Review of 2-27-1999 episode (MD-418; some spoilers) Some people have been recommending that fans stop watching "Mad TV" and make the switch over to "Mystery Science Theater 3000." That will no longer be an option pretty soon. MST3K has been cancelled by the SciFi channel, and unless another channel decides to pick it up, MST3K, which has led a tempestuous existence since its genesis on an independent Minnesota TV station in 1988, will end it's 11-year run. ================================ ================================================================ Opening Segment: Nicole Sullivan opens the show and talks about the TV Guide story that claimed she got so furious at Aries Spears that she vowed she would never do another scene with him again. She claims it's not true and then Aries Spears comes out, they hug, apparently indicating that the story is a fabrication. Then Spears complains that they didn't come out together to open the show; they start arguing, and Sullivan storms off the stage. This is notable because I think it's the first time they responded to anything that has been said in the press about the show, and also it's much better than just having a recurring character come out and make a few inane comments. Also amusing is the way Sullivan plays the fool (she claims she didn't know Aries Spears was a cast member). One of the best opening segments of the season, if not the best. Paul Timberman's Workshop: Everyone's favorite Norm Abrams wannabe tries to make a lazy susan. Usually, he has some kind of reason for injuring himself, like when he makes eye contact with the camera and is not paying attention to what he is doing, but this time he is looking right at the jigsaw when he severs his fingers (and he doesn't stop with just one finger, either, even though at that point you'd think he'd be in such pain that he would). Overall, I suppose one could say that this was a pretty routine Paul Timberman segment; nevertheless, it made me laugh, proving that physical humor can still get the job done. It also helps if you show a lot of blood, too - I laughed at Monty Python's parody of a Sam Peckinpah-directed version of "Salad Days" (which showed, amongst other things, a piano played getting his hands cut off and blood spurting from the bleeding stumps), and so it is not surprising that I found this amusing, too. Vancome Video: Only a few days after Lauryn Hill dominates the Grammys, the Vancome Lady (Nicole Sullivan) dons gold chains and teams up with Mase (Aries Spears) to do a hip-hop video. In this parody, the Vancome Lady drives into a loading dock in a black neighborhood and, as might be expected, fulminates with her prejudices about African-Americans (all the men are future inmates, and all the women are poster children for welfare). Thus the Vancome Lady directs all her derisive comments against one group of people, instead of mouthing off about everything under the sun; however, in spite of this limitation, the parody works pretty well, even if this Vancome segment doesn't rise quite to the level of some of the past Vancome classics like the department store santa one (the sketch that won me over to the show for good). Moreover, Aries Spears does an good impression of Mase (although it's hard to suspend disbelief when he's wearing a jacket that reads "ARIES"). Funny also is the way they worked her being fired into the video. Melina and Lida: Melina (Debra Wilson) and Lida (Nicole Sullivan) gossip about the stars. They talk about Calista Flockhart ("I heard one time, she was sitting and there was a cheesburger in front of her, and she didn't eat it! That's so stupid. I love cheeseburgers.") and Anne Hecht ("She's a lesbiana. She likes tatas."). This was pretty much Melina and Lida by the books, with Lida talking about how big Melina's "tatas" are, and also that slut Rosa is mentioned, although this time, Lida has a Chihuahua on her lap for some reason. Overall, I suppose one could say it was about average as Melina and Lida segments go. Welfare: It's like Monopoly, only it's Welfare. It's a board game that's a "simulation" of the welfare state; we get to see four wealthy people (Andrew Bowen, Nicole Sullivan, Michael McDonald, Alex Borstein) playing. When you pass go, you get two hundred dollars in food stamps (I'm going to use them to feed my children - really), and if you get a job, you're off welfare - and out of the game. It's the first time they've taken a stab at political satire in a while, and on the whole it succeeds (I was laughing, anyway). In one sense the satire is misplaced because they show rich people making fun of people on welfare whereas I know from experience that it's lower middle class people who have a greater contempt for the poor than the rich do, but that's nitpicking anyway. Bret Hart/Will Sasso Arm Wrestling: Will Sasso beats Bret Hart in an arm wrestling match, then Hart attacks Sasso with a crutch; then a strange man in a kilt with a "Reality Check" T-short emerges from the audience to attack Hart, who is then apparently escorted off the set by security. The Hart/Sasso saga started out without much humor potential, and has petered out to something even less. Earlier on in the night, I saw Andy Kaufman wrestling a big woman, and then getting pushed over by an ex-wrestler who was coaching the woman, then Kaufman gets up and proclaims that he's going to sue the man who pushed him, and he's going to get Hollywood against him. That was funny. This, unfortunately, was not very funny. Stuart: Stuart (Michael McDonald) goes to get his picture taken, and once again, Nicole Sullivan is the person who has to put up with him (this time, she's the photographer). The funniest part here was where the photographer tells Stuart he can change into a cowboy's outfit, and he comes out without any pants on. This show was dominated by popular recurring characters and this is no exception; like the other recurring segments it comes off for the most part as average as far as Stuart sketches go, bolstered somewhat by strong performances by McDonald, Sullivan, and Mo Collins as Doreen Larkin. Spy vs. Spy: It's the one with the mirrors (black spy shoots over his shoulder because he thinks that white spy is behind him, but white spy has removed mirror and is actually in front of him; then the white spy shoots the black spy). This was good but they have already used this one several times - I wish they would come up with some new cartoons. Son of Dolemite: Oh my god, this brother IS pretty chunkified! Apparently, this is a parody of those blackploitation films from the 1970's Dolemite (Phil LaMarr) gets killed by a redneck sherrif (Will Sasso), but the Son of Dolemite (Aries Spears) carries on the tradition. The sherrif and his son (Pat Kilbane) hire a martial arts expert. We get to see Aries Spears in a thong bikini (like I needed to see that), and it confirms that he is rather on the chunky side. That having been said, this was actually pretty good. It gets off to a good start with the sherriff's son shooting his sister; it drags a little at points, then winds up with a satisfactory conclusion, with the Son of Dolemite battling the martial arts expert with "black kung fu." Mo Collins was also good as the sherriff's wife. Closing Segment: The guy in the kilt comes back and tries to get Sasso to hit Debra Wilson with a chair (he claims it's therapy). This was OK. ======================================== ===================================================== On the whole, this was a pretty strong show. Maybe it's not the best of the season (though I'd probably put it near the top of the list), but as an indication of how confident they were with this batch, they didn't bother to include a "Mad TV Classic," something they've done almost every show this year, and the show doesn't really need one, either. Thus Mad TV closes February sweeps on a decidedly positive note. Next week: MD-407 (includes the much-vaunted "Felicity" parody, plus Melina and Lida). ==================================================================== = Number Six | http://www.nic.com/~dzien/nicolesullivan/ dzien@nic.com | (The Unofficial Nicole Sullivan Tribute Page) ================================== =================================== ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