Upon its debut, Joyce Millman of "Salon" called the series a "rousing blast of kamikaze satire" and summed up by declaring, "In his relentless flogging of the advertiser-driven TV biz, Carvey delivered prime time's funniest biting the-feeding-hand stuff since Michael Moore's short-lived NBC (and briefly, Fox) series "TV Nation"." Caryn James of "The New York Times", however, gave a negative review, claiming, "the debut already looked tired and old" adding, "Right now, the Carvey writers had better be thinking up something edgier than a dancing mug of root beer." In 2009, "New York Times" writer Dave Itzkoff lamented, "Comedy fans may remember it as a crucible in which many future stars were forged.
Critical reception and retrospect
The Dana Carvey Show
The Dana Carvey Show | Critical reception and retrospect
It received mixed reviews - Joyce Millman of "Salon" called the series a "rousing blast of kamikaze satire"; Caryn James of "The New York Times", however, gave a negative review, claiming, "the debut already looked tired and old". Upon its debut, Joyce Millman of "Salon" called the series a "rousing blast of kamikaze satire" and summed up by declaring, "In his relentless flogging of the advertiser-driven TV biz, Carvey delivered prime time's funniest biting the-feeding-hand stuff since Michael Moore's short-lived NBC (and briefly, Fox) series "TV Nation" The first season of "The Office" was met with a mixed response from critics Sorry. I cannot find the answer based on the context.
what episode did pam and jim first kiss
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"Casino Night"
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what is it's premise about?
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It depicts the everyday lives of office employees in the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company.
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which series does this episode belong to?
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"The Office"
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when was it released?
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March 24, 2005
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who produced it?
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Co-produced by Deedle-Dee Productions, and Reveille Productions (later Shine America), in association with Universal Television.
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who are the main characters in it?
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Michael Scott, Dwight Schrute, Jim Halpert, Pam Beesly
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what sort of a character is the first one?
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Apart from his masterful salesmanship, he is lacking in almost any other skills, management or otherwise; places personal interests as a priority over work; often resorts to scapegoating employees to cover himself.
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who played this character in it?
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Steve Carell
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was this his debut series?
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No, he started with "The Dana Carvey Show" and "Saturday Night Live".
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where did the former get broadcasted?
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ABC
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what does it stand for?
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American Broadcasting Company
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was the show received well?
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But for the people who created the show, it was a stark lesson that when idiosyncratic talents are given the freedom to follow their personal muses, a mass audience does not always follow." "Entertainment Weekly"'s Alynda Wheat gave the DVD a B- and proclaimed "You can see why Carell and Colbert became famous [...] But just as clear is that "Carvey" was too wildly hit-or-miss to work." "Paste Magazine" gave a "respectable" 73 rating and noted that while the show's topicality hasn't dated well, "when the "Dana Carvey Show" is on its game it’s outstanding, especially towards the end of its short run when it really found its voice." CHUD.com also commended the show's writing and gave an 8/10 rating.
The Dana Carvey Show | Critical reception and retrospect
Upon its debut, Joyce Millman of "Salon" called the series a "rousing blast of kamikaze satire" and summed up by declaring, "In his relentless flogging of the advertiser-driven TV biz, Carvey delivered prime time's funniest biting the-feeding-hand stuff since Michael Moore's short-lived NBC (and briefly, Fox) series "TV Nation"." Caryn James of "The New York Times", however, gave a negative review, claiming, "the debut already looked tired and old" adding, "Right now, the Carvey writers had better be thinking up something edgier than a dancing mug of root beer." In 2009, "New York Times" writer Dave Itzkoff lamented, "Comedy fans may remember it as a crucible in which many future stars were forged.
The Dana Carvey Show | Critical reception and retrospect
In 1996, Brillstein-Grey Entertainment produced "The Dana Carvey Show" at the Broadcast Center for ABC. As a jab at CBS (ABC's competition), the show's opening credits had a man with a paper version of the ABC logo on a ladder outside of the Broadcast Center covering over the CBS Eye logo while the announcer proclaimed "From the ABC Broadcast Center".
CBS Broadcast Center | ""From the ABC Broadcast Center...""
In 1977, he won the San Francisco Stand-Up Comedy Competition.
Dana Carvey | Early life
When "The Dana Carvey Show" first appeared, it was greeted with above average reviews and a lukewarm response from the audience. Despite the fact that ABC only aired seven episodes of the series, it has maintained a small but loyal following. The first six episodes that aired were officially titled based on the presenting sponsor of the show: This was a homage to the classic television shows that Dana Carvey grew up watching in the 1950s and 1960s, wherein a variety show would have a single sponsor whose advertising and promotion were integrated with the show. The show was videotaped at the CBS Broadcast Center at 524 West 57th Street in New York City.
The Dana Carvey Show | History
"The Dana Carvey Show" aired only seven of its planned 10 episodes. While the program was short-lived and featured controversial material, it has since been considered ahead of its time. The show is also recognized for providing early exposure to Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert, two comedians who would go on to have massive success many years later. In addition, "The Dana Carvey Show" served as a launchpad for Smigel's series of "TV Funhouse" cartoons.
The Dana Carvey Show | Introduction
As an inside joke to the fact that an ABC television show was being recorded at a rival network, each show's opening announcement stated, "from the ABC Broadcast Center in New York, it's The ________ Dana Carvey Show!" The blank was where the sponsor's name is heard as a man stands at the top of a ladder outside of the Broadcast Center placing the ABC logo over the CBS Eye logo. Dana would then begin the show surrounded by dancers wearing (for example) gigantic Mug Root Beer soda can costumes.
The Dana Carvey Show | History
An animated sketch that first appeared on the show, "The Ambiguously Gay Duo", featuring the voices of Stephen Colbert and Steve Carell, became well known on "SNL" after Carvey's show was canceled. Additionally, a sketch used in the unaired eighth episode about Tom Brokaw prerecording the announcement of Gerald Ford's death was used verbatim when Carvey hosted "Saturday Night Live" on October 26, 1996.
The Dana Carvey Show | Format
Due to the controversial content and declining ratings, the show was canceled after 8 of its 10 planned episodes were taped. Smigel and Carvey recalled wanting a parental warning for the show, but were not granted it because of advertiser concerns. However, the duo considered the program less racy by today's standards, stating, "If you take out the teats and a few things, maybe the Mountain Dew, mostly it was clean and silly and abstract." They also regarded "Two and a Half Men", a later CBS sitcom, as "much dirtier" than "The Dana Carvey Show". "I think that [ABC] wanted a little edgier "Carol Burnett Show", and they got something that was a little more than they bargained for," Carvey recalled.
The Dana Carvey Show | Cancellation and beyond
The two also believe the show could have been more successful had it been given more time to develop, much like "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" did. Smigel put it simply, "Bottom line, the network was the wrong fit, wrong timeslot. Cable obviously would have been -- we would have been given credit for what was good instead of attacked for what wasn’t." Nevertheless, Carvey expressed pride in the program serving as Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert's launchpad and in its creative approach: "We did not compromise anything, literally, in a completely commercialized environment, and did exactly what we wanted - for better or for worse." Colbert has also offered credit to the show's format for developing his satirical onscreen persona, stating, "If you have an opportunity to give it right to the audience, there’s a special connection that you make by looking at the camera." Upon the program's cancellation, its writers rearranged their office in an askew fashion as a parody of destroying it in anger.
The Dana Carvey Show | Cancellation and beyond
He regarded Smigel as the true writer and "creative force" behind the show while Carvey considered himself "kind of a zombie." This was due to his tiring schedule of balancing work and fatherhood which he later considered a mistake.
The Dana Carvey Show | Development
In October 2017, streaming service Hulu released a documentary entitled "Too Funny to Fail" that details the show's rise and fall.
The Dana Carvey Show | Documentary
Needing money, he also worked as a script consultant for VH1 and MTV, before taking a job filming humorous correspondent segments for "Good Morning America". Only two of the segments he proposed were ever produced and only one aired, but the job led his agent to refer him to "The Daily Show's" producer, Madeline Smithberg, who hired Colbert on a trial basis in 1997.
Stephen Colbert | "The Dana Carvey Show" (1996)
The Dana Carvey Show is an American sketch comedy television show that aired on ABC during the spring of 1996. Dana Carvey was the host and principal player on the show while Louis C.K. served as head writer. The show's cast consists heavily of "Saturday Night Live" and Second City alumni including Carvey, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Bill Chott, Elon Gold, Chris McKinney, Heather Morgan, Peggy Shay, Robert Smigel, and James Stephens III. The writing team also included Louis C.K, Charlie Kaufman, Jon Glaser, Dino Stamatopoulos, Spike Feresten, and Robert Carlock. In addition, Carvey and Smigel's former "Saturday Night Live" colleague Greg Daniels contributed material for the premiere episode.
