Time really does make the heart grow fonder for vintage TV. Shows originally loathed by the critics and cool kids can morph into "classics" after decades of reruns and memories nurtured by those who grew up with them.
Gilligan's Island. Three's Company. And, of course, The A-Team, now so beloved that this '80s faux-actioner rates a full-series collectible DVD set, out this week from Universal.
Look for the commando crew's black van, shaped out of cardboard to hold five separate but matched season sets. True fans of Mr. T and Murdock may already have them, but they don't have them on single-sided discs in sturdy plastic cases like these. Yeah, yeah, the distributor is double-dipping, but you know the drill by now. Go for the cool new set if you want it, and sell the old ones online. (The only real extra in the new box is an interview with series creator Stephen J. Cannell.)
Another long-running crowdpleaser that got no respect joins it on shelves this week -- Family Matters, the Urkel-com that helped make ABC's Friday "TGIF" block must-see family TV in the '90s.
What's interesting about this Season 1 release is the dearth of Urkel, since Jaleel White only joined as a recurring character halfway through its first season as a Perfect Strangers spinoff (another element we'd forgotten). He was supposed to be merely a drop-in neighbor, but White's nasally nerdy annoyance proved Fonzie-style overpowering, and a season later, Urkel seemed like the series' reason for being. Just don't expect context like this to be provided on the set, which arrives without extras.
What's otherwise out June 8:
Tales of the Gold Monkey -- Stephen Collins goes all Indiana Jones in this exotic South Seas adventure series set in the 1930s. A plane, a dog, an eye patch, spies and Roddy McDowell are just the beginning of this breezy '80s romp from Don Bellisario (Quantum Leap, NCIS). Bonus features galore -- new interviews, audio commentaries, vintage promos and more.
Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 7 -- The Seinfeld reunion and Michael Richards' comedy club race tirade fuel the most recent season. Extras include an interview with Larry David and the Seinfeld cast, plus a look at resurrecting the sets.
Nip/Tuck Season 6 -- The final season. Christian and Sean's adult adventures in plastic surgery, sex, drugs, murder and other lurid mayhem were concocted for FX by Ryan Murphy, who's now giving us Glee. Talk about two different shows . . .