Painstakingly restored from original 35mm master elements by the 3-D Film Archive, in collaboration with the Library of Congress, ClassicFlix presents the Blu-ray debut of The Abbott and Costello Show – Season 2 with all 26 episodes from the iconic series in a 2-disc set.

In its second and final season, the show evolved from a freewheeling pastiche inspired by vintage burlesque bits to a plot-driven sitcom harkening back to vintage comedy shorts. Like Bud and Lou, Season 2 writers Clyde Bruckman and Jack Townley, veterans of two-reel comedy, had no qualms about recycling gags or plots if they were funny.

Production also moved from Hal Roach Studios to Motion Picture Center Studios, which also had great comedy karma—I Love Lucy moved to the lot in 1953, followed by many other classic sitcoms. But although their neighborhood and neighbors changed, some things did not: Bud and Lou still run into nutty characters, owe back rent, vex Mike the Cop—and deliver surefire laughs.

Dependable second bananas Sid Fields and Gordon Jones are supplemented with a wealth of familiar faces, including Max Baer, Veda Ann Borg, Paul Bryer, Walter Catlett, Phyllis Coates, Paul Fix, Thurston Hall, Ted Hecht, Percy Helton, Gloria Henry, Adele Jergens, Glenn Langan, Mary Beth Hughes, Lucien Littlefield, Jean Porter, Joe Sawyer, and many more.

For thoughts on The Abbott and Costello Show: Season One, please check out our review here.

For thoughts on The Abbott and Costello Show: Season Two, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

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Video Quality

ClassicFlix presents the second and final season of The Abbott and Costello Show on Blu-Ray in collaboration with the 3-D Film Archive and the Library of Congress with a 1080p transfer sourced from a 4K scan of the original 35mm master elements. Anyone who picked up the first season knows that the company completely knocked it out of the park with that release, and the wait for the follow-up proves to be worth it with the same level of care applied. This series run has to be considered one of the crowning achievements from ClassicFlix.

Print damage has virtually been eradicated throughout these 26 episodes with any fleeting deficiency likely stemming from the conditions of the source elements. The black-and-white photography has sumptuous natural film grain throughout that provides a notable amount of detail to the image. There are elements of the costume and production design that have never been seen with this much clarity. The presentation has an agreeable amount of depth to it including in the shadows where there is no hint of any black crush. ClassicFlix has truly delivered for fans of historic television.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray release comes with DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mono tracks that represent this show without issue. As with the video side of things, there does not appear to be any damage or age-related wear to the track. The all-important exchanges of dialogue come through clearly to capture the madcap and lightning-fast nature of some of their witty banter. None of the sound effects or the series music ever drown out the dialogue on this release. The more bustling sequences are appropriately lively in the speakers. The jaunty music can be a bit boxy at its peak, but overall it is an enjoyable experience. The audio presentation supports this release with great care.

Special Features

Audio Commentaries

- Amnesia: Audio Commentary by Stu Fink

- The Pigeon: Audio Commentary by Ron Palumbo

Assorted Bonus Content: A 34-minute continuous assortment of special features including recovered non-audience tracks for some season 1 segments, newly recombined unedited clips, commercials, featurettes on lost episodes with scripts, isolated unedited theme music tracks, and more.

Final Thoughts

The Abbott and Costello Show is an iconic series that finds the duo operating at a comedic level that anyone should feel lucky to get even close to. The second and final season switches the format up slightly, but the overall result is still a hilarious time from beginning to end. While our main duo is obviously the draw here, the ensemble assembled proves to be a mighty presence of their own throughout the season. This is a terrific viewing experience for any classic comedy fan. ClassicFlix has delivered one of the early contenders for Blu-Ray release of the year with a terrific A/V presentation and a fun assemblage of special features. You owe it to yourself to pick this one up. Essential

The Abbott and Costello Show: Season Two will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD on January 30, 2024.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: ClassicFlix has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.