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Saturday, January 30th, 2010

TV on DVD: “Life on Mars” (The Original BBC Series)

by Scott Malchus

Last year, both seasons of the original BBC series, Life on Mars, were released in the U.S. to little press, despite the fact that the show is considered one of the finest of the last decade. Acorn Media has done a splendid job with these two DVD sets, maintaining the integrity of the show by presenting them uncut and keeping the original music from the series. Fans of the show who only saw it when it aired on BBC America (with commercial interruptions) will be thrilled to see the show with a crisp video quality.

The premise of the show is as follows: Sam Tyler is a modern day Manchester detective who gets struck by a passing car and wakes up in the year 1973. Is he in a coma, time traveling, or just plain crazy? Tyler quickly realizes that in order to solve the mystery of his new surroundings he’ll have to fit in. This means taking up residence in the police squad  run by DCI Gene Hunt, a bullying, bad ass, take-no-prisoners cop who’ll do anything to solve a case, even if it means beating the crap out of a suspect or planting evidence. Tyler also meets the lovely Annie Cartwright (Liz White), a sympathetic policewoman he trusts and for whom he develops feeling.

Life on Mars was remade in the States last year by ABC and it failed to capture the viewers it needed to stay on the air. While the ABC version of Life on Mars maintained some of the mystery and intrigue of the original show, it was hurt in the casting. No matter what actors were placed in the roles of Sam Tyler and DCI Gene Hunt, no one would ever be able to capture the essence of the characters like John Simm (Tyler) and the brilliant Philip Glenister (Hunt), who originated the roles. These two actors so embodied their roles that it would seem that the characters were written for them.

Such is not the case. In fact, Life on Mars was kicked around for about 7 years before it found a home on the BBC. The series creators, Matthew Graham, Tony Jordon and Ashley Pharaoh, had wanted to produce a show that paid tribute to classic British cop shows, like The Sweeney, and American action series like Starsky and Hutch. Combined with the sci-fi element of Life on Mars’s premise, the creators had a unique and risky venture on their hands. Fortunately the BBC allowed them to make their show they way they wanted, with the music and look of the 1970’s intact.

Simm is a wonderfully expressive actor whose ability to go from super pissed to emotionally shattered in a matter of seconds is remarkable. The show hinges on the fact that we have to believe this man fell out of his time and into 1973. If you don’t believe what Tyler is going through; in other words, if Simm doesn’t make you feel his exasperation, his anxiety, and his anger, then everything else about Life on Mars fails. Simm played Sam so superbly that it was nearly impossible for Jason O’Mara (a fine actor in his own right) of the ABC series to succeed.

Likewise, no one else could have played Hunt. No one.  Simply watch the first episode and you’ll understand why. It’s not just that Glenister carries himself like an old school, bad ass cop from the 70’s. No, it’s that he commands every scene he is in, which says a lot since Simm is so good. Glenister does not make Hunt one dimensional, though. While the other supporting characters in the squad room veer toward stock character roles, Hunt is as important to Life on Mars as Tyler. That’’ where the influence of shows like Starsky and Hutch and Streets of San Francisco can be felt. A bond develops between Hunt and Tyler that begins with respect and eventually evolves into brotherly love. When the series draws to a close (with a definitive end), Tyler’s ultimate decision is partly based on his feelings about Hunt.

Technically, Life On Mars really captures the feel of those classic 70’s shows it is trying to emulate. Having grown up watching the American cop shows the creators were inspired by (I would throw Baretta into that mix, as well), the look of Life on Mars, from the camera angles to the car chases to the manner in which the actors carried themselves are pitch perfect.

Both DVD sets come with plenty of bonus features that make purchasing or renting these collections well worth your wile. Series 1 includes: audio commentary with the cast and crew on every episode; an excellent hour long documentary that details the history of the show; a feature on the music of the show; and outtakes. Series 2 features include a documentary on the return of Life on Mars and a featurettes on the end of the series. All episodes are presented in 16:9 widescreen, 2.0 Stereo/5.1 surround.

