DVD Watching

Despite the fact I’m supposed to be working on writing the new You Owe Me Glue show at the moment, I thought I’d take some time out to tell you about some recent DVD viewing.

In order to get some inspiration and indeed just for some general enjoyment I’ve been watching Season 1 of The Kids in the Hall. Despite being stung by customs for an additional 9 quid to have it delivered from Canada, I’ve enjoyed it immensely. Even although there are some sketches that just plain don’t seem to have a joke in them, their stuff is inspired, well acted and well written. The Season 1 DVD consists of a documentary on their beginnings and a half hour of live footage from their early days, which I found interesting and in the case of ‘The Time I Fucked Jim Hendrix’ and ‘Dog Office’ very funny.

The Kids never had trouble, like we do, of writing for women, cos they’d just dress up in drag and play the women themselves.

I said at the time we presented it that our ‘My Two Gay Dads’ sketch from the last YOMG could easliy have been done already by Kids in the Hall. I still stand by that, even although I wasn’t watching them at the time it was written. Of course I may also have just found a back handed way to compare us to genuine talents.

My next suggestion for DVD viewing is not from the comedy genre. I’m just about to wrap up Season 1 of The Wire. Most folk I’ve spoken to about this haven’t heard of it, mainly cos it was only ever on F/X over here.

To provide a brief outline, it’s a cop show, employing much more subtle detective work and surveillance techniques than contemporaries like The Shield. With a ragtag task force Jimmy McNulty, hated by his superiors, has to build a workable case against untouchable player Avon Barksdale.

I can’t recall a show that builds the way The Wire does. Each episode manages to top the last. I’m already bracing myself to take another hit from customs to order Season 2 on Region One.