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Suburgatory: The Complete First Season
R1 - America - Warner Home Video Review written by and copyright: Ethan Stevenson (19th March 2013). |
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The Show
 Somewhere, between Heaven and Hell there’s a place populated by botox-faced bleach blonde Barbie dolls, workaholic (alcoholic) husbands and their “perfect” 2.5 children; a place where every lawn is meticulously manicured; where both a gas-guzzling SUV that has never been taken off the pavement and a Prius hybrid sit in every driveway, the irony and complete contradiction lost of the owners; where it's designer everything, or nothing at all—and it’s never nothing at all; where pocket-sized pooches are paraded around in purses; where the “help” are treated more like property than like people; where the country club is the place to be on the weekends, and acceptance into it is still based on one’s color and creed. Some have called this place suburgatory—and, for an outsider, it’s a perilous place to be. A ludicrous locale where, underneath a welcoming and familiar façade of apparent communal bliss lays a seedy underbelly, run rampant with racism, class-ism and sexual repression. For single father George Altman (Jeremy Sisto) and especially his 15-year-old daughter Tessa (Jane Levy), their purgatory-in-the-suburbs is a place called Chatswin, an upper-middle-class township somewhere outside of New York City. Originally NYC natives, when George finds condoms in young Tessa’s dresser, you could say the overprotective dad overreacts just a bit, and moves them to this heavenly hell on earth on the advice of George’s best friend, dentist and new dad Noah Werner (Alan Tudyk). When they arrive in Chatswin, Tessa aptly compares it to town closely resembling the setting of “The Stepford Wives” (1975). Much like many before, the show has a lot of fun at the expense of its over-the-top suburban setting. Much of the series’ humor comes from Tessa, and to some degree George (who is a contractor by trade, and much more comfortable in flannel and jeans than polo and kakis), and their complete befuddlement as they come in contact with their new neighbors. Next door live the Shays—overzealous Sheila (Ana Gasteyer), her entirely emasculated husband Fred (Chris Parnell) and their children. Lisa Shay (Allie Grant), an unpopular and awkward girl who can’t wait to get away from her parents, quickly becomes Tessa’s best friend. At school, Tessa meets others, but aside from a fellow “outsider” named Malik (Maestro Harrell), a member of literally the only African American family in otherwise whitewashed Chatswin, makes no friends. She does make a (fr)enemy though, in Dalia Royce (Carly Chaikin), a dead-on Paris Hilton in-the-making, the queen bee of the cliquey Chatswin High. Dalia is spoiled by her well-meaning but dunderheaded mother Dallas (Cheryl Hines), and her millionaire absentee father Steven (Jay Mohr, who guest stars in 4 episodes). Although the Royces are married, like many well-to-do couples in Chatswin, they engage in as many extramarital affairs as possible, which is why George—the complete opposite of the neatly dressed and successful, but emotionally unavailable Steven—catches Dallas’ eye. Thus Dallas and George enter into a flirty, adulterous almost-affair that runs throughout the season and into the next. Meanwhile, Tessa, a learned urbanite who likes Fellini movies and honest-to-god books, struggles to stand out as much as possible, proving to herself as much as everyone else that she will never be like the vapid, superficial, suburbanites. Eventually, however, she finds that maybe not everyone and everything is as bad as they first seem. “Suburgatory” was created by Emily Kapnek, a writer and consulting and executive producer on several odd-ball sitcoms and television series throughout the years, including “Aliens in America” (2007-2008), “Parks and Recreation” (2009-present) and HBO’s prematurely cancelled “Hung” (2009-2011). In some ways, “Suburgatory” is just a refinement of these earlier series; it’s as strangely hilarious as “Parks and Rec”, satirizes life in the suburbs through the eyes of an outsider (the same concept was explored in “…America”), and has the same strange sharper, seedier, yet ultimately sincere edge to its domestic frame as “Hung” (in which Thomas Jane played a well-endowed, but underpaid teacher; an (above) average Joe, a struggling suburbanite, who becomes an male prostitute to make ends meet and support his ex-wife and two kids). Most obviously, "Suburgatory" shares its DNA with Kapnek’s most successful venture, which was one of her first projects, the reasonably-long-running “As Told By Ginger” (2000-20006), an animated series for the Nickelodeon network, in which a somewhat sarcastic red-haired pre-teen girl named Ginger navigated the misery of middle school with her friends and family by her side. And Tessa, as carrot-topped as Kapnek’s animated middle schooler, might really just be a slightly older, live action version of Ginger; the absurdity of adolescence and occasional hurtful hilarity that is the horrible thing called high school is integral to most of the series (on the surface it's just another area in which the writers can comment on and satirize). What makes “Suburgatory” click is its writing, characters and very capable cast. Not only does the show play fast and loose with the satire of suburban silliness, it manages to weave in a generally compelling, fully developed arc for Tessa, a mother-less girl, who finds herself wanting to find the woman she might have called Mom. The subplot is slow going, but essential to her growth as a character—and surprisingly sincere, specifically with how George reacts to each element of the unraveling subplot. Jane Levy has a great sense of comedic timing—and has a great sarcastic wit (or at least convincingly conveys the sarcasm that’s written in each script—is a terrific Tessa. When the series was first announced I thought Jeremy Sisto looked too young to have a teenage daughter (while Levy looks a little older than she’s playing, if only just; for me, it was never as much of a problem, really). But the casting works, and I suppose, since George and Tessa’s mother supposedly had her at a young age, the writers have at least partly rectified the issue. And, regardless, it doesn’t matter, because Sisto and Levy have terrific chemistry as a father-daughter duo. And bravo to the writers for actually bothering to give screen-time to the adults (just another of the things that sets the series apart from the rest of the pack). For years, Ana Gasteyer played a wonderfully warped version of Martha Stewart on “Saturday Night Live”; she channels a bit of that here as Shelia Shay. Tudyk, Parnell, Hines and the rest are all absolutely excellent, too. Of much surprise are Rex Lee, playing an oblivious but enthusiastic guidance counselor, and Carly Chaikin, who plays the meanest Mean Girl since, well, Regina George in “Mean Girls” (2004)—which was obviously of great influence to the Chatswin High scenes and subplots; and yet another thing that the writers knowingly subvert. In the supplements, Chaikin appears out of character and it’s actually a bit disconcerting to see that, in real life, she is absolutely nothing like the monotone plastic person she plays. “Suburgatory” has fun with the sitcom formula, too. Shot single camera, and laugh track free, the show is unburdened by many of the tacky trappings that make most traditional half-hour comedies unbearable. Better still, the writers play with the predictability of the plotting and overall arcing of the typical sitcom. A cast of supporting characters cascade through the series as love interests for both Tessa and George, soon forgotten and part of subplots sooner resolved; but each us dealt with in a fashion that feels fresh (if still familiar at the same time). Tropes are manipulated and meta-referenced, with a self-awareness that has characters almost openly acknowledging whenever a “special” episode—usually structured around a holiday, like Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas—happens, situational stapes are commonplace but often subverted. And even when the show does fall into the familiar, it has something most other sitcoms don’t to keep it from becoming too terrible. It has heart. Somehow, earnest elements of utter honesty mesh with the scathing satire and crazy comedy in a way that works. Other series have done what "Suburgatory" does, but few have done it as well. Unlike so many others series, the serious moments in "Suburgatory" ring true, in no small part because the characters are fully realized by both cast and crew. “Suburgatory: The Complete First Season” includes all 22 episodes from the series’ debut season, presented on three discs. The episodes are as follows: “Pilot”—A pot-roast, a "buddy" and a new bra. The first day in the suburbs for Tessa Altman and her father, George, brings surprises in all shapes and sizes. “The Barbecue”—Tessa finds herself unexpectedly attracted to her jock neighbor Ryan Shay (Parker Young), and George is pressured into