The Dana Carvey Show | Introduction
They quickly corrected its appearance after angered security guards complained. Carvey returned to stand-up comedy, specifically corporate shows, where he was in high demand and turned down many gigs. His family returned to Los Angeles where he could revolve his schedule around raising his children. Smigel's "Ambiguously Gay Duo" concept carried on with further installments on "Saturday Night Live" and led to the creation of several other cartoons. Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert were later cast on Comedy Central's "Daily Show" where its co-creator, Madeleine Smithberg, was a fan of their waiters nauseated by food sketch. The two went on to have significant comedy careers in film and television.
The Dana Carvey Show | Cancellation and beyond
Colbert sent them a homemade audition tape in which he used his newborn daughter as a puppet. He later noted, "I was completely desperate." The writing staff for "The Dana Carvey Show" included, Louis C.K. (head writer), Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Robert Smigel, Charlie Kaufman, Bob Odenkirk, Robert Carlock, Greg Daniels, and Dino Stamatopoulos. Carvey also saw the new show as an opportunity to move his family away from Los Angeles and raise his two young sons in New York. His family moved to Greenwich, Connecticut, however, causing Carvey to commute several hours to the studio during a brutal winter.
The Dana Carvey Show | Development
As a lifelong Douglas fan, Carvey threw in an affectionate impression of his mentor, while describing a hairy scene they did together on a moving train. Carvey was a finalist for the hosting role on the Nickelodeon TV game show "Double Dare". He ultimately withdrew his name from consideration after he was cast on "Saturday Night Live". The job would go to Marc Summers.
Dana Carvey | Early career
The series is currently able to stream on Crackle. It was available to stream on Hulu from its launch until its removal around May 2020.
The Dana Carvey Show | Streaming
This was thanks to his performance as a nauseated waiter on "The Dana Carvey Show".
Stephen Colbert (character) | "The Dana Carvey Show"
The show's humor varied between crude and sophisticated. It debuted on Tuesday, March 12, 1996 at 9:30 ET. On its premiere, following the family-friendly "Home Improvement", the notorious first sketch featured Carvey as President Bill Clinton, demonstrating his compassion by having a human baby (which was a doll), several puppies (real ones) and a kitten (also real) suckle milk from his multiple prosthetic nipples. Years later, Carvey claimed that "having that right out of the box sent the wrong message about the show. The show got really panned because of that, and we were in trouble from that point forwards." Carvey also recreated some of the characters he developed on "Saturday Night Live", including his signature Church Lady, and parodied the news of the day, as well as the media, politics, commercialism, and other sketch comedy shows.
The Dana Carvey Show | Format
As Perot—recorded and timed to give the appearance of interacting with the live Bush and Clinton—Carvey eschewed the show's signature "Live from New York" opening line, telling Bush "Why don't you do it, live-boy?" Carvey left "SNL" in 1993.
Dana Carvey | "Saturday Night Live"
On June 14, 2008, Carvey filmed a second HBO stand-up special, the first in 13 years, entitled "Squatting Monkeys Tell No Lies". In 2010, Carvey appeared in the "Funny or Die" original comedy sketch "Presidential Reunion". He played the role of President George H. W. Bush alongside other current and former "SNL" president impersonators.
Dana Carvey | After "The Master of Disguise"
A Dana Carvey sketch. Debuted September 29, 1990.
Recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced 1990–91 | Larry Roman the Talent Scout
In 1986, Carvey became a household name when he joined the cast of NBC's "Saturday Night Live". He, along with newcomers Phil Hartman, Kevin Nealon, Jan Hooks, and Victoria Jackson, helped to reverse the show's declining popularity and made "SNL" "must-see" TV once again. An important part of the show's revival was Carvey's breakout character, the Church Lady, the uptight, smug, and pious host of "Church Chat". Carvey said he based the character on women he knew from church while growing up, who would keep track of other churchgoers' attendance. He became so associated with the character that later cast members such as Chris Farley referred to Carvey simply as "The Lady".
Dana Carvey | "Saturday Night Live"
A Dana Carvey sketch. Debuted December 3, 1988.
Recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced 1988–89 | Celebrity Restaurant
The New York Times' Neil Genlinzer gave the show a positive review. Rob Owens from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said that the show wants to be a 30-minute show that was stretched into an hour. The A.V. Club reviewer Phil Dyess-Nugent gave the show a B- and said it was a fun show.
United Stats of America | Critical reception
Too Funny to Fail: The Life & Death of The Dana Carvey Show is an American documentary film that premiered on Hulu on October 21, 2017. Directed, written and produced by Josh Greenbaum, it explores the creation of "The Dana Carvey Show", how its creative team was assembled, and how the show ultimately came to be cancelled.
Too Funny to Fail | Introduction
Dana Thomas Carvey (born June 2, 1955) is an American actor, stand-up comedian, impressionist, screenwriter, and producer. He is best known for his work as a cast member on the sketch comedy show "Saturday Night Live" (from 1986 to 1993), which earned him a Primetime Emmy Award from five consecutive nominations. Carvey is also known for his film roles in comedies such as "Tough Guys" (1986), "Opportunity Knocks" (1990), "Trapped in Paradise" (1994), and "The Master of Disguise" (2002), as well as reprising his role of Garth Algar in the "SNL" spin-off film "Wayne's World" (1992) and its sequel "Wayne's World 2" (1993).
Dana Carvey | Introduction
Dana Carvey plays a "holier-than-thou" talk show host. Debuted October 11, 1986.
Recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced 1986–87 | The Church Lady
The most notable series he worked on in this period was "The Dana Carvey Show", which featured writers and performers such as Louis C.K., Robert Smigel, Greg Daniels, Stephen Colbert and Steve Carell. On all these series Kaufman struggled to keep his material from being adulterated or not produced at all, because of his unconventional writing and his quiet nature.
Charlie Kaufman | Early work and television (1983–1997)
He mused that the show targeted viewers in their early 30s, but made their cast of characters too old.
That '80s Show | Critical
Colbert's earliest mainstream exposure came in the prime time sketch comedy program "The Dana Carvey Show". While only lasting seven episodes in early 1996, it provided Colbert with roles that would help forge his future onscreen persona. This was largely due to its format of delivering sketch performances directly to the camera. Although they did not air, several sketches inspired by "The Onion" also had Colbert playing a deadpan anchor delivering the news. In an interview with "The New York Times" regarding "The Dana Carvey Show", Colbert noted, "If you have an opportunity to give it right to the audience, there’s a special connection that you make by looking at the camera." Upon the show's cancellation, Colbert was cast for "The Daily Show" by co-creator Madeleine Smithberg.
Stephen Colbert (character) | "The Dana Carvey Show"
One particularly memorable sketch, "Skinheads From Maine," involved a pair of white power skinheads dressed in plaid, sitting on a porch, whittling, and conversing alternately about their racist beliefs and innocent matters such as the weather in a thick mock Maine accent. ("Nice sunset we're havin'..." "Ayuh, the weather's the only thing the Jews don't control.") Additional post-produced bumper material was often featured between sketches. One such example, "Discovery Channel After Dark", featured an edited montage of wild animals mating, and performing other actions that would be considered obscene if shown being done by their human counterparts. This was a parody of adult-based, late-night cable programming.
The Dana Carvey Show | Format
The show received positive reviews from the beginning. Marc Fisher with "American Journalism Review" drew attention to how the program's production style elicits "a sense of ease, informality and direct, unfiltered access", and "the effect is liberating". The program has received criticism as well. In 2020, author Andrew J Bottomley wrote that the show primarily represents the perspective of its "predominantly white, upper-middle-class, educated audience." He also said the show is "didactic ... extracting from the stories of others a lesson that is then instilled on the audience."
This American Life | Critical reception
A Dana Carvey and Kevin Nealon sketch. Debuted January 19, 1991.
Recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced 1990–91 | The Elevator Fans
Following the cancelation of "Exit 57", Colbert worked for six months as a cast member and writer on "The Dana Carvey Show", alongside former Second City castmate Steve Carell, and also Robert Smigel, Charlie Kaufman, Louis C.K., and Dino Stamatopoulos, among others. The series, described by one reviewer as "kamikaze satire" in "borderline-questionable taste", had sponsors pull out after its first episode aired and was canceled after seven episodes. Colbert then worked briefly as a freelance writer for "Saturday Night Live" with Robert Smigel. Smigel brought his animated sketch, "The Ambiguously Gay Duo", to "SNL" from "The Dana Carvey Show"; Colbert provided the voice of Ace on both series, opposite Steve Carell as Gary.
