SCTV - Best Of The Early Years

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SCTV - Best Of The Early Years

List Price: $39.99
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Product Description:

SCTV's best half-hour episodes from 1978 - 1980 are showcased in this 3-DVD collection. From its humble beginnings in 1976 SCTV transformed from a half-hour comedy airing monthly in Canada on the Global Television Network to a widely embraced series that by the third season was airing weekly on the CBC and syndicated in the U.S.Guy Caballero and Edith Prickley were born in the early years. The McKenzie Brothers started here. Earl Camembert Floyd Robertson Johnny LaRue Sammy Maudlin and Bobby Bittman characters destined to become household names were first beamed into consciousness here.Starring: John Candy Robin Duke Joe Flaherty Eugene Levy Andrea Martin Rick Moranis Catherine O'Hara Tony Rosato and Dave ThomasSpecial Features Include:Commentaries by Robin Duke Joe Flaherty and executive producer Andrew AlexanderThe featurette "Looking Back With Andrea Martin"CBC news magazine segment "The McKenzie Brothers - Take Off Eh"Examining the impact The Great White North had on Canada"Andrew Alexander Answers Fan Mail."System Requirements:Run Time: 420 minsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 826663101461 Manufacturer No: D3D10146

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Even the worst of SCTV would be superior to much of what passes for contemporary sketch comedy. This three-disc set collects 15 of the now-legendary 30-minute syndicated episodes from 1978-80 that initially formed the bedrock of SCTV's Network 90 incarnation (now available in its entirety on DVD). There are but three episodes from season 2, which feature SCTV's most popularly known ensemble: John Candy, Joe Flahrety, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis, Catherine O'Hara, and Dave Thomas. Arguably the best of these is "On the Waterfront Again," with Levy's old school and out of touch comedian Bobby Bittman and O'Hara's B-list entertainer Lola Heatherton appearing on "The Sammy Maudlin Show" to promote their hopeless remake of the Brando classic. The bulk of this collection hails from season 3, which lamentably saw the departure of Candy and O'Hara, but also the auspicious arrival of Rick Moranis. Also joining the cast were the unsung Tony Rosato (who does a wicked Lou Costello in "Midnight Express Special") and Robin Duke. They would later make the jump to Saturday Night Live, which gets an upstart thumping in the episode, "Thursday Night Live." One of the season's running gags is a series of promos for Taxi Driver, recast with Woody Allen, Dick Cavett, Gregory Peck, and even Bob Hope ("You talkin' to me? Nobody talks to me that way. I didn't let Darryl Zanuck talk to me that way."). Thomas's definitive Hope also pops up to upstage Bittman on "The Sammy Maudlin Show" to promote "I Owe Peking 2000 Dollars," and alongside Moranis' uncanny Woody Allen in the masterpiece, "Play It Again, Bob." Thomas and Moranis make their momentous first appearances throughout this season as bickering, beer-swilling brothers Doug and Bob McKenzie, SCTV's breakout characters. "The Great White North" (a.k.a. "Kanadian Korner"), their sublimely silly improved segments, introduced such Canadian patois as "Take off," "Hoser," and "Beauty, eh?" into the pop culture lexicon.

SCTV mastered the art of cross parody. "My Factory, My Self," one of Martin's finest half hours, somehow combines An Unmarried Woman, Coming Home, Norma Rae, Kramer vs. Kramer, and The China Syndrome. It's unfortunate that The Early Years represented in this collection do not extend to the first season (Harold Ramis fans, arise!). But these gems are dazzling in their--to quote the hilarious "The Trial of Oscar Wilde" sketch--"sparkling wit and unbelievable intelligence." Some of the references are dated (anyone remember gossip columnist Rona Barrett, transformed here into sportscaster Ronny Barrett?). But we agree with SCTV station manager Guy Caballero. This is "the hippest comedy you'll ever see." --Donald Liebenson

Customer Reviews:

Rating:
Date: 2008-02-15
A Cop Out
A best-of set? In whose opinion? They short-changed us here, folks. Why not do it right and issue ALL of the 30-minute episodes?; that's what the hardcore SCTV fans really wanted. Instead, we got a sampling, an hors devours tray. Bad job, Shout Factory! Please go back and get this right.

Rating:
Date: 2008-01-04
Wait on the real thing!
The people that released this DVD make me want to throw my DVD player out my window (my big screen TV is too heavy to lift) and land it on their heads. WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?

Any true fan of SCTV is willing to wait as long as it takes to get all of the original series INCLUDING Harold Ramis in chronological order the way they SHOULD be released.

I bought all of the previous 90-minute volumes, but until you people release this fabulous series the right way, you WILL NOT get any more of my money, you HOSERS!

Rating:
Date: 2008-01-01
Like many ,many others
I was disappointed in the selection of skits. I'm not an SCTV historian, with perfect knowlege of what was season 1, 2, 3, etc. I also don't remember exactly what shows were on what network. Still, I thought I remembered the intro introducing "Dave Thomas as the beaver"? Correct? Was that intro only in the earliest of episodes? That intro wasn't here. I suspect what were labeled "the early years" for this dvd were actually more like the middle years. I'm 50, and saw this when it was new, but I didn't even remember Robin and Tony; evidently they didn't impress me much then. I enjoyed earlier episodes with J.C. and Catherine O. far more. A nice touch in this one were a few appearances of the not-so-scary Count Floyd, and Bob and Doug- who took our country by storm, eh? Overall, I think the title is misleading, and can only consider this a very average compilation.

Rating:
Date: 2007-11-13
SCTV...is a classic
I'm glad I found the SCTV series on DVD, I'm a big fan,the shows always makes me laugh.

Rating:
Date: 2007-05-31
SCTV, the Early Years....
It must be very difficult, putting together a "Best of" collection, given the fact that everybody has an iron-clad opinion on what is considered the "best." That being said, it was nice to see the "genesis" of some of the great characters developed over the years by this stellar group of performers: Count Floyd, Bobby Bittman, Johnny Larue, Edith Prickley...the list goes on and on.

If I had any complaints:

1. I would have liked one more disk of shows.
2. I would have liked a better quality of commentary; quite often, the commentary seemed off the topic, and although I think Robin Duke is a wonderful performer, I would have preferred to have Moranis, or Thomas, or even Levy do some. I add as a caveat: I thought the sections with Andrea Thomas and the news footage of the "McKenzie Phenomenon" was a fine addition.

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