The Upper Hand – The Complete First Series (1990/Network U.K./British Version of Who’s
The Boss/Region Two/2/PAL DVD)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: D Episodes: C
PLEASE NOTE: This DVD set can only be
operated on machines capable of playing back DVDs that can handle Region Two/2/PAL
format software and can be ordered from our friends at Network U.K. at the
website address provided at the end of the review or at finer retailers.
In the U.S., Who’s The Boss? became a big hit sitcom
for Sony and ABC for reasons people still are puzzled over, with Tony Danza (Taxi) and Judith Light as the
housekeeper and single mother who don’t quite hit it off, but they land up with
each other as he needs the job (he is alone and has a daughter) and she needs
the help. Made wackier by her mother
(the late Katherine Helmond of Soap)
making her inappropriate comments and throwing convention out the door, the
show was remade in the U.K. as The Upper Hand and was a hit there to.
The Complete First Series is now on DVD with Joe McGann in
Danza’s role and Diana Weston in Light’s role.
It is not any better or worse than the old show, seems to be using the
same teleplays and is as boring, but the weirdest twist here is that Helmond’s
role has been taken by no less than the great Honor Blackman (Goldfinger, Cathy Gale on the original Avengers TV series) looking good and
much more like Weston than you might expect.
She is the #1 reason to even consider looking at this and the show only
works when she shows up, but like Helmond,
she cannot save it.
An
unlucky 13 half-hour shows are here over two DVDs and is for serious fans or
the very, very curious only. Otherwise,
forget it.
The 1.33
X 1 image was shot on PAL analog video and is a little soft, even considering
its age, but color is usually good even when detail is not. The Dolby Digital 2.0 sound is barely stereo
if that and good for its age, but there are some limits in dynamic range and is
about as good as it will ever sound.
There are no extras.
As noted above, you can order this PAL DVD import
exclusively from Network U.K.
at:
http://www.networkdvd.net/
or
www.networkdvd.co.uk
- Nicholas Sheffo
