The Critic @ The Cartoon Scrapbook

Prod. Notes:

January 1994 - July 1994, ABC

March 1995 - May 1995, FOX

Film Roman, Gracie Films

Cast:

Jay Sherman ............................................................................... Jon Lovitz

Margo .............................................................................. Nancy Cartwright

Marty Sherman ........................................................ Christine Cavanaugh

Franklin Sherman ............................................................. Gerritt Graham

Eleanor Sherman ........................................... Judith Ivey/Kath Soucie

Doris .............................................................................................. Doris Grau

Vlada ....................................................................................... Nick Jameson

Jeremy Hawke ........................................................... Maurice LaMarche

Duke Phillips ....................................................................... Charles Napier

Penny Tompkins ...................................................................... Russi Taylor

Alice Tompkins ....................................................................... Park Overall

Synopsis:

Film critic Jay Sherman had his own television program, called 'Coming Attractions.' He regularly (and one could argue justifiably) exposed the movies he reviewed - with titles like "Arthur 3: Revenge of the Liver," "Honey I Ate the Kids" and "D.T.: The Drunken-Terrestrial" - for what they were, garbage wrapped in a slick marketing package. His response to most of these films and much used tag-line was, "It Stinks!" For his insight he was generally disliked by the public and thought of as a pompous, overly-critical windbag.

This general disdain for Jay carried over into his everyday life, where he was a down-on-his-luck loser with little going for him. Women were turned off by Jay, people he met were annoyed by him, and he got little respect. Other cast members included Jay's adopted parents, Eleanor and her slightly senile husband Franklin, Jay's sister Margo, his make-up lady Doris, Vlada who owned the restaurant Jay frequented, his overbearing boss Duke Phillips, his son Marty, and his ex-wife Ardith, who did her best to forget she was ever married to Jay. Two new characters were introduced in the second season, Jay's fiancée Alice Tompkins and her daughter Penny.

Colorful and funny antics abound in the series, using Jay's social haplessness as a springboard for much of the show's humor and story content. The series debuted on ABC, then switched to FOX for its second season.

Episodes:

Season 1

Pilot

Marty's First Date

Dial "M" For Mother

Miserable

A Little Deb Will Do You

Eyes On The Prize

Every Doris Has Her Day

Marathon Mensch

LA Jay

Dr. Jay

A Day At The Races And A Night At The Opera

Uneasy Rider

A Pig-Boy And His Dog

Season 2

Sherman, Woman And Child

Siskel & Ebert & Jay & Alice

Lady Hawke

A Song For Margo

From Chunk To Hunk

All The Duke's Men

Sherman Of Arabia

Frankie And Ellie Get Lost

Dukerella

I Can't Believe It's A Clip Show