Featured TV on DVD Review: The Sarah Silverman Program: Season Two: Volume Two

February 7, 2010

The Sarah Silverman Program: Season Two: Volume Two - Buy from Amazon

The second / third season of The Sarah Silverman Program. The second season was cut short due to the writer's strike and instead of calling this season 3, the studio decided to called it season 2b. Or Season Two: Volume Two, as it says on the DVD cover. Whatever they call it, how does it compare to the first two releases?

There are ten episodes this time around starting with High, It's Sarah, which has Sarah getting high for the first time and coming up with crazy conspiracy theories, which may or may not be true. One of the best episodes on the two-disc set and it's a great way to start out. Unfortunately, Mongolian Beef is a bit of a let down with the B-story about Steve and his bad videos actually generating more laughs. Making New Friends has Sarah dumping her old friends to make new ones, who she basically grabs at random. Again, more joke miss than hit, even on the B-story. The show gets back to its winning ways with Patriot Tact. In this episode, Sarah spots Osama bin Laden and runs him over with her car. Turns out it was a case of mistaken identity. Her friends are able to laugh it off, till she does it again. ... and again. Pee has Sarah wetting the bed, but she comes upon a simple solution... Never sleep ever again. In the B-story, Brian grows an enormous beard, which Steve hates.

Before we continue to the next episode, the best part of this season is the opening song with the puppet animation. Or to be more specific, the second verse we hear later on. (The crab talking on the phone is great. I don't know if that's really a spoiler, as it doesn't make sense out of context. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense in context either.)

The B-story was the better part of There's No Place Like Homeless, which has Steve making fun of Brian's religion and suffering the consequences. Fetus Don't Fail Me Now starts with Sarah nine months pregnant, which has comedy and horror written all over it. A lot of people really like I Thought My Dad Was Dead, But It Turns Out He's Not, but the episode didn't really work for me. Too much plot, not enough humor. I know it's a strange complaint, but it doesn't fit with the tone of the rest of the series. Kangamangus has Sarah trying to create a new slang word she can be remembered by, but Brian beats her to it. Finally, in Vow Wow Laura and Jay get engaged, so Sarah decides to marry her dog, Doug, in response. A solid episode to end the DVD.

Of the ten episodes here, five are solid hits, two are on the bubble, and three fall a little flat. That's not a bad hit to miss ratio.

Extras are extensive, starting with audio commentary tracks on every episode. On a side note, for a show that has always relied on absurdist humor, it is amazing how many episodes are based on real life events, at least according to the people on the audio commentary track. There are also more than an hour of video split across the two discs. Some of this is promo material, other is behind-the-scenes footage, bonus animations, etc. Almost all is worth checking out and most has solid replay value.

The Verdict

I was disappointed with the previous releases from The Sarah Silverman Program, but with Season Two: Volume Two I think they are finding their legs. I might have to go back and give the earlier DVDs a second look. In the meantime, this one is worth picking up.

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