Written by: Dominick at 3:52 pm
Filed under: Cable,DVD Box Sets,Television
TV Show Info:
Writers: Various
Directors: Various
Cast: Yancy Butler, David Chokachi, Will Yun Lee, Anthony Cistaro, Eric Etebari
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Info:
Original Air Dates: June 12, 2001-August 26, 2002
DVD Box Set Release Date: July 29, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $49.99
Episodes: The Complete Series of episodes (two seasons) is available – 24 episodes in total (one TV movie and 23 full length episodes)
Yancy Butler just doesn’t do it for me. Sure, she can act, but I just don’t feel she brought the sex appeal needed to make the Witchblade series more interesting to me. That being said, her acting, at least part of the way through, was solid. Still, in a comic inspired drama, I want to see equal parts hotness, equal parts excellent acting/portrayal elements. Perhaps that’s why I found Witchblade – The Complete Series to be a disappointment.
Now, don’t get me wrong. Plenty of men think Yancy Butler is hot. I’m not one of them. There are still many fans of this show who’ve been waiting for the release of Witchblade – The Complete Series on DVD. Fans have been waiting practically since the end of the series, in 2002. The consensus for this box set (fans or not) is that the first season was really good and the second season pretty much sucked. Either way, I felt blasé about the entire experience, but then again I just couldn’t get into this show.
I admit it. I didn’t grow up in a place where comic books were huge. I lived in a small town so getting comic books to read wasn’t exactly the easiest thing to do. Still, in my mature age, I’ve found a great fondness for comic books and I always like to see how the stories of my favorite heroes translate to screen. Give me Batman, X-Men, or any of the other, more popular DC and Marvel comic book characters. Top Cow’s Witchblade just isn’t my style. It didn’t help that the show aired on TNT (I’ve never been overly fond of the Ted Turner networks). That pretty much guaranteed this show wasn’t something I’d watch. I’m more the HBO and Showtime, premium channel kind of guy.
It also doesn’t help that Yancy Butler kind of went downhill between seasons, and by the second, her erratic, drunk-induced behavior took a toll on her ability to act. I’m not sure if she’s still having problems with the bottle (you don’t hear much about her anymore), but her inability to ‘just say no’ made Witchblade suffer and helped to lead to its early demise; that and less than stellar storytelling.
The Witchblade Plot
Witchblade started out as a TV movie. Based on the comic books of the same name, the movie was popular enough to produce a 23-episode, two-season television series. Airing on TNT, fans of the comic books can attest to the fairly accurate portrayal of the actual comic book series. Having one of the comic book writers, Marc Silvestri, on the TV show writing staff had to help. The show focuses on Sara Pezzini (Butler), a NYC police officer who has just experienced the death of her father and a dear, childhood friend. The cause of death is murder, and much like Yancy Butler in real life, Sara is coming apart at the seams.
So, imagine her surprise when this funky, medieval looking gauntlet chooses her to be its next owner. Sara becomes powerful, with superhuman abilities when wearing the witchblade, but at first, she doesn’t want it. She rejects the witchblade, until it begins to haunt her, inevitably making it impossible for her to say no. You see, the witchblade is older than sin. It’s a powerful tool that many a woman, famous or not, throughout history has worn to defend the world against the powers of evil. No man can fill her role, so eventually Sara accepts her plight and becomes one with the witchblade.
The TV Movie and 23 episodes for Witchblade are spread out across seven discs:
DISC ONE
TV Movie – “Witchblade” – In this TV Movie, Sara Pezzini (aka Pez), is chosen by an ancient weapon to be its next bearer. During a shootout at a museum, the witchblade (a powerful gauntlet weapon) attaches to her wrist. While it saves her life, it also chooses her to be its next owner. The witchblade is a living weapon, that’s powerful enough to help her during her search for justice in the deaths of her father and childhood friend.
1.1 – “Parallax” – Sara is learning more about her abilities with the witchblade. She also must face a police review board based on what happened at the Rialto Theater. Sara must get used to her new partner, Jake McCarty (David Chokachi) and a lot of changes are happening at the station.
1.2 – “Conundrum” – When a young fashion model is killed, Sara and Jake must explore the fashion industry to discover who could have killed her. When Sara finds a link between her past and that of the roommate of the murdered model, she looks to the witchblade for answers.
DISC TWO
1.3 – “Diplopia” – Sara and Jake must find out who murdered a well-known Soho art dealer. Their search leads them to an artist who is the identical brother (one of many) who has a connection to the witchblade. Wanting to know more about this ancient weapon, Sara must look to the imprisoned Madame Dominique and a dealer of artifacts, Gabriel Bowman.
1.4 – “Sacrifice” – An Irish rock star, Conchobar, his music, and ancient Celtic sacrifices being performed on the New York streets all seem to be linked together somehow. There are also clues about the murders in a manuscript, which Kenneth Irons uses to his advantage.
1.5 – “Legion” – When a priest is murdered, a young man in his congregation admits he is guilty when he is named the prime suspect. When Sara doubts his guilt, she does believe he was at one point, possessed by demons. When the Vatican intercedes with their own investigation, Sara clashes heads with Father del Toro, the lead investigator, who also happens to know quite a bit about the witchblade.
1.6 – “Maelstrom” – An anti-terrorism group kidnaps Conchobar, to use as bait when they try to arrest his brother, who once was a part of the IRA. Sara must save Conchobar, and she can only do it with the help of the witchblade.
DISC THREE
1.7 – “Periculum” – Jake is invited to join a brotherhood of police officers, by Captain Dante. The brotherhood is made up of vigilantes who want to seek justice on their own terms. Sara, in the meantime, has to deal with the witchblade, its powers, her part in using it and what that entails.
1.8 – “Thanatopsis” – While following an arms dealer, a sniper makes sure their investigation hits a dead end. The victim just happens to have detailed documents on Irons, Nottingham and Sara!
1.9 – “Apprehension” – Sara receives a mysterious package that sends her into shock. She can only trust herself and the witchblade, at this point. In the meantime, she needs to solve the murder of a local pimp.
DISC FOUR
1.10 – “Convergence” – Sara must hide from the NYPD. She asks Jake for help despite not knowing if she can trust him. Kenneth Irons must find an elixir or he’s going to die. Still, Irons shows his true colors as he makes plans for Sara.
1.11 – “Transcendence” – An unlikely ally sets out to protect Sara, no matter the cost. Sara tries to become one with the witchblade in order to take on a corrupt group of individuals. Only then can she find out who killed her father.
2.1 – “Emergence” – The first in a two-part, season 2 premiere episode Sara and her partner, Danny Woo try to find gangster, Tommy Gallo. This is reflective of the very first witchblade TV movie as Sara re-lives the moments when the witchblade chose her. She ends up altering history by not confronting Gallo. Kenneth Irons has plans for Sara and Notthingham is torn between duty and loyalty. While Iron promises another woman the witchblade if she takes out Sara, Danny has been buried alive, in an attempt to make him die a slow and pain filled death.
2.2 “Destiny” – The second part of the two-part, season 2 premiere has Sara using the witchblade to try and find Danny. She must also save herself, when she battles Irons, who has his own ancient weapon, which he can use to fight against the witchblade.
DISC FIVE
1.3 – “Agape” – Jake is involved in a sting with a possibly corrupt cop. Sara and Danny investigate several drug-related murders. With the witchblade, Sara must save Jake and solve the murders.
1.4 – “Consectatio” – Nottingham is obsessed with Sara. He is possessed by Irons and this drives him to contact The Black Dragons, a group of assassins who he hires to murder her.
1.5 – “Static” – Sara and Danny must solve the mystery of the murdered rock star. This investigation is more than meets the eye, when Sara realizes she’s being lured into a trap with the prize being control of the witchblade.
1.6 – “Nailed” – A serial killer targeting young girls zeroes in on Danny’s niece. Sara uses the witchblade for its visual powers, as she seeks the answers in order to discover who the killer (who is obsessed with their fingernails) is planning to kill next.
DISC SIX
1.7 – “Lagrimas” – Sara is instantly attracted and falls in love with the perfect guy. When Irons returns from the dead to reveal his true identity, Sara must choose between love and death.
1.8 – “Hierophant” – The New York crime syndicates are overtaken by a murderer by the name of V. With the crime scene showing the fingerprints of her dead father, Sara and the witchblade face the most evil of evils.
1.9 – “Veritas” – Tickner is killed by two strange men, but not before he gets a message to Gabriel. The information given is about a tape with evidence against the men and their organization, which connects them to murder. After recovering the tape, Gabriel and Sara realize two of the men are feds and they must kill them. With the two on the run, Sara looks to her visions. After she’s captured, things get more bizarre as she escapes, saves Gabriel and sees the ghost of JFK.
1.10 – “Parabolic” – Sara and Jake link tattoos and hate crimes to one another. With multiple hate crimes being interrupted in progress, a vigilante is soon deemed responsible for stopping them. Sara is sent undercover where she learns about the tattoos of the Lupo organization, though discovery is eminent and the witchblade is her only hope of survival.
DISC SEVEN
1.11 – “Palindrome” – Jake and Danny go undercover to find out more about a man killed at a ‘fight club’. Sara’s long-lost lover, Conchobar is found in the ring and Sara will do anything to save him, even give up the witchblade!
1.12 – “Ubique” – When Sara wakes up, she finds that the witchblade is gone. New York City is in a state of chaos. Someone has gone on a crazy killing spree. Sara finds that the killers involved in the spree have access to a website that is run by someone who has information about the witchblade. With Kenneth Irons believed to be behind everything, Sara must battle the witchblade and its new owner!
Ok, I admit it. Some of the episodes for Witchblade, especially those in the first season were both interesting and entertaining. I don’t have to be a Yancy Butler fan to say that about the show. What I didn’t like was the second season. What a jip! The episodes seem to get more and more ridiculous and with Yancy Butler ending up in rehab, I really believe had she not gone to rehab, the second season was just the beginning of the end of the series.
Storyline/Plot: 
Replayability:
Acting:
Directing:
Audio/Visual:
All of the episodes included in the Witchblade – The Complete Series collection are presented in 1.78 animorphic widescreen. The show looks okay for being a few years old, but it isn’t as perfect as I expected. There are moments of softness and colors aren’t quite as bright as they could be. There are some instances of grain and the show has a grungy, less focused look to it. While this shouldn’t affect your viewing too much, it is always a nice bonus to see a beautiful transfer. It’s a pity more care wasn’t taken to ensure this television show had a better visual look to it.
The Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo track used on episodes included in the Witchblade – The Complete Series set is pretty typical for a television show soundtrack, especially one from the early 21st century. This track does what it’s supposed to do, though I’m partial to Dolby 5.1 myself. It could have made this action-packed show even more dynamic. Still, for what it’s worth, volume toggling isn’t needed and everything comes through loudly and clearly. There are subtitles available in English on this set.
Visual:
Audio:
Bonus Features:
Fans of this series will be thrilled to know that the Witchblade – The Complete Series box set offers a few different bonus features. The bonuses start with little blips of thought that are available on ten different episodes. Called “Gabriel’s Philosophic Insights”, this feature offers a look into the mind of Gabriel as he talks about a range of topics. Most of the other bonuses are located on the last disc in this set.
The featurette, “Wielding the Blade” is just one of the bonuses included. This is a featurette that is less than ten minutes in length and it’s, about the power of the witchblade. Yancy Butler and various creative members of the witchblade team discuss the witchblade. There is another featurette called “Bringing the Blade to Life”. This featurette is about the concept of the show and includes information on how Witchblade transitioned from comic to television series. There is a set of original casting sessions for the select leads on the show. This includes casting for Yancy Butler, David Chokachi, Will Yun Lee, Anthony Cistaro and Eric Etebari.
The final bonus is a brand new soundtrack for the show. This soundtrack was chosen and developed by the Executive Producer of Witchblade.
Bonus Features:
Bottom Line:
Witchblade just isn’t my cup of tea. I know the show has its fans. If you’re one of them, you’ll want to pick up a copy of Witchblade – The Complete Series when you can. The show looks and sounds decent enough to appease fans and the bonuses should make the most rabid of fans somewhat happy. While I don’t recommend it for those who’ve never seen this show, if you’ve found the plots of each episode to be interesting try renting a copy of Witchblade – The Complete Series before purchasing this set.
Overall Rating:
Technorati Tags: Witchblade, The Complete Series, DVD Review, TV Box Set, Yancy Butler, David Chokachi, Will Yun Lee, Anthony Cistaro, Comic Book
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Written by Dominick - Visit Website
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Dominick Evans is in his late 20's. He spends his days working as a full time writer/editor and a part time musician/composer. His passions in life include music, directing films, watching movies, reading books, watching sports, wheelchair football, politics and spending time with his family (fiancée Ashtyn, son Robert, and shih-tzu Oliver). Other interests include being an advocate for the disability and GLBT communities.