hosting a perfect barbecue. “The Chatterer”—The Altmans shake up the halls of high school when George joins the Parent Teacher Association and Tessa signs up for the school newspaper. “Don’t Call Me Shirley”—Longing for a little bit of NYC, Tessa is trilled when what Chatswin calls a "crime wave" disrupts the calm neighborhood, until a panicked Dallas and Dalia decide to crash at the Altman home. “Halloween”—George and Tessa are excited for Halloween until George butts heads with the Neighborhood Association of his decorations, and Tessa learns she’s living in a dead girl’s room. “Charity Case”—Tessa tries to get the student body of Chatswin High involved with charity work, while George’s reputation as “The Skylight King” begins to cause trouble for his business. “Sweet Sixteen”—Tessa agrees to let Dalia plan her 16th birthday bash at the country club. George also feels the pain of getting older when he throws his back out and Shelia volunteers as his caretaker. “Thanksgiving”—Thanksgiving dinner with the Royces falls apart after Dallas and Tessa see George with a woman while he is working in Manhattan. Plus, Lisa feels the heat when she takes a stand against her parents. “The Nutcracker”—George’s tree-decorating party has all the trimmings of disaster when his ex-girlfriend, a potential new girlfriend, and the Royces all show up. “Driving Miss Dalia”—George applies for membership to the Chatswin Country Club, and Tessa’s new driver’s permit attracts attention from Dalia… and Dalia’s crush, Scott Strauss (Thomas McDonell). “Out in the Burbs”—Tessa suspects the new kid, Josh (Dan Byrd), is gay… but he’s really an undercover cop. Meanwhile, George suspects Dallas has the hots for him. “The Casino Trip”—When George wins a trip to Atlantic City, it turns into a getaway with the guys. Back home, Tessa plans her own getaway… with a guy. One guy. Scott Strauss. “Sex and the Suburbs”—the more Tessa sees of Scott, the less she likes him. Except when Dalia’s around. Meanwhile, George freaks out over Tessa’s (nonexistent) sex life. “The Body”—Tessa undergoes intense scrutiny when she runs for student body president, while super-jock Ryan “The Body” Shay is sidelined due to an injury and has an existential crisis. “Fire with Fire”—Toxic tensions run high as Dallas flaunts her hot young beau in front of George, and Dalia flaunts her “friendship” with Lisa in Tessa’s face. “Poetic Injustice”—George becomes a croquet god and Fred Shay thinks his wife worships George’s “mallet”. Tessa tries to impress a poetry teacher who thinks Dalia is a genius. “Independence Day”—Dallas hires Tessa to work at her store, A Crystal Cup of Crystals. With her first paycheck, Tessa buys a scooter, and finally gets what she's wanted her whole life: Freedom. “Down Time”—Even people in Chatswin sometimes get a little down. Dallas is in a post-divorce slump; Dalia attempts therapy. And Tessa, now that Lisa and Malik are a couple, attempts to resolve her newfound third wheel issues with a romance of her own. “Entering Eden”—Geroge has an immediate attraction to Eden (Alicia Silverstone), a woman he meets at the Chatswin Farmers Market. Her healthy lifestyle is also attractive to Noah and his wife, Jill (Gillian Vigman), for entirely different reasons. “Hear No Evil”—Tessa adopts Dallas’s work ethic, Lisa thinks she’s adopted, Eden and George grow close, and Noah’s sudden overprotective behavior takes a toll. “The Great Compromise”—Eden moves in with George and Tessa, Noah moves into Eden and the his future baby’s personal space, and Malik and Lisa make a move on a summer camp decision. “The Motherload”—Disappointment springs maternal when Dallas disappears, Eden freaks out, Lisa learns the truth about the Shay family’s adoption secret, and Tessa deals with a difficult truth about her own mother.
Video
Shot digitally, but in as natural a setting as possible—with considerable care put into the lighting of the sets and an extensive use of exterior locations—“Subugatory” doesn’t look particularly sitcom-ish. Brimming with bright, bold colors, the 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer is very good—for standard definition at least. In terms of detail, it’s a step down from the ABC HD broadcast I’m accustomed to, but at least the basics are good—noise is minimal, contrast is natural, with clean if occasionally overexposed whites and a satisfyingly deep black level. Sure, skin tones are completely unnatural at times. But the orange oopma loompa look of most of the fake-tanned female characters—the pallid and ginger-haired Tessa aside—is part of the joke.
