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DVD Review

Eastbound & Down: The Complete First Season

Official Synopsis:

Former Major League pitcher Kenny Powers (Danny McBride) used to have it all: fame, endorsements, and a lucrative contract. Now, after hard living took its toll on his fastball, Kenny has found himself crashing with his brother's family and teaching gym class at the North Carolina middle school he once attended. Wherever he goes, Kenny wreaks havoc with his boorish behavior and even makes a pre-emptive romantic strike on his former high school squeeze, now teacher engaged to the school principal. Out of baseball, and discarded by the game he abused so well, can Kenny succeed in his plot to triumphantly return to the big leagues?

Our Take:

It doesn’t get any better than this for fans of Danny McBride and Jody Hill. The concept behind the show (washed up athlete returns home and gets coerced into coaching gym class) may be incredibly simple and done a million times before but I can guarantee it’s never been done as relentlessly as in Eastbound & Down.

Many people already don’t like Danny McBride and for those people this show will only lower their opinions of the man. McBride plays a guy that is the absolute scum of the earth. He drinks and takes every drug that comes his way, sees women as nothing more than sex objects and just knows he is God’s gift to mankind and everyone else is just kind of in his way.

It’s with all those character traits stacked against him that at key moments throughout the show you still are able to feel deeply sad for the man. I honestly had no idea just how depressing comedy could be yet not lose its hilarity (I should have known from Jody Hill’s misunderstood Observe and Report).

Special Features:

- Making Eastbound & Down
- Audio Commentaries
- Kenny Powers: Greatest Hits
- Schaeffer Motors Commercials
- Deleted Scenes
- Outtakes
- Stevie's Dark Secret

Conclusion:

If you’re interested in rants involving the origin of AIDS taking place in a disgusting old birdbath like I am, then Eastbound & Down is an absolute must purchase. The only negative thing I can possibly say about this set is that quality of the packing. It’s probably the cheapest plastic case I’ve ever come across – it honestly feels like it will crumble in my hands when I pick it up. And for an HBO show this low quality of a product just isn’t acceptable.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Overall Picture:

Show: A+
Extra Features: B+

- Landen Chase Pelish
Staff Writer