Scott Aukerman's rise in the ranks of comedy isn't quite as sudden as it may seem. A writer on HBO's 1990s sketch comedy series "Mr. Show with Bob and David", Aukerman went on to write the 2002 film Run Ronnie Run with Bob (Odenkirk) and David (Cross). Aukerman proceeded to contribute dialogue to the 2004 DreamWorks Animation film Shark Tale and to serve as head writer on the 2009 MTV Movie Awards. But perhaps his real big break came as the producer, co-creator, and director of "Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis", a Funny or Die web series that began before Galifianakis' breakthrough role in The Hangover and continues to this day on an irregular basis (the recent Christmas edition was its 18th episode, excluding a special).

"Between Two Ferns" had its origins in one of Aukerman's many projects not to pan out, a pilot for Fox called "The Right Now! Show." That show could be traced back to Comedy Death-Ray, a weekly showcase of alternative comedy performed live, first at Los Angeles' M Bar and then at the Upright Citizens Brigade, under the supervision of Aukerman and longtime collaborator B.J. Porter. In 2009, Aukerman created "Comedy Death-Ray Radio", a weekly radio show turned podcast. Retitled to "Comedy Bang! Bang!" in 2011, it would spawn a television spin-off of the same name the following year for IFC's growing comedy slate.

Scheduled to return for a third season on the air later in 2014, a run that hasn't slowed the original podcast, the TV series "Comedy Bang! Bang!" has The Complete First Season of it released to DVD tomorrow from Anchor Bay Entertainment.

Web to television can't be an easy transition, nor can audio to video. But Aukerman, his team, and a strong supply of game guest stars and comedic support make the series a clear success. While "Comedy Bang! Bang!" will not be everyone's cup of tea, it's much better than it sounds and far more entertaining than you think it could be.

We've all seen faux talk shows before, from "Primetime Glick" to the BBC's brilliant "Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge." Unlike those shows, "Comedy Bang! Bang!" doesn't seem too interested in lampooning the format or creating a memorable buffoon to function as a lightning rod for laughs. Neither Aukerman as host nor Reggie Watts, as his one-man band leader, makes a tremendous impression as characters wielding the comedians' names. And yet, laughs of the random, offbeat variety flow in creative interactions with guests, who simply materialize in lieu of conventional introductions, including Galifianakis, Amy Poehler, Jon Hamm, Seth Rogen, Michael Cera, and Paul Rudd.

There are some off-the-wall secondary guests, portrayed by the likes of comedy veterans and sometimes stars Andy Daly, Nick Kroll, Thomas Lennon, Paul F. Tompkins, and Will Forte. In every episode, Aukerman challenges the playing-themselves main guest (whose name and attire give the episodes their titles), the in-character secondary guest, and Watts to a random game like "Where Are They Going?", "Which Came First?", and "What's in the Box?" Without fail, these exercises entertain by subverting expectations. Other inspired bits take the form of on-target movie trailers and hidden camera shows.

Consistently funny and surprisingly upbeat, "Comedy Bang! Bang!" takes its place among the alternative comedy I've been most easily able to appreciate in recent years, like fellow IFC fixture "Portlandia" and Adult Swim's "Check It Out! with Dr. Steve Brule", which has producers in common with this. "Bang! Bang!" never gets as outrageous, dark, or strange as Tim and Eric's comedy, but it comes from a similar place and endears with a similarly skewed rhythm.

Though they've been available to stream on Netflix for some time, the first ten episodes of "Comedy Bang! Bang!" hit DVD full of extras, including audio commentary on every episode, in the two-disc set reviewed here.

Disc 1

1. Zach Galifianakis Wears a Blue Jacket & Red Socks (22:43) (Originally aired June 8, 2012)
The series starts on a strong note by giving Galifianakis a taste of his own awkward talk show host medicine. Placed into context of fat entertainers, Galifianakis shares his favorite laugh, and tries to think of a talking dog. A French sommelier (Thomas Lennon) offers his wine recommendations for the show (in addition to drinking from his family's spit bucket and peeing in the corner). Danny Mahoney (Andy Daly) promises to be the life of the party with a conga line, boombox, and a bag of batteries. A hero pilot (Will Forte) shares the story of his not so heroic landing. Hidden camera segment "Tsk-Tsk ATTABOY" captures reactions to staged scenarios, "What's in the Box?" lets guests guess what's in the box.

2. Amy Poehler Wears a Black Jacket & Grey Pants (22:37) (Originally aired June 15, 2012)
A doctor unveils a camera that records dreams. Scott and an awkwardly bewigged Amy Poehler have their mouths animated to discuss topical things. Skeevy theatrical director Don DiMello (Daly) discusses his creepy staging of Pinocchio. When Scott goes to pick up his dry cleaning, substitute host Mr. Doublebutt (David Koechner) finds it difficult to keep the guests on course. A trailer promotes the movie A Womb of One's Own, a movie that puts a literal twist on the "Wish I was never born." The game "What's the Song Title?" lives up to its title. A set crew member, to whom the episode is dedicated, finds himself repeatedly endangered.

