The Moodys Collection (2014)

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General		Extras
Category	Comedy	Audio Commentary-2 epsiodes Featurette-Behind The Scenes Featurette-Making Of
Rating
Year Of Production	2014
Running Time	419
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Ads Then Menu
Region Coding	4	Directed By	None Given
Studio Distributor	ABC Roadshow Home Entertainment	Starring	Ian Meadows Patrick Brammall Rachel Gordon Phil Lloyd Danny Adcock Tina Bursill David Field Darren Gilshenan Sacha Horler Jane Harber Guy Edmonds
Case	Slip Case
RPI	$39.95	Music	None Given

Video		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	None	English Dolby Digital 2.0
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	1.78:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	576i (PAL)
Original Aspect Ratio	1.78:1	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	English for the Hearing Impaired	Smoking	No
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	No

     Comedy has always been a mainstay of Australian television especially the ABC. One of the newer Australian comedy series is set around a family called The Moodys. So far there have been two separate series about the family. The first from 2012 was called A Moody Christmas and was set across six years of family Christmas celebrations. The second from 2014 is called The Moodys and is set across one year of 8 various family celebrations and events such as an Easter Holiday together, birthdays, weddings, Australia Day BBQ and more. This release, The Moodys Collection gathers both series into one two disc set. They are also available separately, however, this combined set seems to be an ABC shop exclusive.

     The series revolves around a dysfunctional Australian family where the parents are nearing retirement age and the children are the age of adults if not always actually acting like adults. The series is set in the suburbs of Sydney, at a guess somewhere in the southern/eastern suburbs like Kensington or Maroubra. The main family members (who appear in both series) are,

• Dan (Ian Meadows) - The younger son. He is a photographer who at the start of the first series lives in London. His return home for Christmas each year drives the events of the first series. His English girlfriend leaves him at Heathrow in the first episode meaning that he returns home alone. He is easily led by his older brother, however, he is probably one of the saner members of the family.
• Sean (Patrick Brammall) - Dan's older brother. He has had 30 small businesses in 6 years, all of them disastrously unsuccessful and usually involving his best mate, Scotty. He is annoying, juvenile, a bully and relies on his family to give him a place to live. Great character who causes a lot of the problems for the family.
• Bridget Quail (Rachel Gordon) - Dan & Sean's sister who starts the first series married to the obviously gay Roger Quail (series writer/creator Phil Lloyd). Bridget is desperate to have a baby.
• Kevin Moody (Danny Adcock) - The father of the three above. He is a successful small businessman and very happily married. Sean drives him crazy with his antics. He means well but tends to start things he doesn't finish.
• Maree Moody (Tina Bursill) - The mother of the three and wife of Kevin. She is pretty long suffering and Scotty has a bit of an obsession with her. Maree's brother, Rhys (David Field) is an irregular character due to his being a guest of her majesty at times.
• Terry Moody (Darren Gilshenan) - Comedy gold character. Kevin's younger brother who is a bachelor and has been very unlucky in love. During the first series he brings a number of different women to Christmas, usually Russian. He works for customs at the airport and has an unhealthy obsession which choosing which route is the best one to take to any destination. In the second series he forms a relationship with a co-worker, Yvonne (Sacha Horler).
• Cora Benson (Jane Harber) - Cora comes to the first Christmas with cousin, Hayden Roberts (Guy Edmonds) but quickly an attraction develops between her and Dan, resulting eventually in them starting a relationship much to Hayden's annoyance.

    The show is very funny with a good combination of 'comedy of the uncomfortable' and some fun satire of Australian families and society. It is well put together and well written. The second season is probably even stronger than the first with many hilarious moments.

     Highly Recommended.

Video

     The video quality is good but not without issue.

     The series are presented in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio which is the original aspect ratio, 16x9 enhanced.

     The picture was reasonably clear and sharp throughout. Shadow detail is very good.

     The colour is pretty good without being spectacular.

     There was some minor motion blur.

     There are subtitles in English for the Hearing Impaired which were clear and easy to read.

    There is an obvious layer change on Disc 1.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

     The audio quality is good.

     The discs contain an English soundtrack in Dolby Digital 2.0. The soundtrack does the job without setting the world on fire.

     Dialogue was clear and easy to understand throughout.

     The music is good suiting the natural nature of the show. It especially stands out during some family montages.

     The surround speakers and subwoofer were not used.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

     Some decent extras.

Menu

     The menu was still and silent.

Disc 1

Commentary - Episode 1

     The better of the two commentaries by Trent O'Donnell (Writer/Director) and Ian Meadows. They chat about production design, locations, the cast, tell some on-set anecdotes and bring up some trivia. Well worth a listen.

Commentary - Episode 3

     A commentary by Phil Lloyd (Writer/Creator/Actor) and Patrick Brammall. They chat about shootings, locations and other topics but try to be funny instead of informative. It can be a bit slow at times.

Behind the Scenes (23:41)

     A jokey and self-deprecating behind the scenes featurette that includes cast interviews and on-set footage. Not bad.

Disc 2

The Making of The Moodys (6:29)

     Pretty standard making of which quickly covers the new settings, production design, the characters, use of improvisation and the writing process.

    This set is only available locally at the moment.

    The video quality is good.

    The audio quality is good.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall