Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.0

Workaholics: Season 1 & 2 Combo Doggy Blu-ray Movie Review

No work and all play doesn't make workaholics of these three clowns.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman May 20, 2012

I recognize burnouts when I see them.

When considering the best of the best of the Workplace Comedy, there are only two -- OK, three, really -- names that come to mind: "The Office" (the American version), "The Office" (the superior British original), and Office Space. Workplace Comedies don't come any better, and truth be told, Comedy just doesn't get any better. Any show or film trying to topple these giants isn't just a David-versus-Goliath prospect, but more like an infant David taking on Goliath quintuplets, the latter all mature and ready to stomp any opponent who doesn't show up with at least an AK-47 in hand. So with that in mind the latest workplace Comedy to hit the airwaves is the crude and somewhat low-rent "Workaholics," a program constructed around three slacker/stoner roommates and officemates who do pretty much anything but actual work, even when they're at work. Basically, "Workaholics" is a hybrid of the best workplace Comedies, with "Workaholics'" Anders, Blake, and Adam kinda-sorta taking on the Peter, Michael, and Samir parts and extending the characters into a lengthier product à la "The Office." But the show -- even as it updates the material for the current generation and moves past the somewhat more dry and subtle humor of a decade or so ago and aims for something much more irreverent, crazier, and more loopy -- just doesn't find the same character dynamics, gut-busting laughs, consistency, and pure fun as either version of "The Office" or Office Space. Than again, what does?

Hangin'.

In modern-day Los Angeles, three friends -- Anders (Anders Holm), Adam (Adam DeVine), and Blake (Blake Anderson) -- "work" in a telemarketing cubicle, share a rental home, and drive around in an aging Volvo (or is it a "Vovo" or "Olo?" that depends on the episode). Basically, they're inseparable buddies and perfect fits. They're favorite pastimes include rolling up a dollar bill around feces, smoking and drinking on their roof, and generally doing anything to avoid the responsibilities of work and life. Anders is the most even-keeled, comfortable-in-routine, smartest, and most easily mislead in the name of a good prank. Blake is the curly-haired stoner who somehow balances his wayward ways with a sometimes surprisingly intelligent insight, but generally he's a man with few cares and who's happy to follow the pack. Lastly, Adam is the wildest, most self-centered, and least focused, yet he's perhaps the de facto leader of the group. They're always on the prowl for the latest high or the hottest girl, and their supply of illicit narcotics comes courtesy of pal Karl (Kyle Newacheck, also a series director). At work, they're under the watchful eye of boss lady Alice Murphy (Maribeth Monroe) who disapproves of the guys' slacking ways but who oddly tolerates their behavior, at least enough to keep them on the clock. They're also friends with Alice's secretary, Jillian (Jillian Bell). As the guys get through life one work day and one high at a time, they encounter all sorts of oddball scenarios that will test their bond but probably bring them closer together than ever before.

Truth be told, these characters are anything but workaholics, unless one considers escaping responsibility and embarking on zany adventures by choice or by chance or by mere happenstance "work." But the play on words defines the show's anti-establishment sort of charm, capturing the preferred flavor of the modern 20-something generation that's perhaps a little more inclined to take it easy rather than put in an honest day's work. The show depicts the interconnected lives of its three main characters by showing that their daily routine, shaped by their lives outside of the workplace, carries straight on through to their grind in the cubicle. The series is formed by a collection of misadventures and challenges both in the office and outside of it, and it's that unbreakable interconnectedness between the two and the characters' constant drive to maintain their own personal status quo that gives shape to most everything that happens in the program. Whether trying to sort out a way to beat a drug test at work, vying for a promotion that sounds good in theory but probably wouldn't work for any of them in practice, attempting to get a half day off of work for a make-believe holiday, dealing with a pedophile who might turn into a new best friend and a potential hookup for wild sexual encounters with insatiable girls, babysitting the boss' brother, or a confrontation with the company's suicidal CEO, the boys' only goal is to make sure that tomorrow is as "productive," "secure," and "fun" as today. Basically, it's about modern men-children fresh out of college who aren't ready to let go of one lifestyle in favor of another. It's the story of their effort to reshape their present in the form of their recent past, to hang on to the lifestyle they love in a world that demands they grow up before their time.

At its core, "Workaholics" seems like a mishmash of random gags worked into a general office place setting or within the greater lives of the three main characters. Gags and situational humor are strung together to create rather loose plot lines, plot lines which generally work better when dealing with life inside the office rather than out of it, even if the two generally reflect and influence one another. The workplace dynamic closes off the men's sense of freedom and absolute ability to do as they wish, which creates a little more comedically-oriented dramatic tension as the boss, her secretary, and random employees factor into the mix. The show ranges from taking on a balanced comedic approach to aiming for grossly over-dramatic to, sometimes, overly sentimental, all with a decidedly humorous flair which allows the show to poke fun at pretty much anything and everything which are either constants in the characters' lives or elements that appear at random and fade away twenty minutes or so of show later. The comedy ranges from sometimes unfunny to mildly amusing to gut-busting hilarious, though certainly humor is a subjective thing and chances are that audiences in the same age range of these characters and those who partake in many of the same lifestyle choices will find it more humorous than older audiences or those who grew up on 1990s Mike Judge or 1980s humor instead. The characters are sufficiently constructed and expectedly unique even as they form an inseparable triumvirate of all things irreverent. The show also works in various popular culture references and situations, some overtly and others more on the sly; "Workaholics" certainly works best when audiences can relate to everything the show does, but those a little more distant from its core may still find some general comedic value in the compact twenty-minute vignettes.

