Mike Spring
What’s New in Home Video & Pop Culture – September 9, 2025
It’s a pretty heavy television slate this week, in part because the start of the new television Fall season in the U.S. usually results in a lot of “Catch up on last season on DVD!” releases. That said, there’s some great discs to be found as well as a couple of notable graphic novels in this week’s column.
In This Week’s Column:
- Bride Hard (Blu-ray)
- Spenser For Hire: The Complete Series (DVD)
- NCIS: The Twenty-Second Season (DVD)
- The White Lotus: The Complete Third Season (DVD)
- Paw Patrol: Fire Rescue (DVD)
- The Cat (Blu-ray)
- Star Trek Strange New Worlds Omnibus (Graphic Novel)
- Exorcism at 1600 Penn (Graphic Novel)
Bride Hard (Blu-ray)
The Movie:
I hadn’t heard a lot about Bride Hard before I got a copy to review, but I had seen one TV commercial for it that made me chuckle, so I was kind of jazzed to watch it. With a great cast that includes Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, Justin Hartley, and Stephen Dorff, I figured at worst it would be a fun comedy and at best it would be a really good time. Unfortunately, it was neither of those. More on that in a minute.
The film Sees Anna Camp playing Betsy, a young woman marrying into a rich family. Her childhood best friend is Sam (Wilson), a secret agent who tells everyone she’s a cat show entrepreneur. Sam keeps letting Betsy down as her maid of honor (due to her spy duties) and gets replaced but shows up to the wedding anyway. Unfortunately, so do a group of mercenaries, who are after the family’s vault full of gold and other secrets.
Sure, there are a couple of chuckles here and there, but honestly, the movie just panders to so much lowest-common-denominator humor that it ends up being really sub-par. It feels like one of those films where they just let Rebel Wilson ad-lib whenever she wanted and then tried to cobble together a best-version cut from that, rather than having a strong script to work from. Ultimately, the film is silly and wastes any potential that it had. It’s not the worst movie I’ve ever seen, and like I said, there are a couple of laughs here and there, but it could have been so much more.
The Bonus Features:
There are no bonus features on this disc, sadly.
Digital Copy Included: No
The Wrap-Up:
Bride Hard wants to be Bridesmaids meets Mission Impossible, but instead, it’s a comedy that limps to the finish line with unfunny jokes and so-so action scenes. A game cast can’t overcome the film’s many flaws.
Spenser For Hire: The Complete Series (DVD)
The Show:
It’s funny, if you’d asked me how many seasons Spenser For Hire ran, I would have said at least five or six, but probably seven or eight. But, alas, I would be wrong. The show, which seems like it was such an indelible part of the 1980s’ television landscape, only aired for three seasons. Go figure.
Those three seasons are now collected on DVD for the first time in the Spenser For Hire: The Complete Series box set, coming to us courtesy of Warner Bros. Now, all three seasons of the show have been released on DVD before, but two of them were exclusive to the Warner Archive print-on-demand service, making this the first time the entirety of the show is available to the general on-sale public.
The show stars Robert Urich as Spenser, a Boston private investigator who investigates a different murder in each episode. He’s aided by a tough guy named Hawk (Avery Brooks) who used to be a bad guy but is working towards redemption with Spenser’s help. The show is a mystery, but with the manly Urich in the lead role and the intimidating Brooks as his partner, there’s no shortage of action in the show, which is one of its defining features. I always really liked Spenser For Hire, and even though there’s no denying the show is squarely a product of the ‘80s, it still holds up as an enjoyable action/mystery show.
The Bonus Features:
Sadly, there are no bonus features included.
Digital Copy Included: No
The Wrap-Up:
Spenser For Hire may not be the most landscape-changing television show ever, but it is a good detective show in the vein of Magnum P.I. or Hunter. I’m glad the entire series is available together for the first time, which will make a lot of fans happy.
NCIS: The Twenty-Second Season (DVD)
The Show:
At 22 seasons in, NCIS is officially old enough to drink. It’s also old enough to be encroaching on the territory of shows like Bonanza, Gunsmoke, and The Simpsons as one of the longest-running series in television history. And at this point, trying to “review” the show seems a little futile, as you either already like it or you don’t.
