Query: route 66 season 2

title: Route 66: Season 1
text: Product Description Get ready to hit the open road on Route 66! When two friends - Tod Stiles (Martin Milner) and Buz Murdock (George Maharis) - set off across the country in their beautiful new Corvette convertible, they never imagined the series of adventures in which they'd find themselves. Join Tod and Buz on Route 66 as they drive from town to town, helping anyone who needs it, in the classic television series that helped immortalize this scenic stretch of American highway. Product Description Get ready to hit the open road on Route 66! When two friends - Tod Stiles (Martin Milner) and Buz Murdock (George Maharis) - set off across the country in their beautiful new Corvette convertible, they never imagined the series of adventures in which they'd find themselves. Join Tod and Buz on Route 66 as they drive from town to town, helping anyone who needs it, in the classic television series that helped immortalize this scenic stretch of American highway.From the manufacturer About Us For almost 20 years, Shout! Factory has redefined what it means to be an entertainment company for fans, by fans. Through its beginnings lovingly releasing and reviving beloved cult films and classic TV series, Shout! cultivated an uncanny ability to rediscover great content and applied these skills to producing and distributing fan-driven new releases that set the bar for independent entertainment. Shout! Factory's extensive experience in a diverse array of genres has led to the launch of several well-respected properties, including Shout! Studios, Scream Factory, Mystery Science Theater 3000 , Shout Kids, Shout Select and the streaming service Shout! Factory TV. Capitalizing on both traditional and emerging digital platforms, Shout! Factory is a media company devoted to producing, uncovering, preserving and revitalizing the very best of pop culture. SHOUT! KIDS Through home media and theatrical releases ranging from classic TV series ( Transformers , Power Rangers ) and modern favorites ( My Little Pony ) to original features ( Howard Lovecraft And The Frozen Kingdom , Snowtime , Maya The Bee Movie , Long Way North ), Shout! Kids has made its mark as a leader in family entertainment. Partnerships with Hasbro, Saban, GKIDS and others have positioned Shout! Factory to continue to expand and innovate in the kids and family genre. SCREAM FACTORY Since launching in 2012, Shout! sub-brand Scream Factory has become one of the most esteemed and well-respected authorities in cult classic horror and sci-fi films in addition to bringing new movies and original productions to a wide audience. Scream Factory has given the deluxe Collector’s Edition treatment to such favorites as The Thing , Escape From New York , Carrie and Nightbreed , released the indie phenomenon The Babadook , and taken on original productions and theatrical releases such as Fender Bender , Bite and Bloodsucking Bastards . SHOUT! FACTORY TV Debuting in February 2015, Shout! Factory TV is a multi-platform streaming service bringing cult classic films, classic TV series, live streaming events and original content to a wide audience. Available through web browsers, Roku, Apple TV, Samsung Smart TV and branded channels on Amazon Prime Channels, Pluto TV, Twitch, Xumo, Vewd and Popcornflix, Shout! Factory TV has become a go-to destination for fans of pop culture and great content like Mystery Science Theater 3000 , Home Movies , Steve Martin, Super Sentai, Father Knows Best and more. SHOUT! STUDIOS With Shout! Studios, our newly created distribution and production arm, we have refocused our efforts on new content and new media. From theatrical releases like In This Corner Of The World to on-demand hits like The Ticket , and with many original productions on the way, we bring high-quality and curated content to audiences worldwide via every distribution platform possible. Read more 

title: Route 66: The Complete Series
