Spring lineup

Coming in May: Must-have TV comedies

A DVD-packed May is just around the corner. If you’re eager to scoop up a special edition of “The Aviator,” the fourth season of “Seinfeld” or the second season of “Chappelle’s Show,” read on and mark your calendars accordingly.

May 3

You saw Beyonce singing “Learn to Be Lonely” at the Academy Awards. See the movie that features the song when the two-disc edition of “Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera” brings its music of the night to DVD.

“National Treasure,” one of last year’s surprise box office hits, arrives with numerous extras, including several featurettes and a series of interactive puzzles for treasure-hunting viewers.

How many times have you wondered, “How come there’s no special edition of ‘Spaceballs’ on DVD?” What’s that? Never? Then you may not care that the Mel Brooks comedy comes out May 3. But fans of Daphne Zuniga’s brilliantly subtle turn as Princess Vespa are doing cartwheels right now.

May 10

Usually providing spectacular DVD treatment, the Criterion Collection delivers two films: Wes Anderson’s kooky “The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou” and 1994’s “Hoop Dreams.” Basketball fans will take a special interest in that second title, which features — along with the heartbreaking documentary — a commentary track from the movie’s two subjects, Arthur Agee and William Gates.

May 17

It’s all well and good to have the first three seasons of “Seinfeld” in your home video library. But let’s face it: The best season of the show about nothing, and perhaps one of the best seasons in sitcom history, is the fourth one. Thankfully, you can put it in your vault May 17 when “Seinfeld: The Complete Fourth Season” masters its domain in a four-disc set including 13 hours of special features. Expect extras akin to those included in the first three collections: interviews with cast and crew, audio commentaries, bloopers, deleted scenes and more.

Rejoice, Zach Braff fans: The first season of the underappreciated, often hilarious “Scrubs” also arrives May 17.

No one does a marionette movie like Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Perhaps that’s because no one does marionette movies. In any case, “Team America: World Police” blasts onto DVD in a special collector’s unrated edition, including several featurettes as well as deleted and extended scenes. Don’t be surprised to see the original version of the movie’s “controversial” love scene and even more — if that’s possible — puppet vomit. Kinda makes “Spaceballs” sound classy, doesn’t it?

Speaking of controversy, the Academy Award-nominated “Kinsey” takes its bow on DVD with a two-disc special edition that includes — no, this is not a joke — an interactive sex questionnaire.

May 24

Martin Scorsese once again lost out at this year’s Academy Awards. As a consolation prize, perhaps he’ll enjoy the two-disc special edition of his film “The Aviator,” which comes with several behind-the-scenes featurettes and a commentary track by Scorsese himself.

It’s a celebration! The hilarious second season of “Chappelle’s Show” is finally hitting the DVD streets, having been postponed from its original February release date to coincide with the premiere of the third season of “Chappelle’s Show.” (That’s slated to debut on Comedy Central May 31.) Watch all 14 episodes on the DVD and you’ll finally get all those Rick James and Wayne Brady jokes your co-workers repeatedly reference.