Personally, I’ve always found NCIS to be a solid enough distraction. Like, I never got fully invested in it and watched it regularly, but by the same token, I do enjoy popping in the DVD sets when I get them and powering through a handful of the more exciting episodes. But I think I missed getting Season 21 to review, so this new season collection took me a little by surprise. I forgot that Mark Harmon had left the show, and this season saw Katrina Law departing the series as well. Gary Cole is still firmly entrenched as the de facto lead, while new cast member Austin Stowell is a welcome addition.
Season 22, meanwhile, largely delivers more of what we’re used to from the show – the Naval Criminal Investigative Services’ Major Case Response Team solving crimes involving the U.S. Navy – and for the most part, the episode-by-episode formula remains true to form. This season does have some notable moments, such as a nice tribute to the late David McCallum in the season opener, as well as a pretty major cliffhanger ending for the season. I guess if there’s one thing we can count on, it’s NCIS coming back for another year! This latest DVD collection comprises all 22 episodes of Season 22 on six discs in the usual amaray case format
The Bonus Features:
- NCIS Season 22: Behind the Scenes of a Legacy
- Undercover “I Do”
- The Expert Behind the Scenes
Digital Copy Included: No
The Wrap-Up:
NCIS is formulaic, sure, but there’s a reason it’s lasted for literally two full decades: the formula works. It does what it does well, and if you’re in the mood for some mysteries and a likable cast, with a wide range of characters who occasionally take the spotlight, NCIS: The Twenty-Second Season is for you.
The White Lotus: The Complete Third Season (DVD)
The Show:
When it first came out, The White Lotus seemed like it might be just another quirky mystery dramedy show that came and went in short order. But then people started talking about it, and then it got downright buzzy. Now, it’s a full-blown hit and we’re three seasons in, with more on the horizon.
Once again, a fantastic cast anchors this unique show. With Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Michelle Monaghan, Parker Posey, Sam Rockwell and Scott Glenn in the cast, there are a lot of familiar faces to drive the action, and they portray a coterie of characters who keep you guessing while also allowing you to delight in the interactions between them all.
This season, the action takes place at a White Lotus resort in Thailand, and – as usual – the action starts off with a dead body. From there, it’s the usual mix of characters, secrets, mystery, more secrets, humor, and a bit of chaos. As always, the show is intriguing, compelling, dramatic, and funny, all with a central mystery to tie it all together.
The Bonus Features:
- Invitation to Set: Welcome to Thailand
- Thai Tea
- Closet Tour
- Unpacking Each Episode
- Get to Know the Characters
Digital Copy Included: No
The Wrap-Up:
With a fourth season already greenlit, The White Lotus: The Complete Third Season is a great way to catch up on the show, especially if you don’t have HBO or HBO Max.
Paw Patrol: Fire Rescue (DVD)
The Show:
My kids are long past the age of watching shows like Paw Patrol, but when I think back to what they liked when they were young, it’s easy to see that Paw Patrol would have been a big hit in my house if my kids were the right age. In our household we watched a lot of Backyardigans, Octonauts, Wild Kratts, Dora the Explorer, and other pre-school/adolescent favorites. Paw Patrol, with its cute characters and positive lessons while still fitting in some all-ages-appropriate action, would have been a favorite with my kids.
Paw Patrol: Fire Rescue is the latest DVD collection of the hit show, with 10 whole episodes to keep your kids busy with. The action starts from the new Adventure Bay Fire Station, so obviously the focus here is on the pups as more of resources than cops and such. With two hours and 20 minutes worth of episodes here, this one will keep your kids glued to the couch for a good chunk of time. The ten episodes included are:
Pups Save the Big BBQ
Pups Save Lizzy’s Lemonade Blaze
Pups Save the Flaming Flounder
Pups Make the News
Pups Save a Baby Goat Birthday
Pups Save a S’more-mergency
Pups Save Fogstock
Pups Save the Stage Actor
Pups vs. The Robo-Ducky
Pups Save the Lost Penguin
The Bonus Features:
There are no bonus features on this release, but with over two hours of episodes, it’s still hard to complain.
Digital Copy Included: No
The Wrap-Up:
Paw Patrol is a fun and well-made show, and it’s not hard to see how it’s become a household name. If you’re tired of watching the same episodes over and over again, this new collection is for you.
The Cat (Blu-ray)
The Movie:
Every so often, as a reviewer, you just have to let the official synopsis for a movie do the heavy lifting, because it will summarize the film better than you ever could. This is one of those times. Here’s the plot of The Cat, which debuts on Blu-ray this week from 88 Films: “A cat from outer space teams up with a young alien girl and her knight, along with an adventure novelist named Wisely, to fight a murderous alien that possesses people.” I mean… how could I top that?
