Las Vegas: The Complete Series Blu-ray Review
“Las Vegas” is an entertaining and fast paced series.
Created by Gary Scott Thompson, 2003’s comedy-drama series “Las Vegas” ran for 5 seasons. The series is set at the fictional Las Vegas hotel and casino Montecito and focuses on the inner workings of the establishment (namely the security, guests, the casino floor, and entertainment). The main players of the ensemble here are Ed (former CIA agent turned head of security), Danny (a Marine turned security crew member), Mary (special events director), Mike (who starts out as the head valet but becomes a part of the security team), Sam (casino host), Delinda (Ed’s daughter who has several different jobs throughout the series), and Nessa (Pit Boss for the first 2 seasons). Storylines involve: cheaters and scammers, murder, Danny’s complicated relationships with Mary and Ed’s daughter Delinda, unruly customers, thieves, sexual predator, gamblers, high rollers, missing people, conventions, sporting events, parties, a power outage, a film production, bomb scares, a “Crossing Jordan” crossovers, kidnappings, Mary’s traumatic past, Nessa learning about her family, the casino getting bought out a few times, a Montecito facelift, Danny’s father, a 1960’s “What if?,” weddings that don’t go as planned, deaths, a robbery, promotions, a relationship between Mike and Piper, and a pregnancy. Note: The uncensored episodes are included in this set.
NBC’s “Las Vegas” is certainly not peak TV nor is it high art, but it never pretends to be. It knows what it is. It’s a cheesy, breezy, sometimes trashy, sexy, fast moving and wholly addictive series. Looking back at the series now, you just don’t see this type of series on TV anymore. Network TV (and NBC programming) really became all about reality series and procedurals and “Las Vegas” was going against the grain with this show about the hectic life in a hectic city in a hectic casino. Admittedly, the show does feel very early 2000’s with the frantic editing and constant use of music, but it fits the vibe and atmosphere of the show. There is never a dull moment here as we navigate the lives of these characters and are treated to numerous subplots. There’s something really quite addicting about being immersed in the chaotic world these characters inhabit. It also feels like the series really captures the wild and unpredictable lifestyle of Vegas.
The first 3 seasons are decidedly the best here as they feature the best episodes (especially the “Pilot,” “Centennial,” and the imaginative “Everything Old Is You Again”). The series takes a bit of a dive in season 4 and season 5 is, well, rather dreadful. Both James Caan and Nikki Cox departed the series and there is a big drop off in quality because of it. Tom Selleck attempts to fill the void, but he looks bored and adds nothing to the series. Worse still, there is no conclusion or wrap-up here. It ends on a cliffhanger which is frustrating to say the least.
Speaking of the cast, the late great James Caan is definitely the reason to watch as he elevates every scene, but Josh Duhamel, Nikki Cox, James Lesure and Vanessa Marcil are also likable in their respective roles. As one might expect, the series is loaded with guest stars including Joe Rogan, Wayne Newton, Paris Hilton, Alec Baldwin, Bon Jovi, John Elway, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dean Norris, Jerry O’Connell, Sylvester Stallone, Jon Lovitz, Christopher McDonald, etc. You never know who will pop up which is part of the fun.
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 1.78:1 1080p. How does it look? Unfortunately, season 1 looks rather rough here and is barely a cut above the DVD release. The better news is that the subsequent seasons look much, much better. Season 5 benefits the most from Blu-ray with the best transfer.
Audio Track: 2.0 DTS-HD MA for season 1 and 5.1 DTS-HD MA for the other 4 seasons. How do they look? The tracks do the job but are a bit flat.
Extras:
* Commentary on “Pilot” by Gary SCott Thompson, James Lesure, Nikki Cox, Molly Sims and Marsha Thomason.
* “Rumble In The Montecito”- An AFL ad
* Commentary on “Hellraisers And Heartbreakers” by Gary Scott Thompson and James Caan.
* Commentary on “The Night The Lights Went Out In Vegas” by Gary Scott Thompson and Vanessa Marcil.
* Commentary on “Always Faithful” by Gary Scott Thompson and Josh Duhamel.
* Gag reels for seasons 1, 2, 3 and 5
* “City Of Las Vegas” promo ad
* “Inside The Montecito”- A featurette on the sets
* “Las Vegas: The Big Gamble”- A featurette on the history of the city.
* “Las Vegas: The TV Show” ad
* “VIP Access Only”- A tour of the Palms Casino.
* “In With The New”- A time lapse of the building of the new hotel set.
* Commentary on “Father Of The Bride Redux” by Gary Scott Thompson.
* Season 3 recap
* Commentary on “Delinda’s Box,” “White Christmas,” and “Heroes” by Gary Scott Thompson.
* “Backstage With Cast And Crew”- Season 4 behind-the-scenes featurette
* “Behind The Scenes- The Making Of Las Vegas Season 4”
* VFX Featurette for season 5
* “Hot Stuff”- Collection of clips
* NBC.Com Webcasts interviews
* Trailers
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