7.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Jonathan Ames, a young Brooklyn writer, is feeling lost. He's just gone through a painful break-up, thanks in part to his drinking, can't write his second novel, and carouses too much with his magazine editor. Rather than face reality, Jonathan turns instead to his fantasies — moonlighting as a private detective — because he wants to be a hero and a man of action.
Starring: Jason Schwartzman, Zach Galifianakis, Ted Danson, Heather Burns, Dick CavettDrama | 100% |
Comedy | 16% |
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
French: DTS 5.1
Spanish: DTS 2.0
English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
And the hits just keep on coming. Antsy author and intrepid, self-made private investigator Jonathan Ames (Jason Schwartzman) is back for another round of side jobs and back-alley gumshoeing with beardy comicbook artist Ray Hueston (Zach Galifianakis) and wealthy, womanizing magazine editor George Christopher (Ted Danson). And, as much as I enjoyed Bored to Death's first season, series creator Jonathan Ames (yes, you read that correctly) delivers a sophomore season that's a bit sharper, smarter and squirrellier than its predecessor. Nerd-noir is still a fledgling subgenre, granted, and Bored to Death still isn't going to win over anyone who isn't willing to spend a few episodes marinating in its style, dialogue and rhythms. (Even then, it's sure to carve creases of disapproval across the furrowed brows of any uncompromising sitcom faithful who remains impervious to its charms.) But between Schwartzman's neurotic would-be hero, Galifianakis' glum-chum sidekick shtick, Danson's dim-bulb debauchery, and Ames' perfectly cast guest stars, the series shakes up the TV comedy formula, stirs in its own unique blend of self-effacing wit and quirky intrigue, and goes down oh-so-smooth.
"Okay... we need to do better with our positive thinking."
The Blu-ray edition of Bored to Death: The Complete Second Season boasts a 1080p/AVC-encoded presentation that surpasses its predecessor. Gone are the minor artifacts that sometimes flickered into view. There's still a bit of ringing and some over-saturated skintones, but none of it calls HBO's commitment to quality into question. Vanja Cernjul's palette is overflowing with rich colors, striking primaries and shadowcast blacks, contrast is consistent and filmic, and detail is all too satisfying. Everything from Ray's tangled beard to the pinstripes on George's designer suits to the buttons and straps on Jonathan's two-sizes-too-big private-dick overcoat have been rendered with care, and fine textures, closeups and brightly lit interior and exterior elements have been meticulously resolved. The series' photography doesn't quite split hairs -- darker scenes put a damper on the otherwise exacting image -- but delineation and edge definition rarely falter. Even when they do, videophiles will rightfully chalk it up to intention, not an encoding mishap. Significant macroblocking, banding, aliasing, smearing and other seedy characters are nowhere to be found, and faint, altogether negligible bursts of digital noise (brief and infrequent as they may be) are about the only things that hold back the presentation. Fans will be thrilled; even those who comb HBO's encode for every last sign of wrongdoing.
The only disappointment to be had? Bored to Death's unmistakably front-heavy DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. Yes, the show's sound design is the perpetrator, and yes, series regulars won't bat an eye. But all the crystal clear dialogue and mischievous music can't take the sting out of such a flat-footed experience. Crowd noise is distant and detached, ambience is weak and unreliable, and the soundfield isn't immersive in the slightest. Directionality follows suit, of course, and dynamics aren't far behind. Even pans, smooth as they sometimes are, tend to hop from speaker to speaker instead of gliding across the stage. Ah well. The rear speakers may tip toe around the obvious, but voices are bright and intelligible throughout, effects are crisp and clean, and LFE output, while relatively restrained, throws enough punches and takes enough swings to keep things lively. In fact, if Ames' New York were more enveloping, I suspect the series' audio would be as arresting as its video presentation. Sadly, that isn't the case. Adequate at best, passable at worst, there just isn't enough razzle dazzle to distract audiophiles from the track's shortcomings.
The 2-disc Blu-ray edition of Bored to Death: The Complete Second Season serves up a solid supplemental package comparable to its first season counterpart (give or take an audio commentary). As an added bonus, all of the extras are presented in high definition.
Is it just me or does HBO rarely miss? Simply put, were it not for such daring premium networks, we wouldn't have clever comedies like Bored to Death. It won't appeal to everyone, that much is sure. It will leave some rolling their eyes, some shaking their heads and still others wondering what Schwartzman, Galifianakis and Danson are smoking. But for those like me who fall for the quirky misadventures of Jonathan Ames, Private Detective, Bored to Death will prove to be a smart bet. The 2-disc Blu-ray release of The Complete Second Season isn't without its share of flaws -- its front-heavy DTS-HD Master Audio track spells trouble from the beginning -- but HBO's terrific video presentation and solid supplemental package, not to mention the series' excellent sophomore season, close the case nonetheless.
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