The final installment of [Cartoon Network’s] Adult Swim’s defunct
cult-favorite, Sealab 2021, is finally out on DVD. The two-disc
Sealab 2021: Season IV contains the final 13 episodes accompanied
by a lackluster collection of extras (oddly enough the entire series had 52
episodes, which splits perfectly into 4 installments of 13-episode DVD sets).
Fans would do well to complete the collection, though they may feel a bit empty
at the curtain call.
This is the final stretch of Sealab 2021 cartoons. By the
time this batch had rolled around (late 2004), Harry Goz had long left us (passed
away due to Melanoma in 2003) and his character, Captain Murphy, was replaced
by Bellerophon "Tornado" Shanks (voiced by Harry’s son, Michael
Goz). Also by this time, all of the animation was being done in Flash, and the
storylines had severely waned. However, it was still a funny show with some
memorable moments, and I still watched… mainly due to the recurring cast:
former CHiPs star, Erik Estrada, supplies the voice for “the Latinator”
Marco Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar Gabriel Garcia Marquez; award-winning journalist
Ellis Henican gives voice to the good-looking-but-not-so-bright Derek "Stormy"
Waters; Bill Lobley, the voice of the Parkay tub of butter, lends his vocal
chords to the evil-minded, always-plotting, Jodene Sparks; chief science officer,
and usually the only one with a clue, Dr. Quentin Q. Quinn, is voiced by (not-the-female-comedian)
Brett Butler; smooth and sexy “Black Debbie” Love is voiced by Angela
Gibbs; distinguished stage and voiceover actor Kate Miller supplies the voice
for Sealab’s buxom beauty Debbie DuPree; and best of all, white rap superstar
"MC Chris" Ward voices Sealab’s annoying intern Hesh.
Episodes in this set ran in November and December of 2004 and March and April
of 2005: “Isla de Chupacabra,” “Joy of Grief,” “Green
Fever,” “Sharko's Machine,” “Return of Marco,”
“Casinko,” “Butchslap,” “Monkey Banana Raffle,”
“Shrabster,” “Cavemen,” “Moby Sick,” “No
Waterworld” and the series finale, “Legacy of Laughter,” which
aired on April 25th, 2005.
SOUND AND VISION
All Sealab 2021 episodes are presented in their televised Full
Screen (1.33:1) format. The episodes on DVD have a Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Surround sound track in English only; subtitles are available in English, Spanish
and French. Overall, they look the same as the previous three sets – crisp
and clear!
PACKAGING AND LAYOUT
The packaging for Sealab 2021 Season IV is not as creative
as the three previous sets. Gone is the nice digipak and usual Adult Swim packaging,
in favor of the standard DVD case. This one is opaque and contains the extra
tray inside to accompany two discs. Artwork resembles a sea blue colored fabric,
with white lettering and designs (kind of almost looks like a close-up on a
T-shirt). Two inserts are inside: an advert for the “Williams Street DVD
Whores” and a double-sided slip with episode and special features listings.
The latter inset, DVD artwork and DVD menus all follow the same motif, that
of faded schematics and drawings.
Each episode runs an average of 11 minutes; there are no chapter breaks within
episodes. A “play all” feature is available, or you can select episodes
individually. The whole set runs about 187 minutes.
SPECIAL FEATURES
The special features on the Sealab 2021 Season IV DVD set are
not what I was hoping for in the series’ final DVD set. In total, you
get about 40 minutes of material here. Included are an alternate ending to the
series finale, a couple of deleted scenes from one episode, a best of-style
clips show, a lost episode and a remixed episode. Sadly, there is no documentary
or commentaries, so fans are left with not one iota of an explanation as to
why the series was cancelled. Here’s a closer look at the bonus features:
• Shrabster Forward – The “Shrabster” episode runs like
Seinfeld’s season 9 episode, “The Betrayal,”
staring with the ending and moving backwards towards the beginning. This extra
features the episode in natural chronological order. It’s actually a pretty
cool idea for an extra, and for some reason, I found the episode funnier going
forward in proper order.
• Legacy of Laughter (alt ending) – This is a 30-second alternate
ending to the final episode in which instead of cutting to a black screen telling
us that Sealab 2021 is no more, an audience member asks what the cast will do
now that the show is cancelled. It’s kind of funny and part of me wishes
they stuck with that. The real ending was just too shocking (I’m still
not over it).
• Joy of Grief Deleted Scenes – Almost 2 minutes of deleted scenes
are here from the “Joy of Grief” episode. Nothing too revealing,
just a couple extra jokes and bits.
• Best of Sealab/Sunken Treasures – This extra is basically a clips
show. Trees Matt Maple and Pat Poplar host a 16-minute look at some of the best
moments of Sealab 2021. A great recap of some very funny moments.
• Nightshift – This seems to be a lost episode. It runs like a normal
episode and takes a look at the group of people that work behind the scenes
to keep Sealab running – the nightshift. Pretty funny stuff, it clocks
in at about 12 minutes.
LEGACY OF LAUGHTER
Though this Adult Swim cult-favorite came to a close in April 2005, the series
lives – now, completely – on DVD. The 13 episodes that make up Sealab
2021 Season IV takes the crew of Sealab on the last few adventures
and wraps up the series. The pricetag on this set is a few bucks less than the
previous three sets at less than $20. If you’re a fan of the show, this
is an obvious purchase and completion of the collection. For anyone who hasn’t
discovered the show yet: start at the beginning and work you way up to this
set.
DVD Set TV Show Score: B
DVD Set Sounds and Visuals Score: B
DVD Set Packaging and Layout Score: C
DVD Set Extras Score: C+ DVD Set Overall Score: B
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