THE PLOT THUS FAR
En route to Paris from their home in Los Angeles, vacationing friends Melanie (Valerie Bertinelli), Victoria (Wendie Malick) and Joy (Jane Leeves) are forced to make a pit stop in Cleveland, where the locals think the trio is the hottest thing since deep-fried onion rings. Suddenly, Cleveland seems like a nice place to call home … and their rental house even comes with a feisty live-in caretaker (Betty White).
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“Hot in Cleveland” continues its throwback sitcom charm well into its second season. The show continues to capitalize on the hot appeal of Betty White, while making a workable show about menopausal women. It’s hard to see Valerie Bertinelli looking so hawt at age 50, while Eddie Van Halen looks more like a woman going through the change. The episodes are more of the same as the first season.
TVLand specializes in the old sitcoms, from the 60s and 70s. They broadcast quality shows, like MASH, All In The Family, Sanford & Son, The Jeffersons, The Andy Griffith Shiw, and many others. Their new, silly sitcoms like Hot In Cleveland, don’t belong on TVLand. I wish that they would see the light, and quit cluttering-up their programming, with these idiotic shows. Let the regular TV networks have them, since they broadcast such drivel nowadays anyhow.
The DVD comes with the pilot for “The Exes”, featurettes and bloopers. The Dolby 5.1 track is another winner from Paramount, as they continue to make their CBS/TV Land offerings really shine. The standard definition transfer is good enough, but it lacks any real punch-up. Still, it does what it needs for a mild domestic comedy. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase.
RELEASE DATE: 11/29/2011
