If you’ve read any of my reviews before, you’ll know that I’m a tough nut to crack when it comes to sit-coms. I grew up watching a lot of the classics, so I consider most of what I see nowadays to be garbage. Most are carbon copies of each other and rely on the lowest common denominator to get laughs. But occasionally viewers get lucky and are treated to a sitcom that dares to be…… creative. One such sitcom that chose to be so bold was “3rd Rock from the Sun.” The series debuted in 1996, and offers audiences solid laughs (often in the most ridiculous of premises) for 6 seasons. The reason for these non-stop laughs? A great premise, writing that went far and beyond the realm of everyday TV situations and a spectacularly talented cast. Let’s start with the premise of the show shall we? Taking a little bit of a nod from “My Favorite Martian”, the show revolved around a quartet if Martians who travel to Earth (Get it? 3rd Rock from… oh… never mind).

Their mission is to take on human form and mingle with the natives in order to learn as much about them as possible. They wind up in Rutherford, Ohio and quickly find that due to the complexity of human nature, it will take much, much longer to fulfill their mission than originally thought.

This leads me to the cast. Leading the troupe is veteran character actor John Lithgow who is without a doubt, one of the most versatile actors in recent history. He first caught my eye as the transsexual Roberta Muldoon in the brilliant “The World According to Garp.” Since that time I’ve caught him in numerous roles playing everything from psychotic killers, to repressed Baptist ministers to Don Quixote. I was even fortunate enough to have seen him on stage as a washed up boxer opposite George Segal in Rod Serling’s “Requiem for a Heavyweight” Simply put, Lithgow can play any role he chooses and taking on the human persona of Dr. Dick Solomon in “3rd Rock from the Sun” was just the icing on the comedy cake. In this role, he was allowed to cut loose in ways I had not seen him try before. The storylines for the series were often so completely outrageous, and Lithgow’s antics never failed to hit the marks perfectly.

Lithgow was joined by Kirsten Johnston as Sally Solomon, who as an alien was a male and was in a constant battle coming to terms with being a human female. Then we have French Stewart as Harry Solomon. Stewart is a tremendous physical comedian and I don’t think there was a single episode where he didn’t get the chance to show it. Finally, there’s Joseph Gordon-Levitt as ‘young’ Tommy Solomon. His alien persona is actually the oldest of the group and watching him wrestle as a brilliant information officer trapped in the body of a teenager proved a challenge that Gordon-Levitt was more than up for.

Though she wasn’t an alien, I have to mention the great Jane Curtin. She was one of the original Not Ready for Prime Time Players on Saturday Night Live from 1975 – 1980. I always thought she was one of the more underrated talents in the cast, and unfortunately since leaving that show had only a handful of projects. Her comedic talents were once more brought to the forefront when she was cast as Dr. Mary Albright, the professor of anthropology in “3rd Rock from the Sun.” For the most part, she got to play the ‘straight man’ role to Lithgow’s bumbling Solomon, but every scene they shared showed a comic chemistry that couldn’t be beat.

Anchor Bay Entertainment has already released the 1st five seasons over the last year and a half, and once again showed the competition up when it comes to packaging and extra features. The first and most noticeable packaging feature was that the first two sets 'talked.' There was a pressure point on the cover that delivered the voice of Dick Solomon when pressed. It’s kind of silly, but fits the style of the series to a tea. (They didn't carry this on through the subsequent sets, though.)

This month, Anchor Bay is releasing the 6th and final season and not a moment too soon if you ask me!! I still can’t get enough of this series and it only makes me wish there had been more seasons. Inside the set you'll find a small booklet with the episode descriptions, and even more excerpts from The Official Report on Earth by High Comander Dick Solomon. There is much to learn from this booklet, such as how educational movies can be. For example, did you know that you can dodge machine gun fire by running sideways? Or that while and F-5 tornado can uproot a house or tractor, it will not affect you as long as you’re holding on to something? Try learning that on The Weather Channel. As for extra features on the discs, this set admittedly doesn't have as many as some of the previous sets. But it does include a look back on the series and an unusual Alternate Ending for the series finale (complete with two introductions).

Speaking of the episodes included in the 6th season (well we weren't actually speaking of them… but now that we are), this is one series that actually seemed to get funnier with each new season. With some shows, I can usually pick out a few that stood out as especially funny, but not so with "3rd Rock from the Sun." Every single episode is hysterically funny, but I did especially enjoy "Red, White and Dick", where dick becomes fascinated by all things American… and then finds out he's Canadian. (such an American kind of thing to happen…)

“3rd Rock from the Sun” was a funnier show than most, earning every single Emmy nomination and win that it received. Having the series available is definitely a high point in my DVD collecting career. I guarantee it would be yours, too.

Episodes:
Les Liaisons Dickgereuses
Fear and Loathing In Rutherford
InDickscretion
Dick'll Take Manhatten, Part 1
Dick'll Take Manhatten, Part 2
Whi Dickie Can't Teach
B.D.O.C.
Red, White and Dick
Dick Digs
There's No Business Like Dick Business
A Dick Replacement
Dick's Ark
You Don't Know Dick
My Mother, My Dick
Glengarry Glen Dick
Dick Soup for the Soul
Mary Loves Scroochie, Part 1
Mary Loves Scroochie, Part 2
The Thing That Wouldn't Die, Part 1
The Thing That Wouldn't Die, Part 2

Starring: John Lithgow, Kirsten Johnston, French Stewart, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jane Curtin
Extras: 3rd Rock - Six Seasons of Memories, Final Episode Alternate Ending, Alternate Show Ending Introduction Parts 1 & 2, Collectible Booklet
Specifications: Full Screen, Digital Stereo
Studio: Anchor Bay
Release Date: 11/14/2006
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website
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We'll give 3rd Rock from the Sun: Season 6 an A.