VICTORIES PLAY OUT IN TIME FOR DVD RELEASES.

Byline: Greg Hernandez Staff Writer

Just as movies that win major Academy Awards can enjoy a box office boost, multiple Emmy winners ``Angels In America'' and the Fox sitcom ``Arrested Development'' now stand to gain the most after dominating their categories Sunday night.

With 11 Emmy wins to boast of, last week's release of the HBO miniseries on DVD could not have been better timed. On Monday, the two- disc DVD set of ``Angels'' was second on the Amazon.com hot seller list behind only the highly anticipated ``Star Wars'' trilogy, which debuts on DVD today

Many viewers have not yet seen the acclaimed six-hour drama on the pay cable channel and some of the estimated 12.3 million Emmy watchers likely had their interest piqued after seeing ``Angels'' win in nearly all of its nominated categories including outstanding miniseries, best director (Mike Nichols), best actor (Al Pacino) and best actress (Meryl Streep).

``Certainly the timing is good for the DVD,'' said Ralph Tribbey, editor of The DVD Report, an industry newsletter. ``It's like a long-form commercial when they are walking up to the stage every 10 minutes collecting another Emmy.''

While ``Angels'' can only add to its success at this point, the five Emmys won by ``Arrested'' could provide a new lease on life for the critically acclaimed but low-rated Sunday night Fox comedy. History is on its side.

Back in the early 1980s, a then-struggling police drama on NBC called ``Hill Street Blues'' turned its first season Emmy wins into ratings gold during its sophomore year. NBC's ``Cheers'' was also a ratings basement-dweller until it won multiple Emmys while CBS' ``Cagney & Lacey'' and ``Mission: Impossible'' were able to stave off cancellation thanks to Emmy wins.

``The 'Hill Street Blues' effect is still referred to,'' said Robert Thompson, director of the Center for the Study of Popular Television at Syracuse University. ``But 'Arrested Development' is a tough case. It's a great show but it's not a traditional sitcom and does not have the user-friendliness of something like 'Friends,' which you can watch half asleep.''

``Arrested'' was ranked 120th among all series on television last season and it will not be known until Nov. 7, when the show has its second season premiere, whether the awards will result in more viewers.

With production on the new season just under way last week, Fox could not push up the start date even if it tried, according to a studio publicist.

``Whatever effect we don't see immediately, we're probably not going to see,'' Thompson said.

Fortunately for Fox, a DVD boxed set of the first season of ``Arrested'' goes on sale Oct. 19 and could provide some much-needed promotional support for the show in the weeks leading up to the new episodes.

``As they say, any publicity is good publicity,'' Tribbey said.

Greg Hernandez, [phone]

greg.hernandez(at)dailynews.com