Flight of the Conchords - The Complete First Season (2007)

 Hilarious
Don't worry HBO fans - "Sopranos," "Six Feet Under" and "Sex and the City" may be over, but there's still hope. "Conchords" is a great entry under the HBO banner. I didn't originally catch these episodes as they were broadcast because I didn't know when it was on and never bothered to look. After watching the first couple episodes on DVD, I became a fan.

The two Conchords are so sweetly dim that you can't help but love them. Jemaine Clement is a standout as ... Jemaine Clement. The way he manages to be so deadpan in every scene makes the character (though even he seems on the verge of losing his composure once or twice.) I'd probably be disappointed to see him laughing and carrying on in real life. Not really.

If the show just featured Clement and McKenzie, it'd be good enough but we're lucky to get an amazing supporting cast. Rhys Darby and Kristen Schaal are comic gems, and Arj Barker as Dave makes idiocy adorable.

I'm glad to hear that HBO will be having a second season. Will it match the hilarity of the first? I have confidence.

Only one disappointment for the DVD: No extras at all. They couldn't even give us a five minute "Behind the Scenes"? May 9, 2008

 Hilarious
Similar to the humor of shows like "Arrested Development," "Flight of the Conchords" is ridiculous, off-the-wall and extremely funny. It's not for everyone but if your sense of humor tends to be just slightly unrefined and somewhat discerning, you'll laugh hysterically at all the sarcasm, irony and straight-faced wit in this show.

Please enjoy!
May 5, 2008

 I Love Bret & Jemaine
Lots of great songs, strange humor, funny characters-each episode better than the previous. Very quirky. April 29, 2008

 Laughter is the Best Medicine!
Not everyone will get this humor but I laughed my arse off! I love this series and can't wait to watch the next installment.

A must have!
April 29, 2008

 The funniest live-action show on television!
Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement are two New Zealanders who, together, make up Flight of the Conchords, New Zealand's fourth most popular folk band. In truth though, their music is of the novelty kind that imitates pretty much everything out there, though not all at once and not as blatantly as someone like "Weird Al" Yankovic (though he is awesome too!). Their new HBO hit comedy series, which shares the band's name, follows the guys as they try to make it big here in the States. Helped little by well-intentioned New Zealand consulate employee Murray acting as the band's inept manager, naive Bret and desperate Jemaine never seem to have any luck increasing their fanbase beyond one member, the possibly dangerously obsessed Mel, or finding love of any kind to be happy about. The witty banter and awkward situations bring regular laughs throughout the series so far, but the real highlights are undoubtedly the musical numbers. In fact, this is truly a musical TV show. Every episode sees at least two hilarious songs performed as part of the story. Now renewed for a second season, I certainly hope the boys can keep this fantastic show up to the level of its first. The episodes in this complete first season 2-disc DVD set are:

Disc 1:

Sally: Jemaine finds himself dating Bret's old girlfriend, who is really too hot for either of them. Especially funny songs in this one. A fantastic first episode.
Bret Gives Up the Dream: Bret gets a sign holding job because the guys need money, but Jemaine feels Bret is turning his back on the band.
Mugged: When Jemaine and Bret get mugged, Bret manages to get away, causing everyone to look down on him for leaving his best friend behind.
Yoko: Jemaine and Murray consider Bret's new girlfriend from work to be a threat to the band's unity.
Sally Returns: Jemaine thinks he is getting back together with Sally, and her return to their lives causes Bret to want another shot at her too, despite the fact that he has a girlfriend.
Bowie: A depressed Bret begins dreaming of an advice giving David Bowie from various incarnations in his career. Truly, this is one of the best episodes, as others have said.

Disc 2:

Drive By: Murray falls in love with the leggy tech-support girl and gets to sing his own hilarious ballad while Bret and Jemaine have a race war with a racist fruit vendor across the street.
Girlfriends: Bret and Jemaine get girlfriends, amazingly, but it turns out they are only interested in one thing. Well, one of them isn't interested in the guys at all. Love the French song in this one, and I'm sure I've seen the sexy blonde in some of Cinemax's after hours stuff.
What Goes on Tour: Murray takes the boys on tour and discovers just how "rock 'n' roll" they really are.
New Fans: When Bret and Jemaine get two new fans who are a bit on the wild side, the guys have to decide just how far they are willing to go.
The Actor: Bret and Jemaine hire an actor to pretend to be a record producer and boost Murray's self esteem while simultaneously rejecting the band. This backfires, of course.
The Third Conchord: Murray brings a third wheel into the band, and the Conchords soon split into two pairs, separating Bret and Jemaine. It doesn't last long, of course, but the end is still quite a surprise.

Every episode is a gem, as are all the songs! Unfortunately, the DVD holds no extras beyond the promo for each episode. If you're looking for more than just the episodes presented in widescreen, then you may not be satisfied. Frankly though, I consider this set a must own!
April 22, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...