Plot: What’s it about?
In the small town of Royston Valley, the locals have a lot of pride and in fact, they can be lethal to protect their borders. Because of the town’s location, hikers and such pass through often, but one taste of the local attitude and they’ll never want to come back. But Ben has just arrived and since he has family, he isn’t booted out as quickly as a true outsider would be. He has a tough time with all the rules and strange locals, but over time he learns to just grin and accept the total hell he has entered into. In the local shop, Tubbs and her husband Edward make sure the locals have all their basic needs, but also keep the outsiders from trying to peek under Tubbs’ clothes or sneaking a feel on the precious things. You can also meet Babs, the taxi driver who wants a sex change operation, Pauline, the inept job centre worker, and various other quirky locals. They say small towns have a certain air to them and in this case, it is one that smells of unwelcome visitors and sheer insanity.
I’ve been watching The League Of Gentlemen on BBC America and I have to say, this is one of the funniest shows I have seen in a long time. And if you’ve avoided The League Of Gentlemen because you don’t like most British comedies, then you’re making a serious mistake. This is not the typical style of British humor to say the least, as it uses low brow humor in heavy doses, raunchy sight gags, and in the end, it could offend a whole lot of people. In other words, this show is pure genius and I cannot wait to watch these episodes over and again. The show involves a small band of characters, all played by the same three fellows, who also help to write the material along with a fourth gentleman. The characters are hilarious and the writing is top notch to be sure, loaded with outlandish laughs. This disc contains all six episodes from series one of the show, as well as a ton of supplemental materials. Warner Bros. and the BBC have worked to create a terrific disc to be sure and I think fans will be in total heaven. I give this disc a very high recommendation, all those interested should not hesitate to pick up this release. But please, make sure you’re a local, because if you’re not then there’s nothing here for you and we’ll have no trouble here.
Video: How does it look?
The League Of Gentlemen is shown in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen, which looks terrific and vastly superior to television. The image is quite sharp and though the show uses a dark scheme, the shadows never become too murky and detail level is high. The blacks look black and the whites look white, all the elements seem in working order overall. I saw no color errors in the least, the print used is very clean, and no compression errors surface in the least. This is how television should look, kudos to Warner Bros. for giving this the anamorphic treatment.
Audio: How does it sound?
This show doesn’t need much audio depth, but I think it sounds terrific in this mix. The show is dialogue based, but some musical portions and sound effects can also be found. It all comes across in fine form here, no real issues to discuss and the balance is always right on target also. The vocals are the main focus and as such, the other elements never overpower the dialogue. I do wish the laugh track was removed, but aside from that, no real complaints in the audio. The disc also contains English subtitles, should you need them.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This is where the disc shines, as it is loaded with bonus materials. Each episode has audio commentary from the creative team behind the show, which is a real treat. The track sometimes get dull, but it is still interesting to hear the writers/actors discuss their thoughts on their show. A nice selection of still photos, ads, and such can also be seen on the disc, for both the television show and the radio/stage programs. You’ll also find in depth character files on the residents of Royston Valley, which prove to be a lot of fun to browse through. You learn all about these folks, from their happiest time to their jobs, very cool stuff. Rounding the disc is a selection of about ten deleted sequences, which are quite humorous and make a terrific addition to this disc.
