Pat Paulsen's 1970 comedy series has made its way to DVD and leads off a look at TV programs that are new to home video.

"Pat Paulsen's Half a Comedy Hour: The Complete Series" (MPI, 1970, two discs, $24.98). Paulsen took advantage of his popularity on "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" (and his faux run at the presidency) to land this solo, albeit short-lived series.

But the show actually owes more to "Laugh-In," which was still on the air at this time. Each half-hour is comprised of blackout skits — and with its mix of filmed, taped and animated comic sequences, it also resembles Demetri Martin's current Comedy Central program … without the dirty jokes.

The skits are hit and miss, but there are some funny bits, and the guest roster is impressive — Henry Fonda, Angie Dickinson, Debbie Reynolds, Tom Smothers, Don Adams, Mike Connors, Andy Williams and many more. Even Daffy Duck!

Extras: full frame, 13 episodes, featurettes, promos, short film, biography

"Inventing L.A.: The Chandlers & Their Times" (PBS, 2009, $24.99). Echoes of "Chinatown" and "L.A. Confidential" permeate this fascinating documentary — the true story of the mogul Otis/Chandler family, which used its ownership of the Los Angeles Times to shape the city, often in ruthless ways.

The film covers several generations, exploring the good, the bad and the decidedly ugly events that were engineered by the family. And the show is gripping all the way — one of those documentaries that flows like the best dramatic films.

Extras: widescreen

"Legend of the Seeker: The Complete First Season" (ABC, 2008-09, five discs, $45.99). This sword-and-sandal fantasy series is about a woodsman who becomes a Seeker destined to do battle with an evil sorcerer. Based on the "Sword of Truth" books, the show benefits from up-to-date special effects and location shooting in New Zealand.

Not as campy as "Xena: Warrior Princess" and not as straight-ahead as the recent "Robin Hood" series, this one falls somewhere in between and skews young in its fan base. ("Road Warrior" fans may recognize character actor Bruce Spence in support.)

Extras: widescreen, 22 episodes, deleted scenes, commentaries, featurettes, trailers

"Inspector Lewis: Series 2" (PBS, 2008-09, four discs, $49.99). Inspector Morse's successor, Inspector Lewis (Kevin Whately), continues in his low-key manner to solve murder mysteries in and around Oxford with his partner Sgt. Hathaway (Laurence Fox).