In the New York city of an alternate universe, Mark Lilly [voiced by Matt Oberg] is literally fighting the system from within since the Department of Integration has been downsized to one working employee [him] – as opposed to his wizard colleague [who goes out of his way to avoid working] – to give Law enforcement the money they [say they] need. This makes Mark’s position literally unique – he is now the only official [functioning] functionary who can help werewolves, vampires, blobs and other arcane creatures integrate into New York society.
The DVD collection the Comedy Central series’ first seven episodes are as twisted and berserkly funny as anything to come out of South Park in the last few years.
The series Pilot, written and directed by series creator Devin Clark, opens with what could be a scene out of an old EC comic, a zombie crashing into Mark’s bedroom and moving ominously toward him. Surprise number one – this is Randall [Kurt Metzger], Mark’s undead roommate. We quickly learn about Mark’s job helping non-humans integrate into society and then – BAM! The Department of Integration’s budget is slashed to almost nothing.
Besides his boss, the half-human/half-demon hybrid, Callie [Natasha Leggero] – with whom he’s having an on-again/off-again affair – Leonard Powers [Randy Pearlstein], an alcoholic, work-phobic wizard, the department is gone. Making matters worse, Callie’s boss, Twayne [Michael-Leon Wooley] also oversees Enforcement, has a crush on Callie and despises Mark.
The tone of the series can be readily understood from its episode titles [An American Werewolf in America, Demon Baby, Treegasm and So You Want To Be a Vampire among them]. The series is merciless when it comes to satirically skewering several different targets while being equally nasty when probing the various relationships within the show. The Vampire ep, for example, really takes the mickey out of the Eclipse books/movies.
While not done with anything approaching even a medium-sized budget, Ugly Americans’ animation is completely serviceable. What the animation lacks in fluidity, it more than makes up for with design and background noise [when Mark and Callie have dinner with her father, they walk through a commercial stretch of Hell that has stores like Blood, Bath & Beyond].
The show’s writing ranges from solid to inspired [again, Vampires – and Larry King!] and the cast makes its characters very believable [especially Leggero – whose Callie has som unusual physical attributes – and Metzger, who brings really wit – and pain – to Mark’s attempts to keep from eating Mark’s brains].
Features include: Audio Commentaries [every episode]; the 5 On… Webisodes; Sneak Peek Clip; Sneak Peek Art, Art Gallery; Facebook Photos, and an eight-page booklet – A Field Guide to Ugly Americans [An Official Publication of the Department of Integration].
Grade: Ugly Americans, episodes 1-7 – A
Grade: Features – A
Final Grade: A