Tuesday 13 May 2008

Things I like on DVD

As I'm facing exams at the start of June I've been limiting the amount of time I'm allowed to spend doing fun things. The idea of this is to replace this fun time with revision, but so far I've also managed to squeeze in quite a bit of DVD watching. So, anyway, it has occurred to me that some things are simply better on DVD. In particular comedy and drama series'. Here's a quick list of things I like on DVD (which I'm not sure I'd like as much spread out on TV):

1 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - Old favourite which we haven't watched in a while. When we were first introduced to this we binged on the DVD's big time. It's still ace.

2 - Flight of the Conchords - This is a new favourite which is guaranteed to get me and Anders a bit giddy. It was New Year's Day fare at our house for the hangover recovery session which also included crisps and homemade cheese scones.

3 - Arrested Development - Borrowed from a friend who borrowed it from a friend. We're about to lend it to a friend too. It's brilliant. Not only does it star the wonderful Michael Cera (a slightly chubbier version than the star of Superbad and Juno) but it has Liza Minelli and the Fonz making guest appearances. It's amazing.

4 - House - Ok, ok, I know, this is just me, I'm a loser, but when Anders rented this for me to indulge in I really was super excited, because I'm a bit wrong and my favourite programmes are those which wrap up neatly in an hour. I've never managed to watch The Wire (despite knowing how good it would be) because whenever anyone reviews it/talks about it it's all about how sprawling and densely plotted it is...

There's probably more, but I realise I'm in danger of revealing just how totally not cool I am!

Any recommendations in light of the first three? Anything we might've missed which we could watch for hours in a row while eating haribo and getting a bit giddy and hyperactive? Let me know!

Love Bex

xx

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello!

If you like Curb Your Enthusiam, you might like 'It's always Sunny in Philidelphia'. Three friends wrote a script, filmed it with some mates and got the first series greenlit with them writing, acting and being executive producers. It's got the same 'reality' feel as CYE and all of the characters are completely selfish. BY season two Danny Devito asked to come on board and seasons two and three are amazing.

The Wire is INCREDIBLE. I tried to put off watching it as I suspected that it was good and finally borrowed season 1, got four episodes in and lost interest. I tried again a couple of months ago and got six episodes in and was completely hooked and tanked 5 seasons in about six weeks pullingin three and four hours a day sometimes. Each season ends perfectly and the five seasons as a whole also end perfectly. In season 4, they give all of the main characters aboit 20% of the airtime and introduce brand new characters, a bold move at that point but it pays off because it's so well written.

Freaks and Geeks would probably be my other recommendation. it's made by the people who have put out knocked up and superbad etc but it's much more clever and has a lot of heart for a teen comedy. it's ridiculous that it was cancelled after one season and I don't think you can get it at all in the UK and where you can in the states it's always £25. I borowed it once but have never been able to bite the bullet on buying it.

Curb Your enthusiam made me buy seven seasons of seinfeld despite never watching it when it was on because of the behind the scenes things with larry David.

Watching serial telly is kind of exciting when you have to wait each week but it's more funntanking box sets.

Cheers

Joey Chickenskin

Anonymous said...

Hi Joey!

THANKS for the recommendations!! That's brilliant! I'm going to get Anders on the trail right away!

I definitely want to see Freaks and Geeks, but I didn't realise it was so hard to come by, £25 just seems a bit much doesn't it?

I haven't heard of the Philadelphia one, so I'll definitely check that out.

As for Seinfeld...I just never really managed to get into that in a big way. I mean, I enjoy watching it if it's on, but I'd never got further than that, you know? I think it was the slap bass that was the problem...

Anonymous said...

Ha Ha


I HATE that music so much. One of my least favourite things is short sound loops on DVD menues that keep repeating. The clip on Angel does my head in if I have to leave it on for any reason but the Seinfeld one drives me insane!

I've lost count of how many times I've nearly exploded while looking for my remote control to make it stop while shouting 'SHUT UP' at the telly that just keeps going 'bewn be demn dewn bewb ben bimbimbedewn dewn dewn dewn' in mockery!

Anonymous said...

hahaha... I often hate them too, but I must confess a certain hypnotic love for the clip on Flight of the Conchords... sometimes if it's on you can just sit and watch it for ages... I can anyway!

Anonymous said...

Yeah, but you can sit and watch 'DVD Owl' for hours on end, Bex!

Anonymous said...

Anders!!! Don't tell everyone about the DVD Owl!!