Kath & Kim - Series 3

Series Two of Kath & Kim seemed somehow just a bit flat after the continual hysteria of Series One.

But just as you started to think this fine Australian comedy series had run its course, something happened. Series Three came along, presented as if writers and cast were totally reinvigorated. The sparkle was back. The cliches were as resounding as ever. The malapropisms as maladroit as we could hope for.

There are come critics of Kath & Kim, who see an undesirable elitist 'us versus them' in this social comedy. Those critics are usually those who have heard about the show but haven't actually got around to seeing it yet.

Yes, Kath and Kim are your quintessential aspiring Western Suburbanites. But they're painted with real affection and with a humour which transcends supposed snobbery. And it's pretty revealing that when Jane Turner (Kath) and Gina Riley (daughter Kim) switch characters to become Eastern Suburbs snooty snobbish shop-keepers Prude and Trude, the characterisations are, if anything, more pointed and bitchy than ever.

With Magda Szubanski in continued top form as Kim's second-best friend Sharon -- still pining for a permanent man of her own; still with continual acne/weight/lovebite problems -- and with some top guest stars including Mick Molloy and a phenomenal appearance from Geoffrey Rush, this is a series to relish. Kylie Minogue's cameo spot is just about the only dud bit in the whole exercise -- it's just a bit laboured, compared to the deftness of everything else.

As Kim's long-suffering husband Brett, Peter Rowsthorn takes more of the limelight than we saw in the earlier series, and appears a far more rounded character. Glenn Robbins as Kel is once again sheer perfection - his is a wonderfully realised and subtle character study, with a real feeling of affection for this quite astounding character.

But the stars remain the show's writers and principal actors, Gina Riley and Kath -- sorry, Jane -- Turner. It's becoming constantly harder to separate the actors from the characters. These roles have become comfortable and uterly believable second-skins.

There are eight episodes here -- and the only question remaining at the end, is whether those second-skins will be donned again. If so, when.......

For a television program, these are presented in widescreen anamorphic reference-quality condition. The colours are clean, shadow and contrast details well-nigh perfect, with no evidence of image loss or degradation of any kind. This is better-than-broadcast quality -- analogue broadcast, that is.

Audio, although standard stereo, is clean and very clear. There is no recording hiss; the full-frequency recording gives particular emphasis to dialogue for maximum comprehensibility.

There's a stack of extra features on both of the dual-layer discs.

On Disc One we kick off with a short Award segment, with Jane and Gina doing a fast and frenzied turn at the Logies. Then we can segue to a Goof Reels segment, running at about six minutes, and about as amusing as most of these things are.

Interviews with Kath and Kim brings us a very short clip from A Current Affair, followed by a longer promotional piece for British cable television, where the ladies got their first UK airing before moving to free-to-air.

Disc Two brings us another five minutes of Goofs, and a short (less than two minutes) Bonus Wine Time garden discussion between Kath, Kim and Kylie on the correct pronounciation of Chardonnay -- Ch as in Chardboard, of course.

There are three minutes of Deleted Scenes. And then comes the best extra feature in the entire set -- a 14-minute interview on The Panel with Prude and Trude, who depart halfway through to return as Kim -- sorry, Gina -- and Jane.

In the Raw is an 11-minute behind-the-scenes look at the making of the show -- some tension, some fun, and a lot of hard work. Most of the hard work is left for us to guess at; the emphasis here is on the fun.

There are two Easter Eggs -- one on each disc. But you'll have to seek them out, since that's half the fun. And finally, the DVD package gives a special secret code (don't tell anyone, but it's 'Lookatme3' -- which brings special rewards when used at the website www.kathandkim.com.

These things are very subjective, but I thought Series Three marked a return to the high level of Series One of this fine comedy series.

It's probably time now for Kath and Kim to retire to their suburban Elysian Fields. But though we may part, we'll have these brief eight weeks forever. The parcel of extras helps make this an outright purchase recommendation, rather than rental.