3. Jon Hamm Wears a Light Blue Shirt & Silver Watch (22:31) (Originally aired June 22, 2012)
Andy Richter beats Scott to the punch when he tries to surprise a viewer in Nebraska. Jon Hamm, whom Scott tries to embarrass with an old acting clip and whose interview he briefly directs, translates some of the Spanish spoken by Latin American DJ El Chupacabra (Nick Kroll). A dog lawyer defends Lassie in well-pushings. Scott voices not so unusual opinions in a segment "Maybe It's Just Me, But For Me..." Mr. Bicycle discusses eating bicycles, which they all try to prevent. They try to stop a bicycle eater from eating Reggie's bike.

4. Michael Cera Wears a Blue Denim Shirt & Red Pants (22:33) (Originally aired June 29, 2012)
A Prize Patrol mission turns into a "Law & Order" mystery. Overstrong coffee makes Scott jittery when he asks Michael Cera about his career. Cake Boss (Paul F. Tompkins) appears. Reggie goes for a drive with Scott in a VW to address the show's rampant product placement. A kid scientist is exposed as a fraud. They play "Which Came First?"

5. Seth Rogen Wears a Plaid Shirt & Brown Pants (22:32) (Originally aired July 6, 2012)
Reggie makes small talk while eating. Scott discovers he can read the minds of passing pedestrians. Rogen is asked about The Beach Boys, which segues into a close-up attempt by an eager cameraman (Topher Grace) that draws heat from his boss (Will Arnett) and his boss' boss (Fred Williamson). Bloopers. Grown-up child bird caller Tommy Shalders (Bob Odenkirk) is struggling to make a living as a bird caller. Reggie and another artist paint Scott. Guests play "What's Their Ailment?" Scott takes more easy stands in "Are You Kidding Me?"

6. Paul Rudd Wears a Red Lumberjack Flannel Shirt (22:35) (Originally aired July 13, 2012)
Scott's childhood crush (Jamie Denbo) hangs out on set. Scott interviews God. Scott goes undercover to find out his staff's opinions of him in the segment "Secret Agent Boss." Name-dropping Rudd discusses his theatre acting experiences. A "referencee" referees Scott and Rudd's cultural references. Reggie advertises a sing-along album. An inventor (Chris Parnell) works on his malfunctioning Crowpoke. TV host Huell Howser (James Adomian) can't turn off his hosting persona. Clips are shown from a movie that both Scott and Reggie have acted in. Darren Montaigne (Matt Besser) recounts the traumatic experience that cost him his arm.

7. Ed Helms Wears a Grey Shirt & Brown Boots (22:36) (Originally aired July 20, 2012)
Scott and Reggie fear they have a rat. Ed Helms tries to play banjo and then is turned into a sound effects album. They discover a small talk show in a rat hole with Marisa Tomei as guest. Hypochondriac Bob Ducca appears in a neck brace. A microphone is taken out on the town. Daredevil Level Knevel uses levels to make things level. All play "Where Are They Going?"

Disc 2

8. Elizabeth Banks Wears a Red Dress (22:37) (Originally aired July 27, 2012)
Scott's father (Dave Thomas) appears to suggest some jokes. Scott looks at the past and future of "Comedy Bang! Bang!" Banks inadvertently uses the word of the day, which has dire consequences. TV critic Gordon Thatchet (David Wain) comes on to assess the show. Scott and Reggie try out a hallucinogenic drug with a crew member. Smooth jazz musician Barry R (Jon Daly) appears with a detachable soul patch to promote his smooth new laserdisc. They play "W.D.T.I.S.F." (What Do These Initials Stand For?). The episode concludes with paternity test results.

9. Adam Scott Wears a Red Oxford Shirt & Jeans (22:37) (Originally aired August 3, 2012)
Scott does man in street interviews and turns to celebrities for advice on how to host a show. The studio audience consists of one old man named Burt. Adam Scott shares a clip of an extremely recent TV appearance and talks to Magic Window. Andrew Lloyd Weber (Tompkins) is a theatrical guest. After Reggie goes missing, Scott looks for him. An animal specialist (Tim Heidecker) shows up sans animals. Guests play "What Are They Eating?" Scott shares a lesson learned.

10. "Weird Al" Wears a Hawaiian Shirt" (22:37) (Originally aired August 10, 2012)
We get some looks at the show without green screen replaced, including a cooking segment (with David Cross as Chef Bellini Pastafangu). Reggie makes Scott a sandwich. Scott shares trailers for An Apple a Day, There's No Eye in Team, and Don't Lean on an Old Crone's Wall Under the Light of the Northern Star. Weird Al tries smashing an accordion. A lady saves potato chips that look like celebrities. Tenacious D (Jack Black and Kyle Gass) performs.