text: Product Description All 116 Episodes Collected In One Complete Series Set! On a weekly basis, from 1960 to 1964, the CBS network treated American audiences to two things they loved the most: television drama and cars. Starring Martin Milner, George Maharis and later Glenn Corbett, this series presented the exciting adventures shared by a pair of good-natured friends as they drove their Corvette convertible across the country, traversing the often dangerous highway known as Route 66. By the end of the show’s run of 116 episodes, this semi-anthology series boasted an award for writing and two Emmy nominations for acting. The program’s impressive guest star roster included such classic screen legends as Lon Chaney, Jr., Buster Keaton, Peter Lorre and Boris Karloff, as well as up-and-coming cinematic stars Robert Duvall, James Caan, Robert Redford, Martin Sheen, Lee Marvin, Burt Reynolds, Gene Hackman and many more, making Route 66 as iconic as the highway itself. Product Description All 116 Episodes Collected In One Complete Series Set! On a weekly basis, from 1960 to 1964, the CBS network treated American audiences to two things they loved the most: television drama and cars. Starring Martin Milner, George Maharis and later Glenn Corbett, this series presented the exciting adventures shared by a pair of good-natured friends as they drove their Corvette convertible across the country, traversing the often dangerous highway known as Route 66. By the end of the show’s run of 116 episodes, this semi-anthology series boasted an award for writing and two Emmy nominations for acting. The program’s impressive guest star roster included such classic screen legends as Lon Chaney, Jr., Buster Keaton, Peter Lorre and Boris Karloff, as well as up-and-coming cinematic stars Robert Duvall, James Caan, Robert Redford, Martin Sheen, Lee Marvin, Burt Reynolds, Gene Hackman and many more, making Route 66 as iconic as the highway itself.From the manufacturer About Us For almost 20 years, Shout! Factory has redefined what it means to be an entertainment company for fans, by fans. Through its beginnings lovingly releasing and reviving beloved cult films and classic TV series, Shout! cultivated an uncanny ability to rediscover great content and applied these skills to producing and distributing fan-driven new releases that set the bar for independent entertainment. Shout! Factory's extensive experience in a diverse array of genres has led to the launch of several well-respected properties, including Shout! Studios, Scream Factory, Mystery Science Theater 3000 , Shout Kids, Shout Select and the streaming service Shout! Factory TV. Capitalizing on both traditional and emerging digital platforms, Shout! Factory is a media company devoted to producing, uncovering, preserving and revitalizing the very best of pop culture. SHOUT! KIDS Through home media and theatrical releases ranging from classic TV series ( Transformers , Power Rangers ) and modern favorites ( My Little Pony ) to original features ( Howard Lovecraft And The Frozen Kingdom , Snowtime , Maya The Bee Movie , Long Way North ), Shout! Kids has made its mark as a leader in family entertainment. Partnerships with Hasbro, Saban, GKIDS and others have positioned Shout! Factory to continue to expand and innovate in the kids and family genre. SCREAM FACTORY Since launching in 2012, Shout! sub-brand Scream Factory has become one of the most esteemed and well-respected authorities in cult classic horror and sci-fi films in addition to bringing new movies and original productions to a wide audience. Scream Factory has given the deluxe Collector’s Edition treatment to such favorites as The Thing , Escape From New York , Carrie and Nightbreed , released the indie phenomenon The Babadook , and taken on original productions and theatrical releases such as Fender Bender , Bite and Bloodsucking Bastards . SHOUT! FACTORY TV Debuting in February 2015, Shout! Factory TV is a multi-platform streaming service bringing cult classic films, classic TV series, live streaming events and original content to a wide audience. Available through web browsers, Roku, Apple TV, Samsung Smart TV and branded channels on Amazon Prime Channels, Pluto TV, Twitch, Xumo, Vewd and Popcornflix, Shout! Factory TV has become a go-to destination for fans of pop culture and great content like Mystery Science Theater 3000 , Home Movies , Steve Martin, Super Sentai, Father Knows Best and more. SHOUT! STUDIOS With Shout! Studios, our newly created distribution and production arm, we have refocused our efforts on new content and new media. From theatrical releases like In This Corner Of The World to on-demand hits like The Ticket , and with many original productions on the way, we bring high-quality and curated content to audiences worldwide via every distribution platform possible. Read more 

