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Mile High - Season 2, Vol. 1
Koch Vision // Unrated // June 12, 2007
List Price: $49.98 [Buy now and save at Amazon]
Review:
Last year, Fox put out a series called, "The Loop", about the mis-adventures of the youngest airline executive trying to balance a personal life with his friends and a demanding job. The series was smart, funny and - aside from "Arrested Development" - probably one of the best things that Fox has done in a while. So, what did Fox do? They changed the timeslot a bunch of times and then waited over a year before putting the show on again in the Summer. When the show comes back, it's been retooled to oblivion, with two main characters gone without explanation. The series was gotten rid of, as it was run as many as three times during its regular night.
The BBC series "Mile High" (2003-2005) is sort of like a little bit of the "The Loop" crossed with a lot the Gwyneth Paltrow movie "View From the Top", but British and naughty. The series takes a look at the workers (who all look like models) of British airline Fresh! (don't forget the !), who spend their time trying to get into each other's pants and occasionally, into those of the passengers. And, when they're not trying to fool around with other people, they're partying whereever the flights take them.
The characters consist of newer attendant Marco Bailey (Tom Wisdom), gay attendant Will (Adam Sinclair, very funny), who is quick with a scheme but whose broken engagement to a wealthy older woman costs him; Lehann (Naomi Ryan), who is taking care of a child; Jack Fields (John Pickard), who screws things up with his friends and girl and digs a deeper hole; Janis (Jo-Anne Knowles, who looks like the British version of Jane Kaczmarek, from "Malcolm in the Middle"), as the bitchy head attendant, Jack's sister, Poppy (Stacey Cadman), new attendant Charlotte (Sarah Farooqui), ditzy attendant Lorna (Katy Edwards), attendant Rachel (Emma-Jane Portch), Captain Nigel Croker (Christopher Villiers), Captain Dan Peterson (Luke Roberts) and others. The series has what seems like about twenty characters, but manages to integrate them into each episode well.
While the series is generally a flight of fantasy (in one episode, while a plane is being fixed, the female flight attendants decide to sun topless on the wing), there's the occasional bit of drama to bring things back down to Earth: one multi-episode drama early on has Lehann getting busted for drugs she unknowingly took off the plane after they were ditched by another attendant. Later in this first half of the season, Fresh! gets bought by fellow carrier Goldstar, a merger the purchasing company soon regrets when Will comes up with a plan for the Fresh! folks to keep their jobs. Still, the remainder of the season continues the conflict between the Fresh crew and their new fellow workers.
"Mile High" is a fast-paced (episodes are 45 minutes, but feel like about half that) series that mixes a bit of mild drama with breezy, sexy comedy. The series is light overall, but the series does a nice job of not making things so light that things threaten to float off. The series isn't highbrow BBC fare; it's lowbrow, sleazy at times (the characters cheat, double cross, scheme and try various plots to make extra cash on their flight) and rather shallow, but it's mostly well-done trashy fun. Just to keep things from becoming too sleazy or soapy, there's occasionally a moving moment or plotline.
The performances are mostly good, although Cadman makes a particularly good impression as Poppy, who joins the airline to follow after Marco, then finds herself enjoying the work and the people. The only actor who I didn't care for was Wisdom, who's the only one without any sort of personality. Some characters do depart during this second and last season, as well.
This volume includes the first half of the second season:
Season 2
15. 2- 1 22 Feb 04 Episode 1
16. 2- 2 29 Feb 04 Episode 2
17. 2- 3 7 Mar 04 Episode 3
18. 2- 4 14 Mar 04 Episode 4
19. 2- 5 21 Mar 04 Episode 5
20. 2- 6 28 Mar 04 Episode 6
21. 2- 7 4 Apr 04 Episode 7
22. 2- 8 5 Sep 04 Episode 8
23. 2- 9 12 Sep 04 Episode 9
24. 2-10 19 Sep 04 Episode 10
25. 2-11 26 Sep 04 Episode 11
26. 2-12 3 Oct 04 Episode 12
27. 2-13 10 Oct 04 Episode 13
The DVD
VIDEO: "Mile High" is presented by Koch Vision in 1.33:1 full-frame. Presentation quality is fine, if nothing to write home about. Sharpness and detail vary, with the picture looking rather soft at worst and mildly crisp at best. Some minor artifacting is spotted at times, as is some slight edge enhancement. However, the elements look to be in fine shape, aside from what looks to be some stock footage that doesn't look as smooth and crisp as the rest. Colors look bright and vibrant throughout, with nice saturation and only a few minor instances of smearing.
SOUND: The show's stereo soundtrack remained crisp and clear throughout, with no distortion or other issues. The accents may be a bit tough here-and-there, but most should have no trouble.
EXTRAS: Nothing.
Final Thoughts: A set of flawed characters trying to navigate relationships and steer themselves through the daily grind (both personally and professionally), "Mile High" is trashy fun. The DVD presentation doesn't offer particularly great audio/video quality or extras, but it's still recommended for fans and a recommended rental for those new to the show.
