Benson - The Complete First Season
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Actor: Robert GuillaumeBrand: SONY PICTURES HOME ENT
DVD: Region Code 99
Audio: English (Unknown), Unknown; English (Original Language), Unknown
Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 597 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-07-24
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Reviews of Benson - The Complete First Season
DVD Review: More of "Benson," please!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the first season's worth of "Benson," ABC's 1979-86 hit comedy about Benson DuBois, butler of the mansion of Eugene Gatling, governor of an unknown state. The title character (played by Robert Guillaume) was carried over from "Soap," a popular (and quite controversial) satire of daytime serials that ran on ABC from 1977-81. The governor (James Noble) was the widowed cousin of Jessica Tate (Katherine Helmond), a key player in "Soap" as Benson's boss (and in fact Jessica makes one appearance during this season, in an episode appropriately named "Jessica"). Other key players in "Benson" include:
--Teutonic housekeeper Gretchen Kraus (Inga Swenson), who, at least in context of the show, speaks with a thick Swedish or German accent (however, Swenson hails from Nebraska and speaks American English in real life, despite what you might think from watching the show)
--Katie Gatling, daughter of the governor (played by Missy Gold, sister of "Growing Pains" star Tracey Gold)
--Marcy Hill (Caroline McWilliams, recently deceased), secretary to the governor
--John Taylor (Lewis J. Stadlen), advisor to the governor (he would be replaced in season 2 by Rene Auberjonois as Clayton Endicott)
Sony did an admirable job putting this first season release together, at least from a technical perspective. The 24 outings of this first (and so far, only) release are uncut and mastered in HD (as well as can be expected, being that "Benson" was videotaped before a studio audience). Ordinarily, with Sony's track record, you'd expect their comedy releases to lack any bonuses besides previews. However, this first release of "Benson" has an admirable selection of features; among them is a short video introduction from star Robert Guillaume, welcoming us to "Benson," and an almost half-hour retrospective called "Inside the Governor's Mansion," with stars Guillaume and James Noble, and producer Tony Thomas, reminiscing about the first season of the show and its genesis from "Soap." Both of those are on Disc 1. The remaining bonuses are on Disc 3, and include "Favorites from the First Season," where Guillaume, Noble, and Thomas talk about some of their favorites from Season 1, and a short Photo Gallery set to music; there are also several assorted previews for other Sony releases as well.
The 24 episodes are divided evenly among 3 discs (8 episodes per disc) in 2 slimcases, one having the first two discs, the other having the last one. Each case has a group image of the major players on the front, and an episode listing on the back.
All that said, I enjoyed my time with this first release of "Benson," and I stand with the ever-rising hue and cry that more should be released, as "Benson" is one of the funniest comedies that I have ever seen.
Description of Benson - The Complete First Season
Following his breakout success on the legendary sitcom Soap, star Robert Guillaume reprises his popular role as the beloved butler Benson DuBois in the fabulous first season of this hit spin-off. Though a lifetime fixture of Soap?s crazy Tate family, Benson is sent by his employer, Jessica, to help run the disorganized household of her widowed cousin, Governor Eugene Gatling (James Noble). Once there, the fast-thinking, quick-witted servant soon finds himself not only managing the Governor?s mansion staff, headed by housekeeper Gretchen Kraus (Inga Swenson) and helping to raise the Governor?s daughter, Katie (Missy Gold), but even advising the Governor himself.Bestsellers in DVD
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