Hamish and Andy's Gay Year

Those loveable larrikins of Australian radio are here on DVD with the first and possibly only installment of their Gap Year series. Adopting the premise that they are on a year's "educational" holiday, Hames and Andy went over to America to both experience the USA and its people, but also to report back to us and the in studio audience as to what what going on. 

All things said and done, this series is a light hearted good bit of fun. There are elements to the stupidity that would remind some viewers of dares maybe laid down in series like Jackass, but the primary difference is that neither Hamish or Andy ever come across like utter insensitive buffoons.  

They seem to genuinely like each other and the people that they interact with through the course of the show. It's all in fun and everyone involved gets the joke, appreciates it and by the end is in on it. A breath of fresh air from the aforementioned series where humour is measured by just how badly someone can get injured. 

The guys are not afraid to make fun of themselves either with a bare butt run on the line for Hamish after losing to Andy at Roller Derby, Andy being implored to "just fly!" by a little boy on the street after they successfully convince the kid that Andy is a superhero, and Andy nearly losing his golf clubs in a gnarly game of street golf against a bloke by the name Tiger Hoods. 

And all these examples are from early in the series! 

The quality of the show from a video perspective is more than fine. Let's face it; we have cameras out in the street following our heroes and their deeds in the rain or shine and at no point is there any issue with how well it looked on the television. All audio has been successfully captured, even an invitation to a BBQ with Hilary Clinton! 

Spanning 2 DVDs, this series was initially subjected to poor reviews by critics when it was on television. To be honest I am not sure why this was the case as what we have hear is pretty solid viewing of a light-hearted nature with two fun hosts filled with wacky ideas and what seem to be a really genuine sense of joy in what they are doing.  

Round out this with extras including extended sequences and bits that didn't make it into the show and it really is a great bang for you buck and would also make a pretty neat present too. With a PG rating it also makes it a safe inclusion in teenage Christmas stockings as well. 

Tory Favro