The Ripping Friends (Vols. 1 & 2)

Rating:
Summary: Zany but uneven
Review: The Ripping Friends are a group of testosterone-poisoned, over-muscled brothers who fight bizarre villains in unconventional ways. In a genre as old and tired as Super-heros, it is a spark of fresh creativity. John K's sophomoric humor (butt shots, flatulence, veiled homoeroticism) comes out in full force. Some of the gags are borrowed from Ren and Stimpy, but there is a new feel to the show, where it pokes fun at the paternalistic attitude of shows like the Superfriends.

Still, I can't help feeling that John K is holding back. The brilliant moments of strangeness are spaced out with long moments of tedious plot set-up, clumsy timing, and boring cliches. It feels rushed, as if John's legendary production values were set aside to meet deadlines. This is not on the same level as Ren and Stimpy, which is probably why the show does not get aired nearly as often. Nevertheless, to the collector of strange animation, it is a requisite purchase.

Another disappointment is the fact that there are only 4 episodes in this DVD. I don't know why they could not include all 13 in a multi-disc set. Some of my favorite episodes, like "Man Man" were not included. I don't know if they will ever be available, which is a big bummer, because I would definitely buy them.