The Daily Show: Continental Skiff Boat Oarsmen for Veracity

The Daily Show: Continental Skiff Boat Oarsmen for Veracity
ABC
September 19, 2004
Parody
DVD
B-

This was actually created for the Emmy Awards, and it of course parodies the "swift boat" attack ads on Kerry.  The guys play various oarsmen, while Samantha is a "trollop."

The Daily Show: Midterm Elections

The Daily Show: Midterm Elections
Comedy Central
October 29, 2002
Parody
DVD
B

This cynical send-up of both Schoolhouse Rock and, well, elections that are in nonpresidential years is well done, although now incredibly dated in its message of such off-year contests being dull and inconsequential.  But yeah, who knew?  Note that this is part of an InDecision 2004 DVD collection, and I didn't realize it went back to '02.  We will return to '03 shortly....

On The Television: There's an Englishman in the House

On The Television: There's an Englishman in the House
Nickelodeon
1990
Parody
VHS
B-

A Mr. Belvedere parody, with a bluesy theme song.  Not as dead-on as My Five Dads, but the lead gives an enjoyably smarmy impersonation.

On the Television: My Five Dads

On the Television: My Five Dads
Nickelodeon
The Fall of 1989
Parody
VHS
B

Tim Conway, Jr. and George McGrath play TV critics and two of the "dads" of the reviewed show.  (McGrath gripes about the theme song which his other character sings.)  This is a parody of not just My Two Dads but also The Brady Bunch, with a melodramatic girl of about 12 and a wise and wisecracking maid.  And to some degree, it's a satire on family sitcoms in general.  A nice little gem that still holds up.  Director Gary Halvorson would go on to some episodes of Roseanne's final season.

The Garry Shandling Show: 25th Anniversary Special

Yes, I would rather watch Donny Osmond
on The Brady Bunch Variety Hour.

The Garry Shandling Show: 25th Anniversary Special
Showtime
Copyright 1985 but aired sometime in 1986
Parody, Variety
VHS
C

We're going to step back a little in time, to this precursor to The Larry Sanders Show, although it more immediately paved the way for It's Garry Shandling's Show.  I saw it after watching the first season of IGSS and was disappointed.  It hasn't improved with age.  It's not bad but it's not particularly funny.  It's mainly of historical interest, from a time when Johnny Carson was till the King of Late Night TV but had faced some challenges.

Paul Willson, who would be Leonard Smith on IGSS, plays Garry's sidekick Pete.  Britt Leach, who was Davy Jones's manager on The Brady Bunch, Reporter Dan Blevik on M*A*S*H, and three different characters on Three's Company, is Dr. Robert Lebec here.  DeVera Marcus, who was Violet on Bosom Buddies, plays Dee here and would be Willa on Who's the Boss?  Helaine Lembeck, of Welcome Back, Kotter, is Mindy here.  Doug McClure is among the many people appearing as themselves.  Tom Trbovich, who did one Bosom Buddies episode, is this special's director.

Mad Movies with the L.A. Connection: Episode 125, Best of Mad Movies

Mad Movies with the L.A. Connection: Episode 125, Best of Mad Movies
Syndicated
1985-86
Parody
VHS
B-

As the title suggests, the final episode of this one-season series is composed mostly of highlights, plus yet another home movie from a California resident.  The best of the best seems to be The Little Princess, with Shirley Temple possessed by a demonic doll.  President Reagan can be seen in clips from Santa Fe Trail, made when he was about 29.

Mad Movies with the L.A. Connection: Episode 109, "Doll Face"

Mad Movies with the L.A. Connection: Episode 109, "Doll Face"
Syndicated
1985-86
Parody
VHS
B-

This time, Rachel Lutjean helps out with the female voices, as the story is made into a sleazy beauty contest.  The home movie becomes an ad for "Beer Beach."

Mad Movies with the L.A. Connection: Episode 107, "Nothing Sacred"

Mad Movies with the L.A. Connection: Episode 107, "Nothing Sacred"
Syndicated
1985-86
Parody
VHS
B-

This time the main movie, which featured Margaret Hamilton, is rewritten to be a sequel to The Wizard of Oz, if Dorothy had grown up and hired Jim Rockford.  The home movie becomes a spy training film.  With more female characters to voice this time, April Winchell is added to the cast.

Mad Movies with the L.A. Connection: Episode 100, "Cyrano de Bergerac"

Mad Movies with the L.A. Connection: Episode 100, "Cyrano de Bergerac"
Syndicated
1985-86
Parody
VHS
B-

This series aired in syndication during that season of '85-86, so now is just as good a time as any to revisit it.  (I caught it on Nick at Nite later in the '80s.)  It predates Mystery Science Theater 3000 by a few years and shares the sensibility of affectionately mocking old movies, although MST was not as likely to choose an Oscar winner.  The concept here is not as fresh as it was three decades ago (and at that had been done by Woody Allen in What's Up, Tiger Lily?), but even at a time when even (well, maybe especially) teenagers can redub clips on Youtube, there's a certain charm in seeing a low-budget '80s show where an already-old-at-that-time movie is condensed to about twenty minutes and made sillier.  And this is definitely rooted in the '80s, with references from Tip O'Neill to Miami Vice.  Not every joke works but at least they try.  The best part here, other than the home movie that is turned from Halloween memories into sci-fi, is the use of music.  You'll certainly never hear "Greensleeves" quite the same way again.

The regular cast is Bob Buchholz, Connie Sue Cook, Steve Pinto, Stephen Rollman, and writer/producer/host Kent Skov.  Re the numbering of the episodes, that's from Wikipedia and I think is meant to represent that they had done live shows as a comedy troupe before they were on TV.