The Complete First Season of The Awful Truth

Rating:
Summary: American Satire at Its Best
Review: "The Awful Truth" is Michael Moore's unofficial follow-up to the groundbreaking "TV Nation" show that ran in 1995 and 1996. Available only on Bravo for Yankees and on Channel 4 in Merry Olde England, this DVD set will satisfy any fan wanting more of Moore.

This first season was 12-30 minute shows, with Michael taking on people like Humana Insurance, who "decided it was cheaper to kill people than to heal them," the Swiss Banks (he dressed a guy up as Hitler to withdraw the Nazi gold taken from the teeth of Jews), the "Teenaged Sniper School," where he teaches kids how to kill better in school-shooting situations, and more. A progressive television show is refreshing enough, but when you put a satirist like Moore at the controls, who knows what is going to happen - except that it is funny, depressing, maddening, and educational all at the same time.

His techniques are about as subtle as a brick through the window, but let's face it, Americans need more bricks, because there are too damn many "awful truths" out there right now. There are too many companies that think they can get away with murder, too many politicians that think they can play us like harps. Without people like Michael Moore and shows like "The Awful Truth," they just might get away clean.

I can wholeheartedly recommend the first season of "The Awful Truth" to anyone who wants to learn about what is really going on in the US today.

Rating:
Summary: American Satire at Its Best
Review: "The Awful Truth" is Michael Moore's unofficial follow-up to the groundbreaking "TV Nation" show that ran in 1995 and 1996. Available only on Bravo for Yankees and on Channel 4 in Merry Olde England, this DVD set will satisfy any fan wanting more of Moore.

This first season was 12-30 minute shows, with Michael taking on people like Humana Insurance, who "decided it was cheaper to kill people than to heal them," the Swiss Banks (he dressed a guy up as Hitler to withdraw the Nazi gold taken from the teeth of Jews), the "Teenaged Sniper School," where he teaches kids how to kill better in school-shooting situations, and more. A progressive television show is refreshing enough, but when you put a satirist like Moore at the controls, who knows what is going to happen - except that it is funny, depressing, maddening, and educational all at the same time.

His techniques are about as subtle as a brick through the window, but let's face it, Americans need more bricks, because there are too damn many "awful truths" out there right now. There are too many companies that think they can get away with murder, too many politicians that think they can play us like harps. Without people like Michael Moore and shows like "The Awful Truth," they just might get away clean.

I can wholeheartedly recommend the first season of "The Awful Truth" to anyone who wants to learn about what is really going on in the US today.

Rating:
Summary: Don't keep expectations too high...
Review: ... otherwise, you'll ruin the series. For those who know Moore's style, this is more of the same Michael Moore. It's just the situations that are different. Moore is a genius indeed for satirizing things that desperately need to be satirized. My advice, however, is to make sure not to watch the whole thing all at once. It becomes a bit tiring to watch the same joke played on different situations over and over again. In that respect, the show is like watching a bunch of Scooby Doo episodes: same plot, different mystery. In the meantime, Moore shows one of the great things about America in that he does a great job in expressing his First Amendment rights. To him, I say, keep going! Bravo!

Rating:
Summary: He is NO hero!
Review: After less than an hour I had to stop watching this diatribe.
Moore does little but play the loud-mouth obnoxious bull who you just agree with to get him out of your china shop.
He rants..and rants, but really does little but pander to the extreme liberal left.
Though some of the wrongs that needed righted were a very serious commentary on what needs fixed in this country, Moore's way of handling it is silly and immature.
I have to wonder how much he cares about the "causes" he takes on as opposed to the [money] he'll see from the selling of it.
Do I agree with some of the causes? Yes
Do I agree with Moore on his way of handling it? No

Rating:
Summary: Michael Moore is pure genius!
Review: All of Michael Moore's work (TV Nation, The Big One, Canadian Bacon, Roger & Me, and his book, Downsize This) are amazing works by today's premiere comedic cynic. Moore cuts through to the truth on big business and THE AWFUL TRUTH, his new show on BRAVO is a continuation on this standard. I've seen the entire first season of THE AWFUL TRUTH (I taped them all), but I'm also buying this DVD, because this stuff is hilarious. However, I would have to rate THE AWFUL TRUTH below TV NATION, as that show was longer, had higher production values, and was a little more biting in some of its satire. I really hope they put that show on DVD! But, for any Michael Moore fan, you must buy this DVD! The Awful Truth is a great show, and it just finished its 2nd season, which hopefully will also make it to DVD. For now, just buy this one. If you haven't seen the show, but know Michael Moore's work (especially if you like TV NATION), you will definitely enjoy this. For [the money], the whole season (almost 300 minutes) is worth it.


