Flight of the Conchords - The Complete First Season
Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie â€" a.k.a. Flight of the Conchords â€" may be “New Zealand’s 4th Most Popular Folk Parody Duo,” but in the USA, finding someone who knows their act is about as easy as finding a kiwi nest in Central Park. To rectify this oversight, Jemaine and Bret have moved to New York’s East Village to conquer America, one fan (literally) at a time.
Unlike most HBO series, Flight of the Conchords does not want to set the world on fire. It is droll and deadpan to beat the band. If you like Tenacious D, They Might Be Giants, Jonathan Richman, Leningrad Cowboys Go America, and silly Pythonian wordplay, then its off-center charms will definitely strike a resonant chord. The Conchords are comprised of funky, funny folk duo Bret McKenzie and mutton-chopped Jemaine Clement, transplanted New Zealanders trying to make it in New York. Brett, their incompetent manager, Murray (Rhys Darby) notes, has "the right attitude," while Jemaine has "what I like to call, 'the wrong attitude.'" (Murray, who works out of the New Zealand consulate, makes the clueless agent in Extras look like Ari Gold.) Stardom eludes the band. They have one fan, Mel (Kristin Schaal), whose seething husband chaperones her while she stalks them (by season's end, even she will desert them). Financially strapped, they live in squalor and are forced to film a music video with a cell-phone camera. The dense Jemaine is a damper on Brett's love life (he derisively calls Coco, Brett's new girlfriend, "Yoko"). But from their mundane lives springs their inspired music, and it is during each episode's musical numbers that Conchords really takes flight. Sample lyrics: "You're so beautiful / You could be a hostess in the '60s"; and "I'm not crying / It's just been raining / On my face." Another mad highlight is "Bowie to Bowie" in the episode in which Brett is visited by visions of Bowie in his various career incarnations (portrayed by a dead-on Clement). But the dialogue, too, sings with an inspired, surreal lunacy. One exchange between Brett and Murray degenerates into a chicken-egg discussion over a job vs. a gig. HBO has renewed Flight of the Conchords for a second season. Bravo! As a greeting-card executive (The Daily Show's John Hodgman), who wants to license one of their tracks, tells the duo, "I believe in potential. I can see it in you guys." --Donald Liebenson
Flight of the Conchords - The Complete First Season Accessories
 The Distant Future
Flight of the Conchords
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - Seasons 1 & 2
Eagle vs. Shark
30 Rock - Season 1
Tongan Ninja
Flight Of The Conchords Poster Print, 24x36
Extras - The Complete Second Season
Extras - The Complete Series (Includes Series Finale)
Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Sixth Season
Flight of the Conchords - The Complete First Season Reviews
The humor here is very dry and delivered in an extremely deadpan manner, so fans of broadbrush or slapstick comedy may not find this to their tastes. If you like offbeat, bizarre comedy, "Flight of the Conchords" is well worth checking out. Another favorite was the episode where Bret was haunted by visions of David Bowie in his sleep with hilarious results, and the final episode featuring a guest spot by the wonderful Demetri Martin.
People who like wry and intelligent humor will love it. The DVD set is well worth owning, but a major complaint is the total absence of extras in a series this recent. Each episode features a couple of short music videos, all of which are over-the-top funny, and are the antithesis of conventional musical productions (thank goodness).
The duo is more funky than any folk singers have ever been, and find themselves in a variety of Spinal Tap-esque situations involving the band, their one fan, Mel, and their incompetent manager, Murray. I was especially amused by the episode where the guys were discriminated against by a fruit cart owner because they are New Zealanders ("I don't want our customers complaining that our fruit tastes like New Zealanders.") It couldn't have been resolved better than when the vendor discovers that he was confusing Australians and New Zealanders, ultimately befriending the guys in a horrible case of mistaken identity. "Flight of the Conchords" is a quirky, deadpan HBO series about a pair of New Zealanders, Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement, trying to break into the New York music scene.
This is a hilarious and innovative comedy by two upcoming stars from New Zealand. They are dry, witty, and memorable (my personal favorite is the unforgettable binary solo in the robot song). And I am sure it will have a cult following. Their ridiculous song lyrics (2 to 3 short songs per episode) cannot be further away from musicals. Their dry sense of humor highlights (and exaggerates) much of what goes on in the male mind. You will watch this over and over again.
It may be the funniest thing you've seen in a very long time. It's perfect for us folks that grew up in the 80s, or folks that just love music in general. or you may not get it. It has a quirky (dorky) sense of humor and hilarious music video-like segments inserted into the episodes. This show is the kind of show that you'll know whether or not you like after the first episode. The cool thing about their music is that the songs aren't parodies of actual songs.but more like parodies of entire genres of music/music videos.
It's definitely a show worth watching and re-watching (it's still funny every time). It will either instantly resonate with you and your sense of humor. In my opinion, this show and the songs in it are expertly crafted works of comic genius. and the music really does get inside your head. It's almost like "Seinfeld meets Weird Al". So rather than take my word for it, do yourself a favor and check out the first episode for yourself.
We watched the whole season in 2 nights. These guys are hilarious. Super funny and super entertaining.
These guys are just classic funny. Subtle, but funny. No bonus stuff on the DVD which was kind of disappointing. Great session 1, I really hope they make a second session.
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