Outrageous Fortune – Series One (Umbrella Entertainment PAL DVD/Region 4/Four)
PLEASE NOTE: This TV show on DVD can only be
operated on machines capable of playing back DVDs that can handle Region Four/4,
PAL format software, and can be ordered from our friends at Umbrella
Entertainment at the website address provided at the end of the review.
Picture: B- Sound: C+ Extras: C Episodes: B-
Not to be
confused with the lame 1980s film of the same name, Outrageous Fortune is the new worldwide hit TV series about a
family involved in crime in some fashion and how they have always had it good
until their patriarch lands up finally being arrested. Though it has comedy, it is the most
interesting Gangster TV show since The
Sopranos and one of the ways it does this is by not trying to be a clone.
The cast
is terrific, believable and the teleplay scripts are decent for this debut
season. All 13 hour-long shows are here,
looking good and since they are not even being planned for the U.S., those who
can play these discs should strongly consider picking them up, especially
before someone (outside of a U.K. remake that already happened remakes it in
the U.S. and likely ruins it.
The show
is produced in New Zealand, a highly underrated country whose pop culture and
productivity is on the rise, Peter Jackson, Finn Brothers and all. You would never think that of all the shows
to try this kind of TV, NZ (as it is sometimes called) would be the one to do
one of the best, but never underestimate them.
This show is so good, it might change NZTV’s fortunes worldwide in the
long run.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is one of the better HD shoots we have
seen for a TV series since they started converting and to its credit, shaky
camerawork is limited, while color is above average, not gutted out or
downplayed as is the clichéd mentality.
Sound is recorded nice and clear, represented here by a Dolby Digital
2.0 Stereo mix that is just fine. Extras
include stills and a behind the scene featurette.
I’d like
to say more, but once you start talking about The West Family, then you want to
tell more than you should and that would be ruining the show. If you enjoy this kind of television, Outrageous Fortune is for you.
As noted
above, you can order this import DVD exclusively from Umbrella at:
http://www.umbrellaent.com.au/
- Nicholas Sheffo
