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Viva La Bam: Volume One (UMD)
Region 1 • Unrated • Dolby Digital • Available Now
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The first major TV UMD release arrives... considering this UMD will be a good basis on how Paramount will handle all future TV on UMDs, how does it fair? Not too bad, really.
Thoughts on the TV Show
I hate Jackass. It’s a mostly miss show that basically has a bunch of retards doing stupid ass things. I can say that Viva La Bam is a slightly smarter version of Jackass, and yet I like it much, much more.
I cannot explain why, but maybe I can find out here. The show has some actual objectives every episode, many revolving around Bam Margera’s poor family (April and Phil). One show has his overweight dad on a strict no-eat diet, and they take it to the next level with billboards saying “DON’T FEED PHIL!” and watch teams guarding him every minute. Another is a random scavenger hunt at night with junkyard cars across the city.
What I wonder is if the show is scripted or not. It supposedly isn’t, but think about this instance: in the Don’t Feed Phil episode, Bam and everyone else goes to a concert. Phil orders a pizza while he’s gone. Bam finds out and decides to bring the concert to his home and bust him. Conveniently, there are charter buses ready to take the entire crowd to his house. So were they there under the assumption that Phil might cheat, or what?
Anyways, here are the episodes that made it on the UMD (taken from DVDVerdict.com):
• "Episode 1: Phil's Hell Day / Bam's Skate Park"
Bam decides to make Phil's day a living hell. The kid tries several things to make his dad angry, including ironing hamburger patches on all his clothes and demolishing his beloved van. When that doesn't work, Bam converts the entire house into an indoor/outdoor skate park.
• "Episode 2: Don't Feed Phil"
Hoping to cure his father of his overeating, Bam organizes a countrywide ban on feeding his father. Everyone is in on the act: restaurants, radio stations, even friends and neighbors…everyone, that is, except fellow fatty Don Vito.
• "Episode 3: Family Reunion"
Bam turns his home into a castle in preparation for the Margera family reunion. Complete with a drawbridge and a moat, his medieval theme impresses everyone—except Bam's bizarre grandmother.
• "Episode 4: Viva Las Vegas"
Bam sets up his friend Raab with a Russian mail-order bride, and can think of only one place for the ceremony—Sin City! He also brings his mom and dad along so they can renew their vows.
• "Episode 5: April's Revenge"
Bam plans on leaving his parents in a local lake's atoll for 24 hours. But April pulls the prank on him instead. Alone with his crew within shouting distance of Three Mile Island, Bam plots his revenge.
• "Episode 6: Scavenger Hunt"
It's four ferocious teams running ragged across West Chester in a battle for scavenger hunt supremacy. The prize? A chance to destroy April's piano.
Oddly, this UMD only needed two more episodes to complete the entire first season. What gives? The two missing episodes (Paint Phil Blue and Other Stories, and Very Merry Margera Christmas) were pretty good. They definitely could have fit them on here, trust me.
Oh, and the Uncensored only refers to the language, as all nudity is blurred (including hands of people that throw the bird... strange.)
Video Quality
The show is presented in the original 4x3 TV ratio, so prepare for some black bars on the left and right side. You can use the PSP controls to stretch or zoom into the screen, if you so desire.
The show looks much better than I expected. The colors are extremely vivid at times, and the show looks about as good as a TV show can, even better in some respects. Way better than anything I’ve seen off a memory stick, that’s for sure. Vivid colors, sharp picture... excellent job here.
4.5/5
Audio Quality
The show’s stereo track actually sounds really robust and has some great separation. It’s loud enough, and the music comes in nice and clear. While it’s nothing amazing, it’s definitely solid overall.
4/5
Extras
It takes a while for the UMD to start up. First you have two trailers, then a long menu intro you can’t skip, and finally you have the main menu, which is very nicely done. You have a play all selection or an episode selection screen, and a previews submenu for the forced trailers you already saw.
On the back of the UMD case, it distinctly says, “this is not the complete first season and contains no bonus features.” I can certainly say this is the first time a company has honestly and openly advertised to NOT having something on a product...
The DVD had tons and tons of bonus stuff, so that’s disappointing... BUT I have to say TV on UMD doesn’t really depend on extras, it’s the number of episodes you get that determines the purchase. Which leads me to ask...
2.5/5
Overall…
...is it worth it? That entirely depends on you. I think the video and audio is great, and the menus are well done. There are no extras, and six episodes. I got it for $25, so essentially that’s $4.17 a show for unlimited viewing. If that sounds good to you, go for it.
3.5/5
