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Fastlane is one of those TV shows that, despite its
promise, just didn't last on the airwaves. The series, following
a group of cops that sacrifice their identities, and use
various seized valuables to take down criminals, was entertaining
but never quite got off the ground. Warner Bros. is giving
the show a second chance on DVD. ***
The show had a diverse, talented cast, including Peter
Facinelli, Bill Bellamy, Tiffani Thiessen, Jay Mohr, Mark
Farnglietti, Big Boy, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Jennifer Sky,
Robert Forster, Jamie Brown, and Bill Duke. Guest stars
who appeared in the show during its short run include Fred
Durst, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jenny McCarthy, Iggy Pop,, Tatyana
Ali, Isaac Hayes, and Biz Markie. ***
The 6-disc set includes all of the episodes aired during
the show's too-limited run. Episodes are as follows: Pilot,
Girls Own Juice, Gone Native, Things Done Changed, Ryde
Or Die, Ray Ray, Wet, Mighty Blue, Get Your Mack On, Dogtown,
Strap On, 101, Defence, Offense, Popdukes, Slippery Slope,
Simone Says, Monster, Overkill, Asslane, Dosed, and Iced.
***
One thing I do need to mention to any potential buyer
of this set - some of the music has been changed from the
aired episodes. Not a deal-breaker by any means, but it
does need to be pointed out. ***
This is an entertaining series. While it falls short
of greatness (it's impossible to get through a review of
it without reading comparisons to Miami Vice), it's still
an entertaining series that, if nothing else, deserved a
bigger audience than it got during its initial run. If you're
into cop shows, Fastlane will make for a solid rental if
nothing else. ---
Image And Sound:
Fastlane was infamous for its reputation of being overproduced,
and this translates well to the DVD format (episodes cost
over a million dollars to make - each!) The show looks great
on DVD, with next to nothing as far as negative visual issues
go. The audio fares even better, definitely above the standard
for most TV shows on DVD.
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