Stephen Colbert | "The Dana Carvey Show" (1996)
In 1991, Carell performed with Chicago troupe The Second City where Stephen Colbert was his understudy for a time. Carell made his film debut in a minor role in "Curly Sue". In spring 1996 he was a cast member of "The Dana Carvey Show", a short-lived sketch comedy program on ABC. Along with fellow cast member Colbert, Carell provided the voice of Gary, half of "The Ambiguously Gay Duo", the Robert Smigel-produced animated short which continued on "Saturday Night Live" later that year. While the program lasted only seven episodes, "The Dana Carvey Show" has since been credited with forging Carell's career.
Steve Carell | "The Dana Carvey Show" (1996)
NBC executives hoped to get Carvey to take over the 12:30 am ET weeknight spot in the network's lineup in 1993 when David Letterman left his show, "Late Night with David Letterman," for an 11:30 pm ET show on CBS. The "Late Night" hosting spot eventually went to Conan O'Brien. In 1994, Carvey starred in the film "Clean Slate". The following year, Carvey filmed his first HBO stand-up special "Critic's Choice". The show featured Carvey doing many of his "SNL" impersonations, as well as making fun of the premium channel's name, pronouncing it "hobo". He had to turn down a role in "Bad Boys" because he felt overwhelmed as a new father.
Dana Carvey | After "SNL"
He starred in a few short-lived television series, including "Come to Papa" and "Over the Top". He has made numerous guest appearances, including in "Funny Girl," an episode of "Just Shoot Me!" Additional screen credits include Brad Hall's short-lived situation comedy "Watching Ellie" (20022003) and Woody Allen's "Melinda and Melinda".
Steve Carell | "The Dana Carvey Show" (1996)
Robert Smigel turned down an offer to rejoin "SNL" as a producer, favoring the challenge of working with Carvey on primetime. Smigel and Carvey were given "SNL"'s audition tapes which led them to hire Bill Chott and Jon Glaser. They were also joined by Louis C.K. who worked with Smigel on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien". Steve Carell was hired through Smigel and Carvey's auditions in which Smigel recalls seeing future "SNL" alumni Tracy Morgan, Jimmy Fallon and Ana Gasteyer; however, "The Dana Carvey Show" had but a small cast to fill. Smigel himself cast Stephen Colbert, whom he had met years prior, and had tried to use on "Late Night".
The Dana Carvey Show | Development
In a 2015 interview with Alan Ball, Peter Krause, Michael C. Hall, and Lauren Ambrose for "The Hollywood Reporter", to mark 10 years since the show's ending, they described it as the "finale that would not die". Megan Vick of "The Hollywood Reporter" said, "The idea of flashing forward to depict how each member of the Fishers and their loved ones would pass on seemed revolutionary in 2005, but Ball – who created the series and would write and direct its final episode – uses another word for it – inevitable."
Six Feet Under (TV series) | Critical reception
The series, sponsored by Procter & Gamble, premiered on September 22, 1963 and ran for a season-and-a-half, before its run ended on January 17, 1965 (the following week, it was replaced by "Branded").
The Bill Dana Show | Series run
Carvey's other original characters included Garth Algar (from "Wayne's World"), who was based on his brother; Hans (from "Hans and Franz"); the Grumpy Old Man (from "Weekend Update" appearances); and Ching Chang, a Chinese poultry store owner. Throughout the election and presidency of George H. W. Bush, he was the designated impersonator of the president, making him the lead actor of the regular political sketches on "SNL". During the 1992 US presidential election campaign, Carvey also did an impression of independent candidate Ross Perot; in a prime-time special before the election, Carvey played both George H. W. Bush and Perot in a three-way debate with Bill Clinton, played by Phil Hartman.
Dana Carvey | "Saturday Night Live"
The show is noted for its realism and character development. Syndication created a new audience and interested commentators. Pop culture scholar Gene Santoro has written,
Combat! | Critical reception
This caused shock and outrage among fans, but a petition with 70,000 signatures was ineffective in having the show return to air.
Jenni Baird | 2007: Further American Recognition
"The Beatles Anthology" was also parodied on the short-lived "Dana Carvey Show", which was being aired on ABC around the same time that "Anthology" was being televised on the network.
The Beatles Anthology | Parodies
Dana Carvey impersonates the Weekend Update anchor beside him.
Recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced 1987–88 | Dennis Miller
Linda Stasi, writing for the "New York Post", criticized the show for its overuse of psychological jokes and uncomfortable settings, stating that the show "isn’t as good as it should or could be." A spin-off of ABC's "What Would You Do?", several critics criticized "Would You Fall for That?" for being a "lighter and softer version that doesn't focus on 'serious' issues."
