I'm always leery of new sitcoms, mostly because so many of them are… well… extremely unfunny. Occasionally I'll give one a chance if the concept sounds interesting or I like an actor that is involved. So why didn’t I watch "My Name is Earl" when the first few episodes aired? I haven’t a clue. The concept revolved around a drunken trailer trash wannabe criminal who hits it big playing the lottery. Only to be hit by a car seconds later sending him to the hospital. He loses the ticket, but sees Carson Daily on TV talking about karma and he decides to change his. So he makes a list of everybody he's ever wronged with the plan to set them right. He finds the ticket after crossing off the first entry on the list and becomes convinced that he is changing his karma. The idea sounded original, but still I didn’t watch it. Then there was the fact that it starred Jason Lee, the ex-skater who rose through the ranks of the Hollywood elite working for Kevin Smith.

Lee is a likable actor and I've loved everything he's ever been involved with, yet I still passed. It wasn't until the seventh time I heard that it was a great show that I decided to take the plunge, just to get everyone off my back. I figured I better watch it quick because if it was that good, fox was liable to cancel it.

So I set up our dish system to record a few episodes and sat back one night to watch them. I can’t remember the last time my wife and I laughed so hard at a recent sitcom, with the possible exception of "Arrested Development." Lee was completely at home in the role of the once violent Earl, whose new lot in life is to wrestle with his new found heart of gold. Aiding him in his mission is his brother Randy, played wonderfully by Ethan Suplee. He plays Randy as an affable simpleton with the intelligence of topsoil (imagine a Texan… only a little bit smarter).

Armed with the knowledge of his winnings, his ex-wife Joy (Jamie Pressley) tries to foil him at every turn because she wants what she considers her share of the winnings. The fact that she left Earl to marry the eternally high Crab Man (Eddie Steeples) and barely raises his kids (one of whom looks decidedly like the Crab Man) doesn’t seem to matter to her a bit. She is the epitome of white trash, so much so that to be honest it's hard to believe these characters don’t live in Texas.

"My Name is Earl" is such a good natured show, and even the most unlikable characters find a way to be likable. And finding out what's on his list is half the fun. Like learning that he once broke up with e girl by claiming he was dead or that he burned down a barn at a camp that was supposed to straighten up wayward kids. The rest of the fun happens as he tries to carryout whatever plan he has to right the wrong. At times the show is borderline slapstick, frequently unbelievable, but reliably funny.

Fortunately for us, not only was the series not cancelled, it's back for a 2nd season. Those of you, who might not have had the chance to see the 1st season, can thanks to the folks at Fox Home Entertainment. They are releasing the DVD set this month with all 24 episodes, and some of the best special features I've seen on a DVD release this year (aside from those on the 2nd season of "House") . Amongst them are 7 commentaries by various members of the cast and crew. Lee is on most of them and all are quite funny and relaxed. The most innovative of these however appears on the episode "Dad's Car", which is actually about Mother's Day. Here the commentary is done by the mothers of Lee, Suplee, creator/executive producer Greg Garcia and executive producer/director Mark Buckland. Personally, I would be horribly embarrassed having my mother talking to anyone about anything I do!

Along with these great commentaries are some requisite deleted scenes and a behind the scenes featurette. But the best extras on the disc include a hysterical blooper reel (if you think the show is funny, wait 'til you see some of the goofs) and an alternate reality 15 minute episode of the series. In it, Earl doesn’t learn about karma by seeing Carson Daily, he learns it from watching Stewie Griffin from "Family Guy." This 'episode' has Earl making a list of everyone who ever screwed him over and set out to pay them back. This is a great extra feature, well worth the price of the set alone.

"My Name is Earl" is full of surprises. Surprising that a show this good survived on Fox, surprising that it is a funny as it is and surprising that exceeded any and all expectations I had for it.

Episodes:
Pilot (Commentary by Creator/Executive Producer Greg Garcia, Executive Producer/Director Mark Buckland, Producer/Actor Jason Lee and Actor Ethan Suplee)
Quit Smoking
Randy’s Touchdown
Faked His Own Death
Teacher Earl (Commentary by Creator/Executive Producer Greg Garcia, Producer/Actor Jason Lee, Actor Ethan Suplee and Actor Giovanni Ribisi)
Broke Joy’s Fancy Figurine
Stole Beer From A Golfer
Joy’s Wedding (Commentary by Creator/Executive Producer Greg Garcia, Executive Producer/Director Mark Buckland, Producer/Actor Jason Lee and Actor Eddie Steeples)
Cost Dad The Election
White Lie Christmas (Commentary by Creator/Executive Producer Greg Garcia, Producer Tim Stack and Actors Jaime Pressley and Nadine Velazquez)
Barn Burner
O Karma, Where Art Thou? (Commentary by Creator/Executive Producer Greg Garcia, Producer/Actor Jason Lee and Actors Ethan Suplee and Jon Favreau)
Stole P’S Hd Cart
Monkeys In Space
Something To Live For
The Professor
Didn’t Pay Taxes
Dad’s Car (Commentary by the Mom's of Creator/Executive Producer Greg Garcia (Natalie Garcia), Executive Producer/Director Mark Buckland (Mary Buckland), Producer/Actor Jason Lee (Carol Lee) and Actor Ethan Suplee (Debbie Suplee) )
Y2K
Boogeyman
The Bounty Hunter
Stole A Badge
BB
Number One (Commentary by Creator/Executive Producer Greg Garcia, Executive Producer/Director Mark Buckland, Producer/Actor Jason Lee and Actor Ethan Suplee)

Starring: Jason Lee, Ethan Suplee, Jaime Pressley
Extras: Audio Commentary on Selected Episodes, All New DVD Exclusive Earl Misadventure "Bad Karma", Deleted Scenes / Commentary, Blooper Reel, Behind the Scenes Featurette
Specifications: Widescreen (1.78:1), Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Studio: Fox
Release Date: 9/19/2006
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give My Name is Earl: Season 1 an A.