Workaholics: Season 1 & 2 Combo Doggy Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Workaholics: Seasons 1 and 2 arrives on Blu-ray with a glossy, rather flat, but crisp and often well-defined high definition transfer that retains the show's original 1.78:1 aspect ratio. To be sure, there are moments when the image appears a little washed out, softer, and flatter than normal. Darker scenes are a little murky and, here, details tend to wear down, but bright interiors and exteriors showcase some crisp, high-yield visuals on facial hairs and lines, clothing stitches and seams, and general office and home odds and ends. Colors are steady and the palette never wavers in those better-lit locales. Brightly-colored dress shirts show quite a bit of life and even the gray, sterile office environment appears always stable and accurate. Blacks can be a bit washed out and slathered in noise, while flesh tones range from slightly pale to a touch rosy. Light banding is often visible across brighter backgrounds. This is fair HD video presentation; it looks about as good as a strong HD broadcast, which means fans familiar with the show on TV know what to expect here.

Workaholics: Season 1 & 2 Combo Doggy Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Workaholics: Seasons 1 and 2 clocks onto Blu-ray with a fairly vanilla but technically and sonically effective Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. There's very little of note with this track. It's efficient in all it does, but the show by its very nature just doesn't offer a very involved sonic presentation. Listeners will enjoy little random office place ambience, such as ringing telephones and background chatter, but rarely is there a real, evident sense of immersion into that or any environment. Music plays with sufficient clarity and spacing. Hip-Hop beats and score both feature a quality low end effect that gives body and feel to the presentation. Generally, however, this is a dialogue-intensive presentation. The spoken word remains clearly presented in the center, always focused, and without much interference from surrounding elements. Listeners expecting a sonically meager but technically proficient presentation should enjoy this made-for-TV sort of Comedy soundtrack making its way to lossless Blu-ray.

Workaholics: Season 1 & 2 Combo Doggy Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Workaholics: Seasons 1 and 2 contains supplements spread across both discs of this release.

Disc One:

• Countdown to Vagina-Town Lead Up to the Series Premiere (1080p, 8:37): An inside glimpse into the inner-workings of bringing "Workaholics" to television screens. Also included is a trip to Miami and a glimpse into the guys' first reaction to an aired sneak peak.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 6:57): Settin' Up Camp, Swiss Melt Burger, The Long Con, Warrior Poets, Blake's Musical Canvas, Chin Do's and Don'ts, and Bruce Meets Jillian.
• Alternate Takes (1080p, 7:46): Jillian on the Death of an Icon, 'Shroom Time, F.Y.I., Jillian and Waymond, Dinner with Ders, and Adam's Routine.
• Cast Interviews (1080p): Meet the Workaholics (2:19), Office Survival Tips (1:11), and About Workaholics (3:22).
• Live at Bonnaroo (1080p, 5:58): The guys perform a short skit.
• Extended Catherine Zeta-Jones Song (1080p, 2:26).
• Extended Ders Rap (1080p, 0:49).
• First Look Trailer (1080p, 1:26).
• Digital Originals (1080p): Cold Calls (1:24), Cold Calls Steak Knives (1:30), Cubicle Keg Stand (0:51), Pulling Chicks (0:42), The Good Life (1:06), Faulty System (0:31), Old Slang (0:44), Good Buzz (0:47), and Poop Donut (3:25).
• Shart Stories (1080p): Adam (2:05), Anders (3:49), and Blake (1:18).

Disc Two:

• Bloopers (1080p, 4:22).
• Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes (1080p, 16:03): Who Do you Choose?, Eggs Tyrone, Homegirl Primps, Turtle Power, Gate Crashers, Passport to Hedonism, God's Metal, Girl Talk, The Deer Hunter, Easy Listening, Drunk Alice, Cold Feet, Stroke Break, Fleeing the Scene, Warrior's Code, Joy Riding, Slap Happy, Lunch Plans, Turn Ons, Meet Cool Eric, Hot Hot Tuna, Target Practice, What a Girl Wants, Genius Bar?, A Man for Alice, Butt Scissored, Break Room, Adam's Hungry, False Start, Slow Retreat, Jillian's Confession, Montez's Evening, Stripper Trust, High Heels for Men, Right to Bear Guns, First Time Driver, and B!t(h Be Gone.
• Behind the Scenes in the Writers' Room (1080p, 14:43): Random and humorous raw footage from team meetings.

Workaholics: Season 1 & 2 Combo Doggy Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Workaholics" isn't a show for everybody. It's rather crude at times and the humor is different, to say the least, from the late 90s, early-to-mid 2000s "office"-themed Comedy Hall-of-Famers that remain the bar-setting accomplishments in this growing sub-genre of workplace humor shows and films. The characters are well-drawn and nicely acted, largely because this doesn't seem too far removed from the daily life and bond of the three main stars. The show goes over-the-top but also has its moments of under-the-radar character drama and subtle humor backing up some outrageous things. It's an experience that's best enjoyed in the short twenty-minute spurts that are each episode rather than taken in as a day-long marathon. Paramount's Blu-ray release of Workaholics: Seasons 1 and 2 features fair video and audio presentations to go along with a good array of extra content. Established fans can buy with confidence, but newcomers might want to rent to make sure the humor works on their personal comedy scale.