By John Corrado

Last week, Paramount released the complete series of Cheers and The Fugitive on DVD, giving fans and television aficionados the perfect opportunity to own two of the most beloved shows of all time.

Cheers: The Complete Series: Running from 1982 to 1993, and paving the way for a spinoff series centred around freelance psychiatrist Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer), Cheers follows the lives of the workers and many frequent inhabits of the title bar, under the ownership of former baseball pitcher Sam Malone (Ted Danson).

With a group of iconic and sharply written characters, brought to life through a great ensemble cast all working at the top of their respective games, it’s still easy to understand why Cheers received multiple Emmy nominations throughout every year of its run.  Through this always entertaining mix of relatable characters, smartly observed humour and brilliantly worded dialogue, the show easily earns its place in television history as one of the greatest sitcoms of all time.

Featuring all 275 episodes of the show spread over eleven seasons, along with multiple bonus featurettes, Cheers: The Complete Series is a massive collection that comes highly recommended for both fans and newcomers.  And if you can afford it, this would make a great double purchase with Frasier: The Complete Series, which was just released last month.

The Fugitive: The Complete Series: Running from 1963 to 1967, and adapted into a critically acclaimed movie in 1993, The Fugitive follows Richard Kimble (David Janssen), a former doctor wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife, who is on the run from police Lt. Philip Gerard (Barry Morse) and searching for the real killer, a mysterious one-armed man.

Each episode ratchets up its own sense of suspense, as Richard Kimble is taken to different towns and forced to assume new identities, always encountering different characters and moral dilemmas.  Brilliantly acted and engagingly written, The Fugitive is an impressively crafted dramatic thriller, that still has the ability to hook viewers into compulsive watching, even over fifty years after first airing.

Featuring all 120 episodes of the show spread over five seasons, along with a few bonus featurettes, The Fugitive: The Complete Series is not only a must have for fans, but also offers the perfect chance for newcomers to start following along with the story right from the beginning.  Because from the crisp cinematography, to the excellent writing and performances, this is one of those iconic shows that still holds up beautifully.