Review: Look Around You Season 1 DVD

STUDIO: BBC/Warner | DIRECTOR: Tim Kirkby | CAST: Peter Serafinowicz, Robert Popper, Nigel Pampert, Josie D’Arby, Olivia Colman
RELEASE DATE: 7/20/2010 | PRICE: DVD $24.98
BONUSES: commentaries, pop-up videos, play-at-home quiz, additional music, more
SPECS: NR | 71 min. | Television comedy | 1.78:1 widescreen | Dolby Digital 2.0 | English subtitles

RATINGS (out of 5): Movie | Audio | Video | Overall

A parody of educational programs from the 1970s, Look Around You tackles such subjects as music, sulphur and the brain in a collection of nonsensical clips and experiments.

Television series creators Robert Popper (Hot Fuzz) and Peter Serafinowicz (Couples Retreat) star as Jack Morgan and a scientist, respectively, who present information about why ghosts can’t whistle and how germs originated from Germany, among other silly “facts.” Guest stars in the TV show include Simon Pegg (Run Fat Boy Run), Nick Frost (Hot Fuzz) and Sarah Alexander (Coupling) — it’s basically a who’s who in British programming.

Visually, the program is very sparse, keeping in line with the the simplicity and limited resources of most educational programs. In the beginning of each segment, narrator Nigel Lambert (TV’s Doctor Who) makes reference to certain chapters in a copy book, which of course viewers don’t have. But it all reinforces the realistic feel of the video.

There also are some funny features in the DVD supplements. For example, “Pages From Ceefax,” which is “the Internet of the 1970s,” contains a multitude of different sections — pop culture, sports, jokes — that will definitely elicit a chuckle.

Though subtle in its laughs, Look Around You will certainly appeal to those who enjoy nerd humor.

Buy or Rent LOOK AROUND YOU: SEASON 1
DVD	DVD	DVD