title: Route 66: Season 3 (Best Buy Exclusive)
text: Product Description Limited edition complete third season set of Route 66 on DVD. Revving up for its third season, Route 66 continues its reign as one of television's most acclaimed dramas with more action-packed and star-studded adventure. Now you can own Route 66: The Complete Third Season, featuring all 31 episodes of this pivotal road trip classic's junior season which marked the departure of co-star George Maharis (Buz Murdock) and the introduction of Glenn Corbett. In Route 66, Yale graduate Tod Stiles (Miner) is the more-cultured intellectual who led a privileged and sheltered life. Brooding Buz Murdock is a tough young man who grew up in "Hell's Kitchen" and struggled his entire life just to survive. When his wealthy father dies, Tod unexpectedly finds himself flat broke with just one sole possession, a powder blur 1960 Corvette. On a quest to find adventure, excitement - and himself - he and Buz hit the open road to see America. After Maharis' latter-season exit, Corbett came on board to fill the infamous Corvette's shotgun seat as Army vet Lincoln Case. Newly released from six years of duty, including a stint in Vietnam, Case joins Stiles on his rambling, cross-country journey of exploration and adventure. Also along for the ride are guest stars John Astin, Buster Keaton, Sorrell Booke, Rod Steiger, Nina foch, Ed Asner, Leslie Nielson, Ron Howard, Natalie Schafer, Julie Newmar, James Whitmore, Harvey Korman, Robert Duvall, Dick York, Gene Hackman, Rip Torn, Alan Alda, Tom Bosley, and many others. One episode features special appearances by screen horror legends Lon Chaney Jr, Peter Lorre and Boris Karloff! So buckle up and add this meweest collection, presented in full frame with an aspect ratio of 4:3, to your Route 66 library today! Product Description Limited edition complete third season set of Route 66 on DVD. Revving up for its third season, Route 66 continues its reign as one of television's most acclaimed dramas with more action-packed and star-studded adventure. Now you can own Route 66: The Complete Third Season, featuring all 31 episodes of this pivotal road trip classic's junior season which marked the departure of co-star George Maharis (Buz Murdock) and the introduction of Glenn Corbett. In Route 66, Yale graduate Tod Stiles (Miner) is the more-cultured intellectual who led a privileged and sheltered life. Brooding Buz Murdock is a tough young man who grew up in "Hell's Kitchen" and struggled his entire life just to survive. When his wealthy father dies, Tod unexpectedly finds himself flat broke with just one sole possession, a powder blur 1960 Corvette. On a quest to find adventure, excitement - and himself - he and Buz hit the open road to see America. After Maharis' latter-season exit, Corbett came on board to fill the infamous Corvette's shotgun seat as Army vet Lincoln Case. Newly released from six years of duty, including a stint in Vietnam, Case joins Stiles on his rambling, cross-country journey of exploration and adventure. Also along for the ride are guest stars John Astin, Buster Keaton, Sorrell Booke, Rod Steiger, Nina foch, Ed Asner, Leslie Nielson, Ron Howard, Natalie Schafer, Julie Newmar, James Whitmore, Harvey Korman, Robert Duvall, Dick York, Gene Hackman, Rip Torn, Alan Alda, Tom Bosley, and many others. One episode features special appearances by screen horror legends Lon Chaney Jr, Peter Lorre and Boris Karloff! So buckle up and add this meweest collection, presented in full frame with an aspect ratio of 4:3, to your Route 66 library today!

