New to Blu > TV: November 30-December 6

Thanks to TVNZ taking so long to screen the series, The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season releases here eight months later than in the US.

But the wait will be worth it for fans who want to collect the first six episodes in pristine 1080p with a slew of lively extras, although there’s nothing exclusive to the Blu-ray.

Apparently, “the negative format for the series was originally 16mm film printed up to 35mm but you would never know that from the sublime video presentation.

“Film grain is ubiquitous even while the video retains high contrast.”

Moreover, “people who watched this show on TV need to rewatch it again on Blu-ray. It’s like an entirely different experience”.

It also has the bonus of a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack whereas TV2 broadcast in it stereo.

“This is an action-packed mix that’s never lacking in either volume or space; blaring car alarms and police sirens penetrate the soundstage with ear-piercing ease, general directional effects are splendid, and the surrounds carry plenty of the action.”

Also new are Glee: Complete Seasons 1&2, The Simpsons: Season 14, the original Lonesome Dove reformatted in widescreen, and the fifth seasons of the original Twilight Zone and The Universe (which includes a 3D episode).

And on the eve of David Fincher’s re-make of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo comes the original Millennium trilogy in their longer, made-for-TV cuts with new extras.

Similarly, the 1991 French TV cartoon adaptation of Tintin is being released ahead of Steven Spielberg’s reincarnation of the Hergé hero while new on the anime front are Whisper of the Heart, Dragon Ball Z – Kai Collection 6, Trigun – Badlands Rumble, Baka and Test: Series One Collection, The Disappearance of Haruchi Suzumiya and K-On! Volume 3.