Andrews continues to set the bar high for herself. How she manages to juggle everything she puts in these stories is beyond me. But they are a fun ride none-the-less. If you love humorous mysteries, be sure to check this series out.

When Ricky Kidd and his friends are offered a free vacation at a Colorado ski resort, how can they turn it down? All they have to do is poke around a little and find out what's happening and report back to the owner's sister who is worried about what he's not telling her. This is their first time skiing, and they can't wait!

But within hours of their arrival, the building they're staying in catches fire. That's when they start learning about the accidents. And the ghost that everyone sees the night before the accidents occur. Something certainly isn't right here, so Ricky and his friends go into action. The answer may bring them more danger then they ever imaged possible.

This is yet another fun entry in a wonderful series. The clues seem a little more obvious in this book then in some of the others. That only hampers the enjoyment a little, however. Joel is a riot, and there are plenty of laughs to go around before the tension increases. The climax will have you turning pages as quickly as possible to find out how Ricky will get out of this mess.

These books are great for kids and adults alike. They will entertain anyone who picks them up.

Harrison Raines and Boston Leahy are heading west on assignment. There are reports of the rebels trying to take over a path all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Their job is to find out what is happening and report back to the Secret Service.

But first they have to cross the desert. The climate is nothing like either of the men have seen before. When they find some time sensitive info, they split up. When Harry finally arrives in Santa Fe, he finds the town in disarray and Boston arrested for one of the murders he's learned about. Now he needs to find the truth to clear his friend and keep the west in Union hands.

I love this series because it brings the Civil War to life in a fascinating way. This book, however, wasn't nearly as good as the others have been. The plot dragged with too much time spent on Harrison's travels through the desert. When the plot finally does get going, it seems rushed as a result, and I found myself struggling to keep up. One thing I enjoy about the series is the developing storyline with the characters, but since only Harry and Boston were in this book, that aspect was absent as well.

I'm sorry to have to give this book such a low rating when the series is normally so great. Hopefully the next book will be more on the level with the others.

This disc completes the 36 episodes from "I Love Lucy's" incredibly funny first season. And there are some wonderful moments on this disc.

It opens with "Lucy Gets Ricky on the Radio." Ricky's attempt to impress his wife by showing off some secret knowledge backfires when she thinks he can win the prize on a radio quiz show.

Next up is the hysterical "Lucy's Schedule." When Lucy makes Ricky late to an important business dinner, he decides to help her make better use of her time. But she has a few tricks up her sleeve to get her out of punching a time clock. This isn't usually listed in any lists of best episodes, but I love it.

"Ricky Thinks He's Getting Bald" is the weakest of the episodes presented here, but it's still worth seeing if for no other reason then the treatment Lucy gives Ricky to get his hair to grow again.

When "Ricky Asks for a Raise," Lucy, Fred, and Ethel have to turn into quick change artists to save his job. Look for Fred in drag.

If you've been buying the other discs, you know what to expect here, and you won't be disappointed. The episodes are presented in their entirety, and they look and sound sharp. There are occasional flaws in the picture, but considering the source material is 50 years old, it really isn't bad at all. The sound is presented in mono. While it won't challenge your sound system, it serves the purpose well and is faithful to the original audio recording. The extras include the now familiar guest cast info, original opening, and mistakes. This time around we get three episodes of "My Favorite Husband" as well as the original tag announcing that Lucy was going on vacation for the summer but would be back in the fall. In addition, we get some behind the scenes trivia and pictures of the cast on the set.

Rumor has it that future season of this classic show will be more in line with other TV show releases. Still, these first season discs have some classic episodes on them that any Lucy fan will want in their collection.

River Heights is a buzz. It's the annual Biking for Bucks charity race. This is a big event in the city and Nancy and her friends are excited to be part of the two day event. But that's before someone lets Ned's car roll into a creek and lets the air out of their bike tires. But the worst is that the money pledged has been stolen. Now Nancy needs to track down the missing money before the rest of the town finds out that the money is missing.

Having really enjoyed the first book of these relaunches, I decided to give the second a try. Again, I enjoyed the characterizations. This time, I felt the plot was lacking more then the first book. Maybe it's because I'm older then the target audience, but I found the dual plots rather obvious. And the bike ride made little to no sense, especially the race aspect of things.

Over all, I think young kids will enjoy these books, but the lack of decent mysteries will make older kids pass on them for the originals.