title: Route 66: Season 3, Vol. 2

title: Route 66: Season 2
text: Product Description Product Description Now you can own all 32 episodes of season two of this treasured television classic, digitally remastered for the highest quality picture and audio possible in the original, full frame 4.3 aspect ratio. Famous for its catchy Nelson Riddle theme song, intriguing characters, top-drawer writing and stellar guest star appearances, Route 66 was one of the most highly rated shows of the era, establishing the Corvette as an American icon. Filmed in locations from coast to coast, the adventures continue for Tod Stiles (Martin Milner), an intellectual who has led a privileged and sheltered life, and Buz Murdock (George Maharis), a tough young man, raised in Hell's Kitchen, struggling his entire life just to survive. The duo encounter folks good and bad even chance encounters with love in shipyards, chicken farms, cattle ranches, rodeos, hospitals, courtrooms, hotels, amusement parks, wrestling rings, religious retreats and wild animal parks. Guest starring in the sophomore season is a renowned list of stars, including Robert Redford, Douglas Fairbanks, Robert Duvall, Suzanne Pleshette, Lon Chaney Jr., John Astin, James Caan, Lee Marvin, Martin Sheen, Ed Asner, DeForest Kelley, Marion Ross, Peter Graves, Jack Warden, Tuesday Weld and Julie Newmar, among others. One special episode features several of Maharis relatives. Amazon.com Buckle up for a complete season of one of televisions very best dramatic series. You may be tempted to want to pull an all-nighter and drive straight through all 32 episodes, but its best to take frequent rest stops to fully enjoy this trip into the heart of America. Well-heeled Tod Stiles (Martin Milner) and Hell's Kitchen-bred Buz Murdoch (George Maharis) are back on the road, still "looking and moving" to find "a place where we really fit." Until then, as Buz proclaims, "Its not the getting there that counts, its the going." And these cats go. Speedways and turnpikes? Theyre nowhere. In Route 66 , what usually happens is that Tod and Buz happen upon someone in crisis, like a Jewish boy who loses faith after his father is murdered, a terminally ill woman, and a mysterious woman who steps off a bus wearing a creepy mask. Most of the time, Tod and Buz are in this together, but sometimes, there is tension when only one insists on getting involved. "Cant you leave one tornado for the weather bureau?" an annoyed Tod asks Buz in "Love is a Skinny Kid," one of the seasons best episodes. Route 66 was one of the best written shows on television (series creator and future Oscar-winner Sterling Silliphant wrote many of the second season scripts). The hipster dialogue keeps the Beat, but it's the compassionate stories that really drive the series. Tod and Buz are audience surrogates who experience America's diverse communities, from New England shipbuilders to a Midwestern Polish family. Route 66 is on the side of authentic craftsmanship, cultural traditions, and mom and pop restaurants where you can get "soup, salad, entrée, fruit cocktail, two vegetables, the whole truth and nothing but the truth" for $1.19. This season gets extra mileage from its premium guest stars, including Ethel Waters in her Emmy-nominated performance as a dying blues singer in "Good Night, Sweet Blues," Robert Redford as a Polish mill worker's college educated son whose homecoming is marred by tragedy in "First Class Mouliak," Robert Duvall as a heroin addict in "Birdcage on My Foot," Lee Marvin as a French chanteuse's violently possessive manager in "Mon Petit Chou," and an unrecognizable Martin Sheen as a psychotic gang member in "And the Cat Jumped Over the Moon" (with James Caan as a former gang member trying to go straight). That's Burt Reynolds in a bit part as a small Texas town hood in "Skinny Kid." Here's hoping they roll out Season Three soon. I can't wait to get on the road again. --Donald Liebenson Product Description Product Description Now you can own all 32 episodes of season two of this treasured television classic, digitally remastered for the highest quality picture and audio possible in the original, full frame 4.3 aspect ratio. Famous for its catchy Nelson Riddle theme song, intriguing characters, top-drawer writing and stellar guest star appearances, Route 66 was one of the most highly rated shows of the era, establishing the Corvette as an American icon. Filmed in locations from coast to coast, the adventures continue for Tod Stiles (Martin Milner), an intellectual who has led a privileged and sheltered life, and Buz Murdock (George Maharis), a tough young man, raised in Hell's Kitchen, struggling his entire life just to survive. The duo encounter folks good and bad even chance encounters with love in shipyards, chicken farms, cattle ranches, rodeos, hospitals, courtrooms, hotels, amusement parks, wrestling rings, religious retreats and wild animal parks. Guest starring in the sophomore season is a renowned list of stars, including Robert Redford, Douglas Fairbanks, Robert Duvall, Suzanne Pleshette, Lon Chaney Jr., John Astin, James Caan, Lee Marvin, Martin Sheen, Ed Asner, DeForest Kelley, Marion Ross, Peter Graves, Jack Warden, Tuesday Weld and Julie Newmar, among others. One special episode features several of Maharis relatives. Amazon.com Buckle up for a complete season of one of televisions very best dramatic series. You may be tempted to want to pull an all-nighter and drive straight through all 32 episodes, but its best to take frequent rest stops to fully enjoy this trip into the heart of America. Well-heeled Tod Stiles (Martin Milner) and Hell's Kitchen-bred Buz Murdoch (George Maharis) are back on the road, still "looking and moving" to find "a place where we really fit." Until then, as Buz proclaims, "Its not the getting there that counts, its the going." And these cats go. Speedways and turnpikes? Theyre nowhere. In Route 66 , what usually happens is that Tod and Buz happen upon someone in crisis, like a Jewish boy who loses faith after his father is murdered, a terminally ill woman, and a mysterious woman who steps off a bus wearing a creepy mask. Most of the time, Tod and Buz are in this together, but sometimes, there is tension when only one insists on getting involved. "Cant you leave one tornado for the weather bureau?" an annoyed Tod asks Buz in "Love is a Skinny Kid," one of the seasons best episodes. Route 66 was one of the best written shows on television (series creator and future Oscar-winner Sterling Silliphant wrote many of the second season scripts). The hipster dialogue keeps the Beat, but it's the compassionate stories that really drive the series. Tod and Buz are audience surrogates who experience America's diverse communities, from New England shipbuilders to a Midwestern Polish family. Route 66 is on the side of authentic craftsmanship, cultural traditions, and mom and pop restaurants where you can get "soup, salad, entrée, fruit cocktail, two vegetables, the whole truth and nothing but the truth" for $1.19. This season gets extra mileage from its premium guest stars, including Ethel Waters in her Emmy-nominated performance as a dying blues singer in "Good Night, Sweet Blues," Robert Redford as a Polish mill worker's college educated son whose homecoming is marred by tragedy in "First Class Mouliak," Robert Duvall as a heroin addict in "Birdcage on My Foot," Lee Marvin as a French chanteuse's violently possessive manager in "Mon Petit Chou," and an unrecognizable Martin Sheen as a psychotic gang member in "And the Cat Jumped Over the Moon" (with James Caan as a former gang member trying to go straight). That's Burt Reynolds in a bit part as a small Texas town hood in "Skinny Kid." Here's hoping they roll out Season Three soon. I can't wait to get on the road again. --Donald Liebenson

title: Route 66: Season 1, Vol. 2
text: Product Description Product Description Now the second half of Route 66's first season is available for the first time and has been digitally transferred from the original masters. The television series, which aired 1960-64, is one of the most brilliant dramas to emerge from the '60s, famous for its catchy Nelson Riddle theme song, intriguing characters, top-drawer writing and stellar guest appearances. The original "road trip" drama, this classic television series was one of the most highly rated of the era, establishing the Corvette as an American icon. Infinity Entertainment Group has been very excited to bring the iconic television program Route 66 to DVD for the first time. We have taken great care in restoring and packaging this beloved classic for collectors. However, it recently came to our attention that there is some confusion in the marketplace about some of the technical aspects of this restoration process. A key decision in the digital restoration of the series was whether to retain the original full screen 4 x 3 aspect ratio (old tube televisions) or to update to a widescreen format with a 16 x 9 aspect ratio (new digital TVs). Since the restoration process utilized the original 