Ladykracher VII - DVD

Content: Since 2001 Ladykracher is one of the most successful sketch comedy shows on German television. Despite a long break of four years between seasons three and four, the numerous characters that Anke Engelke embodies here still enjoy great popularity after ten years. Now the seventh season of the multiple award-winning series is released on DVD almost simultaneously with the TV broadcast.

In the ten new episodes there is not only a reunion with familiar and popular characters such as ecotante Ruth, the naive blonde Ulla, Onka Poffenreuter or hardcore lesbian Urte. Numerous new characters such as Dr. Schlüter-Monheim, who causes some budgetary changes in the fairytale forest, or the inspector Frau Bibabutzemann, in whom popular nursery rhymes take on a whole new meaning, also provide a few good laughs. With her as always good-humored ensemble, which includes Matthias Matschke (Pastewka), Friederike Kempter or Charly Hübner in season 7 for the first time Judith Richter, some gags become a real hoot.

But just some gags. Because as with so many sketch comedies, not every gag in Ladykracher hits the mark. Some punchlines are just too weak, some jokes too flat to keep the laughs consistently at a high level. But those who have appreciated the series so far will again see the successful moments in the majority. When, for example, the faithfully caring parents give their little daughter the much-desired rabbit for her birthday - even if not necessarily in a fluffy cuddly state - or a spouse feels betrayed because of a very special object, when guests in the restaurant feel disturbed by two cooing men for not necessarily the reasons one would expect, or a mother very clearly puts her precocious child in her place while shopping, then the series is once again in top form in the seventh season. Also, the young parents who desperately want their Filius is considered by the teacher as the best child in the entire universe or completely absurd stakes in a children's game is accepted by parents as a matter of course, it makes for quite a few very amusing moments.

Although the humor in this season a few times too often goes below the belt, the ten new episodes of Ladykracher again offer extremely good entertainment that fans of the series should not miss. Recommendable!

Picture + Sound: Technically, the implementation of the series is on a good TV level. The picture is clean, the coloring coherent and in terms of sharpness there are only here and there minor point deductions. In terms of sound, the focus is of course on the dialogue, for which the good stereo mix is quite adequate. Good!

Extras: There are plenty of extras to be found on the second DVD. In addition to a special that was also broadcast on TV, which is actually a best-of compilation of the season with a few little extras (approx. 44 min.), there is also a making of worth seeing, a look at the filming of the fairy tale sketches and some nice outtakes. In addition, the inclined fan has the opportunity to watch Anke Engelke at work for a day (lasting about ten minutes) and also gets to see a lot of unbroadcast sketches, among which are some really funny moments.

The rest of the bonus material belongs to Wolfgang and Anneliese Funzfichler. Two clips from their show Fröhlicher Frühling and eight clips around their book Unser schönes Deutschland complete the amusing extras.

Conclusion: The seventh season of Ladykracher has many highs, but also some lows. A few gags have simply worn out a little over the years, but a few other ideas still provide enough fresh air after seven seasons to offer fans of sketch comedy quite a few enjoyable hours. The DVD is technically on a good level and also has a lot of bonus material worth seeing, including numerous unaired sketches and a nice making of. So the DVD to the seventh season is still a real blast!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp