TVSquad

A roundup of TV people from in front of the camera and behind the scenes who have passed away.

• Don S. Davis: The veteran actor appeared on numerous TV shows over the past 25 years, including Stargate SG-1 (he played Major General George Hammond), Twin Peaks, The X-Files, The Dead Zone, Psych, Highlander, Supernatural, Flash Gordon, The West Wing, NCIS, The Chris Isaak Show, Profit, M.A.N.T.I.S., MacGyver (also serving as Dana Elcar's body double), L.A. Law, Joanie Loves Chachi, and many others. He also appeared in dozens of movies, including A League of Their Own, Con Air, Miracle, The 6th Day, Hook, The Fan, and Best In Show. He died this week at age 65.

A roundup of TV people from in front of the camera and behind the scenes who have passed away.

• Hazel Court: She was the actress known as the "Scream Queen." Besides appearing in such classic horror flicks as The Masque of the Red Death, The Raven, and The Curse of Frankenstein, she also did a lot of TV, including episodes of The Twilight Zone, Mannix, Mission: Impossible, Burke's Law, The Wild, Wild West, Gidget, Thriller, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Rawhide, McMillan & Wife, and many other shows. She died of a heart attack at age 82.

There's something really great about being able to buy an entire season of a TV show, or the entire run, on DVD. It can be addictive, too. But isn't it interesting that even though there are scads of great -- and some not-so-great -- series committed to DVD and readily available online or at the local superstore, there are a ton more that aren't? And what about great TV specials? When I read this list, it got me thinking about which TV programs I would buy in a heartbeat. My list is very subjective -- maybe even eclectic -- but here's my ten TV shows that need to be on DVD.

The Bob Newhart Show
Recently, when the American Masters did a special about Bob Newhart, they showed footage from The Bob Newhart Show. No, not the one with Suzanne Pleshette as Emily. They had clips from the 1961-62 Bob Newhart Show on NBC. It was a variety hour, showcasing many of his now classic routines. It looked really funny, filled with his inspired sketches and bits. And it was critically acclaimed, too, winning Emmy and Peabody awards. Naturally, NBC canceled it after just one season. I'd love to think that there's enough footage from those shows to create a DVD.