It's About Time!

Just about everyone my age remembers a little sketch comedy show from the 90s called The State....
It aired on MTV from 94 to 95, each night before Beavis and Butthead. I remember being about 14, watching both programs with such regularity that I practically had every line from every bit on both of them memorized. You see, The State only produced a new episode once a week, but since MTV aired it EVERY DAY, I saw plenty of repeats, and never got tired of them.


The show was, in some ways, terrible, but in other ways quite brilliant. As is the case with most great comedy, a pedestrian observer lacking a well-rounded appreciation for various levels of humor would probably dismiss The State as brainless tripe at first glance. Many of the sketches were intentionally stupid, with their actual HUMOR being more ironic, making it a little harder for some to stomach the show.

For example, a breakfast cereal commercial in which every line is "Duh". See, a suburban mom greets her son one morning as he's eating his Sugar Flakes, and asks him, "Duh? Duh duh duh duh duh duh duh duh duh???"
With a grimace on his face, the boy replies, "Duh! Duh duh duh duh duh duh!"
Then, a crosseyed milkman walks in, and says "DUUUUUH!!! Duh duh duh duh!!!"
The commercial ends with a voiceover of someone saying "Duh" several times while the young boy bangs his head on the kitchen table.

Now, such a sketch would seem pretty idiotic on the surface (and it IS!), but TO ME, it's funny just because of the fact that someone was actually willing to write, produce, and air it. A lot of things on The State were like that: sketches about a kid with baloney sandwiches for feet...a guy who's never heard of pants...a woman whose home is infested with Slash from Guns 'N Roses...a talk show on which all of the guests are named Howard ("This has been another episode of The Howard Report, as always a complete waste of time!")....However, other segments were more sophisticated, revealing the true talent of The State's eleven members. References to literature, history, and theater (the group actually started as the project of some NYU drama students) can be caught in several bits, slipped in among the goofier, more MTV-tailored moments. A viewing of the series in its entirety gives one a better sense of who the individuals behind this stuff really were.


And they're still working! In fact, even if you've never seen The State, it's still quite possible that you're familiar with some of the projects done by former members. Since the series ended its run, I've kept a constant eye out for State alumni, and always get excited when I see any of them pop up somewhere. One of The State's more popular members, Michael Ian Black, can be found all over TV these days, appearing on sitcoms, doing commentary for those VH1 countdown shows, and starring on his own Comedy Central projects (Stella -- also featuring former Staters David Wain and Michael Showalter -- was one of his shows that ran for a season a few years back, and he's got a new one called Michael and Michael Have Issues). The movie, Wet, Hot American Summer was a State project, and Comedy Central's Reno 911 is the creation of State members Thomas Lennon, Ben Garant, and Kerri Kenney (my GOD, did I lust after her when I was a boy of 15; I'm proud to say that she helped me become a man). Virtually all of the other State players are still working in comedy, as well -- Ken Marino (also known as LOUIE, the recurring character who carries around two ping pong balls and shouts about dipping them in everything) and Joe Lo Truglio are on TV regularly, while Michael Patrick Jann directs movies. Curiously, the only member of The State who really seems to have disappeared is one of my favorites, Kevin Allison. He was friggin' hilarious!

Anyway, The State ended its run on MTV after only two years when its members foolishly tried to move the show on to a major network. The deal didn't pan out, and that was that. Of course, things probably ended the way they should have -- The State was tailor-made to the MTV of that era (they still played music back then!), and the sensibilities of my generation; it never would have worked on a big network.

OK, fastforwarding....



Those of us who were big fans of The State have been waiting for YEARS for MTV to finally release the show on DVD (I actually still have every episode as it originally aired on an old homemade VHS, and have considered selling copies of it on EBay many times). Apparently, The State's regular use of copyrighted, popular music as a soundtrack when it was first produced ended up creating a legal minefield that could not have been foreseen back then. See, at that time, The State could use, say, "Cherub Rock" from the Smashing Pumpkins, in one of its sketches because, as it aired on MTV, the right to use the song was understood. However, when it came to SELLING the show on DVD, well...things get much more complicated. Record companies want millions for that kind of thing, and there's no way MTV would shell out so much. This one sticking point held up a home release of The State for several years.

EVENTUALLY, though, members of the group just had to bite the bullet, and agree to have the entire series rescored. And do you know what that means, kiddies? The State is now ON DVD!!!

The State: Complete Series (1993-1995)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0130421/



"Smartly blending slapstick and sarcasm, this MTV sketch comedy show features hysterical skits populated by off-the-wall characters like catchphrase-dropping Louie, angry teenager Doug and former Hollywood agent James Dixon. "State" cast members such as Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, David Wain, Ben Garant and Kerri Kenney have collaborated on subsequent projects, including "Stella," "Reno 911!" and "Wet Hot American Summer."

Well, I've already written about how much I loved The State, so the question now is, "How is the DVD package?"

In short, it's a must-buy for all State fans. While I did find the absence of the show's original soundtrack somewhat of a let-down, the new music composed and recorded specifically for this DVD release aptly mimics the popular songs first used, and serves as an acceptable substitute. Every episode of the entire series is packaged neatly into one clever bundle at a reasonable price of 50 bucks, and there's a bonus disk including hours of unreleased material and old promos for those of us who want to feel nostalgic.

It's clear that a great deal of effort and love went into this DVD release. The fingerprints of The State's original members are all over this set, with extensive commentary for just about everything, and plenty of fun, secret prizes to discover.


As it the case with most good television series, parts of the first few episodes of The State were mind-numbingly bad (when I screened this set with my fiance, I purposely skipped over the first disk so that her introduction to the comedic stylings of The State wouldn't involve the group's worst material). However, everything on disk two and on is just as hilarious as it was in 95. It's a treat to watch these bits again without having to dial up a crappy YouTube clip, or some fading videotape. Everything is here as it once was...except, of course, the soundtrack.


And that's my only real complaint about the box set. The material would be just a LITTLE BIT better if it still had the original music, and it's a shame that a solution to that issue couldn't be found. I also would have liked more interviews with former cast members, and maybe some kind of collector's book to go along with it all, but what's included still goes above and beyond the call of duty for any good DVD release.

The State on DVD has been years in the making, and the wait has been worth it. All fans are encouraged to check this one out.

4 out of 5.

**Now here are some videos of my favorite moments:**

-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alDReHpQFik&feature=related
(A mailman who only wants to deliver tacos)

-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9xmvhQl2-Q&feature=related
(Louie at the Last Supper)

--AND MY PERSONAL FAVORITE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOcFfA7C32E
(The restroom attendant sketch)


b.