DVD: The Abbott and Costello Show

The Abbott and Costello Show ran for two full seasons in the early '50s yet their humor transcends its black-and-white small-screen origins. The complete series of 52 episodes, including prime bonus material that features a 1978 Milton Berle-hosted television special on the duo as well as 1940s-era home movies that Costello made with sound no less, hits the streets April 6 in a 9-DVD box set.
The action of each show is bookended with respective lean and rotund Bud Abbott and Lou Costello talking about the show in front of a theatrical curtain, while A&C's premise revolves around their comic routines. Any plot usually involves hanging on the front steps of their apartment or running into reoccurring characters. One such whacked out character is Stinky (Joe Besser) a 40 year-old man who dresses like a child in Buster Brown get up. The comedy often mines surreal levels of humor even though the presentation is stage bound. Joan Shawlee as twins serving Abbott and Costello leads to confusion with Shawlee alternating behind the kitchen's swinging door, one moment flirting with Lou and offering free cake the next calling him fatso and charging him for desert.
According to booklet notes the monkey, Bingo the Chimp, only lasted a couple of eps because he kept biting Lou. Nonetheless the chimp reaction shots comment on the human activity in a sardonic manner. Even better is an ep with a duck that does the same thing, watching Lou as he attempts to cook a chicken. Obviously because of its age the humor seems dated at times. Yet their best routines bristle with brilliance, like "Who's On First."