Review of 4-4-1998 episode (a high proportion of spoilers) This week's show was a rerun of #302, first broadcast on 9-27-1997. If memory serves, this is the first rerun of a Season Three episode. Before I begin the review, I thought that since this was one of Dave Herman's last shows (I think he did four episodes this season), I might begin with a haiku entitled "Ode to Dave Herman (A Fan's Lament)": Poor David Herman, He could not get along with the show's management. Now, on with the review: ============================================================ =========== The Marv Albert Song: Pat Kilbane, Will Sasso, and Aries Spears put on women's panties and sing a homage to their hero Marv Albert. Spears singlehandedly dominates this segment with his impression of Albert. Not outrageously funny, but I laughed anyway. Opening Monologue: Lisa Kushell does her Fiona Apple impression to introduce Carmen Electra. Fiona Apple is apparently a pop music star who, like many pop music stars, tries desperately to get the public to take her seriously; in her case, this manifests itself in the fact that she constantly quotes poet Maya Angelou. If I actually followed trends in popular music I would probably find this to be very funny; as it was, I still found this segment somewhat funny. Batman V (Out of the Cave): Joel Schumacher (Dave Herman) presents "his Batman" - Tommy Tune (Pat Kilbane). Ben Vereen (Phil Lamarr) plays Robin. They join forces to battle Liza Minelli (Will Sasso), who has poisoned the water supply of Gotham City with a purseful of tranquilizers. This segment was brillantly conceived and executed by the cast and writers. Reminds me of why I miss Dave Herman (sob!). Bwisk Iced Tea: The animated segments are usually excellent, and this was no exception. This segment, which was last seen on a "Best of Mad TV" special in February, features Mike Tyson devouring Evander Hollyfield (sic?). This is the type of stuff other sketch comedy shows just haven't duplicated yet (notwithstanding SNL's renewed emphasis on animated segments) and is one of the best Mad TV commercial parodies. Cabana Chat: The first "Cabana Chat" segment for Season Three. Dixie Wetsworth (Mary Scheer) introduces new musical director James Brown (Aries Spears), and announces the "Pool Boy for a Day" contest. Craig Anton makes a special appearance as contestant number one. Also featuring Salt N' Pepa and Spinderella. Possibly the best "Cabana Chat" segment of the season. I liked Spears' James Brown particularly. Wedding Day: Carmen Electra as a bride who has a talk with her mother before the wedding. Pretty funny stuff. Stan the Java Man: The first Stan the Java Man sketch! Not everyone likes this character but I think it's hilarious. In this sketch, Stan (Pat Kilbane) works at Java Jamboree; his boss (Lisa Kushell) fires him because of his addiction to coffee. The second sketch, where he again goes cold turkey, only to fall off the wagon again when touring a coffee plant, is even funnier, but this is pretty good also. It's more or less a one-man show with Kilbane as the focus, but Will Sasso is good as a customer with a hangover. Salt N'Pepa Backstage: A go-fer (Phil LaMarr) hits on Spinderella and Pepa, who have to cope with his boorish comments. Its been done before, but the denouement was rather funny, and we get fair performances from LaMarr, Spinderella and Pepa. Not bad. Flimstone Birth Control Pills: The birth control pill for sexually promiscuous children. This is an extremely funny concept, and well-executed besides. I wonder if the children have sex while watching the Flintstones. Sabrina the Teenage Mother: This sounds like an idea that I could have conceived, and maybe that's why I like it - it's as if the writers are on the same wavelength as me. Sabrina (Mary Scheer) is pregnant; her friends and even her aunt (Nicole Sullivan) turn against her, but that's OK - she's going to the prom (until this aired, I didn't know that the incident of the teenage mother allegedly killing her baby at the prom made national news, but then again, I don't pay much attention to the news). Best line: Sabrina says that her boyfriend must be the father because he's the only person she ever had sex with; her boyfriend replies, "But I've slept with lots of girls." Carmen Electra/Will Sasso: Similar to Kerri Strug/Will Sasso, only with Carmen Electra. Pretty good. Spy vs. Spy: The white spy gets his head chopped off by the black spy. Always good. ================================================= =========================== In summary, this was an excellent show. Not all of the sketches fire on all cylinders, and therefore this was not the best of the season, but the new cast members work out surprisingly well, and the veterans (including the sadly departed Dave Herman) are good, too. Another plus is the appearance of Craig Anton, who is good enough to make me wish they would use him more often (remember those monologues from early on in the season where he would come out in a towel and talk about what he hated?). Notice that in the credits at the beginning, the new cast members are not listed alphabetically with the old cast members, but are tacked on at the end, two at a time. Also notice that at the end of the show, Dave Herman, Alex Borstein and Mary Scheer are absent (Mary Scheer apparently was pregnant; Dave Herman was not). Next week is apparently an all-new show; I think there are only two more left for the season! Web site update: added "Vancome Lady: Department Store Santa" to the Vancome Lady section. ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