35mm film assets, the goal was to do a high definition transfer, updating the aspect ratio for broadcast on new HD TVs. High Definition transfer which requires an update to the 16x9 aspect ratio for new HD TV Broadcast and future Digital Media delivery, i.e. Blu Ray DVD and HD Internet. In this new widescreen format, without vertical cropping the program would appear distorted. During the film transfer, the post production house used a process called tilt and scan which allows a Telecine technician to examine each scene individually and center the frame on the action. Unfortunately, in extreme close-ups, the cropping may occasionally intrude on the original framing, sometimes cutting off a portion of the top of the head. While we tried to remain as true as possible to the original programming, our overall goal is to not only make the program available once again on television, but to optimize it for the next generation of broadcast and television standards. Infinity Entertainment Group is committed to bringing quality programming and relies on the support of our valued customers to do so. Amazon.com The irresistible call of Route 66 , the classic TV anthology series and the venerable Mother Road herself, is best summed up in a bit of dialogue in the episode, "Welcome to Amity," one of the 15 episodes that concluded Season One contained on this four-disc set. Yet another stranger in distress urges self-proclaimed "searchers and look-arounders" Tod Stiles (Martin Milner) and Buz Murdoch (George Maharis) to help her. "Where are we going?" Tod asks, as she bids them to follow her. "Lets find out," Buzz replies. Viewers happily followed Tod and Buz for four seasons on their cross-country odyssey in search of roots. Each week brought a new location, a new job, and new personal dramas in which they found themselves involved. In the gripping "An Absence of Tears," they unwittingly help a vengeful blind woman buy the exact brand of gun and bullets that thugs used to kill her husband during a botched gas station robbery. In "Most Vanquished, Most Victorious," they have 24 hours to find the daughter of Tods dying aunt. In "The Newborn," they help an expectant Pueblo woman escape the clutches of the wealthy and powerful rancher whose late son impregnated her. No wonder that in the more lighthearted "Eleven the Hard Way," Tod suggests to Buz that they take "a 48 hour furlough from other peoples problems" (no such luck; they no sooner find themselves in Reno helping two men win enough at the crap tables to save their dying town). Compelling stories, a vivid sense of place, and literate scripts were signposts of Route 66 . While Tod and Buz "give lumps to some well-deserving people" (a climactic encounter with a street gang in "Most Vanquished, Most Victorious" is a great rumble), the show (and the cast) truly shine in the more emotional and dramatic moments. In "Like a Motherless Child," orphaned Buz bonds with a lonely woman who fronts as a shill. While Tod is the studied one, it is Buz who gets the bulk of the scripts great, glorious riffs, as in "The Opponent," when he and Tod visit a once-legendary figure from Buzs Hell Kitchen neighborhood ("Would you take a detour to see Caesar or Napoleon? Those are the big boys you met in books. I met my own kings, face to face, in the back alleys"). Along for the ride are some great character actors, many in their earliest screen appearances, including Robert Duvall as "a trigger-happy kook" in "The Newborn," Darrin McGavin as a boxer on his last legs in "The Opponent," featuring Ed Asner (with hair!) as his trainer and Al Lewis (Grandpa from The Munsters ) as a gym owner, and Walter Matthau at his schlubby best as a disreputable gambler in "Eleven the Hard Way." As in Volume 1 there are no commentaries or interviews, but vintage TV and classic car buffs will cruise through nearly 20 minutes of commercials for Chevrolet and Bayer Asprin. -- Donald Liebenson Product Description Product Description Now the second half of Route 66's first season is available for the first time and has been digitally transferred from the original masters. The television series, which aired 1960-64, is one of the most brilliant dramas to emerge from the '60s, famous for its catchy Nelson Riddle theme song, intriguing characters, top-drawer writing and stellar guest appearances. The original "road trip" drama, this classic television series was one of the most highly rated of the era, establishing the Corvette as an American icon. Infinity Entertainment Group has been very