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List Price: $49.99 | | Label: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Salesrank: 14535
Released: March 8, 2005 |
| Our Price: $4.72 |
| Used Price: $5.99 |
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MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Studio: Buena Vista Home Video Release Date: 08/23/2005 Run time: 440 minutes
Description of Sweet Valley High - The Complete First Season:
More Beverly Hills 90210 than Freaks and Geeks, Sweet Valley High looks at the lives and loves of the popular kids rather than the outcasts. Cynthia and Brittany Daniel star as twins Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield in the television version of Francine Pascal's best selling book series. With their seemingly perfect Southern California lives, Liz and Jess are more Betty and Veronica, from the Archie comics, than the high school girls of any other TV series. In other words, Sweet Valley Highis escapism, pure and simple--and what's wrong with a little escapism? While both girls are part of the in-crowd, there are differences between them. Liz, a reporter for the school newspaper, is the good one, while Jess, a cheerleader, is the not-so-good one.
Created by Josh Goldstein (American Dreams), The Complete First Season includes all 22 episodes broadcast between 1994-1995. Supporting characters include Liz's boyfriend Todd (Ryan James Bittle) and best friend Enid (Amy Danles) and Jess's best friends Lila (Bridget Flanery) and Patty (Amarilis). Rich kid Bruce (Brock Burnett), his pal Manny (Harley Rodriguez), token nerd Winston "Eggman" Egbert (Michael Perl), and a few teachers--but no parents--round out the cast. Most of the conflicts the girls face are created by devious, self-centered Jess, who pretends to be her sister whenever Liz has something she wants, like a potential college boyfriend ("Dangerous Love"), a broadcasting gig ("Oracle on Air"), or praise from the hot poetry teacher ("Poetic Injustice"). Sweet Valley High ran on FOX for three seasons, followed by a fourth and final season on UPN. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Sweet Valley High - The Complete First Season Reviews:
Interesting take on the book series... 
2008-10-27 - So I was a fan of the book series who decided to check out the DVD set. It was...interesting. Obviously, it was filmed in a different day and age, so some of the filming was rough. It was pretty cheesy, but I still watched them. If the other seasons were released on DVD, I'd definitely watch them, just to see how they compare to the book series, but without high hopes or anything. I think the only thing that kept it interesting was Winston Egbert :D
Decent Show 
2008-10-18 - I remember being introduced to this drama-comedy sitcom by one of my younger cousins a couple years back. The two main characters being Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield who are played by non-fictional twins Brittany and Cynthia Daniel. Francine Pascal created these books and the show is a loose based sitcom of it. I think the show does not set a realistic frame of life because most of the scenarios created to have a problem are all solved by the characters in less than ten minutes. It is just not this way in life and I wish the creators and directors would have taken the time to develop the characters, and thus make a better show. Buena Vista Home Entertainment did a poor job with copyrighting the DVD and did not take the time to put in any special features. I would like to know about what happens behind the scenes, cast interviews, or even a blooper reel and without these I can't give the show itself any better than a C-. If you are into a comedy-drama sitcom buy this DVD. If you feel though like you wasted $42 on it because Amazon sucks though, like me, then don't even bother.
a review from a die-hard sweet valley fan 
2008-05-18 - I have been a fan of the sweet valley book series ever since I was a little girl, and grew up reading all of the books. And now, even though I'm 19, I still enjoy reading the books frequently, going back in time to the magical world of sweet valley.
I also watched the show when it was on TV, but only saw a few episodes here and there, so I was ecstatic when I saw it on DVD.
The show is definitely completely different than the books, having only a few of the same storylines in the episodes. But nevertheless, the show is fun to watch, from the hilariously corny storylines, to the bad fashion choices. So keep in mind, if you are looking for a more serious, realistic high school show (the oc or 90210) then this isn't the show for you.
The most ridiculous part of the show is during the first episode, at the the dance part where hilariously bad actors are trying to figure which twin is which, when its clear which one is jessica, and which one is elizabeth, just from looking at the outfits they are wearing.
Cynthia and brittany daniel make THE perfect Jessica and Elizabeth wakefield, despite the fact that they look way too old to be portraying 16 year old high school students.
The actor who plays Winston Egbert also his role down perfectly. He both looks, and acts, just as you would imagine him in the book series.
Two characters that I'm a little bit disappointed with are Todd Wilkins and Lila Fowler. Todd is completely different than the Todd you read about in the book. The amount of jealousy he has everytime another guy even looks at elizabeth is completely ridiculous, and I've lost count of how many times he has said "I'm gonna kill that guy!" I've gotta say, he's probably the worst actor on the show.
And Lila isn't a whole lot better. First of all, she looks nothing like she is described in the book. And she acts nothing like she does in the book either. I can see why she was replaced later on in the show with a different actress (I think her name is Shirlee something?) who is a much better Lila.
All in all, if your looking for a fun, goofy version of the book series, then I would recommend that you watch this show.
I was disappointed to hear that the other seasons wouldn't be put on DVD, because of poor sales. But I'm really hoping that they eventually do because I'd love to see the rest of the episodes!
sweet sweet valley high!
2007-03-29 - the books rock they are exciting romantic and all around great elizabeth is so down to earth jess is so exciting lilas a bratt todd is romantic jenny is geaky enid is dull
Oh My GOD!!!
2007-03-12 - This is a childhood favorite of mine and I didn't think I would ever get a chance to see it again. Thank goodness EVERYTHING is going to DVD these days!!!!
