I was about 20 when SCTV and SNL came to TV in the mid 70's. Me and a couple buddies would gather at someone's apartment on Saturday evenings, fire up the bong, pop some beer and laugh ourselves silly, first SNL at 10:30 and then a syndicated SCTV episode, then go hit a bar. Always found SCTV consistently more funny as they satirized tv shows, movies and commercials. So did SNL, but a large part of their comedy was topical political satire. Unfortunately political humor doesn't age well which is why the old SCTV stuff remains much funnier than most of the SNL stuff, although parodies of old movie and TV icons like Bob Hope, Katherine Hepburn, Kirk Douglas, Orson Welles, Bing Crosby, Merv Griffin, Ricardo Montalban, Joey Heatherton and so many many more are probably over the heads of most under 40. Still love to turn it on YouTube and get a good laugh when needed. Only problem is so many of the videos are really poor quality-somebody please restore!
26 Reviews
All Time Greats
cleavantderricks29 April 2018
This show is an all time classic for comedy. Canada's SCTV put so many big name comedians on the map, from John Candy to Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Rick Moranis, Catherine O'Hara, Andrea Martin, Dave Thomas and so many more. This show is still funny today and what a concept it was. A small local TV station somewhere in Canada that makes all these awful shows. It's not like SNL or sketch shows today, they had running characters from week to week and shows that would come and go, nice long sketches with funny characters that are actually well written. One of the all time great comedies. Up there with Monty Python in my opinion.
Originating in a less than Number One Position, SECOND CITY TV gave well deserved recognition to the Number 2 Towns of 2 Nations; and was extremely Funny as well!
redryan6428 October 2008
FROM a most humble beginning in a storefront converted into a "Cabaret" in Chicago's Old Town Neighborhood on North Wells Street, THE SECOND CITY Theater has long been known for its Avant-Garde spirit and irreverent satire of just about everything. The group became a hot bed for outrageous comedy and a fertile spawning ground for a seemingly endless array of acting talent.
OWING its title of THE SECOND CITY to the sort of collective feelings of inadequacy felt by Chicago's being the second largest city, next to New York. The urban inferiority complex continues with the application of the old nicknames. Whereas NYC has long been "Bagdad on the Trolley" (from O. Henry) to the modern moniker of "the Big Apple", all names seemed to imply power, class and the place to be. Chicago's reputations on the other hand seem to have reflected the negative. Gangster Land, Hog-Butcher to the World and (my personal favourite) the Stacker of Wheat all cover the urban atmosphere that is thriving on the Southwest shoreline of Lake Michigan.
RESORTING to a sort of "Mental Jiu-Jitsu", the founders of the off-beat theatre group used the otherwise diminutive term to give a figurative "finger" to the World and just be themselves. The lack of superlatives gave notice that there would certainly be neither pretensions nor any pseudo-intellectual attitudes. Basically, what you see is what you get.
ABOUT twenty years after the founding of the Chicago Group, an international movement led to exportation of the Theatre North, to Canada. The targeted City was Toronto, Ontario; which sits on the same huge grouping of inland fresh water lakes as does Chicago; Toronto being on Lake Ontario, Chicago situated on Lake Michigan. There are many other similarities between the two; so the choice seemed perfect and tuned out pretty well.
AFTER a shaky start (including a bankruptcy and a padlocked cabaret), the Northern Campaign was a success. Infusion of new capital and management allowed the talents of the likes of Harold Ramis, Joe Flaherty, Gene Levy, Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hare, Rick Romanis, John Candy, Tony Rosado and Dave Thomas (as the 'Beaver') to create some of the best and most original comic routines and reviews imaginable. Making use of the existence of both the Chicago and Toronto groups, personnel were sometimes shuttled back and forth for stays in the other facility.
SOMRTIME around 1975, the idea of branching out to the TV tube was hatched and the genesis for SECOND CITY TV was successful in bringing the group and the name to Television and familiarity to millions of North American households.
PERHAPS the movement toward the electronic medium was boosted by the success of NBC's Saturday NIGHT, which premièred in the Fall Season in 1975. The show was designed as a 90 minute, weekly comedy review type show, featuring rotating Guest Hosts and Special Appearances by popular Musical Acts. Furthermore, the cast of the show was made up of writer-performers Michael O'Donahue (from The National Lampoon) and a highly talented group of improvisational performers such as: Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Dan Akroyd, Lorraine Newman, Garrett Morris and Jane Curtain. All but O'Donahue, Chase and Morris were SECOND CITY Vets and the show naturally took on the same sort of look as a SC Review; although sans any of the "Social Relevance" or Satire that characterized the live stage performances always flaunted.
SO, on a shoe-string budget and using the central theme of spoofing what may well go on behind the scenes of a local Television Station, SECOND CITY TV burst on the scene in September of 1977. At first, it was done in a syndicated manner; although it appears that many of the stations owned and affiliated with the NBC Television Network picked it up.
WE well remember how it snuck up on our household that fateful Saturday night. It was directly following Saturday NIGHT LIVE on NBC in our market in Chicago; as our local, wholly-owned NBC affiliate & subsidiary, WMAQ TV Channel 5 had signed it on-board as a late nite Saturday feature. Being slated locally to follow SNL, it would seem that SCTV would be put at a disadvantage.
NOTHING could be further from the truth as the obviously frivolously budgeted Canadian Product shined and stood out by comparison with the slickly done New York Production of SNL. SCTV took just a 30 minute slot and managed to make use of every on air minute sandwiched in between the late night commercials, with a plethora of fresh and genuinely funny material; all performed by a whole "New" and unheralded curfew of top notch, soon to be "Stars" cast.
