DISC ONE, SIDE A: BACK FROM THE DEAD AGAIN, SCOTT FREE, OVER THE EDGE, EXPOSED
DISC ONE, SIDE B: NIP AND TUCK, PAST SIM
DISC TWO, SIDE A: COLLATERAL DAMAGE, HAZARDS, FX, INDY SHOW
DISC TWO, SIDE B: GIGOLO JAROD, TOY SURPRISE
DISC THREE, SIDE A: A STAND UP GUY, UNFORGOTTEN, BULLETPROOF, SILENCE
DISC THREE, SIDE B: CRASH, RED ROCK JAROD
DISC FOUR, SIDE A: STOLEN, BANK
DISC FOUR, SIDE B: BLOODLINES PART 1 & 2
THE PRETENDER started to grow more as a show during the second season where the intrigue in The Centre and Jarod's quest
to find out who he is (and where his parents are) was more interesting than Jarod's mission to help people. He also tries
to help Miss Parker (who is sent to bring him back to The Centre) find out thE truth about the Centre and her mother's death.
Also adding to the tension are two new people who show up at the Centre: Mr. Lyle and Brigitte, who are also on thr trail
to capture Jarod. Sydney, Miss Parker, and Broots know they can't trust Lyle or Brigette. season 2 sets the building blocks
for season 3 and season 4. THE PRETENDER just improved with each season. Great acting, wonderful direction, and some
very twisted writing made the show last four seasons (and be loved by so many fans). Jarod and Miss Parker are
the emotional core of the show while Sydney is is the father that Jarod never had (since the Centre took him away from his
parents). Miss Parker wishes she didn't have to work for the Centre (some foreshadowing in TOY SURPRISE for developments
in season 3).
I hope the DVD sets sell well enough for FOX to make a couple of direct to video sequels to wrap up THE PRETENDER series
continuing from the four seasons and two TV movies. Then people will stop asking Michael T. Weiss if he HAS found
his mother yet or if Andrea has caught Jarod yet.
FAVORITE S2 EPISODES: EXPOSED, GIGOLO JAROD, TOY SURPRISE (where the Centre storyline is much more interesting than
Jarod's plot), RED ROCK JAROD, BANK, BLOODLINES
WORST EPISODE: UNFORGOTTEN
VIDEO: 1.78:1 (Anamorphic Widescreen)
The episodes do suffer from the same grain and aliasing problems present in the season one DVD. It is nice to see the show
in widescreen.
AUDIO: English 2.0 dolby surround, French 2.0 DS, Spanish 2.0 DS
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Audio on par with the season one release.
SPECIAL FEATURES: A Three Part Making Of Season 2 featurette is spread out over Side B of disc One, Two, and Three. They
focus on how the show grew and the themes of family and identity in certain episodes. Two episode commentaries were record
for this set. RED ROCK JAROD is with Craig W. Van Sickle, Steven Long Mitchell, and episode director Fred K. Keller.
The double length season finale BLOODLINES is with Craig W. Van Sickle, Steven Long Mitchell, Fred K. Keller, Michael T.
Weiss, and Andrea Parker. That second commentary is the funniest episode commentary I have ever heard on any TV on DVD release.
I hope Michael and Andrea recorded more episode commentaries together.
FINAL ANALYSIS: THE PRETENDER Season 2 DVD set is definitely one for the fans. I hope FOX improves the transfer work a
little more for season three and four. A few more extras might be better too.
this DVD Review is (c)9-17-2005 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. Send
all comments to lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com
