The King of Queens DVDs, Books and Videos

«Its good but...»

I loved this show when i was a kid; still do, in fact. But as time has passed I've moved on from just watching the show to wanting to see what makes the show. I love to watch movies and series for their "making of" and commentaries- and that's the problem with this product; there are no special features. No interviews, commentaries, or even a flippin game. Its nice to rewatch your favorite shows once in a while but it's also nice to back them up with extras to further entertain the viewer. All in all, the product itself is great. All episodes from season 1 are there, the sound and vision quality are more than up to snuff, ect. But it could have been much more. I just pray that season two will have a bit more in store when (and if) it comes out. ...Also, the disc 1 main menu was blackened out on my screen (disc 2 worked fine); I dont know if this is a common problem with people or not, all I know is that it happened with mine.

[Tuesday, August 24, 2010]

«Finally, a US release for our favorite fraidy dog.»

I just received my DVD set yesterday and am watching it now. It's great to finally own a little bit of Courage. First, note that this item, the Cartoon Network Hall of Fame set, is the US, Region 1 release, NOT the PAL release (some reviews for the Australian DVDs got combined with this; disregard those reviews as they do not apply), so it will play on American DVD players with no trouble. I can confirm that there are no special features; the DVDs are pretty no frills, sporting only the episodes and the option to turn closed captioning (English only) on or off. Nonetheless, it is nicely presented, and although I'm no expert in picture quality, the video looks great to me. Both discs are packaged in one standard plastic case, and this case comes inside a shiny cardboard sleeve.

Onto the meat: the episodes. This is the full first season, 13 full episodes (so 26 sub-episodes) on 2 discs. The playtime is listed at 286 minutes. Again, there are no extras. It would have been nice to see at least the pilot, but we can hope for that to be included in the other seasons (which I dearly hope will be released as well). I'm just happy to have such classic Courage moments as Welcome to the Katz Motel, Freaky Fred, Shirley the Medium, The Hunchback of Nowhere, King Ramses' Curse, Little Muriel, and many others in my grasp. If that's what you're looking for too, you'll be pleased with this DVD set.

For those who are new to the series, it follows the adventures of Courage, a little dog with a big heart when it comes to his owner, the elderly Muriel (and her jerk of a husband, Eustace). They live in a little house in the middle of Nowhere, where, as the announcer in the opening of each episode states, "freeeaky stuff happens." Courage constantly risks his hide to save the two unwitting humans from certain doom. The series is whimsical, quirky, and creepy, full of both memorable characters and solid humor. It's one both parents and children alike will enjoy - my mother, little sisters, and I used to watch it all the time when I was younger.

Full DVD list (it's been noted before, but heck, I'll type it up to make this review complete):

First disc:
1. A Night at the Katz Motel / Cajun Granny Stew
2. The Shadow of Courage / Dr. Le Quack
3. Courage Meets Bigfoot / Hothead
4. The Demon in the Mattress / Freaky Fred
5. Night of the Weremole / Mother's Day
6. The Duck Brothers / Shirley the Medium
7. King Ramses' Curse / The Clutching Foot
8. The Hunchback of Nowhere / The Gods Must Be Goosey

Second disc:
9. Queen of the Black Puddle / Everyone Wants to Direct
10. The Snowman Cometh / The Precious, Wonderful, Adorable, Lovable Ducking
11. Heads of Beef / Klub Katz
12. The Revenge of the Chicken from Outer Space / Journey to the Center of Nowhere
13. Little Muriel / The Great Fusilli

[Wednesday, August 04, 2010]

«A Masterful Animated Series»

Cartoon Network had a lot going for it in the late 90's/early 00's. Shows like Dexter's Laboratory, Johnny Bravo, Ed Edd n Eddy, and The Powerpuff girls were all top quality children's cartoons that could also appeal to adults. They were aimed at kids, for sure, but they were very, very clever (especially PPG.) This show, however, was not so much aimed at children. It was pretty kid friendly, but overall this was an artistic show that was just plain and simple really good. I was 14 when it was popular, and now being 23, I understand why i got into it at a somewhat "older kid" age. The type of comedy was so original, and the show was so incredibly artistic. I find myself very influenced by shows like The Mighty Boosh these days, and Courage was in the same category. Odd, humorous dark stories that were presented in a unqiue and captivating way filled this show with so much to offer. You won't find me buying Johnny Bravo at 23, but Courage? I'm not ashamed to say yes. It was just a good show.

Taking a close look at this show, you can tell the care that went into each episode. The animation itself is so simple and colorful, but done in such a unique way. They always knew how to shade everything perfectly to fit the mood. The music was spot on as well. They just happened to have a crew of people working on every aspect of the show that all really "got" what John R. Dilworth was aiming for. It was like a tight band. I'd also like to point out that episodes like "The Shadow of Courage" and "The Hunchback of Nowhere" are some of the most brilliantly written, touching pieces of animation I've ever seen. Not many shows can get away with being borderline gruesome one minute, and almost have you shedding a tear the next. This was a masterful series.

I'm not one to buy a TV show on DVD simply because I watched it when I was a kid. Nostalgia is not a selling point to someone who cares about quality. I watched Ninja Turtles as a kid, but I know that that show was just filler. Great for kids, but there was no such thing as a standout episode in a series like that. Might be cool to see it once again online to say "hey, remember this!?", but no reason to drop money on it. This show, however, really should be purchased by anyone who is a fan of art, comedy, or animation. If I was teaching a film class, a stage writing class, or an animation class, I would show some of this stuff to my students. I really hope the other seasons get DVD releases too. This was a fantastic piece of animation, and it really stood the test of time. There's a reason it still gets shown in reruns occasionally, almost 10 years after the final episode aired. It was never the fad, never the highest rated, but it was always there. And always appreciated. And it still is. I won't be surprised if this DVD sells more than Johnny Bravo or Dexter, despite the fact that those shows were much more popular when they were in production. Most kids of that generation who are adults arent going to buy those. I'm willing to bet the Courage fans, the true ones, have grown up to appreciate what the show really was, and will want to have it on hand. I know I do. This was one of the best things to come out of the animation field in recent times, and it's a shame that it gets overlooked in that sense by the general public.

I personally could care less about extras. I just want the episodes. This is all I need. King of the Hill only got released up to season 6 due to low DVD sales, which was awful, seeing as how it was also a really great animated show. Do yourself a favor and make sure not to ignore this series. Support this DVD. Support QUALITY

[Thursday, July 29, 2010]

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