Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 19th, 2004
Taxi was a very funny sitcom that is most notable for the number of future stars it produced. Danny DeVito, Christopher Lloyd, Tony Danza, and Judd Hirsch all went on to bigger and better things when the Taxi ride ended. Andy Kaufman’s life and early death provided one of the more bizarre stories in Hollywood history. The truth is that season 1 was not quite that funny. Sure, Lloyd makes an appearance here, but the lovable Rev. Jim would not get behind the wheel of a taxi until the second season. We can only be glad ...hat Taxi came at a time in history when shows were given time to develop. Today Taxi would not have gone 6 weeks.
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 18th, 2004
SCTV is back with Volume 2. We all know the players, Joe Flahrety, Andrea Martin, Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy, Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas, and John Candy. Martin Short wasn’t on board yet. But this volume has all your favorite characters, Bob and Doug MacKenzie, Count Floyd, Johnny LaRue, Dr. Tongue, Jerry Todd, Lola Heatherington, and I always loved the Hi-Q sketch.
SCTV’s kind of satire and parody is not biting like Monty Python. It’s more endearing, like wrestling match with a friend.... When not parodying real TV shows, the show also make gentle jabs at Russian culture, feminism, and Canadian tax shelter films. The jokes might seem a bit dated, but the talent of this septet goes with out saying. But I will say something anyway: SCTV sports one of the funniest casts to ever grace the sketch comedy stage (or tube).
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 15th, 2004
Given this DVD’s release date (directly coinciding with one of the most highly anticipated election days in history), and season three’s initial air date (following on the heels of September 11th), this season may become the most pivotal in West Wing history- if not the most consistent. It opens with an out-of-context episode, “Isaac and Ishmael,” that’s as didactic as it is well-meaning. While Chief of Staff Leo (John Spencer) interrogates a suspect, Sam (Rob Lowe), Josh (Bradley Whitford), Charlie (Dule Hill..., Toby (Richard Schiff), C.J. (Alison Janney), Donna (Janel Maloney), First Lady Abbey Bartlet (Stockard Channing), and President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) discuss terrorism and it’s repercussions with a group of nervous High School Students.
Written in response to the 9/11 attacks, “Isaac and Ishmael” does present an interesting analogy (Islamic Extremist: Islamic as KKK: Christianity). But the season really kicks off with “Manchester,” a two part episode that initiates where season two concluded. After Bartlet announces his plans for re-election, the staff deals with his recently disclosed Multiple Sclerosis and a military rescue in Haiti. Flashback intensive, “Manchester” jumps back and forth between the Bartlet’s New Hampshire estate and the White House, as a team of strategists headed by Bruno Gianelli (Ron Silver) attempt to revive the administration. Later, Oliver Platt shows up as White House council Oliver Babbish, and the First Lady’s secrecy regarding her husband’s condition may result in a revocation of her medical license.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 9th, 2004
What’s Happening!! (that’s right, 2 exclamation marks) had a three year run on ABC in the mid 70’s. The second season is now on DVD, all 22 episodes. The sitcom revolves around a “family” of sorts. The main characters are three best friends, Raj (the nerdy one), Dwayne (the cool one), and Rerun (the goofy one). There’s also Shirley, the waitress at the local soda shop. But Dee (Raj’s little sister) is a distraction. And I’m not talking about the character. The actor’s line readings are terrible and watc... her when she reads those cue cards!
However, comparisons can be made to Good Times (both were created by the same guy), but the comparisons end with an African-American main cast. While Good Times deals with more “in your face” social issues, What’s Happening!! is lighter in tone and its comedy is much broader. The only “messages” in this show are ones that deal with the importance of friendship, family, and not bootlegging the Doobie Brothers.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 3rd, 2004
This really was “The Big One”. Season 5 was probably my favorite year of Sanford and Son. Episodes like the Dickens-inspired Ebenezer Sanford, The classic Sanford and Rising Son and The Oddfather leave me laughing just to think about them. I can’t look at George C. Scott as Patton and not be reminded of the intrepid Sergeant Gork. George Foreman took a break from his fight schedule to appear as himself. Even the clip-loaded Camping Trip is a constant riot. In Season 5 the Sanfords discover NBC is making a TV show abo...t their lives. This is the year Lamont gets engaged and Fred meets Della Reese. If you can’t find something to laugh about in this collection, you’re dead.
Audio
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 3rd, 2004
For four seasons, Bob Odenkirk and David Cross, along with a group of writers and comedians, served up comedy skits, parodies, and more, in the underrated but hilarious HBO late-night sketch comedy series Mr. Show.
Mr. Show is a smart comedy show, at least from what I can gather from the fourth season. The first thing to point out is every skit is somehow related to the next one by way of introducing a certain product, idea, or interstitial video. It's as if each skit is part of one big narra...ive structure. I guess it's the editing that makes the transition seamless, and if it is then it works great. There's not much else I can say here except to say anyone who likes to laugh should check out Mr. Show. Before the funny Chappelle's Show and other sketch comedy series of late, there was Mr. Show, where the writing was inventive and original, and the performances were dead on, and then some! This show is not to be missed.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 28th, 2004
CSI hasn’t changed much in its first four years. Expect more of the same here. The unique photography and f/x material is pretty much as solid as it was in the first episode. I’m not sure I like the “scruffy” Grissom look, but the show is as good as it’s ever been. As in each of the previous season, Gil Grissom leads a team of Crime Scene Investigators (CSI) on the night shift in Las Vegas.
Audio
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 27th, 2004
Michael Shanks returned to Stargate full time in Season 7. What continues to impress me is that after 7 years the quality of this show just keeps getting better. I’m rarely moved by film or TV, but “Fragile Balance” was one of the most moving hours of television I’ve ever seen. The writers and actors continue to collaborate to create the best science fiction show ever. I’m sorry, but that might even include Star Trek. Season 7 brought us even more complex stories, if that was possible. The characters each had opport...nities to go off on their own this year which was quite refreshing. The F/X continue to be the hallmark for any production current or future.
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 22nd, 2004
Synopsis
Brian Benben is a book editor. He is still madly in love with his ex-wife, but his dreams of getting back together with her are smashed by her upcoming marriage. And “dreams” is very much the operative term here, since Benben’s emotional reactions to the world around him are daydreams in the form of B&W clips from old films and TV shows. Exec-produced by John Landis, the series follows Benben’s misadventures (primarily with the opposite sex), and features plenty of Big Name guest appearances...(David Bowie, Fran Drescher, etc.). Dream On beat Ally McBeal to the punch with postmodern collage, and there is no denying that there’s some fun editing going on here. On the other hand, the clips aren’t exactly subtle or necessarily very original (tree going up at moment of sexual arousal, tree going down at interruption, har har har). There is some snap to the writing, and enough witty moments, but in the final analysis, this isn’t a whole lot more than your average sitcom. Simply replace laugh track with HBO-style language and content.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 16th, 2004
Season 4 of Voyager is most notable for the addition of Jeri Ryan’s Seven Of Nine character. The stories grew a bit more complex. The season appears to have regarded style above substance in year 4. There is a modest attempt to develop a mother/daughter kind of relationship between Seven Of Nine and Janeway. The problem is that, like the potential for conflict inherent with the addition of the Maquis members of the crew, this conflict is all to often resolved in a Brady Bunch “What have you learned from this, Seven ...f Nine” formula. No question the Borg and Species 8472 offer a better group of adversaries than the Kazon were ever capable of. I judge this season to be one of bright moments and missed opportunities.
Season Synopsis
