The Office: Seasons One and Two (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)Remaking movies is bad enough, but remaking TV shows is even worse -- when that happens, there's ninety-nine atrocious shows for one good one.
But "The Office" is that one in a hundred that's good. Scratch that -- it's that one in a million that is AS GOOD as the Ricky Gervais series it sprang from, while still having its own unique flavour. "The Office: Seasons One & Two" brings together the first half-season and the full second season, which are full of outrageous corporate disasters filmed in a mockumentary style. It's absolutely sidesplitting.
The action takes place at the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin (a paper corporation), presided over by Michael Scott (Steve Carell), a wannabe comic who claims to be a pal to all the people under him, despite driving them all up the wall. There's also the "fascist nerd" Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson), bored everyman Jim Halpert (John Krasinski), and the beautiful secretary Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer), whom Jim hopelessly longs for.
In the first season, Michael is ordered to do some downsizing, which he spends the whole season trying to avoid. In the meantime, Jim and Pam spend a great deal of time mocking the rigid Dwight, even starting an "alliance" with him, Survivor-style. And the Scranton employees are faced with a disastrous basketball game, Michael's version of a diversity seminar, a sexy purse salesgirl, and (most horribly) a Dwight-planned health care package.
The downsizing problem continues well into the second season, where the Scranton employees are faced with more "typical" corporate problems -- workplace awards (the "Dundies"), sexual harassment, a workplace fire, email spying, Secret Santa, drug testing ("Do you want to give Michael your urine?"), a house party Michael isn't invited to, sales conventions, and "Take Your Daughter To Work" Day that ends in a disaster.
Of course, all these are given a more bizarre twist by Michael's constant attempts to make the office a "fun" place (stealing Christmas gifts!!), and Dwight's equally peculiar antics (a public speech using lines from Hitler and Mussolini... courtesy of Jim). In the meantime, Jim's feelings for Pam get more cumbersome as her engagement slowly creeps toward marriage with the loutish Roy, and Michael enters a sort-of-relationship with his exasperated boss Jan.
Don't expect a typical sitcom in "The Office." No laughtracks. No punch lines. No gag humor... well, okay there's some. And no episode has a clear-cut ending. Instead, we have the format seen in "This is Spinal Tap" and the Christopher Guest mockumentaries -- hidden cameras watching the madness. And what those cameras see is enough to make the world's cubicle-dwellers cry, because it's all so familiar... yet so twisted.
The first season (which is rather short at only six episodes) is also heavily flavoured with the British series' humour, right down to the stapler-in-Jell-O joke. But most of the humor belongs to this show alone -- loads of pranks from Jim and Pam ("That's spontaneous dental hydroplosion"), horrendously awkward problems (Dwight trying to find drugs in the office) and intertwined storylines about office romance and conflict.
But the best part is the dialogue -- deadpan, unspeakably funny dialogue, on any topic ("I need a username, and... I have a great one. 'Little Kid Lover.' That way people will know exactly where my priorities are at").
Steve Carell has some big shoes to fill, but his earnestly manic, unconsciously offensive Michael Scott makes a brilliant boss that you would sell a kidney to avoid working under. Wilson is equally brilliant as the totally bizarre dork Dwight ("Last year I came to work with my spud-gun in a duffle bag"), while Krasinski and Fischer are quite likable as the mischievous everyman and his soul-mate (who is unhappily engaged to another man).
More subtle and yet goofier than just about any other American sitcom, "The Office" translates British humour into a great post-mockumentary comedy. Funny, witty, and horrifyingly true to life, the first two seasons are a treasure.

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Steve Carell (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, The Daily Show) stars in The Office, a fresh and funny mockumentary-style glimpse into the daily interactions of the eccentric workers at the Dunder Mifflin paper supply company. Based on the smash-hit British series of the same name and adapted for American Television by Greg Daniels (King of the Hill, The Simpsons), this fast-paced comedy parodies contemporary American water-cooler culture. Earnest but clueless regional manager Michael Scott (Carell) believes himself to be an exceptional boss and mentor, but actually receives more eye-rolls than respect from his oddball staff. Entertainment Weekly calls The Office "smart and trenchant," and all six hilarious season one episodes are available here on DVD for the first time. The awkward silences in The Office will have you laughing out loud!It's time to clock in for Season Two of The Office, the comically honest look at the world of white-collar employment. Steve Carell (The 40-Year-Old Virgin) won a Golden Globe for his role as Michael Scott, the sometimes pathetic but always hilarious regional manager of Dunder-Mifflin paper supply company. Join him and the amazing ensemble cast (Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer and B.J. Novak) as Michael, Dwight, Jim, Pam and Ryan navigate the hidden romance and open absurdity of the business world, from the Christmas party to sexual harassment training to the "Booze Cruise" retreat to the heartbreak of "Casino Night." Developed by Greg Daniels (King of the Hill, The Simpsons), fully staffed with all 22 outrageous episodes and packed with hours of laugh-ot-loud bonus features, The Office: Season Two is the must-own cure for the workday blues.

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My Name Is Earl - Season Two (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)Hi!
I am from germany and was introduced to the "My name is Earl" series through an american friend. So I bought the first season from Amazon in the US and was amazed! I really love the idea that stands behind the series and after a few episodes you get to know and love the characters, too!
The second season shows more background information to the characters and goes deeper into Earl Hickey's universe. I love it! Get both available seasons together, it is a must-have, when you love outstanding comedy!

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Earl continues his mission to right the wrongs heâ??s committed in his life.

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Greg the Bunny - The Complete Series (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)Greg The Bunny.
A show thats sadly remembered for flaming out on Fox TV in the summer of 2002. In reality, it wasn't so much that it wasn't up to par as was the network didn't set it up for success. Fox TV put it after Bernie Mac on Wednesday nights at first. Bernie Mac's demo was not going to stick around and watch GTB. Secondly, only after three weeks of reasonable promotion FOX seemed to write the show off jerking it off for sweeps then finally bringing it back for two weeks to disappear again lastly in "burn off" mode on Sundays at 7:30p for August of 2002.
Its a story of a show that screams it wasn't given a proper shot.
The show itself was brillant in a offkilter way. If you bought into the premise that puppets and people in some strange universe could share the world - it worked. If you couldn't buy into the premise - you hated the show.
Everything revolved around Greg a rabbit handpuppet with button eyes (later creepy glass eyes - FOX exec "suggestion") and his quest to find employment. On a visit to his roomates father's job - a director for fictional kids show "Sweetknuckle Junction" Greg mistakenly ends up auditioning for the program. Insanity and hilariousness ensue. Greg gets the job and the whole premise is set up. The sweetknuckle junction cast is much more jaded and prone to outrageousness than one would've expected.
The show parodied TV itself, TV execs, Childrens TV, actors, puppet love and even dared to spoof some of the sacred cows of our culture - race relations etc.
My personal favorite episode was "Surprise!" Where the cast has to lead a TV Guide reporter around trying to impress her to make Sara Silverman's character happy. Naturally, the cast are being artifical and just plain sucking up to sell the wholesome image they were told to sell. It all leads to Junction Jack's house after its found out it was his birthday and the cast throw a improptu, again to look good for the TV Guide reporter, surprise party at his house. Only it turns out, that Jack the rugged train conductor character prefers a dress and heels occasionally! Jimmy and Greg fighting over who can shmooze the TV Guide reporter thats actually a Lesbian that takes Sarah Silverman home is hilarious too!
In the final analysis, this show wasn't for everyone As a previous reviewer articulated. FOX targeted GTB to teens and to be honest this was not a teen show. There was alot of subtle and adult humor to be had that honestly a teen wouldn't get. It was more matched for its wicked satire to be a heir to the Simpsons throne.
Only if FOX had been smarter in the show's execution and patient they could've had a long running hit. You could've seen stuffed Gregs and Tardys on suction cups looking out car windows.
Alas, though - FOX didn't have the patience for that vision to bare fruit.

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Uncut, uncensored and unrelenting, Greg the Bunny stars Seth Green and Eugene Levy and is rude, crude, and stuffed with attitude. TV wasn’t ready for him. Are you? The complete series on DVD includes two never aired episodes and much more. Puppets are people too!

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The Office: Season Three (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)OK, so it's an imitation of a British show. But it's a good imitation. The Pam/Jim saga is heart breaking and wonderful, the Dwight/Jim hostility is satisfying in a naughty way. The supporting characters are wonderfully real and flawed. Not to single any one of them out, as they're all worth watching (and how often can you say that about such a big cast), but Creed is a scream. How many layers of creepiness can one guy have? I haven't mentioned Michael Scott (Steve Carell) because his obvious comic brilliance is sort of compromised for me by the pain of watching his character in action. It's almost too painful to bear.

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Fill your Inbox with hilarious moments from The Office Season Three in this four-disc collection that's crammed with extensive bonus features and all 22 episodes of the 2006 Primetime Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Comedy Series! Steve Carell is back in his Golden Globe-winning role as earnest but clueless boss Michael Scott, who can't help but contribute his own irreverent commentary to the daily happenings at the Scranton branch of the Dunder Mifflin paper company. As the staff deals with potential office closures, mergers, romances, and advancement, Michael's always there to say all the wrong things at all the right times. Including five supersized episodes and over three hours of deleted scenes, The Office Season Three is packed with classic moments from the show that TIME magazine praises for "satirizing the culture of coffee, cubicles and Chili's with heart and laser precision."

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Undeclared: The Complete Series (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)There are certain television shows that please critics and receive praise from those in the television industry, yet never find a big enough fan base to become truly popular. Arrested Development is such a show today, Freaks and Geeks was another that fit this bill.
Undeclared was certainly a show that was never quite appreciated by audiences, and watching this DVD, it is apparent that people who weren't watching were truly missing out on one of the great looks at college life in modern television.
The show was created by Judd Apatow, the man behind Freaks and Geeks, and now known better as the man behind The 40 Year Old Virgin. Undeclared became his second show in just a few years to last only one year before being cancelled. And it's too bad, because this show really gave a great look at college life.
The show centered around Steven Karp (Jay Baruchel) the typical, nervous freshman, looking to reinvent himself in college, and trying to figure out just who he wanted to be. Baruchel is absolutely perfect in this role. His skinny frame helps his appearance of nervousness and apprehension at every new experience he finds in college. I find myself thinking about people I knew in college, and even of myself a little, and seeing pieces of that in Steven. This was a truly great piece of casting.
Carla Gallo plays Lizzie Exley, the girl of Steven's dreams who happens to live across the hall. While Lizzie is a little more outgoing than Steven, she also is encountering a number of the same problems Steven faces as she enters college. Her biggest issue is her boyfriend, played to perfection by guest star Jason Segel. His jealousness over her friendship and eventual relationship with Steven is a great plot line, one that helps the show stay not only on the college campus, but off it as well.
Monica Keena, who earned distinction as being the first character killed off on Dawson's Creek (Abby Morgan) plays Lizzie's roomate Rachel, the girl who knows she's attractive and uses it to her advantage. Yet at the same time, she can also be the girl next door, much as Lizzie is.
Steven's roomates Lloyd (Charlie Hunnam), Ron (Seth Rogen) and Marshall (Timm Sharp) are truly an eclectic bunch. Lloyd is the charming ladies' man from England, who has absolutely no problems finding ladies. Ron is the resident prankster, often teaming with the others to pick on Steven (in a friendly way). Marshall is the lonely guy, looking for a girl, but really only seeing one, Rachel. The four roomates work very well off each other, each bringing something different to the table.
Christina Payano stars for part of the season as Tina, Lizzie and Rachel''s other roommate. Her character doesn't get a lot of time to develop, as the cancellation stopped any hope for season two.
Legendary folk singer Loudon Wainwright plays Steven's dad, Hal, who breaks the news of his divorce on his son soon after he moves into college. Hal moves close by and eventually starts taking classes on campus, and at one point, even dates one of the RAs in Steven's dorm. He is a constant source of embarrasment for Steven, but at the same time, he is encouraging and supportive of his son.
The show featured guest appearances by a number of great actors. Adam Sandler, Allen Covert, Ben Stiller, Fred Willard, Kevin Hart, Amy Poehler, Will Ferrell, David Krumholtz, Samm Levine, Martin Starr, Busy Phillips, Kimberly Stewart and many others made apperances throughout the season. An obvious connection to Freaks and Geeks is made, as Levine, Phillips, Segel, Starr and Rogen were all regulars on Apatow's former show. These guest characters however, are used very well and make for a well rounded ensemble.
Possibly the best part about this four disc set is the commentaries. Every single regular cast member sat down for at least one commentary, many did more. Apatow and a number of directors and writers also were featured, as were many of the supporting actors who made guest appearances on the show. Like the Freaks and Geeks set, there is a lot of information in these commentaries, and Shout Factory should be commended for getting all the actors together to do these commentaries.
Additionally, there is a Loudon Wainwright concert, a question and answer with cast and crew at the Museum of Television, a script for a second season episode that never existed and audition tapes for the main actors.
This truly is a fine set, with great extras. The high quality of the show made for great television and that fact was captured well in this DVD set.

