DVD Review: Chappelle’s Show – The Lost Episodes (Uncensored)

By Patrick Luce Jul 26, 2006, 21:08 GMT

With the success of the first two seasons, Dave finally gets to meet the President of Show Business, spends some time in the limelight on MTV\'s Cribs, and gives his best impersonations of P. Diddy, ‘Lil Jon and Gary Coleman.   ...more

Dave Chappelle fans take note, Comedy Central has released Chappelle’s Show – The Lost Episodes (Uncensored) on DVD. The new release will deliver the laughs from the second the show starts – even if the DVD lacks some of the humor of the earlier seasons.

The DVD collects three completed episodes from the long-lost third season of Chappelle’s Show (they were recently aired on Comedy Central). The episodes are hosted by Dave’s sidekicks Charlie Murphy and Donnell Rawlings – who introduce each skit, and say a bit about the Dave. The two are funny in the hosting gig, but Dave’s presence is greatly missed.

While the episodes are filled with some funny material and have the trademark social sarcasm that accompanied Chappelle’s comedy, they don’t live up to what was produced in the show’s first two seasons. It is clear from the quality of the sketches that there was a reason some of this material was “lost” in the first place.

Episode One kicks off with Rawlings and Murphy taking the stage and jokingly explaining that Dave have left the show, and why they made the decision to air the lost episodes.

The first episode includes skits on Dave making fun of how people discovered he had just been paid $55 million from Comedy Central for the show; Dave making fun of the news; and Dave getting revenge on people he had a grudge against.

The second episode sees Dave making fun of Howard Dean; celebrity sex tape scandals; Gary Coleman on security guard duty; and racial profiling and stereotypes (on all sides).

The third episode includes another look at racism in a “The Monsters” skit; the news media use of minority terms; and Dave’s experience rising to fame in a skit called “Mr. Show Business” – which spoofs all kinds of things including MTV Cribs, mass merchandising, and other celebrities.

In between each skit, Murphy and Rawlings joke with the crowd, and try to fill Chappelle’s shoes. They do a few little backstage style skits of their own, but they demonstrate how the talent has left the building. They also take questions and comments from the audience concerning their feelings about the show and Dave’s comedy.

The DVD also comes with several special features including five more unaired sketches (such as Charlie Murphy spoofing Eddie Murphy’s Daddy Day Care); bloopers from the various sketches on the DVD; deleted scenes from the different episodes (such as more news footage); The Fabulous Making of Chappelle’s Show 3ish – which takes a look at how they prepared for the show when Chappelle dropped out; and two musical performances from John Legend and Dead Prez. The DVD also has four Comedy Central Quickies from South Park, Reno 911!, Mind of Mencia, and The Colbert Report.

Although the DVD is a little light in episodes and the sketches may not be as good as what was in the first two seasons, fans of Dave Chappelle will want to give it a chance. It is probably not the best starting place for those not use to Chappelle’s brand of comedy. I enjoyed it and you will laugh the entire time you watch. I would recommend it to fans of the Chappelle Show, but remember it isn’t the best of Chappelle.

Chappelle’s Show – The Lost Episodes (Uncensored) is now available at Amazon. As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.