excited to bring the iconic television program Route 66 to DVD for the first time. We have taken great care in restoring and packaging this beloved classic for collectors. However, it recently came to our attention that there is some confusion in the marketplace about some of the technical aspects of this restoration process. A key decision in the digital restoration of the series was whether to retain the original full screen 4 x 3 aspect ratio (old tube televisions) or to update to a widescreen format with a 16 x 9 aspect ratio (new digital TVs). Since the restoration process utilized the original 35mm film assets, the goal was to do a high definition transfer, updating the aspect ratio for broadcast on new HD TVs. High Definition transfer which requires an update to the 16x9 aspect ratio for new HD TV Broadcast and future Digital Media delivery, i.e. Blu Ray DVD and HD Internet. In this new widescreen format, without vertical cropping the program would appear distorted. During the film transfer, the post production house used a process called tilt and scan which allows a Telecine technician to examine each scene individually and center the frame on the action. Unfortunately, in extreme close-ups, the cropping may occasionally intrude on the original framing, sometimes cutting off a portion of the top of the head. While we tried to remain as true as possible to the original programming, our overall goal is to not only make the program available once again on television, but to optimize it for the next generation of broadcast and television standards. Infinity Entertainment Group is committed to bringing quality programming and relies on the support of our valued customers to do so. Amazon.com The irresistible call of Route 66 , the classic TV anthology series and the venerable Mother Road herself, is best summed up in a bit of dialogue in the episode, "Welcome to Amity," one of the 15 episodes that concluded Season One contained on this four-disc set. Yet another stranger in distress urges self-proclaimed "searchers and look-arounders" Tod Stiles (Martin Milner) and Buz Murdoch (George Maharis) to help her. "Where are we going?" Tod asks, as she bids them to follow her. "Lets find out," Buzz replies. Viewers happily followed Tod and Buz for four seasons on their cross-country odyssey in search of roots. Each week brought a new location, a new job, and new personal dramas in which they found themselves involved. In the gripping "An Absence of Tears," they unwittingly help a vengeful blind woman buy the exact brand of gun and bullets that thugs used to kill her husband during a botched gas station robbery. In "Most Vanquished, Most Victorious," they have 24 hours to find the daughter of Tods dying aunt. In "The Newborn," they help an expectant Pueblo woman escape the clutches of the wealthy and powerful rancher whose late son impregnated her. No wonder that in the more lighthearted "Eleven the Hard Way," Tod suggests to Buz that they take "a 48 hour furlough from other peoples problems" (no such luck; they no sooner find themselves in Reno helping two men win enough at the crap tables to save their dying town). Compelling stories, a vivid sense of place, and literate scripts were signposts of Route 66 . While Tod and Buz "give lumps to some well-deserving people" (a climactic encounter with a street gang in "Most Vanquished, Most Victorious" is a great rumble), the show (and the cast) truly shine in the more emotional and dramatic moments. In "Like a Motherless Child," orphaned Buz bonds with a lonely woman who fronts as a shill. While Tod is the studied one, it is Buz who gets the bulk of the scripts great, glorious riffs, as in "The Opponent," when he and Tod visit a once-legendary figure from Buzs Hell Kitchen neighborhood ("Would you take a detour to see Caesar or Napoleon? Those are the big boys you met in books. I met my own kings, face to face, in the back alleys"). Along for the ride are some great character actors, many in their earliest screen appearances, including Robert Duvall as "a trigger-happy kook" in "The Newborn," Darrin McGavin as a boxer on his last legs in "The Opponent," featuring Ed Asner (with hair!) as his trainer and Al Lewis (Grandpa from The Munsters ) as a gym owner, and Walter Matthau at his schlubby best as a disreputable gambler in "Eleven the Hard Way." As in Volume 1 there are no commentaries or interviews, but vintage TV and classic car buffs will cruise through nearly 20 minutes of commercials for Chevrolet and Bayer Asprin. -- Donald Liebenson