|
|
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Zneet Znadder Zneet", June 22, 2008
Brilliant stuff! MY HERO keeps on with its hilarious lampooning of the superhero mythos. This is the second season (or series), and while I've already had repeat viewings of these episodes on PBS, I must say that, even now, they are still never less than marvelously entertaining. I just saw them again on this dvd, and again laughed myself silly. Our superhero from the planet Ultron, Thermoman, is still haplessly befuddled by Earthly customs, and still tends to take things too bloody literally. Translation: Thermoman is still pure gold when it comes to the funny bits.
Thermoman doesn't really have a gallery of evil masterminds, although he does get a supervillain of sorts in the form of an old classmate (in "Nemesis"). Instead Thermoman can be found averting natural disasters and fetching take-out meals for himself and Janet from all over the globe. The fun thing about MY HERO is that its premise is all about how an all-powerful superhero copes with mundane, everyday stuff. The show wallows in a Douglas Adams-ian sense of the ridiculous, specifically in the series's introduction of bizarre Ultron traditions. However, the themes touched on are universal enough to draw in everyone, while keeping very much within its British sensibilities. And, thru all the jokes and the poking fun of, the show never falters in its presentation of George and Janet as a couple truly in love. Yep, he's a costumed alien crimefighter and she's a normal girl from Northolt, England, but, amidst the wacky shenanigans, the show reveals a relationship being constantly worked on by these two, despite their innate differences. Or maybe I like this show so much, I'm reading stuff into it, giving credit where it isn't due? I dunno, except that I really dig George and Janet.
One thing is clear: even tame insults such as "prat" and "git" and "pillock" carry more weight by virtue of being uttered with a clipped British accent. Having said that, I must say that George's cousin Arnie, who has an American accent, in his war of putdowns with the acerbic and ever nasty Mrs. Raven, seems to deliver the more incendiary barbs ("Oh, it's your perfume. I thought it was the drains."). These two have some venomous, howlingly funny exchanges.
The excellent cast is spearheaded by the very deadpanned Ardal O'Hanlon as George Sunday (aka Thermoman) and Emily Joyce, delightfully down-to-earth, as his lovely, long-suffering nurse girlfriend Janet Dawkins. Meanwhile, two very funny standouts from the supporting roles are Geraldine McNulty and Hugh Dennis as, respectively, the aforementioned receptionist Mrs. Raven and the self-infatuated Dr. Piers Crispin ("I am always here.").
So watch MY HERO, not just this season, but all the seasons. Learn the third law of the superhero code. Witness Ultron's sacred stance. See the desperately perilous and ancient Chang Ching challenge (which is strangely reminiscent of a children's game), and also what Ultrons do when they get depressed (Okay, they face into a corner and howl mournfully). The special effects may be on the shoddy side, but the show's not really about smoke and mirrors as much as it is about characters you grow to love, yes, even and especially characters who sniff the air a lot and then spends ages of time in the loo.
For those who care, the following has possible episode SPOILERS:
- Episode 1 - "Christmas" - George tries to get into the swing of Christmas, but is it really a surprise that he gets it all wrong?
- Episode 2 - "Parents" - Weary of her unpleasant parents constantly putting down George, Janet reveals to them that he's Thermoman. This is a horrible move.
- Episode 3 - "Girlfriend" - Just as Janet complains that her relationship with George has fallen into a rut, George's Ultron fiancee pops in, wanting to get married.
- Episode 4 - "Car" - George's dodgy cousin Arnie pleads with him to intercede with the Ultron High Council to reinstate his superpowers, but George is reluctant to do so ("Arnie, I trust you about as far I could throw you - if I was someone who couldn't throw people really well.").
- Episode 5 - "Nemesis" - Janet accompanies George to his school reunion, held at a sci-fi convention. There, George runs into an old school mate harboring a personal, deep-seated grudge.
- Episode 6 - "Pregnant" - Janet is pregnant. And so, to protect the baby, George temporarily grants Janet super powers, but then being more than human goes to her head.
- Episode 7 - "Wedding" - The episode title says it all, with an ending that had me in hysterics.
|
DVD ~ Rowan Atkinson
DVD ~ Dawn French
DVD ~ Robert Lindsay
DVD ~ Robert Lindsay
DVD ~ Robert Lindsay
