Customer Reviews

My So-Called Life: The Complete Series (+ Book)

5 star:		(231)
4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

"Okay, so maybe he's bi. Who cares? His cousin can still DRIVE."

MSCL is full of best-line-ever-lines like that. It is the only show that forever changed the way words arrange themselves in my head, which I guess kinda makes Holzman (et al) the Joyce of network television.

The series finale, ep 19, aired on my 12th birthday--meaning, this show has shaped half of my life. The amazing thing about MSCL is how much it grows up with you, even though, obviously, the episodes are the exact same 19 episodes they always were. The writing and acting is so layered, complex and rich that the show affords new meanings and interpretations, even as its viewers "grow up."

I owned the previous DVD box set, and this one is a major improvement for several reasons:

1) Six episodes have commentary w/writers and actors, including Claire Danes in "Self-Esteem," Devon Gummersall in "Life of Brian," and (my favorite) Wilson Cruz in "My So-Called Christmas."

2) Extras DVD with cast and a making-of/retrospective featurette, and interviews w/Danes and Holzman.

3) Great 36-pg book, lovingly made, with episode liner notes, song lyrics, letters, and other wonderful memorabilia. Includes notes from Holzman and an essay by Janeane Garofalo.

4) Much better title screen/menu, both aestically and functionally. Each disc opens with a 20-sec famous clip ("I'm in love/His name is Jordan Catalano..." for disc one; Angela's "Can you please just explain geometry to me?" plea to Brian for disc 4)

5) Much better, more streamlined packaging overall.

NOTE: I can't comment on image quality between this DVD set and the 2003 one. I watched both on an HDTV w/progressive scan DVD player, and both looked beautiful to me. I have no idea if this DVD set is supposed to look better or enhanced in some way from the previous version--basically, it looks and sounds great.

Buy one for yourself and for everyone you know. Even if they're 12. They'll need it.

In closing, "Two words: Ti-no."

In the Fall of 1994, ABC premiered what Entertainment Weekly would eventual hail as "the greatest cancelled television series of all time." Airing for a total of 19-episodes, with the final installment airing February of 1995, "My So Called Life" not only jump-started the careers of Claire Danes and Jared Leto, but garnered young Danes a Golden Globe for her performance (she was the youngest actress to receive the honor). Years after the show was cancelled ABC regretting their decision by trying to make lightening strike twice by producing similar series, yet ultimately known of them would garner the acclaim or magic of MSCL. Eventually TV Guide would call the series "the sixth best cult show of all time."

The premise of the show is simple enough, but yet complex enough to make it unique. Premiering in 1994, right at the emergence of the teen-soap genre MSCL was a breath of fresh-air. Unlike "Beverly Hills 90210" and latter "Dawson's Creek," this series was grounded in reality. Instead of glorifying every teenage rite-of-passage for film, the series seems to gloss over these moments in favor of the emotional outburst they produce: much like real life. Many people don't remembers every detail or their prom, first kiss, and first independent car ride? Yet they remember exactly how they felt, and MSCL capitalized on these moments.

The show follows 14-year-old Angela as she tries to ultimately survive not only her freshman year of high school, but the highs (and lows) or first love, as well as becoming her own independent self - separated from the person she tried to be for other people in Middle School. High School is a turbulent time for anyone from the Jocks to the Brains to the Leadership to the Outsiders. Everyone has their ups and downs, just like Angela. But she makes it harder on herself, and yet easier by befriending two outsiders, when she had always been part of the `in-crowd.' The audience follows Angela's transition from quiet wall-flower to her beginning to emerge from her cocoon sometime towards the end of her first year of high school.

While on the outside the show may seems like another "90210"/"The OC" teen-soap, but it really isn't. This is a rich, emotional, and movie relationship-drama that once it gets your hooks into you, you cannot stop watching. Unlike most shows of its genre its realistic and each of the major characters represents a person you probably knew in high school. Yet, they probably weren't the most popular kids. They were the kids you were friends with, hung out with, the ones you actually knew. It is a downright disgrace that ABC only allowed this series 19 episodes. More than almost any other show I've ever watched I would have loved to watch these character bloom into full-grown adults through their high school (and possibly college years).

But what we are ultimately are given is just this one 8-month snap-shot into these characters lives. But this could ultimately make this show the masterpiece that it really is. There was no room for it go downhill, no room for error. And forever it will be remembered. It has been years since my sister and I sat up all night long one weekend watching horrible copies of these episodes on VHS, and I cannot wait for Halloween, when I will finally have a chance to watch them on DVD, almost anew.

This incredibly comprehensive box set includes all 19 episodes uncut (in their ORIGINAL full-screen presentation) on 6 discs. The special features so far include: Interviews with Edward Zwick/Marshall Herskovitz/Winnie Holzman (creator/producers), Todd Holland/Jason Katism/Scott Winant (Directors), Wilson Cruz/Paul Dooley/Devon Gummersall (cast); Audio Commentaries on "the pilot," "Life of Brian," "So-Called Angels," as well as additional episodes; Deleted Scenes; Promos' Book with tridutes from Joss Whedon, Winnie Holzman, and Janeane Garofalo; and more.