CONTRARY to what our original expectations had dictated, SECOND CITY TV trumped NBC's Saturday NIGHT LIVE. Instead of being a sort of Late Night afterthought, it proved to be Saturday Night's Main Event, at least in our town.
ALL of that changed when the 30 minute, small budget show morphed into the hour and a half SCTV 90; but that's another story (and review) for another day. .
POODLE SCHNITZ!!
OWING its title of THE SECOND CITY to the sort of collective feelings of inadequacy felt by Chicago's being the second largest city, next to New York. The urban inferiority complex continues with the application of the old nicknames. Whereas NYC has long been "Bagdad on the Trolley" (from O. Henry) to the modern moniker of "the Big Apple", all names seemed to imply power, class and the place to be. Chicago's reputations on the other hand seem to have reflected the negative. Gangster Land, Hog-Butcher to the World and (my personal favourite) the Stacker of Wheat all cover the urban atmosphere that is thriving on the Southwest shoreline of Lake Michigan.
RESORTING to a sort of "Mental Jiu-Jitsu", the founders of the off-beat theatre group used the otherwise diminutive term to give a figurative "finger" to the World and just be themselves. The lack of superlatives gave notice that there would certainly be neither pretensions nor any pseudo-intellectual attitudes. Basically, what you see is what you get.
ABOUT twenty years after the founding of the Chicago Group, an international movement led to exportation of the Theatre North, to Canada. The targeted City was Toronto, Ontario; which sits on the same huge grouping of inland fresh water lakes as does Chicago; Toronto being on Lake Ontario, Chicago situated on Lake Michigan. There are many other similarities between the two; so the choice seemed perfect and tuned out pretty well.
AFTER a shaky start (including a bankruptcy and a padlocked cabaret), the Northern Campaign was a success. Infusion of new capital and management allowed the talents of the likes of Harold Ramis, Joe Flaherty, Gene Levy, Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hare, Rick Romanis, John Candy, Tony Rosado and Dave Thomas (as the 'Beaver') to create some of the best and most original comic routines and reviews imaginable. Making use of the existence of both the Chicago and Toronto groups, personnel were sometimes shuttled back and forth for stays in the other facility.
SOMRTIME around 1975, the idea of branching out to the TV tube was hatched and the genesis for SECOND CITY TV was successful in bringing the group and the name to Television and familiarity to millions of North American households.
PERHAPS the movement toward the electronic medium was boosted by the success of NBC's Saturday NIGHT, which premièred in the Fall Season in 1975. The show was designed as a 90 minute, weekly comedy review type show, featuring rotating Guest Hosts and Special Appearances by popular Musical Acts. Furthermore, the cast of the show was made up of writer-performers Michael O'Donahue (from The National Lampoon) and a highly talented group of improvisational performers such as: Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Dan Akroyd, Lorraine Newman, Garrett Morris and Jane Curtain. All but O'Donahue, Chase and Morris were SECOND CITY Vets and the show naturally took on the same sort of look as a SC Review; although sans any of the "Social Relevance" or Satire that characterized the live stage performances always flaunted.
SO, on a shoe-string budget and using the central theme of spoofing what may well go on behind the scenes of a local Television Station, SECOND CITY TV burst on the scene in September of 1977. At first, it was done in a syndicated manner; although it appears that many of the stations owned and affiliated with the NBC Television Network picked it up.
WE well remember how it snuck up on our household that fateful Saturday night. It was directly following Saturday NIGHT LIVE on NBC in our market in Chicago; as our local, wholly-owned NBC affiliate & subsidiary, WMAQ TV Channel 5 had signed it on-board as a late nite Saturday feature. Being slated locally to follow SNL, it would seem that SCTV would be put at a disadvantage.
NOTHING could be further from the truth as the obviously frivolously budgeted Canadian Product shined and stood out by comparison with the slickly done New York Production of SNL. SCTV took just a 30 minute slot and managed to make use of every on air minute sandwiched in between the late night commercials, with a plethora of fresh and genuinely funny material; all performed by a whole "New" and unheralded curfew of top notch, soon to be "Stars" cast.
CONTRARY to what our original expectations had dictated, SECOND CITY TV trumped NBC's Saturday NIGHT LIVE. Instead of being a sort of Late Night afterthought, it proved to be Saturday Night's Main Event, at least in our town.
ALL of that changed when the 30 minute, small budget show morphed into the hour and a half SCTV 90; but that's another story (and review) for another day. .
POODLE SCHNITZ!!
Chariots of Eggs?
glgioia7 April 2004
The genius of not just delivering above average sketch comedy, but creating a false network and city, with repeating characters is what sets this show apart, especially from the over hyped and often comedic-ally challenged SNL. I can't believe how much enjoyment I still get out of watching these old shows and marvel at its enduring ability to make me laugh uncontrollably, a feat equaled only by Monty Python. For instance, there's a woman's prison sketch that's done as a parody of the anti-marijuana films of the 1950s. About halfway thru it, John Candy rushes in dressed as a matron, I swear I laughed for half an hour. The old original raw shows featuring and driven by Ramis were all writing and acting, almost like Harvard Lampoon. After Ramis's departure, the show evolved into a bigger more mainstream version of itself, culminating in a 90-minute late night Friday extravaganza that for a while even had major musical guests. They had done so much material, that the 90-minute shows could throw in one of the old movie parodies of the Ramis era, such as Lust for Paint. These newer shows were more about Dave Thomas's comedy, and eventually Rick Moranis, before it finally fizzled out with Martin Short, who would later go on to polish his act for a terrific stint on SNL. Just a tremendous achievement by some really funny talented people. I love how Eugene Levy and Cath OHara have carved out a place in film. Id like to see more of Thomas and Flaherty. Interesting, Ramis, Candy, Flaherty, and Thomas all appear in Ramis's 'Stripes'. Here's some free advice, do NOT watch these after having thrown out your back. You will substantially delay the recovery process. Thats a tip from LaRue, to you.
Different from SNL in that it's actually funny . . .
frankfob6 March 2002
As a previous poster has said, SNL and SCTV were both comedy sketch shows, but that's where the resemblance ends. SNL far too often descended into juvenile, and sometimes even infantile, humor and its casts were way too uneven. It had the brilliant and manic John Belushi, but it also had the mediocre Garrett Morris, who really didn't do much of anything. It had the gifted Gilda Radner, who could do damn near anything, but it also had Laraine Newman, who didn't do all that much, either, and many of the cast members in its later shows really had no business being there. SNL's cast did various running characters, but, with few exceptions, each person's character wasn't really distinguishable from the actor himself. SCTV had no such problems. John Candy's Johnny LaRue, Josh Shmenge and Gil Fisher ("The Fishin' Musician") were about as different from each other and Candy himself as you could possibly get, as were Rick Moranis' Doug McKenzie and Rabbi Yitzhak Karlov, Andrea Martin's Edith Prickley and Mrs. Falbo, etc. Another big difference between the two shows was the writing. Virtually every episode of SCTV was as sharp, incisive and devastatingly funny as anything that ever came out of television; SNL on the other hand could go for weeks without having a decent show, and in fact went for several YEARS in the '80s without having any even HALFWAY decent shows. SCTV integrated all of its guest stars into the actual storyline of the episode itself, with often surprising results (musicians Dr. John, Tony Bennett and Fee Waybill of the Tubes, for example, turned out to be quite good). SNL put its guest hosts into some of the sketches--with many of them obviously reading their lines off of cue cards--and most didn't acquit themselves particularly well.
One of SCTV's main strengths was that it gave its audience credit for having the intelligence to understand what it was trying to say and do, which was something that SNL often lost sight of, especially in its later years. And how could anyone forget such brilliant pieces as "Abbott and Costello in a Turkish Prison"; "Dr. Tongue's 3-D House of Stewardesses"; the side-splitting parody of "Ocean's 11" with the monumentally untalented Vegas schlock comic Bobby Bittman and his even less talented idiot son Skip; the hapless Count Floyd of "Monster Chiller Horror Theater", who--no matter how pathetic the movie ("Tonight's film: 'Bloodsucking Monkeys from West Mifflin, Pennsylvania'!") he was showing--always stubbornly claimed, "Oooh, wasn't that scary, kids?"; "The Sammy Maudlin Show"; "Farm Film Report" ("They blowed up real good!"); the list goes on and on. Most of the sketches are so sharp, witty and clever that they don't date at all, even though they're almost 30 years old. SCTV set a high standard for sketch comedy, and so far no other show has measured up.
One of SCTV's main strengths was that it gave its audience credit for having the intelligence to understand what it was trying to say and do, which was something that SNL often lost sight of, especially in its later years. And how could anyone forget such brilliant pieces as "Abbott and Costello in a Turkish Prison"; "Dr. Tongue's 3-D House of Stewardesses"; the side-splitting parody of "Ocean's 11" with the monumentally untalented Vegas schlock comic Bobby Bittman and his even less talented idiot son Skip; the hapless Count Floyd of "Monster Chiller Horror Theater", who--no matter how pathetic the movie ("Tonight's film: 'Bloodsucking Monkeys from West Mifflin, Pennsylvania'!") he was showing--always stubbornly claimed, "Oooh, wasn't that scary, kids?"; "The Sammy Maudlin Show"; "Farm Film Report" ("They blowed up real good!"); the list goes on and on. Most of the sketches are so sharp, witty and clever that they don't date at all, even though they're almost 30 years old. SCTV set a high standard for sketch comedy, and so far no other show has measured up.
Cast members played MANY more roles than are listed under "Cast" !!!
act2LA27 August 2006
It's a shame so few people have seen this show, which ranks among the most brilliantly hilarious and astonishinly inventive of all television comedy series. It's important to note that the Cast List here is very misleading, noting only one character per actor. In reality, SCTV operated much like MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS, THE KIDS IN THE HALL, and Saturday NIGHT LIVE, programs which it is most definitely AT LEAST on a par with. All these versatile and talented performers played literally DOZENS of character roles -- often pulling off multiple roles WITHIN THE SAME SCENES! The writing and acting talent level on this show was of the highest caliber at all times and they did it all on one of the lowest budgets in modern TV history.
Favorite childhood series
MiloMindbender4 April 2004
I always waited anxiously for the weekend when my parents would go out with friends & I would stay up late & watch tv. We were lucky to have very good cable (despite the fewer # of channels available then today), getting the indie stations from NJ, NYC & Philly on top of the cable channels. My parents probably would have been horrified to discover what I was watching (Monty Python, The Kenny Everett Video Show, Benny Hill, SNL and eventually the 1st few years of the USA Network's Late night programming before it devolved into Gilbert Godfrey & cheezy movies).
SCTV was always got top bill, the others were usually a mixed bag as far as quality was concerned (at least to a pre-teenager). As time went on, I was disappointed that SCTV faded in SNL's shadow, since SCTV was far superior. I was also disappointed to see the men of the show (John Candy, Martin Short...) go on to bigger careers in film, but the women, who had much stronger characters, only popped up on an occassional tv show.
