TapouT – The Complete Series (2007 – 2008/Image DVD Set)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: B-     Extras: D     Episodes: B-

 

 

The growing TapouT franchise has not only continued to make Mixed Martial Arts popular in what seems like a permanent way, but give it a name brand as it continues its discourse of supporting and backing those fighters as the underdog, a position they franchise itself loves to take as its popularity appeals to the working class and other people who find hype a joke.  On top of fights, tie-in products and narrative feature-length productions they are engaged in, the creator Charles Lewis decided to make a reality TV show out of the workings of the business and the resulting TapouT – The Complete Series lasted two seasons.

 

Lewis decided to turn his co-workers into graphic novel comic book/anime characters and they go from there.  Each show has to do with them finding a new fighter to promote from all over the country and runs about a half-hour, plus there are their usual gags and there is always some time to find the sexiest, most built women to hire as possible models.  The show is entertaining for what it is with the best part being the people who are building the franchise into a growing phenomenon.  This will date more interestingly than most of its contemporaries (especially depending on which fighters become stars) and maybe we’ll get to revisit them sometime later.

 

The 1.33 X 1 image was shot on digital video (low def it seems) and is not bad, but has some detail and other minor limits, but is colorful and well-edited.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo mix is basic and you have less location audio issues than usual for such a show.  There are sadly no extras.  As for the end of the show, I guess because these guys were not phony, dysfunctional, stupid, ignorant, self-hating, hating their audience and a total waste of time, the show could not be a hit.  Hope they keep up the good work.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo