Holiday Buying Guide

TV BOX SETS

My So-Called Life

The Complete Series
Article Tools
Print
Sphere
RSS

6 DVDs, $69.99

Angsty teen Angela Chase (Claire Danes) was 15 years old when she told us that "school is a battlefield for your heart." She would have aged another 13 years waiting for this overdue series, but this teenager was worth the wait. Far more complex than predecessors like 90210, MSCL showed that the small crises of adolescence — crushes, separating from parents and for trailblazing gay teen Ricky Vasquez (Wilson Cruz), coming out — were more involving than any soap opera twists. Augmented with cast and writer interviews (creator Winnie Holzman notes that school is the closest thing to prison most people will ever experience), this 19-episode set will make you feel adolescence like a fresh bruise.

—James Poniewozik

Next: Heeere's Johnny >>

Music

From Nirvana and Pink Floyd to the world's most famous music magazine, Josh Tyrangiel's picks will have you rocking out through New Year's

TV Box Sets

For your boob-tube-loving friends and family, TIME's TV critic James Poniewozik explores the best shows of yore

Coffee Table Books

Richard Lacayo offers the most interesting, elegant and beautiful hardbacks that even the choosiest of loved ones will treasure

Movies

Movie critic Richard Corliss reviews the best DVD releases of the holiday season, from Stanley Kubrick's 40th anniversary collection to Ingmar Bergman's Four Masterpieces

Video Games

TIME's Lev Grossman explores the most action-packed and beautifully designed games for Xbox, Wii and PS3 systems

Top Stories on Time.com