Audio
“Suburgatory: The Complete First Season” features an English Dolby Digital 5.1 track; a Portuguese Dolby Digital 2.0 surround dub is also included. Like most sitcoms, this series has a rather simple soundtrack primarily focused on dialog and little else. On the upside, “Suburgatory” is free of that irritating tittering that comes with canned laughter. But, like many other sitcoms, the overall sound design is unimpressive. Dialogue is clear and the less-than-thirty-second opening theme is forceful and full-bodied, but the rest of the series slips into a featureless fog of neutral noise. There’s nothing wrong, per se, and the score by Jared Faber and mix of pop radio and hip-hop hits sprinkled throughout do a reasonable job of filling in the otherwise reserved rears. Optional English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles are also available.
Extras
Like many Warner (and indeed most TV-on-DVD) releases these days, extras are pretty slim pickings: a featurette, a gag reel, and several unaired scenes are spread across “Suburgatory’s” three discs. The featurette is pretty lengthy, and worth watching. Everything else... well... DISC ONE: Deletions, extensions and alternate takes, oh-my—a so-called unaired scenes feature found on each of the three discs in the set includes a variety of excised material in various stages of completion. Some scenes—mostly, the extensions of material found in each proper broadcast edit—are fully finished with score, Foley, and VFX (including color correction) intact. On the opposite end of the spectrum are other scenes that were cut far earlier in the production cycle, and are thus incomplete in one or all of those areas. Warner has authored the unaired scenes feature as a single “play all” reel, with no separately accessible list that notes each scene or what episode it comes from. Title cards are also nonexistent. Instead, all extraneous scenes from all the episodes on each disc are viewable in a one big block, which makes this extra more closely resemble a sort of expanded-universe featurette. The authoring means itemizing and summarizing each scene would be a terribly tedious task, so just know this: most of the material was cut for a reason, and these scenes were probably best left in the AVID or Final Cut trash bin. Disc one includes 14 unaired scenes (1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen, 13 minutes 20 seconds). Highlights include: George buys Tessa a bike, which she doesn’t know how to ride; Tessa learns how to ride her bike; Tessa and George discuss the disgusting-ness of Chatswin’s faux-New York pizza and more. DISC TWO: Disc two includes 16 unaired scenes (1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen, 13 minutes 56 seconds). Highlights include: Noah gives George a lesson on the etiquette of giving gifts to the “help”; Tessa’s date with Scotty Strauss takes an Orwellian turn (a street sign with an all-seeing eye reads, “There’s safety in spying”); plus, a few very awkward sex scenes and more. DISC THREE: Disc three includes a mere 5 unaired scenes (1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen, 3 minutes 49 seconds). Scenes include: an uncomfortable dinner between George, Noah, Jill and Eden; newly flush with cash, Tessa goes on a spending spree; and more. “Somewhere, Between Heaven and Hell – Life in ‘Suburgatory’” (1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen, 27 minutes 50 seconds) is a surprisingly meaty supplement. This above average making-of featurette features interviews with Jeremy Sisto, Jane Levy, creator/writer Emily Kapnek and others; a solid overview of season one as a whole, the piece offers insight into the origins of the series, the characters and casting, the warped world of Chatswin, and more. And finally, the gag reel, titled “Suburban Slip-Ups!” (1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen, 7 minutes 21 seconds), is funny in parts but typically overlong and increasingly less amusing as time ticks on.
Packaging
“Suburgatory: The Complete First Season” arrives in a 3-disc set from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. The 22 episodes from the first season are spread across three DVD-9s. The discs are housed in a keep case; initial pressings include a cardboard slip-case. A 6-page episode guide has also been included.
Overall
“Suburgatory” is a smartly written satire on suburbia and the sitcom. I have no idea how much longer the premise can sustain itself—I doubt more than another season before the whole suburbs-are-seriously-strange thing starts wearing thin—but, for now, creator Emily Kapnek and the rest of her writers keep things light, funny and just nutty enough to amuse. The first season is a strong debut, and the cast, characters, and craziness of Chatswin make these 22 episodes worth a peek. The DVD has very nice standard definition video, serviceable audio, and a slim but still satisfying supplemental package. Recommended.
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