Flight of the Conchords: The Complete Collection

On December 10, 2009, to the disappointment of their fans, the New Zealand musical-comedy duo of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement, known as Flight of the Conchords, announced on their website their Emmy-nominated HBO series, also known as Flight of the Conchords, was not coming back for a third season. As Sean Connery and Francis Ford Coppola can attest, people should never say "never," but as it currently stands at the time of this review's publication, Flight of the Conchords: The Complete Collection is technically accurate in terms of their work on HBO. Presented in a slipcase are the previous DVD releases of the first and second season along with a DVD their HBO One Night Stand comedy special.

From 2005, One Night Stand features the duo for 30 minutes performing six of their funny songs. "Jenny" is about a guy not remembering a gal he dated. "Think About It" draws attention to the plight of the world. "Business Time" is a sexy number about getting down to business. "Albi" tells the story of a racist dragon. They bring da gangster/folk with "Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymnoceros". Bret goes electric with a keytar that mimics a number of instruments for the closing "Boom". Except for "Jenny", they reappear during the series, specifically the first season.

The TV series, similar to HBO's Tenacious D, chronicles two New Zealanders, Bret McClegnie and Jemaine Clemaine (Bret and Jemaine), who have moved to New York to break into the music business. Over the course of 22 episodes (12 in the first season, 10 in the second), viewers witness their very funny exploits as they struggle with their careers and love lives. Guest stars include John Hodgman, Aziz Ansar, Will Forte, John Turturro, Todd Barry, and Demetri Martin in the first season. Greg Proops, Jim Gaffigan, Kristen Wiig, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Patton Oswalt, Lucy Lawless and Seymour Cassel in the second season.

Two highlights of the series are Murray (Rhys Darby), the Deputy Cultural Attaché at the New Zealand consulate and their agent, and the band's only fan/stalker Mel (Kristen Schaal). Murray does his best, but causes equal amounts of harm to their career because he's not very bright. In "Sally," when talking about the turmoil that can be caused by dating someone a bandmate has already been with, he points to Fleetwood Mac until he remembers they "did make some of their best music back then." When Bret offers Rumours as an example, Murray deadpans "No, that's all true." Mel's obsession leads her to frequently show up at gigs, outside their home, and on their dates, which eventually begins to wear on her husband Doug (David Costabile).

It's unfortunate that Flight of the Conchords: The Complete Collection is already available, but many comedy series make the wise decision to stop while the fans still want more because the work is so good rather than running a franchise into the ground. This set provides hours of laughs and is well worth owning.

Flight of the Conchords - The Complete Second Season

Similar to Tenacious D, Flight of the Conchords (Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie) are a musical-comedy duo whose lack of success is chronicled in an HBO series. The second season is ten episodes, two less than the first, and has been nominated by the Emmy Awards for Best Comedy.

Jemaine and Bret play Jemaine and Bret, former shepherds from New Zealand trying to make it as a folk duo in New York. Their manager Murray (Rhys Darby), a Deputy Cultural Attaché at the New Zealand consulate, is rather inept and has trouble finding the boys work. Devjeet “Dave” Mohumbhai (Arj Barker) works at his parent’s pawnshop, although he denies he still lives with them, and offers advice to help the boys understand America and women. One woman that is easy for them to figure out is their lone fan/stalker Mel (Kristen Schaal) and her tolerant husband, Doug (David Costabile). However, they separate when Jemaine and Bret move in with them after being “Evicted.”

Flight of the Conchords is very funny and deals with unusual circumstances as the fellows struggle for success and love. When Brent buys “The New Cup” because they only have one to share, it throws them into serious debt. This leads them to consider prostitution, and the episode closes with a reggae-influenced song that brings to mind early Police and their hit “Roxanne”. There is also a hysterical pop/dance music video parody called “Sugar Lumps,” playing off Black Eyed Peas’ “My Humps.” In “Prime Minister” Jemaine begins dating a woman who is into him because he performs and dresses like Art Garfunkel.

Apparently Kiwis have issues with Australians and this plays out in the second season. Members of the Australian consulate harass Murray in “The Tough Brets.” Jemaine unknowingly sleeps with an Australian and is horrified, but continues to date her to the consternation of Brett and Murray in, what they would think was the appropriately titled, “Unnatural Love.”

There is a lot of talent involved with the series. Consulting producer and writer of “Love Is The Weapon of Choice,” Paul Simms, wrote for Late Night with David Letterman, The Larry Sanders Show, and created of NewsRadio. Michel Gondry directed “Unnatural Love,” and Taika Waititi, writer/director of Eagle vs. Shark, wrote and directed “Newzealandtown” and directed “Evicted.” Guest appearances included Greg Proops, Jim Gaffigan, Kristen Wiig, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Patton Oswalt. Lucy Lawless, and Seymour Cassel.

Special Features include “Flight of the Conchords: On Air” which covers the creation of the series, although some of the material is related to the first season. The three “Dave’s Pawn Shop Commercials” are funny, as are the “New Zealand Consulate Meetings with Murray & Greg.” There are also 25 minutes of deleted scenes and outtakes.

Fans will be happy to know HBO executives announced at the July 2009 Television Critics Association press tour that there’s an open offer to Clement and McKenzie for a third season of Flight of the Conchords.