Robson Arms: The Complete First Season

Robson Arms, a Vancouver apartment building notably faded from its former elegance, is home to an eclectic group of confused, lovelorn, all-around intriguing tenants, including a divorced mom and her schoolboy son, newlyweds who keep secrets from each other, an extended Chinese-American family who run the convenience store in the lobby, and the complex's greaseball super. Compiling all 13 episodes of the 2005 first season of this critically acclaimed Canadian half-hour dramedy on two discs, Robson Arms sports a loose connection between episodes, as each program peeks behind the door of a different apartment, giving viewers fresh insights into modern urban neuroses (imagine Seinfeld as written by Anthony Trollope). The cast may not be as well-known in the U.S. as they are north of the border, but some of the more famous faces include Mark McKinney (from The Kids in the Hall), William B. Davis (Cancer Man on The X-Files), and Margot Kidder. DVD extras include audio commentaries, a discussion of the opening sequence by series co-creator Gary Harvey, and a second season preview. Highly recommended. (M. Johanson)