Perfect Strangers - The Complete First And Second Seasons DVD Review

Perfect Strangers has been a long time coming on DVD. Although I was just being born when the show originally aired, I understand that it has a major following, and is one of the classic television sit-coms of the 1980s. Yet despite its popularity, it has seen very little syndication since its release, so fans have had to wait with baited breath for the DVD to come out. Well guess what folks? You can finally trash your old VHS copies that you taped from the original broadcasts, because Seasons 1 and 2 of Perfect Strangers have finally made their way to DVD together in one handy DVD package.

Now I should admit that I’ve never been a big sit-com fan. Friends and That 70s Show are probably the only two that I’ve ever watched on a regular basis, but those two shows aside, I’ve never found sit-coms to be that entertaining. Having said that, it means even more when I say that Perfect Strangers is a wonderfully funny show. Not only is it funnier than a lot of the modern shows that I’ve come across, but its influence is clearly seen in a variety of shows that are on today.

The setup for Perfect Strangers is that Balki Bartokomous, a naïve sheepherder from the (fictional) country of Mypos has traveled to Chicago in hopes of finding a new world of opportunity. When he arrives in Chicago, he shows up at the doorstep of his estranged cousin, Larry.Appleton, hoping to move in with him. Larry, having never met the man before, is understandably reticent to comply, but ultimately takes Balki in because of their familial ties and Balki’s good nature. Their lifestyles contrast and hilarity ensues.

One of the reasons why Perfect Strangers succeeds so admirably is that it combines two archetypal stories at once. On the one hand, you have the “fish out of water/stranger in a strange land” story. Balki is foreign to American customs and behaviors, and as such, he often doesn’t know how to act in a given situation. His naïve and simple nature often leads to his responses being incredibly funny. On the other hand, Perfect Strangers is also a classic odd couple comedy. Balki is the sweet and ignorant foreigner while his cousin Larry is the jaded blue collar American. Once you put the two of them in a room together, their contrasting personalities lead to many funny circumstances. By combining these two time-honored formulas, Perfect Strangers overflows with comic opportunities.

But of course, writing isn’t the only ingredient necessary for success, and the two lead actors do a commendable job with the material. Bronson Pinchot plays Balki with the perfect balance of humor and heart. Because Balki is so ignorant, he could very easily come off as just plain stupid and be more of a dunce character, but Pinchot instills him with a lot of heart and genuine pathos. In fact, despite all of Balki’s crazy foreign antics, he often turns out to be the character that the lesson is learned from in the episode. It should also be mentioned that Pinchot’s portrayal of Balki must have been a large inspiration for the portrayal of Fez on That 70s Show. The accent and the naivety of the characters are very similar…except Balki isn’t always focused on getting laid.

As great as Bronson Pinchot is as Balki, his performance wouldn’t be as resonant were it not for Mark Linn-Baker’s portrayal of Larry. Since Linn-Baker plays the straight man of the show, he probably doesn’t get as much credit as he should, since Balki is the more over-the-top character. However, Linn-Baker is just as important, because the straight man is needed as an anchor for the crazy antics of the contrasting character. Without the character of Larry, we wouldn’t have a firm grounding in reality, and therefore Balki’s strange ways wouldn’t seem so hilarious. Linn-Baker does a good job keeping things real when they need to be real, while also embracing his moments to shine too. But the reality is important in a show like this, and it’s what sets it apart from a lot of other sit-coms. Despite the fact that what’s happening on screen might be off-the-wall more often then not, the characters themselves have an emotional truth to them that makes us go along for the ride. To mix humor and heart in such a way is not an easy task, but Perfect Strangers manages to strike an appropriate balance.

The long wait for the show’s arrival on DVD may have been worth it, but it’s definitely not for the extras. All that’s here is a little segment called Dance Of Joy: Merry Montage Of Balki And Larry's Signature Two-Step Throughout The Show's First Two Seasons. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a seven minute montage of Balki and Larry doing their Dance of Joy throughout Season 1 and 2. Not very useful.

For fans of the show this purchase is going to be a no-brainer. But I recommend that even sit-com fans who have never heard of the show before should check it out. It’s easily as good as (and in many cases better) than some of the sit-coms on today. Are there any reason I can think of NOT to check the show out? In the humble words of Balki: “Don’t be ridikulus!”