Would You Fall for That? | Critical reception
Carvey eventually withdrew from the limelight to focus on his family. He later said in an interview that he did not want to be in a career in which his kids would already be grown with him having neglected spending time with them, a major reason for his declining the hosting spot for "Late Night" that ultimately went to Conan O'Brien. Carvey has said that he generally prefers stand-up comedy to acting in movies and regularly performs lucrative corporate dates, boasting of "a few million-dollar months" during a 2016 Howard Stern interview. Carvey made an appearance at the 2008 MTV Movie Awards, reprising his "SNL" character Garth Algar with host Mike Myers for a "Wayne's World" sketch.
Dana Carvey | After "The Master of Disguise"
Not all critics have been as certain that the shift in the show's brand has been a good one. Erik Sherman, writing for "Inc. This Morning", observed: "...brands are fragile and this one just hit the ground and shattered. ...the new name is "Live From Here". A more anodyne and empty brand would be difficult to achieve. This is the sort of concoction that a satirist mocking such a production might adopt," and points out that the show's listenership was down to 2.6 million at the end of 2017.
Live from Here | Critical response
But Mr. Robbins undermines his case by exaggerating; facts mix with factoids and anecdotes." In 1990, the "Phil Donahue Show" featured celebrities and John Robbins talking about vegetarianism and "Diet for a New America".
Diet for a New America | Critical reception
Dana Carvey and Carol Burnett were nominated for Outstanding Guest Actor and Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. Klein and Shandling were nominated for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series for the pilot, "The Hey Now Episode", which was broadcast at the end of the season. Shandling, Paul Simms, Peter Tolan and Rosie Shuster were nominated in the same category for "The Spider Episode".
The Larry Sanders Show | Season 1
In his book "What Were They Thinking?: The 100 Dumbest Events in Television History", David Hofstede ranks the show at number 94. He wrote that it "offered the chance to watch a marriage dissolve on camera years before "Jerry Springer"", and noted that it received backlash from United Auto Workers and National Organization for Women.
Three's a Crowd (game show) | Critical reception
Carvey's Bush impersonation was SNL's most sophisticated yet, and together with Hartman's send-up of President Ronald Reagan, they allowed for the most fruitful and successful period of political parody on SNL. Aykroyd returned in guest appearances on the show throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s to impersonate Republican primary candidate Bob Dole, while Jon Lovitz appeared in late 1980s episodes as Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis. Carvey's appearances as President Bush grew so popular that the former President himself made a cameo appearance in 1994 when Carvey hosted the show.
History of Saturday Night Live (1985–1990) | Dana Carvey
None of the characters' political views are specified within the series, and Rosenberg stated that, as a result, the show does not "demand that the audience take sides in divisive issues".
Timothy McGee | Reception
Carney also had his own NBC television variety show from 1959 to 1960.
Art Carney | Television
The record stands as a strong slice of Reagan-era commercial country."
...Say When | Critical reception
Tom Shales of the "Washington Post" described the episode as "a bull's-eye political satire". Ken Tucker of "Entertainment Weekly" described the episode as "masterful".
Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish | Reception
A parody of "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson", with Dana Carvey impersonating Johnny Carson and Phil Hartman impersonating Ed McMahon.
Recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced 1989–90 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Dana Carvey played the character Ching Chang, a typical Asian-American stereotype whose only goal in life is to put his chickens in their own show on Broadway. Debuted November 15, 1986.
Recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced 1986–87 | Ching Chang
A Dana Carvey and Phil Hartman sketch.
Recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced 1989–90 | Singing Cowboys
Dana Carvey created the character of the Church Lady, a mature woman named Enid Strict who is the uptight, smug, and pious host of her talk show "Church Chat." Her show includes guests, usually celebrities whom she interviews, played by other cast members of "SNL" or by the celebrities themselves. However, the interviews are only a guise for her to call out the guests on their various alleged sins, which are often publicly known news events of the day. They initially receive sarcastic praise from her, until the interview degrades into a tirade against their apparent lack of piety and their secular lifestyles, culminating with her judgmental admonishments and condemnation.
The Church Lady | About the character
Bio" "an abrasive sitcom that isn't merely unfunny, it's also deeply unpleasant." Jen Chaney of Vulture said the series had bright spots but was "conceptually played-out" overall.
A.P. Bio | Critical response
John Doyle of "The Globe and Mail" praised the show, comparing it favourably to "Trailer Park Boys", "My Name Is Earl" and "Letterkenny".
What Would Sal Do? | Critical reception
As the season reached November, the ratings for "America" were not improving and stations were losing interest in carrying the low-rated talk show. Stuart Damon left the program at the end of the month.
America (American TV series) | Ratings
with Children", the series which launched the same night as the "Ullman" show, was mired in controversy and soon became branded lowbrow humor.
The Tracey Ullman Show | Critical
Because, frankly, my favorite dead show did it better. I needed something completely different to break me out of my comedy funk and get me back on that horse. And it worked."
ICarly | Critical
"Ottawa Citizen" television critic Bob Blackburn described the series as CBC's "second biggest turkey" of 1954, behind "Clarke, Campbell & Co.".
Ad and Lib | Critical reception
However, he also was a bit more critical towards the exaggerated performances of Turturro and Morrow.
Quiz Show (film) | Critical reception
The show's offices were located near their shop at the corner of JFK Street and Brattle Street in Harvard Square, marked as "Dewey, Cheetham & Howe", the imaginary law firm to which they referred on-air. DC&H doubled as the business name of Tappet Brothers Associates, the corporation established to manage the business end of "Car Talk". Initially a joke, the company was incorporated after the show expanded from a single station to national syndication. The two were commencement speakers at MIT in 1999.
Car Talk | Hosts
When the show first came on the air, TIME magazine said: However, several months later, daily newspaper television columns disagreed—for example:
The Witness (TV series) | Critical reception
I savored it, knowing this could easily be one of her last picture shows."
Jump, Darling | Critical response
The show was hosted by Garvey, who argued that their second album, "Wriggle Out the Restless", deserved a Mercury Prize nomination.
This Is the Kit | Critical attention
In doing so, it translated the thought-processes of stand-up comedy into cinematic terms, and in a way that was new to commercial television."
Louie (American TV series) | Critical reception
Carvey had a minor role in "Halloween II" in 1981, and co-starred in "One of the Boys" in 1982, a short-lived television sitcom that also starred Mickey Rooney, Nathan Lane, and Meg Ryan. In 1984, Carvey had a small role in Rob Reiner's film "This Is Spinal Tap", in which he played a mime, with fellow comedian Billy Crystal (who tells him "Mime is money!"). He appeared in the music video for the Greg Kihn song "Lucky" in 1985. He also appeared in the short-lived film-based action television series "Blue Thunder". His big break came in 1986, when he co-starred opposite Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster in "Tough Guys".
Dana Carvey | Early career
The issues of censorship and artistic freedom that the show raised occupied the forefront of the debates between conservatives and liberals during the Ronald Reagan era and in its aftermath. Members of the religious right, especially, criticized academics and artists for what they regarded as their indecent, subversive and blasphemous works.
The Perfect Moment | Background
She wrote, "As soon as you begin watching the new "Muppets" the question arises—how come no one thought of this before? So perfect is the idea of a late-night talk show called "Up Late with Miss Piggy" one has to wonder."
The Muppets (TV series) | Critical reception
First Impressions is an American television game show hosted by Dana Carvey and Freddie Prinze Jr. The series premiered on USA Network on May 10, 2016, and concluded on June 14, 2016.
First Impressions (game show) | Introduction
A parody of the late-night news program "Nightline", with Dana Carvey impersonating its host Ted Koppel.
Recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced 1986–87 | Nightline
Brian Baumgartner felt that the show "stayed status quo [with the previous year], but without a key piece" and "didn't make a firm decision" on the direction it was headed. Ben Silverman, one of the show's producers, said that "it didn't have the sense of purpose and focus" that the next season would have.
The Office (American season 8) | Critical response
She concluded that "TV could frankly do a whole lot worse than gathering talented performers to tackle smart, topical comedy with such visceral joy that they're practically vibrating off the screen. That the material remains so stubbornly timely is a bonus — and a warning."
Live in Front of a Studio Audience | Critical response
When the series returned at a later date, it had lost its momentum and was not picked up for a second season.
The Family (2003 TV series) | Critical reception
Bolstered by strong scripts penned by the writing team, Carvey's impression of George H. W. Bush was a notable advance on earlier ventures in this vein, and helped set a new benchmark for this aspect of the show's political satire. SNL's strongest period of political parody before this was the 1976-1979 era, when Dan Aykroyd appeared frequently as both former U.S. President Richard Nixon (alongside John Belushi as Henry Kissinger), and then current President Jimmy Carter. While Aykroyd's impersonations marked successful efforts to bring well-known political figures to life on the show, the only other well-remembered political impersonation from SNL's 1970s period (or any other period before the 1986–1987 season) was Chevy Chase's slapstick parody of President Gerald Ford.
