The Odd Couple - The Second Season (1970)

retooled for laughter . . .

A one camera setup was used in the first season of The Odd Couple, and the look of the episodes shot inside the New York apartment set was tight, almost claustrophobic at times. Stars Tony Randall and Jack Klugman felt the setup cramped their style and retarded their creativity. For the second season, the program was filmed on an entirely new set, before a live audience, using three cameras. As a result, The Odd Couple was a wide open look and feel, with smooth transitional shots now possible. It is a huge improvement, and the two stars display new energy in their performances, taking their comedy to a higher and more physical level. In one episode, Oscar is showing Felix how to play football, and a nimble Randall leapfrogs over Klugman while he is down in a football stance. Another time Felix does a headstand, then kips up on a desk, finishing with flurry of pushups in an impressive display of physical fitness. Oscar isn't as physically active, but when properly motivated, you can find him running around the living room exercising a greyhound.

While much activity is still centered around apartment life, the boys get out and about town too. The circle of characters really opens up to more than just the boys over for a poker game. With Felix's ex-wife Gloria (Janice Hansen), and Oscar's ex-wife Blanche (Brett Sommers), both being featured prominently in various episodes. Dr. Nancy Cunningham (Joan Hotchkis) is Oscar's steady girlfriend, and Al Molinaro is back as Murray the cop. For this season, Pamlyn Ferdin is Felix's daughter Edna, and Penny Marshall makes her first appearance as Oscar's Secretary Myrna.

Notable guest stars include Pat Morita, John Fiedler, Joan Van Ark, Vito Scotti, and Hal Smith. The eclectic parade of celebrity guest stars that would become an Odd Couple trademark begins with the likes of opera singer Richard Fredericks, and comedian David Steinberg.

Highlights include `The Fat Farm', where the guys head to a retreat to lose weight, `Security Arms', where they move into a high-security building, and `Partner's Investment' which features Felix and Oscar toiling in a Japanese restaurant.

This is a great season, rich with diversity and expansive character development. There is a lot going on. The plots have moved beyond early clichés, like Felix's bad back going out, and Oscar's frequent threats to kick Felix out on the street. From here, the stage is set for even better things to come. The only downside is that unlike the Season One set, which had a bonus disc and various commentary tracks, Season Two has absolutely no extras.
June 18, 2008

Just not as funny as it seemed 30 years ago

I loved The Odd Couple as a kid, and then as a twenty something watching on the old WPIX-11 in NY. TV has gotten much better in the last twenty decades - the writing and humor is just not that funny in this series. We can pretend otherwise, but that's my view and the views of a number of other people who watched some of the episodes with me and my family.
May 10, 2008

Laugh til you drop

Fine product, great DVD. Clear picture. This 2 were a perfect match for this show. Absolutley hilarious. Buyit. You'll watch it over and over again, I promise. Good, clean, masterful comedy at its best. May 5, 2008

The Power of Two

I remember "The Odd Couple" when I was growing up in the 1970s. Years later in the 1990s, I would watch it in reurns around midnight when I was coming home from the 3-11 shift. Somewhere along the line, it faded away from being on TV. Once in a great while TVland might air a rerun around 3:00 AM, but that's about all I've seen of "The Odd Couple" lately.

I bought this DVD set recently and have viewed four episodes. I have come to realize that "The Odd Couple" is probably one of my favorite TV shows of all time. The story lines are not always incredibly profound; but the powerful element of the show is the chemistry bewteen Jack Klugman and Tony Randall. These two guys are just perfect together. They are both brilliant actors of stage, movies and telvision; and together they are even greater than the sum of their individual talent.

Klugman and Randall are an ensamble of two who more than live up to the original and outstanding "Odd Couple" movie pair (Walter Mathau and Jack Lemmon). This, of course, was no easy accomplishment. I think it is because Klugman and Randall were such talented dramatic actors that they were able to make this show so inviting and funny. Their comedic timing is always flawless. Even in the episodes where the story is weaker, Klugman and Randall never lose that certain tension, energy, and underlying affection for one another. I also think that it was, indeed, the geniune friendship between Klugman and Randall that gave the show a certain warmth.

I do not plan to use up all these episodes at once. I'm savouring the experience by only watching one or two per week. April 19, 2008

I Love IT!!!!!!!!

I can see these shows over and over again and laugh every time! I can recommend this dvd to anyone who loves comedy. Great Show!!!! April 11, 2008

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