This show is a joy as it bounces into all sorts of wonderfully ridiculous areas, like when Sarah goes on a cough syrup-induced cartoon ride and gets complimented by the Loch Ness monster. And there are musical numbers (I particularly like "The Poop Song" that she sings with her newly found daughter). The musical numbers are one of my favorite elements of the show (possibly because I generally don't like musicals). And the series plays on the whole wrap-up-a-short-show-with-a-moral thing.
In addition to Sarah Silverman, the show boasts a funny and talented cast, including Laura Silverman (as Laura Silverman), Brian Posehn (as Brian), Steve Agee (as Steve), and Jay Johnston (as Officer Jay). And there are plenty of great guest stars. As you might expect, this box set is loaded with special features.
Season One
The first episode opens with Sarah saying, "Hi, I'm Sarah Silverman, and I'm just like you. I live in Valley Village, I don't have a job, and my sister pays my rent." And oh my god, she is just like me. Except for the "sister" part. Instead of "sister," insert "my friend Cynthia," and I could have said those words. Seriously. I do live in Valley Village (and writing these reviews hardly constitutes a job). So this is a series that speaks to me (though I never found a dog in the trash; well, not one that I kept).
All of these episodes have moments that will have you laughing out loud. In "Positively Negative," the AIDS episode, the scene where the nurse questions Sarah is completely hilarious. And then later Sarah says these inspiring words: "Someday we can put everyone with AIDS on the moon." I love the whole thing about key words setting off the government in the episode titled "Not Without My Daughter." My friends and I routinely put "bomb" and "terrorism" into our phone conversations to keep things lively. The episode titled "Batteries" has what is possibly the best poop joke ever. I was laughing for several minutes straight. And it's the second poop song in the first six episodes.
The first season's special features include a whole bunch of musical performances, most of which are improvised and about the show. My favorite is "Laura & Sarah's Song." There are also karaoke/sing-along versions of the songs from the show (so you and your friends can sing about poop - don't pretend you're above that - you're not). Also included are an animated sequence that was used as a pitch and an animatic of the chase sequence from the "Batteries" episode.
Season Two
Season Two has some excellent episodes, my favorite probably being the one in which Sarah goes in black face. But the one in which she licks her dog to see what all the fuss is about is pretty great too. As is the one where she wets the bed.
A lot of the episodes in the first half of the second season are lacking a musical scene, which is a shame, because those are wonderful. But to make up for it, the "Pee" episode has two great musical numbers (the first of which has Sarah as a mermaid). In "There's No Place Like Homeless," Sarah is about to burst into song, but instead steps on a homeless person. (The lesson she mentions at the end of that episode is, "Being homeless was pretty amazing. But unless you're a Vietnam vet or totally insane or like a drug addict, it just feels like camping.")
There are a few great guest appearances, the best probably being by Garry Marshall as the head of an evil corporation. But there are also guest spots by Adam Carolla, Dick Van Patten, Stephen Root and Lisa Loeb (among others).
Most of the episodes have commentary tracks. And like the first season, some episodes have two separate commentary tracks. There are plenty of other special features, including promotional spots for the show and blog, and there is a bit about the Garry Marshall episode.
There is also a separate disc of extras for the second season. These features include footage from the 2007 Comic Con, with a panel moderated by Zach Galifianakis (who had a guest spot in the first season). The folks on the panel include Jay Johnston, Steve Agee, Brian Posehn, Laura Silverman, Sarah Silverman, Rob Schrab and Dan Sterling. By the way, someone asked, "Why Tab?" The answer: "Because Dr. Pepper passed." This disc also includes an animated short in which Steve and Brian are eaten by a dinosaur, a live action short in which Brian gets a new office, "Cookies Come Alive" (an animated series related to the Cookie Party segments of the show), a fake ad for the Cookie Party video game, and a bunch of staged silliness (it's labeled as behind-the-scenes footage, but really it's staged, and a lot of is kind of lame - but whatever, it's bonus stuff, so relax).
Season Three
Season Three has some pretty amazing episodes. Just when I thought I couldn't love the show any more, in the season's first episode Sarah pokes fun at people saying "ATM machine" (something that drive me bonkers). That episode also boasts the only use of the phrase "the hermaphrodite trash can at the hospital" in a television series (as far as I know, anyway). The first two episodes lack the joke morals at the end. But they do have musical numbers. In fact, the second episode begins with a country tune about pancakes, and then has two more songs. And how cute is Laura in that furry costume?
"Just Breve" is one of the season's best episodes. In this one, Steve sees a commercial for adult diapers, decides he wants a baby, and builds a robot. I actually really felt for that robot - am I demented?
But every episode has hilarious bits. "A Good Van Is Hard To Find' has one of the best lines ever, when Sarah tells a child, "Just go in my mouth." And in "Wowschwitz," I love the "Mahna Mahna" reference.
The series does tackle important issues such as censorship and the right for everyone to be able to get married. It's interesting that while it makes fun of television programs for tacking on cliche morals, the show manages to make some strong statements itself. Somehow it's able to do both simultaneously (and without ever losing sense of the comedy).
Season Three also has great guest stars, like Bill Maher, Bradley Whitford (as Toby Grossnickel), Stephen Tobolowsky, Patton Oswalt (as a creepy van guy who has, along with Nazi paraphernalia, a glossy photo of George W. Bush - perfect), Ed Asner as a Nazi, and Billy Crudup (in a wonderful appearance as himself on Laura's late-night talk show).
There are a lot of special features for Season Three. Some of the episodes contain commentary tracks. There is a half-hour feature in which the writers and producers talk about creating the show, casting, writing, the dog, and pooping (yes, some if it is juvenile and stupid, but admittedly so). There is a short question and answer segment recorded at Largo. There is also a half-hour behind the scenes feature. There is a Breve animatic (I can't get enough of that robot). One of my favorite special features is "Safety Tips With Sarah St. Claire," which I'm not going to spoil by talking about. The original pilot is also included in the bonus features. (In the opening of the pilot, Sarah says she lives in Los Angeles rather than Valley Village.) Also included are Jay Johnston's audition video, and two Steve Agee videos, including "Litter Box," which is mentioned elsewhere in the special features.
The Sarah Silverman Program.: The Complete Series is scheduled to be released June 19, 2012. Watching these DVDs will make your life less awful, or at least make it feel that way.
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