Customer Reviews

Puppets Who Kill: The Complete First Season

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I bought this dvd set without having seen the show based on the title the and preceding review. Unfortunately I did not find this show nearly as enjoyable as the previous reviewer.

The problem I had with this show is that it is just seldom laugh out loud funny. "South Park" makes me laugh out loud when it's good. Ditto "Reno 911," another currently popular dark comedy. But aside from a few of the truly twisted puppet-sex scenes and Cuddles' killing rampage in one of the episodes, I rarely experienced more than a slight smile watching these 13 episodes. Truth be told, I did not find "Kids In the Hall" to be funny, either, so perhaps I should have considered myself warned when I read about that connection to this show's creative team.

I think that what was most disappointing about these shows is that it would be more accurate to call it "Puppets Who Killed" rather than "...Kill", as very few of these episodes feature that ultimate antisocial act. Instead the sort of antisocial behavior the puppets are up to these days involve more mundane things like starting a urine sample company to provide "clean" urine to people who use drugs. Worth a little giggle, I guess, but not nearly as twisted as I anticipated.

To be fair, the later episodes on this 2-dvd set seem to be better than the earlier ones (with the exception of the early episode where Cuddles' killing rampage occurs), so perhaps this show got better over time and subsequent seasons were better.

I found the picture quality to be fine on my 32" HDTV monitor -- not a spectacular picture, but as good as the many other TV shows I have purchased on dvd.

DVD set features a few bonuses, including a commentary track for one of the episodes as well as a "behind the scenes" short that introduces the viewer to the puppeteers behind the characters.

I got this dvd the first time as a gift. I watched the whole season in one night. It was brilliantly offensive. Sociopaths, psychopaths, and a rehabilitation officer under one roof...and 4 of the characters are puppets.

The show escilates from wrong to dear God did that just happen. This show speaks for itself with just the distributor review. Pick this up, it's worth a watch.

Finally a series that doesn't insult your intelligence, the characters are well developed, the stories - bizarre, no jokes for the sake of a cheap laugh, and no laugh track.

You've gotta check this out, it's still airing on Comedy Network a number of times a week in it's 3rd season, it just keeps getting better.

Don't know about the grainy quality the other reviewer mentioned, mine looks fine.

This is a truly insane comedy about a half-way house for psychotic puppets. The residents include Cuddles, a cute doll who occassionally snaps and goes on killing sprees; Buttons, a sex-crazed teddy bear; Rocko, a burnt out dog doll; and Bill, the scheming ventriloquist dummy who goes into fits of depression if he goes too long without committing a murder. Looking after them is a social worker played by Dan Redican, formerly of The Frantics and behind the scenes with The Kids in the Hall. Dan's ploys to teach the puppets values usually just winds up leading to more murder and mayhem and subsequent coverups so he won't lose his job. If anything, Dan is being corrupted. Along the way, the puppets meet domanitrixes, necrophiliacs, witches, and other interesting characters. There's no nudity, but it is a Canadian show so censorship is not a problem, and you've never truly experience television until you've seen a cutesy wutesy puppet having sex with a human female. The show should appeal to warped minds and fans of South Park.

The series' creators include John Pattison, a former Jim Henson puppeteer, and Shawn Alec Thompson whose main exposure in the US is in John Water's Hairspray. Other people working on the show include former Sesame Street puppeteers and the guys who did Johnny 5 in Short Circuit 2 and the puppets in Bride of Chucky.

The only negative with this collection is the picture quality which is inexplicably grainy.

Now im a bit confussed, everyone i talk to about the fox show greg the bunny loves it to death, yes it has seth green and eugeen leavy and that hot girl from mr. show but this is an excellent canadian show. Not every minute is hysterical but verry intertaining. I love greeg the bunny a lot but i think if people are into that show as i am their should be some love out their for puppets. The only episode that wasnt all that was the first but still good, the show gets better each episode. My favorite puppet is bob the ventroilquist, the 2 best episodes are when one of his former dummies he has killes his son the doctor is out for revenge, and when he reveals his testicle collection. Cuttles the comfort doll is also awesome, this an (A) sexual puppet has to come to terms with his problem in a verry delicate fashion. just give it a change, if you are into something different and want to actually get involved into the characters life. my girlfriend loves this show and she is extremelly picky.

This is a really funny and creative show...every episode was
a gas. I hope there will be add'l DVD's available on this series.

