The Absolute Best Parts of The Critic

Best gags and bits from one of my favorite shows of all time; The Critic!
Jon Lovitz and a lot of the talent behind the Simpsons made this show possible. It was the perfect blend of pre-Family Guy cutaways, top voice talent of 90's animation, and the cynical zaniness made familiar by the Simpsons. It ran for 2 seasons on 2 networks, and suffered cancellation from poor viewership (due to bad marketing) and the risks involved with producing an expensive season 3.
From 1997-2005, Comedy Central would show the Critic VERY late in the evening once a week, and then....nothing. Thanks to KZbin, the Critic lives on!

[@bayareacutiepie]

You have to watch the show to see how funny it is. Once you watch the whole episodes, you will understand why we are fans. This was one of the best and underrated shows on television.

[@canaisyoung3601]

Yeah, but which episode should a first-time viewer watch? I would recommend the episode where Jay goes to Hollywood to sell a screenplay he did, but I feel a better first episode would be either the actual first episode (where Jay dates an actress who only likes him because she thinks he'll give her a good review on her new erotic thriller) or maybe the one where Jay gets abducted by a projectionist who's obsessed with him.

[@jeffsims8270]

Ahh, "LA Jay" is pretty good. But the latter with the 'Misery' storyline is pretty good: "Buy my book!" ×3

[@gophersmith]

14:03 "NEXT SIGN 50 MILES" 💀

[@MrCloverleafRadio]

I remember watching this as a kid during its original tv run...It amazes me that this show is perfect for both adults and kids. The jokes for adults are too top shelf for kids to understand yet the animation was colorful and the characters were fun. A definite double threat!

[@StealthMarmot_]

"I thought Finland was a constitutional democracy" Best line, hits you out of nowhere.

[@incarnateTheGreat]

JUST PARK THE CAR

[@HooDooBrown]

This would be the absolute best if it had the Orson Welles clips as well.

[@tauruschorus]

Looks like SOMEONE here is full of green pea-ness

[@TheLastComa]

They're even better *RAW* !

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

​@@TheLastComa Oh yes, they're even good when your dead!

[@gamingpanda7516]

Ah what the hell I need the money

[@jeffsims8270]

What luck! There's a french fry caught in my beard!

[@geraldfritz3299]

This show was so far ahead of its time. Loved every minute of it.

[@undead923]

"Tell L'ane Jr no Harvard." "In fact, I may just have coffee" "Pull the plug on Mama."

[@WeirdWonderful]

Vlada Jr but okay :P

[@keyanawhitely7942]

I don't get it. Can you explain.

[@evilcam]

I liked that he had a hardline directly connected to wherever his mother was being hospitalized, and who could also tell his son that they could not longer afford the Ivy League, just in case Sherman ever went on a diet. They had to put that much thought and effort into it, because it was so deep and uncomfortable, a fear.

[@CoreyT127]

@@keyanawhitely7942 Pretty obvious and elementary!

[@jvanimation9520]

@@keyanawhitely7942Jay’s appetite was keeping the hostess’s son in college and his mom on life support. Now Jay’s on a diet so both of those are out the window. Like with the hotdog vendor that follows Homer around whenever he wants a hotdog. Marge: “What do you do? Follow my husband around?” Vendor: “Lady, he’s putting my kids through college.”

[@adamharris7775]

In the episode "LA Jay", Margo was voiced by Kath Soucie and the boy in the farm got voiced by Nancy Cartwright.

[@jmbad]

They forgot my favorite Jay Sherman line he said while fleeing: “My therapist was right, god does hate me!”😂

[@hpa2005]

"I'm NOT PEAR SHAPED!" "How awkward"

[@ReyaitheShadowWolf]

The helium truck floating away kills me every time.

[@mudddge]

"Oh no the Rev Al Sharpton" 💀

[@Mecknavorz]

Ah the eggs have ripened wait a minute eggs don't ripen *EGGS DON'T RIPEN!*

[@EricPudalov]

I'd had this line in my head for years and couldn't remember where it was from!

[@firecrakerj3312]

I think I’ll eat at my parents…

[@dongee2322]

R.I.P. to my Legendary Great Aunt Doris Grau..who voiced Doris Grossman on this show an was their lead Script Supervisor

[@BubblingSyphilisSund]

90's animation wouldn't have been the same without her. You should be very proud.

[@yisusarguedas2120]

She was a whole character on her own alright.

