Customer Reviews

Brilliant But Cancelled - EZ Streets

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

EZ Streets is one of the very best TV shows most people have never seen. Great writing, great casting, great story, great scoring, great critical raves. Great god, what must the network have been thinking to have cancelled it after barely putting it on in the first place. Well EZ Streets creator Paul Haggis finally found the acclaim this show should have won him from the masses when he wrote the screenplay for "Million Dollar Baby" and then wrote and directed this year's "Crash". That's not much recompense to those of us who loved THIS show, though.

So why just three stars? Because this isn't the entire series. This is just 5 episodes. It's not even clear WHICH 5 episodes. This not "Volume 1" or anything, so I'm guessing this is all you're gonna get, and that's just not enough. Especially since there were only 8 episodes aired (one the two hour pilot) AND (are you listening boys and girls?) a 9th episode ("Neither Have I Wings to Fly") which was NEVER AIRED in the US...No love for those of us who loved this show in it's much too brief time?

This was a great show that CBS messed with and then cancelled way too early. It was on in October, and it was off. It was on in March, and it was off. It was on in April, etc. CBS didn't even show the last episode, instead replacing it with an episode of Walker Texas Ranger at the last minute. At first I was glad to see it coming out on dvd and ordered it right away. Much to my chagrin though, I then saw that it only had 3 or 4 episodes instead of the whole 10. Bravo, come on, release the entire series. Don't cancel the Brilliant but Cancelled series by only releasing a few episodes.
Excited, and then disappointed, Mr.Pibb in Michigan

I really, really liked this series, and wouldn't even watch CBS for quite a while afterwards because they kept on cancelling great shows (every show that was any good, they cancelled). I was really excited to see it came out on DVD, pre-ordered it, and was looking forward to seeing the series again, especially the unaired episode. I guess they knew if they mentioned that is was only a handful of episodes, not as many people would buy it.

For those interested in purchasing it, the episodes included are:

EZ Streets Pilot
Every Dog has its Day
One Acquainted with the Night

The case lists the running time as 3 hours, 2 minutes (way too little for a show this good!)

This is the last time I will pre-order from the "Brilliant but Cancelled" series, unless, of course, they are up front about how little they are really offering. I guess the only way it's safe to buy anything from their series is to wait and see what's missing - which will evidently only be available from reviews that people make after they buy it and are disappointed.

i absolutely loved this show and often list it among my favorites of all time. that being said, i'll stick with my video copies until a complete set of all the episodes is available on dvd

It's a 5-star series, but only three episodes on this DVD 'set'? What a moronic thing to do. Why is it taking so long for an actual collection of all nine, including the unaired finale? It's been nearly ten years, and Paul Haggis has won Oscars... I mean, get moving, somebody. In the meantime, dear consumers, skip this poor excuse for an 'EZ Streets' set.

I like EZ Streets. It was gritty, It was complex and it had a soul that many crime shows never had. Suddenly, as it come on TV... it was canceled after eight episodes (here is only three episodes outta eight!).

Written and created by Oscar Winner (for Crash) Paul Haggis, someone should tell Universal DVD division-if you say something is BRILLANT , Show me all the episodes! I agree it was, not let me have it!

I will give it FIVE stars when there is a FULL collection of EZ Streets...Otherwise I leave the review at TWO stars

Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD

First the network cuts/cancels this brilliant critically accalaimed series after only 8 shown episodes. Now the dvd producers do the same with only a 5 episodes dvd. I to will wait until someone see's fit to produce the "complete" series rendition on dvd.

Paula Haggis' "EZ Streets" was a drama far ahead of its time, and despite the best efforts of Les Moonves (who cancelled it not once but twice) has finally reached its fans 10 years after being broadcast. The series had an extraordinary cast, particularly Joe Pantolianao as the sadistic Jimmy Murtha, Ken Olin as devoted almost to the point of fanatical cop Cam Quinn, and a pre-"Boomtown" Jason Geddrick as the sweet but clueless loser Danny. Backed up by excellent co-stars like veteran character actor Mike Starr, Sarah Trigger as Danny's wife Ellie, and Deborah Farantino as a twisted man-eating lawyer, this series keeps you glued to the screen, laughing and crying at the stories of three men whose lives are intertwined, for good or ill, since childhood. Also of note is Haggis' use of music. If you fall in love with the pilot, be sure and check out cellist Caroline Lavelle's haunting recording of "Moorlough Shores". Also featured on this first disc are Maire Brennan and Loreena McKennitt.

EZ Streets foreshadowed the wave of complex dramas on HBO, TBS, Fox and others. For those who saw EZ Streets, HBO's Sopranos was derivative and less satisfying. Unfortunately, CBS didn't know what it had or how to build a show that requires rapt attention or a means to catch-up on what went before. The revenue lost by not having a complete story to sell on DVD (after the example of 24 and others) is staggering.

Creator Paul Haggis went on to movie acclaim (Million Dollar Baby and Crash), but EZ Streets was a pinnacle of imagination and execution that is still unmatched on network or cable television. From the casting and acting, to use of music, through compelling cinematography, to a dark, layered and complex storyline, EZ Streets is as good as I have ever seen. After ten years it is still fresh in my mind and the touchstone; it is my all time favorite television series. I still want to "follow the keys," the one lead left for Ken Olin's Detective Quinn to follow.

The EZ Streets ensemble members are largely dramatic leads and stars now or behind the camera applying lessons learned. It is a measure of the quality of the cast how many have thrived since EZ Streets' short life. I see John Finn on Cold Case and hear Captain Geary's standard parting, "I've got a thing." I still wonder, on which side of the law was Geary? Joe Pantoliano aka Joey Pants moved from character actor to lead as the small time hood Jimmy Murtha. Carl Lumbly was back in a similarly complex story in Alias, but he was first a beautifully corrupt and manipulated mayor in EZ Streets. Ken Olin directed almost a quarter of the Alias episodes. He learned from EZ Streets how to tell a long story arc with cliffhanger episodes (and learned the hard way the need for a weekly recap). This was one of the last roles for Rod Steiger as Quinn's disgraced and broken down father. There are more, like Debrah Farentino's sexy and smart Theresa Conners, Mike Starr's big presence, and Sarah Trigger as a fragile, breaking, drug addled and desperate mother. I regularly see actors that first caught my eye here. Mark Isham's haunting theme music must also be credited.

Quality through and through, EZ Streets is a stunning achievement. The quality made it all the more heartbreaking that the cast and crew were never allowed to finish the story.

EZ Streets became the definition of "brilliant but cancelled." Like CBS with the show, the DVD is overly stingy, offering only three episodes of the nine filmed. The logic of the DVD offering is especially strange since the target audiences (rabid fans of EZ Streets and Haggis) know darn well what they are missing. I'd pay more for a full collection on DVD. I'd pay a fortune to know the never filmed end of the story.

A fantastic show? Yes. But as others have noted, what in the world is the point to releasing THREE of NINE episodes (counting the double-length pilot as one episode)? Not only is it one-third of the total that rabid fans want, but it's actually episodes 1, 5, and 6 instead of 1, 2, and 3! Is it any wonder consumers are so angry at the studios over how they release their content? If you buy this consider yourself warned. This disc is nothing but a tease. If you insist on being frustrated just rent it from Netflix. That way every time you see the disc one your shelf you won't feel like an idiot for having bought it knowing that you're getting a small hodgepodge of a great show.

The show may be "Brilliant but Cancelled," but Bravo is "Wrong-headed and Absurd."