Plot: What’s it about?
A two month window is all that remote Canadian mining outposts have to transport supplies in, which means those two months are critical. The path to these outposts isn’t a standard road however, instead it is a strip of ice over frozen lakes, forming the most perilous road in the world. The trucks that travel the ice road can weight over twenty tons, so as time passes and the ice is worn down, danger is ever present. The truckers who brave the ice road can reap immense financial gains and for some, the two month season is viewed as a competition. Some of the truckers compete to haul the most loads to the outposts, while others simply want to earn the extra cash available for the dangerous treks. In Ice Road Truckers, we’re able to watch as these truckers push on, complete with all the tension you’d expect.
Ice Road Truckers: On and Off the Ice is a collection of three specials, all of which combine with the first season to offer an in depth, inside the truckers’ lifestyle perspective. The Ice Road: Then and Now mixes footage from the original special that served as a the show’s pilot episode with footage from throughout the season. A kind of updated ice road exploration for those who watched and a nice introduction for new viewers. Off the Ice and Off the Ice 2 are more like reunion shows, where truckers from the first season come back to discuss the experiences out on the ice road. These interviews help us get to know the truckers in a less stressful setting, so they’re more open and candid about their lives and experiences. If you’re a fan of Ice Road Truckers, you’ll want to check these out, so On and Off the Ice is worth a look.
Video: How does it look?
The specials are presented in full frame, as intended. The visuals look good here, with no real complaints. If you’ve seen the series, you know what to expect. The image is clean, though the footage out on the ice road is rough, but that is kind of unavoidable, given the circumstances. So in the end, these specials look fine.
Audio: How does it sound?
The audio is basic, but fine. The reworked pilot has the same kind of audio found on the show itself, while the update pieces tend to be more reserved, in interview format. The soundtrack is by no memorable for any of the three programs, but all sound good and have no glaring concerns. If you’ve seen the specials on television, then you should know about what to expect from these 2.0 presentations.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes biographies of the truckers, with even more information on these brave souls.
