Genre: Straight, women's

Director: Skye Blue, Kelly Holland, Chloe Nicole, Brandon Blackburn

Running time: 40 minutes

Production date: 2004

Cast: Jean Val Jean, The Naked Cowboy, Anka Radakovich, Austin Gregory, Nico

Extras: None

Audio and Video: Excellent; all scenes are shot on film.

Body:

If you're a female adult film viewer, you've most likely fallen prey to what I call SES (Sexy Elbow Syndrome).

What is SES? In a nutshell, it's the situation that arises when you rent a film starring your favorite adult actor, only to witness endless closeups and intensive camera shots of his female co-star. Your stud muffin, meanwhile, only makes it onto the screen in quick flashes that involve disjointed body shots -- capturing his penis as he enters her, his mouth as he kisses her (if we're lucky), and his elbow as he holds her.

SES first struck me in the early 1990s, when I harbored a major crush on Gerry Pike; the stunning Australian model who starred in "Immortal Desire," "Sex: Part I" and countless other adult classics.

When I rented Gerry's films, I often found myself nearly standing on my head in an attempt to get a glimpse of him. Not a sexy position, Folks.

Playgirl TV, apparently, heard my cries of agony and released a wonderful sampling of their beefcake-based erotica.

"The Best of Playgirl TV" DVD sampler features a nice mixture of softcore (but explicit) sex scenes with video centerfolds.

The first sequence is my favorite, as it stars Jean Val Jean as a Victorian count who seeks pleasure with a wench from the naughty side of town.

Val Jean, in my opinion, is the most handsome and captivating newcomer to the XXX scene, and among the best overall actors in the adult business. And while I don't mind catching him in "Double D Pizza Girls," I prefer to see him in classic period costume, kissing, carressing, and staring into the eyes of his heroine. We need to see more of this in adult films.

Three other featured love scenes capitalize on this winning formula, with generous views of handsome actors, exotic settings and passionate lovemaking.

One of these scenes, set daringly in a nightclub, also features a sexy male voiceover to complement the action.

Meanwhile, two video centerfolds feature male exotic dancers; both of whom pose and strip in outdoor settings as their voiceovers describe their various methods of pleasing women -- both onstage and off. Both men are strikingly handsome (one is an exotic Romanian model, while the other is an all-American cowboy), have seductive voices, and maintain compelling eye contact with the camera.

And then there's the Naked Cowboy.

A former Playgirl centerfold and current New York City cult hero, the Naked Cowboy is interviewed in Times Square by feminist journalist Anka Radakovich -- who at one point spaces out and contemplates a nearby sale at Macy's. It's a cute segment.

Concluding Words:

Overall, "The Best of Playgirl TV" is a fine sampling of refined romance and gorgeous men. It is, much like the magazine from which it draws its name, "entertainment for women." And there's a nary an elbow in sight. . .

"The Best of Playgirl TV" DVD is being offered free to those who write letters to their cable and satellite companies requesting Playgirl TV. They get the DVD by sending copies of their letters to Playgirl Magazine.