Christina Applegate returned to television two years ago with the ABC comedy Samantha Who?. After being known for years as Kelly Bundy from Married With Children, she went on to co-star in a couple of movies. But when her new comedy became a hit for ABC, it looked like Applegate’s career was in a resurgence. The show was definitely a quality comedy, but most people believed it was so successful simply because it aired after the ratings monster Dancing with the Stars on Monday nights. That would prove to be true when ABC decided to move the series to Thursday nights, and it would be there that Samantha Who? would fade into oblivion, getting the ax before the remaining episodes of the second season could air. Flash forward to now and we have the second and final season on DVD.
If you don’t know, Samantha Who? is about Samantha Newly (Christina Applegate), the 30-year-old VP of a real estate company at a Chicago firm. But then one day she gets hit by a car in a hit-and-run accident and falls into a coma. For eight days she is asleep, but upon waking, she finds out that she has retrograde amnesia. She has retained all general knowledge but hasn’t a clue as to who she is or what she’s done with her life. Soon, Samantha finds out she’s been very, very cruel to those around her. Taking her amnesia as a sign that it’s time for change, Samantha sets about making up for what the old “Bad Samantha” did, and tries to change her life and become a new “Good Samantha”.
The strength of this series was Christina Applegate. Which is why she was nominated for an Emmy for her performance that first season. She’s always had great comedic timing, and she certainly has great chemistry with the rest of the cast. Samantha’s mother is played by Jean Smart – who is no stranger to being Emmy-nominated. Smart often steals many scenes. But excellence goes all the down the main cast, including Samantha’s father, played by Kevin Dunn (Hot Shots, Transformers); Samantha’s friends, played by Melissa McCarthy and Jennifer Esposito (Spin City); Samantha’s former boyfriend, played by Barry Watson; and Samantha’s doorman, played by Tim Russ.
The premise of the series was definitely unique, and it still remained fresh for the majority of the second season. But the premise wouldn’t be able to withstand the pressures of a long-lasting comedy series, as this second season proves. During this final season of Samantha Who?, the show was able to maintain a faster pace and bring back comedy that wasn’t as mean-spirited. Too bad ABC suits did a poor job promoting all of their new shows that had their seasons shorted due to the writers’ strike. Samantha Who? joins Dirty Sexy Money and Pushing Daisies in Cancellation Hell.
Disc One:
Episode 1 – So I Think I Can Dance
Regina’s old enemy is in a dance competition, and Regina desperately wants to beat her, but she needs Sam’s help. There’s only one problem, the new Sam has two left feet, unlike the old Sam who could dance. Meanwhile, Todd weasels his way back into Sam’s apartment, just as she was looking to start her new independent life.
Episode 2 – Out of Africa
Sam chickens out of going to Africa when she finds out what she has to do to go. She won’t tell her family this though, as they predicted she would do this. Instead, she hides out with Dena and Andrea so they think she’s gone.
Episode 3 – The Pill
Desperate to regain her memory, Sam opts to join a clinical trial and starts taking pills for her memory. Sam’s memories start coming back, but she doesn’t like what she learns about her former self. Elsewhere, someone confuses Dena and Andrea as being a gay couple, which frustrates Andrea and sends her on the hunt to find someone hotter than Dena.
Episode 4 – The Building
Sam and Regina open up a real estate business. Sam wants to do things fairly, but her first client could change her mind. In an attempt to gain a basketball player’s phone number, Andrea flirts with Todd’s friend, Seth.
Episode 5 – Help!
After being given community service for her altercation with a cop, Sam tries to help out Natalie, a wayward young woman, despite pleas from her friends not to. Howard tries to give Todd advice on how to win Sam back, even though he told Howard he wasn’t interested anymore.
Episode 6 – The Ex
Sam breaks the news to Owen, that Todd is not only her roommate, but also her ex-boyfriend. Owen is understanding because his ex-girlfriend, Willow, lives with him as well. Ironically, Todd and Willow know each other from high school.
Episode 7 – The Farm
Sam and Owen head over to Regina and Howard’s for dinner. Everything is going fine until Owen starts in on the horror of chicken farms, not knowing that Howard owns one. Dena oversteps her boundaries, when she undermines Chapman’s authority with his employees. Todd enjoys the apartment alone after not telling Sam his mother isn’t coming after all.
Disc Two:
Episode 8 – The Park
Sam tries to make herself appear to be an environmentalist, so Owen might like her more. Andrea doesn’t fare well when the basketball player, Tony Dane, is looking for a date.