I got this DVD when it first came out based on the box description. When I first saw it, I thought it was amusing - but I felt like I was missing something. The pacing is not like an American comedy and while the writing is excellent and the acting and puppet work is great - the understated delivery of the lines took a while to get into. It operates on a different rhythm than American comedy.

But after I watched it - I found that I started making references to things from the show. I watched it again and soon I found that I really got into the groove of the series. I lent my dvds to friends of mine and they said the same thing, "I kind of didn't get it at first - but..yeah so Amazon has this? I can get it there?"

Now? Now I'm convinced that it's one of the greatest comedy series of any genre on broadcast television. Top notch writing, acting and directing. I've seen a Season 1 and season 2 set that are bundled - it's worth getting both of them and just diving in.

Just to give you a sense of my comedic sensibilities I would also put Strangers with Candy and The League of Gentlemen in this realm as well. If you like dark dark comedy - you can't go wrong with this series.

The best of Season 3 + Season 4 are getting released this January as a 2 disc set. That series features some of the best episodes in the series.

Like most comedy series they have their good times and their bad, the last episode in this series was their best. This made me laugh but only most of the time, there were moments where I found myself either not amused or only giving a minor chuckle. But all in all 8/10.

In the interest of instant ratings gratification, the network brass should have titled this series 'When Good Puppets Go Bad'. But then, that's too much reality and not enough makeover. In this old halfway house, you get Bill (The bloodthirsty ventriloquist dummy), Buttons (The sexually hyperactive corporate mascot), Cuddles (The foul-mouthed comfort doll) and Rocko (The con-artist plush puppy) who all go into a rehab midstation with their antics, both psychologically murderous on their hapless social worker (Played by comic near genius Dan Redican) and deadly funny at the same time.

Here you get 2 discs - To complete the first season of 'Puppets Who Kill'. This hilarious series has absolutely no redeeming social value, but it is solidly written, cleverly directed and just silly enough to keep you hooked! Here's the rap sheet on the First Season :

Episode 1 - Dan's Crush
* Button the bear uses his charms to con Dan out of some tickets to a basketball game. In fact, his charms work too well. Dan develops a very unhealthy crush on the irresistible Buttons. Meanwhile, Dan convinces Cuddles to reconcile with an old bully from his past, with results he could not have predicted.

Episode 2 - Cuddles Gets Laid
* Buttons arranges to give Cuddles his first sexual experience. Once sexualized, Dan has to find a way to contain Cuddles' seemingly voracious sexual appetite. Also, Bill gets a visit from one of his past partners.... Curious Bob (John Hemphill), a ventriloquist he once tried to kill and thought he was done with forever.

Episode 3 - Dash The Greeter
* Dash Dagger is a hideously deformed puppet. Dan helps him land a job as a greeter in a department store, and this leads Dash into a battle with all the beautiful people who work there. Throughout this, Miss Smith (Maggie Huculak), an annoying neighbor, develops an unhealthy sexual obsession over Dan.

Episode 4 - The Island Of Skip-Along-Pete
* Skip-Along-Pete (David Fox), famous cowboy children's show host, takes Rocko to his cabin on a remote island for the weekend. Rocko thinks he's getting a free holiday, but Skip-Along-Pete has an evil plan in store for him. Meanwhile, Buttons the bear gets stuck on Dan's hand. Unfortunately, he has an intimate date planned for that evening.

Episode 5 - Cuddle Goes To Jail
* As punishment for swearing, Dan sends Cuddles to jail for the weekend. Through an unlikely series of events, Cuddles winds up running the whole joint - With a ruthless nature he didn't dream he possessed. At the same time, someone in the city is stealing testicles at an alarming rate. Dan suspects that Bill might be the notorious testicle thief.

Episode 6 - Bill's Brain
* Bill the ventrioloquist dummy goes to the hospital for a lobotomy. Little does he know that his doctor (Chas Lawther) harbors an ugly secret and is looking to avenge one of Bill's past murders. Buttons has a sexual encounter with a nurse (Angela Asher) in a storage room full of dangerous diseases, and Rocko talks Dan into sleeping with a corpse in order to conquer his fear of dying.

Episode 7 - Cuddles The Safety Mascot
* Dan gets Cuddles a job as a safety Mascot to replace one who was killed in a flaming car wreck. Cuddles finds it's not so easy replacing a much-loved legend. Back at the halfway house, Rocko and Buttons don't like to take out the garbage, so Dan punishes them by making them work at a hazardous waste site.

