The first thing you'll notice about Mind of Mencia is how closely it resembles the late, great Chappelle's Show; Carlos himself sees this, parodying the show's stark white opening with his own version on the very first episode. The blend of abrasive stand-up, combined with man-on-the-street interviews and skits, is hardly a new formula but often comes off as "Chappelle Light"---not that it's less edgy or offensive, but it seems more like a half-hearted replacement for the wildly popular series than its own entity. Mencia is a charismatic host in his own right, as even the rawest material in his playbook doesn't make the audience feel uncomfortable.

Even so, there's a great deal of material here than seems to fall flat. Much of Carlos' stand-up would be funnier if it didn't rely on such dated topics: for example, his rants on post-9/11 security and Michael Jackson may have been easier to digest several years ago, but they feel strangely out of place here; in fact, I wouldn't have been surprised if Mencia pulled out a bloody glove at some point. The skits themselves aren't too bad, though it's a good rule of thumb that the less scripted they feel, the better they play out. The man-on-the-street interviews are often the funniest of the bunch, offering plenty of add-libbing and colorful characters. It's here where Mind of Mencia seems to work the best.

As a whole, though, Mind of Mencia is very uneven, mostly due to the way it limits itself. You can only hear so many racial and retard jokes before you're ready to move on to meatier material, but that's something that the show rarely provides. Perhaps future seasons of the show will expand the material; for now, Carlos is using broad strokes to paint himself into a corner quickly. Included here are 12 episodes that comprise the first season of Mind of Mencia, listed below for your convenience.

Presented in their original 1.33:1 aspect ratio, these 12 episodes aren't glossy or slick but still look very good overall. There don't seem to be any digital problems (edge enhancement, etc.) to speak of, while the colors on display are bold and bright. The 2.0 audio mix is roughly the same quality---nothing to write home about, but certainly good enough to get the job done. No subtitle options have been provided, though the episodes support Closed Captioning.

Disc Two includes several extra "Gene Simmons' Words of Wisdom" segments (3:27, above left) and stand-alone Mencia Moments (1:53), which appear to be promotional clips for the series. Also here are a few additional "You Can Say Anything" segments (1:26), as well as a short collection of Bloopers (2:07, above right). Closing out the bonus features is a series of Additional Scenes (16:36, oddly titled "Extras" on the menu), which consist of several alternate takes and a bit of unaired stand-up material.

Those who can't get enough of this series will enjoy this 2-disc set, but it's a bit too hit-or-miss to recommend as a blind buy (though the low price may be tempting). You'll certainly laugh a few times, just not as hard or as often as you might have during the superior Not for the Easily Offended and the like. The DVD offers a fine technical presentation and a few mildly interesting bonus materials, but again, it's mainly geared for those who've seen and enjoyed the show on TV already. Rent It.