Search - The Upright Citizens Brigade - The Complete First Season on DVD

UCB is Supercool!

M. rosen | 12/07/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm really partial to give this review, being both a huge fan and a student at the UCB theater, but season one knocked my socks off. It has some of the funniest episodes (Poo Stick, my personal favorite Saigon Suicide Show, Cyborgs...) which can be made even funnier by the (oft-censored) commentary by Besser, Poehler, Roberts and Walsh. After being able to watch the episodes over and over again, I never get sick of them - each time I notice a different refrence that went over my head, and laugh at the same jokes even more. The special features are also very funny, from a live, un-pixelated Little Donny sketch in the theater to the "Andre the Giant Song" - there isn't a weak point on the DVD. So until Seasons Two and Three (which I find even funnier!) comes out, I'll be watching Season One over...and over...and over... and I'll keep on laughing. NOTE TO FANS/POTENTIAL FANS - Apparently Comedy Central is only releasing the next seasons based on the sales of season one, so buy your copy already, for posterity's sake!"

Check it!

B. Harms | New York, NY United States | 11/11/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These people took risks and produced this unusual, exciting and very funny first season. So many laugh out loud moments from strange concepts that come together and really pay off. Every episode is unique. Excellent features as well. The included pilot episode was obviously shot on a smaller budget and some scenes were in front of a live audience which was never the case on the aired episodes. The commentary style varies, for the episodes that include it, from informal "rappin' 'n' riffin'" in front of a live audience that is watching the episodes with them to intimate studio-recorded analysis, but all the commentary is fun and informative. If you are ever in New York City on a Sunday night, come by their theatre and some of the four UCB members and friends will do improv for you. That's like an extra extra feature. The current address and phone number of The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre is right on the DVD box. If you haven't seen the "Little Donny" episode then your money is well spent for that alone. People really love that episode. So will you.

I don't see the features listed on the Amazon copy so here they are:
-The complete first season: "Bucket of Truth", "Poo Stick", "Saigon Suicide Show", "Power Marketing", "Children's Revolution", "Story of the Toad", "Lady of the Lake", "Time Machine", "Cyborgs", and "The Little Donny Foundation".
-Exclusive commentary for pilot episode and the "Cyborgs" epsiode recorded in front of a live audience at the UCB Theater, followed by a Q & A session.
-Audio commentary for "The Bucket of Truth", "Power Marketing","Time Machine" and "The Little Donny Foundation".
-Alternate audio commentary for "The Little Donny Foundation" episode by Little Donny and his parents.
-UCB pilot episode
-Deleted Scene "Highland Epoxy".
-Original live versions of "Little Donny" and the "Andre the Giant" Song.
-Original UCB Trailers."

AMONG THE BEST SKETCH COMEDY SHOWS EVER MADE

nonicknameneededthanx | Brooklyn, New York United States | 11/27/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Normally I wouldn't say this, because it makes me look like an idiot to toot my own horn like this (espescially in an online review), but I've been writing jokes for the Onion for the last 13 years, and the only reason I mention that is so hopefully somebody out there will take my comedy opinions a little more seriously when I say: PLEASE BUY THIS DVD RIGHT NOW. Just so there's no mistaking it: THE UPRIGHT CITIZEN'S BRIGADE created some of the most BRILLIANT, INTELLIGENT, SATIRIC comic work ever to appear on television, combining the best elements of live improv (from which most of these sketches were originally concieved) (and which the UCB and friends are the undisputed masters of, btw) ingenious and complex joke structure, great acting/writing/direction, punk/dada subversive absurdism, highbrow intellectual references and utterly lowbrow silliness, creating a mix that is unlike anything that normally gets aired on the too-often formulaic and boring world of television comedy. It was too unconventional for some and indeed when it aired it went over a lot of people's heads, but that was THEIR fault, not the show's, and the subsequent growing cult appreciation has vindicated the UCB's sketch show as a truly wonderful, rare, and special thing. IF YOU TAKE COMEDY SERIOUSLY as a struggling and underappreciated art form PLEASE SUPPORT THIS DVD so we can all convince Comedy Central that the remaining two seasons deserve future DVD releases (and in my opinion, each season just got better.) The UCB ranks alongside Python, the original SNL, SCTV, The Kids In The Hall and Mr. Show... in other words, it ranks among the best TV comedy programs ever made."

Season 2. Now.

Craig Atulp | PA | 11/18/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Are you Comedy Central folks listening? Release Season 2 into the wild. I will give you cash in exchange for that DVD. Real money. I mean it.

3/26/07 EDIT: It seems as though someone has answered...Season 2 looks to be on its way...they're recording the commentaries live this Saturday...Aw yeah."