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STUDIO: Comedy Central
MSRP: $18.99
RATED: Not rated
RUNNING TIME: 330 minutes
SPECIAL FEATURES:
• Extended and deleted scenes:
  • Tupperware for Tampa
  • Linoleum commercial
  • Deputy commercial
• Profiles in Valor: Sgt. Declan and Deputy Frank Rizzo
• Commentaries on seven episodes

The Pitch

It’s a keystone COPS.

The Humans

Thomas Lennon, Niecy Nash, Cedric Yarbrough, Robert Ben Garant, Kerri Kenney, Carlos Alazraqui, Wendi McClendon-Covey, Mary Birdsong.

The Nutshell

In this mockumentary-style show that spoofs other law enforcement shows, most notably, COPS, the Sheriff’s Department of Reno, NV is routinely shown to be the nincompoops that they are.  Led by Lt. Jim Dangle (Lennon), who has a penchant for incorporating old school NBA-level highness in his uniform’s shorts, these Reno civil servants are about as clueless, bumbling and incompetent as they come. 

The Lowdown

Reno 911! isn’t something that I catch on a regular basis, but every now and then when I’m flipping through the channels I might catch it and give it a look-see; and it’s usually good for a couple of laughs whenever I do.  As is the nature with many heavily improv-ed shows, there are hits and misses with the skits they put together.  Although they have had the COPS mockumentary premise down pat from day one.  If you watch COPS with any regularity, it’s easy to see where they get the inspiration for much of their material. 

By Season 6, the cast are more than well-versed in their characters and in whatever situation arises, you can get a good handle on how they’re going to approach it.  Lennon as Lt. Dangle, Nash as Dep. Williams and Garant as Dep. Junior and Birdsong as Dep. Kimball are typically the ones out of which that I get the biggest kick, although the rest of the cast usually don’t disappoint.  There were two new additions this season: Ian Roberts as Sgt. Jack Declan, the new second-in-command kiss ass and Joe Lo Truglio as Dep. Frank Rizzo, a transplant from Queens, NY who has a long history in law enforcement all over the country, but no recommendations from his former employers.

Various Season 6 episodes included “Training Day (Part 2),” where Declan and Rizzo joined the force, and Jonah Hill guest starred as a trouble-making, terminated employee who refused to leave his office.  “Digging With The Murderer” found Jim and Raineesha trying to get a serial killer to reveal the locations of his victims’ bodies and “VHS Transfer Memory Lane” had the deputies recollecting old cases as they transfer the department’s VHS tapes over to DVD.  “Dangle’s Murder Mystery” was a two-parter that had Dangle hosting a murder mystery party that produced a real murder which the department then tried to solve. “We Don’t Want The Pope” had the deputies serving as tour guides for a fact finding mission from the Vatican for a possible visit by the Pope to Reno. 

Reno 911! hits more than it misses. The show’s rerun enough to catch on TV and this set would really only be for the die-hard fans of the show and The State, from which many of the cast come.

The Package

The shows are shot on tape to give them that reality look, and they transferred fine.  Audio is also within expected norms, and it’s a hell of a lot more enjoyable to be able to listen to the cursing rather than the bleeps in this unrated version.  For special features, there are deleted and extended scenes in the form of a couple of commercials for linoleum and becoming a deputy, that are basically the same thing; and a 14-minute scene called Tupperware for Tampa.  There are also commentaries on 7 of the 15 episodes.

6.8 out of 10