[@christophermurphy1024]

Dude, she was awesome!

[@PrincessofPower84]

Her, Charles Napier (Duke), Phil Hartman (various characters, like Adolph Hitmaker, the guy who told Jay to get *really* fat), and Christine Cavanaugh (Marty).

[@tommyblack7998]

She was also Lunchlady Doris on The Simpsons.

[@alramone1]

i agree with others who say this was a top-notch and highly underrated show, it's 1 of my all-time faves, thanks in part to JL's terrific voice work. the show, especially in the first season, didn't dumb things down. some references (perhaps literary or historical) still go over my head 20 years later. and btw, nice comp though it's missing one of my fave lines from the fat little pig episode: "Make him squeal!"

[@k-leb4671]

They went a bit overboard with the art style in the second season.

[@marleecorrell1486]

@@k-leb4671 other than that, it still was a good show

[@braddye4983]

The Critic was both ahead of it’s time and a product of its time. Ahead of its time in a sense to spotlight a career reacting to Entertainment that is even more relevant today than it was back then (think KZbinrs and social media influencers). Yet it also came out in a time when the Simpsons were edgy and cartoons as always had a children’s demographic in mind and it makes several of it’s jokes feel like soft blows instead of heavy hitters. I feel like Bojack Horseman is a spiritual successor to the critic that gets the same premise but with more punches up humor and drama.

[@jamescrites3746]

"I'm a happy critic short and stout. I'll have the brisket" "Sorry we're out."

[@dragonjames7911]

“Just let me know if you’re suffering any brain damage.🤕” “dance with me tony, dance with me🤪” “You’re fine.🙄”

[@dsargent724]

“I may have screamed the word “potty”, but they took it WAY out of context.”

[@adude8424]

"i thought Finland was a constitutional democracy" i fucking died when he said that

[@hpa2005]

"Just park the car!"

[@kentamccarter9580]

I love the critic with Jay Sherman, I wish they put it back on TV

[@bombabombom3603]

According to the Simpsons DVD commentary, apparently it got pulled since Fox doesn't own this show, they only wanted to air Fox-owned shows starting in the late 90s, leading to being replaced with King of the Hill.

[@ekathe85]

The helium truck is the best fat joke I've ever seen on TV.

[@JOHNizSiK]

Watch married with children lol

[@jankjason]

Omg, his son is voiced by Christine Cavanaugh the same voice actor who voiced Chucky from Rugrats and Gosalyn from Darkwing Duck.

[@marcguerra1854]

Sad to know she passed away

[@SonicStantz]

@@marcguerra1854 What did she die of anyway?

[@marcguerra1854]

SonicStantz she passed away due to leukemia

[@mushroomhead3619]

And Margo is voiced by Bart!

[@PHATB0Y20]

Holy shit??? You mean actors do more then one role!!!

[@Juggalo972]

"You see, the knife is good thing for slicin' and dicin'. But it's not so good for pointing at me The Cos, see? Haha! You SHOULD get yourself a SPOON and fill it with jello pud-DING! Hahahaha!" I've been looking for this forever! LMAO!

[@nickspectercool]

Juggalo972 I

[@grantorino2325]

Rebel without a Cos--by. 😉

[@EddieHawkinsII]

A spoon duel? You had my curiosity... but now you have my attention.

[@ceon4499]

"Your short, your fat, and even for a critic, yu look ugly." ":000000000!!!!"

[@vguyver2]

the joke at the start with Bill Cosby in a knife fight, suddenly got darker after the whole rape allegations.

[@bigslim7777]

+V Guyver that is the best part! are you seriously saying that it isn't hilarious to find that Bill Cosby, american TV dad of the 80's and jello pudding spokesman, was possibly (but probably not) raping women with the hippin and the hoppin and bippin and the boppin, its like the new coke it'll be around forever HEH HEH HEH.

[@vguyver2]

bigslim7777 Oh I am enjoying it as much as you. Just an observation. After all, now we can quote him. "Don't gotta say hello before I get into your jello... hmmm *HMM* that's some good puddin in ther'."

[@KairuHakubi]

+V Guyver Everyone has allegations eventually. They're all guilty to some extent or other, not nearly as guilty as accused of course. The only difference is some of them try to redeem themselves.

[@carlbloke4289]

No offense but it sounds really stupid and arrogant to bleakly generalize all important people to he deemed guilty of allegations.

