Ice Road Truckers has becomes something of a phenomenon for The History Channel. With the show's second season in full swing, the gripping tale about these truckers making their way through the barren ice roads of Canada stands as one of the most unique shows on television. Like other series such as Deadliest Catch, Ice Road Truckers takes a dangerous job that few of us know about and puts it out there for all to see. The end result is an entertaining production and look at the lives of people who have a lot of guts.

The first season hit DVD in November of last year but recently The History Channel released Ice Road Truckers: On and Off the Ice. This DVD is more like an accompaniment to the first season and it's something that is definitely designed with fans of the show in mind. If you watched the original outings then you already know that truckers Hugh, Alex, Rick, Jay, TJ, and Drew went through a lot and all of it was captured on film. One and Off the Ice is a nice collection of three specials that bring you back to the first season as the series revisits these personalities.

The nice thing about On and Off the Ice is that while it features clips from the original season it also offers a lot of new material. Interviews with the truckers and further information about the dangerous career are put on display here. Sure these specials could have been bonus features for the first season by anyone's standards but the disc is cheap enough so that fans of the show can easily add it to their collection. If you're remotely interested in the series and are looking at this DVD as a potential introduction to the show then you should know that there is some spoiler material. The truckers talk about a variety of things from the first season and elements of the show are discussed at length.

The first special on this disc is "The Ice Road: Now and Then". This episode takes a collection of clips from the season and puts them in the form of a documentary of sorts with information about ice road truckers and the history of the profession. Going from Yellowknife up to some diamond mines the road that is made across frozen lakes is as dangerous as you'd imagine. With interviews from legendary truckers to people who work around the industry there's quite a bit of interesting information here.

The second and third episodes ("Off the Ice 1 & 2") definitely feel more like they should have been bonus material for the season. With the trucking season having quieted down the guys from the first season all took the time to sit down in a diner with Steven Watson. Hugh, Alex, Rick, Jay, TJ, and Drew sit round table for a discussion about the show, their careers, and their goals. It's a deeply personal look at the lives of these guys and offers some insight into them that may not have come across during the show. One nice thing about this is that in both episodes they take questions from fans and talk about moments from the first season.

While the first episode here felt like it had more structure the remainder of the disc was decidedly more low-key. It was cool to have these guys who usually compete for business talk with each other about their jobs and you can see the mutual respect they have for one another. If you're a fan of Ice Road Truckers then On and Off the Ice will serve as a nice accompaniment to your enjoyment of the show. This really isn't a release for newcomers but those of you looking for more of a glimpse at the truckers from the first season will definitely appreciate the content.

Ice Road Truckers: On and Off the Ice is presented on DVD with full screen transfer that features non-anamorphic widescreen much like the first season's transfer. The picture quality is on par with what we've seen of the show so far. Depending on the footage the video ranges from good to fair with a mix of in studio shots, on the road clips, and archival material. Sometimes the image is crystal clear with sharp resolution and very minimal grain while other instances are blanketed with grain and softness. It's a mixed bag that isn't stellar by any means but it at least is identical to the show's broadcast.

Like the video quality, much of the same can be said about the audio. In studio recordings are fine with some nice clarity and definition but material from out on the road can be muted and muffled at times. If you're familiar with the show from television or have seen other History Channel releases on DVD then you pretty much know what to expect here. The 2.0 stereo presentation is suitable for the needs of this program but it's not anything to write home about.

Some textual biographies are included for the truckers from this season but there's no other bonus material available.

Ice Road Truckers: On and Off the Ice is a solid release that stands as a fine accompaniment to the first season of History Channel's successful show. The three specials here are quite interesting though if you're new to the series only the first is really worth while. The interview episodes are more like a nice retrospective of the season with the truckers and they provide more a personal look at the Polar Bears. At the end of the day this is a nice companion for your collection if you already own the first season but it doesn't really have the legs to stand on its own. As cheap as it is, this title is easily recommended for lovers of the show.

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