Review of 2-28-1998 (some spoilers) After two weeks of reruns, we finally get a brand-new episode of Mad TV! As an added bonus, Jerry Springer, who has become famous doing the same kind of low-brow talk show that Geraldo Rivera and Oprah Winfrey used to do (until they decided that, having already made millions off of this format, they could afford to take the high road and thereby gain the right to criticize people like Springer), guest hosts the show. But does the formula succeed? Let's see: ========================================================================== Kenny's Ice Cream Parlor: Kenny Rogers (Will Sasso) returns, this time to plug his ice cream parlor franchise. Essentially a rehash of Kenny's Country Broasters, only instead of smearing barbeque sauce all over patrons, he's smearing syrup and spraying whipped cream all over the place. Not very funny, although I did laugh when he hit that guy with his guitar. Opening Monologue: Nicole Sullivan introduces Jerry Springer, and then Jerry Springer reveals that Nicole Sullivan's boyfriend is a man. Not as funny as it could have been, though better than the usual we-have-a-great -show-for-you-tonight opening monologue. Gimme a Clue: Ms. Swan (Alex Borstein) and Antonia (Nicole Sullivan) appear as contestants on a game show hosted by Mark Hamill. As might be expected, their partners are Sterling (Chris Hogan) and Roger (Phil LaMarr), respectively. The show kicks into high gear with this segment. Even Ms. Swan, who hasn't been very funny in recent sketches, is pretty funny. Antonia is so stupid that she can't distinguish between the abstract concept of a cat and her own cat, and when LaMarr gives clues which describe the attributes of a cat, she keeps on saying "C.C." Mad TV brings out the big guns, and it pays off. The Jerry Springer Show: Jerry Springer brings together people who should hate each other's guts on his talk show, but is nonplussed when the guests (Will Sasso, Nicole Sullivan, Lisa Kushell, Chris Hogan, Aries Spears) don't get mad at each other. He then threatens to kill a member of the audience unless they start to fight with each other. This is extremely humorous, especially with the two bouncers that come out periodically. Caroline in the City: Downtown Julie Brown (Debra Wilson), takes us behind the scenes of the NBC hit sitcom (my bad, let's just say sitcom) Caroline in the City, where we meet the airheaded Lea Thompson (Nicole Sullivan) and her effeminate co-star, Malcom Gets (Pat Kilbane). Most of the humor here is about everyone talking about how the co-star is a "man's man", when he acts rather gay - and this is pretty much enough to carry this segment. CLOPS III: Once again, the animated segment does not disappoint. CLOPS III pretty much follows the same format as previous CLOPS segments, only this time we get Paddington Bear being arrested for indecent exposure, and the Pillsbury Dough Boy goes on a shooting rampage. Doesn't suck. Vancome Lady in Hell: Regular viewers of Mad TV may have noticed that the Vancome Lady (Nicole Sullivan) has evolved from a prejudiced person with a residum of likeability to a rather degenerate woman. This sketch continues the trend. The Vancome Lady ushers people into what appears to be heaven, but guess what - it's hell, and then Jerry Springer comes out and suggests that the Vancome Lady is just a lonely, misunderstood woman. When she turns against Springer, however, he then suggests that maybe she is just a bitch. The sketch succeeds because most of the Vancome Lady's one-liners are quite funny, and the addition of Springer at the end is a good twist on the usual Vancome Lady formula. The Pocket Hulk: A large, heavyset man (Will Sasso) turns into a small, defenseless monster when angered. This interesting take on the "Hulk" had me laughing hysterically, and may be the funniest segment in this show, in my opinion. Lowered Expectations: A "Lowered Expectations" segment featuring Jerry Springer. As far as "Lowered Expectations" segments go, this one wasn't bad. Andy Griffith '98: Andy Griffith parodies have been done before. I liked Howard Stern's "Return to Mayberry" parody which was originally broadcast about ten years ago, and other viewers could probably name other parodies. That having been said, this segment goes over quite well. Andy Griffith (Pat Kilbane) takes extraordinary measures to ensure that Aunt Bee wins a pickle contest. Chris Hogan does a good Barney Fife, and we have some great moments here, especially when Andy cuts off Floyd the Barber's ear (a nod to Pulp Fiction?). It is interesting that Floyd in this sketch is black because I don't remember there being any black people in Mayberry (did Andy drive them all out of town?). Headless Clone Ranching: Commercial parody describing a get-rich quick scheme based on creating headless clones. Not really my cup of tea, although I suppose this was a timely parody, with bioethicists currently debating the moral and ethical issues raised by cloning. ======================================================================== In short, this was an excellent episode. Probably not the best of the season, but in my opinion, the best since the beginning of the year. Some weak spots, but the good material far outweighed the bad, and an episode which features both the Vancome Lady and Antonia is unlikely to disappoint.