Disney/Buena Vista | 2008 | 424 mins. | Unrated
Gary Unmarried centers on Gary Brooks (Jay Mohr). As the series opens, Gary and his wife Allison (Paula Marshall) have been divorced for three months. Though these two clearly have a mutual hatred for one another, they have two kids together so they have to stay connected. Their two children have very different personalities—Tommy (Ryan Malgarini), is a brash, witty, and would likely be considered a slacker. Louise (Kathryn Newton) is your classic overachiever, and precocious environmentalist. Gary and Allison had agreed not to date new people for awhile for the sake of the kids, but in the first episode Gary meets and starts dating Vanessa (Jaime King), a woman he met through work. Meanwhile, he learns that Allison is engaged to their former marriage counselor (Ed Begley Jr.).
Anyone who has watched Jay Mohr through the years knows he’s a really funny guy. But while he and Paula Marshall have solid chemistry, I came away from Gary Unmarried feeling like his talents are sadly underused. The show takes viewers through a lot of the typical issues divorced parents face—who gets to host Thanksgiving dinner at their house, who gets to be around for which childhood milestone, who gets the saucy pictures, etc—but the show seems to play it safe throughout. The show is at its best when Mohr is able to really throw a few zingers Paula Marshall’s way. Unfortunately, those moments are few and far between.
Having those moments when Mohr is in his semi-potty mouth glory makes watching Gary Unmarried: The Complete First Season set a bit of a let-down because it makes you realize how good the series could be if they wouldn’t play it so safe. One can only hope veteran sitcom director James Burrows will help shoehorn Mohr’s undeniable charm into a sharper, character with a bit of a caustic edge. But as it stands now, Gary Unmarried isn’t really anything viewers haven’t seen before.
Gary Unmarried is presented in anamorphic widescreen transfers. Colors are bright and vivid, black levels are consistent and thorough, and detail presentation is clear and precise, offering some impressive showcasing of distinct textures. For a standard DVD TV series set, this is a solid visual presentation.
These Dolby Digital 5.1 sound mixes showcase the series excellently, capturing dialogue perfectly and offering up an enveloping soundscape when the show’s musical cues kick in. Even certain atmospherics have a notable presence in surround channels here.
Spanish and French subtitles are included, as are English Closed Captions.
These are the special features:
• The Chemistry of Comedy (15 mins) A look at how the cast interacts and works together.
• Planet Begley (6 mins.) The actor talks about his years of living an eco-friendly life.
• Tuesday On The Set With Jay (5 mins.) A tour of the set with Jay Mohr.
• Outtakes (2 mins.) Typical blooper reel.
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