Category: TV Shows

That Mitchell & Webb Look – Season 1 (Region 2 DVD) Review

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It’s never easy to describe comedy but its easy to say that Mitchell & Webb are a British comedy double act and that the Mitchell and Webb look is a comedy sketch show. While their comedy hasn’t transferred to the States yet you could describe them as the UK’s answer to Andy Dick. Popularity wise.

The show involves a few really good frequently used sketches such as The surprising adventures of Sir Digby Chicken Caesar a homeless guy dressed as Sherlock Holmes with his parter a Watson wannabe in tow. The comedy can be described as semi lowbrow. There is one frequently used sketch that’s just plain annoying called Numberwang. In short is a game show where people call out random numbers. It’s supposed to be funny but thankfully once you know its coming the ever faithful fast forward button comes to the rescue. Mitchell & Webb is a very hit and miss show with a few classic sketches and a large number that take only a single viewing.

There are a number of extras including outtakes, unseen sketches (20 minutes) and a making-of (32 mins). In short it’s better as a rent than as a purchase for the actual comedy sketches but as a documentary piece on making comedy the making of is a really well done thing. Its one of those cases where the extras outshine the material.

Verdict: +

CSI Las Vegas Season 5 Part 2 (Region 2 DVD) Review

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After a very so so beginning to the 5th season the second half of 5 is where things get interesting. If you don’t know CSI and want to catch up you can read the story basics on the previous release reviews on this site. This 5.2 set totals three discs.

The stories include the usual with a number of single episodes and longer storylines. What makes this set stand out from the rest is the inclusion of the two part season ending directed by Quentin Tarantino. That story is about how CSI Nick Stokes gets abducted at a crime scene and buried alive with the other characters trying to find him. At the time this was a new idea but has been copied to death since by shows like Fox’s Bones. It does start out slow but turns into a really good episode and a show highlight. There is only a single scene that shows Tarantino’s involvement in suitably gory style. Apart from that its business as usual.

Extras on the set are numerous in number and include commentary tracks and three featurettes. These are CSI: Season Five a Post Mortem, a talking heads piece with lots of clips. Then there is CSI: Procedures on the Scene and in the Lab. The last called CSI: Tarantino Style is all on Tarantino’s two parter described earlier. All are informative to a point but could be longer.

Verdict: +

Speechless Without Writers

As the Hollywood writer’s strike continues, Hollywood is banning together to create webisodes promoting their cause. One of their latest efforts is Speechless Without Writers. It features Hollywood stars doing one thing that they usually aren’t known for, shutting the F**** UP!

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The videos are funny so enjoy:

CSI Season 5 Part 1 (Region 2) DVD Review

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The beginning of the 5th season is somewhat of a hit and miss. CSI (Las Vegas) is the original CSI show with William Petersen as Gil Grissom the lead character. While a number of loner storylines progress there are two very interesting episodes. Down the Drain shows how a set of bones found in a storm drain results in the team finding a house filled with explosives. 

Then there is Mea Culpa where after evidence changes in a murder case resulting in the team becoming under investigation. 5.1 provides a lot of entertainment value and is worth a look to solid fans of the show. It can also act as a starting point for new ones. There are the usual few episodes that are not worthwhile though so a word of warning should be given. DVD extras include the standard commentary tracks minus key cast members. 

Verdict: +

CSI Miami Season 4 Part 1 (Region 2) DVD Review

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The DVD of the first half of the fourth season provides more questions than answers. CSI Miami stars David Caruso as the lead of a group of crime scene investigators. Season 4 Part 1 entertains using a large number of insulated storylines such as Urban Hellraisers about a group of university students who after playing a GTA style game decide to try scenes from the game for real. Even though anyone who has played a game will feel like shouting at the screen at some of the holes in the games design it’s a good episode.

There are also a few elements that develop into later stories and a few big ones on the three discs that are very interesting. What is a surprise is that there are no real bad episodes in this set. You should expect one or two but in this case it’s hard to find one that could really be considered a bad episode. One storyline has one of the CSI’s receive a nail in the head from nail gun and is about figuring out how it happened from the viewer’s perspective. It’s an episode shown from finish to start so you are just waiting for it to happen in a sort of perverse pleasure. DVD extras include a number of episode commentaries but none by David Caruso which is a shame. 

Verdict: +