DVD version of Phoenix Nights, DVD extras make the original even better! (Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights Series 1 (DVD))

Member Name: julwhite

Product:	Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights Series 1 (DVD)
Date:	20/01/08 (28 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Brilliant comedy, well-acted and different

Disadvantages: Might not be everyone's type of humour

Phoenix Nights is a comedy series, so far there have been two series, written and starring Peter Kay based in a working man's club in Bolton, Lancashire.

I have just watched the DVD issue having never seen the programme before as the premise of the show had seemed a little dull and I had wondered whether I'd even watch all of the six episodes. I did however, and really enjoyed the humour throughout.

Peter Kay plays Brian Potter, the club owner who is confined to a wheelchair, and he also plays one of the club's doormen (although I didn't actually notice this at first, being a little slow on the uptake!). Each episode runs through the various ways which the club is operated, which is always never quite as things should be done, and Potter always gets into some sort of difficulty.

Without giving too much away for each episode, I've written a short summary of what to expect in each episode.

Episode 1 - Starting with the opening of the new club, Potter finds trouble early on with a fruit machine that isn't quite what he expects. Later on, despite his attempts to run a clean club, he realises that the band he has booked is actually a racist folk band.

Episode 2 - After a death in the club, with Potter trying to move the body into another room to escape any blame, there is the wonderful scene when the club's TV is nicked. Potter's reaction is priceless! Later on the club gets a rather unexpected bronco machine where people have to stay on as long as possible, rather than the snooker table to which Potter thought he would be getting.

Episode 3 - Potter goes to a meeting given by the local fire officer, who then announces to Potter that after the meeting that the Phoenix (Potter's club) is about to get an inspection. Potter tries to get back to the club as soon as possible, and a wonderful moment where they get one over on a police officer, but he then later on gets one over on them.

Episode 4 - Potter falls in love with what he thinks is one of the club's customers, but actually turns out to be a social security officer looking into Potter's benefits situation and what he should and shouldn't be claiming for.

Episode 5 - Against Potter's advice, Jerry (one of the club's performers) organises a comedy night, thinking that it would be good to get some younger people into the club. However the type of comedy that the younger people have in mind and what Potter is expecting don't match, and soon there is a fight which gets a little out of hand.

Episode 6 - Jerry is found not to be as ill as the club thought, bad news for Potter as he is holding an event based on the fact that Jerry is ill. Potter decides to try and disguise this news so that his event can go as planned. At the end of the night though another rival club operator does some considerable damage to the club with his cigar.

The second series was to follow on from the first, and I'll review this separately.

Overall, the acting is superb, Peter Kay inevitably steals the show with the dead-pan humour of Potter and also the way he plays Max the doorman. The humour is never pushed too far to make it unbelieveable, and like with the scene when the TV is stolen, a very simple piece of humour works really well with the comedy coming from the reactions of those involved.

At the end of each episode there is also a scene which shows the club's staff watching an act to see if they're good enough to perform at the club. All of the acts are really bad in their own way, and there is the trademark shout of "next" from Potter and the staff.

Sometimes comedies released onto DVD have few or no extras, which is always a slight disappointment. This DVD was much better however, commentaries from Peter Kay and other actors, deleted scenes and the like are all included. It's definitely worth watching through all the episodes with the commentary from Peter Kay on!

Overall, a really good comedy show made better by the effort that has been made with the DVD.

Summary: Well worth a look for anyone who hasn't yet seen Peter Kay's work