Nowadays, everything is fair game when it comes to DVD reissues. Everything from questionable B-movies to minor-league TV shows is being released at a vigorous pace. So, it’s a pleasant surprise that FOX’s clever and quirky little show UNDECLARED is next up on the list. Although critically acclaimed, the show didn’t do the numbers the network wanted and was summarily pulled from its prime-time slot. Even with a team of established producers and writers, it still wasn’t enough to sustain any kind of longevity.
Debuting fall 2001, the show was touted by FOX as “Freaks and Geeks goes to college.” Judd Apatow—who had previously guided “FREAKS” to cult-favorite status, in spite of being cancelled by NBC—produced the show. UNDECLARED’s story line followed a similar batch of misfits venturing into the throws of higher education. The weekly half-hour sitcom ran alongside THAT ’70s SHOW, but failed to pinch off much of that show’s manic following.
UNDECLARED revolves around Steven Karp (Jay Baruchel), a nerdy 18 year-old, who grew seven inches over the past year and is now facing a new set of challenges as a college freshman. His roommates are a colorful bunch, and on the first day of his new life in the dorms, he co-hosts a party on his floor. Things are looking up for the reluctant Steven, and he even has sex for the first time with flighty freshman co-ed Lizzie (Carla Gallo). The shenanigans crank up a notch when the party gets crashed by Steven’s batty father Hal (Loudon Wainwright) who shows up unannounced and cries on the shoulders of Steven’s new friends over his imminent divorce. Things only get wackier from there.
The magic of UNDECLARED was in its quirky characters, clever dialog and full-frontal exploitation of life’s idiosyncrasies. The show was obviously too cool and clever for the masses, yet managed to amass a loyal cult following. Fans of SEINFELD, FREAKS AND GEEKS and THE OFFICE should find this gem of a show highly entertaining. This deluxe DVD package features the complete series, plus alternate and unaired episodes—one of which features rocker Ted Nugent. There are also bonus extras and a booklet. Among the extras are commentaries, deleted scenes and live footage of musician Loudon Wainwright. So there you go, a new DVD release worthy of a closer look—check it out.
+ Jim Kaz
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.