Plot: What’s it about?
I have seen most of The Honeymooners episodes on laserdisc and I’ve liked most of them, to be sure. The show has become a television classic, with great work from Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, Joyce Randolph, and Audrey Meadows. Since I like the series, I am very happy to see that MPI has started to release some episodes, although I don’t like their release pattern thus far. This is the second installment in MPI’s series of The Honeymooners: Lost Episodes. The episodes are part of a collection of episodes which first ran on The Jackie Gleason show, then resurfaced in the 1980s. I am pleased to see these episodes given a release, but I think fans would rather have a boxed set of all the episodes, as opposed to single discs like this. In any event, it’s good to have these on DVD in the end, so I won’t complain much. Below is a listing of the episodes included on this volume, as well as a brief synopsis for each one.
1. Songs and Witty Sayings- Ralph has a new scheme to haul in the bucks and as usual, he needs the help of his old friend, Norton. If the two can enter and win an amatuer talent show, they will walk home with two hundred clams, which is no paltry sum. In an unwelcome gesture, Alice and Trixie also enter the contest and that means tension runs high. Will the boys be able to best their wives in the contest, or will they be made fools of, as per usual?
2. Norton Moves In- Norton has always lived close to Ralph, but now he will be even closer, as he and Trixie need to stay at Ralph’s for a night. The reason for this stay is because Norton’s apartment is being painted, so the fumes and wet paint force them to sleep elsewhere. As expected, Ralph and Norton have some cots while the girls share the bedroom, but rest assured, the night will not be as smooth as silk.
Video: How does it look?
The episodes are presented in full frame transfers, as intended. The shows have not aged too well, but have held up in decent enough form, I think. The prints have specks & debris, but look clean, though again, the age shows with these episodes. At times there are tears and more serious damage, but in the end, the image is watchable. The contrast is smooth and sharper than expected, so no detail is buried here. This is about as good as these episodes are going to look, unless some massive restoration work is done.
Audio: How does it sound?
The audio here is much cleaner than expected, with no distortion or other age related errors to speak of. I wouldn’t say these sound all that crisp, but they sound as good as any other releases of this series, which is about all you can ask for. The music has no errors to report, while dialogue is clean and always easy to understand. This is by no means a reference level track, but given the material involved, I think this is just fine.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes a bonus episode titled Income Tax. In this episode, Ralph has some extra cash and is torn between several options, including buying a new bowling ball. Will Ralph make the right choice, or will he let his impulses get the best of him, as usual?
