Created by: Jermaine Clement and Bret McKenzie
Starring Jermiane Clement, Bret McKenzie, Rhys Darby, Arj Barker, Kristen Schaal, David Costabile
HBO has had a lot of great shows: The Sopranos and True Blood just to name a few. Is Flight of The Conchords one of the good ones? HBO Home Video recently released Flight of the Conchords: The Complete Second Season on DVD and I tore into heartily.
The Season
Just in case you aren’t familiar with the series, here is a quick refresher: Bret (Bret McKenzie) and Jermaine (Jermaine Clement) are two former shepherds from New Zealand that have come to the United States, specifically New York City, to become a hit musical act. Their friend and manager Murray (Rhys Davies), who works at the New Zealand consulate, tries to get the band gigs and is only moderately successful. They do get to play “open mic nights” and the occasional gig at the aquarium.
Try as they might, their fan base only seems to contain only fan, but she loves them fiercely. Her name is Mel (Kristen Schaal) and her appreciation for the duo and their music frequently slides into “stalker” territory. Her husband Doug (David Costablile) is more understanding than many men would be in his situation.
The series follows Bret and Jermaine as they navigate the rocky and often hysterical road to success and the offbeat characters that come in and out of their lives. There are a lot of funny episodes in the second season of this show, but I have some favorites from among the ones offered.
The New Cup finds Jermaine and Bret in financial ruin because they bought a new coffee cup and it is this “splurge” that brings their budget and lifestyle to its knees. Jermaine considers becoming a prostitute in order to save them from becoming homeless.
In Unnatural Love, Jermaine commits a crime that injures the hearts of all fellow New Zealanders: He unknowingly sleeps with an Australian and how he discovers his new companion’s background is revealed hysterically in the episode. How can Jermaine ever hold his head up high again in front of his fellow countrymen?
Evicted finds the duo having to stage a Broadway play in order to raise money to get their apartment back and Jermaine and Bret are forced to create a street gang in order to protect themselves in the episode entitled The Tough Brets.
Flight of the Conchords, both in the first season and now the second season, is one of my favorite comedies on the air today. It has quirky and catchy songs and just the right amount of silliness that tickles my funny bone every time. I just love these New Zealanders!
8.5/10
The Video
The show is presented in a widescreen format. Colors are vibrant and the black levels are decent. I did not notice any instances of grain or artifacts. While this isn’t blu ray quality, the overall image is respectable.
7/10
The Audio
The Dolby Digital 5.1 presentation here is subtle and effective throughout the series running time. Dialogue is properly centered and separated, and ambient sounds are handled well. There are optional subtitles available in English, French and Spanish.
7.5/10
The Packaging and Bonus Features
The 2nd season is presented in a cardboard slipcover with slim amaray cases.
There are some nice bonus features to explore on this release. First up, Flight of the Conchords: On Air is a featurette detailing how Clement and McKenzie brought their act to HBO and this series. There are three Dave’s Pawn Shop Commercials which are enjoyable.
Next up is New Zealand Consulate Meetings with Murray and Greg that fans will enjoy.
And rounding things out are deleted scenes and outtakes.
7/10
Overall (Not an average) 8/10
The Review
The Series 8.5/10
The Video 7/10
The Audio 7.5/10
The Packaging and Bonus Features 7/10
Overall (Not an Average) 8/10