MisterWhiplash
Nick Frost is in very fine form here, not nearly as sloth-like or just plain dumb (though ingeniously so) in Edgar Wright's comedies but still with a sense of the truly ridiculous in sublime style. His gags are obvious and repetitive (which I loved, like when he's completely covered in the red protective gear and constantly hit by two guys with sticks), and sometimes with such tact and speed you can't see them coming (eg when he's lost in the woods at night and an audio-tape meant as a bomb counts down while a voice speaks over it "find the bomb"). It's subtle in the best form of British comedy, but it's also akin to Frost going into situations that border on being not even too dangerous: will there be danger in ice-fishing? Some of the biggest laughs even come from the little illustrations and cartoons shown of Frost showing what to do at, say, a volcano eruption, or if an elevator cable gets broken. Much of it is uproarious simply because no one will ever have to attempt, much less do, this in real life (i.e. driving a car like James Bond, rescuing hostages, and mingling with reindeer while an elf goes to task getting his own).Some of the tips are actually possibly useful, if in the most truly absurd ways. How to deliver a baby in a taxi? How to obtain water if you're in the middle of the desert? What about possible attacks from Kommodo dragons, bears or gorillas (watch for the sign language-off between Frost and a silver-back, priceless). While it isn't always all golden comedy- some bits like the reindeer one need to rely on too much absurdism to really stay afloat for too long- more often than not it's addictive stuff, especially if you've got the series on DVD. I could see recommending this to people who may not have even seen Frost's work in Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz as his personality rings dead-on as being sincere in the questions and ruthless in shameless shtick (few things can compare to seeing Frost get an explanation on how to deal with a nut with a baseball bat- one of 4,000 not used in the UK- in a bar brawl). None of his skewering of old tried-and-true dangers of the world is cruel or too stale, and there's originality in just approaching which guest interviewees to have. Witty and silly, once tapped into the wavelength Frost is reaching for, it's well worth the tutorials.
Jackson Booth-Millard
This was the first time I saw the comedian, along with an A-Z of Sexy Stuff on Channel 5 (same channel as this programme), and it was brilliant. Nick Frost, star of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz hosts this cool and cunning comedy show showing us many dangers around the world that anybody could come up against, and it his job to show us how to avoid them. These dangers were Alligator Attack, Minefield Alert, Impaling, Icy Water, In the Desert - No Water, Frostbite, Bat Wielding Thug Alert, Bear Attack, Komodo Dragon Attack, Hostage Rescue Alert, Where's My Arm? (Losing Limbs), Extreme Cold, Heartstroke, Kidnap, Venomous Snake Attack, Sinking Ship, Gorilla Attack, Lost in the Dark Alert, Taxi Birth, Ice Fishing, Stuck In the Sand (with car), Bugged Room Alert, Shark Attack, Infected Wound, I'm Choking, Hippo Attack, Arachnid (e.g. spider) Attack, Surviving the Snow, Tracker Dog Alert, Brake Failure, Elephant Attack and Nuclear Attack. The show also had "Too Dangerous To Film" material, these were Parachute Failure, Lightning, Falling Lift, Tornado, Trapped Underwater, Earthquake, Forest Fire, Quicksand, Caves, Volcanos, Bridges (jumping from), Avalanche, Life Raft, Tidal Wave, Runaway Steam Train (how to stop) and Flash Floods. If you have the DVD there is a special episode called Danger! 50,000 Zombies with Simon Pegg. The show was followed by Danger! Incoming Attack. Very good!
honeybearrecords
If you're like me, you've got a special place in your heart for Nick Frost. Aside from being a genuinely kind and friendly guy, he's got some of the funniest moments in "Spaced" and "Shaun of the Dead". Giving him his own show was just a matter of time and as host of a somewhat tongue-in-cheek series of safety documentaries, your fan-dom will know no bounds.With actual experts as guests and properly researched facts, the show comes off somewhere between "Fishing With John" and, and I hate to use such an obvious Brit reference, the first few "Ali G" shows. The difference is, you feel that Nick is just being himself. You can't believe that any of it is scripted and he's genuinely interested in what his guests have to say. Nothing mean-spirited and condescending here.Over this double disc set that covers the entire first season, he explains to the viewer how to survive everything from a kidnapping to hippo attack to bat wielding thugs. Interspersed are equally hilarious animated vignettes dubbed "Too Dangerous To Film" such as "Forest Fire!", "Avalanche!" and "Lightning". The flash style is funniest enough just for the artist renditions of Frost.Two things make this a sure winner. First of all, he uses to determine what is the most fearsome arachnid is the funniest thing I've seen this year. Second, the DVD comes with the bonus feature "Danger! 50,000 Zombies!" where Frost re-teams with "Spaced"/"Shaun" co-star Simon Pegg in the only episode that's a complete spoof. Also, look for the Easter Egg with the blooper reel. (Princess Productions)
