'Knots Landing' lands on DVD

Fans of "Knots Landing" finally get the first season of the prime-time soap opera on DVD, and sci-fi buffs will want to take note of the black-and-white British series "The Invisible Man."

• "Knots Landing: The Complete First Season" (Warner, 1979-80, not rated, $39.98, five discs). This spinoff of "Dallas" was a hugely successful prime-time soap and has been referred to as "the original 'Desperate Housewives.' " (And down the road, Nicolette Sheridan joins the cast.)

Ted Shackelford plays Gary Ewing, a reformed alcoholic and member of "Dallas" clan, who tries to start over with his wife Val (Joan Van Ark) in a cul-de-sac in Knots Landing, Calif. They meet the Fairgates, Karen (Michele Lee) and Sid (Don Murray), among others, and the underhanded shenanigans begin.

An enjoyable introduction to the series, which would gain its footing after a season or two, and for many years held the record for seasons of a prime-time contemporary drama — 14 — until "Law & Order" passed it a couple of years ago.

Extras: Full frame, 13 episodes, audio commentary (Van Ark, Shackelford), making-of featurette, subtitle options (English, French, Spanish), chapters.

• "H.G. Wells' The Invisible Man: The Original Series: Season One" (DarkSky, 1958, not rated, b/w, $29.98, two discs). The special effects are pretty good in this 1950s British TV series, which bears little resemblance to Wells' book. Here, a government scientist becomes invisible and eventually becomes an agent for the British Empire, traveling the world. Great fun.

Extras: Full frame, 13 episodes, language options (English, Spanish, French), chapters.

• "Walking the Bible" (WGBH, 2005, not rated, $39.95, two discs). Based on the best seller of the same title, this engrossing three-hour PBS show follows author/host Bruce Feiler through 10 countries and four war zones as he explores the lives of such biblical prophets as Noah, Abraham and Moses. Bonus features include an interesting Q&A with Feiler.

Extras: Widescreen, featurette, photo galleries, slide show, optional English subtitles, described video for the visually impaired, chapters.

• "Resurrection: A Search for Answers" (MPI/ABC, 2005, not rated, $14.98). ABC news anchor Elizabeth Vargas travels to Jerusalem to speak with scholars, theologians and archaeologists about the resurrection of Jesus in this TV special.

Extras: Widescreen, slideshow, text biographies of scholars, optional English subtitles, chapters.