Life on Mars: Series 1 (2009, Acorn Media) purchase from Amazon: DVD; rent from Netflix: DVD

Life on Mars: Series 2 (2009, Acorn Media) purchase from Amazon: DVD; rent from Netflix: DVD

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Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

TV on DVD: “The Mighty Boosh Special Edition DVD”

by Scott Malchus

For those of you who read my ramblings about television, you know how much I adore The Mighty Boosh, the British comedy series created by comedians Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding.  Last fall I wrote extensively about all three series of The Mighty Boosh receiving DVD releases. The BBC has now released a beautiful deluxe special edition DVD box set that collects those same three DVD releases (6 DVD’s total) along with a 7th DVD of all new bonus material.

I won’t go into details about the DVD’s with the three series on them because nothing has changed. Series 2 finds the Boosh at the top of their game. Still,  watching all three series back to back, as you can with this collection, you get to watch a comedy team evolve from using skits they created on stage to coming up with newer and progressively more surreal material. The packaging of this collection is adorned with Fielding’s colorful artwork and it is housed in a lovely collector’s box.

The 7th disc is not some mere throwaway tacked on to help sell more DVD’s. Instead, the disc of new material has been creatively organized to take you on a journey inside the mind of Barratt and Fielding. Most notable of the special features is “A Journey Through Time and Space,” an interesting and loving account of how the two men came together to form their group. The documentary goes into depth on how Fielding and Barratt evolved their show from performing in clubs, to the radio, to television, and then to large theaters stages. Their story is like that of a rock band, rising to success. Indeed, in their homeland of England, the Boosh are treated like rock stars by their fans. What I found most enjoyable about this documentary is the true affection Fielding and Barratt have for each other, as well as the other members of their troupe, which include Rich Fulcher, Michael Fielding and Dave Brown. The five men, like a great band, seem like a real family both on stage and off. They come across as endearing people (albeit, crude and strange, but still nice) and this made me like The Mighty Boosh even more.

Other features on the bonus DVD are behind the scenes of a live night, footage from the Royal Television Society Awards, outtakes and deleted scenes from the pilot, pre-recorded live night links, a crimping collection and zoo-keeper sketches that Barratt and Fielding wrote and performed for the sketch comedy series, Unnatural Acts. If you have not checked out The Mighty Boosh, I would recommend renting one of the season collections before shelling out money for this wonderful box set. However, if you have been a longtime fan and are itching to have every episode to own, then this is the way to go.

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Monday, January 25th, 2010

TV on DVD: “Black Adder Remastered: The Ultimate Edition”

by Scott Malchus

Writing a thorough review of Blackadder is difficult as it’s not your typical comedy program. The series, which helped make stars out of actor Rowan Atkinson and writer/director Richard Curtis, was produced for four seasons between 1983 and 1989, as well as several well regarded specials. Each season took place during a different period of English history, beginning with the Middle Ages in season one and finishing up in World War I for the fourth and final season. The four separate seasons are not tied together other than the fact that Atiknson stars as the main character and Tony Robinson co-stars as his abused sidekick, Baldrick. Blackadder also featured breakout performances by Stephen Fry, Miranda Richardson and Hugh Laurie in supporting roles and it is considered one of the seminal British comedies of all time. This new box set from the BBC contains every episode and each special, all digitally remastered for the first time, as well as new bonus materials never before featured on previous video releases.

Here is a brief overview of each series. As stated, The Black Adder (Series 1) takes place during the Middle Ages. In it, Atkinson is Prince Edmund, the ill begotten second son of King Richard IV. After his father is made king, Edmund, a lazy, sniveling nitwit, believes he can weasel his way into someday becoming king by outsmarting his older brother, Harry (Robert East) and fooling his father (a booming Brian Blessed). Of course, none of his plans succeed and Edmund, who has dubbed himself “The Black Adder,” proves himself a fool by the end of each episode. Assisting him in his schemes are Baldrick (Robinson) a dirty, sneaky servant, and Lord Percy Percy (Tim McInnerny).

Blackadder II is set during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (late 1500’s), with the Queen played by Richardson. In the second series, Edmund’s characteristics have changed. No longer is he a bumbling idiot, but instead, Atkinson’s Lord Blackadder is a cunning Macheveilian character trying to woo the Queen. Stephen Fry joined the cast as Lord Melchett; Robinson and McInnerny returned as characters bearing the same namesakes and responsibilities as the previous season. Blackadder II saw a shift in tone from the first season, most notably in Edmund’s character. No longer was he a sniveling dolt, but instead a smartass with a knack for witty wordplay. Blackadder II is also significant in that Ben Elton came on board as co-writer with Richard Curtis. The two men found a balance of slapstick and subtlety that was lacking in the first season. They would work on the remaining series together, shaping it into a classic.

Blackadder the Third finds the series set during the late 1700’s and early 1800’s, when King George III was deemed unfit to rule and his son, the Prince of Wales, acted as regent. He was known as the Prince Regent (one thing about this show is that it makes you bone up on World History). In this series, Edmund (Atkinson) is the butler to the Prince Regent (Laurie), who is portrayed as a foppish idiot. Baldrick is back again, as an underling to Edmund, making him practically a peasant (McInnerny opted out of the third series). As the prince is a buffoon, it’s up to Edmund to advice him on matters of the state. By the end of the third series run, Edmund is actually running the kingdom, posing as the prince. Laurie is hilarious; this box set is worth checking out simply as a reminder that he is a gifted comedian as well as a brilliant dramatic actor.

Blackadder Goes Forth was the final series. It takes place in the trenches of World War I. Unlike the previous series, this 4th season has an air of dread that hangs over the proceedings. The seriousness of war and the unknown fate of these characters makes Blackadder Goes Forth, by far, the best of all of them.  Atkinson is Captain Blackadder, whose only goal serving on the frontline is to survive. Thus, he creates schemes to get removed front, schemes that invariably backfire.  His comrades in the trench are Laurie as Lieutenant George, a bumbling, though well intentioned twit, and Robinson as Private Baldrick, who functions as Captain Blackadder’s principle servant. Ruling from safe confines, far away from the bombs and gunfire are General Melchett, a sly, even sinister commanding officer played by Fry, and his secretary, Captain Darling, portrayed by a returning McInnerny. Series four contains the same witty and physical humor that the series is known for, but it is also a biting commentary about war and power. The final episode, in which the main characters prepare for a suicide charge on their enemy, is bittersweet; the final moments are moving and powerful.

This handsomely packaged DVD collection comes with an abundance of special features. Included are two Blackadder specials (which aired between series 3 and 4), plenty of entertaining commentary that appears on DVD for the first time, interviews with the principal cast, an hour long documentary to mark the 25th Anniversary of Blackadder, and much more.  For those of you who yearn for comedy that takes risks, this is a series you should check out. And for those of you who have already been fans of Blackadder, but who have never bought any of their seasons on DVD, I recommend either buying or renting the box set. You will not be disappointed.

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Sunday, January 17th, 2010

TV on DVD: “Glee, Vol. One: Road to Sectionals”

by Scott Malchus

The first 13 episodes of Fox’s new hit musical series, Glee, released here in a 4 DVD set, are an entertaining, yet wildly inconsistent group of episodes that sees the show finding its footing. As many of you probably know, Glee is a high concept show about a group of misfits at an Ohio high school who come together to form a glee club. It’s entertaining because the producers have been able to license popular songs, both current and classic, and somehow fit them into the storyline of each hour. Moreover, the characters are all quite likable and very easy to root for. However, the quality of the show’s writing is all over the place. There are episodes that deal with sexual identity, disability, teen pregnancy and marital strife that are so heartfelt and true that you come away hoping that Glee is the next Friday Night Lights (albeit, with singing football players). These standout episodes are generally followed by an hour that is so eye rolling ridiculous that you’ll think you’ve stumbled into an episode of the current run of Grey’s Anatomy.

Yet, I can’t help watching.

It’s that hope that you’ll come across one of the great episodes that kept me going.  I’m thinking of “Preggers” in which the flamboyant character Curt (Chris Colfer) comes out to his mechanic father (Mike O’Malley). Curt’s father’s reaction is both surprising and wonderful; a great reason to follow the show. Another exceptional episode was “Wheels.” In it glee club supervisor, Will (lead Matthew Morrision), learns that budget cuts will prevent wheelchair bound member, Artie (Kevin McHale), from riding to competitions with the rest of the group because the school can’t afford a handicap accessible bus. Will asks the club to raise money and spend time in wheelchairs to get a small understanding of Artie’s life.  This was a moving and serious hour of television accompanied with some exciting musical arrangements.

However, off setting the finer points of the series are ridiculous subplots, most notably the fake pregnancy of Will’s wife, Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig). Fearing she may lose her husband to the fetching fellow teacher he pines for, Terri lies to Will, telling him she’s with child. This charade goes on for months and Will actually believes her. I almost threw my remote at the television because of this preposterous storyline. Thankfully the writers wisely decided to end this storyline and, in one moment of brilliant acting by Morrison, Will puts Terri in her place. This episode,“Mattress,” is the second to last episode on this collection; it is exceptional. In fact, by the last three episodes of the first part of season 1, Glee found the right mix of comedy, drama and musical choices.

As I mentioned above, all of the characters are likable and this cast of mostly unknowns are all fine discoveries by the producers (who include Nip/Tuck’s Ryan Murphy).  Glee is on hiatus until April and it’s my hope that the writers and producers will look back on the first 13 episodes to review what worked and what doesn’t.

Included on this DVD set are a group of trivial bonus features. There are a couple of informative featurettes about the casting of the series and also two full versions of songs featured in the wonderful pilot episode (one by show breakout star, Lea Michele). However, the rest of the bonus features are 2-3 minute clips, primarily footage featured in promo material for Glee. Should a full edition of the first season see a release someday, I expect we’ll at least get some commentary by Murphy and his other producers, as well as a more in depth look at how the show is put together. For now, the only real reason to buy this collection is for the episodes themselves.

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Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

TV on DVD: “Andy Barker, P.I.: The Complete Series”

by Scott Malchus

AndyBarkerPIAndy Barker, P.I. was, by far, my favorite new series to premiere during the winter of 2007. Andy Richter’s second foray into half-hour comedy was a hybrid comedy/mystery series, co-created by executive producers Conan O’Brien and Jonathan Groff. Although a critical darling, it only lasted six episodes before vanishing from the air. Luckily, the smart people at Shout! Factory have chosen to release the entire series on this new 2-disc DVD set. In addition to each episode containing commentary by Groff and at least two cast members, there are excellent bonus features including a look back at the show with interviews with all the major players.

Richter stars as the titular character, a nerdy accountant who has always succeeded in life. When he opens a private practice in an L.A. strip mall, Andy expects business to take off. It doesn’t. Instead, he waits patiently for the hours to pass before returning home to his loving, perky wife, Jenny (Ellen’s Clea Lewis). At the strip mall, Andy quickly befriends Simon, the manager of a video store (played by the hilarious Tony Hale, late of Arrested Development) and Wally (Marshall Manesh) an Afghani restaurant owner.  In the pilot, a woman mistakes Andy for Lew Staziak, a retired private investigator that used to occupy the storefront where Andy now runs his office. Although he tries to convince the woman he’s no private dick, the money she slaps down in front of him — and the intrigue of being a gumshoe — is too thrilling to pas up. Simon, a walking encyclopedia of old movies, comes along as Andy’s sidekick. Eventually Andy runs into Lew Staziak (Fargo’s Harve Presnell), and the retired tough as nails P.I. becomes Andy’s mentor. (more…)

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Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

TV on DVD: “Blood Ties: Season Two”

by Scott Malchus

BloodTies_S2If vampires, mysteries and romance are your thing, you can do much worse than Blood Ties, the supernatural drama that aired on Lifetime in 2007. The second season collection contains the final nine episodes on three DVDs.