My all-time favorite skit had to have been Catherine O'hara playing Brooke Shields on The Farm Report doing her rendition of Devo's "Whip It"....I haven't ever laughed so hard at a single tv joke since (Jim & Tammy Bakker weren't intentionally funny, so they don't count). Of course there was also the skit w/ the 2 women doing a women's tv chat show while seated on pillows arranged on a sound stage, and of course 3D Horror Theater...I hope the complete series makes it to DVD.
SCTV was always got top bill, the others were usually a mixed bag as far as quality was concerned (at least to a pre-teenager). As time went on, I was disappointed that SCTV faded in SNL's shadow, since SCTV was far superior. I was also disappointed to see the men of the show (John Candy, Martin Short...) go on to bigger careers in film, but the women, who had much stronger characters, only popped up on an occassional tv show.
My all-time favorite skit had to have been Catherine O'hara playing Brooke Shields on The Farm Report doing her rendition of Devo's "Whip It"....I haven't ever laughed so hard at a single tv joke since (Jim & Tammy Bakker weren't intentionally funny, so they don't count). Of course there was also the skit w/ the 2 women doing a women's tv chat show while seated on pillows arranged on a sound stage, and of course 3D Horror Theater...I hope the complete series makes it to DVD.
Best variety comedy--ever
bmoore-1313 January 2007
There are not a lot of things about this world I can state with full assurance, but I can say with full confidence that SCTV is, bar none, the funniest show of all time. Younger viewers--those born after, say, 1970--may have a hard time with the allusions to and parodies of pop culture circa 1980, and my guess is this would cause those viewers to meet my claim with skepticism. But think about it: every show by and large depends on its time, including SNL and Monty Python. Nevertheless, there is plenty here for anyone with half a brain and a good sense of humor to enjoy. Some of the sketches involve topical matters, but the sheer chuztpah and intelligence of them makes such topicality secondary.
The acting alone is without comedic peer for a TV show in English. Over the past twenty-five years I have never been able to decide who my favorite SCTV actor is. I love the two (main) women: both Martin and O'Hara are game for anything, and they are loaded with comic nuance. But the same goes for all the rest of the cast. Sometimes I conclude that Eugene Levy edges out the others, but as soon as I say that I think of John Candy as William B. or Curly (etc.) or Rick Moranis as Jerry Todd or Skip Bitman, and I renege on my statement. But thinking about Skip leads me to think of Levy as Bobby Bitman, and the process starts all over. (And this is to say nothing of the very great, very funny work by Dave Thomas and Joe Flaherty.) The movie and TV work of the cast, post-SCTV, has been merely OK overall, but don't let it deceive you: all of this great casts' best work occurred on SCTV. After the show ended, Candy fared the best, but he sadly deprived us of his great presence way too early, god rest his soul. Others have done OK in Christopher Guest films. But, again, these usually only make me yearn for SCTV. Martin Short is probably my least favorite of the regulars, yet he has his moments (Boy from Deliverance, some Ed Grimley bits, etc.).
The writing, too, is consistently excellent. (All the cast wrote bits, but some more than others.) Watching the DVDs--and thank god for those!--I see that there are stretches of "padding," but even this is usually pretty funny. (Even Monty Python has some not-so-great shows.) Some of the guest bits are a little lame, and sometimes I wish they had not bothered with guests, unless they make sense to the story (Zontar was funny). Much has been made of the laugh track; I never liked it either. Still, one can punch holes in about anything, and they do not, in the end, add up to much. And this is why I can proclaim that, for me, SCTV is the very zenith of TV comedy. I urge anyone who is uninitiated to jump in with both feet. Any of the four NBC seasons would be a good starting point. (If you want a single DVD, try the Christmas show.) I hope that someone will now release the Cinemax shows.
The acting alone is without comedic peer for a TV show in English. Over the past twenty-five years I have never been able to decide who my favorite SCTV actor is. I love the two (main) women: both Martin and O'Hara are game for anything, and they are loaded with comic nuance. But the same goes for all the rest of the cast. Sometimes I conclude that Eugene Levy edges out the others, but as soon as I say that I think of John Candy as William B. or Curly (etc.) or Rick Moranis as Jerry Todd or Skip Bitman, and I renege on my statement. But thinking about Skip leads me to think of Levy as Bobby Bitman, and the process starts all over. (And this is to say nothing of the very great, very funny work by Dave Thomas and Joe Flaherty.) The movie and TV work of the cast, post-SCTV, has been merely OK overall, but don't let it deceive you: all of this great casts' best work occurred on SCTV. After the show ended, Candy fared the best, but he sadly deprived us of his great presence way too early, god rest his soul. Others have done OK in Christopher Guest films. But, again, these usually only make me yearn for SCTV. Martin Short is probably my least favorite of the regulars, yet he has his moments (Boy from Deliverance, some Ed Grimley bits, etc.).
The writing, too, is consistently excellent. (All the cast wrote bits, but some more than others.) Watching the DVDs--and thank god for those!--I see that there are stretches of "padding," but even this is usually pretty funny. (Even Monty Python has some not-so-great shows.) Some of the guest bits are a little lame, and sometimes I wish they had not bothered with guests, unless they make sense to the story (Zontar was funny). Much has been made of the laugh track; I never liked it either. Still, one can punch holes in about anything, and they do not, in the end, add up to much. And this is why I can proclaim that, for me, SCTV is the very zenith of TV comedy. I urge anyone who is uninitiated to jump in with both feet. Any of the four NBC seasons would be a good starting point. (If you want a single DVD, try the Christmas show.) I hope that someone will now release the Cinemax shows.
