Beavis And Butt-Head: The Mike Judge Collection, Vol .2

Animation, Comedy

Mike Judge	Beavis
Bevis & Butt-Head
Tracy Grandstaff
Bonnie Brantley
Sam Johnson
Adam Welsh
Kristofor Brown
Jennifer Jane Emerson
Trez Bayer
Phil Christopher

Director	Ray Kosarin; Geoffrey Johnson
Producer	John Andrews; Trez Bayer
Writer	Joe Stillman; Bo Weinberg

The boys are back in town and more clueless than ever in their second collection. For this three-disc set, Mike Judge raided from seasons five and six. Throughout these short films, Beavis and "the brown-haired guy" break stuff ("Stewart Moves Away"), draw stuff ("Animation Sucks"), and mess stuff up ("Premature Evacuation"). They also adopt a crazed canine ("Bad Dog") and sign up with a dating service ("Vidiots"), among other high-spirited hijinks. As in The Simpsons, the neighing ninnies never age (they're still 14), and, as in The Peanuts, parents are mostly MIA. Recurring characters include terminally uncool buddy Stewart, caustic classmate Daria, sadistic bully Todd, gullible neighbor Mr. Anderson, diametrically opposed teachers Buzzcut and Van Driessen (one's uptight, the other's laidback), and jittery Principal McVicker. Let's not forget Beavis alter-ego Cornholio and his burning desire for "TP." After a shot of an espresso, he's back for the attack in "Buttniks." Then after a few bites of Halloween candy, he rises again for fan favorite "Bungholio: Lord of the Harvest." For all the scatological shenanigans, there's always been a certain sadness to Beavis and Butt-head. In "Bus Trip," for instance, B&B reveal themselves—and not for the first time—as functional illiterates, while in "Stewart is Missing," they make his mother cry. If they didn't have each other, they would surely be the loneliest boys in cartoon land. Aside from the 40 shorts, Volume Two includes 13 videos with commentary. The most appropriate: "If I Only Had a Brain" by MC 900 Ft. Jesus. Featuring the voice talents of David Spade ("Candy Sale") and Bobcat Goldthwait ("Party," "Beavis, Can You Spare a Dime?"). --Kathleen C. Fennessy