Blood Ties stars Christina Cox as Vicki Nelson, a former cop turned private investigator. Her partner is a hunky, ageless vampire named Henry Fitzroy (Kyle Schmid). The two of them are hired to solve crimes that are out of the ordinary (demons, cat people, etc) and sometimes get brought in by Vicki’s old police partner and lover, Mike Celluci (Dylan Neal). Although all three are “friends,” there are lingering feelings between Mike and Vicki, feelings that make Henry a bit jealous. Likewise, Mike isn’t too sure how he feels about his ex hanging out with a bloodsucking bo-hunk. This strange romantic triangle makes for some light moments in between the X-Files-esque cases that form the basis for the plots of Blood Ties.

Nelson is a no-nonsense, hard nosed detective; she’s not afraid of anything. It’s this quality in her that makes her attractive to both men. Of the two, she seems more drawn to Henry and seems open to the idea of living forever. However, Henry knows that should he give her the gift of eternal life, their love will evaporate; he will have cursed Vicki into watching her friends and family die. This makes Henry one of the most sensitive vampires I’ve seen since Brat Pitt bared his fangs in Interview with a Vampire (this show did come out long before Twilight and The Vampire Diaries). Henry is no pushover and is quite protective of Vicki, as is Mike. The tough guy detective draws many stares and places his career in jeopardy by constantly going to Vicki for help. Some begin to question his sanity as he lets slip his belief in the supernatural. (more…)

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Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

TV on DVD: “The Life & Times of Vivienne Vyle” and “People Like Us: The Complete Series”

by Scott Malchus

Reality television is always open to satire and there have been many fine examples of the genre getting sent up (The Office and Arrested Development are two shows that come to mind). The BBC recently released two of their reality television satires on DVD — one worth checking out, and one a disappointment.

51ftxdvc9pL._SS500_The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle comes from the mind of the talented Jennifer Saunders, one half of the hilarious Absolutely Fabulous. Saunders plays a talk show host whose show would fit perfectly between airings of Jerry Springer and Ricki Lake. In the first of the three episodes on the DVD, Vivienne is crushed under an overweight crew member when a segment on her show goes wrong. Vivienne experiences an epiphany and decides that she wants to veer into Oprah territory and move away from the kind of trash television she helps perpetuate. Problem is, none of her people, who include her longtime/gay companion, Jared (Conleth Hill) and her drug-addicted producer, Helena (Miranda Richardson), want her to change. They all know her show is a cash cow and don’t see any reason to disrupt the status quo. But Vivienne persists and changes are made.

Saunders is dedicated as the diva Vyle and her supporting cast is top notch (the cast also includes Jason Watkins as Dr. Fowler, a psychologist roped into working on the show). Direction of the show is fine and all technical aspects are held to a high standard. The problem with The Live and Times of Vivienne Vyle is that the writing tries to be biting and dark, but I found the show tedious. (more…)

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Monday, October 19th, 2009

TV on DVD: “New Tricks: Season One”

by Scott Malchus

NewTricks_S1New Tricks: Season One (2009, BBC)
purchase from Amazon: DVD

Call it Cold Case for the retired crowd. The BBC’s mystery series New Tricks doesn’t break any new ground as far as procedural dramas go and the whodunit aspect may not have you on the end of your seat, but the series has an interesting premise and a charming cast of eccentrics that really clicks.