The SCTV Satellite still shines
BigSkyMax20 January 2008
I was lucky enough to have experienced SCTV the first time around. Thirty years later, it's nice to hear that others of a new generation still find it as funny. It wasn't just the cheap weed after all. There were too many high points to list exhaustively: Dr Tongue's 3-D House of Stewardesses, the best movie satire ever made (The famous Godfather), the Schmenges, etc., etc. Read Dave Thomas's book for a great behind-the-scenes story. Between bootlegs dating back to the 70s, the 2001 NBC rebroadcasts and the TVLand broadcasts in 2003-4, I may have most of the original shows. The Rhino DVDs are good, but woefully incomplete. Their best contribution is the commentary. MAD-TV, with director John Blanchard and writer Paul Flaherty comes closest to the same spirit as SCTV. Still, despite some good skits and some actors, that show's weakness is having a live audience: like SNL, it dictates shtick. SCTV's greatness came from its isolation from critics and audience. That and the isolation of Edmonton. All the actor/writers had left was the purity of the show. Post-SCTV, like the Beatles, the parts never equaled the whole. Still a great hallmark of comedy! And Dave Thomas should sue Bill O'Reilly for stealing his Bill Needle character!
Coming to SCTV: Taxi Driver with Woody Allen!
Sylviastel5 August 2017
If you love satire comedy, you will love SCTV with this marvelous cast including John Candy, Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara, Joe Flaherty, Dave Thomas, Rick Moranis, Harold Ramis and more. This sketch comedy series rivaled "Saturday Night Live" and was just as good maybe even better. Second City in Chicago, Illinois is still a force to be reckon with today in the theater circuit. Many of Saturday Night Live famous alums and others have begun their comedic careers at Second City. This show was the late seventies and covers many of the issues and topics today. Perhaps most of today's audience's wouldn't understand unless they know the culture and history. Satire like "Taxi Driver" with Woody Allen or Gregory Peck in the Robert DeNiro roles is a classic. The "Howard and Melvins" promos include Howard Hughes, Howard Cosell and the Melvins. It's classic comedy from the late seventies.
Very Talented Cast and Still Funny if Somewhat Dated
abrahamset16 February 2019
The cast of this show are many of the all time great comedy performers from Canada or for that matter from the U.S. and the whole world. Their characters are great and very well done. The writing is very good too. The only problem is that this show is now 40+ years old and a lot of what they are joking about, and also often just the jokes and style of humor, have gotten a bit dated.
Classic Parodies and Characters
jimel9819 November 2014
I'm a fan of SNL, always have been, always will be, even during some of the dark years (yeah, the 80s had some BAD years) and as much as I love that show, ever since watching the very first one, I have to say, in the long run, SCTV was better. It was done so deadpan and straight, it was almost believable. Like Weird Al's much overlooked "UHF", it takes a real sharp stab at making fun of TV and does it in such a way that, even if sum of the subjects are foreign to you (if you were not around during the show's original run-some things may go over your head) it's still damn funny and of course, much of the humor is timeless. Count Floyd is a character and skit that is as topical today as it was way back when. Unlike some reviewers, I can't say I loved when it was expanded to the 90 minute format. I honestly feel that guest stars and musical acts hurt the show. It took away from the whole point of the show. Was it still funny, absolutely, but why did that stuff have to be added. Oh, probably some half-wits at the network level felt it should be done. Sorry, it was a sad stupid mistake.
Several years back I picked up a box set for my brother. He told me he was grateful but couldn't watch it. A laugh track had been added. Neither of us ever recalled a laugh track when we originally watched it together, but there it was and I notice on YouTube many of the clips have one. Is it me or was this added AFTER production stopped? Maybe when it went from syndication to network, which would not overly surprise me.
Regardless, I think at this point I could stomach a laugh track just to watch these old classics again. It's pure gold, and to placate the Canadian Government, YUKON gold!
Several years back I picked up a box set for my brother. He told me he was grateful but couldn't watch it. A laugh track had been added. Neither of us ever recalled a laugh track when we originally watched it together, but there it was and I notice on YouTube many of the clips have one. Is it me or was this added AFTER production stopped? Maybe when it went from syndication to network, which would not overly surprise me.
Regardless, I think at this point I could stomach a laugh track just to watch these old classics again. It's pure gold, and to placate the Canadian Government, YUKON gold!
Very Funny, Of Its Era
fembot10003 September 2018
This was a very funny show and still is. The only down side is it looks and feels very old now and a lot of the sketches they did do not age well. They are joking about things I barely remember so anybody younger than me is probably not going to be able to follow a lot of the references and jokes. It was brilliant in its day though and for its time.
over acting at its worst
tomsters29 March 2017
sorry to all you who love this show. my older sister forced us to watch this. at 11 years old and on, i never got into this. it only ever reminded me of the nerdy class clowns that thought acting as stupid as possible was funny. there was the occasional thing i laughed at, and i even liked the strange brew spin off movie, but not that much as its rated. all in all it was mostly silly, not smart. "snl" isn't much better, as this is often compared to. "mpfc" is magic compared to this. to me, the key to being funny is not acting like you think you are funny. its all in the delivery. "imo"
Brilliant satire of television
RJV24 November 1999
Like SATURDAY NIGHT, SECOND CITY TV was a sketch comedy show with a repertory cast. But there, the resemblance ended. Instead of a bunch of disconnected sketches with musical interludes, SECOND CITY TV was a concept show about the programs and behind-the-scenes shenanigans of a cheesy, low-budget TV station. Therefore, unlike SNL, which took potshots at anything from current events to whatever celebrity was guesting, SECOND CITY TV concentrated on the television industry.
