Saturday, January 13, 2007

Mini-DVD Review: Beavis and Butt-Head: The Mike Judge Collection

Welcome to another edition of mini-DVD reviews! Today we take a look at MTV/Paramount's Complete Collection of Beavis and Butt-Head. Beavis and Butt-Head of course was the popular MTV animated series which featured the crazy duo. Music videos were also seen on the show. See skees53's mini-DVD review of Beavis and Butt-Head: The Mike Judge Collection:

Beavis and Butt-Head: The Mike Judge Collection (MTV, $124.90) contains 122 of the "best" episodes (keep in mind that each episode is only about 5 minutes, although there are a few that are longer) of the former MTV animation hit, along with several bonus features and the motion picture film, "Beavis and Butt-Head Do America." The set itself is actually comprised of three smaller DVD sets and the movie, all of which had previously been released and are also available separately.

Beavis and Butt-Head: Volume 1 (MTV, $39.98) contains 40 episodes, primarily from the earlier years of the series In this set, we get to see who Beavis and Butt-Head are before they become REALLY stupid. The boys help Mr. Anderson prune a tree (and accidentally cause his whole house to fall down in the process), become friends with an escaped serial killer (and reforms the killer, or "Kyler" as they call him, by getting him to put a tattoo of a butt that has a tattoo of a butt, on their butt), discover the joys of a 1-900 number, get sent back a grade, again and again, until they end up in kindergarten, and try to find oil in the backyard after watching "The Beverly Hillbillies." In Volume 1, the special features include 11 music videos from artists such as Pantera, Korn, Beastie Boys, and a bunch of other artists that are, well, not so well-known. Additionally, this set contains original series promos, appearances from the MTV Video Music Awards, appearances with Kurt Loder on an MTV Thanksgiving special, and Taint of Greatness Part 1, which is the first of a three part series (one part on each volume) that is just interviews with those involved with creating the show.

Beavis and Butt-Head: Volume 2 (MTV, $39.98) contains 40 more episodes, beginning with "Plastic Surgin'" (Beavis and Butt-Head discover that women can get their breasts enlarged, and decide they too want a body part enlarged--I'll let you guess what part) and contains many other great adventures such as the boys getting struck by lightning (after imitating Benjamin Franklin), changing the oil in the fryer at Burger World (with motor oil), creating a video for a video dating service, trying to set up a whiplash scam, taking a field
trip where they can't stop misbehaving on the bus (and nearly kill their teacher because of that), trying to buy a prostitute for less than a dollar, and making a series of prank phone calls. Music videos from Beastie Boys, Pantera, Madonna, Rush, and Radiohead are included on this set. It also includes Part 2 of the Taint of Greatness featurette, appearances from the Butt-Bowl, clips from the MTV 20th Anniversary Special, Calvin Klein ad parodies, Moron-A-Thon (an MTV marathon of the show from several years ago) featuring Snoop Dogg, an unaired segment from VH-1's "I Love the 90's," and original series promos.

Beavis and Butt-Head: Volume 3 (MTV, $39.98) contains the remaining 42 of the "best" episodes. In this set, they save a baby bird, get head lice, visit a lingerie store, pierce their own ears, try to get hurt while playing in a shopping cart (to make money), discover impotence,
get drunk from drinking non-alcoholic beer, and imagine themselves as stars of the show "Leave it to Beaver" in the short titled "Leave it to Beavis." This set also contains the Christmas episodes about the boys, and contains the full-length (22 minute) final episode, "Beavis and Butt-Head Are Dead." It includes music videos from Salt N Pepper, Poison, Sonic Youth, Soundgarden, Alice Cooper, and more. Special Features include Part 3 of the Taint of Greatness featurette, the original uncut "Frog Baseball" episode (this was the pilot), Yule Log clips, letters to Santa Butt-Head, Beavis and Butt-Head interview with Chris Connelly, clips from the 2005 Video Music Awards, and original series promos.

Beavis and Butt-Head Do America (Paramount, $14.99) is the original motion picture about the boys, where they go on a journey across America to find a stolen television. It includes some behind the scenes footage and commentary. It isn't really a great movie, but it is a nice thing to have in this set.

In general, these sets are well-done, and I have to admit, I like having the episodes without the music videos intact. That is not how they originally aired, but I remember recording and fast-forwarding through those videos when the series originally aired. My only complaint is that they didn't include the rest of the episodes (there are roughly 80 more). Apparently, Mike Judge feels that the remaining episodes were "poor quality" and for that reason, they shouldn't be seen. Why not put them out and let us decide if we want to buy them?
Among those 80 episodes, there are definitely some in there that, in my opinion, were better than ones included in these volumes. It is also worth noting that, along the same lines of Mike Judge deciding for us what is a "poor quality" episode, he decided to edit out small scenes on episodes in Volume 1 (due to slight animation errors that the average person would probably never notice) and had the audacity to advertise this a "Director's Cut," as if we were getting more footage! Fortunately this practice didn't take place on Volumes 2 and 3.