Episode 9 – The Family Vacation
After the breakup between Owen and Sam, The Newlys, Dena, and Andrea decide to pack it up and head out for an overdue family vacation to a lodge. Sam is met by an unexpected friend at the lodge, Brad, who was her childhood sweetheart. Things get turbulent when Andrea makes a pass at him.
Episode 10 – My Best Friend’s Boyfriend
Andrea and her boyfriend Tony Dane, go on a double date with Todd and Sam. Sam causes trouble in Tony life when she thinks he’s up to no good. Todd doesn’t like being just the roommate anymore. Dena has a new penpal in Iraq, but she wonders if it means she’s cheating on Chase.
Episode 11 – The Dog
Sam wants a baby, but she settles for a babysitting one of Dena’s dogs to see if she has any motherly instincts. Howard and Regina inherit a plane, which causes Regina to take flying lessons.
Episode 12 – The Amazing Racist
Sam tries to become friends with Frank, once she thinks her old self was a racist. Andrea doesn’t want to lose all the glamour of dating a celebrity, after Tony is outed as being gay.
Episode 13 – The Debt
Sam runs into financial troubles with at the craps table in Vegas with her parents. Could her old boss, Winston Funk, be just the person she needs to help her out of her jam? Andrea pulls a fast one on Dena after she reluctantly agrees to help improve Andrea’s image in the media.
Disc Three:
Episode 14 – The Rock Star
Sam dates a rock star to whom Dena and Andrea take a liking. Their unruly behavior toward Sam’s new beau causes Sam to inch farther and farther away from her friends.
Episode 15 – Todd’s Job
Sam tries to secretly help Todd out, by distracting the competition that is also up for the same job as Todd, because she thinks she already ruined one job for him. Unbeknownst to Dena, Regina tries to sell Dena’s house, so that she can still work with Sam.
Episode 16 – The Sister
Sam discovers that a family heirloom is the reason why her mom was in a feud with her sister and a mother, that Sam didn’t know she had. Andrea is viewed as a jinx to Tony’s team, after they start losing when she is there.
Episode 17 – The Dream Job
Sam’s friendship with Andrea becomes compromised, once Sam asks Andrea for help in finding an aid to help her out at her new job.
Episode 18 – The First Date
Samantha tries to find balance between her new job and Todd. Andrea is shadowed by a camera crew for a new reality show on celebrity weddings. Howard’s retirement causes problem with Regina.
Episode 19 – The Other Woman
Samantha vaguely remembers something about her and Winston Funk’s ex-wife Gigi, before the accident. Chapman tries to ask Dena to marry him. Andrea tries to lure Tony Dane into bed. Regina is caught in a love triangle as she prepares to leave on a vacation with Howard.
Episode 20 – With This Ring
It’s Andrea’s wedding day! While Andrea has chosen her life partner, Samantha has to make a decision as to who she wants to be with. Will it be debonaire millionaire Winston Funk or her not-rich-but-ever-reliable ex-boyfriend Todd. Even Sam’s parents are at a crossroad as Regina and Howard begin to take separate paths.
The shows are presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen with minimal grain. On the audio side are two different tracks – English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround sound or French Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround sound. There are optional subtitles in English, Spanish, and French, too. Nice clarity in the background music, which never overpowers the voices of the actors on set.
“Set Tour with Christina Applegate” Featurette –
This runs 5 minutes and stars of the series, Christina Applegate and Melissa McCarthy, give fans a tour of the set, including Christina’s parent’s home, the coffee shop, and a Chicago Street. Interesting enough.
“Girl Chat” Featurette –
This runs 2 1/2 minutes and Applegate, McCarthy and Jennifer Esposito, basically discuss their characters.
“Christina Dance Moment” –
This runs 3 1/2 minutes and it’s unedited version of the dance sequence from the first episode.
Deleted Scenes –
There is 7 scenes that didn’t make the final cut of the season and they total 10 minutes.
Bloopers –
You get a full one minute of gags and mistakes from filming this season. Not worth your time at all.
Samantha Who? is definitely one of the better new sitcoms from the last few years. If you haven’t already, start watching the first season and then move on to this DVD release and see its abrupt conclusion.
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment presents Samantha Who: Season 2. Created by Cecelia Ahern and Don Todd. Starring Christina Applegate, Jennifer Esposito, Kevin Dunn, Melissa McCarthy, Tim Russ, Barry Watson, and Jean Smart. Running time: 450 minutes. Rated: NOT RATED. Released on DVD: August 25, 2009. Available at Amazon.com
