A funny thing happened as I compiled a list of potential hidden gems on DVD to sample for this column: I noticed many of them came from the same company, Timeless Media Group. The company has been a player in home video for years, becoming perhaps best known for its releases of TV Westerns but offering a broad array of programs on DVD.

Timeless often licenses the rights to release a program from a studio but does not obtain the source materials. Therefore, the company frequently must scour film collectors’ circles for 35mm and even 16mm film prints to use as masters for its DVDs. As a result, some of the product may look a tad rougher than the efforts of its bigger-budgeted studio competitors, but I speak for all lovers of classic television when I commend the company's efforts to get out shows that might otherwise languish in obscurity, buried in the vaults of the original rights holders.

Here, then, is a brief overview of a handful of “lost” programs Timeless has unearthed in the DVD era. Since the company is well known for its Westerns, I am going to avoid that genre, though, and look at other types of programs.

Lee Marvin Presents Lawbreaker: Despite one of the clunkier titles in the history of the medium, this is one of the best under-the-radar TV-on-DVD releases in recent memory. It's a great example of how Timeless resurrects obscurities like this one from the ZIV library and puts them out there in affordable quality packages.

I'd bet that even a lot of diehard Lee Marvin fan have never seen Lawbreaker. This 1963-1964 syndicated series was filmed in color but aired in some markets in black and white; on the DVDs, the episodes are in glorious 1960s color. Each half-hour spotlights a different U.S. city, filming recreations of a notable crime on location and even using many of the actual principals in the dramatizations.

Episodes begin with a logo and this voice-over: 'What you're about to see is the only television program ever to receive the award of special merit and the endorsement of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.' Well, that was true at the time, but this was 25 years before Cop Rock.

Hosting, narrating, and even 'interviewing' some of the participants is Marvin. Make no mistake; he is the center of the show. In fact, it often looks like the show itself is a one-man operation. There are frequent appearances by Lee in what looks like some kind of “high-tech” Crimefighter Central, with large electronic machines and video screens. After a re-enactment segment, we go back to Lee, who flips a switch and then addresses someone on the big screen. Sometimes after the saga of a crime is depicted, he toggles another switch and we see old newsreel footage of the capture of the criminal. Lee Marvin: Actor, Host...Technical Director!

I have yet to see anyone appear in headquarters with the host, so I strongly doubt that Marvin actually conducted these interviews, though I sure wish he did. I love the idea of him shuffling through old newspaper clippings and jotting notes with a yellow pad and pencil, preparing for these segments. Whatever his actual engagement in the production, the star gives this early reality show a certain gravitas. The tone of the show, befitting its emphasis on genuine and often deadly crimes, is somber, and Marvin's low-key performance is appropriate. There is no mugging for the camera, no angry ranting, no yelling at the criminals. The closest the show gets to sensationalism is before a break when Marvin looks directly at the camera in close-up, mentions a salient point, and we get a strong dramatic musical cue reminiscent of Have Gun – Will Travel.

Even without theatrics, it's a real kick watching these segments. The matter-of-fact style of questioning Marvin employs is somehow always colorful because he’s the one doing it. I like when he asks a thief, 'You had an unusual habit for a cat burglar. You carried a gun. Care to comment on that?' He doesn't say it in a sarcastic or intimidating way, but it still amuses me, and it gives some flavor to these 'interviews' which may well have been filmed separately months apart. Every now and then, they mix things up, like when Lee pauses in an interview to ask a current inmate (seen only in silhouette), 'Excuse me, what's that noise I hear in the background?' The jailbird replies that it's the men in the yard on their recreation period, and Lee nods and continues his interview.

This kind of program might not interest me at all were it done today. However, the fact that it was done in the early sixties makes it a fascinating experience. You get a great look at various locales around the country as they appeared then. This isn't just a New York or Los Angeles crime program. You get to explore areas like Minneapolis and Pittsburgh. In addition to the scenery, there are the hairstyles, the fashions, and the cars to hold your attention. The re-enactments are presented in a straightforward documentary style without the slow motion, hyperactive soundtrack, and other bells and whistles used today.  The use of amateurs to portray themselves is distinctive, but to me it gives a certain charm; besides, it's better than using stagy self-conscious actors who might be looking to stand out.

