A(nother) nauseatingly extensive Whose Line DVD review (Volume 2)
Whose Line is it Anyway? Season 1, Volume 2 has been released. This completes the first season, as there were only twenty episodes in the first season and the second volume contains the remaining ten. If you had to choose between volume 1 and 2, I would recommend 2, because I think the latter half of the season is more memorable and fun to watch. Highlight include the Emmy-submitted episode 119 with the Going Bald Hoedown, appearances by Ian Gomez and Stephen Colbert, Brad's Songs of the Ant Farmer, Wayne's first song to a man, and the episode with Greg and Denny.
So, for this release, improvements have been made. Bleeped stuff is actually unbleeped (though it wouldn't bother me a whole lot otherwise, I admit it is interested to hear the dialog uncovered). In the second half of the first season, there were three bleeps, and two of those are uncensored on this release: Ryan's "They're-never-going-to-allow-that" comment in Narrate at a pizza place, and Wayne's use of an L-word in the Birth Hoedown. This does make me look forward to future releases, to hopefully hear things that we couldn't figure out on our own.
Both DVDs in this release include bonus material. The first has four previously unaired games (well, one is a chunk of a game) and the second five games (one also kind of being a chunk).
I still wish the set came with an episode guide. It's not too much to ask for, is it? I mean, shows on DVD that don't need episode guides get episode guides. Not only do I have to consult an outside source or memorize the episode numbers to find the episode I want, but I have to figure out on which disc it would be! And I have to memorize which cut games are on which DVD as well. Nothing fancy, a black-and-white plain text sheet of paper would have sufficed.
The menu graphics are still a bit lame, but whatever.
The previous release had closed-captioning but no English subtitles; this one has English subtitles but no closed-captioning. The subtitles use the performers' surnames instead of their first names for some reason. Also, a trivial observation: In one playing of Telethon, the subtitles label an impression Brad does as "Willie Nelson," but in another playing Brad does the same impression but the subtitles say "Neil Young." Scott's website has it down as Garth Brooks. For the record, I'm convinced it's supposed to be Willie Nelson.
The French and Spanish subtitles are gone this time around, though. As I mentioned in my previous review, I actually found it interesting to see how certain things were translated, and I'm a bit disappointed that I can't do that for these episodes.
( This part only for those who have seen the DVD extra stuff. )
So yeah, even if I may have seemed negative, it is quite neat, and I would recommend it.
So, for this release, improvements have been made. Bleeped stuff is actually unbleeped (though it wouldn't bother me a whole lot otherwise, I admit it is interested to hear the dialog uncovered). In the second half of the first season, there were three bleeps, and two of those are uncensored on this release: Ryan's "They're-never-going-to-allow-that" comment in Narrate at a pizza place, and Wayne's use of an L-word in the Birth Hoedown. This does make me look forward to future releases, to hopefully hear things that we couldn't figure out on our own.
Both DVDs in this release include bonus material. The first has four previously unaired games (well, one is a chunk of a game) and the second five games (one also kind of being a chunk).
I still wish the set came with an episode guide. It's not too much to ask for, is it? I mean, shows on DVD that don't need episode guides get episode guides. Not only do I have to consult an outside source or memorize the episode numbers to find the episode I want, but I have to figure out on which disc it would be! And I have to memorize which cut games are on which DVD as well. Nothing fancy, a black-and-white plain text sheet of paper would have sufficed.
The menu graphics are still a bit lame, but whatever.
The previous release had closed-captioning but no English subtitles; this one has English subtitles but no closed-captioning. The subtitles use the performers' surnames instead of their first names for some reason. Also, a trivial observation: In one playing of Telethon, the subtitles label an impression Brad does as "Willie Nelson," but in another playing Brad does the same impression but the subtitles say "Neil Young." Scott's website has it down as Garth Brooks. For the record, I'm convinced it's supposed to be Willie Nelson.
The French and Spanish subtitles are gone this time around, though. As I mentioned in my previous review, I actually found it interesting to see how certain things were translated, and I'm a bit disappointed that I can't do that for these episodes.
( This part only for those who have seen the DVD extra stuff. )
So yeah, even if I may have seemed negative, it is quite neat, and I would recommend it.
mood: 
pleased
pleased