I am so glad I never watched this show when it was first on, because I would have been outraged when it was cancelled. Instead, I caught the marathon on MTV - I watched every episode, back-to-back, and enjoyed every second of every episode. A couple of years later, I got into watching Dawson's Creek and was highly amused by how every single high school character talked like a college scholar. I thought that it was refreshing. But now, looking back at My So-Called Life, I realize that it was so much better than any teen drama today. Angela Chase (wonderfully portrayed by Claire Danes) is like a lot of girls in high school: shy, insecure, and in love with the cutest (and baddest) boy in school. She never used big words, she never tried to be clever or cute. In other words, she is the realistic version of a high school student. She had a wild and crazy best friend, a geeky boy across the street who loved her, caring parents, a sometimes-annoying younger sister, and ultimately the coolest guy in school as her boyfriend. A lot of people thought the Angela/Jordan relationship was a little far-fetched, asking themselves what he would ever see in a girl like her. I thought the idea of their relationship was wonderful, far-fetched or not: it showed young women that they don't have to be easy and dress provocatively to get guys to notice them.

To this day, I'm still amazed that this show was so short-lived. It dealt with serious issues such as drugs, sex, violence, and it dealt with them realistically. I realize now that My So-Called life was the clever one, not Dawson's Creek. This DVD is a must-have for the many die-hard fans the show still has today. One thing is for sure: the show may have been cancelled, but it will never be forgotten.

The only thing wrong with this series is that it was too short! Leave it to network television to cancel a show as wonderful as MSCL after only 19 episodes. What an outstanding 19 episodes they are, though! MSCL was probably the first primetime show (and perhaps the only) to depict such a realistic view of high school life. Angela Chase was a nice girl from a nice family that had their problems like any other family. She outgrew her childhood best friend & instead chose to hang out with two new eccentric & more exciting friends, Rayanne and Rickie--two of the best characters ever on television. She also had a crush on Jordan, the good-looking, quiet guy, who always looked serious & had somewhat of a bad-boy image. She didn't have a crush on the popular football player like most teenage girls are expected to. This show covered many serious & real issues in it's short run from teenage homosexuality, bullies, teenage sex & guns in school to being betrayed by your best friend & feeling like you can't trust your own parents. It even dealt with the problems in Angela's parents' marriage. The writing & directing in each episode are superb and so is the acting. Nothing is overly dramatic or in-your-face. There are subtle connections & ironies. When the characters explain what they're thinking or feeling, however unpoetic their speeches may be, you know exactly what they mean & that's the way it's supposed to be. I love the fact that they wear the same outfits more than once, that Angela only wears noticeable makeup on special occasions & that the teenagers don't speak like knowing adults & instead say 'like' & stumble and stutter over their words. This is without a doubt one of the best shows that has ever been on TV & it is definitely worth owning on DVD. You'll watch each episode over and over & never regret that you bought the collection!

I agree with the other reviewers who described "My So-called Life" to be a realistic portrayal of teenage life in the early 1990's. The program premiered when I was a sophomore in high school, and I could completely relate to the character of Angela Chase, who was portrayed so poignantly by Claire Danes. Angela was the quintessential teenage girl, and I remember watching the show and reciting Angela's lines along with her, even though I'd never seen the episodes before. Everything about the show was incredibly realistic by television's standards, and Angela's problems were so similar to the issues other young girls deal with: relating with parents, fighting with siblings, having secret crushes and offbeat friends. Back in high school, I dyed my hair red just like Angela...I even related to her character's clothes: I was all about flannel shirts back in those days! (I don't think I said "like" as much as Angela did, though, but most teens used to talk that way, and still do!) When the show was canceled after only 19 episodes, I was devastated. To this day, I do not understand why more viewers didn't tune in to watch this amazing program.

Anyway, I am so excited that "My So-Called Life" is being re-released on DVD. The first DVD set was ridiculously expensive and was discontinued after a very short time. This new set is much more affordable at just under $50, and it also contains numerous bonus features, including an interview with Claire Danes. The DVD set also comes with a collectible booklet that contains full-color photos and production notes about the show.

I can't wait to own a copy of this amazing series, and I hope that a new generation of teenage girls discovers all that "My So-Called Life" has to offer.

My So-Called Life is one of those instant classics. A brilliant show, it just came along at the wrong time and was subsequently canned after one season. But that only adds to the legend and in a small way makes the series even more enjoyable on DVD. The writing never got a chance to waiver. There was never really a bad episode. The cast never had to grow up and face "the college years" or even prom. Instead we are left with this one season, this one year of high school, with a brilliant group of characters who are locked forever in youth.

The shows themselves are just great. When you compare this one series, sandwiched between the farce of the early 90s' Beverly Hills 90210 and the junk of the late 90s' Dawson Creek, you see how true, poignant and amazing these 19 hours of teen TV truly are. You also see how Hollywood knows very little about GOOD TV.

This is a classic.