Rare, idiosyncratic, and most importantly entertaining as all get out, Lee Marvin Presents Lawbreaker is a perfect example of what I love to see from Timeless. I only wish the series had lasted longer than 32 episodes.

Arrest and Trial: Stop me if this premise sounds familiar: A drama series divides itself into two halves, the first showing the police restoring order by solving a crime, the second bringing us the lawyers who try the case in a court of law. Remind you of a modern long-running hit show? That's right, it's just like The Simpsons.

In all seriousness, it was a surprise to me to learn that decades before Dick Wolf dominated NBC's lineup, Arrest and Trial used the same gimmick. An interesting difference in the 1963-1964 format is that the Trial focuses not on the prosecution, but on the defense, so that we really do get two different sides here. Plus this earlier series, which ran from 1963 to 1964, is 90 minutes long.

Another surprise is the casting of stars Ben Gazzara and Chuck Connors. I would expect Gazzara to be an attorney and Connors to be a burly enforcer type of a cop, but instead Ben is the police detective and Chuck the lawyer. Now, it's not as if Gazzara walks around talking like a Mickey Spillane character and smacking perps with phone books--he effortlessly projects intelligence and thoughtfulness--but he is credible as the lawman. For his part, Connors is surprisingly effective as the sensitive, passionate public defender who wants to do his office right.

A huge element of Arrest and Trial’s appeal today is the impressive roster of guest stars that appear in the DVDs. Where else can you see Jack Klugman helping up Robert Duvall in a courtroom?

My own take on this series is that it has good intentions but may be a bit gooey sometimes. The Klugman/Duvall episode has Connors’ character go to the home of parents of a murdered child to ask them to plead with the court to spare the life of the murderer. Come on! The series comes off as earnest in its attempt to explore the whys of criminal activity instead of just sending all the perps to the chair, but sometimes it’s a bit much. Nevertheless, the guest stars alone make this show worth exploring on video.

Harbor Command: In 2013, Timeless released the complete run of this syndicated ZIV 1956 adventure/crime show shot on location in San Francisco. Its strictly procedural format, its half-hour length, and even the authoritative narration of Bill Baldwin are reminiscent of another ZIV show, Highway Patrol. However, there are two big differences that threaten to make this one pale in comparison: 1) Boat chases are usually a lot less exciting than car chases and 2) Harbor Command star Wendell Corey is nowhere near as charismatic as Patrol's Broderick Crawford.

Regarding the star, Wild Wendell provides a reliable, trustworthy persona that suits this matter-of-fact show. His Captain Ralph Baxter is committed to his job and cares about the safety of his officers. He impresses me by taking off his jacket and diving into the water when he needs to ensure a boat containing a bomb explodes away from bystanders. Ralph isn’t some landlubber who sits at a desk all day and sings sea shanties at the bar while boasting about his adventures. No, he’s a hands-on official who gets out and chases the bad guys and faces danger in all its forms. He just doesn’t have much of an identity outside the harbor, which is surely designed by the show’s creators. Does Ralph have a family? Does he have hobbies? Does he wear boxers with cute little gold anchors on them? I’ve only seen about a fifth of the episodes, but I don’t think we ever find out.

From what I have seen, Harbor Command doesn’t confine itself to the water, meaning we see a lot more than just boat races. The show heads onto the docks and even into the streets of the city while creating a variety of crime issues. One episode features a frantic search for metallic sodium, which is apparently a real thing that can make a devastating incendiary device (I Googled this to verify and probably put myself on some kind of watch list, so I suggest you take my word for it).

This show delivers what it promises to deliver, and while it’s not quite Highway Patrol, this DVD set should be welcomed by fans of similar series.

