Sealab 2021 Season One DVD Review
It took me going to 8 stores, but I finally got my hands on a copy of the brand new Sealab 2021 Season One DVD Two-Disc Set! I'm a huge fan of Sealab 2021, but I didn't realize exactly how popular it is. I spent two days checking 8 different stores that would have it (including 2 Wal*Marts, Kmart, Sam Goody, Best Buy, and 3 Target stores. The last Target store I went to had a few copies left) but everywhere I went was sold out. Aqua Teen Hunger Force had it's Season Two DVD set come out on the same day, but they weren't sold out of that. But anyway, I got my hands on a copy of the box set, and that's all that matters. The DVD kicks ass, despite me already knowing every episode inside out over a year before this DVD came out. The DVD itself doesn't have any advertisements on it, which is a refreshing change from buying a DVD, taking it home, and having that DVD tell you to buy five more. A few DVDs I have won't let you skip the ads. That pisses me off.
A bit of background information for those not familiar with Sealab 2021. Sealab 2021 is a show made using animation from Sealab 2020, a crappy cartoon from the 70's about nature preservation or something. I've never watched an episode of Sealab 2020, although I've tried. I've checked TV listings and the internet for episodes to download, but I just can't find an episode of Sealab 2020. Anyway, Sealab 2021 takes place a year after Sealab 2020. The crew of Sealab has gone almost completley insane. I think that about covers it for background information.
Aside from the hilarity of the first 13 episodes, there are some kickass extras. There's the pitch pilot that the creators of the show sent in to Cartoon Network unsolicited back in 1999 using the master tapes from Sealab 2020 that they stole from Cartoon Network when they were fired in 1996.
The Special Features Menu
I'd give more information on the rest of the Special Features, but I'd hate to spoil any of it. I feel I should mention that, whiel the Special Features were pretty cool, I felt they could have included a LITTLE more in that department. A few more special features would have made a BIG difference. But moving on to the episodes themselves, there are 13 included in the DVD. Here's a list of the episodes complete with half-assed summaries.
The Episodes:
I, Robot - Sealab is leaking, but everyone is talking about putting their brain in a robot body
Happy Cake - Captain Murphy loses his happy cake oven and sends the crew to get it.
Radio Free Sealab - Captain Murphy runs a pirate radio station, which gets busted by the FCC
Chickmate - Debbie decides it's time to have a baby. Like, now.
Lost in Time - Stormy and Dr. Quinn, trying to rig up free cable, accidentally tear sub-space.
Predator - There's a flesh-eating predator alien aboard Sealab eating everyone.
Little Orphan Angry - A kid fakes an illness so he can visit Sealab.
Waking Quinn - I don't know what this is. I think it's supposed to be a Sealab 2021 episode.
All That Jazz - Murphy is trapped under a pop machine and becomes addicted to scorpion venom.
Murphy Murph and the Feng Shui Bunch - A Feng Shui guy is hired to make Sealab pretty.
In the Closet - Everybody's trapped in a broom closet. Hilarity ensues.
Stimutacs - Sparks creates a drug and gets everybody addicted.
Swimming in Oblivion - A look "behind the scenes" of the Sealab 2021 set.
If you aren't already familiar with this show, my summaries aren't very good. It's kind of assuming you've seen most of the episodes, or are at least familiar with the characters and I tried to fit the descriptions on one line.
The picture quality on the DVD is great. Not that it matters as the show has intentionally crappy animation, but there are no compression artifacts or anything like that in the video. I burned myself a DVD with my favorite Sealab 2021 episodes (most of which were on this DVD) and there were compression artifacts everywhere. I suppose it's not fair to compare a home made DVD with a professionally done one, but I really enjoyed the better-than-TV quality.
While this show isn't for everybody, I suggest everybody get this DVD set anyway. And some good news I found out today, Sealab 2021 Season 2 is coming out sometime this winter! I could probably do a review on all those episodes right now, (as I've had them all downloaded with the Season 1 episodes for a long time) but I think I'll wait until the DVD comes out to review it instead of reviewing it 4 or 5 months before it's release.