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From Judd Apatow, Producer of Freaks And Geeksand Staring Jay Baruchel (Million Dollar Baby ), Seth Rogan (Knocked Up) & Charlie Hunnam ( Children Of Men). Experience college life as seen through the eyes of Steven Karp a freshman determined to reinvent himself at a new school. Faced with dilemmas as miserable as being "sexiled" to the rec room while roommates use the bedroom and as dire as confronting a girlfriend s jealous stalker-ex-boyfriend Steven and his new friends tackle the challenges of higher education. Named one of Time Magazine's top ten television shows of 2001 and praised for its "pitch perfect" casting. Undeclared is "one of the cum laude comedies of the new season... sneaky funny hoot with endearingly offbeat characters." (Los Angeles Times)All 17 episodes are included! Special Features 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound A never-before-seen episode Director's cut of popular episode with Ted Nugent 18 commentaries with directors, writers & cast Deleted scenes, auditions, outtakes,rehearsals and extended takes Loudon Wainwright live concert footage Museum of Television & Radio Q&A 28-page booklet Script for unproduced episode

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Monk - Season One (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)I blew it. I didn't start watching this show until it's second season. Little did I know what I was missing.
Tony Shalhoub stars as Adrian Monk, a former police detective no longer on the force because of his obsessive-compulsive disorder and his phobias. He does still consult on some of their most bizarre cases, however. For example, how could an 800-lb. man commit murder? Why was a billionaire killed while mugging a man on a date? Did a fellow airline passenger really kill his wife? How could a man commit murder and run a marathon at the same time?
This series falls into the classic puzzle mystery genre, my personal favorite. Sometimes I have an idea why or how, but it takes the ending for me to know for sure. More often then not, I'm stumped. Along the way, we get plenty of laughs at the various situations we find Mr. Monk in. The obsessive-compulsive disorder and his fears are handled just right. They provide the clues needed and humor without being over the top or annoying.
Of course, the series is helped by its actors. Tony Shalhoub is excellent as Monk with a performance just slightly understated. He deserved his Emmy win for this season. Just as praise worthy is Bitty Schram as Monk's nurse Sharona. She mixes exasperated and compassionate while providing a strong sidekick character that doesn't get lost behind the lead. Ted Levine and Jason Gray-Stanford as the police Monk helps and Stanley Kamel as Monk's shrink are equally excellent.
The writing is sharp and manages to find humor without mocking Monk, a subtle but clear distinction.
This DVD set is great for old and new fans alike. All twelve first season episodes are present, including the previously released two-hour pilot. They're presented in widescreen and look sharp. The sound, while presented in 5.1 surround, is nothing spectacular. Still, it gets the job done. Disc four has some short extras discussing the creation of the show, obsessive-compulsive disorder, the cast and crew's obsessions, the Emmy win, and the casting of Bitty Schram and Ted Levine. I would have loved a commentary track or two and some outtakes, but they aren't to be found here.
While the extras could have been just a tad better, this set is a must have for those who love light mystery. It was nice to catch the cases I'd missed. This is one mystery show you can watch time and time again for the humor and character even if you remember how it ends.

