Situated at the more affable end of the MTV reality TV spectrum (cuddled up alongside the genuinely charming "Run's House" and the ostentatious but harmless "MTV Cribs"), Rob & Big is a goofy, occasionally gross but always warm-hearted look at the life of professional skateboard mogul Rob Dyrdek and his best friend/bodyguard Christopher "Big Black" Boykin. Billed as a "reality comedy," the series chronicles the exploits of these young and rich ne'er-do-wells who, along with trusty mascot Meat Bag (aka "Meaty"), indulge in all sorts of amusing misadventures.

Created by "Jackass" producer Jeff Tremaine, these 16 episodes follow the pair as they travel to Vancouver, party with Three 6 Mafia (you get a quick glimpse of fellow MTV reality star Tila Tequila in this particular episode), attempt to lose weight, hire an animal psychic, welcome a miniature horse into their lives, perform as male strippers and get ragged on by the Wall Street Journal. Amid all of the shenanigans, there is, of course, ample skate footage as Dyrdek is not shy about grabbing his board and hitting the streets.

It's an entertaining mix of vivid street skating footage and absolutely wacky ideas that, were they not occurring in what's presented as reality, be prime candidates for a TV sitcom. Rob and Big are appealing reality TV stars who don't compete for prizes or try to win the girl in a cutthroat dating competition -- they simply enjoy each other's company (oh, and Meaty's) and spend their days having fun. It's a formula so simple yet so elusive that you can't help but watch Rob & Big with a giant grin on your face.

All 16 episodes broadcast thus far are accounted for in this four-disc set, which features the first season (episodes one through five on disc one; episodes six through eight and special features on disc two) and the second season (episodes one through five on disc one; episodes six through eight and special features on disc two). The discs are housed in slimline cases which fit snugly inside a cardboard sleeve. On a final note, according to the series' Web site, season three of Rob & Big will begin airing Jan. 8 on MTV.

The Video:

Presented as originally broadcast on MTV, the first and second seasons of Rob & Big are offered in non-anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen. Since the show is shot on what appears to be digital video, the visual quality is iffy at times, but aside from the occasional motion artifact, it's not abysmal, simply adequate.

Again, presented as originally broadcast on MTV, Rob & Big lands on DVD with a clean, clear Dolby 2.0 stereo track that's available in two flavors: censored or uncensored. The fellas aren't exactly a foul-mouthed lot, but the occasional profanity slips through now and again. The aural end of things is in much better shape than the visual.

Aside from oddly censored yet highly entertaining commentary tracks on every episode (featuring Dyrdek, Boykin, Tremaine and producer Ruben Fleischer), the supplements are confined to discs two and four for this dual-season set. The first season's bonus features include 23 deleted scenes (each of which opens with an annoying title screen; playable separately or all together for an aggregate of 19 minutes, four seconds); three minutes, 26 seconds of "Special Meaty Puppy Footage," which is essentially outtakes from the pilot episode; the 30 minute, four second featurette "Rob & Big: 'The Real Deal'"; eight skate tutorials that teach you how to pull off everything from a frontside boardslide to a backside nose grind and seven interview segments (playable separately or all together for 28 minutes, 22 seconds) essentially edited out of certain episodes - although, curiously, there's a bit of repetition between this extra and "The Real Deal."

The second season's bonus features include 12 deleted scenes (playable separately or all together for an aggregate of 16 minutes, three seconds); the three minute, 28 second music video for Rob -- I mean, Bobby Light's "Dirty Girl"; two minutes, six seconds of "Special Mini Footage"; three minutes, 40 seconds of "Special Uncle Jerry Footage"; the 20 minute "highlight show" "Best of Season 2" and the pair's six minute, 58 second appearance on "MTV Cribs."

Rob & Big is an entertaining mix of vivid street skating footage and absolutely wacky ideas that, were they not occurring in what's presented as reality, be prime candidates for a TV sitcom. Rob and Big are appealing reality TV stars who don't compete for prizes or try to win the girl in a cutthroat dating competition -- they simply enjoy each other's company (oh, and Meaty's) and spend their days having fun. It's a formula so simple yet so elusive that you can't help but watch Rob & Big with a giant grin on your face. Recommended.