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Stars: Michelle
Clume, Robert Gant, Thea Gill, Gale Harold, Randy Harrison, Scott Lowell, Peter
Paige, Hal Sparks, and Sharon Gless
Writers: Ron
Cowen, Daniel Lipman, Michael MacLennan, Efrem Seeger, Del Shores, Shawn Postoff,
and Brad Fraser
Based On The
British Series Created By: Russell T Davies
Developed For
American Television By: Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman
Directors: Jeremy
Podeswa, Bruce McDonald, Laurie Lynd, Kari Skogland, Kelly Makin, Levin Inch,
Cris Grismer, David Wellington, and Alex Chapple
Executive
Producers: Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman, and Tony Jonas
Feature length:
673 minutes
Extras: Episode
Summaries, TV Spots, Cast And Producer Commentary, Behind The Camera: The
Directors With Cast And Crew, Hot Summer Days, Wrap Party Reel, Enter Babylon:
Los Angeles, Music Video: “Some Lovin’” By Kristine W., Quotes, Folks, and
Notes, Animated Photo Gallery, Season 4 Sneak Peek, Bonus Trailers and TV Spots,
Bonus CD-ROM
Languages: English
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and Spanish Language Monaural Sound
Subtitles: English
Closed Captions
Packaging:
Five-Disc Digipack Gatefold Within A Cardboard Gift Case
Chapter Stops: 6
Per Episode
Sound: Dolby
Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and Monaural Sound
Year of Television
Broadcast: 2003/DVD Release: 2004
Home Video
Distributor: Showtime Entertainment
MPAA Rating: Not
Rated
Reviewer: Mark A.
Rivera
With the fourth
season premiere of the American version of “Queer As Folk” soon to debut on
premium cable and satellite television’s Showtime Network, the third season
was recently released on DVD containing lots of extra value features for fans of
the show. In addition to the franchise name the original series creator Russell
T. Davies has managed to conjure for virtually any project he is associated with
across the pond, the American version of “Queer As Folk” has achieved true
crossover appeal among both gay and straight viewers.
It amazes me some
times to see how far American television has come in its portrayal of
homosexuality. From the subject of gallows humor in sitcoms to the exaggerated
nice guy or not so nice guy that happens to be gay to “Queer As Folk.”
“Queer As Folk” can be poignant and funny, but sometimes it can be a little
tiresome. Drama reflects reality, but it is not reality so not matter what
carnal appetites are quenched on the show, I think that nudity and curse words
in general should only be used to forward the story or define a character. At
times I think the series overuses the adult situations and language because it
is broadcast on a premium cable network and not because it is necessary. I can
understand the need or desire to spice up a show with titillating images and
R-rated language, but after awhile it gets to be tedious and somewhat ugly too.
All fourteen
episodes of season three are presented in a 16 by 9 enhanced (1.78:1) aspect
ratio. Sometimes one can see a slight bit a video noise, but otherwise the
picture quality is very solid with nice contrasts between the moody settings.
The English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtrack is quite full, but the rear
channels and subwoofer tend be used for the club music scenes more so than a
true constant three-dimensional home theater sound experience. A two-channel
monaural Spanish Language soundtrack is also provided along with optional
English Closed Captions for the hearing impaired as options.
Actors Michelle
Clume, Robert Gant, Thea Gill, Scott Lowell, Hal Sparks, and Sharon Gless along
with Executive Producers Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman, Producer Sheila Hockin and
Director Kelly Makin provide an optional episode commentary for the third season
finale on disc four. This feature can only be activated from the interactive
menus and places the actual footage on a top letterbox with a window box of the
commentators speaking from the studio on the lower right hand corner of the
screen. The obvious advantage is that consumers get to see as well as hear the
commentators and having them all present instead of recorded separately and then
mixed together creates a natural synergy. They do a very nice job and the track
is quite entertaining, but in the future I think it would be better to include
the option of just listening to the commentary while the 16 by 9 image fills the
screen as well as the video of the recording session because I think it is too
easy to miss things onscreen referred to in the commentary when the image is
shrunken to fit the video at the same time. I also think that watching a bunch
of talking heads gets boring too. Anchor Bay Entertainment does a good job at
providing episode length audio commentaries and abridged video commentaries on
their DVD releases. I think the people at Showtime Entertainment should check
one of their TV sets out so they can get a clearer idea about what I’ve
stated.
Short episode
synopsizes and TV previews for the programs can also be found on the first four
discs and viewers have the option of either watching the shows individually or
as one reel on each disc too. The balance of the extra value features are on the
fifth DVD and they include a featurette on what the Directors bring to each
episode (15:36), a behind-the-cameras look at how the show is produced with
footage from the original July 2000 production (26:24), a look at how select
cast members spend their down time when the show is on hiatus (32:28), a wrap
party reel (11:32), a look at how the Babylon: LA set is constructed for the
show (12:14), a music video (3:49), animated still gallery (4:10), and a preview
of season four (4:10). Onscreen cast biographical notes and credits as well as a
republication of an article about the series wraps up the extra value features
directly related to the series on disc five. An HIV PSA (: 26), cash offer from
Showtime (1:11), and trailers for “The Roman Spring Of Mrs. Stone” (: 47)
and “Pen & Teller: Bullshit” (1:02) are also included on the fifth disc.
A bonus CD-ROM
containing printable posters, invites, and nametags, a trivia game, a contest,
and web links is also included within the box set along with a collectible card
detailing the Sunday, April 18, 2004 fourth season premiere of “Queer As
Folk” on Showtime at 10pm (ET/PT). “Queer As Folk: The Complete Third
Season: Collector’s Edition” DVD box set is available now at retailers on
and offline from Showtime Entertainment.
© Copyright 2004
By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
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