Category: SCTV

Go Back To SCTV’s Early Years With The Next DVD Release From Shout!
After last September’s release of SCTV Network 90 – Volume 4 (“Season 5”), fans of the show have been wondering when Shout! Factory will next release more SCTV goodness. Well, we’ve gotten word that Shout! will release SCTV – The Best of the Early Years on October 24th, at a cost of $39.95 SRP.
This will be the first, original version of Second City TV with the earliest appearances of the show’s cast (outside of their appearances on the upcoming Best of the David Steinberg Show DVD!). We’ll have more details for you, plus cover art, as soon as Shout! gets this release more firmed up and finalized. Stay tuned!

Rick Moranis channels his inner ‘Cowboy’
NEW YORK (Billboard) – Anyone who came of age in the 1980s is well-versed in the filmography of Rick Moranis, thanks to such memorable roles as the accountant/nerd extraordinaire in both “Ghostbusters” films, the evil/clueless overlord in “Spaceballs,” the windsurfing tourist in “Club Paradise” and the bumbling inventor in “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.”
But the 52-year-old Toronto native also frequently demonstrated his musical talents, most notably as doomed florist Seymour Krelborn in the 1986 film version of the musical “Little Shop of Horrors.” He also made an art out of satirizing pop music during his stint with famed Canadian sketch comedy show SCTV, impersonating everybody from Elton John to Michael McDonald and Gordon Lightfoot.
Having phased out his acting career in the late ’90s while raising his children in New York, Moranis is now garnering acclaim for an album of humorous country songs, “The Agoraphobic Cowboy,” which he released last fall via his Web site (http://www.rickmoranis.com). It will vie for a Grammy Award next month in the comedy album category.
Moranis recently inked deals for wider distribution of “Cowboy,” which was made available via online retailers on Monday and in stores on February 7.
Moranis recently filled Billboard.com in on his musical roots and his inspirations for the material on “The Agoraphobic Cowboy.”
DID YOU SING OR PERFORM AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL CAREER?
Well, the very first thing I did professionally was working with a partner, a guy I’d gone to summer camp with. We wrote an act and played the improv clubs in Toronto in 1975. I’d already been in radio for awhile, but when we wrote our act and performed live, I used my guitar in that act. We split and I started doing standup, and carried my guitar for a year doing standup. It was before I’d seen Steve Martin, but somebody said, ‘You should see him. He does what you do, but with a banjo.’ I was doing similar, non sequitur kinds of musical bits. I don’t know if I have any of them recorded. Some of them were parodies of rock music. You know that Boz Scaggs song, ‘Lowdown?’ It has that slap bass sound. That was a hugely popular song in 1976, and I would do the entire song just playing this one note. Or, I would say, ‘I need a volunteer from the audience, somebody tall.’ Somebody would come up and I’d play the opening few lines of (Simon & Garfunkel’s) ‘Sounds of Silence”‘ Then, I’d turn to him and go, ‘Come on, Art. What’s going on?’ I’d get into a fight with him and split up with him.
THEN YOU JOINED SCTV, WHICH FEATURED SO MANY HYSTERICAL MUSICAL-THEMED BITS.
When I first got onto SCTV, we were working in a vacuum. We had no idea there was an audience. We were just making each other laugh. I had done, for example, a parody of Canadian Content where I’d re-written a song of Gordon Lightfoot’s. (Cast member) Dave (Thomas) did all these bogus K-Tel commercials, so we came up with the sketch ‘Gordon Lightfoot Sings Every Song Ever Written.’ Then, they had the budget to get a local country-sounding band in Edmonton to do a few bars from every single one of these songs I wanted. When I read that at the table, it was very clear what it was. It was a bit everybody could understand. That’s the way things happened, doing a post-production show like that.
SO HOW DID THIS PROJECT START TO TAKE SHAPE? WERE ANY OF THESE SONGS THINGS YOU HAD LYING AROUND PREVIOUSLY?
Well, what happened was, around two years ago, I had been doing more sort of op-ed piece kind of writing and essay writing. I pretty much pulled out of shooting anything in the mid to late ’90s, because I couldn’t stand the travel anymore. I’m a single parent and my kids were young, so I just needed to take a break. After I started spending more time at home, I realized I didn’t miss what I was doing. I hadn’t enjoyed the last few years of what’s called acting. I’m really not an actor. The reason we performed was because we’d written the material. I never studied acting. When I was acting in other people’s things, I knew how to enjoy myself. It was lucrative and it fit into life. But I wasn’t enjoying the work. After I stopped, I really wasn’t missing it.
My kids, particularly my daughter, started listening to a lot of alternative country, jam bands and some bluegrass. I had played that stuff to them when they were little kids. They’d play me something I knew the original of, so I’d tell them, ‘So and so did this a long time ago.’ It got under my skin. On any given day, if I would hear a turn of phrase or get a funny idea or something, instead of trying to write a piece I could sell to the New York Times, I started writing a song. I wrote one, and then another one. I was singing them to a couple of friends, and they’d be relatively amused. After I had a few, they said I should do something with them. That’s really how I wound up having that many songs. I just kept doing it. When I got to the point where I had enough to do a whole album, I stopped writing and started pursuing recording them. Once the recording process started, I wrote another couple of things.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT IF SOMEONE ASKED, ‘WHAT HAS RICK BEEN DOING LATELY?’, THIS ALBUM PROVIDES THE ANSWERS, LIKE GOLFING, HANGING OUT AND ENJOYING LIFE?
(Laughs). There’s a bunch of golf references in there. I couldn’t resist. People are hearing different things in this. Some have heard a theme. Some have heard a lot of self-deprecation. A lot of technology. It’s very much me. I’m writing what I know and what I’m feeling, but beyond that, I leave it to you guys to figure out where it fits.
I NOTICED A DONALD FAGEN THANK-YOU ON THE CD. DID YOU EVER PONDER COLLABORATING WITH HIM?
Initially, I was working on a screenplay a long, long time ago that never got produced. I wanted him to do the music for it, and that’s how we started talking. We just stayed in touch. Whenever Steely Dan would perform I’d go see them. As I was writing this stuff, I knew he’d get a kick out of it. He really encouraged me a lot to do something with this.
SINCE YOU FINISHED THE ALBUM, HAVE YOU KEPT WRITING MUSIC?
Yeah. I’ve written a couple of jazz songs that I guess could be arranged as bluegrass songs, and I’ve gone back to writing the kinds of songs I was writing before this album. Those are a bit more rock-ish, and not as on the nose lyrically as these are, and not as comedic. The jazz ones are comedic like this, but the other ones are a different kind of thing. I’m not good at making plans, because I never have been. I never do things with an idea of where they may wind up.

