Paramount // 2006 // 122 Minutes // Not Rated
Reviewed by Judge David Johnson // April 26th, 2006
Awesome shows for teens! (Written by middle-aged bald men?)
Five shows, 122 minutes of programming -- but where's the damn green slime?
Another day, another collection of Nickelodeon original programming. This go-around brings us a sample of five different shows from the "TEENick" branch of the network. As can be deduced from the clever title, these shows are tuned toward the teenaged demographic.
Zoey 101
* "Prank Week"
This show revolves
around of girls who are the first crop of females to attend Pacific Coast
Academy, formerly an all-boys boarding school that has just recently opened its
doors to the gentler sex, and stars Jamie Lynn Spears as the titular character,
who looks like a clone of her big sister Britney. This episode has Zoey and her
pals embroiled in a prank war with the boys. But when the escapades get out of
hand, Zoey finds herself facing expulsion.
Drake and Josh
* "We're Married"
So, I guess
these two guys Drake and Josh (played by Drake Bell and Josh Peck, respectively)
are step-brothers and they get into all kinds of wacky hijinks. This show has
Drake meeting his international; e-pal for the first time, and it turns out
she's an Eastern European hottie. Well, one goofy misunderstanding leads to
another, and in an attempt to recreate a friendship ceremony from her culture,
the boys accidentally put together a marriage ceremony! Wah wah waaaaaaaa.
Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide
* "Computer
Labs/Backpacks"
Ned Bigby (Devon Werkheiser) is just trying to get
through junior high in one piece. To do this, he's developed his own school
survival guide, which he dips into to spotlight two elements each episode. This
installment brings us the dos and don'ts of computer lab usage and what makes a
good backpack.
Romeo!
* "Good Press"
Romeo! tells the
story of Romeo (rapper Lil' Romeo) and his pals as they try to embark on an
embryonic music career. Romeo must balance his aspirations to fame in the music
business with life as a confused teenaged boy. In this episode, he and his
long-time friend Peyton decide to officially become "boyfriend and
girlfriend," and during a radio interview, Romeo, at the behest of his
manager, denies having a girlfriend. Now he must deal with the relationship
fallout of his deception.
Unfabulous
* "The Little Sister"
Emma Roberts
stars as Addie Singer, a middle school girl trying to make her way through life.
She has a big brother named Ben, who was legend in school, and she is constantly
trying to individualize herself, and creep out from his imposing shadow. Here,
she is determined to do something that Ben has never done -- write her own
"kick-butt" newspaper column. But an embarrassing typo leads to
widespread humiliation.
I've got fond memories of some of Nickelodeon's earliest endeavors at live-action, teen-oriented programming: The Adventures of Pete and Pete, Salute Your Shorts, and Are You Afraid of the Dark? were pretty dope. I thought Clarissa Explains it All was pure crap, but no network can bat a thousand. The episodes on this disc represent the first time I've been exposed to any of these series, and are, as tradition dictates, a mixed bag. Here's my ranking, from favorite to least-favorite:
* "Computer Lab/Backpacks"
Original and amusing, this
episode of Ned's Declassified sports likable characters and a non-linear,
assemblage of sketches that I reckon would resonate with junior high dwellers
everywhere. Plus, Jim J. Bullock is in it!
* "The Little Sister"
Emma Roberts is a charmer, and the
gags worked well enough. The lack of a half-assed laugh track was
appreciated.
* "Prank Week"
I could see how kids might be attracted to
the hip dudes and dudettes of Pacific Coast Academy. Still, there's a big cheese
factor going on here, though the final shot of a statue peeing is pretty
funny.
* "We're Married"
Err, I'm not feeling the Drake and
Josh vibe. Canned laughs, lame sitcom tactics, and a pair of protagonists
that irritated me characterize this mediocre episode. Plus, the accidental
wedding has been done to death and the resolution of the problem is the
definition of "cop-out."
* "Good Press"
Sorry Romeo, but this is one star-crossed,
boring show.
As for the disc itself, nothing surprising: just previews for extras, full frame, 2.0 stereo -- you know the drill.
An uneven selection of episodes, but fans of TEENick likely won't mind
Not guilty. I'm in a good mood.
Review content copyright © 2006 David Johnson; Site layout and review format copyright © 1998 - 2009 HipClick Designs LLC
Scales of Justice
Video: 85
Audio: 85
Extras: 50
Acting: 80
Story: 80
Judgment: 80
Perp Profile
Studio: Paramount
Video Formats:
* Full Frame
Audio Formats:
* Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo (English)
Subtitles:
* English
Running Time: 122 Minutes
Release Year: 2006
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distinguishing Marks
* Previews
Accomplices
* TEENick Web Site
http://www.nick.com/all_nick/specials/teenick/