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The 1970s was a decade of legendary sitcoms, dominated by true powerhouse comedies like All in the Family, M*A*S*H, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. But in the shadows of these television titans, there are some truly hilarious sitcoms that have sadly faded from the cultural consciousness.

The decade saw television writers push the boundaries of the sitcom format. For many shows, this meant telling stories that explicitly addressed racism, sexism, and other topics that were considered sensitive in America's turbulent political landscape. Still, other writers explored the nature of the sitcom itself as prime time began to see series centered on increasingly bizarre circumstances that embraces offbeat humor.

Lucille Ball Starred in a Sitcom With Her Children Here's Lucy

Trailblazing comedienne Lucille Ball stars as Lucy Carter, a widow raising two teenagers on her own in Here's Lucy. Ball's real-life son and daughter, Desi Arnaz Jr. and Lucie Arnaz,...

Before "Austin Powers," "Johnny English," and "Top Secret!" there was "Get Smart," the 1960s spy sitcom that mined the genre for laughs when the James Bond and "Mission: Impossible" franchises were still in their infancies. Co-created by comedy legends Mel Brook and Buck Henry, "Get Smart" ran for five seasons from 1965 to 1970, earning seven Primetime Emmys and plenty of other accolades along the way.

Stand-up comedian Don Adams starred as Maxwell Smart, the sometimes inept top-secret agent who regularly held the fate of the world in his hands ... and often almost fumbled it. By his side was the beautiful, super-cool Agent 99 (Barbara Feldon), who loves Maxwell despite his clumsiness and penchant for messing up missions. The central trio was rounded out by Edward Platt's The Chief, the supportive leader of the intelligence agency Control, which employed both Agent 99 and Maxwell.

"Get Smart" inspired a follow-up film, sequel TV show,...

By Lee Pfeiffer 

As Cinema Retro gets inundated with DVDs to review during the course of any given year, it's virtually impossible to keep up with all of them in a timely manner. Here are some notable titles you should be aware of:

Cabaret Blu-ray (Warner Home Video): Warner Home Video has inherited the rights to Bob Fosse's classic 1972 film adaptation of the stage production that, in turn, was based on Christopher Isherwood's Berlin Stories. The Blu-ray comes packaged in one of those irresistible hardback book formats that is loaded with wonderful photos from the movie. The movie itself holds up superbly even after 40 years. The decline of Germany's Weimar Republic amidst the rise of National Socialism in the 1930s is seen through the eyes of nightclub singer Sally Bowles (Liza Minnelli) and her constant companions (Michael York, Helmut Griem) . Fosse's decision to emphasize the sleaze elements...

I wanted this so bad last year. The elevator packaging was one reason. But the main one was that whenever I've caught an episode on TV in the last few years it's made me laugh just as hard as it did when I was a kid watching its initial run. Airing from 1965-1970 Get Smart boasted a writing team that included Buck Henry, Mel Brooks and a young Woody Allen. As an antidote to the obnoxious machismo offered by James Bond and his ilk Max, the Chief and Agent 99 offered plenty of good humor and commentary on the the cold war and the human condition.

Besides all five seasons of the show you get hours and hours of extras done right.

The Collection includes:

• 25 DVDs in special collectors packaging

• 5 eight-page booklets with liner notes written by actor Dave Ketchum (Agent 13) and Alan Spencer, creator of the TV comedy series "Sledge Hammer!