The musical numbers are, of course, what make the show and they are consistently strong and innovative, while out actress Jane Lynch is the embodiment of evil as cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester.
The seven (!) DVD set features 22 episodes and more than two hours of special features.
“How I Met Your Mother: The Complete Season Five – The Suited Up Edition” (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment): Out actor Neil Patrick Harris leads the ensemble cast — including Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Alyson Hannigan, Coby Smulders — of this highly-rated CBS sitcom through its fifth season.
Singlehandedly making the business suit hot as ever, Harris’ portrayal of womanizer Barney has earned him well-deserved Emmy nominations for the past few years. DVD bonus features in the three disc collection include a behind the scenes look at the 100th episode, a gag reel and commentary.
“Modern Family: The Complete First Season” (ABC Studios/20th Century Fox Home Entertainment): The runaway hit of the 2009-10 network TV season, “Modern Family” features three different, but related, families. One of the families is made up of gay male couple Mitchell (out actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and Cameron (Eric Overstreet) and their adopted daughter Lily (Jaden and Ella Hiller).
The four DVD set features 24 episodes and a host of special features including deleted, extended and alternate scenes as well as a gag reel.
“thirtysomething: The Complete Third Season” (Shout Factory): Amidst the 24 episodes (on six discs) from the acclaimed TV series “thirtysomething,” which ran on ABC from 1987-91, is the infamous (and tame by today’s standards) “Strangers,” which featured characters Russell (out actor David Marshall Grant) and Peter (Peter Frechette) in bed together.
Co-created by Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick (later of the gay-friendly “My So-Called Life”), the series was also notable for its outstanding ensemble cast including Melanie Mayron, Timothy Busfield (later in “The West Wing”), Patricia Wettig (later in “Brothers & Sisters”), (Wettig’s husband) Ken Olin, Polly Draper and Peter Horton. The DVD set also includes cast and crew commentary.
“Ugly Betty: The Complete Fourth and Final Season” (ABC Studios): TV viewers bid farewell to ABC’s delightful sitcom “Ugly Betty,” in which we watched the unlikely rise of Betty Suarez (America Ferrara) “from poncho to honcho.” Navigating her way through the cut-throat world of fashion magazines, Betty weathered many storms of the romantic, professional, familial and comedic nature.
The final season was also the one in which her teenaged gay nephew Justin (Mark Indelicato) came out and had a boyfriend named Austin (Ryan McGinnis). The four DVD set also includes a wardrobe full of bonus material.