Stuff a stocking with DVDs

Holiday shopping can be a pain.

There’s no surefire way to pick a gift that won’t end up untouched, sitting on a shelf collecting dust. But you can hedge your bet with a DVD collection.

There is such a wide assortment of box sets out this year that you should be able to find one that fits just about any age or interest on your list. You will have to shop around, though, because prices can range from less than $40 to more than $200, and stores are known to sell them at a discount.

Here are a few DVD sets that can make your holiday shopping a little easier:

* “Ally McBeal Complete Series” (20th Century Fox)

Suggested price: $199.98

What you get: All 112 episodes of the dramedy on 31 discs.

Why to buy: Series creator David E. Kelley has created some of TV’s best dramas with “Boston Legal” and “The Practice” from the blueprint he created with this series. His blend of humor, drama — and even some musical numbers — is pitch perfect and made a star of Calista Flockhart.

* “Cracker: The Complete Collection” (Acorn)

Suggested price: $119.99

What you get: The 10-disc set includes all 24 episodes of the series plus two movies.

Why buy: Robbie Coltrane is brilliant as the flawed forensic psychologist in this British television crime drama.

* “Dawson’s Creek: The Complete Series” (Sony)

Suggested price: $119.95

What you get: The 127 episodes from the six seasons of the series are packaged with an anthology book plus a CD of music from the series.

Why buy: Not only did the show launch the careers of James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams and Joshua Jackson, it also set the standard for every teen-angst TV show to follow.

* “Farscape: The Complete Series” (A&E)

Suggested price: $149.95

What you get: There are 88 episodes and 15 hours of bonus material on 26 discs. Bonus material includes three documentaries and deleted scenes.

Why buy: This is one of the five best science-fiction franchises of all time and the one that gets the least respect. The series has the smart writing of “Babylon Five” and the action of “Stargate.” John Crichton (Ben Browder) is the best star explorer since James T. Kirk.

* “The Hellraiser Box Set” (Anchor Bay)

Suggested price: $59.97

What you get: Both “Hellraiser” and “Hellbound: Hellraiser II,” plus bonus features, in a three-disc set that is packaged in a special box that will be familiar to fans of the movies.

Why buy: The two films have been available for some time but this set includes the original movie in Blu-ray. If you don’t own these two films — the best in the series — this is a good way to get them especially because of the cool packaging.

* “Homicide: Life on the Street: The Complete Series” (A&E)

Suggested price: $149.95

What you get: The set includes all 122 episodes that aired on NBC over seven seasons plus three “Law & Order” crossover episodes and “Homicide: The Movie.”

Why buy: This remains one of television’s best dramas. The Tom Fontana series set a high standard for writing and acting with a cast that included Andre Braugher, Yaphet Kotto and Ned Beatty.

* “Justice League: The Complete Series” (Warner)

Suggested price: $99.98

What you get: The 15-disc set includes 91 episodes of the animated series plus creator commentaries and a making-of feature.

Why buy: The series will be a big hit with fans of such DC Comics characters as Batman, Green Lantern, Superman and Wonder Woman. Although it’s animated, the stories are entertaining enough to keep all ages interested.