The Critic
Cast & Key People
▶
Our Review
Cast & Key People
▶
Our Review
The Critic (1994) is a comedy series from ABC. It has built a run of 33 episodes at roughly 25 minutes each. It premiered on January 26, 1994. Viewers rate it 7.8 out of 10. Critics sit at 85% on Rotten Tomatoes. It is currently ended. It runs 3 seasons.
What The Critic Is About
From the producers of “The Simpsons”! Jon Lovitz is the animated Jay Sherman, a TV movie critic who is forced to review the most pathetic films which he always rates as “It stinks.” In addition to the film parodies, the show also deals with his personal life: working for a tyrannical media mogul boss, his lovelife and his family.
What to Expect When You Watch
Episodes run about 25 minutes, which keeps the pace tight, the full run covers 33 episodes, spread across 3 seasons and it leans into its comedy roots while leaving room for the quieter character beats.
Performance-wise the series leans on Jon Lovitz, Charles Napier and Christine Cavanaugh to carry the emotional weight, with the rest of the ensemble filling out the world around them.
Cast and Creative Team
Jon Lovitz, Charles Napier, Christine Cavanaugh, Doris Grau, Gerrit Graham and Judith Ivey lead the cast.
Key roles include Jon Lovitz as Jay Sherman; Charles Napier as Duke Phillips; Christine Cavanaugh as Marty Sherman; Doris Grau as Doris Grossman; Gerrit Graham as Franklin Sherman.
Why It Stands Out
Fans of comedy have a clear reason to give this one a shot. It sits comfortably alongside ABC’s other originals, a 7.8/10 audience score puts it in steady company and it commits to its premise instead of hedging between tones.
Released in 1994 and carried by ABC with the series still ended, it lands hardest with comedy viewers.
Where to Stream
The Critic comes from ABC. Check your preferred platform for current availability, since regional rights move around.
Disclosure: We may earn a commission if you sign up for a streaming service through links on this page. This helps support our independent reviews.
On the whole The Critic is the kind of series that rewards a patient watch, with Jon Lovitz and Charles Napier doing the heaviest lifting, a tone that stays true to its comedy roots, It has held up since 1994 and so if the premise sounds like your lane, the execution holds up.
The Bottom Line
The Critic is a safe bet for anyone already inside the comedy lane, at 33 episodes it is an easy run to work through, the audience score holds around 7.8/10 and so there is little risk in starting it tonight.
Verdict: 7.8/10. Watch it if you want comedy you can settle into.
