Category: TV DVDs (Page 20 of 54)

JAG: The Eighth Season

Although it ran for a staggering ten seasons over the course of its time on NBC, who canceled it after a single season, and CBS, who no doubt spent the next nine seasons patting themselves on the back for having the foresight to pick up the show, I gotta tell you: I’ve repeatedly tried and consistently failed to find myself intrigued by the exploits of Captain Harmon “Harm” Rabb and and Lieutenant Colonel Sarah “Mac” MacKenzie. For the most part, Season 8 of the series is no exception. It’s not bad, but I’m just “meh” about it. And, yet, as an “NCIS” fan, I cannot help but deny that, for those who share my appreciation of the adventures of Leroy Gibbs and his gang, it’s totally worth owning “JAG: Season 8” to see the pair of episodes which introduced the characters of Gibbs, DiNozzo, Abby, and Ducky. Yes, sometimes we forget, but “NCIS” was indeed a spin-off of “JAG,” and one which, at least as far as I’m concerned, outshines its original source, but the mere fact that it originated here is a reason to offer up at least a three-star rating.

Click to buy “JAG: The Eighth Season”

One Piece: Season One, Fourth Voyage

The final volume of “One Piece: Season One” ends the Straw Hats’ early adventures in much the same way that they began: with a solid mix of action, comedy and great storytelling. This is why I fell in the love with the show in the first place, so it’s nice to see that despite some rather lackluster episodes in the middle, “One Piece” has returned to form. In Fourth Voyage, Luffy escapes his watery grave to defeat Arlong, but just as the Straw Hats are making their way to the Grand Line, they discover that they’ve become wanted men. Stopping off at Logue Town (Gold Roger’s final resting place) to pick up supplies for their journey, the crew encounters plenty of adversity along the way. Luffy’s bounty is challenged by a Marine captain named Smoker; Zoro faces off against a swordswoman named Tashigi; Usopp unknowingly talks himself into a duel with famous bounty hunter Daddy the Father; and Sanji competes in a cooking competition to win a rare fish. Additionally, Buggy the Clown has returned with a new partner in tow (Alvida, newly endowed with powers from the Smooth-Smooth Devil Fruit) to exact revenge. Some might complain that not enough happens in this volume, but I would disagree. While there’s only one major battle to speak of (Luffy vs. Arlong, which is by far the best part about the entire Fishman Saga), the rest of the episodes do a great job of setting up Season Two. It only looks to get better from here, so let’s hope Funimation doesn’t make us wait too long between releases.

Click to buy “One Piece: Season One, Fourth Voyage”

Ron White: Behavioral Problems

While those who follow comedy continue to speculate about Ron White’s mysterious absence from Comedy Central’s recent roast of White’s Blue Collar touring mate Larry the Cable Guy – some suspect it was due to his arrest for marijuana possession last September, though drug use hasn’t stopped the network from inviting Gary Busey, Andy Dick or Courtney Love to participate – his latest concert special, “Behavioral Problems,” provides at least an unofficial answer to that question. Simply put, White is playing a competely different sport than the other three, and this routine, recorded in Seattle, is as funny as anything White has served up to date. His arrest even serves as fodder for his act (“This was Florida; these cops drove by three meth labs and a dead hooker just to get there”), as well as a lawsuit he was served by a pungent paper company in Houston (“two million people could smell this plant. If it were music, and two million people could hear it, they’d tell ’em to turn it the fuck off”). The funniest moments come when he messes up his routine, causing White to riff and even poke fun at the lack of funny in some of his punch lines. His material leans a bit more on sex this time around, but his gift for storytelling saves even the most obvious of his jokes. The DVD also contains three bits excised from the final concert (all of which are as funny as what made the final cut), and one bit of White telling stories at a bar after the show. Twenty-some years after his stand-up debut, White seems to just be getting warmed up.

Click to buy “Ron White: Behavioral Problems”

Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! – Season 2

There aren’t many shows that can, in the span of fifteen minutes, consistently make you want to laugh, hurl, and stare blankly at the screen in equal measure. As such, “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!” continues to deserve our respect, but it also can prove to be an extremely frustrating viewing experience if you’re not on precisely the same comedic wavelength as Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim. Though comparisons to “Mr. Show” are inevitable, particularly when both David Cross and Bob Odenkirk make appearances, Tim and Eric tend to get way, way, way out there with their comedic concepts. The cable-access feel of the show aids them in getting away with any oddities their minds can conceive, whether it’s Richard Dunn interviewing Dave Navarro, the comedy stylings of James Quall, or the gospel according to Dr. Steve Brule (played by John C. Reilly), but for every hilarious TV show parody like “The Snuggler” are funny, there’s a too-gross bit like Bradley Michael Fahrtz advertising the Poop Tube. As a result, you find yourself both attracted to and repelled by the show, which is probably exactly the sort of reaction that Tim and Eric were looking for. As for the DVD set, there are a wealth of special features, including deleted scenes, outtakes, footage from the show’s official fan gathering (Awesomecon 2008), and a 45-minute-long featurette which documents the guys’ 2008 tour. But, really, the whole set is worth getting just so you can watch and listen to “Petite Feet” over and over again.

Watch more Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job! videos on AOL Video

Click to buy “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! – Season 2”

Baccano!: Volume Two

The second volume of “Baccano!” certainly isn’t as good as the first, but that’s to be expected considering the episodes included mostly serve as build-up for the events to come. In fact, while the series strives on the unconventionality of its storytelling, Episode Seven is actually quite traditional – a flashback that takes place in 1711 when the elixir of immortality was discovered on the Advenna Avis. It’s here that the audience learns how the elixir first came into the possession of humans, as well as the many rules that come with becoming an immortal. Perhaps the most important of these is that whenever someone who has drank the elixir finally wishes to die, only a fellow immortal has the power to “devour” him – which is a nice way of saying sucking his soul. We also get our first look at the Rail Tracer in action, Firo is welcomed into the Camorras after a ceremony involving a knife fight with Maiza, and Jacuzzi steps up to take control of the Flying Pussyfoot, despite his habit of breaking down and crying. Those that were confused by the first few episodes will probably be able to make better sense of Volume Two (though you still won’t be able to put a face to every name) and it’s a worthy reward for having the tenacity to stick around. “Baccano!” isn’t for everyone, but just because it’s smarter than the average anime doesn’t mean the average fan won’t enjoy it.

Click to buy “Baccano!: Volume Two”

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