The sensational Ken Burns documentary on U.S. national parks, which just aired on PBS, leads this look at new-to-DVD television programs.

"The National Parks: America's Best Idea" (PBS/Paramount, 2009, six discs, $99.99). Burns' latest is this visually stunning, lively historical overview of the U.S. National Park system.

The miniseries took some six years to make, shooting in 53 parks, and is narrated by Peter Coyote, with first-person readings by Tom Hanks, Sam Waterston, John Lithgow, Eli Wallach and many other well-known actors. As with Burns' other documentary miniseries, the focus is as much on the people who made the parks happen as the parks themselves.

Each episode covers a period of history covering several decades, chronologically picked up by the next episode, from 1851-1980.

The first episode offers an overview of Yellowstone and Yosemite, and the rest take us from the Grand Canyon to the Everglades and a great deal in between.

Utah's parks are mentioned but, unfortunately, get short shrift. Utah writer Terry Tempest Williams is an interview subject.

Extras: widescreen, six episodes, deleted sequence, five short films, featurettes, music video, trailers

"Mister Ed: The Complete First Season" (Shout!/MGM, 1961-62, b/w, four discs, $44.99). Alan Young stars in this riff on "Francis the Talking Mule," as Wilber Post, an architect who buys a country estate with his wife Carol (Connie Hines). Then he finds that the former owner has left behind a talking horse. But of course, for the sake of comedy, he won't talk to anyone but Wilber. Silly but amusing nostalgia for baby boomers.

Extras: full frame, 26 episodes, audio commentary, featurette, trailers

"I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown" (Warner, 2003, $19.98). OK, let's be honest, this is no "A Charlie Brown Christmas," but it's still a charming addition to your "Peanuts" cartoon library. Here is another winner, "Happy New Year, Charlie Brown" (1986).

Extras: full frame, new featurette, trailers

"A Miser Brothers Christmas" (Warner, 2008, $19.98). This recent stop-motion throwback to 1960s classics ("Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town") is a nice holiday short, with Mickey Rooney as the voice of Santa, who is laid up with a bad back, forcing the squabbling Miser brothers to fill in.

Extras: widescreen, featurette, trailers