TVSquad

If you lamented the early cancellation of CBS' Creature Comforts as I did, don't shoot yourself just yet: all seven episodes will be available on DVD October 9. The set will also include interviews not shown on television.

Creature Comforts began as a UK series, based on the Oscar-winning short by Nick Park (Wallace and Gromit). The American version, like the British version, features real-life interviews filtered through animated animals, resulting in what I thought was a funny and often poignant new way of experiencing everyday conversation among normal people. Apparently not too many viewers felt the same way, because the series didn't last long.

I still maintain that the series was more than just a gimmick -- by channeling these people through birds, horses, and pigs it gave the stories a more universal appeal and showed us that everyone has an interesting story to tell. The series wasn't a cavalcade of gags like The Simpsons or Family Guy, and perhaps that's why it didn't catch on, but it wasn't without its own clever charm.

The Creature Comforts America DVD will also include promos, deleted scenes and the feature, "Creature Comforts Character Comps."