Customer Reviews

Human Giant - The Complete First Season

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Hi,

I'm Aziz Ansari, one of the creators and stars of Human Giant and I can't recommend this show enough. Unfortunately, the Amazon editorial review is the only bad review of this DVD I've really seen. Don't listen to Bret Fetzer. He went to elementary school with me and I remember him being pretty racist.

Here's our A- minus review from The Onion AV Club.


Human Giant: Season One (MTV)

Reviewed by Nathan Rabin
March 5th, 2008

Fans like to bemoan the premature deaths of Mr. Show and Arrested Development, but both enjoyed substantial runs and left behind a lasting cultural legacy. A direct line can be drawn between the cult shows of the very recent past and the cult shows of today. Arrested Development found a worthy heir in 30 Rock, while the terrific sketch-comedy show Human Giant serves as a vital link between Mr. Show and the current generation of web-weaned funnymen who made their names posting homemade videos online instead of working their way through Second City, The Groundlings, or Saturday Night Live. The show's central dynamic echoes Mr. Show as well. Like Bob Odenkirk, Rob Huebel boasts the bland good looks of a local TV news anchor, yet there's a spark of madness and rage at his core. Castmates Paul Scheer and Aziz Ansari, meanwhile, take turns inhabiting the David Cross role.

Unlike Mr. Show, Human Giant isn't averse to recurring characters. Popular bits like "The Illusionators" (a pair of David Blaine/Criss Angel-like magical douchebags who are alternately astonishingly lamely mundane and genuinely magical) and "The Shutterbugs" (about intense, hyper-profane children's agents who become the brain trust behind the notorious flop Li'l 9/11) prove that in spite of what decades of Saturday Night Live suggest, the phrase "funny recurring character" doesn't have to be an oxymoron.

Like The Ben Stiller Show before it, Human Giant earns its MTV pedigree by being the kind of hip rock 'n' roll show where guest appearances by Ted Leo or Ghostface Killah are par for the course. In fact, Human Giant may be the only hip rock 'n' roll show left on MTV. The half-hour format suits its short, punchy aesthetic perfectly, but it's fascinating watching more than an hour's worth of excerpts from a 24-hour marathon where the cast of Human Giant and a gaudy procession of big-name guest stars (including Odenkirk) took over MTV and MTV2 for an entire day. It's a testament to the show's addictiveness that the excerpts leave audiences hungry for more. Given Human Giant's web-friendliness, it's also fitting that the full 24 hours can probably be found somewhere online.

Key features: Hilarious deleted scenes, live footage, a preview of season two, and amusing audio commentaries from the cast and selected guest stars.

A.V. Club Rating: A-

Sketch comedy hasn't been this brilliantly absurd since the Upright Citizens Brigade. Maybe the only sketch show that develops their recurring characters with each appearance rather than relying on the same jokes each time. Comparisons to "Mr. Show" is a little unfair as they have almost nothing in common besides being sketch shows, but that doesn't take away from the show's quality, it's definitely head and shoulders above any other sketch show on television today.

Bret Fetzer is a dick.

If there was any doubt that sketch comedy shows could work in the new millennium, Human Giant disproves it. I can only assume MTV was skeptical when these three hilarious young comedians came to them with their mission statement to make a comedy program accessible to everyone except Amazon.com's own Bret Fetzer, but their investment paid off and the results are top-notch.

Buy this DVD and prepare yourself for hours of entertainment.

It's been a while since a great sketch comedy show... shows like The State and Mr Show seemed like they would never be born again... until the rise of Human Giant!

This show is a little random but it's also A LOT funny!

Aziz Ansari is one of the hottest comedians around so getting his take on everythign is awesome! Team that up with cameos from comedy greats like:
Rob Riggle (Snl Daily Show)
Patton Oswalt (King of Queens, Comedians of Comedy)
Brian Posehn (Just Shoot me, Comedians of Comedy)
Mary Lynn Rajskub (24 and Mr Show)

and you have a real winner!

