Reno 911! Season 6 – DVD Review
As much as I tried, complete omission of some spoilers is near-impossible. So, read with care.
The sheriffs of Reno are back on the beat for a sixth season, and the Biggest Little City in the World needs all the help it can get. At the end of Reno 911!’s fifth season, the season finale ended in a huge explosion at the notorious eatery Tacos Tacos Tacos Tacos. While the summer passed, suspense still grew as the premiere of season six drew closer. With all the essential cast being involved in the explosion, one could only imagine the worst. As the season opens, we again meet Lt. Dangle, played by Thomas Lennon, who acts as if nothing had happened. Also returning to the morning meeting are deputies Trudy Weigel, played by Kerri Kenney, Travis Junior, played by Robert Ben Garant, Raineesha Williams, played by Niecy Nash, and S. Jones, played by Cedric Yarbrough. Newcomers Deputy Frank Rizzo, a crooked cop from the East Coast played by Joe Lo Truglio, and Sergeant Jack Declan, played by Ian Roberts, round out the new cast.
Suspiciously absent are deputies James Garcia, played by Carlos Alazraqui, Clementine Johnson, played by Wendi McLendon-Covey, and Cherisha Kimball, played by Mary Birdsong, who apparently died in the Tacos Tacos Tacos Tacos explosion.
Following the same winning combination of inept cops and even more inept criminals, the series still seems to be quite alive in its sixth season. The newcomers Lo Truglio and Roberts both have their history in regards to the show. Both have been on the show in numerous instances and made appearances in the Reno 911! movie, but now that they’ve taken new roles as officers they have a little more time to shine. Lo Truglio is a member of the infamous The State comedy troupe, joining existing Reno 911! members Lennon, Kenney, and Garant. But he’s not the only one with credentials. The other newcomer, Ian Roberts, is of Upright Citizens Brigade fame. So, on the surface, the series is all but locked into another awesome season, roping in new fans and making sure that the existing fans get more than their share of laughs and all the little bits that make Reno 911! stand out.
However, such is not necessarily the case. I found Lo Truglio’s questionable antics amusing at times, but they can be a little over-the-top. Towards the end of the season, I found that he was a fairly interesting addition to the cast that, if pursued, could become a welcome addition to the cast.
Despite loving Upright Citizens Brigade, I can’t say I was impressed with Ian Robert’s performance, either. I found Sgt. Declan added the least amount of humor to the show. Again, he too has his moments, but as a whole I found his performance out of place.
One glaring flaw with the season is the complete omission of Deputies Garcia, Johnson, and Kimball. The absences, save one, are never addressed as well as I’d like. The only time this comes to ahead is when the department finally observes Garcia’s last wish of his ashes being shot out of a cannon.
The season finale was a little underwhelming, as well. Unlike previous seasons, there was no cliff-hanging ending, merely ending as if it were any other episode. It had a little question left unanswered at the end, but it was only developed in that episode, and even at that, it wasn’t a large part of the final episode.
On the plus side, for fans of the series, some long-time questions are answered: Junior’s bulletproof vest, Dangle’s short shorts, and Weigel’s mental state. The episode that reveals all these is actually probably one of the best episodes of the season. Also, the Dinner Murder Mystery two-episode bit was great. The Kids in the Hall member Scott Thompson made a guest appearance and was stellar. All the cameos in the sixth season were pretty good, in addition to the other regular guest stars.
Over all, the season was pretty good for fans of the series. More of the same, but that’s not a problem. I think Reno 911! did a great job of “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it,” barring the exclusion of three great performers. Any fan of the show is sure to love this season, even if some of the cast that’s become so integral is no longer in Reno. But, anyone curious to see Reno 911!’s antics, I’d suggest picking up one of the earlier seasons first.
On a personal note, I thought it was awesome that the DVD came out a day before the season finale aired.
Audio and Video
Presented in widescreen 1.78:1 and Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, it comes over exactly like it does on television. I’m still hoping for a high-def season soon.
DVD Features
Commentary – As always, the commentary from a handful of cast members adds more to the scene. The commentary is well-worth a listen.
Tupperware for Tampa Uncut – A thirteen minute uncut version of Human Giant’s improv.
Profiles in Valor – Intros for new members Sergeant Declan and Deputy Rizzo. These were available online preceding the new season.
Commercials – Two complete commercials the Deputy Dance episode, featuring the Linoleum and Deputy dances.
Digital Copy – Surprisingly TERRIBLE digital copies. All digital copies are downloaded from Paramount, and aren’t transferable to iPods, iPhones, Apple TV’s, PSPs, or even Zunes. They only play on PlaysForSure devices, which are few and far between anymore.
And Trailers are the final touch.
The Show – Rating: 
The DVD – Rating: 
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