So in this next shot...

March 14, 2012 9:16 AM

I've been re-watching Mefi favorite Community with all the commentary tracks and really enjoying it. So, I'm looking for other good TV shows (genre unimportant) on DVD that have commentary for ALL the episodes. Preferably a show that is complete, but that's not necessary. Most important is that every episode have commentary on it. Recommends?
posted by Saxon Kane to media & arts (19 answers total)

Futurama. It's the only show (other than Community) that I've listened to all the commentaries for. There are commentaries for every Futurama episode and they are consistently interesting, hilarious, full of little details about the show, and just plain charming.
posted by warble at 9:19 AM on March 14, 2012 [9 favorites]

Not complete unless you stopped watching at say Season 9 or so but "The Simpsons" have commentary tracks on each episode and most are quite good. I particularly like the Dave Mirkin commentaries which are concentrated on the episodes in Season 5 and 6 (the years he was the showrunner). Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein (showrunners for Seasons 7 & 8) are excellent as well.
posted by moxiequz at 9:20 AM on March 14, 2012

I don't have a way to confirm that each episode has commentary, but I believe at least some of the seasons of Reno 911 have commentary tracks for all the episodes (and the commentaries are just about as funny as the episodes).
posted by Neely O'Hara at 9:21 AM on March 14, 2012

The Simpsons also has commentary on each episode on the DVDs, at least for the first 7–8 seasons (i.e., the ones I own.) They're usually pretty interesting.
posted by Johnny Assay at 9:21 AM on March 14, 2012

Ron Moore recorded podcast commentaries for Battlestar Galactica that he released weekly as it aired, I believe they are all on the DVDs.
posted by yellowbinder at 9:24 AM on March 14, 2012 [1 favorite]

Freaks and Geeks.
posted by box at 9:26 AM on March 14, 2012 [3 favorites]

warble is correct, Futurama has the best commentaries.
posted by overeducated_alligator at 9:32 AM on March 14, 2012 [3 favorites]

I can't speak to all seasons, but the first season of The Shield has commentary on each episode.
posted by mmascolino at 9:33 AM on March 14, 2012

The Girls Next Door has videos with commentary for every episode, as well as a lot of the girls blabbing on and on about how every single moment is planned, scripted, and most often faked.
posted by TinWhistle at 9:40 AM on March 14, 2012

The DVDs for seasons 2-4 of Mad Men have two commentaries per episode, which typically break down to one for the director/showrunner and one with various actors relevant to the episode.

Lethal drinking game: you take a shot every time Matthew Weiner says he loves something.
posted by kimota at 9:45 AM on March 14, 2012

Mad Men box sets have a section where you can watch each episode over again with a running commentary by three or four different people associated with the show. They are really fascinating - themes, behind-the-scenes details, actors' perspectives, set design, costume design, etc.
posted by frobozz at 9:46 AM on March 14, 2012

Not sure about the DVDs, but Breaking Bad has a podcast (usually an hour or so) devoted to each episode. They go in depth with the actors/director/writer/etc. and talk a lot about how real life shaped the direction of the show/plot.

Free for download in iTunes.
posted by Twicketface at 9:55 AM on March 14, 2012 [2 favorites]

I think News Radio has commentary for all episodes.
posted by Lesser Shrew at 10:17 AM on March 14, 2012

Mr Show has commentary for every episode in every season. It's really interesting to hear how some of the sketches evolved, and to hear from some of the writers who weren't that visible on the show itself (including Dino Stamatopoulos aka Star-Burns).
posted by burnmp3s at 10:44 AM on March 14, 2012 [1 favorite]

Ummm Firefly. Yeah. I realized I keep thinking of War Games as one of my favorite episodes and really that is all because of the commentary.
posted by magnetsphere at 11:31 AM on March 14, 2012

Red Dwarf has full commentary, at least up to the end of the 8th season.

(Thanks, others answers, for reminding me that Futurama exists. Going to have to rent those.)
posted by eotvos at 12:25 PM on March 14, 2012

Newsradio does NOT have full commentary, sadly.

Nthing Futurama & The Simpsons, also seasons 2-4 of the Venture Bros and series 1 and 2 of Black Books.

Man I love full commentary. I wish more shows did it!
posted by actionpact at 1:12 PM on March 14, 2012

Undeclared, the other Judd Apatow show, also has commentary for every episode.
posted by itsonreserve at 1:51 PM on March 14, 2012

I was going to mention The Venture Bros as well. Because I was beaten to it I will just state that in the season 3 several episodes' commentary spoils the end of the season. So if you care about spoilers and end up watching that show don't watch the commentary until you finish the season.
posted by Green With You at 2:10 PM on March 14, 2012