Actors: Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, Scott Thompson
Number of discs: 22
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: A&E Entertainment
Run Time: 2701 minutes
Season 1: 5 out of 5 stars
Season 2: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Season 3: 4 out of 5 stars
Season 4: 4 out of 5 stars
Season 5: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Death Comes to Town: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Complete Series: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Special Features: 5 out of 5 stars
This amazing DVD megaset includes nearly 800 sketches from every episode in the 5 seasons the show ran. The set also includes the original pilot episode and the new series “Death Comes to Town”, featuring all 8-episodes. All this and more is featured on this comedy packed 22 discs. I remember watching this show in my early teens and falling completely in love it with it. I was a fan of Monty Python but something about these guys really got me going. Normally I am not a fan of skit driven shows, never watched “Saturday Night Live” and “MadTV”. The humor in this show is so great and full of satire. Some of my favorite characters in the show were Buddy Cole, Chicken Lady, Danny Husk and Headcrusher.
Season one features some great sketches such as Crush Your Head Part 1-3, Cabbage Head, Hey You Millionaire, Crying Guy, and Buddy Cole. I would have to say that the first is still my favorite season of the series. In season two, we have Headcrusher: Rival, Daddy Drank, The Doctor, Cops: Shootout, Chicken Lady and Simon and Hecubus. Some really great skits, hard to follow the first but it does a damn good job. Season three’s highlights are Girls, Mr. Right, Cabbie: Bigot, Body Conscious, The Pen, Fact: Strike. I have to mention that the Cabbie is also one of my favorites, such a riot. Season four includes some skits like The Night I Connected With My Dog, The Escape Artist, Hookers: Transvestites, Answering Machine and Chicken Lady Homecoming (great skit). The final season doesn’t always mean it is the worst, in fact I really enjoyed it. I remember this season airing a few years prior to their movie “Brain Candy”, one of my favorites. In this season we have skits like Armada: But Does Armada Make It?, Tribute to Berman, Empty Bar, Things We Couldn’t Show, and God is Dead. I would say some of the best skits in the series.
Since the show ended in 2004, the troupe went one to make movie, which I am still waiting for a proper release of “Brain Candy”, perhaps on Blu-ray…you hear me Paramount!. I love that film quite a bit since I was yearning for more “Kids” after the series ended. Though the film was not a financial success. The “Kids” continued the tour through 2008 on and off again. During that tour in 2008, they started working on a new mini series called “Death Comes to Town”. The show is not skits rather just one story spread out over eight 30 minute episodes. I would have to say that this a true return for the troupe. Luckily that series is also included in this fabulous DVD megaset. “Death Comes to Town” features all new characters for the “Kids” and really feels going back to the roots of the original skits. This is a must watch for all the fans of “The Kids in the Hall”.
An Oral History-Season 1: 45 Minutes of Interviews with the Kids and Lorne Michaels, An Oral History-Season 2: 15 minutes with the Kids, Paul Bellini, and Lorne Michaels, Audio Commentary by The Kids which is hysterical as expected. 10 Best-of Compilations Featuring Fan-Favorite Sketches is a great way to introduce fans to the series that are not familiar with it. Over 90 Minutes of Original Performances from the Rivoli Theater is great to see them on stage and they still got it. Archival Footage Never-Before-Seen-on-TV is great since you get to see some cool footage. Of course the rest is worth mentioning as well full sketch listings, poster gallery, cast bios and slideshows.
