DVD Review: The Red Green Show: The Delinguent Years (1997-1999)

The long running Red Green Show was hands down one of the funniest programs of the past 20 years. I think the only thing that stopped it from attaining mass commercial success in the United States was the fact that it was a Canadian series, shown mainly on PBS here. Talk to anyone who tuned in during that original run, and their eyes tend to glaze over. The Red Green Show was a true cult classic.

The Acorn Media Company have been issuing full seasons of The Red Green Show in three-season, nine-DVD box sets. The first, The Red Green Show: The Infantile Years 1991 - 1993 covered seasons one, two and three. Next came The Toddlin’ Years 1994 - 1996, which held seasons four, five, and six. The latest edition is The Delinquent Years 1997 - 1999, featuring all 47 episodes produced for seasons seven, eight, and nine.

Altogether, The Delinquent Years features 19 and a half hours of classic Red Green material. In fact, it could be argued that this middle period of the series was their finest. The earlier shows were hampered a bit by budget constraints, according to the bonus “Notes From Steve Smith” feature. When they were picked up in 1997 by the CBC, things really began to jell, and the programs were uniformly hilarious.

The tweaking of the format included dropping some segments and expanding others. The most notable bit that has been excised was the humorously named “Male Bag,” where Red (Steve Smith) answered viewer mail. This has been replaced by longer (and funnier) pieces from “Handyman’s Corner,” and the ever popular “Adventures With Bill.”

For the first season under the CBC‘s wing, the series is introduced as The New Red Green Show in the opening credits. There is really nothing new about it though, just the continuing exploits of the guys up at Possum Lodge. The season ran through 1997, and featured 17 episodes.

Some highlights include “The Running Of The Bulls,” where minks are substituted for bulls to chase the men through the streets of Port Asbestos. Another great one has the town up in arms when Colonel Klink himself - Werner Klemperer decides to buy a house there. Turns out, he is Red’s favorite actor. Besides celebrities invading peaceful Port Asbestos and Possum Lodge, the men are even forced to deal with yuppies. When Possum Lake freezes over, and everybody is ready for some great hockey action, the sweater-wearing, broom-totin’ yuppies turn up and want to curl - as it is so much more civilized a sport.

Article Author: Greg Barbrick

Greg Barbrick is a Seattle native who was first published in 1988, in his hometown music magazine, The Rocket. Since then his work has appeared in print and online for numerous sources. He Googles himself so often that his mother told him it would make him go blind.
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