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SAMANTHA WHO?:
THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON |
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| Actors: Christina Applegate, Jennifer Esposito, Melissa McCarthy, Barry Watson, Tim Russ, Jean Smart |
| Creators: Cecelia Ahern and Donald Todd |
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Studio: Buena Vista
Home Entertainment |
| DVD release: 23 September 2008 |
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Runtime: 322 minutes
(2 discs) |
| Format: Box set, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC |
| Features: Audio tracks (English - Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround), Subtitles (English), Widescreen, Samantha Whoops? blooper reel, Deleted scenes, audio commentary |
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It has been a very long time since we have watched a situation comedy. Lately they all seem silly or inappropriate. But we watched the first episode of Samantha Who? and were hooked on this quirky yet engaging comedy. We missed quite a few episodes, so having them all on DVD is always a huge bonus.
Samantha Newly (played wonderfully by Christina Applegate) wakes up after a week-long coma following a hit-and-run car accident with a case of amnesia: she doesn't remember any of her friends, family, or any details about her life. As Sam goes back to her life, she begins to realize that the person she was before the accident and the person she is now are completely different. Pre-amnesia Sam is called "Bad Sam," because she was not a very nice person, nor did she make wise or ethical decisions.
Samantha is surrounded by a group of friends, including Andrea (Jennifer Esposito) who is Sam's co-worker and is always joyfully reminding Sam of the bad things they used to do together. Dena (Melissa McCarthy) is Sam's overweight, insecure childhood friend who Sam ditched long ago. Now Sam attempts to include Dena back in her life, which is at times hilarious and other times poignantly sad. Sam's parents, Regina (Jean Smart) and Frank (Kevin Dunn), as well as her on again/off again boyfriend, Todd (Barry Watson), add to the comic relief.
This collection includes fifteen episodes - the season was cut short due to the writer's strike - but it's enough to give viewers a taste for this delightful comedy series. Unfortunately, audio commentary is only available on the pilot episode. Hopefully next season we'll get a little more insight and behind-the-scenes input. There are also some deleted scenes and a very short blooper reel, but they don't add much to the collection.
Overall, Samantha Who? is an adorable show, and it's fun to see the episodes back to back. It gives the viewer a real sense of how good this show is and will definitely prompt you to watch the second season. The writing gets funnier as the season progresses, and as Samantha regains bits and pieces of her memory, it just makes things more hilarious rather than tedious. The fresh content and excellent acting keep the "been there done that" amnesia storyline fresh. Go out and buy a copy of this series - you won't regret it, and you'll have something to watch when you're feeling down about your own life.
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