Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 03/03/2009 Run time: 176 minutes Rating: NrRick & Steve, the ongoing saga of “the happiest gay couple in all the world” as depicted by animated Playmobil-esque action figures, revels in skewering gay stereotypes, political correctness, and good taste–and is all the funnier for it. The second season opens with a musical homage to sperm as Dana, the butch half of a lesbian couple, lies in a hospital bed, waiting to give birth… but whether the father is Rick or Steve will be the plot engine for much of the season. But that’s hardly all the writers have on their minds; this season is a smorgasbord of swift, sharp satire. Each whirlwind episode squeezes in jabs at queer politics (from excessive inclusivity to racial guilt), pop culture (from Harry Potter to Desperate Housewives), social trends (from Internet fame to illegal immigrants), and sheer absurdism (a revision of The Wizard of Oz featuring French-Canadian mimes instead of winged monkeys). The characters are better realized than in 90% of the live-action sitcoms out there, the stories are packed with unpredictable turns, and the animation is bright and charming. You’ll be disappointed there are only eight episodes–fortunately, there’s a handful of bonus shorts and interviews with cast members (like Queer as Folk‘s Peter Paige and stand-up Margaret Cho, who plays the only straight person in the gay ghetto of West Lahunga Beach) and guest stars (like celebrity-mocking blogger Perez Hilton–who played himself in an episode where twink Evan puts a video of Dana’s vagina on YouTube and gets a billion hits). Anyone, gay or straight, who enjoys the sardonic wit of certain better-known animated comedies should do him- or herself a favor and check out Rick & Steve. –Bret Fetzer

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