Gearing up for Season Three of ‘The Osbournes’

Seems we just left the family yesterday after the end of the second season in March of this year, and here we are back again with another ten episodes of the series. From all accounts, this will be the final run-through for the family, at least as part of a full season of episodes (further one-off specials wouldn’t be that surprising to see in the future). As it stands, the family is starting to move off into different directions. Sharon, no doubt, is focusing on her soon-to-be television talk show (although there has been little word about it since the program was announced at the beginning of the second season). Meanwhile, Ozzy has left Sony (along with Kelly), and is busy touring and looking into a new record label. As for Jack, he is still working on his rehab for drugs and alcohol and from available information, appears to be doing so well that Ozzy himself has joined in on the sobriety kick (with Ozzy now supposedly running five miles a day). As for Kelly, she has signed on to tour with her day in the fall, while subsequently moving into her own home (very) nearby the folks.

There was also some news that Ozzy had bought Sharon a house on the beach in Malibu under the strict provision that Sharon never tells the press where the house is or have cameras within the home. We’ll see how long that promise lasts.

Looking forward into the new season, promotional material tells us that the first episode will be mostly another Jack and Kelly episode – an emphasis that did drag down the second season. However, it has also been promised that the new season will focus more on Ozzy and Sharon after that first episode. That is a good sign, as Sharon and Ozzy make for better television than the kids overall. That’s not to say that Kelly and Jack do not have moments worth mentioning and remembering from the earlier season, but after the last season where it appeared Kelly was on the edge of a nervous breakdown at times, it is good to see the show shift the focus away from them.

That gets us pretty much up-to-date with the family (for further off-season news, check our previous update “Catching up with The Osbournes”). We’re not up-to-date on reviews of Osbournes’ related videos, however; and it’s about time I reviews the special “lost episode” of The Osbournes that appears on the Ozzy Osbourne – Live at Budokan DVD. This was a “bonus feature” included on the DVD version of the live concert video, which was released in June 2002 (yeah, I know, but better late than never in reviewing it!).

The concert was from February 2002, with fourteen songs within an 84-minute set (although it is listed as running approximately two hours on the DVD box). Meanwhile, the Osbournes documentary, entitled The Osbournes in Japan: “Behind the Scenes,” is roughly 25 minutes long, focusing on their travels around Japan and getting ready for the Budokan concert.

The documentary starts with Ozzy’s version of “Crazy Train” playing along to a montage of footage, showing the family and tour entourage touring Japan and rehearsing for the concerts played there. It also features a lot of people flipping off the poor cameraman as well.

After the montage, tour manager Bill Greer is shown discussing the culture shock everyone feels in coming to Japan, where the only English-speaking people are at the hotel. The scene then cuts to Kelly in what appears to be some type of video arcade, where she is seen getting hot food from a vending machine. As she walks, she discusses how amazing it is to see the Japanese audience respond as one to the beat of the music during the shows and sounding like a choir when given a chance to sing.

Soon after, Jack and Kelly are shown going shopping. They first stop to look at a group of stuffed Mushroom people and then go to a record store. Jack happily shows off an index card in the record racks that reads, “BLOCH SOBBOTH.” He also pulls out a couple of Black Sabbath albums to buy. After posing for photographs in the store, Jack and Kelly leave. In the elevator going down, Jack starts digging at Kelly for the money she is spending on the trip. They are next seen out on the streets, looking for a taxi, as Jack continues to complain about Kelly’s spending. He suggests that Kelly get a job. Kelly points out that she did have a job, but that Sharon told her to quit because she was “not at home often enough.” Jack looks a bit surprised as they continue to wait for a cab and the scene ends.

The tour group is scene taking a flight and arriving at the airport. Drummer Mike Bordin talks to Ozzy about a video game that uses drums as the method of manipulating the characters on screen. Bordin seems very excited about the game (as probably most drummers would be), while Ozzy just seems a bit thrown by the entire conversation. It just appears like Ozzy can’t quite comprehend what Bordin is describing.

Sharon finally gets some screen time as she goes shopping and buys a bag of something (it is never quite clear what the product is that she is buying). Ozzy is seen with the bag at the airport and he is not convinced that the food is good eatin’, trying to bribe the cameraman $20 to eat one of the black stems inside the bag. He then offers the cameraman $50 when he is turned down. Finally keyboardist John Sinclair eats one, which convinces Ozzy to try one as well.