‘My Favorite
Martian” was a trailblazing series, laying the groundwork for many popular
fantasy sitcoms over the years. Without this show, there might never have been
“3rd Rock from the Sun,” “ALF,” or even “Mork and Mindy,” not to mention all of
the other fantasy shows with genies and witches rather than aliens. All three
seasons and 107 episodes of this classic 1960s series are available for
purchase in this complete collection, along with an expansive compilation of
new and old special features.
Primarily known
for his stage performances and character roles in films like The Apartment and South Pacific, Ray Walston was given the opportunity to head up the
cast of “My Favorite Martian” as the alien who disguises himself as Uncle
Martin, visiting relative of the newspaper man who discovered his crashed
aircraft. Tim O’Hara (Bill Bixby) hides the identity of the Martian visitor
from his nosy landlord, Lorelei Brown (Pamela Britton), along with an assortment
of other characters. This task is made easier with the supernatural abilities
Martin is able to tap into, as Martians use the full ability of their brain as
opposed to the humans’ 10%.
Martin’s powers
include invisibility, telepathy and telekinesis, among others. These powers
also had the tendency to be fickle, vanishing when the wrong foods were eaten
or if something unfamiliar made Martin ill. New characters were added to the
cast (while some vanished), but the basic premise of the show remained the same
for its entire three-season run from 1963-1966. The first two seasons were
filmed in black-and-white, while the final season appeared in color.
All three
individually packaged seasons are included in this set, with Collector’s
Edition special features to go with each. Season one includes 37 episodes,
season two has 38, and the final season included 32; all of which have been
digitally remastered. Each season comes with five discs of content. Included in
the extras of the first season is the original pilot version of the first
episode, along with another lost pilot from producer Jack Chertok called “The
Reluctant Eye. Additional footage includes a promotional appearance by Walston
on a 1964 game show, as well as a vintage commercial. The original sponsor
spots are also included, along with a photo gallery, comic strips, and the
soundtrack music album.
Season two’s
extras include vintage cast interviews along with original marketing promotions
used in conjunction with the show. The final season, along with being featured
in color, has plenty of additional extras. There is another lost TV pilot from
Chertok called “The Man in The Square Suit,” as well as an interview with Bixby
and Walston from Lucille Ball’s long-lost radio show, “Let’s Talk to Lucy.”
Also included are behind-the-scenes home movies, animation and effects
featurettes, and additional marketing/promotional material with the show’s
cast.
Entertainment Value:
7/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 7.5/10
Historical
Significance: 8.5/10
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