HBO

CHICAGO – That was quick. Two days after it premiered on HBO to rave reviews, the network has renewed David Milch and Michael Mann’s “Luck” with Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte for a second season.

CHICAGO – Legendary TV writer David Milch turns the world of horse racing and the people who populate it into a place not unlike the legendary title location in his beloved “Deadwood.” Just as everyone swirled around Al Swearengen’s saloon, almost all of the action in HBO’s stellar “Luck,” debuting January 29th, 2012, takes place at the track or the stables nearby.

CHICAGO – With the success of “Red Tails,” currently in theaters, movie goers may want another, less Lucasversed take on the same story and could get it with one part of the three-movie wave of releases from HBO Home Video meant to celebrate Black History Month — “The Tuskegee Airmen,” which just hit the format with “Thurgood” and “The Josephine Baker Story.”

CHICAGO – HBO long led the way when it came to TV on DVD releases, but they were never much for special features. I think the idea was that their programming spoke for itself. “It’s not TV, it’s HBO.” So why should they do what their competition does when it comes to deleted scenes, commentaries, etc.? It was a bit frustrating to read press releases for great TV shows and realize that they were once again bare-bones editions. Which makes the bonus-packed first season of “Boardwalk Empire” all that more amazing.

CHICAGO – Apparently, HBO likes to give its news in bulk. The premium network announced debut dates for a new HBO feature film, the new season of a hit series, and the premiere of two new series to the network.

CHICAGO – I must admit that I am of the school that thinks that “Mildred Pierce” is one of the best things that has ever played on television. It is art of the highest caliber, featuring one of the best performances in the history of the form and were it eligible it would have been in my top ten films of 2011. It’s that good. And the “Collector’s Edition” of the award-winning series lives up to that title, marking the first time that HBO has ever released a DVD/Blu-ray combo pack and weighing the production down with special features. It’s the first must-own of 2012.

CHICAGO – HBO has such a limited amount of series and so many critical darlings that when they announce a renewal or a cancellation it carries more weight than most networks. They announced four today with no major surprises as we all expected that Golden Globe-nominated “Enlightened” would return for a second season and even fans of “Hung,” “Bored to Death,” and “How to Make It in America” could have guessed that those series were headed in the other direction.

CHICAGO – HBO’s “Big Love” never quite got the attention it deserved. It’s the bridge from the “Sopranos” era of HBO to the “Boardwalk Empire” and “Game of Thrones” one that we live in now and the rollercoaster of quality in terms of seasons never allowed the program to really find a groove. I’m happy it existed. And I’m even happier to own “Big Love: The Complete Series,” a volume of quality drama to which history will be very kind.

CHICAGO – One of the most beloved holiday gifts this season will be the wonderfully-packaged gift set for HBO’s “Band of Brothers” and “The Pacific,” now presented in one lovely case with new special features and stunning HD transfers. The two Steven Spielberg-produced mini-series are not only two of the best programs in the history of television but two of the most impressive Blu-ray sets as well. “Band of Brothers” is the #1 best-selling TV-on-DVD/Blu-ray of all time and “The Pacific” was the #1 best-selling release of 2010. Now they’re available together in time for both Veteran’s Day and the upcoming holiday season.

CHICAGO – The crossing over of entertainment forms is nothing new us and seems to come in phases. We have seen hundreds of books that were turned into movies. There have been TV shows like “Bewitched” “Get Smart” and “Charlie’s Angels” that were turned into movies. The latest craze in the cross-overs: films to television.