| Reviews & Columns |
|
Reviews DVD TV on DVD Blu-ray 4K UHD International DVDs In Theaters Reviews by Studio Features Collector Series DVDs Easter Egg Database Interviews Feature Articles Columns Anime Talk DVD Savant Horror DVDs The M.O.D. Squad Art House HD Talk Silent DVD
|
 DVD Talk Forum |
|
|
|
Columns
  
 
|
|
|
Dream On - Seasons 1 & 2
Before Martha Kauffman, David Crane and Kevin Bright brought us (and NBC) the world of "Friends," the trio combined, along with John Landis of all people, to bring us the adult sitcom world of Dream On. Eight years after its final episode, Universal DVD brings us Dream On: Seasons 1 and 2, the first 28 episodes of the series.
One of the first original shows made specifically for HBO – with everything that entails, including nudity and swearing - Dream On was one of the first shows that allowed HBO to spread its wings and take chances that networks wouldn't dare take. The central device of the film was black-and-white film clips to take us inside the mind of the recently-divorced Tupper, showing what he's really thinking when he reacts to certain stimuli. Sometimes it was direct, sometimes metaphorical (a tree being cut down when he is interrupted while having sex, the same clip run in reverse when he gets back to the act).
The cast is tremendous, with Brian Benben getting his much-deserved 15 minutes of fame as Tupper. In the wrong hands, Tupper could come off as a perverted, sex-starved sideshow, someone completely unlikable. Instead, he comes off as sometimes-perverted, still sex-starved, but loveable and not completely out of our own experience. Wendy Malick, best known now for her role on Just Shoot Me!, is also fantastic as Martin's best friend/ex-wife, Judith.
Much like Seinfeld, the co-stars often make the show, as an assortment of women worm their way through Martin's life. The best of this box set is Maggie Jakobson, an old friend of Martin's who moves to New York to pursue her dream of stand-up comedy in "So Funny I Forgot To Laugh." Fran Drescher pops up in a short but funny scene in "The Second Greatest Story Ever Told," when Hollywood makes a movie about Judith's new husband. Mimi Rogers, David Bowie and Tom Berenger also make appearances in that episode as the cast and crew of the film.
But Dream On is at its best when it fuses comedy with our inclination to root for Tupper himself. In "555-HELL," he finds out that his phone is one digit away from a suicide prevention hotline when a widow (Catherine O'Hara) calls for directions – namely, how many pills it will take to kill herself. It's not the funniest episode of the series (though it has its moments), but by the end the viewer is so wrapped up in rooting for Martin to talk her off the ledge, or away from the pills in this case, that the line between comedy and drama doesn't seem to matter.
The DVD
Video:
Dream On is presented in its original full-frame aspect ratio. For an early 90s television show, it has held up surprising well – the colors could use a once-over and some scenes are a little soft, but it has otherwise aged well.
Sound:
A Dolby 2.0 track is all that's necessary. There are no apparent problems with the track, though expectations should be low for a cable television show from nearly 15 years ago.
Extras:
There is a five-minute introduction from Executive Producer John Landis, discussing the show's origin. While I'd love to see some individual commentary tracks or a "Where Are They Now?" feature with some of Martin's girlfriends, there are more than 12 hours of television here to keep the viewer occupied.
Final Thoughts:
Some shows do not age very well, especially comedies. What was once funny becomes commonplace (the death of humor). Dream On: Seasons 1 and 2 holds up surprisingly well and is the type of show worth revisiting on DVD.
|
| Popular Reviews |
| Sponsored Links |
|
|
| Sponsored Links |
|
|
| Release List | Reviews | Forum | Blu-Ray | Advertise | |||
|
Copyright 2026 DVDTalk.com All Rights Reserved. Legal Info, Privacy Policy, Terms of Use,
Manage Preferences,
Your Privacy Choices 
| |||||||