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It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia: A Very Sunny Christmas
R1 - America - Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Review written by and copyright: Ethan C. Stevenson (9th December 2009). |
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The Show
 “Merry Christmas, bitches!” – Frank Reynolds I don’t usually like special Christmas-themed episodes of television shows. Call me a Grinch, but I view most programs’ Holiday themed outings as an exercise in futility. Characters you watch week in and week out spend their time in this one episode treading ground which has been traipsed before, passing through a thinly veiled plot, which is unabashedly one-dimensional, all in the name of Christmas. I don’t hate the idea of a Christmas episode outright, but I cannot abide the faux sense of the warm-fuzzies, which writers insist on infusing into their shows, not because they want to actually say something with their 30 or 60 minutes of airtime, but, seemingly, only because it is tradition to do so. An episode of whatever show, that is set around the winter holiday no doubt features an out of character exchange were everyone sings carols and does good deeds; they learn some lesson or right their wrong… whatever. In my opinion, most Christmas episodes, of most shows, are nothing more than “sentimental hogwash” (to quote Mr. Potter from “It’s A Wonderful Life” (1946)) and I would rather not see them. I open with the above statement, and the even further above quote, because I appreciate the juxtaposition of the two items. It is precisely that unconventional quote, and the numerous other, so easily quotable utterances which appear in “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: A Very Sunny Christmas,” the programs own Christmas special, that set it apart from the rest of the pack. Quite unusually, I do not hate this particular yuletide production; far from it to be honest. I actually liked it quite a bit. Perhaps my love for the special comes from the fact that the series it stems from happens to be one of my favorite cable shows. I’ve been watching “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” since it first aired on FX in 2005, and over the years I’ve come to love the series for it’s cracked sense of humor and its odd cast of characters, from the bone-headed but loveable Charlie (Charlie Day), to schemer Mac (series creator Rob McElhenney), the slimy Dennis (Glenn Howerton), right on down to his twin sister, sweet Dee (Kaitlin Olson). Together, the three men, along with Dennis and Dee’s stepfather, Frank (Danny DeVito), own Paddy’s Pub, the skuzziest bar in all of Philly. Like most episodes of the series, “A Very Sunny Christmas” has two storylines running in tandem. The “A” story involves Dennis and Dee trying to teach Frank a lesson, concerning the giving of gifts, in “A Christmas Carol” type fashion, using their father’s old business partner (David Huddleston), whom he believes to be dead, as a ghost from Christmas past. Funny in it’s execution, but far more outrageous is the “B” story, which has Mac and Charlie trying to find the spirit of the holidays, in remembrances of Christmas’ past, only to discover that their childhood memories aren’t as rosy as they once thought. The realization that both of their fondest traditions were far more sinister in nature is something that I won’t spoil here, but I will say that they are equally hilarious (and undoubtedly tragic, in a way only “It’s Always Sunny…” can make funny). A Direct-to-DVD title, “A Very Sunny Christmas” fits somewhere within the context of the shows 5th season, although were exactly, I’m not too sure, but that doesn’t really matter as the series has an extremely loose continuity. It’s quite obvious that this release exists as a gift to fans, at 43-minutes it’s an extended episode of “It’s Always Sunny…” which uses its non-rating to provide some of the most graphic and un-PC dialogue and imagery ever seen in the series (that in itself is quite a feat, as “Sunny” is a rather daring show, often pushing the confines of the TV-MA rating to the limit.) Directed by Fred Savage (yes, that Fred Savage, of “The Wonder Years” (1988-1993) and “The Princess Bride” (1987) fame) and written by Charlie Day and Rob McElhenney, whose episodes are usually the highlights of each season, with “A Very Sunny Christmas,” viewers are given some of the raunchiest dialogue, full of f-bombs a-plenty, and the most insane sequences likely ever attached to something with the word Christmas in the title. Whether it be a disturbing extended claymation sequence in the vein of “Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer” (1964), only full of severed limbs, burning corpses, naked elves and racist California Raisins, (instead of the cuddly, family friendly clay models of the original), a bloody, graphic, and grotesque assault on a mall Santa Claus or a 5ft tall naked man being “birthed” from a leather couch that he was sewn into (don’t ask), I was both appalled and overjoyed by this special and it’s unconventional nature. The “A Very Sunny Christmas”, like the series, is so incredibly wrong that somehow it does a full 360 and becomes right again. Am I talking comedic “masterpiece” here? No, not exactly (although I wouldn’t have a problem saying that about a few of the episodes from the series proper). “A Very Sunny Christmas” is certainly not without fault, but, by and large, this is an enjoyable, very funny, addition to the show. I may not have laughed as hard as I have on occasion with the gang of Paddy’s Pub in other episodes, but it doesn’t matter. This is a sick, twisted and depraved Christmas tale that is something neither fan nor newcomer should overlook. This would have been an easy recommendation based on the content alone, however….
