Chances are, if you're considering this DVD purchase, then you're familiar with Michael Moore. The renegade filmmaker behind Roger and Me returns for the second season of his Emmy-nominated documentary TV show "The Awful Truth." It ran on Bravo! in the summer of 2000, and Moore returns to his familiar Times Square setting for more of his guerilla-style harassment of all things nasty.

Moore's satirical fist knows no friends: he takes stabs at both major political parties (note to Conservatives: just because he bashes you doesn't mean he doesn't bash Liberals, too!), goes after screwy judicial systems, the mainstream media, religious nutjobs, and even himself. Some of his stunts include driving a taxi in New York that refuses to pick up white people, sending a pimp to Congress (to make the point that politicians who whore out votes in exchange for campaign contributions are "hos"), importing Iraqi gas and selling it for 60 cents a gallon, and a new short film: Ficus, in which he runs a ficus plant for an uncontested Congress nomination (and, by all counts, WINS). This season is much more hit-and-miss than the first season, with some episodes, like the pimp, worth watching over and over, while others are pretty darn boring. But, all in all, there's certainly enough here to justify this 2-disc set.

The video is presented in crisp full-frame, which makes sense because most of it was shot digitally. The sound mix is a strong DD 2.0, standard TV-show fare - there isn't enough here to really rock the old subwoofer anyway, and the mix is more than adequate. The only extras are some Bookie segments that didn't appear on TV, and Michael Moore's commentary on four of the episodes. His commentary is hilarious and informative, which is generally what I'd expect from Mike. The only disappointment is that Awful Truth episodes ran 60 seconds longer in the UK, and it would have been cool to see that extra footage, but hey, it's a minor complaint.

So sit back, pop in this DVD, and get ready to think. Rather than succumb to the fallacies of those he satirizes, by offering easy, cookie-cutter, bumper-sticker answers, Moore is content raising questions and letting us work through them on our own. It's a sign of maturity, intellect, and a true desire to change the world: people are more apt to work for themselves when they figure out the answers to problems on their own, instead of listening to MSNBC, chubby radio talk-show hosts, or the 700 club for the "cheat-sheet" solutions. It's refreshing, and well worth your time. But beware: you might get a little ticked off when you learn the Awful Truth.