Available at Amazon.com: First Season/Second Season
Studio: Comedy Central & Paramount
Release Date: September 18, 2007
Number of Discs: 2
Number of Episodes: 10
Running Time: 222 Minutes
MSRP: $26.99
(this information applies to each individual season)
Creators:
Matt Besser, Amy Poehler,
Ian Roberts & Matt Walsh
Cast:
Matt Besser. Adair, Various
Amy Poehler. Colby, Various
Ian Roberts. Antoine, Various
Matt Walsh. Trotter, Various
The show:
Comedy Central was still coming into the American populous back in the late 90’s and one of their original programs of the time was the sketch comedy show Upright Citizens Brigade. Like most sketch comedy shows UCB didn’t last very long and over the years has created a large cult fan base.
For those of you who don’t now, the UCB is a group consisting of Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh. The idea behind the UCB is that they are an organization whose purpose to bring chaos throughout the land. The UCB hang out in their secret underground lair spying on the American populous and use agents and cyborgs to infiltrate society and mess with people.
Within the confines of this idea we have a sketch comedy show that puts together little scenes with the main UCB crew play a majority of the roles. Each episode focuses around a particular theme giving some cohesion to the sketches. The best thing that can be said for this show is that it certainly is original. There really isn’t anything like this on TV. However, while UCB can be commended for going new places in sketch comedy, it must be stated that not all those places are very funny.
That’s not to say it’s a bad show. There are some really funny moments on this show, but the misses equal the hits. The greatest moment probably being the last episode of season 1: “Little Donny Foundation”. Little Donny suffers from a very special ailment and this episode focuses on the Foundation that has been set up to help him.
Season 1 has been on DVD for some time but is being re-released on conjunction with Season 2, which is coming to DVD for the first time. Something fans of the show have been clamoring for, for some time. It must also be said that in season 2 the troupe were really coming into their own with their comedy styling and this season is much, much funnier than season 1.
The DVD:
Season One:
Disc One:
The Bucket Of Truth
The UCB find out what happens when the Bucket Of Truth is unleashed in suburbia.
Poo Stick
The UCB unleash the latest fad in home defense: The Poo Stick.
Saigon Suicide Show
The UCB decide to battle prejudice against Jews, Asians and Astronauts by butting on a stunt/variety show.
Power Marketing
The UCB bring chaos to the corporate world.
Children’s Revolution
The UCB help a young child to defeat his school bully: his bus driver.
The Story Of The Toad
The UCB decide that happy couples are annoying and attack!
Disc Two:
The Lady OF The Lake
The UCB bring chaos to the fraternity set via a mythological creature.
Time Machine
Fun with time, the UCB way!
Cyborgs
We learn that the UCB use cyborgs and that they all seem to be malfunctioning.
Little Donny Foundation
This very special episode focuses little Donny and the foundation founded to help with his condition.
Season Two:
Disc One:
Master Dialectitian
In a Searching For Bobby Fischer parody a young man trains to be the best at mimicking dialects. Also, a man boxes a horse.
Bomb Squad
Two procrastinating bomb squad officers make demands while a guy tries to score some pot from a manic depressive dealer.
Mogomra vs. The Fart Monster
A kid who wants to slaughter his school hires Mogomra, a giant lobster, to do the job for him.
Real World
The UCB gathers the strangest seven strangers they can to make their own Real World.
Eli’s Face Therapy
A salon owner keeps rich women beautiful by slapping them across the face, sometimes with Kobe beef. And a co-worker threatens a women’s life but no one believes her.
Infested With Friars
(note: while the packaging lists this episode as being on disc two, it is actually on disc one.)
The UCB take on theme restaurants by infesting them with mutated comedians from the Friars Club.
Disc Two:
Spaghetti Jesus
This time around the UCB take on religion and hilarity ensues. Way head of their time they also make fun of Scientology long before South Park thought to.
Big City
The UCB take a bunch of people and displace them into a big city to see what happens.
Hurricane
The UCB infiltrate an evening news program while a Hurricane threatens to destroy everyone.
Supercool
All season long there have been references to Supercool. Now in their second episode to focus on one subject we learn what Supercool is and why we shouldn’t use it.
Audio/Video:
These Seasons are presnted in full screen 1.33:1 and Dolby Digital Stereo.
The Extras:
Season One:
Original Pilot:This is mostly stuff seen in other episodes, only this time around they are performed in front of a live audience.
Live versions of “Little Donny” and “Andre The Giant Song”: Before UCB got their own show on Comedy Central, they performed on stage. This is two of there performances. Funny for fans of the show.
Various Commentaries: There is commentary on four episodes that were chosen by fans on the website. Some of them are live commentaries with an audience that ask questions. For the “Little Donny” episode there is commentary with the actors in character as Little Donny and his parents. I’d say all the commentaries are more interesting and funnier than the episodes themselves.
Season Two:
Audience Q & A: Recorded during the live commentaries these are Q & A’s that take place between the watching of the episodes. This is really funny. The UCB has had a little alcohol and get a little crazy. They also make fun of people who ask stupid questions which is always fun.
Early Live Performances: There are four early live performances here that are pretty funny. Definitely worth checking out.
Deleted Scenes: A handful of deleted scenes from throughout the season. These range from funny to not so funny, but is worth watching.
Various Commentaries: This time around all six episodes on disc one have commenary. On top of that two episodes on disc two have live commentary with an audience and again, these are all funny and worth listening to. At times they are better than the shoes themselves.