Last year, Fox put out a series called, "The Loop", about the mis-adventures of the youngest airline executive trying to balance a personal life with his friends and a demanding job. The series was smart, funny and - aside from "Arrested Development" - probably one of the best things that Fox has done in a while. So, what did Fox do? They changed the timeslot a bunch of times and then waited over a year before putting the show on again in the Summer. When the show comes back, it's been retooled to oblivion, with two main characters gone without explanation. The series was gotten rid of, as it was run as many as three times during its regular night.
The BBC series "Mile High" (2003-2005) is sort of like a little bit of the "The Loop" crossed with a lot the Gwyneth Paltrow movie "View From the Top", but British and naughty. The series takes a look at the workers (who all look like models) of British airline Fresh! (don't forget the !), who spend their time trying to get into each other's pants and occasionally, into those of the passengers. And, when they're not trying to fool around with other people, they're partying whereever the flights take them.
The characters consist of newer attendant Marco Bailey (Tom Wisdom), gay attendant Will (Adam Sinclair, very funny), who is quick with a scheme but whose broken engagement to a wealthy older woman costs him; Lehann (Naomi Ryan), who is taking care of a child; Jack Fields (John Pickard), who screws things up with his friends and girl and digs a deeper hole; Janis (Jo-Anne Knowles, who looks like the British version of Jane Kaczmarek, from "Malcolm in the Middle"), as the bitchy head attendant, Jack's sister, Poppy (Stacey Cadman), new attendant Charlotte (Sarah Farooqui), ditzy attendant Lorna (Katy Edwards), attendant Rachel (Emma-Jane Portch), Captain Nigel Croker (Christopher Villiers), Captain Dan Peterson (Luke Roberts) and others. The series has what seems like about twenty characters, but manages to integrate them into each episode well.
While the series is generally a flight of fantasy (in one episode, while a plane is being fixed, the female flight attendants decide to sun topless on the wing), there's the occasional bit of drama to bring things back down to Earth: one multi-episode drama early on has Lehann getting busted for drugs she unknowingly took off the plane after they were ditched by another attendant. Later in this first half of the season, Fresh! gets bought by fellow carrier Goldstar, a merger the purchasing company soon regrets when Will comes up with a plan for the Fresh! folks to keep their jobs. Still, the remainder of the season continues the conflict between the Fresh crew and their new fellow workers.
"Mile High" is a fast-paced (episodes are 45 minutes, but feel like about half that) series that mixes a bit of mild drama with breezy, sexy comedy. The series is light overall, but the series does a nice job of not making things so light that things threaten to float off. The series isn't highbrow BBC fare; it's lowbrow, sleazy at times (the characters cheat, double cross, scheme and try various plots to make extra cash on their flight) and rather shallow, but it's mostly well-done trashy fun. Just to keep things from becoming too sleazy or soapy, there's occasionally a moving moment or plotline.
The performances are mostly good, although Cadman makes a particularly good impression as Poppy, who joins the airline to follow after Marco, then finds herself enjoying the work and the people. The only actor who I didn't care for was Wisdom, who's the only one without any sort of personality. Some characters do depart during this second and last season, as well.
This volume includes the first half of the second season:
Season 2
15. 2- 1 22 Feb 04 Episode 1
16. 2- 2 29 Feb 04 Episode 2
17. 2- 3 7 Mar 04 Episode 3
18. 2- 4 14 Mar 04 Episode 4
19. 2- 5 21 Mar 04 Episode 5
20. 2- 6 28 Mar 04 Episode 6
21. 2- 7 4 Apr 04 Episode 7
22. 2- 8 5 Sep 04 Episode 8
23. 2- 9 12 Sep 04 Episode 9
24. 2-10 19 Sep 04 Episode 10
25. 2-11 26 Sep 04 Episode 11
26. 2-12 3 Oct 04 Episode 12
27. 2-13 10 Oct 04 Episode 13
The DVD
VIDEO: "Mile High" is presented by Koch Vision in 1.33:1 full-frame. Presentation quality is fine, if nothing to write home about. Sharpness and detail vary, with the picture looking rather soft at worst and mildly crisp at best. Some minor artifacting is spotted at times, as is some slight edge enhancement. However, the elements look to be in fine shape, aside from what looks to be some stock footage that doesn't look as smooth and crisp as the rest. Colors look bright and vibrant throughout, with nice saturation and only a few minor instances of smearing.
SOUND: The show's stereo soundtrack remained crisp and clear throughout, with no distortion or other issues. The accents may be a bit tough here-and-there, but most should have no trouble.
EXTRAS: Nothing.
Final Thoughts: A set of flawed characters trying to navigate relationships and steer themselves through the daily grind (both personally and professionally), "Mile High" is trashy fun. The DVD presentation doesn't offer particularly great audio/video quality or extras, but it's still recommended for fans and a recommended rental for those new to the show.
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