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8 Simple Rules: Season 1
R1 - America - Buena Vista Home Entertainment Review written by and copyright: Pat Pilon (19th September 2007). |
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The Show
 'Just get down here and unfurl your brother.' Paul Hennessy (John Ritter) is a man out of his element, trying to take care of two daughters polar opposites - one interested in her own life and fashion and boys, Bridget (Kaley Cuoco), the other more interested in saving animals and anti-corporatism, Kerry (Amy Davidson). He also has a son (Martin Spanjers), who really doesn't do much other than be a son. Mr. Ritter's son can do no wrong, which is kind of true because the only thing he does in every episode is say a few funny lines and maybe walk in the background, doing in own thing in a b-story kind of way (as in 'Bridget's First Job'). He also has a wife, Kate (Katey Sagal), who works in a hospital as a nurse. This family seems to have a lot of fun, and problems. Every episode has John Ritter trying to fix some sort of problem that either he created, or that his daughters created. In the first scene of the pilot, John Ritter comes on a bit strong and arrogant. I wasn't too impressed. However, the episode got a lot better, and by the end of the pilot I was hooked. Overall the season is very good. The first half is absolutely excellent, with big laughs and a very high quality of comedy. The second half slows down a bit and the big laughs are not as big, but the comedy is still funny. In fact, throughout the season, the show has some laugh-out-loud hilarious moments, though mostly these are non-sequiturs or similar moments, which is always a lot of fun. For example, in 'Queen Bees and King Bees', Paul is consoling a crying Bridget, and out of nowhere Kerry walks in, crying, and hugs everybody, and leaves. There's another moment with Larry Miller as John Ritter's co-worker than I really enjoyed. These types of moments are a sort of wink to the audience, remind them that the writers know that this is a TV show and they're not trying imitate reality. Another moment, in another episode, is Paul mad at her daughters, as the family comes in the house. Rory says a snide remark, and Paul turns on him: 'Rory, wait in the car.' 'But we're home.' 'In the car!' I especially like the moments where John Ritter is stuck between his two daughters and he can't say anything without making one of them mad. This happens in a few episodes and they're very sharply written. There are also a few running gags, like the monkey and Paul talking on the phone ('Yes, it is!') that add a nice touch to the whole proceedings. As far as the dramatic moments go, they're very deftly written into the regular flow of the episode. Instead of hitting the drama head-on, which usually makes the show seem preachy, the lessons are spliced into the comedy, making for a very entertaining season. There is, however, one logical flaw. Bridget is an outrageous character and gets into these incredibly serious situations (borrowing the car without a license, going from Detroit to Ohio State to see an older college guy without telling anybody), yet Paul and Kate still end up trusting her in most episodes. It's very strange logic, but for this is a sitcom and I suppose can be forgiven. One last thing I'll talk about is the camaraderie on set. Whether the episodes are good or great, you can always tell these guys were having a blast on set. This shows through in the series. A lot of shows are fun to work on, but it's actually pretty rare when you can tell that while watching the show. In here, you can see these people were enjoying every second on set. When all is said and done, this is a great show. The monster first season (28 episodes) is an enjoyable start to the series. The show has a lot of directions to go in. The show has a lot of continuity between episodes, which I always enjoy seeing. The little plot twist introduced at the very end of 'Sort of an Officer and a Gentleman - Part 1' isn't really addressed in the season finale. I, for one, will look forward to its outcome in season two. Here is a rundown of the episodes, broken down by disc. disc 1: Pilot (21:39) This is a very nice introduction for the show. Though the first third isn't the best, the episode gets really good. The show centers on Bridget and her boyfriend. Wall of Shame (21:39) This episode has Bridget being busted for shoplifting. However, Paul accuses her without hearing her side of the story. Bridget's First Job (21:40) Well, the title is pretty much self-explanatory. The reason she gets a job is to learn the value of a dollar. She gets a job at a clothing store, which, if you know Bridget's personality, is probably not the best thing. Wings (21:40) Two plots are going on here: one, Bridget is trying to get her driver's license, annoys her father to no end, and eventually takes the car out without anybody's permission. Two, Kerry enters a drawing contest and her drawing doesn’t move on to the next platform, which upsets her. Son-in-Law (21:39) Bridget breaks up with Kyle and starts dating a high school basketball star, while Kerry resents being called the safe daughter and tries to incite her father to be worried about her. Cheerleader (21:41) After a cheerleader gets expelled for having drugs in her locker, Bridget tries out for the team. Unfortunately for her, Kerry ends up being a part of the squad. Trick or Treehouse (21:40) Paul is quite happy for Halloween, and he wants to continue the various traditions of that day. His kids, alas, are growing up and want to spend Halloween night with their own friends. By the Book (21:40) Paul grounds his daughters, which forces them to say things. Paul then uses a book to try to understand and control his daughters, who find the book and try to outstmart him. Two Boys for Every Girl (21:40) Kerry is old enough to start dating and Paul isn't too comfortable with this. Meanwhile, Bridget is juggling boyfriends, which, as it