VIDEO and AUDIO

While "Comedy Bang! Bang!" isn't a show people will use to show off their HDTVs and home theater system, the DVD treats it to a perfectly satisfying standard definition presentation. The 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen picture and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound don't have the impact of feature films' or Blu-ray, but they warrant no complaints. Anchor Bay also kindly includes English SDH and Spanish subtitles on the show itself.

BONUS FEATURES, MENUS, PACKAGING and DESIGN

The DVD's generous supply of bonus features begins with an audio commentary on every single episode. These are recorded by creator/executive producer/writer/actor Scott Aukerman and an episode-specific guest in character. Oddly and disappointingly, episodes are not broken into chapter stops. Promising technical details and behind the scenes info, Aukerman consistently gets derailed by his unexpected guests, most of whom are in character. A quick rundown of them follows.

(1) Andy Daly as Danny Mahoney elaborates on his batteries and drops some profanity. (2) Daly as Don DiMello discusses his legal problems, the unauthorized plays he's directing and human taxidermy experiences. (3) Nick Kroll as El Chupacabra talks about the show, sometimes as a baby. (4) Paul F. Tompkins as Cake Boss (a.k.a. Commentary Boss) discusses his fatherly deficiencies, friendly words, Steven King books, cakes and bodies. (5) Bob Odenkirk, not in character, offer the most serious commentary, discussing Odenkirk's discovery of Alan Partridge.

(6) Critical Matt Besser as Darren Montaigne voices his hardship, dances around legal troubles, and quizzes Scott on height and religion. (7) Seth Morris as Bob Ducca joins Scott to rattle off all the snacks they had backstage, make sense of comedy, and discuss ways to stay safe. (8) as Barry R talks music, Christmas, and record packaging. (9) Tompkins as Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber crashes serious discussion of the show's pilot to confess murders. (10) Finally, Aukerman gets to talk on over the entirety of the episode and without sarcasm or intrusion, as he addresses the transition from podcast to TV series.

Well worth listening to, these are almost as entertaining as the show and a further showcase for the quick-witted improvisation skills of Aukerman and friends.

Disc 2's video extras begin with a reel of deleted shorts (6:00), which include ads, a complicated contest, a funny Time Man of the Year mirror gag, and the games "Ring It or Ding It" and "Are You More Sexually Experienced Than a High School Senior?"

"Full-Length Alternate Celebrity Interviews" (44:48) give us unused material from nine of the season's ten celebrity interviews, hinting at just how much footage was shot for them (very little of the used material resurfaces here). Galifianakis talks about meeting his fans, Poehler performs an improv exercise, Hamm describes the unusual day when he walked his dog over a rainbow to Prague, Cera recalls the latest he's ever stayed up, Rogen tries out a Welsh accent and discusses the Internet and tipping, Rudd talks theatre and proper diction, Banks plays free association and opens up about owning Seabiscuit, Helms lets Scott try to guess his hometown, and Yankovic reveals which of his three names he'd change. Adding up to the equivalent of two bonus episodes, these entertain thoroughly.

"Insult Supercut from The Assassin" (1:06) has Colin Hanks and Robert Wisdom's officers further besmirch the character played by Scott Aukerman in their fake movie.

Ultimate Teaser Trailer (1:34) promotes the series with an amusing string of unrelated dramatic deliveries from many of the season's big name guest stars.

An alternate title sequence (0:48) would have opened the show in a weirder fashion better suited to Tim & Eric.

"Supercut of Reggie Watts' Commercial Intros/Outros" (15:49) compiles musical moments used to transition the show to or from commercial break. It's staggering that these seemingly throwaway moments add up to this much content.

Director Ben Berman's test shoots for visual effects (7:47) has him and other crew members try out different video tricks, like animated mouths and instant beards, employed in Season One.

Finally, we get two short 15-second IFC TV promos for the show.

The main menu plays clips in swatches with animated transitions while the catchy theme song plays. There's a minor defect where some of the episode selection pages automatically send you to an episode not on that page without you hitting anything, but you still can watch every episode as you want, if you're fast.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

I entered "Comedy Bang! Bang!" with no expectations and came away a wholehearted fan of this very funny and creative IFC talk show. Anchor Bay's untimely First Season DVD may not treat the series to high definition, but its many inspired bonus features offer substantial value over downloads and Netflix's could-go-away-at-any-moment streams. I highly recommend this set, which will keep you entertained for many hours and likely coming back for more.

Buy Comedy Bang! Bang!: Season 1 from Amazon.com: DVD / Instant Video / Instant Video HD