|
“Ned &
Stacey: The Complete First Season”
|
 |
Reviewed
by: |
Wayne A. Klein |
| Genre: |
Comedy |
| Video: |
1.33:1 Full
screen |
| Audio: |
Dolby Digital
2.0 |
| Languages |
English |
| Subtitles |
English |
| Length |
624 minutes
|
| Rating |
NR |
| Release Date |
9/20/05 |
| Studio |
Sony Pictures
Home Entertainment |
| Commentary:
|
Michael
Weithorn on the pilot |
| Documentaries:
|
None |
| Featurettes:
|
“Strings Attached: Ned
& Stacey-Season One” |
| Filmography/Biography:
|
None |
|
Interviews: |
None |
| Trailers/TV
Spots: |
Previews for other Sony/Columbia/Tristar
TV series DVDs including “The Partridge Family”, “Newsradio”,
Creature Comforts”, “King of Queens” |
| Alternate/Deleted
Scenes: |
None |
| Music
Video: |
None |
| Other:
|
None |
| Cast
and Crew: |
Thomas Haden
Church, Debra Messing, Greg Germann, Nadia Dajani, Harry Goz,
Dori Brenner |
| Written
By: |
Michael J.
Weithorn, David Litt |
| Produced
By: |
W. E. Baker,
Michael J. Weithorn |
| Directed
By: |
Andrew D.
Weyman |
| Music:
|
Assorted |
| The
Review: |
Shakespeare would have loved “Ned
and Stacey”. The comedic sentiment at the heart of this show
and the sarcastic edge of the series would have appealed to
the Bard in a way that no other sitcom could possibly have.
Before the popular “Will and Grace” Debra Messing finally
broke through after her appearance on “NYPD Blue” with the
comedy “Ned & Stacey”. Before his career went died and was
resurrected by “Sideways”, Thomas Haden Church kept audieces
in stitches on this classic but short lived sitcom. Church,
who previously appeared on “Wings” and in “George of the Jungle”,
had perfect chemistry with Messing. Despite the popularity
of “Will and Grace” personally I feel that this was a better
sitcom. ***
When it appears ad executive Ned
(Thomas Haden Church) is going to be passed over for a promotion,
he creates a faux fiance and cuts a deal with Stacey (Debra
Messing) a girl he meets on a bad blind date who desperately
needs an apartment to live in. If she pretends to be his wife,
she can share her apartment and get out from under the heels
of her parents. When she tells him she’d like to share his
apartment he says, “works for me. Here’s the front door key,
laundry room key and engagement ring” and then leaves. ---
|
| Image
and Sound: |
Sporting
an exceptionally good transfer, “Ned & Stacey” looks really,
really good. The pilot appears a bit darker than other episodes
and I’m not exactly sure why. The colors are vibrant and pop
off the screen. The 2.0 Dolby Digital Surround sound track comes
across with nice presence. --- |
| The
Extras: |
Featuring
a solid featurette on the creation of the series “Ned & Stacey:
The First Season” features new interviews with Messing, Church,
Writer David Litt and co-producer/creator/co-writer Michael
J. Weithorn. Running about 20 minutes there’s plenty of bits
and pieces from the first and second season to illustrate
their points about the series. There’s no doubt in my mind
that “Ned and Stacey” was ahead of its time and it’s pretty
sad that funny—but inferior—TV series like “Will & Grace”
have garnered more critical acclaim an viewers than this vastly
superior series. ---
|
| Commentary:
|
Creator/writer/producer
Michael Weithorn provides an excellent commentary pointing out
that Debra Messing actually FAILED the first audition. Fox executives
insisted that Weithorn see her again and when she adjusted her
audition to his needs, he realized that she was really the only
person for the part. First impressions are frequently right
but Weithorn’s comments show that they can be wrong as well.
The wedding sequence was originally supposed to be the opening
sequence of the show with the rest being in flashback. Fox insisted
that the show be edited in a linear fashion not that it would
have improved the episode. It made it “simpler” to follow but
Weithorn’s initial instinct would have paid off in sades. ---
|
| Final
Words: |
An excellent
comedy that never got the recognition by an audience that it
deserved, “Ned and Stacey” helped establish a template that
“Will & Grace” and other sitcoms used so effectively but with
less imagination. A good transfer from Sony that is a tad on
the dark side, colors are vibrant with solid blacks and some
digital artifacts evident. |
