Corner Gas S2 - any comments? (1 Viewer)

I don't know a thing about it, but picked it up because I thought S1 was OK. Would you say it's better or worse overall than S1? Thanks.

Hey, Craig, if you want to get your DVD signed, members of the cast are going to be at the HMV at 333 Yonge St in Toronto this Saturday at 3:30.

And here are some photos from the Edmonton signing:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gordlacey/sets/1036827/

Gord

how did your interview go?

It was good. I'll type it up... sometime (hopefully sooner rather than later).

Gord

Hey, is that "24" sticker the price? I can't believe HMV would sell it that low, they sure are expensive out here (I'm not actually in Toronto, Toronto is just the nearest place most people would have heard of). I remember when S1 came out, I paid $16 and I saw it selling anywhere up to $35 (in gas stations!) in release week.

Still, any comments on the actual DVD content?

I heard today that CG is the only Canadian show that's been in the top 10 favorite shows of Canadians for very many years, virtually since the advent of cable I think they said. So I'm presuming the show is still "not bad".

Well... umm... season 3 is just airing now, so it can't be THAT long

Gord

Gord, maybe I didn't word it well. CG (any season, unspecified), just the show. The survey or whatever ties in with the CBC strike and what Canadians think of Canadian shows and the ongoing requirement for Cancon etc. CG was the only Canadian show Canadians put in their top 10 since we could get U.S. shows. Something like that... People have short memories, any top 10 usually has a preponderance of newer stuff that often isn't really that good, rather is just fresh in the memory as likable.

Living without cable (due to the hockey strike) I still haven't seen this show. It would be nice to discover a good current Canadian production, most of the titles I'd be interested are from the 1970s.

OK, I'll answer my own question... I think this season is significantly *better* than S1, so far, I've watched most of it (JIC somebody is considering going to a signing this weekend etc.). Same gentle, subtle but poignant comedy.

PQ is kinda grainy, and has that slightly washed-out look of the S1 discs...reminds me of Curb Your Enthusiasm, so probably similar crappy digital cams too. Serviceable, no real complaints, and no artifacts (as CYE has from processing). SQ is fine, 5.1 essentially entirely up front. I noticed a severe problem with echo for a fair bit of ep. 9, annoying but either goes away or I got used to it, forget. The e-talk extras on disc 1 are totally screwed up re SQ, but you're not missing much (glad I don't watch e-talk, the presenters are IMO annoyingly disposable and lightweight from what I saw here).

So, highly recommended if in-your-face comedy has got you a bit bored, and subtler things like The Office and CYE tickle you a bit.

Edit: just for completeness in observations of the discs - there was a place when a little girl is obviously talking, the camera is focussed on her, but you don't hear her, then her words are heard a few seconds later. Other than that no probs.

What exactly is this show about? When I saw this item on TV Shows on DVD I thought it was some kind of Gas Promotion for automobiles sponsored by the site.

it's a show about life in Saskatchewan, Canada. In other words, it's a show about nothing in the middle of nowhere.

basic gist:
the town gas station is attached to the town diner (other town landmarks are the grain elevator, the hotel, and the town bar -- oh, and the surveillance bush that the police use to hide behind to trap speeders on the highways (it's a joke in the first episode ) and a new girl comes to town to take over the town diner.

the show is primarily done from the POV of 'Brent Leroy', a character played by Canadian comedian Brent Butt as a characature of himself. he owns and runs the gas station.

Sounds pretty droll for a series. Is it one of those canadian television series like some of the BBC programs?

Exactly what I thought when I first heard about it, but then I saw it. It's freakin' hilarious, though I'm worried some of the humor (not all) would be lost on Americans. It's a very funny series.

Gord

That *is* kinda the superficial premise. The thing is, like the theme song says, there really is a lot going on, lots of funny petty stuff, why it reminded me of The Office a bit. The venue of the show is quite small, it's all about the characters. Saskatchewan is large and open, the show (community) is small and closed-in...contrasts. It's not about "hicks" or country bumpkins or anything like that, more of small town people in a big world.

I guess like Seinfeld and CYE and The Office the show is about the funny aspects of the mundane. It's not like any of those shows exactly, just has a slightly similar comedic feel and character personality drive, though gentler. One thing I notice in CG is all the characters seem to be treated very evenly, everybody gets good lines and up-front time...in fact, if anything, Brent Butt may have the least up-front time in S2.

If somebody has to hit you on the head to make funny, or you need a laugh track to know when to laugh, this would not be your show. I think if you like the other shows I mentioned there's a fair chance you'd like CG. Now I know I mentioned some pretty high-profile shows, among the very best TV comedy of the last 15 years (or longer), and I'm not saying CG necessarily belongs in that company, just trying to put it into some kind of comedic context so you won't waste your $$.

Gord, is the series really easy to understand, as far as the humors goes then? I was a huge fan when I saw that movie "Strange Brew" and while Canadian humor is strange to some I found it quite hilarious.

As an aside, Brent Butt, the main comedian with the show, generally plays the straight main in the show.

I think so, yes. There are some pure Canadian jokes which Americans may miss, but not too many. It's been awhile since I saw the show, but my season 2 set should arrive early next week.

Gord

Ok, what the heck Gord?
You've been to the Gilmore Girls set?! How did I NOT hear about this??
Is that you in the little icon next to your name?

BTW, Corner Gas is HILARIOUS, and this is coming from an American mind you...

You know, I was thinking about saying something about that when I first posted my "mini review", whether I thought the series might have a general audience or be "too Canadian". I couldn't decide, so didn't say...but to tell the truth, I tend not to like things that are "very Canadian". I'm not even sure exactly what that is, but some things (shows/music/books) here are described that way and generally I don't much like them. And I like this show...if that means anything. I wonder if this show has been sold in other countries, that would tell you.

The show doesn't talk about Canadian things very often (refs to a very few Can. celebs and cities, vast majority of celebs/shows reffed are American in fact), nor is there politics, something that can really limit an audience to a particular country. There are no extremely contrived situations either, all of them you could easily see happening to these people.

There is some subtle skewering of standard American sitcom techniques, just as British sitcoms often skewer the American technique of everybody coming in/out a door (so ubiquitous we almost don't notice it, but "they" do). CG is more subtle at it. One I thought was great was the highly over-used "flashback"...that one was obvious but lots more you have to pay attention for.

Pretty enjoyable. My favorite character is Hank, second is Brent's dad, the actors are perfect in the roles.