K Street was HBO's groundbreaking series last Fall: an experimental fusion of reality and fiction. An entertaining, fly-on-the-wall look at government, filmed in and around the corridors of power in Washington...except for Capitol Hill itself, since (due to Senate Ethics Committee guidelines about commercial filming) the show was
quickly banned from shooting there (free registration required). Executive-produced by George Clooney and Steven Soderbergh, it ran 10 episodes and starred Beltway insiders James Carville, Mary Matalin, Michael Deaver, and a host of political celebrities.
As
Variety's Michael Fleming
reported when the series ended, "
Each episode of "K Street" was filmed over three days, followed by two days of editing; it aired two days later. 'They were working nonstop for six days a week,' a source close to the production said. 'Their level of commitment was overwhelming, but midway through it became clear they'd have to stop once they told a complete arc in the first 10 episodes.' " Afterward, HBO and the producers "
mutually decided to retire 'K Street'," but the cable channel and the production company committed to working together again in the future (work on that new series
has begun, too).
But now, with the 2004 Presidential race becoming a daily news event, and the official kick-off to the campaign season - the Democratic National Convention in Boston - looming this July (the Republicans hold theirs the following month in New York City), HBO and Warner Home Video are announcing the DVD release of
K Street - The Complete Series:
K Street - The Complete Series hits stores on
July 20th, in a 2-DVD package that will run for a list price of $24.98. The inspectors weren't able to find any Supplements of Mass Entertainment (SMEs) on this item, but we vow to keep looking and report back to you if any turn up.
UPDATE (3/30): In addition to the better box picture above, the studio has now supplied us with video/audio specs for this release. Look for a 1.33:1 "full screen" transfer, and English Dolby Surround Stereo 2.0 audio. Running time is 300 minutes, and it still looks like there are no extras to be found.
