Have you ever found yourself in the midst of a discussion about a hugely popular television show you’ve never watched? Well, this happens to me. I’m often embarrassed that I haven’t watched enough television (which is something I never thought I was capable of feeling).

A friend of mine sent me an email the other day with the subject line, “Mary Tyler Moore is on DVD, yeah baby!!!!!!!!!!!” Her 11 punctuation marks of jubilation led me to believe this was news to really get excited over, only I couldn’t. You see, I have a confession to make: I have never seen an episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show — not a one. It has been on numerous countdowns as one of the funniest and most groundbreaking shows ever, and still I have neglected to see it, despite the existence of the syndication time capsule Nick at Nite.

Thankfully, for people like me, complete series of programs such as The Mary Tyler Moore Show are now available on box set. DVD boxed sets give us the chance to sit down at our convenience in our comfiest pajamas for hours on end to catch up with devoted fans. It takes me two days to do what took others years. The boxed set is a crash course in television. There are so many long-running shows that so many of us have not seen at all or seen in their entirety, but now, thanks to the DVD box set, we can.

Here is a short list of series that I think, if you haven’t seen yet, you should, because they are hilarious. (Oh, and they helped knock down a whole bunch of walls for women in entertainment.)

6 Complete Series Available on DVD You Should See:

1.The Mary Tyler Moore Show

All I know about The Mary Tyler Moore Show is that in the opening credits, she famously throws her beret-looking hat in the air, and then freeze frame. Of course there is more to this series than that, so I (along with some of you) will own up to my Moore-less life and settle in to watch this award-winning series. … continue reading

Who can turn the world on with her smile? Who can take a nothing day and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile? If you don’t know, you really need to watch more TV Land. And I do mean Moore.

The producers of Lipstick Jungle are hoping Mary Tyler Moore can use her TV charm to bring a new dimension – and a new audience – to the series. Moore will guest star in several episodes as the retired mother of Wendy (Brooke Shields) – no doubt due to the actresses’ remarkable resemblance.

Moore’s character, Joyce, is a former high-powered executive who will challenge Wendy’s belief that she doesn’t have to choose between professional and personal success. Moore already is a big fan of the show, as she told the Hollywood Reporter:

"I'm fortunate to have had a front row seat to the evolution of working women on television. It's been great fun to watch the strong female characters of 'Lipstick Jungle' go at it week after week. I absolutely adore Brooke and I'm delighted to be a part of a show which is so well written."

Yeah, that’s why most of us watched – for the writing. … continue reading

With the solstice on the horizon, it’s time to prepare for the inevitable heat, excess of bugs and an abundance of women in bikinis. (Okay, perhaps that last one isn’t too bad!) But, for me, it also signals the beginning of several months over-advertised television marathons and late night re-runs.

Personally, I have to agree with Amy Wilkinson over at Entertainment Weekly on a few of her choice picks. I, too, am a sucker for Law & Order or ANTM marathons. In fact — in the interest of full disclosure — I vividly remember blowing off studying for a final my sophomore year of undergrad in favor of spending nine hours listening to Det. Benson degrade perps and Det. Munch cynically out-snark everyone in the squad room.

Lucky for me, I don’t always have to wait on marathons to find an excuse to sit in front of the boob tube for hours on end. Take Scrubs, for instance. The quick, quirky sitcom is one I admittedly didn’t catch onto until way too late, but its ridiculous level of syndication means that I have now seen every episode. And yet, it still doesn’t get old; take this clip for instance:

How cute is it that they harmonize in that song? Seriously, though, Scrubs is one of the only (straight) shows on television that so frequently, accurately and hilariously weaves gay and lesbian references into the fabric of its show. That’s worth tuning in for, as are these women:

Sarah Chalke, Judy Reyes and Christa Miller

Additionally, I catch my fair share of old episodes of Home Improvement and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air because, apparently, I have a penchant for '90s television families. … continue reading