Created by:
Michael Ian Black
Michael Showalter
David Wain
Starring:
Michael Ian Black …. Michael
Michael Showalter …. Michael
David Wain …. David
Studio: Paramount Home Video.
Release Date: September 12, 2006.
Number of Discs: 2.
Number of Episodes: 10.
Running Time: 215 minutes.
MSRP: $26.99.
Michael Ian Black, David Wain and Michael Showalter are three guys who cut their teeth in comedy together at NYU and would later form the cult MTV sketch series “The State”. When that show ended the cast split off in to smaller groups trying to find their next project. Ben Garant, Kerri Kenney, and Thomas Lennon, for instance, would create one of Comedy Central’s biggest hits with “Reno 911”; Michael, Michael and David on the other hand, would go on the stand-up circuit.
When their individual routines weren’t quite working out how they intended, the guys decided to go on as a team and make a three man act. And Stella was born. Eventually they would start to add small video skits to their stage act and grew a large buzz because of them. The trio compiled a DVD of their best work and sent it off to Comedy Central, and it didn’t take long for the network to pick up the series based on the guys work. Their only request was that they clean it up for national television.
The show is a tough one to really break down and talk about, let alone review. The marketing campaign for “Stella” was simply one phrase: “dumb comedy dressed up in a suit.” It’s hard to argue with that assessment. One way to put things in to perspective for people would be to say that if you took Brick Tamland from Anchorman and put three of him in an apartment with no adult supervision, you would get “Stella”. It’s a smart and witty comedy filled with wall-to-wall stupidity.
As far as comedy styling goes, is certainly a unique one. Perhaps the best description is that its a live action cartoon. As if someone took Cartoon Network’s “Ed, Edd and Eddy” out of their 2-D world and brought them in to ours. Grown up and finely dressed, of coarse. And it works, in fact, it’s brilliant.
Each episode is usually strung together pieces of the comedy troupes stand-up material that, when combined, loosely resembles a sitcom that spoofs all of the cliche Hollywood conventions. They hold no regard for logic or the real world and just roll with the punches. Whether they’re trying to come up with a clever ruse to trick their landlord in to giving them back their apartment; running for the president of the residents board; camping out in the wilderness; taking over a paper route and getting in to a scuffle with a couple twelve year olds; writing the next great American novel; growing vegetables inside their apartment; or running competing coffee shops, the guys know how to make for some entertaining and smart programming. And they usually do so in very classy fake mustaches.
But it isn’t the shows premise or plot that you should be paying attention to, it’s how the guys choose to spin it. Stella is a show centered around the absurd, and constantly not knowing what could happen next is part of its charm. All of the episodes would follow the same basic story; the guys would get in to a fight and eventually make up. Some times at the end they’d receive prizes for their work, other times they’d break out in a random karate fight or a chase sequence featuring a rickshaw. There is no telling where one scene will lead to with this show.
Which brings me to wonder how the network could possibly drop the ball on such a masterfully crafted comedy. Maybe the marketing team should have done a better job and racked their brain in order to find this shows audience rather than coming up with a single catchphrase. Because the quality of the show isn’t what’s in question here, just the studio. Had they promoted the show as a living breathing cartoon I think people would have understood. But the way they were mysterious and aloof with the show didn’t help. Neither did premiering in the summer.
The season is also filled with such guest stars as Edward Norton, Janeane Garofalo, Alan Ruck, Tim Blake Nelson, Sam Rockwell, Topher Grace, Paul Rudd and some familiar faces from “The State”.
“Stella” is the type of show that requires your attention, its so off the wall in its execution that you could easily pass it off as complete drivel after the first viewing. But if you give it a shot, acknowledge the fact that it’s purposely dumb, lacks any logical sense, and just tries to have a good time, then you’ll have a very fun experience with one of 2005’s little known hits.
Video:
(Presented in 1.33:1 Fullscreen)
The episodes look exactly as they did during their original run on Comedy Central, if not better. However, that doesn’t mean they’re the best looking discs. There is noticeable, yet unobtrusive, edge enhancement in the episodes. Other than that the show looks great on this release.
Audio:
(English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Surround)
As with every other TV on DVD title I review it seems, the show is mainly about the dialogue. And with that you can rest assured that the show sounds great. While it won’t shake your room, the track included has all of the jokes coming out clear with no distortion.
Extras:
Feature Length Commentaries – There is a commentary track on all ten episodes featuring Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, and David Wain. While not the most informative or laugh out loud funny, they’re enjoyable to listen to. The guys take a few nice pot shots at Comedy Central for the cancellation, and rightfully so.
The History of Stella (41:58) – This documentary hosted by Showalter, Wain and Black reveals everything you could possibly want to know about how the group came together. They start out as just riffing with each other and then get serious about how they met at NYU during an informal meet and greet of “Sterile Yak” – the sketch comedy group at the University. Most of that group would later go on to form “The State” (still waiting on that DVD set…). They talk about their work on “State” and include a few shorts from the show. After that they spend the rest of the time talking about the origins of the groups name (named after the daughter of the pregnant promoter who booked them their first gig together), their experiences starting out (included area few of their on stage acts), and the eventual story about how they got in contact with Comedy Central. The guys have a good time reminiscing about old times and have a few good laughs in the process.
Comedy Central Presents: Stella (20:58) – This is the half hour special that aired before Comedy Central picked up Stella as a series. Their stand-up routine is very funny and the audience just eats out of their hand the entire time.
Deleted Scenes (13:53) – These aren’t so much deleted scenes as they’re just extended or alternate takes of stuff already in the episodes. Some of the stuff here was mentioned in the commentary tracks and the guys explained that the takes were changed due to the network forcing them. There are a few laughs to be had and occasionally some of the takes here are better than what aired.
Blooper Reel (13:27) – Flubbed lines are obviously the corner stone to any blooper reel and that one is no different. You’ll find some good laughs as the actors try to say their irrational dialogue with the upmost seriousness.
Rounding out the disc are three Comedy Central Quickies for Reno 911, South Park, and The Colbert Report, DVD Previews for South Park: Season Eight, Windy City Heat, Strangers With Candy: The Complete Series, and Reno 911: Season Three. There are also a few easy to find easter eggs on the DVD’s.
