'JOAN OF ARCADIA: THE FIRST SEASON'

In this modern-day version of Joan of Arc, high school student Joan Girardi (Amber Tamblyn) speaks to God.

More interestingly, God talks back, regularly asking Joan to perform tasks for reasons she doesn't quite understand, but that always result in a greater good. God appears to Joan as a variety of different people -- usually three each episode -- including Cute Teenage Boy God, Goth Kid God, Little Girl God, Old Lady/Mrs. Landingham God and Chess Master God.

"Joan of Arcadia" is a show about spirituality, not religion. Joan's artist-mother, Helen (Mary Steenburgen), struggles with her own issues of faith while her cop-father, Will (Joe Mantegna), has a strong moral compass but eschews religion. The six-disc set includes the first season's 23 episodes along with deleted scenes from 11 episodes. Fans of the show will enjoy the informative special features that include the very chatty creator and cast audio commentaries on five episodes and executive producers Barbara Hall and Jim Hayman discussing the show's creation, the first season's progression and the rationale behind having different actors play God.

-- L.A. Johnson, Post-Gazette staff writer

'ENTOURAGE'

Even a great TV show can make for a mediocre DVD. Exhibit A: HBO's "Entourage," an excellent comedy series. But "Entourage: The Complete First Season" DVD ($39.98, HBO Video) is a disappointment, beginning with its packaging that gives no clue which of the eight episodes features commentary tracks.

Then there's the sole additional, lackluster extra: A brief featurette that appears to be culled from electronic press kit footage.

And why must we sit through a 3-minute HBO commercial at the start of disc one? It's not TV, it's a nuisance.

-- Rob Owen, Post-Gazette TV editor