The results were some of the most incisive and skillful parodies in TV history, from commercials for useless products to self-congratulatory talk shows to pompous "cultural" programming. The talented cast members skewered such icons as Bob Hope and Barbra Streisand and created such memorable characters like Joe Flaherty's sleazy station owner Guy Caballero and Andrea Martin's vulgar station manager Edith Prickley. Unlike SNL, SECOND CITY TELEVISION never pandered to the lowest common denominator; it always respected its audience with intelligent humor that satirized the foibles of both the television industry and the people in it. The syndicated show's success would result in a 90-minute network version.
The results were some of the most incisive and skillful parodies in TV history, from commercials for useless products to self-congratulatory talk shows to pompous "cultural" programming. The talented cast members skewered such icons as Bob Hope and Barbra Streisand and created such memorable characters like Joe Flaherty's sleazy station owner Guy Caballero and Andrea Martin's vulgar station manager Edith Prickley. Unlike SNL, SECOND CITY TELEVISION never pandered to the lowest common denominator; it always respected its audience with intelligent humor that satirized the foibles of both the television industry and the people in it. The syndicated show's success would result in a 90-minute network version.
A crazy, funny rip on known actors and politicians with original characters
rander-8812315 September 2021
This show can be downright hilarious. While it uses thinly-veiled caricatures of then known actors, politicians, it also has original character creations that are just as if not more funny. Dave Thomas as "Bill Needle" a vicious businessman and art critic. Joe Flaherty as Guy Caballero, the TV station owner and Eugene Levy (a genius) as a then known Canadian newscaster and old Jewish detective. John Candy's greatest contribution was as Johnny, a prima donna network entertainer, vicious drunk and a man who would crawl at the feet of Guy Caballero for one more "crane shot." Andrea Martin and Catherine O'Hara were also two of the really few funny women in comedy. Despite being dated, I'd much rather watch it than some of the dreck from TV of those days.
Great series!
mm-3916 February 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Great series! So well done in Winnipeg I watch the series on re runs years after on late night. The material never got old years latter. May be dated by todays stander many of the pop references would be missed by the youth today, but still funny and non p c.
Second City TV was a low budget Canadian made comic t v series. The low budget, done on the fast made was the series strong point. With the lower budget and set the series had go with great writing and over the top characters. Bob and Dough and the funny Canadian stereotypes was comic gold. John Candy as Julis Childs, Dr Tounge, Johnny La Rue could just kill it; whatever material, never a too ridiculous character or even just a couple minutes character on stage Candy would just steal the scene. Rick, Dave and Harold become great script writers with Hollywood years latter. The other actors got many bit parts but many bit parts and such bit on show was classic and iconic. The Godfather spoof was comic gold. The 3 C C C P T V was so funny is a detailed way. Better then S N L in many ways, because its lacked the budget, which made me wonder how more years Second City would lasted if there was an actually budget for a T V series made in Edmonton (for most of the series duration) 9 stars.
Second City TV was a low budget Canadian made comic t v series. The low budget, done on the fast made was the series strong point. With the lower budget and set the series had go with great writing and over the top characters. Bob and Dough and the funny Canadian stereotypes was comic gold. John Candy as Julis Childs, Dr Tounge, Johnny La Rue could just kill it; whatever material, never a too ridiculous character or even just a couple minutes character on stage Candy would just steal the scene. Rick, Dave and Harold become great script writers with Hollywood years latter. The other actors got many bit parts but many bit parts and such bit on show was classic and iconic. The Godfather spoof was comic gold. The 3 C C C P T V was so funny is a detailed way. Better then S N L in many ways, because its lacked the budget, which made me wonder how more years Second City would lasted if there was an actually budget for a T V series made in Edmonton (for most of the series duration) 9 stars.
The greatest show that ever was, and that ever will be...
Cassy_Rose16 August 2004
SCTV is now on the air! and I LOVE IT!! I'm only 18 yrs old, so naturally, I was born after the show ended, but I've been watching reruns for quite a while now, and I have to say that I know the show pretty well. There's so much to say about it. Like most of the other posters stated, SCTV surpassed SNL in every aspect. I'm not much of a fan of SNL just because I find it's humour too simple, too forced. I like the wit. For example, this may seem to be stupid, but when you think about it, it's very ingenious: The Days of Our Lives becomes The Heys of Our Lives and everyone says "hey" all the time!! I mean, it's corny, yes, but it works! Oh, I love of the actors so much! They're so awesome at what they do! John Candy's sleazy Johnny LaRue, Joe Flaherty's equally sleazy and money-hungry Guy Caballero, Eugene Levy's funnyman Bobby "How are ya?!" Bittman, Andrea Martin's loud-mouthed, cackling Edith Prickley, Rick Moranis's super (as in the supers on his show) crazy Gerry Todd, Catherine O'Hara's spoiled, man-crazed performer, Lola "I want to bear your children! HA!haha!" Heatherton and Dave Thomas's opinionated Bill Needle.
