Clerks: Uncensored review
by David Kingsley

Clerks: Uncensored is the video collection of the Clerks animated series, which aired last year on ABC and was canceled after only two episodes. All six episodes that were produced are in the video collection. The cartoon was based on the Clerks movie, which was written and directed by Kevin Smith, who also made Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and Dogma. The main characters from the movie (Dante, Randal, Jay, and Silent Bob) are also in the cartoon and are voiced by the same actors.

The first episode, which never aired on TV, introduces Dante and Randal's nemesis, Leonardo Leonardo, who opens a futuristic mega-mall style Quicker Stop to compete with the Quick Stop. The second episode, which was also the second episode to be shown on ABC, is a parody of TV sitcom clip episodes. It contains scenes from the first episode, scenes that appeared earlier in the episode, and other scenes which never appeared elsewhere in any of the episodes. The third episode is based on the movie Outbreak. The fourth episode, which was the first to air on TV, is about a court case where Jay sues the Quick Stop after slipping on some spilled pop in the store. The fifth episode features Dante as the manager for a children's baseball team. The sixth episode features Dante and Randal in the Quick Stop while strange events are occurring across the street.

The cartoons contain much of the same type of irreverent humor as the movies. Alec Baldwin, Michael McKean, Al Franken, and Gilbert Gottfried are among the guest voice celebrities, and Gwyneth Paltrow, Charles Barkley, and Judge Reinhold play themselves. There are also other celebrities who were parodied and did not provide their own voices. There are several geek culture references, including the Batman TV series, Star Wars, anime, The Last Starfighter, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, The Matrix, and Warner Brothers cartoons.

These cartoons aren't for everybody. There's some politically incorrect and adult humor, although it's toned down somewhat for network TV. If you've seen any of Kevin Smith's movies, you'll have a good idea of what to expect. The video also contains some parts that didn't air on TV, such as a scene from Flintstone's List, a parody of Schindler's List.

The DVD edition contains live action introductions to each episode by Jay and Silent Bob (Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith). In most of the introductions (and one in particular), Jay takes full advantage of not having his vocabulary limited by network censors. There's also a commentary track by the cast and crew. Much of the commentary consists of the crew talking about battling the network executives to get the show on the air.

It seems that ABC never gave the series a chance. It may have done well if it had to chance to develop an audience. If you're a Kevin Smith fan, Clerks - The Animated Series Uncensored is definitely worth checking out.

Clerks: Uncensored

Four Beakers
(out of five)

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