DVD available at Amazon.com
Executive Producers:
Stephen Belafonte, Ken Druckerman and Banks Tarver
Cast:
Mr. T….Host
Lionsgate Home Video presents I Pity the Fool: Season 1. Six episodes on 1 DVD. Episodes aired from Oct. 11 to Nov. 15, 2006. DVD released August 21, 2007.
The Show
During Mr. T’s glory years, he and the rest of the A-Team would roam the country fixing the problems of average Americans. Since Hannibal is dead, Faceman is trapped on England’s Celebrity Big Brother and Mad Murdock is a fixture at Star Trek conventions, it’s left to B.A. Baracus to keep up the good work. But the new clients aren’t fighting it out with local hoodlums and drug lords. Instead of stocking up on weapons, Mr. T is loaded with tough advice and prodding. He’s a Full Metal Motivational speaker that kicks in the front door and smacks everyone into a positive space.
The show is an extension of his classic rap “Mr. T’s Commandments.” He’s practiced his truisms and platitudes. But instead of singing “Treat Your Mother Right,” he gets his hands dirty by showing kids what they need to do to their mother. He wants to prove he’s not full of jibba jabba. The first season consisted of six adventures into putting things straight. The format has him show up for three days of intense therapy with the dysfunctional subjects.
“Motivation” puts Mr. T into the driver’s seat of a car dealership in New York City. The employees are slackers. He challenges the sales crew to sell twenty cars in two days. He also gets the owner to quit riding his son-in-law’s ass. Mr. T learns a lesson in the brutal reality of making cold calls.
“Trust” straps Mr. T into a pair of dancing shoes. He has to act as a buffer between the choreographer and a horde of stage moms. Before the big recital, there’s an accident and Mr. T gets the stage moms to take over preparing the program.
“Unity” allows Mr. T to shape up a waste treatment worker who enjoys farting at the dinner table. This stinky dad rarely gets off his recliner to help out the family. He still hasn’t taught his grown son to drive. This is no job for a mere Rabbi. Mr. T has to use all his strength to pull dad off his ass and be a part of his family. The ending has a bonfire that takes care of business.
“Respect” sends Mr. T to the farm to straighten up a pack of wild boys. The sons seem to have been raised by the cast of Jackass. The mom needs more than a father-figure to tone down her hellions. This is the episodes where Mr. T should have brought a few automatic rifles. The boys are overflowing with fool action to pity. Mr. T busts their ass like a two-fisted Nanny 911 without the British accent.
“Leadership” sticks Mr. T in a realty company that is in complete chaos. The owner is hands off with his workers. He enjoys hiding from his staff and taking extra long lunch breaks. Mr. T teaches this company’s owner how to take care of business. When an employee makes Mr. T part of the problem, he breaks these fools with more than pity. He gives them A Team boot camp love.
“Communication” takes Mr. T into a true Hell’s Kitchen. The chef has an explosive temper. When the owner asks a simple question, the chef blows up as if he was Gordon Ramsey’s role model. The place has a lack of reservations on an average night. This restaurant might end up on Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares if Mr. T doesn’t turn this place around in 21 minutes. He goes medieval on their asses to make various staffers listen instead of scream.
The series is reminiscent of Mr. T’s old cartoon series. There are wrap arounds with Mr. T talking directly to the audience about the lessons that need to be taught. Luckily when the action starts, we don’t have to see him with those pesky animated gymnastic geeks and the dog with the mohawk. He’s pretty straight forward in trying to get people to recognize their problems and correct them. He’s Dr. Phil with the muscle to back up his approach.
How real is the show? That’s very debatable. Seems like a lot of people overplay their issues. The farm kids show off extra hard for the cameras. During the dance recital, it just seems too convenient when a dancer gets injured off camera. This catastrophe allows Mr. T to put his Trust plan into service. If the girl wasn’t rushed to the hospital, it’s hard to figure out if they had a show. The head of the realty company does seem like the goofball who would take a two hour lunch break. It is hard to believe that in three days, Mr. T can fix all of these people. Maybe they accept his solutions for fear he’ll return to serve an extra helping of Pity on their fool heads? Or these people have been warned they’ll be in the sequel series with Murdock.
The DVD
VIDEO:
The picture is 1.33:1, but sessions are letterboxed to 1.77:1. The show was shot on video so it’s a clean transfer.
AUDIO:
The soundtrack is 2.0 Dolby Digital. The levels are crisp so you can hear all the words of wisdom from Mr. T. There show is closed captioned.
EXTRAS:
Nothing. Not even a blooper reel of when Mr. T gives the wrong advice.
The Inside Pulse
I pity the fool that doesn’t get shaped up after a visit from Mr. T. Of all the intensive help shows on TV, Mr. T is the only guy I’d open the door and welcome inside.
