5.7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.0 | |
Overall | 2.0 |
Comedy | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English, English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
UV digital copy
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 1.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 2.0 |
Ninety probably doesn’t seem like that big of a number, but in some cases it can seem almost insurmountable. When Charlie Sheen’s public meltdown(s) during his long tenure on Two and a Half Men finally led to his dismissal from the series, many probably thought Sheen had effectively killed off his career in the process. Leave it to cable television to bring back the supposedly dead, for it wasn’t long before Sheen was announced as the star of a small screen sitcom adaptation of the not very funny to begin with Anger Management. In a syndication gambit that raised eyebrows at the time, cable channel FX greenlit ten episodes with a built in backorder of another 90 should the first prove successful enough in the ratings. There was enough of a “train wreck” audience showing up for the first few airings of Anger Management that FX thought it had a hit on its hands, and, lo and behold, the subsequent 90 episodes were ordered (this would give the series more than enough to exist for years in syndication—but let’s not visit that particular nightmare until we absolutely have to). And so we find ourselves slogging through the largely interminable enterprise that is Anger Management. The initial big audience sloughed off almost comically quickly, and the series continues to limp along with at best middling ratings. While there are evidently some people who at least tolerate the show, if not downright love it, Anger Management is a study in mediocrity, something that is at least a little sad when it’s obvious that there are some talented people (not necessarily including Sheen) involved. This third volume picks things up partway through the series’ second season, but in reality any given episode is generally a carbon copy of everything that has come before, making the show an exercise in déjà vu all over again.
As was the case with both Anger Management: Season One and Anger Management: Volume Two, Anger Management: Volume Three is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. Also pretty much exactly like the first two volumes (should we be frightened these releases have segued from "season" to "volume"?), the high definition presentation here is certainly adequate but rarely exceptional. Colors are decently if not overwhelmingly vivid, and in the few moments when the show's battery of directors chooses a close-up, fine detail is quite good. Overall, this is a middle of the road show from a high definition perspective. It's reasonably sharp and well defined, and this release boasts solid contrast and suffers from no over artifacting issues, but it's never very exciting.
Again as with the first two seasons/volumes, Anger Management: Volume Three's lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix is perfectly decent, if never very exciting. Surrounds occasionally burst with activity in sequences like the bar segments, and dialogue is occasionally directional even within the confines of Charlie's therapy sessions, but there's not much nuance or vigor here. One of the most ubiquitous uses of the surround channels, the obviously "sweetened" laughter, only draws attention to itself and becomes more and more annoying as the show goes on.
It may not seem like it, but I actually came to Anger Management with a more or less open mind, despite the fact that I found Sheen's escapades, as well as some of his more offensive comments about Chuck Lorre, to be beyond the pale. But within the first couple of episodes, it became clear to me what a wasted opportunity this show was going to be. This kind of crazy "back 90" order may make sense financially, but my hunch is even the bean counters at FX who approved the strategy are having second (or third) thoughts as they see the show's already miniscule audience numbers decline virtually week by week. The market has spoken: Anger Management is desperately in need of shock therapy, like maybe cancellation.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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