SCTV Network 90 – 4th Volume (5th Season) Cover Art & Complete Details
Coming September 13th release!!
Here is the press release and the info on the back of the box:
SCTV’S INCREDIBLE 5TH SEASON (Yes, that’s Volume 4) finds the show renewed on NBC and still in the 90-minute format. Three cast members have departed, Dave Thomas, Rick Moranis and Catherine O’Hara-although Catherine makes a memorable return in “The Christmas Show,” but Martin Short’s star rose in their absence. His inimitable character Ed Grimley finds his way into many of the sketches. The Shmenges are back and John Candy introduces Mr. Mambo.
The Volume 4 box set features four Emmy-nominated shows (“Towering Inferno,” “Christmas Special,” “Midnight Cowboy” and “Sweeps Week”), plus Robin Williams as a guest in the “Jane Eyrehead” episode; it also includes musical guests John Mellencamp, Joe Walsh, and Crystal Gayle.
Includes an extra DVD with 3 extra episodes-12 episodes total- 33% more content at the same price as the first 3 volumes! Also includes a collectible set of character trading cards.
(From the back cover)
The Complete Fifth Season – 12 Full Episodes
SCTV IS ON THE AIR!
SCTV’s incredible fifth season finds them renewed and back on NBC.
Martin Short explodes in this season with his characters Ed Grimley, Jackie Rogers, Jr., and Brock Linehan. Plus, the Shmenges are back and John Candy does Divine doing Peter Pan.
Robin Williams guest stars in the “Jane Eyrehead” episode, and later in the season Martin Short does a fabulous send-up of him doing a “Taing” commercial. Also guesting and performing are Joe Walsh, John Cougar Mellencamp, Harold Ramis, Fred Willard, America and more. And Catherine O’Hara returns for a special guest appearance in the “Christmas” episode.
Look for Vic Arpeggio, Private Investigator and parodies of Midnight Cowbay (John Candy as Joe Buck), The Towering Inferno, A Star Is Born and What Ever Happened To Baby Jane (Ed)? – more proof that these shows just kept getting better.
Never Available On Video Or DVD – Until Now.
Total Running Time +/- 14 Hours
Bonus Features
SCTV Remembers: Interview with Martin Short
SCTV At Play – Home movies of cast and crew
Sammy Maudlin At Second City
SCTV – The Producers
Canadian TV references revealed

