Eastbound & Down – The Complete First Season (HBO DVD set)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: C+     Episodes: C+

 

 

Hoping to be the next My Name Is Earl with a baseball backing and the freedom of bring an HBO series, Eastbound & Down – The Complete First Season leans more towards Will Ferrell/Major League comedy when it should go for Bull Durham, Danny McBride (of the also mostly unfunny Foot Fist Way) is Kenny Powers, a once great baseball player whose ignorance and lack of character has caused his hard downfall in a way that was once as big as his star success.  Now back to the place he grew up in, he is a gym teacher.

 

Unfortunately, the former super-pitcher wants to make a comeback, but his abrasive, politically incorrect comments (including racist, sexist, politically incorrect quotables, et al) have ruined him, but he will continue in by-default Ralph Kramden style to try and come back.  This double DVD set has all six hour-long shows and that was more than enough for this material.  Whether the show will improve or not is a mystery, but if not, how long can it go on with what is a tired formula story?

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image looks to have originated on HD video and has both detail issues and phony color more often than not.  The image can also look strained or painted on.  The Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 mixes are not too different, though the 5.1 has a bit more articulation, but you get dialogue-based would-be jokes with music and sound effects in the background and it is the usual tired combination thereof, even when it is well-recorded.  Extras include deleted scenes, outtakes, select audio commentaries on episodes, faux auto ads and three featurettes.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo