The Critic

The Critic is an American animated series that was originally broadcast on ABC in 1994 (and later on the Fox in 1995). The show was created by Al Jean and Mike Reiss, who were two writers and producers on The Simpsons. The show was produced by Columbia Pictures Television in association with Gracie Films and Film Roman. The series revolves around the life of movie critic Jay Sherman. Each episode featured at least one or two short movie parodies based on current releases at the time or movies that were at least two or three years old. Many of these parodies were featured on Jay's show Coming Attractions. Notable examples include Howard Stern's End (Howard's End), Honey, I Ate the Kids (Honey, I Shrunk the Kids), The Cockroach King (The Lion King), and Scent of a Jackass (Scent of a Woman).

Season Two Synopsis

Sherman, Woman and Child

Episode 2x01 - Airdate: March 05, 1995

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Jay's ratings are not doing very well and Duke is about to fire him so Jay is feeling depressed. His feelings become better when he meets Alice Thompkins and her daughter Penny. Alice is needing a job, so Jay has her become his new assistant. Alice gives Jay tips on how to improve his image and her advice works. Jay wants to get to know Alice better but discovers she has an ex-husband whom she hates and wants to reject, but can't.

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Siskel & Ebert & Jay & Alice

Episode 2x02 - Airdate: March 12, 1995

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After Jay attends the Academy Awards ceremony, Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert (themselves) have a fight on the plane ride home and split up. Jay sees his golden opportunity to be a partner to either Siskel or Ebert, but feels they weren't right to be apart, so he tries to get them reunited.

Related Topics:
Gene Siskel - Roger Ebert

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Lady Hawke

Episode 2x03 - Airdate: March 19, 1995

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When Jeremy Hawke's sister, Olivia Newton Hawke, visits New York, Jay meets her and is smitten with her which puts his relationship with Alice on the line when she begins to feel left out. So Jay then must decide who he really loves.

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A Song for Margo

Episode 2x04 - Airdate: March 26, 1995

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Margo gets a new neighbor, Johnny Wrath (a spoof on modern grunge rockers), who is the lead singer in the rock group, "Nuns in a Blender". Margo falls in love with him but doesn't feel the relationship is right when she finds him with another girl. Meanwhile Alice tries to find a suitable preschool for Penny. On an interesting side note, the butler in Jay's parents' house reveals that he loves the band "Nuns in a Blender" and leaves them to be Johnny's butler

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From Chunk to Hunk

Episode 2x05 - Airdate: April 02, 1995

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Jay and Marty begin to feel a little big so they enroll in a weight loss camp. Marty loses a remarkable amount of weight which makes him feel more self- confident but when he is placed as the star in a school play, he doesn't feel his skinny self is right for him. Meanwhile, Jay receives a death threat from Belgian actor Jean Paul Le Pope (a spoof on Jean Claude Van Damme) whose movie he panned.

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All the Duke's Men

Episode 2x06 - Airdate: April 23, 1995

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After Jay gets his son Marty elected class president, his boss Duke decides to run for president. He is off to a good start, with Jay as his speechwriter. Things go downhill, however, when Jay's adoptive father Franklin is chosen as Duke's running mate, and makes his ratings plummet after a vice-presidential debate. To kill the ticket, Duke tells the world he'll run on a platform that includes "dumping oil in the ocean" and "selling our best assets to the Japanese".

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Sherman of Arabia

Episode 2x07 - Airdate: April 30, 1995

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At Marty's slumber party, Jay is asked to tell his story in which he got caught up in the Gulf War. Jay tells how he was attending an Iraqi film festival and eventually was thrown in jail where he escaped and lead a troop of men across the desert.

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Frankie and Ellie Get Lost

Episode 2x08 - Airdate: May 07, 1995

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Franklin and Eleanor celebrate their 40th anniversary by going on vacation but the plane crashes and Franklin and Eleanor find themselves marooned on an island. Back in New York, Margo and Jay find out about their disappearance and discover they have willed Jay their entire fortune which Jay decides to put to use by cleaning up New York.

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Dukerella

Episode 2x09 - Airdate: May 14, 1995

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Alice's sister, Miranda, comes to visit them which Alice is not comfortable with. Miranda must find work in New York so she joins "Mattress in an Hour" delivering mattresses. When everybody attends a party held by Duke, Miranda falls in love with Duke but is shy because of a wrinkle. She runs out on Duke at midnight and Duke must find the woman who fits her slipper. When it turns out to be Doris, Jay must get Duke and Miranda reunited.

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I Can't Believe It's a Clip Show

Episode 2x10 - Airdate: May 21, 1995

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Jay is hosting his 10th anniversary show held at Carnegie Hall where he showcases a number of movie clips from old episodes such as Jurassic Park 2 (Note: The movie 'Jurassic Park 2' referred to is a fictional parody of the original movie. At this time, the actual sequel, , had not been created) Every Which Way but Lucid, and Rabbi P.I. The show is later held hostage by a number of terrorists who threaten to blow the place up with a bomb tied to Jay's waist. Fortunately, everybody is eventually rescued by Milton Berle.

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