8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Two high school vice principals are in an epic power struggle, vying for the top spot: to be school principal.
Starring: Danny McBride, Walton Goggins, Kimberly Hebert Gregory, Georgia King, Sheaun McKinneyComedy | 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
French: DTS 5.1
Spanish: DTS 2.0
English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
UV digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
One of the more horrifying memories I have of my generally horrifying teen years came courtesy of my high school vice principal (my school only had one), who for whatever reason took a shine to me and demonstrated his fondness by sitting with me on several occasions in the lunchroom to have little chats. You can probably imagine my embarrassment at having a hulking adult, one tasked with keeping the students in line, single me out for this odd display of affection, and it certainly didn’t help with my already faltering popularity in certain quarters (in other words, girls). In terms of his temperament, this particular vice principal was probably much more in line with Vice Principals’ resident martinet Neal Gamby (Danny McBride) than his seemingly friendlier but perhaps even more machinating co-vice principal Lee Russell (Walton Goggins). Vice Principals has a pretty simple set up, beginning with the retirement of longtime principal Welles (Bill Murray), leaving Gamby and Russell seemingly at each other’s throats as they vie to be named his replacement. When it turns out a respected administrator from outside of the district named Dr. Belinda Brown (Kimberly Hebert Gregory) has actually been named to the position, Gamby and Russell end up forging an unlikely alliance to take her down, with an understanding that they can then duke it out for the job once Brown has been taken care of. Vice Principals often plays like a darkly comic, suburban version of Game of Thrones in terms of various desperate people grasping for power that seems to repeatedly elude them, and how much the series resonates with each particular viewer will probably depend on how much tolerance they have for some rather mean spirited, scabrous (and often obscenity laden) humor. There’s also an undeniably melancholic aspect to much of the series that may give it some actual real emotional impact, but which resides a bit uneasily with the more raucous comedic elements.
Vice Principals is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of HBO with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. Some online sources (but not the IMDb, of course) list the Arri Alexa as the camera being used on this series, and this a competent if never really that impressive visual presentation. The palette is often quite cool, tending to cast flesh tones toward the bluish side, something that may have been done to reinforce the kind of ugly fluorescent ambience of many high schools. Some of the outdoor scenes are considerably warmer, and overall detail levels are very high. The kind of drab context of the series means that nothing ever pops with much immediacy, but there aren't any problems with instability or compression artifacts.
SImilarly to its video presentation, Vice Principals' DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is perfectly competent but never overly impressive. Surround channels get occasional workouts in scenes like the riding sequences with Janelle, and even some of the raucous group meetings (by both students and teachers) in the school setting, but otherwise dialogue is anchored front and center, though always delivered cleanly and clearly. There are no problems with damage, distortion or dropouts.
Disc One
- Episode 1 The Principal with Danny McBride (Writer/Executive Producer/Actor), Jody Hill (Director/Writer/Executive Producer), Walton Goggins (Actor), Kimberly Hébert Gregory (Actress), Georgia King (Actress), Busy Philipps (Actress)
- Episode 2 A Trusty Seed with Danny McBride (Writer/Executive Producer/Actor), John Carcieri (Writer/Co-Executive Producer), Jeff Seibeneck (Editor/Co-Producer), Sarah Trost (Costume Designer), Walton Goggins (Actor)
- Episode 3 The Field Trip with Danny McBride (Writer/Executive Producer/Actor), Joseph Stephens (Music Composer), Sarah Trost (Costume Designer), Georgia King (Actress), Edi Patterson (Actress), Mike O'Gorman (Actor)
- Episode 4 Run for the Money with Danny McBride (Writer/Executive Producer/Actor), Jody Hill (Director/Writer/Executive Producer), Jeff Fradley (Writer/Consulting Producer), Walton Goggins (Actor), Kimberly Hébert Gregory (Actress), Ashley Spillers (Actress)
- Episode 5 Circles with Danny McBride (Writer/Executive Producer/Actor), Jody Hill (Director/Writer/Executive Producer), John Carcieri (Writer/Co-Executive Producer), Sarah Trost (Costume Designer), Walton Goggins (Actor), Kimberly Hébert Gregory (Actress)
- Episode 6 The Foundation of Learning with Danny McBride (Writer/Executive Producer/Actor), Jody Hill (Director/Writer/Executive Producer), Walton Goggins (Actor), Kimberly Hébert Gregory (Actress), Georgia King (Actress), Mike O'Gorman (Actor)
- Episode 7 The Good Book with Danny McBride (Writer/Executive Producer/Actor), Jody Hill (Director/Writer/Executive Producer), John Carcieri (Writer/Co-Executive Producer), Kimberly Hébert Gregory (Actress), Georgia King (Actress), Edi Patterson (Actress)
- Episode 8 Gin with Danny McBride (Writer/Executive Producer/Actor), Jody Hill (Director/Writer/Executive Producer), John Carcieri (Writer/Co-Executive Producer), Walton Goggins (Actor), Kimberly Hébert Gregory (Actress), Georgia King (Actress)
- Episode 9 End of the Line with Danny McBride (Writer/Executive Producer/Actor), Jody Hill (Director/Writer/Executive Producer), John Carcieri (Writer/Co-Executive Producer), Walton Goggins (Actor), Kimberly Hébert Gregory (Actress), Georgia King (Actress)
I have a feeling if you have a snarky sense of humor like I do, you'll probably derive enough pleasure out of Vice Principals to merit checking it out. The bittersweet element running just beneath the surface of the series will also appeal to those who like a little tartness along with their schadenfreude. The irony with the two titular characters is that they of course are more juvenile than any of the kids they're purportedly supervising. Recommended.
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