COMMUNITY Lays Down the "Law"

Article first published as TV Review: 'Community' - "Laws of Robotics & Party Rights" on Blogcritics.

This week’s Community, “Laws of Robotics & Party Rights” (now available on Yahoo! Screen) finds Greendale College enrolling a bunch of prisoners. The convicts don’t actually set foot on campus. Instead, they are allowed to attend via iPad-attached-to-motorized-wheels for remote commuting. This seems like a good idea, but as one might expect, trouble soon begins brewing at the community college.

Community makes good use of weird things, and the telecommuting robots are a prime example of this. The school takes a very offbeat, but likely realistic, task for this technology, and then turns it into a story about a bullying murderer, Willy (Brian Van Holt, Cougar Town), who feuds with Jeff (Joel McHale), trying to kill him at one point, and being “killed” by Jeff in return.

Now, the way this shakes out, finding out that Willy is actually innocent, actually makes no sense given how he tries to push Jeff down the stairs. But one might argue that Willy is just having fun, and the absurdest, would-never-work assassination attempt is a great sight gag, so I can’t bring myself to tear down the episode because of it. Van Holt is equally believable as a cold-blooded killer and as a prankster.

More importantly, this plots allows “Laws of Robotics & Party Rights” to give us another look at Jeff in a semi-dramatic fashion. The past couple of seasons have delightfully started to delve into what makes Jeff tick, and this episode is no different. We see Jeff has become as much of a slacker as a teacher as he was a student or lawyer, playing Planet Earth videos during his law class. Willy makes him feel guilty about that, though, as evidenced by the strong reaction Willy provokes in him. Will Jeff become a better professor after this incident? I’m not sure, but he very well might. Concerning Community‘s most central player, any time Jeff is analyzed a bit is very welcome.

Having Van Holt play Willy is great because Abed (Danny Pudi) is obsessed with Cougar Town, which Van Holt co-starred in, and the series just came to an end last week on TBS. There have been other Cougar Town peeps pop up in Community episodes, and Abed made a cameo in that show, so its nice to see the connection continue.

While Jeff deals with this, Britta (Gillian Jacobs) wants to throw a party in the apartment, but Annie (Alison Brie) says no. Britta can’t get Abed to outright overrule Annie, but she does trick Abed by getting him to make a movie about a party, which ends up backfiring horribly. In the end, Britta must beg Annie to make it stop, Annie being the only one who understands how to influence Abed.

“Laws of Robotics & Party Rights” highlights how Abed’s antics have become toned down. In the early years of Community, Abed’s delusions are brought to the forefront in big ways. Now, Abed making a party happen continuously for days, which only a few bits of are shown, seems downright tame. This reflects the show’s more grounded direction and the growth of Abed into a functioning human being. I miss the old Abed, but I applaud the writers and Dan Harmon for understanding that change must happen and matching the most eccentric character to the other things going on in the program.

Besides these major plots, there are some great jokes, Elroy (Keith David) still being used for some clever racial commentary, and The Dean (Jim Rash) being as dean-y as ever. It’s a pretty solid installment for the sixth season, and is entertaining on its own.

New episodes of Community post every Tuesday on Yahoo! Screen.

Blu-ray Review: The BBC High Definition Natural History Collection

Coming to Blu-ray this Tuesday, March 27th, is The BBC High Definition Natural History Collection. The set includes the full, six-disc Special Edition of the amazing documentary series Planet Earth. The collection includes single discs of Galapagos and Ganges, as well as the two-disc Wild China. It's 10 discs total, with a lot of nature packed in. It was previously released as an eight-disc set, but has been re-released, now that the Special Edition of Planet Earth is available.

This is not to be confused with the non-HD BBC Natural History Collection, also coming out on Tuesday. That set also includes the Planet Earth Special Edition, but not on Blu-ray. The other features are different as well.

The highlight of The BBC High Definition Natural History Collection is, of course, Planet Earth. This award-winning, highly popular, 11-part series has surely paid for many future productions, and inspired tons of follow up. If you do not yet own Planet Earth on Blu-ray, that alone is motive enough to purchase this collection.

Each episode of Planet Earth examines a specific biome, except the first one, "Pole to Pole," which mostly sets things up. Mountains, caves, plains, deserts, frozen tundra, jungles, forests, fresh water, and the oceans are explored in rich detail, really giving viewers a look at their world as never before, with a focus on the animals the dwell in each.

Planet Earth spends 50 minutes in each episode, then there is an additional 10-minute featurette subtitled "Planet Earth Diaries," which looks at the challenges in making such a series.

First broadcast in the UK during 2006, Discovery Channel carried a version in the U.S. in 2007 with Sigourney Weaver (Avatar) narrating in place of famed naturalist David Attenborough. For the DVD, of course, Attenborough is in full force, displaying much more gravitas than Weaver ever managed. It's fine to use an actor, but sometimes utilizing an expert in the field is just a much better fit. Planet Earth is one of those cases.

