For all the flack that BET takes for its programming line-up, the network has hit a grand slam with its "American Gangster" series. The show, chronicling the stories of famous black gangsters and gangs, is a vivid program that puts the viewer into the time and place of some of the most notorious names in crime.

The second season of "American Gangster" has hit DVD featuring stories that think outside of the box to what the conventional black gangster might look like. The most compelling episode of the second season is by far the story of the D.C. snipers, John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo. The episode does an excellent job of portraying the hysteria surrounding the events of October 2002 and manages to interview those directly associated with the events, including elusive people close to the shooters.

Hip-Hop fans will be interested in the episode profiling Kenneth "Supreme" Mcgriff as Ja Rule and Irv Gotti are at the center of the episode discussing their friend "Supreme". 50 Cent finds his way into the program briefly as the show touches on the feud between 50 and Murder Inc. In an interesting sidebar, "Supreme" actually thought 50 Cent's controversial song "Ghetto Qua'ran" was an accurate depiction of the drug and gangster scene in Queens.

Additional highlight episodes including the story of Philly's Black Mafia showing the group's unbelievable power and ruthless means of getting things done, Melvin Williams who is said to have inspired HBO's hit show "The Wire" and the divided opinions surrounding the life and times of Larry Hoover.

The second season of BET's "American Gangster" is a must have for fans of gangster culture and those interested in the history of crime in America. The only real negative point is the lack of bonus features with any real substance. All the DVD buyer gets is a few extended interviews but that's it.