The Show:

It’s tough not to hang your show on a gimmick, and Hung (airing on HBO) certainly has a gimmick, but it’s constantly smarter than you think it would be. Hung is also completely entertaining and funny, while being an interesting look at the “New America”. Ray Decker (Thomas Jane) is a meat-and-potatoes type of guy. He’s a high school basketball coach, a divorced father of two, and as luck would have it, he’s nearing a potential layoff. He’s already penny pitching, as any American high school teacher knows all to well, but when his house accidentally burns down, he’s forced to come up with something to make a dollar and quick. The only thing he really has going for him, as a middle-aged man living in Detroit, is his big…um, (fill in the blank).

That’s Hung, or at least in a plot synopsis, but the series is created under the backdrop of the country’s current economic crisis, which adds volumes to what should be a gimmick show about his big…um, (fill in the blank).

That’s the unique thing about Hung, is that we Americans know a bit more than the characters, in terms of the Recession, since the show starts at the beginning of this great big capitalist fallout. Strangely, the Midwest was a section that was tapped, yet relatively unharmed by the Recession, except for Detroit. Literally, everything bottomed out in that city and the show really uses this is its advantage, and that’s why it’s smarter than you think it would. Ray, while trying to get more money for his house repairs, goes to this class that’s meant to motivated you into finding that special gift you have to make a million dollars. Of course, he’s not that progressive, yet another failed student (Jane Adams as Tanya) from this program, helps him along and soon becomes his pimp.

The show hinges on the dramatic dilemma of the Recession, but it also doesn’t suffocate us with it, allowing for some really humorous situations, sometimes out of pity, but mostly, out of his big…um, (fill in the blank).  If anything, this twist to the pimp and ho trade, blends perfectly into this ideal of the American way of life, restructured due to the economic crisis. It’s not pretty or glamorous, even for Ray, who’s more hesitant than you’d think. The keen eye, under which the pilot was directed by Alexander Payne (Sideways), a fellow Midwestern (from Nebraska), adds depth to the location of the show. Going into the show thinking it’s a comedic show, is false and could hurt your enjoyment. It’s a dramatic show with comedic beats, but it’s squarely focused on the shifting attitude of the age-old American Dream.

In its 10 episode first season, Thomas Jane proves why he needs to be cast more and in better productions. He’s warm, funny, and sad; the Midwestern man in a nutshell. Jane Adams is kooky and inviting as Tanya, his ever-so-soft pimp. The show does drop a few minor subplots and when it’s focused on Ray’s kids issues, it wavers, but Hung is addicting for Thomas Jane, the concept, and execution. True, it’s not immediately grabbing at first, or for some with a different mindset of what the show is, but Hung is just another great HBO series that’s just warming up.

The Blu-ray:

Audio/Video: The HD video looks quite good, sans a few spots here and there in the darker lit scenes that get a bit grainy and soft. Other than that, the detail is high, bright and colorful, making it a solid HD release from HBO. The DTS track is quite good as well. The songs get the most thump from the sub, especially the opening theme from The Black Keys. Dialogue is excellent and the atmospheric sound design really open up this show on HD.

Commentaries: We get three for episodes one, four, and eight with co-creators/executive producers Colette Burson and Dmitry Lipkin. They offer up some good tidbits on the show and the filming, but aren’t anything too deep or special.

About Hung: This is an HD EPK that runs 9 minutes. Thomas Jane shows up and offers some insights into Ray and the show, and keen viewers will see his contrast to his own life. Jane has always been shafted more or less in the business, and good for him, finding this swell show to shine in.

Women of Hung: The show is really about women, even though Ray is an escort, but this HD EPK gives the ladies a few minutes to talk about the show.

Ray & Tanya’s Personal Ads: A clever and fun little thing that was used to advertise the show.

Conclusion: Purely a Midwest show that’s is quite addicting, all said and done. Good Blu-ray set as well.

The Show: Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Blu-ray: Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Payne is producing along with Jim Burke and Jim Taylor. Filming is expected to start up a week from today in Hawaii with a yet to be announced release date that’s expected to be set for sometime in 2011 under Fox Searchlight Pictures. Clooney just finished wrapping up his lead role as Jack in the Anton Corbijn directed thriller The American, slated to come out on September 1rst of this year.

Payne’s previous directed work includes About Schmidt and the popular 2004 feature Sideways. Not only is he in the midst of pre-production work for The Descendants but he’s also announced to be attached to direct the novel adaptation of Fork in the Road.

George Clooney can still be seen in the recently released Jason Reitman film Up in the Air and just wrapped up production for the Anton Corbijn directed feature The American. Payne is also attached to produce and direct the upcoming novel adaptation of Fork in the Road.

Producing is Mark Gordon along with Geyer Kosinski under Media Talent Group. Williamson is also attached to pen another screenplay called Fork in the Road with Alexander Payne directing. Mark Gordon’s attached onto several other projects as producer, some of those include Source Code and a biopic called Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said? supposedly starring Marlon Wayans.

Payne and “Cedar Rapids” producer Jim Taylor are both producing the feature. Clooney is in the middle of promoting several films that he’s starring in this fall including “Up in the Air“, “The Men Who Stare at Goats” and “The Fantastic Mr. Fox“.