Video
Shot on digital videotape, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” has always kind of looked like crap and this Christmas special is no different. Starting with the currently airing 5th season, the show (and this direct-to-DVD release) is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. Despite the wider aspect ratio, “A Very Sunny Christmas” (and the rest of season 5) keeps inline with the low budget, gritty style previously established in the older seasons. Even though the show is being produced in 16x9 these days, “It’s Always Sunny…” is still shot on the cheap, with standard definition DV cameras. Fans should know what to expect going in, as for 5 years they have dealt with the rough looking production, but newcomers might be shocked to find such a new show looking this bad. “A Very Sunny Christmas” is a cold, ugly affair, but that is the style that the shows creators, and series DP Peter Smokler, have decided on. Quite a few stylized sequences appear in this episode. Certain flashback scenes have been shot to look like footage from an old VHS camcorder, complete with visible “lines” of resolution and a 1.33:1 aspect ratio. This footage is pillar boxed inside the native widescreen frame. Another sequence tries, quite successfully, to recreate the look of an old claymation Christmas special (think “Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer” (1964)), complete with artificial film grain and a little faux age-related damage, in the form of dirt, specks and vertical damage lines. These sequences, while hilarious in content, looks downright bad at times (as does the rest of the episode). Even upconverted and blown up to 1080p on my high-definition display, the disc looks bad. The DVD is plagued with odd, inconsistent textures, most clearly noticeable in Charlie’s Christmas themed beanie and sweater; watch as, shot by shot, the fabric texture flip-flops from reasonably detailed, to mushy and indistinct. Colors are drab. Skin tones look orangey in many scenes. Contrast has that limited DV-look: exteriors suffer from overblown whites; dark interiors are noisy and gross. Blacks are never inky, looking milky and bland; however, there is also, occasionally, some unflattering crush going on. Many scenes appear flat and lack any sort of dominance. Quite distressingly, establishing shots are rife with interlacing artifacts. Although a Blu-ray release is also available, I can’t imagine it offers a substantial (if any) improvement over this DVD. The faults lie within the source and either way, as the show is produced in standard definition, the show will be upconverted, no matter the format, by Fox themselves at the encoding stage (for the Blu-ray), or by ones own DVD player or television (for the DVD). Regardless, “A Very Sunny Christmas” is a very fugly disc.
Audio
Unfortunately, things don’t improve on the audio front. Viewers are saddled with a bland 192 kbps 2.0 English Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo mix, which sounds fine in the sense that it’s sourced from clean elements with no pops, clicks, snaps or buzzing (I never expected any of those attributes to be present, as this is a brand-new release, but I digress…) and dialogue is always intelligible. But, other than that, this is a weak track. Dynamics are poor, with basically no depth. The throaty rumble that one would expect to accompany the Lamborgini when Frank pulls up in front of the bar? A wimpy nothing. The mix has no range and little presence. The DVD sounds thin and frail. Worse yet, season five of “It’s Always Sunny…” is broadcast in 5.1 on FX-HD, which means, I assume, that a 6-channel source exists. Why a surround mix wasn’t included on this DVD (the Blu-ray release does have a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track) is beyond me. Still, I can’t imagine that mild use of the rear channels would fix the faults of this soundtrack. Like the dreadful video, I think the dismal audio is due in part to the way the show is produced. Optional subtitles are also offered in English, Spanish and French.
Extras
And the disappointments keep on coming. Not that “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia” is a series known for extravagant DVD releases, packed with hours upon hours of extras but, I had at least hoped that this direct-to-DVD special would have offered more than 3 short (although admittedly funny) deleted scenes, a crummy EPK featurette and a phony (if, again, amusing) music video. Where are the commentary tracks, the gag reel, some real featurettes (that don’t feel like a commercial), or a few interviews with the cast? Not here, that’s where. I understand that there’s only so much supplemental material one can pull together for what is essentially a 43-minute episode of a television show, but I would have liked more than what is offered. A nice batch of supplements could have gone a long way, and just might have made up for the generally lackluster video and audio presentation. The special itself is great, but the lack of a solid extras package (combined with the weak A/V) makes this disc far less appealing. 3 deleted scenes with young Charlie and young Mac. Presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen: - Charlie convinces Mac that it’s actually pretty fun not having a father around. 1 minute 4 seconds. - Charlie and Mac discuss female anatomy while looking at a nudie mag in a back alley. 43 seconds. - Charlie reveals that he’s growing hair in odd places, to which Mac responds with the suggestion that they find a razor and shave it off. 1 minute 2 seconds. “Behind-the-Scenes Making of” is exactly what it sounds like: a brief behind-the-scenes featurette. Clocking in at 7 minutes 24 seconds, it’s pretty light on real insight. Although it offers plenty of backstage and behind-the-scenes footage, this still feels pretty much like a promotional piece that was part of the Electronic Press Kit. Also, the video quality is rather substandard (even for this show.) Presented in 1.33:1 full-frame. Finally, “Sunny Sing-A-Long” is a cheeky music video of the cast standing around a piano singing Christmas carols. It’s a camp-tastic classic, complete with awesome dissolves and transitions similar to the kind found on your Dads old VHS camcorder. It’s really one of the oddest things I ever seen, on a DVD or in real life. Presented in 1.33:1 full-frame. 3 minutes 14 seconds.
Overall
This is a tough one to score. On one hand, fans of the series will be more than happy with the quality of the Christmas specials content; admittedly, it may not be the absolute best of what “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” has to offer, but “A Very Funny Christmas” is still a solid, often quite hysterical, direct-to-DVD entry into the shows canon. But, on the other hand, I can’t outright give this a recommendation to anyone except the most hard-core fanatics of the program. Weak video, weaker audio and a disappointing extras package do much damage to an otherwise satisfying disc, and it has to be said that there’s less than an hours worth of material (extras and feature runtime combined) on the disc. Give this one a look, if you’re a fan, but I think this special may have been a better fit as a part of the eventual season five DVD release.
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