If you’re not the type who enjoys watching complete seasons of your favorite show on DVD, this set was made for you. Mad About You has already had its complete first and second seasons released on DVD, but this collection takes the best episodes from the show entire run, and slams them out in this “Best of” collection.
I for one, as a completist, prefer complete seasons over these best-of collections. I find the flow very disjointed, with each episode having very little to do with each other.
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This set contains 21 episodes, each of which were personally selected by co-stars Helen Hunt and Paul Reiser. We all know the story… “Mad About You explores the romantic ups and downs of an endearingly neurotic couple…”, but here are the episodes included in this set:
- Episode 1 – Pilot
- Episode 2 – Met Someone
- Episode 3 – Virtual Reality
- Episode 4 – Cold Feet
- Episode 5 – Giblets for Murray
- Episode 6 – Our Fifteen Minutes
- Episode 7 – The Alan Brady Show
- Episode 8 – Yoko Said
- Episode 9 – The Finale Part 1
- Episode 10 – The Finale Part 2
- Episode 11 – The Finale Part 3
- Episode 12 – Citizen Buchman
- Episode 13 – The Penis
- Episode 14 – The Birth Part 1
- Episode 15 – The Birth Part 2
- Episode 16 – Letters to Mabel
- Episode 17 – Moody Blues
- Episode 18 – Le Sex Show
- Episode 19 – The Conversation
- Episode 20 – Paved with Good Intentions
- Episode 21 – The Final Frontier
Video
Each of the 21 episodes included in this set are presented in their originally broadcast 1.33:1 full frame aspect ratio. The episodes fluctuate in terms of picture quality, but all-in-all, they come across alright. There are some minor instances of digital artifacts, and even some soft colors, but the overall color tone and picture quality is good.
Audio
The Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo audio tracks included on these episodes is standard fair for any sitcom-on-DVD release. The dialog is crisp and clear, the soundtrack is adequate, and the laugh track is non-obtrusive. This set could this set have done with a 5.1 mix, but it was not really needed… the 2.0 mix does just fine for the content.
Special Features
This is the one area that the “Collection” has over the Complete Season sets. The Seasons One and Two sets contained ZERO extras, where as this set has a good numbers of special features.
First up is a pair of audio commentaries with Helen hunt and Paul Reiser. They share their thoughts on both the Pilot & The Final Frontier, and their banter is both very entertaining and interesting. Next up two featurettes are included – “Paul Reiser & Helen Hunt Are Mad About the Theme” & “Paul Reiser & Helen Hunt Are Mad About Guest Stars”. Both of these are pretty self-explainitory, with the first discussing the shows theme song, and the second discussing the numerous guest stars that they have shared the screen with (including Lisa Kudrow, Mel Brooks, Bruce Willis, Cyndi Lauper, etc.). Lastly, this set includes Bloopers, Episode introductions, and TV spots.
Final Thoughts
If you are a fan of this show, and the complete season sets are just not doing it for you, then you should pick this set up. You get the best episodes from the series complete run, as well as a nice collection of extras.
Special Features List
- Commentary by stars Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt on the pilot and final episodes
- Paul and Helen introduce and discuss each episode
- Blooper Reel: The Seven Warning Signs of Madness
- Featurette: Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt Are Mad About the Theme
- Featurette: Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt Are Mad About Guest Stars
- TV spots