Episode 8 - Dan's Umbrella
* The CBC has a horrible secret. They've been keeping the brains of dead celebrities to supply themselves with ideas for TV sShows. When Bill stumbles upon their evil plan and steals some brains, an ugly battle ensues between Dan, Bill and the National Broadcaster. Also, Dan sends Buttons to have lunch with Tiger Jones (Frank Rubbo), a notoriously nasty journalist.

Episode 9 - Buttons Goes To Court
* Buttons the bear is testifying against a former employer. He stands to make 5 million dollars in a wrongful dismissal lawsuit, but must avoid having an affair with the head of the jury (Shauna Black) - A tough challenge for the promiscuous Buttons. Meanwhile, Rocko starts an enterprising new business of selling Dan's urine through the mail.

Episode 10 - Buttons, The City Councillor And The City Councillor's Wife
* Buttons the bear is having a torrid love affair with the city councillor's wife (Soo Garay), and in return she showers the halfway house with gifts and special treatment from City Hall. Sounds like a good deal, until things escalate a little out of control. During all this, Dan and Bill have a running battle over whether the toilet seat should stay up or down.

Episode 11 - Rocko's Telethon
* Dan decides to put Rocko, a former TV star, back on the tube. He lands him a gig on a tawdry Telethon for Impaled People with a sleazy host (Rick Roberts). Everything goes well, until Rocko's anger issues kick in. Complicating things, Buttons the bear tries to score with an Impaled Person and Cuddles gets waylaid at a strip club.

Episode 12 - Mr. Quigley, The As*hole Next Door
* Dan has a run-in with Mr. Quigley (Eric Peterson), his as*hole neighbour. When Dan finds out that Buttons' new girlfriend (Holly Lewis) is a witch, he asks her to put a spell on Quigley, which she does. Unfortunately, Buttons angers her and she casts a spell on him too. Meanwhile, Bill convinces Dan to go see a Prostate Doctor.

Episode 13 - The Payback (This is the last episode of Season 1)
* A black and white homage to 40's Film Noir. Bill finds a suitcase full of money, which is great until its owners show up wanting their money back. Thus begins a deadly battle with a ruthless collection of gangsters. To further complicate matters, Dan finds himself in the clutches of a classic femme fatale (Kim Huffman).

Bill The Ventriloquist Dummy
Likes : Gaining the trust of old people
Dislikes : New developments in forensic science

Buttons The Bear
Likes : Lonely widows with trust funds
Dislikes : Angry husbands and nine out of The Ten Commandments

Cuddles The Comfort Doll
Likes : Warm sweaters, cCocoa and Lord of the Dance
Dislikes : Being fu*ked over by an imaginary friend

Rocko The Dog
Likes : Cigerettes, beer and that soft spot on top of a child's head
Dislikes : Every decent thing you stand for

Folks, if you want an absolutely, hilarious series for $20ish bucks, this is the series for you. This is straight out of Canada, and it is a knock your socks off comedy. Everyone with an sick, twisted, 'Can take just about anything' sense of humor, should own a copy of this series. It's out there, in the best way. Enjoy at my Highest Recommendation. If you are still reading this and you haven't clicked on 'The Purchase ASAP Button', I'm going to have to get my baseball bat out and clobber you and your mama over the head (Buy it already!). Enjoy, and don't say I didn't warn you!!!!!

Got this from NetFlix because the premise sounded like a cross between Greg the Bunny (puppets talking "dirty") and the satire of South Park. Alas, it was not to be.

The idea is that the puppets (A ventriloquist dummy, a teddy bear convicted for "moral terpitude", Rocko, an anti-social dog, and Cuddles, a Raggedy Andy looking doll with anger management issues) were sent to a halfway house with their caseworker, Dan, in hopes of rehabilitating them.

I watched an episode from Season 1 where the bear uses his irresistible softness to con Dan into giving him tickets to a hockey game. He continues to ply his fluffiness for favors until he realizes Dan wants to go to bed with him. (In this case, Dan only wants to sleep with the bear...he misses his carefree childhood and his own teddy bear...not "sleep with" him.) A sideplot finds Cuddles taming demons from the past in the form of a sadistic nurse who baited him with taunts of "Rooster". It's never explained why this bothers Cuddles or why I should find it funny. Eventually, Cuddles is driven to a clock tower, shooting maniacally at crowds, until Dan talks him down.

Having only chuckled slightly at the first ep, I didn't bother to watch the others and sent it and Season 2 back.

BOTTOM LINE:
The premise had lots of potential but I just didn't laugh. Color me unimpressed.