Home entertainment TV reviews: From an apocalypse in ‘The Last of Us’ to icon Liza Minnelli

Here’s a look at a pair of television events now available in home entertainment disc formats.

The Last of Us: The Complete First Season — SteelBook Edition (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, not rated, 1.78:1 aspect ratio, 521 minutes, $49.99) Naughty Dog’s popular survival horror video-game franchise became perfect fodder for an adaptation into a live-action series, courtesy of HBO back in 2023.

The first season returns in the ultra-high definition format via a quartet of 4K discs now encased in an illustrated metal package guaranteed to tempt collectors.

The inaugural season’s nine episodes introduce Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) and 14-year-old Ellie (Bella Ramsey), living 20 years in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by an uncontrollable fungal infection decimating the human race.

The emotionally distraught Joel’s mission is to smuggle Ellie, immune to the infection and possibly the key to creating a vaccine, out of a quarantine zone and across a dangerous United States filled with infected creatures and even worse — scared, greedy and irrational survivors.

Fans of “The Walking Dead” will easily appreciate the pandemic premise of monsters that are not only deadly to encounter but ultimately bring out the worst in humanity.

The screen-filling presentation delivers impeccable visuals, especially when viewing the wide-open American countryside or the grotesque monsters on frantic prowl for human victims.

Best extras: Besides binge-watching the series in the gorgeous 2160p format, fans get that steel case highlighted by an illustration of a human being consumed by the Cordyceps infection outbreak.

Specifically, a brushed metal black background offers a canvas to display on the front cover a full body in a tattered suit jacket, which is breaking apart due to green and orangish fibrous tendrils attacking the flesh and bulbous spores growing on the chest area.

An emaciated face in full agony reveals a state of transformation with spores surrounding the cerebral area and the almost neon in color spores spreading to the back cover.

Look closer in the threaded tendrils to find the series title on the upper part of the front cover as well as a tiny silhouette of Joel and Ellie drawn from the tendrils in the lower corner.

The interior spread presents a color photograph of the pair as they cross a field and view the greenish Cordyceps threads as well as skeletal remains.

Fans will also appreciate that all of the voluminous digital extras from the 4K release back in the summer of 2023 are available in the set.

These include a behind-the-scenes exploration of each episode (roughly five minutes each) and a pair of featurettes (roughly 36 minutes in total) covering the adaptation of the game into a TV series with comparison to the finished scenes, including a famed encounter with a monstrous bloater.

Best of the bunch is a 23-minute look at the parallels between the current state of humanity (living through the COVID pandemic) and the series, as discussed by experts in fungal parasites, infectious diseases and survival tactics.

Video gamers will love a collection of four podcast debriefs (roughly five minutes each) with famed voice-over actor Troy Baker (Joel in the game) reacting to the show and answering questions, such as “Do I need to have played ‘The Last of Us game to enjoy the show?” or “Describe the story in one word.”

Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story (Kino Lorber, not rated, 1.78:1 aspect ratio, 104 minutes, $29.95) A certified entertainment legend finally got her chance to sit back and reminisce on an impressive career, showcased in director Bruce David Klein’s PBS documentary now available in the high definition disc format.

The daughter of Hollywood icons Judy Garland and director Vincente Minnelli, Liza Minnelli slowly emerged from their large shadows as a well-rounded performer in the late 1960s and then exploded on the scene as Sally Bowles in director Bob Fosse’s 1972 cinematic adaptation of the Broadway musical “Cabaret,” which won her an Academy Award.

Focused on Ms. Minnelli’s ever-evolving breakout career, the nine-chapter narrative explores the importance of mentors such as godmother Kay Thompson, French singer Charles Aznavour, lyricist Fred Ebb and Fosse while covering her relentless pursuit of reinvention, success and survival.

The documentary shines through performance clips, behind-the-scenes stills and plenty of classic media footage as well as an impressive line-up of interviews, mixing the archival such as Gwen Verdon, Fosse and Peter Allen with new including Joel Grey, Ben Vereen, Mia Farrow, Chita Rivera, George Hamilton, Michael Feinstein, half-sister Lorna Luft and “Cabaret” composer John Kander.

Of course, the most coveted interview is with Ms. Minnelli. The slightly frail 78-year-old still flashes that drop-dead smile and flutters her big brown eyes as she reacts to moments in the documentary, sings a bit and offers some commentary on her life, touching on husbands, dealing with addiction and being the daughter of Judy Garland.

A love letter to fans and devotees rather than a hard-hitting, introspective expose about the star and her foibles, “Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story” makes the case for simply appreciating one of the last living and larger-than-life stars.

Best extras: Viewers get an optional commentary track featuring Mr. Klein, co-editor Alexander J. Goldstein and producer Dana Craig exploring the production and the process of assembling the documentary.

The team talks near nonstop about Ms. Minnelli’s story discussing the selection of a wide swath of interviewees to cover her career; shot selection; wanting to focus on her mentors; never-seen-before footage; always making sure to have a piano in the room near Ms. Minnelli; and selecting “But the World Goes ’Round” as the final song to feature.

The track is very informative and worthy of watching the documentary again with the insight.

Additionally, a 24-minute, question-and-answer session with Mr. Klein, moderated by Jim Caruso at the IFC Center in New York City earlier this year, spends much of the discussion gushing over Ms. Minnelli, as expected.

Finally, a paltry five minutes of outtakes feature interviews with Michael Feinstein, Ms. Luft, and Ben Vereen.