(why did I not give the dvd 5 stars... if you are looking for extras, look somewhere else all you get is the show... in this case that is enough though.)

My So-Called Life was a show ahead of its time. The 19 eps that aired suggested a very progressive and intelligent look at a family from their high school aged daughter's view from her suburban home.

Whimsical, serious, hilarious and even at times morbid, the program sometimes occasionally bordered on the soapy or sometimes strayed toward the outrageous. But it tackled a lot of important topics... hand guns in school, illiteracy, sibling rivalry, extramarital affairs, homosexuality, underage drinking, adoption and, of course, sex... and they did it with thought and wit.

This collection of the series gives you the 19 episodes. That's it. And that's why I only gave this collection 4 and not 5 stars. I would have liked something, ANYTHING, more! Outtakes, or screen tests, or even network promos for the show! Still, the episodes are fantastic, featuring great acting from a stellar cast who were mostly unknowns at the time, that went on to become famous for their work.

But television is really about the writing, and this show had brilliant writing throughout. If you've seen the show, then you already know it. If you haven't, you are in for a very big treat that will make you ask, why didn't this show make it to a second season?

Highly Recommended.

It's funny; we spend 4 years trying to get the hell out of high school, and the rest of our lives trying to recapture it. Whe MSCL premiered, I was 17. A little older then the characters, but still able to relate. This show was almost TOO realistic, which is why I think it was so quickly cancelled. I imagine parents of teenagers watching this show and being hit so hard by what their kids were going through, that they had to turn the channel. I watch this show now and think: this was high school in the early to mid 90's. Slightly exagerrated? Maybe. But it still hits home with all of its original force. Bottom Line: This show will always be very close to my heart, and when I have children, I will watch it with them so they can see what their father's time in high school was like.

"My So-Called Life" is not good television; it's extraordinary television-making. It is what TV shows could be if people took the time to create them instead of worry about how much money will be made.
I fell in love with "My So-Called Life" when it was rerun on MTV awhile back, just like everyone else. After purchasing the DVD set and rewatching the episodes, I've fallen in love all over again. How can any show be this good? It's not just the extraordinarily witty and insightful writing, not just the excellent acting, the complex characters, its...everything.
MSCL is real; it's the antithesis to shows like Dawson's Creek. Its characters are real. They're flawed, but in believable ways. It's a very complex, nuanced, and subtle show. What's great about this show is that none of the characters are given the "short end of the stick". Each character unforgetable and multilayered. Angela Chase herself is one of the most complex characters ever created for television. There's just so much to her that you can't believe someone made her up. Such a shame that we didn't get to know her better before the show was cancelled. My favourite character though is Brian Krakow, the first TV character I could identify with. Brian's a sort of tragic anti-hero nerd. Characters like this have appeared in other shows, but usually as comic relief. MSCL has sympathy for Brian and gives him a voice, yet does not overlook his many faults. There's just so much psychology, philosophy, so much depth and genius in MSCL.
I honestly do not believe there's a bad episode in the entire show (albeit there were only 19 episodes ever made). The Halloween episode comes close, but it was worth it just to see Danielle dressed up as Angela and all the unconscious tension it implied. In general I thoroughly enjoyed watching ever second of every episode. I'm stunned with awe after every episode. This show is for anyone who's ever been a teenager in the 90's. It captures perfectly the defining aspect of our generation.
I had the pleasure of personally meeting and Winnie Holzmann, creator and writer of MSCL when she visited UC Berkeley recently (yes, I'm a bear. Cal pride!). I got the opportunty to thank her for creating the show. I think the consensus of the audience that we had our mouths open salivating for more when the show was killed off. But Winnie said it best "It was tragic that the show was cancelled after only one season, but in a way I'm happy with the way it worked out. With only 19 episodes, there's kind of a preciousness to it that's preserved forever, instead of what would have happened, had we continued the show to the point where everyone was tired of the show and no one could come up with any new ideas". Indeed, there is tremendous preciousness to the show.
One last thing: Claire Danes is so HOT!!! How can Brian not be in love with her? Anyone else notice how her eyebrows curve upwards in the middle like this: ^ ?

I din't realize there was a DVD collection of this series until yesterday when I happened in the Virgin mega store in Boston looking for a completely unreleated TV series DVD. I have all the MSCL episodes on tape in some form or another and they've gotten quite a lot of wear. I think all of my female friends on college borrowed them in college at one point. I wasn't going to write a review since there are already plenty of great ones here but as I was viewing this listing (to make sure the price online was better than in the store) someone in the house was watching Boston Public. Now while the 2 shows have different focuses the subject matter is the same, High School, Kids, Society. I'm sitting here now listening to the soap opera that is Boston Public in the background and thinking of how realistic MSCL was and not because of it's portrayal of public High School in the 90's but because of it's characters. I've met all the people in that series in my real life at one point, I think I even dated a few of them. MSCL was never overdramatic, it was real without being reality, and it was interesting without being flashy. If you never saw MSCL then this is your chance and if your in your 20's like me you'll probably see a few people you know in these episodes; you might even see yourself.