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He’s ingenious, he’s phobic, he’s obsessive-compulsive.Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner "Tony Shalhoub is a riot" (TV Guide) in Monk, the show that critics are praising as "fresh, exciting and utterly original." (Chicago Tribune)Monk’s hilarious, offbeat antics have made him unfit for duty but he’s back as a police consultant to help out on their most baffling cases.The brilliant but neurotic Monk is now fighting crime as well as his abnormal fears of germs, cars, heights, crowds and virtually everything else known to man in "the best detective show to come along in decades." (NY Post) "Nothing on TV generated more fun than this" (LA Times) and now you can enjoy the entire first season of Monk on DVD.

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Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job: Season 2 (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)I grow very tired of having to explain my love for this show to people who seem offended by it's very existence.
To sum it up, dumb it down, and wrap it in a convienent "awkward" little package for people who constantly feel the need to question the merit of this shows humor, I will give examples of WHY the show appeals to me:
1) I enjoy the shows vibrant use of colors. This may seem irrelevant or a ridiculous reason to some, but I find the look of the show to be aesthetically pleasing to my eye. Visually, if I like what I see, that keeps me watching.
2) I enjoy Davin Woods music he creates to accompany certain segments of the show. The man knows what he is doing and is very talented at what he does. Think of the music that accompanies the Cinco commercials, the shows intro, or the hilariously mellodramatic music that plays during the "Damnit" bit of the "Hacky Sack Extreme" skit in Season One.
3) I find that the show brilliantly parodies media. In Paticular, the awkwardness of "live television" (Steve Brule, Married News Team). Local afternoon news shows ("The New You"). Ridiculous "caught on video, candid camera" style shows (Spagett). And last but not least, the shameless companies that will churn out useless products just so you will plunk down your hard earned dollar on crap you could live without (Cinco product commercials). There is loads of subtext here...and if you don't see it, you may be blind.
4) I love the bizarre way that they mix comedy with elements of horror. (Lazy Horse Mattresses, "It's Not Jackie Chan", The Child Clown Safety Video, Maria Bamford's very realistic potrayal of severe mental illness, "Druwing on Drawing" etc.)5) I love the editing style, I am especially a fan of the "Glitch" segments.6) The attention to detail. Any number of segments look like they could have come straight out of 1993, and if taken out of context of the show you would be hard pressed, in some cases, to find evidence proving otherwise.
7) The guys seem like they are genuinely having fun with the show and the universe they have created. They believe in their work, regardless of the many people who just "Don't get it" or "get it but don't like it". I respect that.I could go on and on but you get the idea. While YOU may not like it, and that is your perrogative, many people DO...so much so that the show is on it's 4th season and a 5th season has recently been greenlit.
The show will continue to exist and cause many late night couch potatoes, who haven't joined the fold, to scratch their collective head and wonder "How the hell does anybody find this funny?". If you have ever found yourself asking that question, try not being so offensive and realize that the buck doesn't stop with you. Humor is subjective.

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What do Emmy® nominated Rainn Wilson and Oscar® nominated Jeff Goldblum have in common with Richard Dunn? They are a part of Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!™ Season Two. The 10 episode season also features Spaghetti and Bread...Harritty -- as it takes the audience on a whirlwind tour through unexplored caves of television comedy. Viewers are also encouraged to keep on the lookout for comedian James Quall, as he makes his small screen debut.

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