This set is definitely worth buying, but if the price tag on the entire series doesn't appeal to you, you may want to consider buying it in smaller chunks, maybe a volume at a time. Actually, if you look on Amazon.com, it is cheaper to buy each volume individually than it is to buy the complete collection! The gold box that is included in the complete collection is somewhat nice, but seriously, does anybody really need that? In any event, you'll want to get this somehow, but don't try anything they would do while trying to get it.
-- Reviewed by skees53
(4.5/5 stars)

To purchase the Complete Collection DVD, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
Or you can buy in Volumes:
Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3
Beavis and Butt-Head Do America


Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com Full DVD Reviews Page
Beavis and Butt-Head TV.com Page


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Monday, July 14

The Neighborhood - "Welcome to Pomp and Circumstance" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Tina and Gemma plan a joint graduation party for Malcolm and Grover, on part one of the hour-long seventh season finale.

The Neighborhood - "Welcome to Venice" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
The Butlers and Johnsons help Malcolm start a new chapter in a new city that, while just across town, is worlds away from the neighborhood, on part two of the hour-long seventh season finale.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of July 14)

Monday, July 14

  • Chris Distefano (Benders) - Chris guest hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso) - Watch Hannah on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Shane Gillis (Tires) - Shane appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Liza Colón-Zayas (The Bear) - Liza is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Jack McBrayer (30 Rock) - Jack appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Paul Feig (Sabrina, the Teenage Witch/The Louie Show/The Jackie Thomas Show/Dirty Dancing) and Anna Kendrick (Love Life) - Paul is a guest and Anna makes a special appearance on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Amy Sedaris (No Activity/Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt/Strangers with Candy) and Dan Levy (Schitt's Creek) - Amy and Dan are guests on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 10pm on Bravo.
  • Julie Bowen (Modern Family/Ed) - Julie chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Jason Priestley (Call Me Fitz/Sister Kate), Vanessa Morgan (The Latest Buzz) and Giacomo Gianniotti (Backpackers/Selfie) - Jason, Vanessa and Giacomo talk about the dramedy Wild Cards on a repeat of Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
  • Malin Akerman (Dollface/Sin City Saints/Trophy Wife/Childrens Hospital) - Malin talks about The Hunting Wives on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Meg Donnelly (American Housewife) - Meg talks about Disney's Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Rosemarie DeWitt (United States of Tara) - Rosemarie and Eric Bana talk about Netflix's Untamed on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

07/14 - CBS Fall 2025 Premiere Dates; HBO and Larry David Team Up Again
07/13 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of July 14, 2025)
07/12 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Scrubs Reboot Headed to ABC; New King of the Hill Trailer Released
07/11 - The Office Spinoff The Paper Premieres September 4; Upload Season 4 Returns August 25
07/10 - The Big Bang Theory's Stuart Spinoff Ordered by HBO Max; Long Story Short Premieres August 22 on Netflix
07/09 - New Girl Summer on Hulu; Vir Das Gets Brand New Netflix Special
07/08 - Tubi Comedy Series Demascus Premieres in August; LEGO Masters Jr. Lines Up Celebs for 4-Week Event
07/07 - Digman! Season Premiere Moved to July 23; Hulu's Reasonable Doubt Returns September 18
07/06 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of July 7, 2025)
07/05 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Comedy Central Delays South Park and Digman! Season Premieres; Jackée to Appear in Guest Role in Netflix Series
07/04 - Happy 4th of July; Antenna TV's McHale's Navy Red, White and Navy Independence Day Marathon
07/03 - The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder Season 3 Premieres August 6; South Park New Season Moves by Two Weeks
07/02 - FETV Acquires The Rookies; Hulu Renews The Bear for Season 5
07/01 - Bert Kreischer Gets Netflix Sitcom; NBC Gets Into Survival Mode This Summer
06/30 - The Comeback Makes Another...Comeback; First Look at Black Rabbit at Netflix
06/29 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of June 30, 2025)
06/28 - SitcomsOnline Digest: The Comeback Returning for a Third and Final Season; South Park to Remain on HBO Max
06/27 - The White Lotus Star Teams Up with Netflix; Remembering Bobby Sherman, Lynn Hamilton, and Rick Hurst
06/26 - The CW's Fall Movie of the Week; First Look at New York Comic Con 2025
06/25 - Netflix Renews Ransom Canyon for Season 2; My Life with the Walter Boys First Look for Season 2
06/24 - Marc Maron Gets Second HBO Comedy Special; Outlander Prequel Renewed for Season 2 Ahead of Series Premiere
06/23 - MeTV Summer Changes, Adds Adventures of Superman; Jimmy Kimmel Live! Summer Guest Hosts
06/22 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of June 23, 2025)
06/21 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Night Court Officially Dead After Not Finding New Home; Weigel Announces New WEST Network
06/20 - Great American Media Announces New Danica McKellar Movie; Jennifer Love Hewitt ID True Crime Series
06/19 - Bad Thoughts Renewed for Season 2 at Netflix; Zarna Garg Gets Hulu Special This July
06/18 - Weigel Broadcasting Announces WEST Network with Classic TV Westerns; Hulu's Season 2 of Such Brave Girls
06/17 - Gary Coleman's Ex-Wife on A&E Series; Digman! Returns July 9 on Comedy Central
06/16 - Hulu's Chad Powers Teaser; Prime Video's Jesse Williams Series
06/15 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of June 16, 2025)
06/14 - SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Mulls Airing The Paper on Primetime Lineup; Fox Revives Baywatch Reboot Talk