Yes, SCTV had it all, and all the actors had caliber. There are so many more characters and impersonations worth naming and remembering: Floyd Robertson, Count Floyd, Earl Camembert, Bob and Doug McKenzie, Dr. Tongue, Woody Tobias,Jr. aka Bruno, Alex Trebel, "Rockin'" Mel Slirrup, Mrs. Falbo, Big Jim McBob and Billy Sol Hurok, Yosh and Stan Shmenge, Harvey K-Tel, Lin Ye Tang, Richard Harris, Bob Hope, Rabbi Karlov, Crazy Hy, Ricardo Montalban, Don Strom, Sid Dithers, Moe Green, Ed Grimley, Jackie Rogers,Jr., Pierre Trudeau, Hugh Betcha, Alistair Cook, Larry Siegel, Merv Griffin, Sammy Maudlin, Lou Jaffe, William B. Williams, Brock Linehan, Harry (The Guy with a snake on his face), Skip Bittman, David Brinkley, Lorna Minelli, Barbra Streisand, Divine, Brian Johns, Mayor Tommy Shanks, William F. Buckley, Mother Theresa, Angus Crock, the 5 Neat Guys, Brooke Shields, Raoul Wilson, Joyce DeHalfWitt, Jack Klugman, Tex and Edna Boil, Liberace, G. Gordon Liddy, Gus Gustofferson, Al Peck... oh! there are SOOOOOO MANY!!! All of them memorable. One of my favourite skits is when Richard Harris (Dave Thomas, of course) guest stars on Mel's Rock Pile and sings a re-mix of MacArthur's Park. Actually, anything with Dave Thomas as Richard Harris is hilarious. There are so many sketches I could name, but I won't, because it would literally take me a full day, if not two.
How can anyone NOT enjoy this show? I mean, if you've seen it at least once, be you Canadian or American, there had at least one sketch that made you chuckle! I am glad that it never became as popular and widely known as SNL... and that it didn't as long. For those who knew and loved SCTV, they know that it was never bad comedy and that it went out with dignity... and humour! This show is a timeless classic and I hope that it's memory will live on with the DVD box sets. I am glad to have stumbled upon this treasure... it's too bad that more people don't appreciated the comedic talent of these fine, fine actors.
Yes, SCTV had it all, and all the actors had caliber. There are so many more characters and impersonations worth naming and remembering: Floyd Robertson, Count Floyd, Earl Camembert, Bob and Doug McKenzie, Dr. Tongue, Woody Tobias,Jr. aka Bruno, Alex Trebel, "Rockin'" Mel Slirrup, Mrs. Falbo, Big Jim McBob and Billy Sol Hurok, Yosh and Stan Shmenge, Harvey K-Tel, Lin Ye Tang, Richard Harris, Bob Hope, Rabbi Karlov, Crazy Hy, Ricardo Montalban, Don Strom, Sid Dithers, Moe Green, Ed Grimley, Jackie Rogers,Jr., Pierre Trudeau, Hugh Betcha, Alistair Cook, Larry Siegel, Merv Griffin, Sammy Maudlin, Lou Jaffe, William B. Williams, Brock Linehan, Harry (The Guy with a snake on his face), Skip Bittman, David Brinkley, Lorna Minelli, Barbra Streisand, Divine, Brian Johns, Mayor Tommy Shanks, William F. Buckley, Mother Theresa, Angus Crock, the 5 Neat Guys, Brooke Shields, Raoul Wilson, Joyce DeHalfWitt, Jack Klugman, Tex and Edna Boil, Liberace, G. Gordon Liddy, Gus Gustofferson, Al Peck... oh! there are SOOOOOO MANY!!! All of them memorable. One of my favourite skits is when Richard Harris (Dave Thomas, of course) guest stars on Mel's Rock Pile and sings a re-mix of MacArthur's Park. Actually, anything with Dave Thomas as Richard Harris is hilarious. There are so many sketches I could name, but I won't, because it would literally take me a full day, if not two.
How can anyone NOT enjoy this show? I mean, if you've seen it at least once, be you Canadian or American, there had at least one sketch that made you chuckle! I am glad that it never became as popular and widely known as SNL... and that it didn't as long. For those who knew and loved SCTV, they know that it was never bad comedy and that it went out with dignity... and humour! This show is a timeless classic and I hope that it's memory will live on with the DVD box sets. I am glad to have stumbled upon this treasure... it's too bad that more people don't appreciated the comedic talent of these fine, fine actors.
Coo roo coo coo coo coo coo coo
jonesy74-126 November 2005
All of the user comments are great but they leave out some of the best contributions from SCTV - The McKenzie Brothers and the Redneck Movie Critics.
From the beginning of the opening credits where it was announced that "SCTV is on the air" followed by t.v. sets being thrown out of windows to crash on the sidewalks below, the laughs ensued.
I understand that Canadian Television had an extra two minutes more than U.S. television, so they asked Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis to come up with an extra two minutes of material that would air on Canadian Television. Their contribution? The Mackenzie Brothers, eh? It was all ad-lib. The Great White North sketch was eventually added to the American version.
Each week would be a different topic - "This week, our topic is how to stuff a mouse in a beer bottle, eh?" "Take off, eh?" "No, you take off, you hoser." "How do you like my new toque (rhymes with kook), eh?" "It's a beauty way to go, eh?" These guys were absolutely hilarious! They had the entire country doing Canadian-speak," eh?
The other guys I loved were the Red-neck movie reviewers. Dressed like Elmer Fudd on a wabbit-hunt, Joe Flaherty and John Candy rated movies based on whether they "blowed 'em up real good," or not. You guessed it - if the movie "blowed 'em up real good" (followed by lots of guffaws and yuks), it was a good movie. If there were no car crashes or explosions, well, it was a bad movie.
This was an extremely clever show and launched the careers of some powerful comic geniuses (Eugene Levy, Martin Short, Catherine O'Hara included among those already mentioned). It's definitely worth the late-night t.v. watch on T.V. Land.