happens, Paul isn't too comfortable with, either. Rory has some really funny lines in this episode. disc 2: Give It Up (21:39) In this episode, each member of the Hennessy household wants to go to a different place for vacation. Each member gives something up and if whoever lasts the longest gets to choose where the family will go on vacation. Paul Meets His Match (21:21) Paul meets his new boss (Patrick Warburton), who's a father of four daughters. The boss accuses Rory of doing something he didn't do, and Paul may have to confront himself. All I Want for Christmas (21:27) Not surprisingly, this is the Christmas episode. Kate gets to sing in the midnight service, while the rest of the family helps out at the pet adoption service, as per Kerry's wishes. I really like Paul's present. Rory's Got a Girlfriend (21:20) Apart from the plot in the title, this episode has the typical device of having the smarter person (in this case, Kerry) having a lower score on a standardised test than someone stupider (Bridget, in this case). Career Choices (20:40) Bridget decides to drop all her college prep courses, in favour of beauty school. This, of course, does not bode well with her parents. Kerry's Big Adventure (21:39) In an attempt to get Kerry some new friends after she breaks up with her boyfriend, Paul forced Bridget to take Kerry to a party, where she falls for her sister's boyfriend. Come Knock on Our Door (21:39) This is the aftermath of the previous episode. Both daughters end up at a party with Kyle, and Paul falls asleep watching 'Three's Company', which makes for an interesting dream. Drummer Boy - Part 1 (21:40) Bridget goes to a concert and wants to play an instrument. The only one that came in a pretty colour were drums. Paul hires Ben (Nick Carter), the drummer boy, to teach her. She then, obviously, falls for him. Drummer Boy - Part 2 (21:38) After Drummer Boy leaves for Ohio State, Bridget follows him there, and Paul and Kate are not quite impressed. Rory, again, has some great lines here. Cool Parent (21:40) In the attempt to make a good, wholesome party, Paul unwittingly volunteers his house for a party. He then falls asleep and the kids finally have some fun. Then, though the parents don't like this, the kids seem to now like Paul. disc 3: Every Picture Tells a Story (21:03) Paul meets a famous race car driver, who wants Paul to write about him. The Hennessy family visits his mansion, so they can make a good impression on him. Kerry's Video (21:10) Bridget tapes over Kerry video project, and Kerry has one week to make another one. Kerry then decides to do her video project on Bridget. Good Moms Gone Wild (21:39) With Kate's parents on a cruise, the family goes on vacation in Florida. It's spring break, and the family sees Kate going wild in an old tape on the news. Career Woman (21:39) Kate is up for a promotion after a week-long substitute job. She will, however, miss a lot of time with her children, which is probably not something she wants to choose. Queen Bees and King Bees (21:39) Paul realises he's no longer in the loop when his boss takes his poker night chair. He (with the help of Bridget) has a plan to get back on top. Bake Sale (20:40) Bridget and Kyle have to take care of a sack of flower (substituting for a baby) for health class, while Kerry is very enthusiastically cooking for a child starvation rally. The Doyle Wedding (21:20) John Ratzenberger and Shelley Long guest star as the Doyles. After a dinner party with the Doyles and Hennessys, the Doyles invite the Hennessys for their daughter's wedding. Sort of an Officer and a Gentleman - Part 1 (21:33) Bridget and Donnie Doyle (from the wedding in the previous episode) seem to be developing something. Things get serious and Donnie takes Bridget to a very formal dance. The ending is a good one, and makes you want to see the last episode of the season. Sort of an Officer and a Gentleman - Part 2 (21:00) Kate's sister (Cybill Shepherd) comes to visit the family. Paul also finds a pregnancy test in his house and goes bonkers. The cliffhanger ending is not the best, but I don't think that's what they were going for. All in all, I really want to see the rest of the other 48 episodes.
Video
1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. The show is presented in anamorphic widescreen, which is a very nice touch. The presentation is pretty good. There print is clear and free of specks, scratches and any other blemishes. Colours are accurate, but not overly vivid. They represent the show well. The contrast is very nice and the black levels are pretty good. The picture is overall a bit soft, letting fine detail go, which is not too bad. For tube TV, this is a very nice picture, but if you have a bigger set, this will look a little bit fuzzy. It is, however, an adequate picture.
Audio
There's an English Dolby Digital 5.1 track. There's also a French dub (in Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo). For this show, I'm surprised they went the full 5.1 mix. Most of the show is talking, and there's nothing very dynamic. In fact, the rear speakers are never used. The dialogue, however is clear, and the front speakers make a very open sound field. The laughter is clear and loud and the music in the show is clear. Nothing impedes on any other thing. The audio is clear, though if you want a nice 5.1 mix, go watch 'Alias'. There are English, French and Spanish subtitles.
Extras
Buena Vista seems to be going like the later 'Home Improvement' seasons, and the disc basically has one extras. There are some Startup Trailers, 'Jungle Book' (1:35), 'Ratatouille' (1:50), 'Meet the Robinsons' (2:28), 'Ugly Better: Season One' (0:40) and an anti-piracy ad (0:47) are here, but I don't consider those extras. Disc three has the only real extra, and it's a good one, though. The 10-minute Blooper Reel is really funny. As you might expect, you have a bunch of people flubbing their lines and cracking up. This is a hilarious watch.
Overall
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