I remember the 90s very well. First analyzing movies, getting into music videos, growing up into the conservative person I am today. One of my fondest memories was hearing a pastor preach why "Beavis and His Friend" were horrible role models because "they burned things".
But that was never the reason that Mike Judge's unbelievable idiotic creations were funny. Sure, the two losers can be hysterical in their clueless quests for money, fame, and sex --- which neither know what to do once they get any of those opportunities. But this show was funnier because of the adults' reactions to Beavis and Butthead's moronic behavior. Mike Judge's satire wasn't only about the youth culture, but also how blind older generations were to their own beliefs. These two losers are like Jay and Silent Bob - they're only as humorous as the world around them.
Revisiting this show has been interesting. I thought VOLUME ONE was solid at best, but for different reasons than most. I never missed the music videos intermissions (in which Beavis and Butthead did MST3K-style commentary) or the "deleted footage" (which was supposedly just a few lines per episode). I would give VOLUME ONE 4 stars because it's funny, but not great. VOLUME TWO, on the other hand, is side-splitting from start to finish.
There's no real secret to why VOLUME TWO is much better than the first collection of episodes. The video and audio quality are cleaner; I've read that's because most of these episodes are from the later seasons. There are gags and jokes that play off some of VOLUME ONE's episodes, and each of the "sequels" that I remember were even better than their predecessors. We get Part 2 of the "Taint of Greatness" documentary; this DVD marketting strategy doesn't bother me, because each part is detailed and interesting. The Extras include more music videos and a few other goodies. But the obvious reason why VOLUME TWO is better is just because the episodes are much funnier. The writing, voice-acting, time length, and finishes are simply excellent. Each episode starts strong, keeps momentum, and has a good payoff.
Expecting this show to be released in the original season format complete with music videos is hoping George Lucas will give the original cuts of the STAR WARS trilogy a deluxe treatment. It Just Won't Happen! In the case of BEAVIS AND BUTTHEAD, there are too many licensing issues regarding the videos, plus Judge reportedly thinks some of the episodes are terrible.
It's not as if BEAVIS AND BUTTHEAD has any running storyline or continuity to the characters. Other than the occasional reappearance of a character or running gag, you could watch these episodes in any order. A bad episode would always be a bad episode, and vice versa.
I usually suggest you buy a TV DVD starting with the 1st Season, but with this show, you can make an exception. This is the rare show where you don't have to be a completist to enjoy it. VOLUME TWO of the Mike Judge's BEAVIS AND BUTTHEAD Collection is hilarious! If you want to revisit these characters but wanna avoid the roadblocks, you can pick up VOLUME TWO with no regrets. If you love it, then maybe purchase the other two volumes for the "Taint of Greatness" documentary...or the music videos...<SIGH>
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