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

Thursday, March 28

The Conners - "Keep On Truckin' Six Feet Apart" (The CW, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
The Conners are dealing with the pandemic and life's financial troubles.

The Conners - "Halloween and the Election vs the Pandemic" (The CW, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Halloween has been canceled, so the family works to create an unforgettable experience.

Son of a Critch - "Airing Out" (The CW, 9:00PM ET/PT)
The Critches are doing their annual airing-out-the-house ritual; some family secrets are uncovered.

Son of a Critch - "Cabaret" (The CW, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Mark finally gets the chance to take the stage as a stand-up comedian.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 25)

Thursday, March 28

  • Joey King (Bent) - Joey talks about We Were the Lucky Ones on ABC's Good Morning America some time between 7-9am.
  • Giancarlo Esposito (Bakersfield P.D.) - Giancarlo discusses his starring role in the AMC crime-thriller series Parish on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
  • Niecy Nash-Betts (Reno 911!/Getting On/The Soul Man/Do Not Disturb) - Niecy stops by to talk about her upcoming starring turn in Ryan Murphy's horror drama Grotesquerie on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Lisa Ann Walter (Abbott Elementary/Emeril) - Lisa talks about Abbott Elementary on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Lorraine Toussaint (Where I Live) - Lorraine is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.


New on DVD/Blu-ray (November-March)

Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Father Knows Best - The Complete Series The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Three's Company - The Official 40th Anniversary Collection Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

11/07 - South Park - The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/14 - Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/05 - Father Knows Best - The Complete Series
12/05 - The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/12 - The Dick Van Dyke Show - The Complete Series
12/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
12/12 - That Girl - The Complete Series
12/15 - Letterkenny - Season 11
12/19 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series
12/22 - Three's Company - The Official 40th Anniversary Collection (includes The Ropers and Three's a Crowd)
01/09 - South Park - Seasons 11-15 (Blu-ray)
01/16 - Ghosts (UK) - Season Five
02/13 - Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/27 - The Really Loud House - Season One
03/12 - Ghosts (UK) - The Complete Series
03/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 3 (Blu-ray)
03/12 - Rick and Morty - Season 7 (Blu-ray Steelbook) (Blu-ray) (DVD)

That Girl - The Complete Series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series

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