This month's TV highlights featuring Ren and Stimpy: The Lost Episodes, The Incredible Hulk: The Complete First Season and Chappelle's Show: The Lost Episodes
July TV Highlights: Ren and Stimpy: The Lost Episodes, The Incredible Hulk: The Complete First Season and Chappelle's Show: The Lost Episodes
Directors: Various
Producers: Various
Writers: Various
Features: * Commentaries * Interviews * Bonus Episodes * Deleted Scenes * Featurettes * Unaired Sketches
Characters:
Various
Genre: Comedy
Review:
Hello again avid DVDFuture readers. The format here won’t be the same as typical DVDFuture style; it will be similar to the lump review style I've worked with in the past. We will be making this the standard for TV reviews. If you have any comments about this new format, please let me know. Enjoy!
BELATED JULY TV HIGHLIGHTS:
Ren and Stimpy: The Lost Episodes
Back in the day I was a huge Ren and Stimpy fan. I watched the show whenever it was on; I collected toys, CDs and comics as well as games and other merchandise. I was saddened when Ren and Stimpy disappeared after only a few short years on the air. I was anxious to see this set of lost episodes mainly because they offered the promise of new and exciting episodes of one of my favorite cartoons of all time.
Sadly, like a lot of fans out there, I was disappointed by these four lost episodes. Sure, the animation is still top notch and most of the original folks behind the old show are here, but something just isn’t right. Perhaps it’s merely because I’ve grown up and moved on to better things and old Ren and Stimpy haven’t. Who really knows, but the end result of these four episodes is arguably mixed.
The two-disc DVD is loaded with tons of special features, mainly interviews with the show’s writers, creators and animators. It’s nice to see, after these years, people still very passionate about writing and animating Ren and Stimpy cartoons. I myself even know an artist or two inspired by the wacky toon. Two additional, reworked episodes are also included for a total of six episodes.
Show Scorecard:
As entertainment: * * 1/2
As a show: * *
Overall: * *
DVD Scorecard:
Video: 8
Audio: 7
Extras: 8.5
Overall: 8
Unrated.
* Running Time: 169 Minutes
* List Price: $26.99
* Available on DVD: July 18th 2006.
The Incredible Hulk: The Complete First Season
The Incredible Hulk is probably one of my all-time favorite shows I watched when I was a kid, even more than He-Man which runs a close second. I still have vivid memories of watching David Bruce Banner Hulk it out to save the day. I remember thinking that the Hulk was really scary (he still is).
This first season contains some of the best episodes of the series, particularly the pilot which, of course, sets the mood for the whole series. The show was rarely very intelligent and often it bares very little resemblance to the comic that inspired it. I’m sure today the show would only last a few episodes before being cancelled, but that’s part of the show’s charm; it’s cheesy, but a lot of fun to watch, even today.
This first season four DVD set runs a little thin in the extras department. There is a commentary on the first episode after the pilot. The pilot movie is also included. Finally, there’s a bonus episode from season two, which concerns me. Will Universal be releasing future boxed sets or is this it? Let’s hope Universal keeps these fantastic DVDs coming.
Show Scorecard:
As entertainment: * * * 1/2
As a show: * * *
Overall: * * *
DVD Scorecard:
Video: 6
Audio: 5
Extras: 5
Overall: 7
Unrated.
* Running Time: 692 Minutes
* List Price: $39.98
* Available on DVD: July 18th 2006.
Chappelle’s Show: The Lost Episodes
It’s not entirely clear why Dave Chappelle left his popular hit Comedy Central Show, but some of the sketches contained within the show’s failed third season display evidence as to why. The answer seems to be that Dave just couldn’t handle the pressure of a 50 million dollar contract. It ruined all of his creativity and forced him into an alleged pseudo-mental breakdown.
That’s not to say that these lost episodes are entirely awful, rather they lack the spark of the first and second season. There are really only two or three sketches worth watching, particularly the revenge sketch, the Tupac song and Dave’s Cribs sketch. Everything else is fairly weak. I wish Chappelle would have come back to his show. Sure there was pressure, but walking out on a show and a 50 million dollar payday is just so unprofessional. I can’t blame Comedy Central for airing these episodes or for selling this DVD. What he did was shameful.
Despite his absence, this DVD is still quite packed. All the episodes are uncensored and episode two runs several minutes longer than its broadcast version. There are commentaries on all three episodes. It’s fairly obvious that the show’s producer, Neal Brennan is sick of talking about the controversy. There’s also the usual batch of unaired sketches, deleted scenes and bloopers as well as a making-of featurette and unaired musical performances. Fans of the series should check this disc out, even if you’re bitter about it.
Show Scorecard:
As entertainment: * * * 1/2
As a show: * * *
Overall: * * *
DVD Scorecard:
Video: 8
Audio: 7
Extras: 8.5
Overall: 8
Unrated.
* Running Time: 68 Minutes
* List Price: $24.99
* Available on DVD: June 25th 2006.
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----R. L. Shaffer