'I Love Lucy,' 'Taxi,' 'Cheers' on DVD

Follow-up seasons of "I Love Lucy," "Taxi," "Cheers" and "Frasier" lead off the new DVDs of TV series scheduled for release on Tuesday.

• "I Love Lucy: The Complete Third Season" (Paramount, 1953-54, not rated, b/w, $54.99, five discs). Tennessee Ernie Ford turns up during this season as "Cousin Ernie," and he's very funny — as are classic episodes that have Lucy (Lucille Ball) and Ethel (Vivian Vance) getting golf lessons from Ricky (Desi Arnaz) and Fred (William Frawley), and Lucy having to go 24 hours without telling a fib, among others.

The episodes are beautifully restored and, as usual, there are also plenty of bonus features for "Lucy" fans, from bloopers to audio episodes from "I Love Lucy's" predecessor, the radio show "My Favorite Husband."

Extras: Full frame, 31 episodes, lost scenes, behind-the-scenes footage, bloopers, original animated openings, guest-cast biographies, script excerpts, promotional spots, language options (English, Spanish), subtitle options (English, Spanish), chapters.

• "Taxi: The Complete Second Season" (Paramount, 1979-80, not rated, $38.99, four discs). The very funny second season of this classic sitcom, which already had a great ensemble cast, gets a boost from brain-fried Vietnam veteran and sometime reverend Jim Ignatowski — thanks to Christopher Lloyd's hysterical performance, long before Doc Brown of "Back to the Future."

But there is also plenty of funny material for Alex (Judd Hirsch), Elaine (Marilu Henning), Louie (Danny DeVito), Tony (Tony Danza) and Latka (Andy Kaufman). This season also introduces Latka's girlfriend Simka (the delightful Carol Kane), and even Louie finds romance (with his real-life wife Rhea Perlman, of "Cheers").

Extras: Full frame, 24 episodes, chapters.

• "Cheers: The Complete Fourth Season" (Paramount, 1985-86, not rated, $38.99, four discs). This is the season that introduced Woody the bartender, hilariously played by Woody Harrelson as a sweet-natured dim-bulb. We also meet the stiff-necked, emotionless Dr. Lilith Sternin (Bebe Neuwirth), who would become a semi-regular and eventually marry Dr. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer).

And there is the usual concentration on the on-again, off-again romance between Sam (Ted Danson) and Diane (Shelley Long), the irascible Carla (Rhea Perlman), and the goofy banter between barflies Norm (George Wendt) and Cliff (John Ratzenberger).

Extras: Full frame, 26 episodes, chapters.