[@rustyshackleford7265]

V Guyver No shit Sherlock. Did you think anything involving rape would suddenly become bright and cheerful?? Captain obvious over here!

[@lilscrappy50cent20]

My life was never the same after I watched it on Comedy Central late night hours My childhood was awesome

[@bsgambati1]

All hail Duke! Duke is life! All hail Duke! Duke is life! Pigeons seem love the sound of my voi-ack!

[@skylarberry3754]

My alltime favorite moment from this show is when Jay is on tv and his dad is watching, and says "I do say, your nose is the size of my foot!" And audibly slaps his bare foot on the tv lining up w his nose, I laughed so hard I had to rewatch it numerous times

[@untexan]

This is after Jay has had to give his girlfriend’s movie a bad review and he knows she’ll break up with him for it and he’s absolutely distraught, and then we pull back and his family is watching on TV and Franklin says that

[@XXLSSBBW]

Charles Napier (Duke Philips) was awesome in this show. FYI he was in Silence Of The Lambs. He was one of the guards that got beaten up by Hannibal Lecter when Lecter was escaping.

[@MarshallFlores]

“Beaten up by Hannibal Lecter…” is quite the understatement, lol

[@christophermurphy1024]

Napier was one of the best B character actors in show biz.

[@jlmww]

I remember him best from THE BLUES BROTHERS.

[@XXLSSBBW]

@@jlmww Forgot he was in that movie. Given me something to watch.

[@Zargex]

This is so much funnier than simpsons and only 23 episodes!!! HACHI MACHI!!!

[@dr.robotnick1888]

18:17 Jay: Could this possibly be any more disgusting? Duke: You should see the Muffin Shooter...

[@JazzyJonas]

"Feed me, FEED MEH" is top 10 funniest things of all time.

[@Yabuturtle]

One of the most underrated animated shows, like Duckman and Clerks the Animated series, as well as Undergrads and Downtown.

[@ininja32]

The giant potato joke always gets me.

[@kayeplaguedoc9054]

Jesus, why did I never watch this show? No context at all and yet I was laughing my arse off. Well, I know what's next on my watch list...

[@Successkid2014]

what was this show called?

[@Sassy_Witch]

was wondering the same

[@bhmch39]

Brandon Madin the critic. He made a cameo on the Simpson's in I think season 9. He was also the voice of Marges ex bf Artie Ziff.

[@80MWH]

Kaye Faye That's the way comedy seems to work: the stuff that's funny is never mainstream.

[@billyboycinci]

oh, it was a great show. it's really a shame that it only ran for two seasons. the jokes were witty I absolutely loved the movie parodies.

[@screenplayerone378]

one of the smartest shows ever. I love this!

[@joelburgos69]

One of the most underrated shows ever, The Critic was funny, clever and encapsulate the 90's in a great way...

[@GeriatricFan1963]

"I'm testing a new PMS drug...AS IF THAT'S ANY OF YOUR BUSINESS MRS. BUTTINSKI! Oh! I'm sorry. I don't know Why I say such hurtful things...OOH, CHOCOLATE!"

[@Eragarev]

Jay and his stomach, Homer and his brain.

[@lloydedwards968]

9:40 “I ju . . . I just . . . made that . . . UP!!”😄😄😄

[@DrBachur]

- I just wanna say that you've taught me that someone can be ugly on the outside but beautiful on the inside - I'm not the hunch! - I know

[@beetee8798]

Recently discovered this show and i have watched every available clip. So clever and insightful 😂

[@mainstreetsaint36]

With the state Hollywood (and entertainment in general) is in, we need the Critic more than ever!

[@That_AMC_Guy]

I wish they could bring this show back. John Lovitz has said on multiple occasions that he'd reprise his role. Although sadly, we no longer have Chuck Napier or Doris Grau; I had this crazy idea how to get around that. Doris would be easy to write out. 20+ years later, Jay has a millennial makeup girl who spends more time on her cell phone than she does on Jay. Write out Duke Phillips saying he died doing something absolutely atrocious. But have his daughter come in to take over the network. This is where it could be turned into a fun love triangle. Jay and Alice eventually wed. However Duke's daughter falls in love with jay and at every turn uses her money and influence to try and break up Alice and Jay but at the same time keep Jay on the air as he is the LAST TV film critic. Marty and Penny are all grown up now and can have plot lines of their own. Hell, get Gerrit Graham to reprise his role as Franklin who is now quite elderly and even more flamboyant than before!

