Plot: What’s it about?
When it comes time to protect and serve, no one does it quite like the Reno, Nevada Sheriff’s Department. The city is home to all kinds of strange and off the wall criminals, all of whom seem determined to raise hell. But with Lt. Jim Dangle (Thomas Lennon) and his ultra short shorts on duty, crime will have to work overtime to avoid justice. In addition to the flamboyant Dangle, the office is home to the smooth talkin’ Jonesy (Cedric Yarborough), the quick tempered Raineesha (Niecy Nash), the abrasive and racist Garcia (Carlos Alazraqui), the ever adorned with sunglasses Junior (Robert Ben Garant), the sexually charged Clemmie (Wendy McLendon-Covey), and the neurotic Wiegel (Kerri Kenney-Silver). Few offices could boast such a diverse squad of crime fighters, nor would any office want to. When the group isn’t fighting internally, they manage to bungle their way to solving some crimes, while falling for some of the most see through scams ever. The streets of Reno should be beware, as the deputies of the Reno, Nevada Sheriff’s Department are on patrol…
As Reno 911!: Miami launches in theaters, Paramount has delved into the show’s archives to pull out some highlights and give us this Reno’s Most Wanted release. I am not a fan of “best of” releases, as I prefer complete seasons, but for new fans, I suppose this is a nice introduction. This disc holds seven episodes, deemed to be the best of Reno’s run and while I have a lot of favorites, this is an excellent selection of episodes. Reading Ron is a classic and easily one of the show’s best, while Homeland Security (a double episode) is hilarious and Reverend Gigg Lecarp is just surreal. The other episodes here are great, but these stand as the elite episodes of this collection, just laugh riots. The Reading Ron episode never fails to make me laugh and I’ve seen it probably a dozen or more times. The other episodes counted as Reno’s Most Wanted are Rick from Citizen’s Patrol, Officer Smiley, and Scavenger Hunt, all worthy choices. I’m sure I could think of a few other episodes that deserved inclusion, but as far as “best of” releases go, this one is as good as it gets. So if you’re a casual fan or you’re a new fan of Reno 911!, then this special collection is a good chance to test the waters, then decide on the full season editions.
Video: How does it look?
The episodes are presented in full frame, as intended. he images look crystal clear and quite stunning at times, so this is some impressive work. I’ve seen these episodes numerous times on cable and without a doubt, the episodes in this collection put the televised versions to shame. The prints have no debris or grain to mention, which allows for a very crisp, razor sharp visual presence, so fans will be quite pleased. The show’s bright colors stand out and look terrific here, with no evidence of smears or other problems. The contrast balance is smooth and well executed also, which means black levels look excellent and no detail loss is to be seen. Not much else I can say in this section, as these episodes just look terrific.
Audio: How does it sound?
This is your basic comedy soundtrack, so the audio has no real duties outside of the show’s main element, dialogue. So the theme music sounds good and the basic sound effects come through, but the sole spotlight here shines down on the vocals. From Wiegel’s outlandish antics to Dangle’s outlandish comments, all the vocal work is in excellent form here. The whispers even sound clear as a bell in this release, so you won’t miss a single one-liner.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes bonus favorite moments from the show, as well as a live performance of Don’t Steal Cable.
