TV on DVD

2 seasons of Drunk History hilarious, if that's your thing

Drunk History, Seasons 1 and 2
Drunk History, Seasons 1 and 2

What is it? Drunk History, Seasons 1 and 2, 18 half-hour episodes on three discs from Paramount

How much? $29.98

When? Now

I'm not sure what that means. A history of drinking? No. More like stories of the past as told by intoxicated people.

Each episode begins with this disclaimer: "All of the stories depicted in the following program are based on real events. It should be noted, however, that every storyteller you are about to see is completely drunk."

It's true. It's certainly a unique approach to a TV series, the brainchild of Derek Waters, who created the Funny or Die Internet series.

Basically, the premise is this: Waters has a sit-down interview with an obviously inebriated person, who proceeds to tell a true story from history: the Scopes Monkey Trial, Rosa Parks and the bus, the journey of Lewis and Clark, Dolly Parton's rise to stardom. Obviously, the topics don't all carry the same historical weight.

Part of what's hilarious is that they actually get a lot of it right. They're telling stories they know pretty well. It's just that their approach is rather -- interesting. The stories are laced with profanity and modern slang, and are occasionally interrupted as the narrator falls off the couch or comments on their drunkenness.

As they tell the story, viewers see a filmed re-enactment, usually with celebrities filling in the major roles. Just a few participants: Kristen Wiig, Jason Ritter, Bill Hader, Connie Britton, John Lithgow, Luke and Owen Wilson and, perhaps most surreal of all, Weird Al Yankovic as Adolf Hitler.

They not only act out whatever the narrator has said, but they mouth along, word for word. So, you're treated to a Puritan-dressed Wynona Ryder as Quaker martyr Mary Dyer mouthing expletives and phrases like "You don't have to be, like, into it, but can you please have religious tolerance?" and "I'm gonna deal with these laws to their bloody face." What does that mean? Good question.

Are they really drunk? If they're not, they're exceptional actors.

Could this be used to teach children about history? That wouldn't be advised. This is R-rated stuff.

That sounds really odd. Is it any good? It's hilarious. Waters' dry reaction to his subjects, the narrators' rambling (but surprisingly knowledgeable) storytelling, the dramatic music and the performances of the re-enactors all work together to create something truly strange but laugh-out-loud funny.

It's not for those easily offended, though. One could argue that they're making light of some serious historical subjects. And watching inebriated people do what inebriated people usually do isn't everyone's idea of a good time.

Are there extras? Yes. A very long list of deleted and extended scenes and sober reveals -- in which a now-sober narrator watches his "performance."

New this week: Continuum, Season 3; Dominion, Season 1; The Donna Reed Show, Season 2; Intruders, Season 1; My Favorite Martian, Season 2.

Next week: Banshee, Season 2; Shameless, Season 4.

Style on 12/21/2014

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