Corner Gas Season 4
Brent Butt, Gabrielle Miller, Eric Peterson
Fred Ewanuick, Tara Spencer-Nairn, Janet Wright
3 DVDs 19 episodes
Widescreen Dolby 5.1
VSC 2007

The Corner Gas Season 4 DVD set features 19 episodes of this Canadian situation comedy about Brent Leroy (stand-up comic Brent Butt) and the adventures of the folks in Dog River, Saskatchewan. This 3 DVD set includes the table hockey episode, the best Canadian sitcom episode ever.

There are not many good Canadian situation comedies. In fact, aside from Corner Gas, there aren’t any. Corner Gas works because it features a very likeable main character and star, Brent Butt, and a solid supporting cast that each has a very defined character. The writing for this sitcom is also far above the usual stuff, either Canadian or American. Each show features two or three concurrent storylines, some really good quips, and some odd moments here and there just to surprise the viewer. My favorite of those in Corner Gas Season 4 is episode 8, Blog River, when the head of the CTV network interrupts the show for a “there is a Santa” disclaimer after Karen says, “What, and next you are going to tell him there is no Santa Claus.” This becomes a bit of a running gag after Oscar says there is no Tooth Fairy and the CTV head honcho jumps in for another disclaimer and tooth brush suggestion. I kind of wish more had been made of it but there you go.

Corner Gas Season 6 DVD set review

The first episode of Corner Gas season 4 is lame: Karen gives Brent a haircut which gets Emma’s nose out of joint, Hank and Lacey fight over a porch staining contract, and Oscar has a busted muffler. What saves this show is the Dukes of Hazard commentary touch by Jake Edwards. Things get much better with episode 2 when a Regina DJ makes Brent a character on his morning show and causes the real Brent problems. I really liked the short bit where Hank wonders what it would be like of Brent had a TV show about a guy who pumps gas in Dog River (nudge nudge wink wink).

It is amazing what will drive the Dog River residents nuts. In episode 3 of Corner Gas Season 4, Two Degrees Or Separation, an expired driver’s license, a height chart, and a thermostat are enough to get everybody under the collar, short tempered, or ready to walk. There is also the adventure around Hank and Oscar (Fred Ewanuick and Eric Peterson) blowing up a barn, and Wanda fixing a toilet with the help of ex beau Mike Holmes of Holmes on Homes fame.

Part of the fun in Corner Gas is the odd use of language. Either the characters use erudite words to first the dismay and then amusement of the Dog River residents as they try to use it out of context or they make up a word to explain something and it catches on. Another good episode like this is 11 where Wanda goes local yokel after the folks in Dog River ignore her advice when she uses big words; the kaching gag is pretty good too.

I also like to where the writers will take a simple premise for a short gag. A good example of this is episode seven, I, Witness, where Lacy tries to learn bridge and Hank becomes rodeo clown superhero for Davis -it’s not a long story but it’s a weird one. I especially liked the moment where Hank has an epiphany and relives his whole life in ten seconds. The mother’s day episode has a great running gag about putting Ikea furniture together.

Episode 14 is the table hockey show. This is a great and perfect table hockey recreation of the Canada Russia 72 series, including the Phil Esposito moment in Vancouver. Just having this episode makes Corner Gas Season 4 a keeper.

The last show of Corner Gas Season 4 is about the Dog River gang disbanding after a local election. The presence of Prime Minister Stephen Harper during that election probably had something to do with it.

The folks at VSC really turned out a hell of a cool 3 DVD set for Corner Gas 004 or season 4. The James Bond theme on the cover is also used in the menu, features, and inserts. This is a more than welcome change from DVD sets that are just thrown out there like so much pigeon feed.

Extra features include something called Mobisodes and a 9 minute bloopers reel.

CLICK FOR OUR CORNER GAS SEASON 3 DVD SET REVIEW

 

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