Mad About You: Yoko Said

David Steinberg directs a bed-in.

Mad About You: Yoko Said
NBC
November 12, 1995
Sitcom
VHS
C

Well, before we leave the '90s behind, it's time to go through my unlabeled videocassettes.  This story co-written by Reiser isn't average because of Yoko but because of what's done with her appearance.  Paul stresses out and fasts and Yoko is more casual.  And some of the jokes fall flat.  I almost went with a C+ because it's interesting that this episode exists (and I had the feeling I had it on tape somewhere), but it's kind of meh in actuality.

Ellen: A Hollywood Tribute

Ellen: A Hollywood Tribute
ABC
May 13, 1998
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Linda Ellerbee hosts this hour-long mockumentary about Ellen's career, going back to the 1920s, with this sitcom starting in 1959.  The writing by Tim Doyle, who wrote a couple Roseanne episodes, is uneven but I like the various pastiches of different eras and styles.  My favorites are the 1950s guess-the-Commie game show and the early '70s cartoon about "Ellen and the Fun Bunch" (in outer space with the Harlem Globetrotters, of course).

Celebrities I didn't tag include Jennifer Aniston, Bea Arthur, Orson Bean, Richard Benjamin, Diahann Carroll, Glenn Close, Tim Conway, Cindy Crawford, Ted Danson, Woody Harrelson, Christine Lahti, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Mary Steenburgen.

Steven Anderson, who was a Young Man on The Bob Newhart Show in 1976 and Higgins on Three's Company in '81, is a Bookish Man here.  Jim Doughan played Amazing Dave on Who's the Boss? and is a Camera Assistant here.  Phil Leeds, who was on a few Roseanne episodes, is one of the Comedians here.  Man #1 Gene Allan Poe played a Salesman before.  Dan Finnerty, who previously was a Doorman on this show, plays both Crew Member Dan and Tom.

Mad About You: The Unplanned Child

Mad About You: The Unplanned Child
NBC
October 28, 1993
Sitcom
VHS
C+

Paul and Jamie learn about parenting when their nephew Jed (elevenish Bradley Pierce, who was Jason on Roseanne three years earlier) spends Halloween with them.  Steve Paymer (Dutch) and Ryan Stiles (his boss) appear in this episode as well as "The Tape," and there's some cute humor about the sub-genres at the video store, like "Action Comedy," "Action Tragicomedy," and "Comedy Comedy."  I would've gone with a C+ but I find Larry Miller, here in his recurring role of Lou Bonaparte, annoying.  (He's good in Ten Things I Hate About You though, but who isn't?)

Maui is as always Murray the dog.

Mad About You: The Tape

I'm pretty sure I squealed in recognition when I originally saw
Ryan's striped overshirt, something he would've worn on
Whose Line Is It Anyway?  Notice Jamie in the background,
violating privacy by getting a customer's address off the
computer.

Mad About You: The Tape
NBC
February 24, 1994
Sitcom
VHS
B-

I watched this series sporadically, and obviously when I was in the midst of a divorce, I was not tuning in often to watch a happily married couple on a regular basis.  But Ryan was on, so I taped this second-season episode.  (It's actually his second appearance as the Video Vogue Manager, but I taped the first one later, possibly in summer reruns.)  He doesn't even show up until fairly far into the story, written by Reiser, which is about Paul accidentally switching videotapes, including a sex tape of him and Jamie (Helen Hunt) when they were younger.  You have to suspend disbelief to think that no one, even a video store, would label their VHS on the tapes themselves, not just the boxes, but the farce is pretty well done, and there's some nice little observational humor about marriage and relationships in the quieter moments.  Note that "The Family Network" is a transparent satire of "The Family Channel."

Kenneth Tigar, who was Spinkus on Bosom Buddies and Mr. Timmons on Who's the Boss, plays Norman Lark.  Perry Anzilotti, who plays Roy Osterback, would be a Minister on Ellen.  Steve Paymer also plays Ryan's employee Dutch in the episode we'll look at next.  Maui the dog has his regular role as Murray the dog.  And, yes, that's Lisa Kudrow as waitress Ursula Buffay (pre-Phoebe).