My So-Called Life: Everett Collection

Best cult TV on DVD: ''My So-Called Life'' and ''Sports Night''

Unrated, 15 hrs., 1994-1995 (BMG)
The cult of ABC's short-lived gem — TV's most ''real'' depiction of the teen experience since, like, ever — is neither freakish nor geekish but rather a melting pot for whom the show was some kind of wonderful howl. MSCL exposed the lie of the ''high school outcast.'' The girl next door, the stud, the brain, the boy in the closet — all were ''different,'' all hopelessly misunderstood, all the same. Born late in the grunge era, the 19 finely crafted episodes contain some of that moment's best raw poetry. Creator Winnie Holzman's words were notes from the teen underground; the articulation in speech and gesture by Danes was honest, unforced, and urgent. EXTRAS None, but the show speaks for itself. —Jeff Jensen