TVSquad

TV bloggers get a lot of free DVDs to review. They range from the dull and drab to titles that some people would run over someone on the way to the movie store to get.

It's very rare, however, for anyone to get their grubby little hands on a title powerful enough to reverse the polarity of the universe and restore order to chaos. I managed to score that very thing a week before anyone could and I didn't have to sell my soul, my first-born child or any of my bodily objects to get it.

If you grew up watching MTV in the '90s, then you probably remember The State. If you don't – and you're an American between the age of 30 and 35 – do a YouTube search for "I wanna dip my balls in it" and let the memories flood right on back.

I credit the irreverent MTV sketch comedy show with keeping me from slipping into a full-blown depression during my teenage years, aka the angsty, Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains-drenched years. The State ran from 1993 to 1995 and helped launch the careers of some of my favorite comic actors, writers and filmmakers, including David Wain (Wet Hot American Summer, Role Models), Thomas Lennon (Reno 911, Balls of Fury) and Michael Ian Black (Stella, Ed). All 11 members of the comedy troupe reunited recently to perform new material at SF Sketchfest in January. The A.V. Club talked to State alums Wain, Lennon and Kerri Kenney-Silver this week about the reunion and about their future plans. Among the things that came up in the interview was the status of that promised complete-series DVD.

If Judy Greer was in tears about Miss Guided not being picked up by ABC for the fall schedule, she can wipe her eyes and blow her nose because something else -- maybe better -- has come along. Greer has been cast as the lead in HBO's Suburban Shootout. This is the same comedy that has already been announced with Kelly Preston, Rachael Harris (Notes from the Underbelly) and Kerri Kenney (Reno 911).

The comedy pilot is being directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, best known for features like Men in Black and Addams Family (I'll be kind and not harp on The Wild, Wild West), but on TV is one of the prime players behind ABC's Pushing Daisies (as well as Notes from the Underbelly which is the connection to Rachael). So, you see, Judy may have landed in a project that's bound for glory. Well, we'll see, but it does sound interesting.

Those of you who saw Borat last weekend probably also saw the incredibly hilarious trailer for the Reno 911! movie, called Reno 911: Miami. In the film, the team goes to Miami for a law enforcement convention and then ends up taking over for the Miami PD. From Dangle's short shorts to Wiegel's trash-talking on the beach... you're gonna love it. Plus, the whole cast of MTV's The State makes an appearance. The trailer is now up exclusively on Australian Yahoo! and it plays kinda crappy on a Mac (where's the love, y'all?).

I'm getting conflicting reports about when it will be released: Wikipedia says it's February 23rd, but Whitney at USA Today says it's not until May 10. Unfortunately, the Reno 911! fan site hasn't been updated in a year so it was no help. If you know a release date, put it in the comments!

*Update: Thanks, Whitney! The movie comes out in the states on February 23rd.

I have never bought a television show from iTunes... until now. MTV's sketch comedy show The State is now for sale only on iTunes (it's not even on DVD). The State aired on MTV from 1993-1995. It was both weird and hilarious. The network essentially gave a bunch of college graduates free reign over their own show. It gave some of my favorite comedy actors their start, including Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, David Wain, Kerri Kenney and Thomas Lennon.

Season one is currently for sale, and it includes characters Doug, Louie, Barry & Levon... and $240 worth of pudding. According to The State website, run by David Wain, MTV will release subsequent seasons if downloads are popular and the network may even decide to put the damn show on DVD already.

[Via Pop Candy]

Move over Super Troopers, Comedy Central's Reno 911! will be coming to a theater near you. Paramount and 20th Century FOX are co-producing the flick, which is going to be called Reno 911!: Miami. Oh, that's a good title! Series co-creators Robert Garant, Thomas Lennon and Kerri Kenney, who also star in the series, are penning the script, which is described as being largely improvisational. Kinda like the show. In the movie, the entire Reno sheriff's department goes to a police convention in Miami during Spring Break (who's manning the station back at home? who cares!), where a bio-attack is launched on their hotel. I wonder if they'll still bleep out the profanity and blur the nudity, since it's shot in the style of a cops show. It starts shooting January 23rd in LA and Miami.

I love Reno 911! and I think I'll probably buy a ticket to the movie when it comes out. What do you guys think? Can Reno 911! translate to the big screen?

[Via The Hollywood Reporter]