Plot: What’s it about?
Path-E-Tech is a large corporation, one which rakes in a lot of profits, but has no soul, at least not one that is visible without a microscope. The corporation has countless people on its staff, some that work in comfortable offices with minimal tasks at hand, as well as those who inhabit cramped cubicles that are buried in work orders. Dilbert (voiced by Daniel Stern) feels like his cubicle is the smallest one of all, as well as the most overworked one. Dilbert is a computer engineer, but his work isn’t as simple as it might seem. He is surrounded by hostile coworkers, even the ones he regards as friends often torment him. In the same space as Dilbert are Alice (voiced by Kathy Griffin), who loves coffee and never holds back her opinions, and Wally (voiced by Gordon Hunt), who tries to do as little work as possible, then shift the blame to his coworkers. Not to mention his boss, who always seems to be there when things go in the toilet, but never thinks twice when things are good or his own mistakes are corrected. But Dilbert isn’t just troubled by people, as the basic functions of the office even seem to be against him, which means each day is a potential disaster. His homelife isn’t much better, as the maniacal Dogbert (voiced by Chris Elliott) tries to outwit Dilbert at every turn, then plot to control the entire world. Can Dilbert somehow continue his professional career, or will he snap under the constant pressure?
The comic strip was hilarious, but could Dilbert make the jump to television, which has eluded so many other heroes from the funny papers? After all, it takes a lot more to make a half hour show than a few panels in a newspaper, right? I found Dilbert to be an inconsistent series, as some episodes were hilarious, while others were mediocre. I don’t think even a single episode was bad, but some were rather lackluster. The tone from the comic is retained, though boundaries are often pushed further in this series. That results in more mature situations at times, from stronger language to more off the wall incidents. Of course, the visual design remains intact, so Dilbert and his comrades have the same basic look. The animation is simplistic, but effective and can be fun to watch, without being overly flashy. As far as voice talent, Dilbert sports a solid cast, with such stars as Daniel Stern, Kathy Griffin, Larry Miller, and yes, even Chris Elliott involved. A slew of humorous, well known guest stars also appear, so listen closely to pick out the cameos. In the end, Dilbert was a fun little show, one that deserved a better fate than the UPN’s lame treatment. Columbia has released the entire series in one edition, spread across four discs. So if you like Dilbert, this release is a must own, even if you have work overtime to afford it.
Video: How does it look?
The episodes are presented in full frame, as intended. This is a fairly new show, so it is no surprise that the visuals are well handled here. The prints have minimal signs of wear, so debris and grain are never problems. This allows for a clean, crisp visual texture, so the show’s bright presence comes off in fine fashion. The white, white, white office atmosphere looks excellent, as do the assorted color patches that arise. This is not a very colorful show, but when needed, the hues have ample richness. I found black levels to be spot on also, which means there is no imbalance within the darker hues. So we have more than solid visual treatments here, as all the episodes look even better than when shown on television.
Audio: How does it sound?
I don’t have a whole lot to discuss in this department, since the show’s audio is basic and so is this presentation. There is no real power or depth to mention, outside of the music, which has a little presence at times. Danny Elfman’s theme is fun and sounds good, while the filler tunes also come across well enough. The sound effects don’t amount to much, but all of the office ambiance is on full showcase in these tracks. In other words, the background noises sound good, but don’t expect much beyond the basics. The real focus is on dialogue, so the clean and clear vocals found here are a welcome fixture in the mixes. No alternate language tracks or subtitle options however, which is a let down, since Columbia is usually quite generous.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes four clip compilations, hosted by Dilbert creator Scott Adams, as well as a featurette on the series’ creation.