From the beginning of the opening credits where it was announced that "SCTV is on the air" followed by t.v. sets being thrown out of windows to crash on the sidewalks below, the laughs ensued.
I understand that Canadian Television had an extra two minutes more than U.S. television, so they asked Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis to come up with an extra two minutes of material that would air on Canadian Television. Their contribution? The Mackenzie Brothers, eh? It was all ad-lib. The Great White North sketch was eventually added to the American version.
Each week would be a different topic - "This week, our topic is how to stuff a mouse in a beer bottle, eh?" "Take off, eh?" "No, you take off, you hoser." "How do you like my new toque (rhymes with kook), eh?" "It's a beauty way to go, eh?" These guys were absolutely hilarious! They had the entire country doing Canadian-speak," eh?
The other guys I loved were the Red-neck movie reviewers. Dressed like Elmer Fudd on a wabbit-hunt, Joe Flaherty and John Candy rated movies based on whether they "blowed 'em up real good," or not. You guessed it - if the movie "blowed 'em up real good" (followed by lots of guffaws and yuks), it was a good movie. If there were no car crashes or explosions, well, it was a bad movie.
This was an extremely clever show and launched the careers of some powerful comic geniuses (Eugene Levy, Martin Short, Catherine O'Hara included among those already mentioned). It's definitely worth the late-night t.v. watch on T.V. Land.
SCTV
kylewalken219 December 2002
I was born after SCTV ended, but I always remember seeing re-runs that I thought were extremely hilarious. One of the best things about SCTV is if you look at the cast, they are all classic actors who's names we all know. Even better was that all these great talents and names got together in a mid sized city (my city, Edmonton) to create this amazing show. They didn't need the glitz of New York or a new guest host every week (who on SNL now probly hosted like 3 weeks ago, and 3 weeks before that) to make something that was truely great. I will always remember how all these famous people once lived and worked in my city.
Top Notch television (early episodes)
RNMorton16 November 2003
Weekly television is rarely this good. Originally aired very late on weekend nights. Skit and parody show centered on operation of cheesy television station. Where else can you see John Candy playing Babe Ruth or Harold Ramis Dialing For Dollars? As with SNL the first few years are the best (during Ramis' tenancy), some of the late stuff - like Thomas making fun of Bob Hope - is pretty grim.
True satire at its best
Groucho73421 August 2000
Probably the best TV version of the many SCTV formats, even without Martin Short's Ed Grimley or Jackie Rogers Jr. A sharply focused parody of (mostly) television AND smalltown mid-western culture, both American and Canadian at the same time! A true world unto itself, filled with enough in-jokes and running gags to make your head spin.
SCTV
Coxer9910 July 1999
Off the wall comedy show that greatly surpasses Saturday Night Live a thousand times over, with a better assortment of performers, skits and writing. Stars such as John Candy, Catherine O'Hara, Rick Moranis and Eugene Levy went on to bigger, deservedly, and better things after the success of SCTV.
The skits equal or best Saturday Night Live
StanleyStrangelove24 April 2006
The skits of the SCTV - Second City TV - series are interesting not only because many of them are hysterical but also because the young cast is loaded with people who went on to become movie comedy regulars: John Candy (Planes, Trains and Automobiles), Eugene Levy (A Mighty Wind), Catherine O'Hara (Beetlejuice), Martin Short and Harold Ramis (Ghostbusters).
The list of writers on the show is also impressive: John Candy, Brian Doyle-Murray, Robin Duke, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis, Catherine O'Hara, Harold Ramis, Martin Short, Jim Staahl, Dave Thomas.
The regular cast portrayed dozens of very odd characters on the show. My personal favorite is Joe Flaherty's "Count Floyd", the host of "Monster Chiller Horror Theater." Flaherty's Count Dracula makeup and his goofy transylvania/yiddish accent are a hoot.
Some of the other memorable characters are:
John Candy's Johnny LaRue, Dr. Tongue, Orson Welles and Curly Howard
Eugene Levy's Earl Camembert and Yosh Schmenge (also a personal favorite)
Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas as Bob and Doug McKenzie
Harold Ramis's Moe Green and Swami Banananda.
The series has held up well (it's a little dated with some of the topical references) but the skits are well-written and full of laughs.
The list of writers on the show is also impressive: John Candy, Brian Doyle-Murray, Robin Duke, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis, Catherine O'Hara, Harold Ramis, Martin Short, Jim Staahl, Dave Thomas.
The regular cast portrayed dozens of very odd characters on the show. My personal favorite is Joe Flaherty's "Count Floyd", the host of "Monster Chiller Horror Theater." Flaherty's Count Dracula makeup and his goofy transylvania/yiddish accent are a hoot.
Some of the other memorable characters are:
John Candy's Johnny LaRue, Dr. Tongue, Orson Welles and Curly Howard
Eugene Levy's Earl Camembert and Yosh Schmenge (also a personal favorite)
Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas as Bob and Doug McKenzie
Harold Ramis's Moe Green and Swami Banananda.
The series has held up well (it's a little dated with some of the topical references) but the skits are well-written and full of laughs.
Hilarious, eh?
James_K_Polk8 December 2002
Bittman, Maudlin, La Rue, Camembert, Todd... what else can you say? Pure genius. You gotta love the classic old SCTV bits... I could watch them over and over. It's great that Eugene Levy has become a popular icon through American Pie, but probably the best post-SCTV comedy has to be the Christopher Guest films (Waiting for Guffman, Best In Show)where Levy and O'Hara really get to flex their comedic muscles.
See also
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