West Point: Yet another ZIV production on DVD from Timeless is this syndicated half-hour anthology drama, also known as The West Point Story in its original run, set at the fabled service academy. Produced with heavy (and heavily touted) cooperation from the U.S. Army and the Department of Defense, it explores various aspects of cadet life, using real stories and changing only the names and certain other details.

Sometimes flashbacks dramatize incidents from West Point’s or the Army's history. One inventive episode on Disc 1 traces the use of the bayonet in various conflicts, going back in time but using a contemporary framing device to reinforce the value of the weapon even in a time of atomic energy. We see it used as a self-defense tool, as a crutch, and even as a makeshift land mine detector. However, most stories I've seen are more conventional and take place at the then-current West Point. For that reason, I recommend spreading these out as opposed to watching a bunch in a row.

Yet despite the limited setting, West Point finds a diverse range of stories to tell. Many are not dramas that could only play out in a military milieu. There are tales of subverting ego, of accepting people from different backgrounds, and of other human interests with which we can all identify. The first disc alone has particular appeal to a sports fan like myself, with episodes based on the football and basketball teams. I don’t know if there was an Army curling squad, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the show got around to it eventually.

For much of West Point's run, individual episodes are introduced by cadet 'Charles Thompson,' AKA actor Donald May. Otherwise, the cast changes from week to week, which mixes things up. The uniforms stay the same, but the guest stars change, and as in any anthology show of the era, you never know who will turn up. In one episode, I was excited to see a young Larry Hagman (billed as Larry Hagland), only to find he was in one scene at the beginning and didn't return…at least not until a future episode, as a different character. One hopes the government gave this guy a thorough debriefing before readmitting him to the Academy. How do they know he wasn’t a clone sent by the Soviets?

Coronado 9: In the 1959-1960 season, Revue/MCA (later Universal) syndicated this half-hour private eye show set in the San Diego area, and the complete series is available on disc. Detective Dan Adams, played by Rod Cameron, is tall, a little burly, perhaps even ruggedly handsome. He’s a real man’s man but also a clever operator. Cameron provides a solid presence and carries the stories without overwhelming them.

From what I’ve seen, this series is surprisingly gritty, with more than its fair share of violence. Dan gets to the bottom of things by the end of each fast-moving half-hour, but he takes his lumps along the way. Unlike Joe Mannix, though, this guy is at least fortunate enough to get socked directly on the jaw instead of knocked on the back of his cranium. There are brawls and shootouts, and the bad guy doesn’t always stick around long enough to be brought to justice, if you catch my drift.

Like Harbor Command, these screenplays must get where they’re going in a hurry due to that 25-minute running time, but there are all sorts of good stories based on classic private eye themes of betrayal, deceit, and corruption. One big difference from something like Harbor Command: Unlike Ralph Baxter, Dan Adams has a personal life. We see that he has friends, he takes vacations, and we know something about his background in Naval intelligence. It’s not like we get a lot of long scenes of Dan hanging out with a ditzy secretary and a befuddled buddy on the force, usually this personal life is just a springboard for a given week’s story. At least there is that semblance of a human being there, though. And one interesting habit of the guy is that though he is good with his fists, he spends a lot of time with his hands in his pockets, not a standard macho pose.

The show isn’t humorless, but it is plenty tough. Any series with an episode titled Doomtown is worth a look, but this is a quality series that deserves more exposure. I recommend Coronado 9 to all private eye and crime show fans.

These 5 shows provide a mere sampling of the rich array of hidden gems Timeless has put out on DVD over the years. Shout! Factory acquired Timeless in 2012, and while so far the label remains active, its output has slackened somewhat. Yet there are still plenty of orphaned short-lived and/or forgotten relics from TV's past. Let’s hope that the brand continues to put rare quality programming into the hands of collectors. I’m sure many television enthusiasts out there would be happy to suggest some of the titles the company could revive!

Rick Brooks is the proprietor of Cultureshark, a blog in which he uses an often irreverent approach to express his reverence for the classics and the un-classics.