Saturday, May 31, 2008
Mini-DVD Review: Boondocks: The Complete Second Season (June 3)
The Boondocks: The Complete Second Season (Sony, $49.95) brings fans another season of the television version of Aaron McGruder's former newspaper comic strip. Much like the comic strip, the Adult Swim TV series takes on many controversial issues and handles them in a humorous manner. Except, of course, the TV series takes on the issues in an outlandish, crude, sometimes offensive, and always extremely controversial manner. The second season is no exception to this rule, and is in fact even more crude and offensive than the first season--but that is what makes the show so great.
In this season, we get to see what true jealousy is like when Sarah gets to meet Usher in "Tom, Sarah and Usher." We learn how Granddad reacts when a rapper moves in to the neighborhood in "The Story of Thugnificent." Granddad meets a hot woman that is a little bit (or a lot) crazy in "Attack of the Killer Kung-Fu Wolf-Bitch." The house becomes full of some of Granddad's relatives after Hurricane Katrina in "Invasion of the Katrinians." In "The S-Word," Riley gets called the n-word by a teacher and chaos ensues. Additionally, we even get two episodes that were so outrageous and controversial that they couldn't even be aired on cable television. In "The Hunger Strike," Huey takes a stand against BET based upon how he views the network as causing destruction to black people. In "The Uncle Ruckus Reality Show," Uncle Ruckus discovers that he really is black after all, and BET decides to make a reality show about it. Obviously Aaron McGruder has a point to make about BET... and it doesn't look like Adult Swim will air that point of view! Additionally, the season contains many guest stars, including Snoop Dogg, Tichina Arnold, Lil' Wayne, Cedric the Entertainer, Fred Williard, Busta Rhymes, and Tavis Smiley.
The episodes are all presented in widescreen and they look and sound great, as one would expect. The episodes are totally uncensored, so don't be surprised to see the unexpected. As if the episodes aren't good enough, there are plenty of bonus features on the set too. There aren't quite as many as there were for the first season, but still plenty. The set contains audio commentaries on four of the episodes, and video introductions on the two banned episodes. There is a "Behind the Boondocks" featurette, which, as it sounds, goes behind the scenes of the series to show what it is like creating the series. In "Trouble in Woodcrest?," we get to see some "behind-the-scenes" trash-talking between cast members. Another special feature--one that I won't even mention the name of--talks about the n-word and the use of it on the show. Actually, it doesn't even talk about it, it is just a bunch of clips of the voice actors saying it while recording the script. You'll hear the n-word in it, a lot, as you do on the TV show. Next, there is a series of special features for the cast members, where we learn more about who they are. They have these for John Witherspoon, Cedric Yarbrough, Regina King, Gary Anthony Williams, Gabby Soleil, and Jill Talley. And what Sony DVD set would be complete without Minisodes? We have two, from Married... with Children and Spiderman.
Overall, this is a great set and fans are sure to enjoy it, as will those that just enjoy humorous and controversial TV. Sony seems to do a great job on this series in regards to quality and bonus features, and the DVDs are much more enjoyable to watch than the episodes as aired on TV.
-- Reviewed by skees53
(4.5/5 stars)
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Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Thursday, April 25
Young Sheldon - "A Fancy Article and a Scholarship for a Baby" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Sheldon’s published paper leads to a frenzy of grad school recruiting, and Georgie tries to speak more properly in front of his daughter.
Ghosts - "The Traveling Agent" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Pete discovers a power that he never knew he had – one that brings him closer to his buddy Jay (and further apart).
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 22)
Thursday, April 25
- Rob McElhenney (Mythic Quest/It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) - Catch Rob on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Carol Burnett (Palm Royale/Mad About You/Mama's Family) - Carol appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Tim Robinson (Digman!/Detroiters) - Tim is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Wendell Pierce (The Odd Couple/The Michael J. Fox Show/The Weber/The Brian Benben Show/The Gregory Hines Show) - Wendell appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Fred Armisen (Los Espookys/Forever/Final Space) - Fred sits in with The 8G Band on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld) - E! News has an interview with Jerry at 11pm on E!. He also talks about Unfrosted on CBS Mornings some time between 7-9am.
- Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny guest co-hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
- Jason Ritter (The Class) - Jason is a guest on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Jim Gaffigan (The Jim Gaffigan Show/My Boys/The Ellen Show/Welcome to New York) - Jim talks about Unfrosted on CBS Mornings some time between 7-9am. NBC's Today catches up with Jim in the 9am hour.
- Vivica A. Fox (Mr. Box Office/Getting Personal/Arsenio/Out All Night) - Vivica talks about Not Another Church Movie in the 10am hour.
- Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie talks about her new book Indulge: Delicious and Decadent Dishes to Enjoy and Share on a repeat of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Pam Grier (Bless This Mess) - Pam talks about Prime Video's Them: The Scare on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Luenell (Lopez) - Luenell stops by before her performance at the famous Apollo Theater in New York City on Sherri, so check your local listings.
- Tichina Arnold (The Neighborhood/Survivor's Remorse/Happily Divorced/Everybody Hates Chris/Martin) - Tichina guest co-hosts The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
New on DVD/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)
04/03 - Too Close for Comfort - The Complete Series (VEI)
04/08 - Check It Out! - The Complete Series (VEI)
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