DVD Reviews
By G. Michael Dobbs
Managing Editor
Two really interesting television series are covered in this week's DVD column.
The Job
Boy, do I like this show! Aired in 2001 and 2002, the half-hour comedy about a Manhattan detective with "issues" was praised by critics, but thanks to an erratic broadcast schedule never caught on with audiences. Perhaps now it will as all 19 episodes have been collected by Shout Factory in a four-disc set.
Denis Leary co-created the show and starred as Det. Mike McNeil, a fast-talking rule-breaking cop who is going through his mid-life crisis. To soothe his angst, he's cheating on his wife and self-medicating himself with pain pills and Irish whiskey. He is surrounded by some equally interesting officers including the constantly eating Frank Harrigan played by Lenny Clark, the maternal and disapproving Det. Jan Fendrich, (Diane Farr), two novice detectives (John Ortiz and Julian Acosta) and his long-suffering partner (Bill Nunn) who is trying to keep him on the straight and narrow.
I'm convinced that if this show had been on HBO it would have been a huge hit. Leary knows how to play a guy who is basically reprehensible and yet very human.
This isn't a show for kids, by the way. The language and subject matter is a bit rough at times, but it's completely within the context of the stories.
The special features include commentaries from Leary and co-creator Peter Tolan, a recent interview with the two creators about what happened with the show and a gag reel.
This is exactly the kind of set to have on-hand when there is nothing on those 100 channels you've got on the dish.
For more information, go to www.shoutfactory.com.
Waterhole #3
Comic director Blake Edwards (the Pink Panther series, Victor/Victoria) produced this satiric adult western but he, the director and the writers clearly missed the mark. This film isn't a bit funny and is in fact amazingly offensive.
Again I wonder just why the execs at Paramount Home Entertainment chose this particular film to drag out of the vaults and release on DVD. It was not a major success when it was released in 1967 and its stars (James Coburn and Carroll O'Connor) are not so bright that even a minor part of their work such as this deserves a second look.
My objection is that the filmmakers make a running gag out of a rape. I think that's all I have to say.
Sexist and offensive, avoid Waterhole #3.
Jamie's Kitchen
My wife hates most reality shows, but she was intrigued by this one enough that we watched all 340 minutes over a weekend. Part cooking show, part documentary and part soap opera, Jamie's Kitchen shows what happens when British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver (The Naked Chef) decides to take 15 unemployed young people and turn them during the course of a year into chefs.
Oliver risked everything he owns by creating a restaurant in which the he and the young people would work. The results are quite fascinating and speak to the nature of celebrity and how people react to an opportunity.
It's very compelling viewing.
For more information, go to www.capitalent.com
Team America World Police: Uncensored and Unrated
Okay, this version of the hit comedy is definitely not for everyone as the few seconds cut in order to reach an "R" rating have been restored. Once you see them you will never look at puppets the same way again.
Trust me.
The footage can not be described in this newspaper, but suffice it to say that within the context of the careers of Matt Stone and Trey Parker (South Park), it's not that unexpected.
This outrageous parody of big budget action films and contemporary politics hit both the left and the right pretty equally. Stone and Parker don't seem to have any particular views they just aim their gun at everyone.
Although Parker said in one of the numerous extras that they used puppets because they hate actors, I think the real reason is that puppets are considered a juvenile form of entertainment (just like animation) and juxtaposing adult behavior with dolls on strings is just funny.
I laughed a lot at this film, although I admit I felt just a tad guilty afterwards.
For more information, log onto www.paramount.com/homeentertainment
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