[@angbandsbane]

God, this show was so good. We need another season just so it doesn't end on the webisodes.

[@salsamancer]

It’s been 25 years, that ship is long sailed away

[@themysteriousspeeddemon]

some jokes of this show is definitely ahead of its time.

[@eldiablo2418]

still good in 2021. the politically correct truck driver had me fucking dying

[@PJownsyoursoul]

Still one of my favorite shows of all time! LOVED this show growing up!

[@c3920]

Great show to watch before bed. Happy, light, and clever but with heart. “Me likey much much.” 😂

[@incarnateTheGreat]

I honestly think this is the best The Critic compilation out there. People probably dont need to watch the show and could just watch this. I mean, they should stills watch the show anyway, but the jokes are fantastic.

[@neilyoungboy]

in my honest opinion I think the Critic would have done better if Jay originated on the Simpsons and then got his own spin-off i think then people may have been nicer to him. Im actually a big fan of the critic and am sad that it only lasted for a very short time.

[@lazlow9640]

Groening had areal issue with the crossover episode and acted like a bit of a dick about it.

[@StreetHierarchy]

They tried to imply there was a real connection between this show and The Simpsons.

[@SuperWolsey]

@@StreetHierarchy there is more than ever since Jean and Reiss are the showrunners on there now

[@evilcam]

It was probably a blessing in disguise, that it did last as long as it did. Rather than being drawn out and milked until the show became terrible. I think that peak Simpsons, peak Family Guy, and peak South Park are a bit better than The Critic, but since those shows have been on way too long, they became something else, and none of it was for the better. The Critic, on the other hand, is all good, and will always be good. Therefore, because it ended, The Critic is the best animated comedy show, while once better shows are now shadows of their former selves.

[@GoblinGirl]

12:05 "Oh no, the Reverend Al Sharpton" LOL. That joke hasn't dated.

[@MrGregorychant]

13:20 My god, this show was way ahead of its time.

[@tgpoppins3904]

MrGregorychant They predicted the rise of terrible PC culture.

[@FedorovAvtomat]

They did not predict it, it was rearing it's ugly head and we did nothing to stop it.

[@the-four-seven]

@@FedorovAvtomat Damn those pronouns, destroying our society

[@dimthecat9418]

Says the pony

[@greenberry6019]

Brother, you literally can't be saying this when you're a brony. PC culture has been here for 30 years now, and it seems it didn't destroy society after all

[@JoeyLevenson]

I watch these again every few months. So funny. So many great quotes but today I’ll say “Chief get down with nurse, makum bacon“

[@HypnoSwag]

"Hiiiii, guuuuuy..."

[@ElijahRuelas]

Rockman IXA Mama Mia...

[@dragonjames7911]

I never even heard of the show until four years ago and it all started with this video. This show was an underrated gem and they need to reboot it immediately!!!🖤🖤

[@adamharris7775]

In the episode "Marathon Mensch", the boy got voiced by Tara Charendoff (now Tara Strong) and the other boy got voiced by Laura Bailey.

[@CleverGirlAAH]

Oh yeah, tons of alumni voice talent are in this show. I mean Maurice LaMarche alone has been in everything under the sun for the past 30 years. Hehe.

[@gracebaer8821]

THE BILL CLINTON PART HAD ME DYING

[@warrenduree9417]

Attention everyone. We have a winner for the best costume. Jay Sherman, as "The Bald, Gay Man".

[@CleverGirlAAH]

It's some 20 years later and my brother and I still quote this show daily to each other... Top notch voice work too.

[@LazyPirate8]

i dead at the gay women relay team

[@Taverens_Pull]

Wait a minute, eggs don't ripen. EGGS DON'T RIPEN!!!!

[@wuchunmeng]

18:31 I don't know why but I laugh too hard over how emotional Duke gets

[@JimmyBostwickEntertainmentInc2]

The Critic needs another season

[@dsargent724]

They had a webseries in 2001 that ran for 3 or so episodes and was awful.

[@tekgeekster]

​@@dsargent724"It stinks!"

[@JoLiKMC]

_KZbin_ thinks this is _Family Guy._ I'm speechless.

[@PrincessofPower84]

This was such a great show. I'm sorry it didn't last longer.

[@adamharris7775]

Johnny Wrath was Jay Sherman's friend in this show.

[@analothor]

Okay I have to give it to them that helium truck joke was gold

[@coldslugger8219]

"makkam makkaaaam makkkaaaaaaaam!"

[@adamharris7775]

The elderly lady/elderly woman got voiced by Nancy Cartwright in the 1st episode of this show.

[@christophermurphy1024]

The bit (not shown here) about “the dryer channel” kills me everytime😂

[@ChuckNorrisIsNothing]

Some of those clips are satirizing things from over 30 years ago. In many ways, things have not changed that much.

[@ElijahRuelas]

“PATCHES! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

[@chaconaso4932]

+is this hanukkah town? -no, this is the vatican and I'm pope shlomo

[@tahutoa]

It's made of chocolate! Now I want one more than ever!

[@TheBudgetGunCollector]

3:15 My jaw dropped at that bit LOL

[@L7Lakeira]

How awkward.

[@GreenHotDogz]

that bit was gold

[@ElijahRuelas]

“I thought Finland was a constitutional democracy?”

[@miamitten1123]

_”Just Park the car!”_

[@bhmch39]

Doris Graus reading of the newspapers headline and laugh at 4:20 gets me every time. Lmbo!

[@BigAL68xyz]

Two great bits missing: From the Siskel & Ebert episode: "Here's a picture from that Halloween party, where we went dressed as Bert and Ernie." And the one that featured Jon Lovitz voicing himself, just brushing past Jay and his kid. "Wow, I'd give anything if I only looked as good as him!" "Well, you do kinda SOUND like him!" "Ooh, ya think?"

[@pizzahutz_inthegarage]

And the stuff with Orson Welles, can't forget about them!

[@darksideoftoast]

Best show to ever not be appreciated. Wish they still made them like this.

[@handbananaistherapist642]

So unappreciated in its time, and now.

[@emcvideoproductions500]

3:31 Never gets old.

[@adamharris7775]

A woman named Keely was voiced by Kath Soucie in the 9th episode of The Critic and Nancy Cartwright in the 8th episode of the 2nd season of The Critic.

[@evilnick2885]

lol The Rev Al Sharpton

[@docducttape9270]

Love John Lovitz 😂

[@VinluvAntonHandesbukia]

I miss this show so much

[@CleverGirlAAH]

Gone but NEVER forgotten.

[@richbrescher6544]

I wish Netflix reboot of the series but they gotta hire Jon Lovitz

[@lazlow9640]

"I thought Finland was a constitutional democracy"

[@Marylandbrony]

Just park the Car!

[@hpa2005]

"You hormone fed BUZZARD!!"

[@cigi-tem]

I am disappointed by your lack of Green Peaness

[@Devcorp15]

2:56 Patches! NOOOOOoOoO!

[@abcdedeflimsinc.3226]

Does anyone think that Jay looks like a mixture of Arnold Shortman and Inspector Gadget if he there were fat?

[@mushroomhead3619]

XD

[@JennPruitt]

There's one thing you may not know about me, I HAVE NO PRIDE! Please, PLEASE stay with me!! *Grovels*

[@MatteoTomatto]

""You should see the muffin shooter".

[@JoeyLevenson]

Just as I read this comment it played on TV. Random In sync moment

[@kirinooto2666]

Tuchis by surprise is a legendary headline

[@bsgambati1]

Viva Jay Sherman! Viva Quebec.

[@jonathanwilkinson4299]

The penguins don't fly clip was not in this video. You should be ashamed.

[@gabrielbird5505]

...and let's not forget Mrs. Pelles' Fishsticks! Mhyes... They're even better raww!!

[@eddiem28]

Full of country goodness and green peaness

[@WAEVOICE]

Neither was the clip of the edible roaches.

[@adamharris7775]

Some boy was voiced by Tara Charendoff (now Tara Strong) in the The Simpsons episode "Homie the Clown".

[@BigAL68xyz]

18:00 They say this is how L.Ron Hubbard started Scientology.

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

I believe it.

[@TheTortaLover]

1st clip already had me dying and then i remembered there was 19 minutes left oh god LMAO

[@themissinfowar6629]

Shermans stomach talking I always found hilarious cat 😹

[@ferociousgumby]

You would NEVER get away with any of this now, because nothing is funny any more. Even "fat jokes" are completely forbidden due to the Body Positivity Movement, in which 300-pound models are celebrated.