There are not a lot of home entertainment releases this week, but there are some choice ones including the excellent hard science fiction epic The Martian, the underrated USA TV cyber-thriller Mr. Robot, the 90-minute Sherlock special “The Abominable Bride,” and the North American Blu-ray debut of the sci-fi anime Noein.

Theatrical Movies

This week’s top release is The Martian (Fox, “PG-13,” 142 min., BD $39.99), the surprise hit of the fall movie season, which made $226 million here in North America.  Directed by Ridley Scott from a screenplay by Drew Goddard based on the novel by Andy Weir, The Martian, which stars Matt Damon, is one of the best hard science fiction movies in decades, and is highly recommended for anyone who enjoys realistic science fiction sagas.

Also available this week is Adam Sandler’s most successful 2015 movie, Hotel Transylvania 2 (Sony, “PG,” 89 min., $30.99, BD $38.99, 3-D BD $39.99).  While this film is definitely not my personal cup of tea, it must be said that a lot of younger kids respond well to the Hotel Transylvania movies, thanks in large part to the inventive directing of Genndy Tartakovsky (Samurai Jack, Star Wars: Clone Wars).

Horror fans have two choices this week, neither of which was well-received by the critics (not that the critics’ opinions matter that much when it comes to horror films, but ratings this low mean these films are for hardcore horror movie fans only).  Sinister 2 (Universal, “R,” 98 min., $29.98, BD $34.98) is the sequel to the 2012 sleeper hit that managed only a 14% positive rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, while Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension (Paramount “Not Rated” $29.99, BD/3D $52.99) could manage only a 13% positive rating in spite of its extra dimension.

TV on DVD

This week’s top TV release is Mr. Robot (Universal, 483 min., $49.98), a superior techno-thriller created by Sam Esmail, an AFI grad who is making his mark in the world of TV rather than in film (an increasingly frequent sign of the times).  Blending an insider’s view of hacker culture with a protagonist who seems to be a direct descendant of Robert DeNiro’s Travis Bickle from Taxi Driver, Mr. Robot, which aired on the USA network, is another of those highly addictive TV series that you may have missed.  Mr. Robot just won (deservedly) two Golden Globes including “Best Drama” and “Best Actor” for Christian Slater, whose stylish turn as the eponymous leader of an anarchist hacker gang is one of the best reasons for watching Mr. Robot, which should have a higher profile from now on.

Another of this week’s offerings of special interest is Sherlock: The Abominable Bride (BBC, 90 min., $22.99, BD $29.99), which finds Sherlock’s Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman doing their Holmes and Watson number in full Victorian drag in a case set in 1890s London.  Extrapolated from a passage in “The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual” mentioning “Ricoletti of the club foot and his abominable wife,” this special episode of the BBC’s Sherlock series is a clever pastiche of elements from the original Conan Doyle stories like the five orange pips sent as a warning, and a clever enough (though wildly elaborate) plot that, at times, creaks like a haunted house.

The top vintage TV release is Hill Street Blues—Season 7: The Final Season (Shout Factory, 900 min., $34.93), which includes the final 22 episodes of the classic ensemble cop series created by Stephen Bochco that aired on NBC in 1986 and 1987.  With its large cast and multiple storylines, Hill Street Blues was a truly groundbreaking effort with an influence quality TV productions that continues to be apparent.

Another prime vintage series due on Tuesday is The Wonder Years: Season 4 (Time Life, 480 min., $39.98).  The Wonder Years, which aired from 1988 to 1993 on ABC was that rare sitcom that was able to chronicle suburban life with a fresh, realistic, yet sympathetic perspective.

The only other major TV release this week is Maison Close: Season 2 (Music Box, 440 min., Subtitles Only, $34.95), an excellent French series that examines late 19th Century French history from the perspective of a high class bordello.  Season 2, which takes place in the 1870s in the early days of the Third Republic, is a good deal more depressing than the first season, but still well worth watching (in French with English subtitles).

Anime

This week’s top release is the Noein- To Your Other Self: Complete Collection (Funimation, 600 min., BD/DVD Combo $64.98), which brings the 24-episode 2005-2006 science fiction anime series from Satelight about a “pan-dimensional” war between two different temporal spaces (parallel universes).  Stylishly directed by Kazuki Akane (Vision of Escaflowne), Noein focuses on one girl, who holds the key to this struggle across the multiverse. This series was shown on SyFy and previously released on DVD in 2008 by Manga Entertainment (those sets are going for around $150 on Amazon).

Also of interest, especially to those who enjoy mecha anime, is Argevollen: Collection 2 (Sentai Filmworks, 300 min., Subtitles Only, $49.98, BD $59.98), which includes the final 12 episodes of the 24-episode 2014 Xebec anime that takes place in world dominating by two powers that have been fighting a decades-long war that is fought by giant mecha that piloted by special teens.