TapouT – The Complete Series (2007 – 2008/Image DVD Set)
Picture:
C+ Sound: B- Extras: D Episodes: B-
The
growing TapouT franchise has not only continued to make Mixed Martial Arts
popular in what seems like a permanent way, but give it a name brand as it
continues its discourse of supporting and backing those fighters as the
underdog, a position they franchise itself loves to take as its popularity
appeals to the working class and other people who find hype a joke. On top of fights, tie-in products and
narrative feature-length productions they are engaged in, the creator Charles
Lewis decided to make a reality TV show out of the workings of the business and
the resulting TapouT – The Complete
Series lasted two seasons.
Lewis
decided to turn his co-workers into graphic novel comic book/anime characters
and they go from there. Each show has to
do with them finding a new fighter to promote from all over the country and
runs about a half-hour, plus there are their usual gags and there is always
some time to find the sexiest, most built women to hire as possible
models. The show is entertaining for
what it is with the best part being the people who are building the franchise
into a growing phenomenon. This will
date more interestingly than most of its contemporaries (especially depending
on which fighters become stars) and maybe we’ll get to revisit them sometime
later.
The 1.33
X 1 image was shot on digital video (low def it seems) and is not bad, but has
some detail and other minor limits, but is colorful and well-edited. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo mix is basic and
you have less location audio issues than usual for such a show. There are sadly no extras. As for the end of the show, I guess because
these guys were not phony,
dysfunctional, stupid, ignorant, self-hating, hating their audience and a total
waste of time, the show could not be a hit.
Hope they keep up the good work.
- Nicholas Sheffo
