15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fig-Nuts!, March 30, 2005
This review is from: Sealab 2021 - Seasons 1 & 2 (DVD)
Let's face it: Sealab 2021 isn't for everyone. Either you "get" this brand of bizarre, off-the-wall comedy or you don't. The series' style of humor tends to be juvenile, but fortunately without routinely stooping to body humor or bathroom jokes. Most episodes are peppered with hilarious cultural references. In fact, in its own way "Sealab" is really smart TV-- one of those shows that you can watch over and over, and continually pick up on things that you missed in previous viewings.
Overall, Season One is much more solid than Season Two, which unfortunately included a couple of throw-away episodes. On the flip side, though, some of the series' funniest individual episodes are also aired during the second season. To be honest, it's really a toss-up as to which DVD set-- Season One or Season Two-- is better.
Here are my thoughts on each episode:
--SEASON ONE--
I, ROBOT- As disaster looms over Sealab, the crew seems more preoccupied with discussing what would happen if their brains were placed in robot bodies... robot bodies with the strength of ten gorillas! (A+)
HAPPYCAKE- The captain's 'Happy-Cake Oven' is stolen, and members of the crew are sent on a suicide mission to retrieve this vital equipment. (A)
RADIO FREE SEALAB- Captain Murphy launches a pirate radio station, much to the chagrin of the FCC. (A)
CHICKMATE- Debbie's biological clock is ticking, and the guys are eager to offer their biological services. You get the drift. (A-)
LOST IN TIME- Stormy and Dr. Quinn fail to save Sealab from an explosion, which catapults them back in time. Using their knowledge of the future, they attempt to save Sealab a second time... and fail again, sending them back in time once more. And so on. (A)
PREDATOR- There's a hungry intruder on the station. Can it be stopped in time? Don't forget to use Dolphin Boy as bait. (B+)
LITTLE ORPHAN ANGRY- A dying child's last wish is to visit Sealab. Oh, and also to rob the place blind. Did somebody say this kid was sick? (B+)
WAKING QUINN- The most bizarre episode in Season One. Dr. Quinn is electrocuted, and most of the episode consists of his flashbacks and frenzied hallucinations. (B-)
ALL THAT JAZZ- Captain Murphy is trapped under a fallen vending machine while the crew is on an extended vacation. Just how long can the captain survive on Be-Bop Cola and scorpion venom? (A+)
MURPHY MURPH AND THE FENG SHUI BUNCH- Captain Murphy hires a Feng Shui master (can you say 'con artist?') to redecorate Sealab. Time to get rid of life support and all that other useless junk. (A-)
IN THE CLOSET- The entire crew gets locked in a storage closet, where the only way to pass time seems to be knocking each other unconscious. (B-)
STIMUTACS- Sparks creates a new drug... er, dietary supplement... and the rest of the crew just can't seem to get enough of it! (A+)
SWIMMING IN OBLIVION- An animated "behind the scenes" look at the set and cast of Sealab. This is also the first time you see the infamous "Debbie Does Wild" video. (B-)
--SEASON TWO--
DER DIEB- There's a thief on Sealab! To restore order, Captain Murphy declares "Martian Law." Hilarity, and wanton violence, ensue. (A+)
THE POLICY- Captain Murphy has some unpaid credit card debts, and Sparks has an idea to raise some extra cash. Time for another suicide mission! Conveniently, it seems that Sparks has also taken out life insurance policies on the entire team. (B)
7211- Ever wonder what the original 1970's "Sealab" was like? Here's your chance to find out. In fact, there aren't any jokes at all in this episode until the final credits-- the cast plays this one deadly straight, with typical Seventies campy gusto. Oddly, this is one of the funnier episodes in Season Two. (B+)
HAIL SQUISHFACE- A parody of the classic Star Trek episode, "The Trouble with Tribbles," with nods to several other films and TV series. There's also a tip-of-the-hat to the movie, "Gremlins," and an entire sequence is ripped right out of "Aliens." (A+)
BIZARRO- Sealab is taken over by 'shadow' counterparts from a parallel universe. Funny concept, maybe, but the execution is awful. Not only is "Bizarro" not funny, but it's also painful to sit through. Even the most die-hard Sealab fans will be annoyed by this clunker. (F)
LEGEND OF BAGGY PANTS- Captain Murphy is out of golf balls, but can't seem to find Sealab's pro shop. His quest takes him to pod six, his least-favorite section of Sealab. (A+)
TINFINS- The first Sealab movie, 'Tinfins,' is being released, and the show's producers have the Hollywood hype machine running at full throttle! (A)
FEATS OF ALVIS- Find out about Captain Murphy's bizarre religious beliefs, involving the virgin birth of Alvis in a frontier setting. Features some mildly funny moments, but not one of the better Season Two episodes. (D+)
BRAINSWITCH- An 'accident' leaves Quinn in a coma, and Stormy says something that isn't completely idiotic. This leads Captain Murphy to conclude that the two have somehow switched personalities. (B+)
VACATION- Quinn's vacation has been canceled. This odd episode features several lengthy montages of people saying "Uh-oh!" for no apparant reason. That's about it. Really. (A-)
FUSE BOX- I'll bet the show's writers were cracking up when they planned this episode. It mostly consists of a single long, continuous view of Sealab's exterior, with character voice-overs telling you what's happening inside. Unfortunately, not much is going on inside-- Sealab's power is off, and nobody has any flashlights. You wind up praying for the episode to be over. Another funny idea that totally failed to deliver. (D-)
ARTICLE 4- Article four of Sealab's charter was intended to promote diversity. As a result, everybody on Sealab is promoted to the rank of captain. Everyone, that is, except Dr. Quinn-- the station's only male African-American. (B-)
RETURN TO OBLIVION- Another "behind the scenes" episode, featuring the animated cast of Sealab relaxing between scenes. Essentially a re-hash of "Swimming In Oblivion" from Season One, and not surprisingly, the concept isn't quite as funny the second time around. (C)
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