Planet Earth features many "firsts" that no other series had managed to do before that. Bactrian camels are seen eating snow, a piranha feeding frenzy is caught in action, canine hunts are captured from the air, and there is even a glimpse of the extremely rare oceanic whitetip shark. These should easily be enough motive for any nature lover to own this set. It is also the first such series filmed in HD.

Some of the features in the Special Edition of Planet Earth can be found in earlier versions of the DVD sets, while others are only available in recent releases. Any version labeled "Special Edition" should have all of these.

Audio commentary is included for "Pole to Pole," "Mountains, "Caves," "Great Plains," and "Shallow Seas," each with a different person doing the talking. A featurette called "Great Planet Earth Moments" is exactly what the title implies. Disc five boasts "Planet Earth: The Future," which is a three part series about conservation. Each part is an hour, and discusses how to save the environments depicted in Planet Earth. Sure, the concept is a little preachy. But after having just witnessed the wonders this rock has to offer, who is going to complain about efforts to preserve such amazing things? It's the perfect time to argue the message, with the ideal audience already in place.

The final disc has three new specials. "Snow Leopard: Beyond the Myth" delves into this particular strain of feline with gusto. "Secrets of the Maya Underworld" spills the beans on some lesser known items about the ancient civilization. "Elephant Nomads of the Namib Desert" looks at a culture that may not dwell in buildings, but is pretty advanced for the animal kingdom. There is also a sneak peek of Frozen Planet, a series currently airing on Discovery Channel in the U.S.

Galapagos looks at the Galapagos Islands. Once called The Enchanted Islands, the Galapagos happen to be located right where four different ocean currents collide. Some of the islands are sinking, some are rising. New animals are being created, while others are going extinct. Full of active volcanoes, lava fields, sandy beaches, and cacti-filled deserts, the Galapagos is a rare and unique setting in which to film a special.

Galapagos looks at a large selection of animal life. In fact, the islands take their name from the tortoises that are abundant there. Also making their home in this island chain are swimming iguanas, diving boobies, surfing seal lions, and dancing albatrosses. The wild life is entertaining and fascinating, giving viewers a peek at a lush, full world that few will get a chance to visit.

Filmed mostly in high definition, Galapagos also incorporates satellite images to cover every aspect of the land, air, and sea. The narration is provided by Tilda Swinton.

Wild China, narrated by Bernard Hill, is five hours of exploration in this previously isolated country. Traveling into one of the oldest civilizations on the planet, Wild China spends some time on the native people, while also looking at the various environments that make up the area. From the Himalaya Mountains, to the Tibetan plateau, through waterfalls in forests, tropical islands, and sub-Arctic temperatures, there is quite a varying makeup of China's natural wonders.

Because of the huge differences between climates, there is a vast array of animals, too. It's interesting to see how each species is suited to their best habitat, and how some of them interact with the people who have encroached upon their homes. The Chinese have been around for a very long time, and a number of the residents have found harmony with their natural surroundings, a concept foreign to many Americans.
Special features for Wild China include a 'Making Of' and subtitles, which are available in Traditional Mandarin.

Ganges also touches the Himalayas, and then goes west from there. This river is one of the world's most important, running through India, and providing life for countless animals and people. Many Indians consider it sacred, and it's no wonder, given the vital role it plays for life in this country.

The Ganges is teeming with animals, from tigers, to wild elephants, to peacocks, to monkeys, to river dolphins, to crocodiles. It winds through small villages and large cities. It meets swamps and plains. Not especially repeating the other features in this collection, a whole other range of varied life is present here, too.

The narration is performed by Sudha Bhuchar. It can be listened to in English, Hindi, or Bengali, which is neat, though the latter two will be no more than a novelty for the vast majority of American buyers. There are deleted scenes, and a Behind the Scenes extra.

It is impossible to give a short critique of the picture and sound quality that will encompass this set in full. Many different cameras were used, mostly high definition ones, but even within that subset, picture clarity varies. Sometimes bands of color are on the screen. Sometimes blacks are not as rich as they might be. The same holds true for sound, where it is often presented in a nice, surround format, while in other places, it's only stereo.

However, in handing out an overall rating on picture and sound quality, The BBC High Definition Natural History Collection ranks high. Buying it on Blu-ray is a must, because that's where the clearest presentation can be found. Not every scene will be perfect, but many will leave viewers stunned with the amount of visual and auditory detail captured. The makers of these films are experts, and have learned how to best satisfy the masses. This is a stunning set that should definitely be experienced.

The BBC High Definition Natural History Collection, is on sale this Tuesday, March 27th. To buy this and other DVDs in Columbus, check out the various Best Buys in the area, or go to amazon.com.

 

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Article first published as Blu-ray Review: The BBC High Definition Natural History Collection on Blogcritics.

