Comedy Central’s TV Funhouse + Kenny vs. Spenny:
Volume One [Uncensored] (DVD)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: C/B- Episodes: C/C+
For every
great, groundbreaking series that Comedy Central produces like South Park, there are ten horrible series
to air right beside it; we will review two of those horrible series here
today. Some call series like Comedy Central’s TV Funhouse and Kenny vs. Spenny innovative and
creative, this reviewer calls them a trip in needless gross-out humor. Now it should be said that if you like poop,
fart, and sodomy jokes then these series may be for you. Also if you loved MTV’s Wonder Showzen, then
these two series may also float your boat…down a river a sewage and disgrace.
Comedy Central’s TV Funhouse is nothing like the SNL animated
sketches by the same name, so if that is what you were hoping for you are
barking up the wrong tree. TV Funhouse is a show that focuses on
our host Doug, a simple minded man, and his anipals, a group of foul mouthed,
foul mannered puppets who are very reminiscent of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog
from Late Night with Conan O’Brien. Each episode has a theme like Western Day,
Safari Day, or Mexicans Day; but the anipals could care less. The series is set up like an old children’s
series with variety show elements, like live action sketches, cartoons, and
other forms of debauchery. Doug is busy
caring about that day’s ‘theme’ while the anipals run amuck causing havoc and
chaos. The series is meant to seem
chaotic and have a certain unsophisticated style, but it always seems way too
forced and is on the obnoxious side of bad and boring. To this reviewer it seems like many Adult Swim series that have failed
miserably in the past because they tried to duplicate the controlled chaos that
series like Aqua Teen Hunger Force or Sealab mastered. It is no surprise that this series
failed. It was not ahead of its time, it
was a waste of time.
As far as
Kenny Vs. Spenny: Volume One
[Uncensored] is concerned, it is vulgar and insanely idiotic. It is obvious what many may be thinking now,
it is a show where two ‘friends’ compete in some of the most vile competitions
that man has ever conceived of, how can it not be moronic? This is very true, it is obvious what the
viewer is getting into from the very beginning and that is why this reviewer is
saying, don’t even start. Matt Stone and
Trey Parker (South Park creators)
are the producers of this debacle, though this gruesome duo has been doing
their disgusting gags on Canadian television for years now. Their vomit inducing competitions consist of
such gems as who can withstand the most torture, who can commit the most crime,
and who can blow the biggest fart. This
reviewer must say that there is an element of the series that is intriguing
(like most reality TV car crashes) and can catch most peoples’ attention purely
based on shock factor, but for all other purposes the show is nothing more than
a over advertised cock fight. It may be
worth a look, but the allure will quickly wear off.
The
technical features on both sets are by no means stunning. The picture on both sets is presented in a
1.33 X 1 full screen that varies in quality throughout. The color is never consistent in either
series, but TV Funhouse does have a
crisper image at some points as compared to Kenny Vs. Spenny, which shoots a lot of the show in that ‘handy
cam’ filming style. The sound on both
series is a lackluster Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo that in most cases would be
insanely horrible, but truly for two series that emphasize fart and poop jokes,
stereo is just fine.
The
extras on TV Funhouse consist of a
series of commentaries by creators Robert Smigel and Dino Stamatopoulos and
Host Douglas Dale, Dirty Outtakes and Behind the Scenes Footage, Video
Commentary with Chickie, Jason, Xabu and Dave (anipals), some Triumph the Comic
Dog segments, and some Comedy Central Quickies.
The commentaries are adequate, but annoying to the extent that they feel
like they were recorded forever ago and mention segments that ‘will be included
on the DVD,’ but are not present.
Overall, the extras can be called another disappointment.
Kenny Vs. Spenny: Volume One
[Uncensored]
extras include a Never Before Seen Bonus
Competition, Kenny and Spenny: Men on
the Street, Outrageous Deleted
Scenes, and Audio Commentary. The
extras, though this reviewer did not particularly love the series, do cater to
the fans and put a lot of ‘funny’ and ‘entertaining’ material out on the table;
though it was probably a glass table covered in feces. Fans of the series will surely enjoy the
extra features.
If you
have to pick the lesser of two evils (like a modern day election) Kenny Vs. Spenny is the way to go. The troublesome team seems to put a lot of
effort into doing whatever insane thought comes to their demented heads and at
times it is amusing, no matter how disgusting.
They aren’t as charismatic as the Jackass
boys, but they have a style about them…I guess.
- Michael P. Dougherty II