Rating:
Summary: Michael Moore is pure genius!
Review: All of Michael Moore's work (TV Nation, The Big One, Canadian Bacon, Roger & Me, and his book, Downsize This) are amazing works by today's premiere comedic cynic. Moore cuts through to the truth on big business and THE AWFUL TRUTH, his new show on BRAVO is a continuation on this standard. I've seen the entire first season of THE AWFUL TRUTH (I taped them all), but I'm also buying this DVD, because this stuff is hilarious. However, I would have to rate THE AWFUL TRUTH below TV NATION, as that show was longer, had higher production values, and was a little more biting in some of its satire. I really hope they put that show on DVD! But, for any Michael Moore fan, you must buy this DVD! The Awful Truth is a great show, and it just finished its 2nd season, which hopefully will also make it to DVD. For now, just buy this one. If you haven't seen the show, but know Michael Moore's work (especially if you like TV NATION), you will definitely enjoy this. For [the money], the whole season (almost 300 minutes) is worth it.

Rating:
Summary: He Hates America
Review: Freedom of Speech is wonderful. It is also nice that we can show our disapproval for someone's actions by not financing them. Don't buy Mr. Moore's products. What was that nonsense that he pulled at the Academy Awards. Thankfully, most of us didn't watch it and missed his unwelcomed rant. Too bad for Mr. Moore's career that it was replayed again and again.

Rating:
Summary: A look into the underbelly of America
Review: I caught a few episodes of The Awful Truth on the tele and must say it is a pretty mixed bag. I liked the episode on guns, where Moore went to the NRA with his new idea for a mascot, a walking talking gun. Needless to say they wanted no part of it, but it was much more to the point than was "Eddie the Eagle," or whatever the NRA calls its stuffed bird which tries to warn tots of the dangers of guns while at the same time it fights any and all legislation on the hill to combat the proliferation of handguns. But, at other times Moore sounds pretty sanctimonious, such as when he is wheeling through New York in his rented Taxi refusing to pick up white folks. In other words it is the Michael Moore many have grown to love, not afraid to take on the big boys, and at the same time pointing out the many inherent weaknesses in our society.

Rating:
Summary: A look into the underbelly of America
Review: I caught a few episodes of The Awful Truth on the tele and must say it is a pretty mixed bag. I liked the episode on guns, where Moore went to the NRA with his new idea for a mascot, a walking talking gun. Needless to say they wanted no part of it, but it was much more to the point than was "Eddie the Eagle," or whatever the NRA calls its stuffed bird which tries to warn tots of the dangers of guns while at the same time it fights any and all legislation on the hill to combat the proliferation of handguns. But, at other times Moore sounds pretty sanctimonious, such as when he is wheeling through New York in his rented Taxi refusing to pick up white folks. In other words it is the Michael Moore many have grown to love, not afraid to take on the big boys, and at the same time pointing out the many inherent weaknesses in our society.

Rating:
Summary: BUY IT NOW! Bravo, Bravo!
Review: I don't get the Bravo network. I don't get cable TV. I own a VCR monitor connected to nothing, so in essence, I don't own a television. But Michael Moore is one of my heroes.

After a typical frazzling Friday of high-school English teaching, I arrived home to find the three-videocassette box of THE AWFUL TRUTH's first series finally had arrived. I binged, and I watched all five hours in a single sitting.

I loved every minute of the series. Moore speaks truth to power, and let's get off this left/right political stuff: there are people for the little guys and people for the giants (I call them "Goliathans"). Moore consistently is on the side of the little guy, of the downtrodden, of the oppressed. Ever hear of the fellow called Jesus? (Lived a few years ago.) He was pretty much in the same ballpark, and he liked to speak truth to power, too.

We all know what happens next: Jesus gets crucified, and the corporation co-opts the radicals.

Every generation has its Good Guy Little Guyists: you know, dudes like Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, folks like that.

Michael Moore is one of OUR generations Good Guy Little Guyists. Read the other reviews here for specifics; buy this set and laugh and cry and be empowered!