History of Saturday Night Live (1985–1990) | Dana Carvey
Sara Brady from Television Without Pity gave the episode a C rating.
The Read-Through | Critical reception
A cartoon by Robert Smigel, part of the "Saturday TV Funhouse" series. Originally appeared on the Dana Carvey Show. Debuted September 28, 1996.
Recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced 1996–97 | The Ambiguously Gay Duo
The show featured a mix of stand-up, spoofs of known television series, but also a number of character based sketches. These characters and sketches included:
The Imaginatively Titled Punt &amp; Dennis Show | Characters
The episode was written by Peter Ackerman and directed by John Dahl.
New Car (The Americans) | Production
The last radio show had been broadcast on March 27, 1954. In 1975, producer Ron Greenberg made a pilot for a revival on ABC with host Jack Clark, which did not sell. The pilot featured four celebrities: actress Kelly Garrett, movie critic Gene Shalit, comedian Anne Meara, and actor Tony Roberts, along with two contestants who competed against each other.
Twenty Questions | Television
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The Dennis O'Keefe Show | Episodes
The show was satirized by the zany panel of radio's "It Pays to Be Ignorant", which likewise enjoyed a successful radio run from 1942 to 1951.
Information Please | Accolades
However, given the tracks' length, he argued the episode would best be enjoyed "through a nice pair of speakers at a barbecue instead of spending that time with your eyes affixed to a computer screen."
Dan Deacon: U.S.A. | Broadcast and reception
The episode was watched by 1.39 million viewers, as per Nielsen ratings. The reviews for the episode were positive. The A.V. Club rated gave the episode an A. Alan Sepinwall from Hitfix reviewed the episode positively and summarized the episode where "prevailing emotions are despair and frustration that other people don't believe as deeply as you in the things that you think matter, and that even when they do, belief alone can't prevent great tragedy." IGN rated the episode 9/10 and called it "Amazing".
New Car (The Americans) | Reception
She would also win a Nosotros Golden Eagle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Series in 1997.
The John Larroquette Show | Critical reception
Actually, the ragged edges of a unifying concept did emerge over the course of the NBC musical’s two-hour-and-20-minute running time: If its philosophy could be summed up in one word, "excess" would just about cover it. That's not necessarily a bad thing. But this live show was a lot."
Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert | Critical response
"Slate" named the characters of Cheryl David and Susie Greene as two of the best on television and as reasons to look forward to the return of the show in the fall of 2007. "Curb Your Enthusiasm" has also received praise from "Galus Australis" magazine for being even more unabashedly Jewish than the "Seinfeld" series.
Curb Your Enthusiasm | Critical reception
Dana Carvey recalls that he was prompted by executive producer Lorne Michaels to introduce the character (when it was still in "SNL" rehearsals) at a Neil Young concert at Madison Square Garden, which Church Lady interrupted, fussing and fuming: "What are we "doing" here? What's all this noise?" During the first season Dana Carvey appeared as a cast regular on "Saturday Night Live", Joe Montana and Walter Payton co-hosted the show and both appeared in a Church Lady skit for a game of football with Church Lady. Montana throws a touchdown pass to Church Lady after she distracted Payton (who was playing defense against her) and hid in the audience.
The Church Lady | Memorable moments
This show usually aired during racing season on Saturdays and once or twice on Sundays, with the same episode airing each time during that weekend. The episodes were almost always taped, edited, and broadcast a week or two after the event had taken place (known in broadcasting as tape delay). The episodes were usually 90 minutes in length. In the mid-'80s, Diamond P and TNN were the first group to televise racing from Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
American Sports Cavalcade | Format
I love everything about this show, from star Jay Harrington's delivery of Ted's straight-man lines with WASP ramrod posture to the show's up-front critiques of corporate capitalism."
Better Off Ted | Critical response
A "live-action cartoon", he particularly disliked the lead characters. Verne Gay of "Newsday" gave the show a B− and called Rebel Wilson the show's "glimmer of hope". Robert Bianco of "USA Today" gave the show a 3 out of 4 stars. Tim Goodman of "The Hollywood Reporter" gave the show a negative review.
Super Fun Night | Critical response
"The Bill Dana Show" received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Comedy at the 16th Primetime Emmy Awards in 1964.
The Bill Dana Show | Awards