The biggest problem with being a cutting-edge, crazy-sexy-cool TV show is that, five or six years after initially airing, a whiff of mustiness becomes inescapable. Those once zesty pop culture references are well and truly stale, dried out and clinging to the episodes like so many barnacles, dragging it down into irrelevance. Layer on some wildly pretentious camera-work, laughably serious dialogue and astronomical production costs (a reported $2.6 million per episode) and you've got the short-lived Fastlane.

The 22-episode series, which originally aired on Fox in late 2002 and into 2003, stars Peter Facinelli (who will forever be lodged in my mind as the dumb jock from Can't Hardly Wait, no matter what else he does -- no disrespect to Mr. Facinelli, incidentally) and Bill Bellamy as a pair of under-the-radar cops who, thanks to their roguish ways, gain access to the "Candy Store," an off-the-books warehouse run by Wilhelmina "Billie" Chambers (Tiffani Thiessen, droppin' the Amber, thanks very much). The "Candy Store" houses scads of illegal goodies, taken off of bad guys and saved, rather than auctioned. As Billie herself puts it in the pilot: "Everything we seize, we keep. Everything we keep, we use." Buffed-up boys, meet your sleek, 'spensive toys. The cops get to tread the line between good and evil, often going so far as to step over it a bit, and do so with panache.

It's not hard to see the similarities between this series and Miami Vice, another cops-under-deep-cover show that relied heavily on style but also managed to inject a bit of substance. Fastlane certainly throws enough cash at the screen, but struggles to get off the ground. As expected, just as Fastlane finds its groove, it's near the end of its run and to twist the knife a bit, fans are left hanging with a two-parter that remains unresolved.

At the very least, you'll know two or three episodes in if, what co-creator McG terms "cinematic television," is up your alley or not; it's a wobbly blend of pretty actors, snide one-liners and bad-ass action sequences that didn't -- and for the most part, still don't -- look like anything else on TV. And let's not even get into the glittering roster of guest stars: Everyone from George Hamilton to Mischa Barton pops up over the course of these 22 episodes, to varying degrees of success.

Fastlane is an intriguing mess, but one that looks phenomenal -- and the chemistry shared by Facinelli and Bellamy doesn't hurt either. As cop shows go, I found I enjoyed it far more than the usual, drab "Law & Order" procedural but that a little flash went a long way. Those who dug it when Fastlane first aired might get a little nostalgic thrill out of this set, but for those who skipped out on it, there isn't anything here that will cause you to re-consider.

Episodes are presented in the order they aired and are spread over six discs. The 23rd episode of Fastlane (otherwise known as the unaired pilot) is not included here. All six discs are housed in a clear plastic keepcase that has six separate, hinged hubs and fits snugly into a holofoil slipcover. As befits a show about glossy, buff cops, the package is very attractive.

I'll dive more fully into this particular topic below, but it merits mention for fans of the show that they should probably hold off purchasing this six-disc set. A disclaimer on the back of the set reads "some music differs from original televised version," which is just the beginning of this set's troubles. Having only caught a handful of the original airings, I can't speak to what has specifically been altered and wasn't able to turn anything up in my cursory research (any big Fastlane fans have any leads?). It's unfortunate that Warner Brothers and Fox didn't seize this opportunity to attempt to attract some new fans and grab a little extra cash in the process.

The Video:

Want proof that Warner Brothers and Fox could give a rat's ass about dumping Fastlane onto DVD? Look no further than the OK-but-far-from-great 1.33:1 fullscreen transfer, which -- according to several intrepid souls on the Internet Movie Database -- is altered from its original aspect ratio of 1.78:1 as broadcast on Fox in 2002-2003. Why on earth the series would be released (particularly with widescreen televisions being more prevalent rather than less prevalent now) in fullscreen is mystifying. What's worse is that the series, while insipid and dated, does look pretty great and would have likely benefited from a digital sprucing up and, um, a widescreen presentation. As it is, the colors tend to bleed a bit, there's some softness and a bit of grain, all of which is to say it's very disappointing but not unwatchable. I'm docking the set a star simply because of the bone-headed decision to release it fullscreen only.

Dumping a bit of salt in the wound, these 22 episodes limp onto DVD with just Dolby 2.0 soundtracks that get the job done, but certainly don't have the punch that a re-mastered Dolby Digital 5.1 track would. There are plenty of action sequences, pop songs and gritted-teeth passages of dialogue that could be spaced out over a 5.1 mix, but as with the visuals, Warner Brothers and Fox seemed content to simply toss it all onto shiny discs and get on with their lives. Optional English subtitles are also included.

Given the shoddy treatment when it comes to the rest of the set, it should come as no surprise that the bonus features are likewise slapdash and spread thin. The first disc houses nine minutes and 40 seconds of deleted/extended footage from the pilot (presented -- unbelievably -- in non-anamorphic widescreen). Incidentally, if you click the scissors icon on the episode screen, you'll also be taken to this deleted/extended footage. Skip all the way over to the sixth and final disc, where the rest of the supplements reside: The eight minute behind-the-scenes featurette "Hot Stuff: Inside the Candy Store" (presented in non-anamorphic widescreen) mixes new interviews with old to give a sense of the creative power in front of and behind the camera. The eight minute, four second featurette "Stunning Rides" explores the jaw-dropping automobiles employed throughout the series while the 12 minute, 16 second featurette "Smoking Stars" (presented in non-anamorphic widescreen) that explores the leading trio of actors and the beautiful people that surround them. The nine minute, two second featurette "Sizzling Action" (presented in non-anamorphic widescreen) details the often astonishing stunts glimpsed throughout all 22 episodes. The six minute featurette "Junk Yard" (presented in fullscreen) is a series' worth of outtakes and bloopers, with an episode guide tucked inside the case to round things off.

It's not hard to see the similarities between Fastlane and Miami Vice, another cops-under-deep-cover show that relied heavily on style but also managed to inject a bit of substance. Fastlane certainly throws enough cash at the screen, but struggles to get off the ground. As expected, just as Fastlane finds its groove, it's near the end of its run and to twist the knife a bit, fans are left hanging with a two-parter that remains unresolved. Add to that an extraordinarily shabby treatment on DVD and fans will be hard-pressed to consider purchasing it. The curious will do well to simply rent it.