Planet Earth Limited Collector's Edition perfect for Christmas

     Planet Earth is an eleven part nature documentary that has won many awards and been hailed the world over. Some may even argue that it is the best series of its kind, setting the standard in the genre. Each episode examines a specific biome, except the first one, "Pole to Pole," which mostly sets things up. Mountains, caves, plains, deserts, frozen tundra, jungles, forests, fresh water, and the oceans are explored in rich detail, really giving viewers a look at their world as never before, with a focus on the animals the dwell in each. 

     Planet Earth spends 50 minutes in each episode, then there is an additional ten minutes subtitled "Planet Earth Diaries," which looks at the challenges in making such a series. And there are many obstacles. Cameras went into places not usually tread upon by humans, a necessity when looking at nature at its wild best. Thus, the crew has to find a way to get the footage they need without disturbing the environment around them too much.

     First broadcast in the UK in 2006, Discovery Channel carried a version of it in the U.S. in 2007 with Sigourney Weaver (Avatar) narrating in place of famed naturalist David Attenborough. For the DVD, of course, Attenborough is in full force, with much more gravitas than Weaver ever managed. It's fine to use an actor, but sometimes utilizing an expert in the field is just a much better fit. Planet Earth is one of those cases.

     Planet Earth features many "firsts" that no other series manages to do before now. Bactrian camels are seen eating snow, a piranha feeding frenzy is caught in action, canine hunts are captured from the air, and there is even a glimpse of the extremely rare oceanic whitetip shark. These should easily be enough motive for any nature lover to own this set. It is also the first such series filmed in HD. Although a simple DVD set isn't the best possible picture (for that, buy Blu-ray), it still looks fantastic in any edition.

     Of course, many people already own Planet Earth on DVD, so there must be a good reason to buy it again. For one, the packaging in the Limited Collector's Edition is very cool, and numbered for authenticity. The six discs are in cardboard sleeves set in foam, all contained inside a plastic globe. The inside of the lid features a beautiful tree canopy panorama. The globe itself is very neat, and it sure to be a conversation piece no matter where it is placed. There are also four picture cards with facts about the animals shown on the back. These are sort of extraneous, but still fun to look at.

     Some of the features in the Limited Collector's Edition of Planet Earth can be found in earlier versions of the DVD sets, while others are only available in recent release. Audio commentary is included for "Pole to Pole," "Mountains, "Caves," "Great Plains," and "Shallow Seas," each with a different person doing the talking. A featurette called "Great Planet Earth Moments" is exactly what the title implies.

     Disc five boasts "Planet Earth: The Future," which is a three part series about conservation. Each part is an hour, and discusses how to save the environments depicted in Planet Earth. Sure, the concept is a little preachy. But after having just witnessed the wonders this rock has to offer, who is going to complain about efforts to preserve such amazing things? It's the perfect time to argue the message, with the ideal audience already in place.

     The final disc has three new specials. "Snow Leopard: Beyond the Myth" delves into this particular strain of feline with gusto. "Secrets of the Maya Underworld" spills the beans on some lesser known items about the ancient civilization. "Elephant Nomads of the Namib Desert" looks at a culture that may not dwell in buildings, but is pretty advanced for the animal kingdom. There is also a sneak peek of Frozen Planet, a forthcoming BBC series.

     For fans of Planet Earth, the Limited Collector's Edition is a must-have. It displays the fantastic set in an interesting way, and allows bragging rights of having the best copy of the series. Buy it for Christmas, or for yourself.

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Article first published as DVD Review: Planet Earth Six-Disc Limited Collector's Edition on Blogcritics.

Life breathes life into Discovery Channel

     My article title is not a dig on the Discovery Channel.  On the contrary, I am always entertained when I sit down to watch a show.  However, the new series Life cause me to set my TiVo for a season pass.  For one, it's by the same people that brought you Planet Earth, and while I have not yet had a chance to watch that series, I have heard glowing things, and I did purchase a copy on DVD that I intend to get around to.  For another, well, do you need another reason?

     Last night, two episodes were premiered.  The first, "The Challenges of Life", brought a closer glimpse at a variety of species, and the hardship they must endure to survive.  It was a study of balance, for although I rooted for the cheetahs to bring down that ostrich, I rejoiced when the baby ibex escaped the fox.  The mother frog taking care of her tadpoles was especially interesting, and one couldn't help but feel sorry for the hippo who was denied a mate.  Florida Dolphins certainly proved their smarts.  Plants and seals were also featured, among others.

     The first episode skipped around frequently, perhaps owing to its broad topic, but its short segments were engaging.  The second episode last night was "Reptiles and Amphibians", which I look forward to viewing soon, and then next Sunday at 8 and 9pm, we get "Mammals" and "Fish".  Presumably, these may go a little more in depth, as the topic is narrower.  Ten hours in all are planned, with only one more taking a very broad topic as the first.

     The one complaint I have about series is the narration provided by Oprah Winfrey.  Don't have my head for saying it, but Oprah, as well respected and powerful as she is, does not provide the same pleasing tones that most nature show narrators do.  I would have preferred someone else, but it wasn't distracting enough to warrant major complaints.  Just a small gripe.