This dvd is a MUST own!

It's hard going back to Saturday Night Live after watching this. Human Giant is much more consistently funny. I was pleasantly surprised. I ordered Human Giant, Tim and Eric Awesome Show, and Whitest Kids You Know all about the same time. Tim and Eric Awesome Show is too weird, not funny enough, Whitest Kids You Know is a hoot, although they are a bit sophomoric, mean and immature. The Human Giant fellas are more polished and thought-out. I enjoyed them quite a bit. It's been really hard to sit through Saturday Night Live lately without groaning. Human Giant is up there with Mr. Show. Look for a great appearance by Jon Krasinski from the Office in the extras.

This is megatron awesome. These guys really make a great product but with a low budget feel. Well, more than a feel it is low budget but done very, very, well. If you're debating on weather to buy it or not, check out some of the video streaming sites. You can easily find skits online to "try it out". Finding a few of those funny then, I would strongly recommend buying this because it is really just more of the same. However, some is hit and miss either they connect and it's just great or you want to fast forward. That's OK though because there's 20+ skits on here so it's easily worth it.

You get discs with this DVD series from MTV. The second being extras and deleted which are decent at best. The real worthwhile part is obviously the first disc that is almost comic genius. I will say, I have shown this others and they were not much impressed so like I said it's not for everyone. That being said my mom, who's 50, watched some of this and thought it was great. Also, I have seen all the main characters in this on other prime time networks so I feel this was their springboard to stardom. Also, Rob Riggle (Daily Show, Step Brothers) has a few cameos and he's riot.

If you don't give me a good review I will find you... And give you a Colombian neck tie! Just kidding....

(You'll get it after you watch the Tapes and Tapes skit)

RED DRAGON!!!

Human Giant has completely blown out what it means to be a sketch show. Rich premises, incredible heightening, and really smart, subtle jokes in the just last place you look. They never take themselves too seriously, and yet are able to hit real and meaningful targets (Lil' 9/11 springs to mind) with a sharp clarity that a lot of comedy lacks these days. There's no "clapter" here. The bonus features are great too, including a sketch no one thought could air, and yet made it into their Season 2 premiere. 100% worth it.

I love this collection. Great quoteables throughout. I was bummed it got cancelled to make space for all the heinous shows MTV has now. Not that this show is highbrow by any means, but at least it was funny.

I just caught this show the other night at MTV at 3 am due to imsomnia and was rolling laughing. Not sure how new it is, but being that the DVD set won't be out until March I'm guessing it's fairly new. A must have for anyone who likes random sketch comedy, I hope this show catches on and becomes more popular/televised as it should.

I watched the first season over and over. Id watch the original airing then watch the re-runs through out the week, so much so that I lost my job and Im losing my home. Dont listen to Bret Fetzer! I mean who the hell is this guy to say that "Human Giant don't compare well to their idols--there's something formulaic and lazy about most of their humor" I think Bret Fetzer dont compare well to his idols such as dear abby. This show is genius and the guys who star in it are genius! Just go to the Human Giant website and check out the Will Arnett video and youll be hooked! This show should be on daily and maybe even have cameras follow the guys around for no reason what-so-ever and even maybe have a spin off of the show, maybe a reality show of sorts where they live as our favorite characters from Human Giant and the viewers at home can have the guys do as we please live! That would be hilarious! It would be 24 - 7 sketch comedy but not sketched!

Maybe MTV can give Human Giant its own channel and we could see a Bret Fetzer sketch. Human Giant for president! My favorite sketches would be "The Illusionators" " and "Shutterbugs" My favorite episodes would be all eight and my favorite cast member would be all of them. Seriously if this hasnt convinced you to buy this DVD then youre crazy! This show will be on for years and years and is a start to a revolution! MTV will become Human Giant TV move over stevo and jackass because here comes Human Giant! GET THIS DVD! Bret Fetzer IS A HOMO SO DONT LISTEN TO HIS BULLSHI*