The Cat is a 1991 film from Japan that is apparently somewhat infamous for being just over-the-top crazy and weird, or at least so I was told before I watched the film. But often that quirkiness is overstated for marketing purposes; not so, The Cat. This movie really is pretty out there. The nice thing is that it’s weird, but it’s not incoherent or lacking cohesion. It’s just weird, but in a fun way. It’s a cult classic that deserves a bigger cult audience. I really didn’t know what to expect from the movie, but I ended up having a good time with it.
This week, 88 Films brings us a pretty cool Special Edition Blu-ray release of The Cat that comes with amazing packaging and some cool extras.
The Bonus Features:
- Audio Commentary By Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival)
- Brand New Film Interview with Writer Gordon Chan
- Image Gallery
Digital Copy Included: No
The Wrap-Up:
The Cat is one of those movies that you’ve probably never heard of. If you have heard of it, there’s a good chance you already love it, because it’s one of those offbeat little gems that stands out for a true cinephile. Track it down and check it out!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Omnibus (Graphic Novel)
The Book:
I’m a huge fan of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the Paramount+ series that chronicles the crew of the Enterprise that came before Captain Kirk, one that features Captain Pike at the helm. Its blend of classic Star Trek adventure and a great sense of humor makes it the most fun Star Trek show to watch since the heyday of The Next Generation. (We’ll leave Lower Decks out of the conversation for now, because that show is so much fun as well!)
This week, we get the release of the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Omnibus, a chunky new paperback that collects two ST: SNW miniseries along with two short stories as a bonus feature. Now, when I think of a true Omnibus, I picture a behemoth of a book, as they’re usually somewhere between 700 and1500 pages, so this is more of just a regular collection for my money, but that’s really just semantics. What I was worried about is the comic book format capturing the unique tone and feel of the show effectively. And while I won’t say that I think these stories 100% truly embody the magic of the TV show, they are at least quite enjoyable stories with top-notch artwork that I enjoyed more than not.
This trade paperback collects Star Trek: Strange New Worlds—The Illyrian Enigma (by Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson, and Megan Levens); Star Trek: Strange New Worlds—The Scorpius Run (by Mike Johnson, Ryan Parrott, and Angel Hernandez); and two short stories – “Yesterday’s Shadow” from Star Trek #500 (by Jody Houser and Vernon Smith) and “Facemaker” from Star Trek: Celebrations (by Mags Visaggio and Tench.)
The Specs:
- Publisher: IDW Publishing
- Format: Softcover
- Page Count: 240 pages
- Cover Price: $24.99
The Wrap Up:
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Omnibus isn’t the greatest Star Trek comics I’ve ever read, but as a Strange New Worlds fan, I found it an enjoyable enough read to keep me satisfied in between episodes. Give it a read if you’re a Strange New Worlds fan and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Exorcism at 1600 Penn (Graphic Novel)
The Book:
Kelli Doyle has just been elected the first female president of the United States. She’s trying to get settled into her role, deal with some intense political situations, and survive having two teenaged children: one who’s thrilled to be living in the White House and one who definitely isn’t. Those are all the kinds of challenges you would expect to deal with as an incoming president. What you probably wouldn’t expect? For your teenage daughter to become possessed by a demon.
That’s the kick-off for Exorcism at 1600 Penn, a new trade paperback from IDW Publishing, that’s written by Hannah Rose May with artwork by Vanesa Del Rey. I was suitable impressed with the book; the first issue does a good job of setting up the characters and the situation without either taking too long to get interesting or rushing things in order to get to the good stuff. Vanesa Del Rey’s artwork is very moody and atmospheric, and it calls to mind Werther Dell’Edera’s work on Something is Killing the Children, while still retaining her own distinct style. In short, I’m impressed.
The Specs:
- Publisher: IDW Publishing
- Format: Softcover
- Page Count: 128 pages
- Cover Price: $21.99
The Wrap Up:
I like stories that take classic fiction tropes and subvert them. A possessed teenager? That’s nothing new. A possessed teenager whose mom is the president of the United States. Okay, that I haven’t seen before. Exorcism at 1600 Penn is a terrific supernatural thriller that is worth picking up for sure.
