Eastenders - Slaters in Detention
Leave it to the Brits to make even a "clip show" classy, and, in this case, brassy and sassy. The Slater women--formidable Mo and her granddaughters, Kat, Little Mo, Lynn, Zoe, and Moe--are among the most colorful characters onEastenders, the long-running soap opera that rivals the venerableCoronation Streetfor England's hearts, minds, and obsession. In this produced for video special ("Never," the DVD box claims, "to-be-seen on TV,") the Slaters, in provocative schoolgirl garb, are incarcerated after a post-disco altercation with a bloodied policeman ("We bumped heads," insists Kat). While waiting for release, they reminisce about past travails, triumphs and tragedies. The most compelling clips concern Little Mo's abuse at the hands of her husband, Trevor, aptly described as "a nasty bit of goods"; a story arc so compelling it rates its own bonus segment on this DVD.Eastendersfans will enjoy watching the Slater women (especially the slatternly Kat) bond while tormenting the constabulary. Other behind-the-scenes goodies include a happier alternative ending to Little Mo's trial for attempted murder, and a documentary, "The Slaters Revealed," a good starting point for the uninitiated.--Donald Liebenson