Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		2.0

Anger Management: Volume Three Blu-ray Movie Review

Continue managing your expectations.

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman April 11, 2014

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.

It's pretty sad when even the "sweetened" laugh track that accompanies just about all of the jokes in this show sounds tired and lethargic, but that's the case with Anger Management on just about every level. The show continues to try to mine comedic material out of therapist Charlie Goodson (Charlie Sheen) and his ragtag bunch of patients. These include sexpot Lacey (Noureen DeWulf); passive Nolan (Derek Richardson), who has an unrequited crush on Lacey; passive aggressive (and gay) Patrick (Michael Arden); and generally cranky old codger (and borderline homophobe) Ed (Barry Corbin). The fact that all of these characters can be summed up in an adjective or two is ample proof of the lack of depth the writers have attempted to imbue them all with.

The nadir of taste that seems to hover around this show is probably best exemplified, however, in the supposedly cute sidebar (no pun intended) sequences that have Charlie chatting up a sweet drink mixer named Brett (Brett Butler) at a local tavern that Charlie likes to hang out in. Is it “funny” to see two people with such well documented substance abuse issues joking about addiction, especially when a lot of their chatter is taking place over copious amounts of alcohol? I guess we should be grateful Brett doesn’t plop down a line on the bar for Charlie to inhale.

Perhaps due to pre-production necessities, this group of episodes still attempts to delve into the “will they or won’t they” aspect of Charlie’s relationship with Kate (Selma Blair), despite the fact that anyone with even a passing interest in the show (and admittedly there doesn’t appear to be a very large contingent in that category) knows that Blair has left the show. Blair seems positively pained in these episodes, and there is absolutely no chemistry between her and Sheen, with their scenes seeming increasingly forced as this volume trundles down the path.

Even a dimwitted enterprise like Anger Management can rustle up a giggle or two at times, to be fair. There’s some passing humor in one episode when Charlie’s house goes high tech with a bunch of internet controlled features, something that goes asunder when the female installer’s jealous boyfriend gets involved. But too often the show mires down in patently unfunny snark between the various patients, or between Charlie and Kate or, later, between Charlie and new “will they or won’t they” partner Jordan Denby (Laura Bell Bundy). (It should be noted that there's marginally more chemistry between Bundy and Sheen, if perhaps only because Bundy is new to the fold and hasn't had to deal with Sheen for as long as Blair did before departing.)

Even some iconic series start out rather shakily. Looking back on the first season of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, for instance, it’s obvious that not all of the creative mojo was quite in place, something that’s also clear in the first season of Cheers. But Anger Management has incredibly only gotten worse as it’s gone along. For those who are counting, this volume contains 24 episodes which by my reckoning get the patient viewer to episode 56, the oh so classically titled “Charlie and the Christmas Hooker”. That at least means we’re more than halfway through this increasingly sorry enterprise, though it may be time for viewers to follow Chuck Lorre’s lead and simply fire Charlie Sheen.

Anger Management: Volume Three Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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.

Anger Management: Volume Three Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

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.

Anger Management: Volume Three Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Gag Reel (1080p; 5:13)

Forewarned is forearmed: the "special features" on Disc 1 consist of trailers and bookmarks. Enjoy!

Anger Management: Volume Three Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

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.