Wezzo's DVD Reviews > Malcolm In The Middle: S1
Wezzo's DVD Reviews > TV Series > Malcolm In The Middle: Season One
Malcolm In The Middle: Season One
Main Feature:
Well, Malcolm In The Middle is certainly in my top 5 TV shows of all-time, so it's not likely to get a low mark here, is it? This may be the first season, when shows usually begin as mere shadows of what they grow to be. That is not the case with MitM though; the show found its feet in the first minute of the first episode. Genius.
My personal top 5 of the 16 episodes contained here are "Rollerskates", in which Hal teaches malcolm how to skate in a series of hilarious routines; "Water Park", the first of a two-parter to be completed in the next season; following the family's outing to a nearby water park; "Smunday", A tale of Lois becoming ill and the boys tricking her into thinking it's Sunday on a Monday; "Home Alone 4" in which Francis is left in charge of the boys and the house; and finally "Krelboyne Picnic", when the gifted class at Malcolm's school have an 'academic circus'. Being honest though, all are gems in their own right, thanks to the excellent casting, brilliant acting, realistic plots and witty scripts. A top TV show.10/10
Audio:
One word: adequate. DD2.0 isn't exactly ground-breaking, but then again it's all that's necessary. 6/10
Video:
Unfortunately, I was surprised at the low quality. A little edge enhancment here and there, but more importantly TERRIBLE grain on some parts of the episodes, rendering those scenes in particular similar to broadcast quality. Fair.. just. 6/10
Price:
I'm in the UK, so I buy from UK-based retailers who stock R1 discs, in this case www.playusa.com . I purchased it for £19.99 (about $35), and as most TV-DVD sets are about £35 here (about $50), it was a great price. 9/10
Extras:
Wow, an excellent set of extras. Firstly, 2 and a half hours worth of scene-specific commentary, which can be played ep by ep, or in one 50-min-or-so block per disc. The only ep with with full commentary is the Pilot. There's also an optional ID track, which via subtitles let's you know who's talking at the moment - neat idea.
Nextly, there's an excellent 45-minute documentary entitled " MitM: A Stroke of Genius"; an excellent documentary covering everything you could ever wish to know.
There's also a couple of 'Blooper'-style featurettes; one of which focuses on lines being fluffed up; the other is a collection of accidental items or people on the side of the widescreen film which shouldn't be there, commentated on by Bryan Cranston, who plays Hal. Both total around 5 minutes.
There are also four deleted scenes, totalling 7 mins or so; 4 unused cold openings, totalling about 5 mins; 8 minutes or so of network (FOX) promos, a 2-minure music-only behind-the-scenes look at season two; and finally, a documentary on Erik Per Sullivan, who plays Dewey in the show. A truly brilliant set. 10/10
Overall:
A brilliant show on a set packed with extras with an average transfer. 9/10
Family-Friendly Rating:
Rated Teen for some sexual references, mild comic violence, and mild language.
~Wesley Mead, aka Wezzo
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