Judy Garland's one foray into series television was not perfect, but that was not entirely her fault. She was more anxious than anyone to make this a success, but the show's producers tweaked and ravaged the show's format so much that it ended up a flawed gem. Audiences would've been more than happy to see Ms. Garland just belt out one song after another, but early on her show was a musical variety hybrid, co-starred with 'second banana' dimwit Jerry Van Dyke, and featuring an uneven roster of guest stars, comedy sketches, and interviews over tea. Still, subsequent shows featured unforgettable appearances by Mickey Rooney, Mel Torme,' Lena Horne, Donald O'Connor, Ray Bolger, Jane Powell, George Maharis, and two honorable mentions: her own teenage daughter Liza Minnelli, and a 21-year-old Barbra Streisand who had not yet begun her own star launch with 'Funny Girl.' But then there was Judy herself- 41 years old, slimmed down to a gorgeous waif in beautiful gowns by Bob Mackie and Ray Aghayan doing incredible things: one-woman concerts, clown skits, comic improvisations, pantomime, and of course, the songs: 'Ol' Man River,' 'Live Your Life Today,' 'You Go To My Head,' 'Too Late Now,' 'Swanee,' a stunning up-tempo version of "Come Rain Or Come Shine,' and a positively blazing rendition of "As Long As He Needs Me-' with the voice in the unforgettable quiver and vibrato that always brought audiences to their feet, even in a darkened theater. The DVD's render a marvelous B&W picture, as these shows are digital transfers from the original, show quality, 2-inch videotapes. Kudos to Pioneer Entertainment for making this series possible.

This is such a great document of a leading actress and singer, Judy Garland, from the last century. It is also an interesting time capsule with such vocalist types as folkie Judy Henske and George Maharis (the latter more known as an actor). What else can I say? Duets with legends Lena Horne, Ethel Merman, her daughter Liza Minnelli and a young Barbra Streisand not to mention a delightfully cute and moving tribute to children's songs with Louis Jourdan. I never would have thought I'd hear Garland sing "Popeye the Sailor Man" or "Someday My Prince Will Come." I would have given the series a higher mark if the format changes didn't make it so frustrating but the high points DO outshine any flaws. For instance, guest Bobby Darin is simply awesome. I enjoyed the "Tea for Two" segments as they broke up (gave us a rest from) all the singing and dancing. They also spotlighted celebrities who might not sing or seem appropriate to the variety show format: this segment gave such notables a chance to tell a story or shine in some other way: Jayne Meadows and Leo Deroscher (and I personally hate baseball) come to mind. Jerry Van Dyke had a worthless role and I think he did what he could with such a thankless and demeaning part as a sidekick, which Garland didn't need anyway. n I could go on but I think the DVDs speak loudly for themselves: great sound and picture quality. Pioneer did wonders with these shows and their attention and love for the body of work is evident throughout. Some are better than others in picture quality but this is a minor point as so many of the taped shows from the following decade, the 1970s, such as Norman Lear shows, do not look this good and possess a murky picture quality.

If you want to see an excellent performer at the peak of her career, then these two boxed sets will not disappoint.Everything is here ... Judy singing solo, duet, and in chorus. Bob Mackie evening gowns and the costumes we know so well....from the clown to the glamorous. It's quite obvious that Judy put her heart and soul into these performances.You'll have to get past the ridiculous Jerry Van Dyke (even he admitted, years later, that his presence on the show was a big mistake). But I can assure you the good parts far outweigh the bad. Just listen to her renditions of "When The Sun Comes Out" or "Battle Hymn of the Republic" or her duets with Liza or Streisand or Merman or Bobby Darin (to name only a few) ... it's all about the WOW factor.The producers, the CBS executives, the writers (if you can call them that), had absolutely no idea how to package Judy so they threw in all this junkie filler, which slowed the show down and detracted from Judy's talent ... SINGING. You'll notice (in the last few shows when there was yet another change in producers) that somebody finally GOT IT and just let her sing. Those are the best shows of all. They're simply timeless -- totally relevant to today and not "of the moment" like so many variety shows from the 60's.These shows are the closest we'll see to Judy performing live ... thank goodness Pioneer put some thought into these sets and packaged them beautifully with the respect due an artist of Judy's stature. It's ALL here....the outtakes, flubs, Judy joking with the audience. A true performer.There's a reason these shows are being released 40+ years later ... Judy is an incomparable performer capable of wringing every emotion from her listeners. Who cares what problems she had, really? I've been hearing this stuff for years but what does that have to do with an artist's performance? Don't we all have problems????

Unquestionably, Judy Garland was a uniquely talented performer. Much of her great talent as a singer is seen in this series, one that would undoubtedly have lasted longer if not for the fierce competition from NBC's Bonanza (in color) and the negative opinion by CBS head James Aubrey (who would certainly have supported the program if the ratings had been there). As a child, I would leave my parents to Bonanza on the color TV in the living room, while I would go down to our basement and watch Judy Garland on the old black and white, fascinated by her wonderful singing ability. Though many people criticize Judy Garland for her consistent drug and alcohol abuse, it's important to realize that it was a different world. One that largely ignored addictions, mental and emotional failings, in hopes that they would go away. But people didn't want Judy Garland to go away. Her series was like a lingering closeup of a super-talent. Intimate, powerful, fragile, and emotional. She is clearly demonstrative of the delicate nature of actors and singers who are so often misunderstood by producers, and a system that capitalizes on the spectacular energy of a singularly unequaled performer like Judy Garland. This show, in spite of its producers' and CBS executives' usual inability to understand Judy herself, is a remarkable jewel in TV history.