Amanda Redman (so great in Sexy Beast) plays Superintendent Sandra Pullman, an excessively competitive Scotland Yard detective whose career was on the upswing until an unfortunate dog-shooting incident during a hostage rescue. It wasn’t the dog that derailed her career, it was that the hostage leaped from a window and wound up in a body cast. The embarrassment to the police leads to a demotion, of sorts. Pullman is assigned to lead the Unsolved Crime and Open Case Squad, a new division made up of retired detectives.

The first person she approaches for her new team is Jack Halford (James Bolam) her old boss and mentor. A well respected member of the force before stepping down off, Jack is a widower still grieving over the death his beloved wife, Mary. He lives a lonely life in a big house where Mary is buried in the back yard. After long days Jack can be seen conversing with his dead wife, seeking her advice, needing her comfort. These scenes are touching, but Bolam doesn’t milk them for tears. In fact, some scenes are often humorous as he details the shenanigans of his new crime-fighting endeavor. (more…)

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Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

TV on DVD: “It’s Always Sunny in Phladelphia Season 4″

by Scott Malchus

ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhil_S4

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is the twisted spawn of Seinfeld. Much like NBC’s beloved sitcom, the show centers around four friends (three males and a female). In this case, they run a bar in Philly while carrying on their egocentric lives. Although the set up is similar to Jerry and company, the tone is more like Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm: The people are primarily out for themselves. The characters, Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Dee (Kaitlin Olson), Charlie (Charlie Day) and Mac (Rob McElhenney) are all close friends, but that doesn’t mean they’re above abusing each other and double crossing one another to get what they want. I used to watch the show regularly in its first two seasons but my viewing habits changed and I got tired of the conniving and abuse that the four characters threw at each other. Moreover, when Danny DeVito joined the cast as Frank, I didn’t feel like it clicked.

Watching the few episodes provided for me from the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 4 DVD box set, I wish I had stuck with it. The show had me doubled over in laughter and I couldn’t get the damn songs from “The Nightman Cometh” episode out of my head. In that particular episode, Charlie writes a musical and casts the gang in his play. “The Nightman Cometh” was so popular among the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia fanbase that when a live production of the play within the show was performed live at the Troubadour in Los Angeles, the two performances sold out in 10 minutes. Not bad for a cult show that airs on FX. (more…)

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Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

TV on DVD: “Life on Mars: The Complete Series”

by Scott Malchus

lomuscoverLife on Mars: The Complete Series (2009, ABC Studios/Buena Vista)
purchase from Amazon: DVD

Being a fan of the original BBC version of Life on Mars, I was leery of the ABC version when it premiered last fall. I loved the original show, an intriguing amalgam of science fiction and ’70s era cop shows. With great stories and a fantastic cast, I was worried — very, very worried — that once ABC got their hands on it they would fuck it up.

However, show producers Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec and Scott Rosenberg were big fans of the BBC show, as well, and set out to maintain the mystery, tragedy and fun of the original. Looking back on the entire series contained in this box set, I’m happy to say that they met the challenge.

Jason O’Mara stars as Sam Tyler, a New York detective in 2008 who gets hit by a car and knocked unconscious. When he comes to, Tyler is blown away to discover that he’s awoken in the year 1973. Has he been shot back in time? Is he in a coma? The only way he can get to the bottom of his predicament is to explore his surroundings and look for clues on how he can get back to 2008, where he belongs. Tyler finds his way to the 125 precinct and is immediately met by Lt. Gene Hunt (Harvey Keitel), a ball-busting, whiskey-drinking commander who plays by his own rules. Tyler is amazed that he’s been expected as the new detective arriving to work in the 125. His presence causes a stir in the squad room. Detective Ray Carling (a long-haired, mustached Michael Imperioli) hates him; junior detective Chris Skelton (Jonathan Murphy) looks up to him, and uniformed policewoman Annie Norris (Gretchen Moll) is attracted to him. Tyler could give a shit about any of their feelings because he just wants to get home. Yet as the series progresses and he gets to know these people, figments of his mind or not, he begins to care for them. (more…)

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