SCTV’s fifth season comes with 33% more content!
SCTV’s fifth season (Volume 4) finds the show renewed on NBC and still in the 90-minute format. Three cast members have departed, Dave Thomas, Rick Moranis and Catherine O’Hara-although Catherine makes a memorable return in “The Christmas Show,” but Martin Short’s star rose in their absence.
His inimitable character Ed Grimley finds his way into many of the sketches.
The Shmenges are back and John Candy introduces Mr. Mambo.
The Volume 4 box set features four Emmy-nominated shows (“Towering Inferno,” “Christmas Special,” “Midnight Cowboy” and “Sweeps Week”) plus Robin Williams as a guest in the “Jane Eyrehead” episode; it also includes musical guests John Mellencamp, Joe Walsh, and Crystal Gayle.
The DVD set will include an extra DVD with three extra episodes, bringing the DVD set total up to 12 episodes – 33% more content at the same price as the first 3 volumes! The set will also come with a collectible set of character trading cards.
As extras, the release will offer Commentary Tracks with Martin Short and Catherine OíHara, a new Martin Short Interview and a selection of Featurettes called ìThe Producers: Part 2,î ìThe Firehallî and ìSammy Maudlin Today.î
The Shout! Factory will release SCTV Volume 4 on September 13.

Don’t Take Off Yet … Eh? SCTV Only Gets Funnier!
On SCTV: Volume 3 Martin Short Joins The Cast In This Third Volume Of Nine 90-Minute Episodes, also Starring John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis, Catherine O’Hara And Dave Thomas, Plus Bonus Material Galore!
IN STORES MARCH 1ST
“Now ‘SCTV’ has come to DVD. That is reason enough for the technology to exist.” — Los Angeles Times
LOS ANGELES, CA – Welcome back to Melonville as Shout! Factory announces the release of the final nine 90-minute episodes from “SCTV”‘s acclaimed first season on NBC. Originally airing during the 1982-83 television season, the episodes in Volume 3 contain some of the funniest and most memorable “SCTV” skits and guest musical performances. “The self-contained comedy universe was, simply put, the most creative, surreal, and inspired TV comedy of its decade” (IMDB). With the addition of comic genius Martin Short to the last three shows, the five discs of Volume 3 showcase the star-studded cast — Short, John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis, Catherine O’Hara and Dave Thomas — at the top of their game. SCTV: Volume 3 also includes an abundance of bonus material, with two new documentaries, two audio commentaries, an interview segment with John Candy, Museum of Television and Radio Festival cast interview, and more. SCTV: Volume 3 will be available on March 1st for $89.98 (suggested retail price).
Volume 3 features some of the most unforgettable SCTV programming: Bob & Doug McKenzie finally get their own television special, “The Great White North Palace,” the station gives back to the community with a “Pre-Teen World Telethon,” William Shakespeare and Francis Bacon are brought together in “The Adventures of Shake ‘n’ Bake,” and the station debuts a new soap opera, “Days of the Week.” Also in Volume 3 , Jimmy Buffet debuts as “The Fishin’ Musician,” Hall & Oates make an appearance on “The Sammy Maudlin Show,” and the station includes “sports” programming with “Battle of the PBS Stars.”
Cast members Short and O’Hara sat down recently to reminisce for “SCTV Remembers,” and producers Andrew Alexander and Patrick Whitley share behind the scenes stories in “The Producers” – both documentaries created exclusively for this DVD set. In addition, SCTV: Volume 3 includes some rare footage of Candy at home with his young family, as well as a special photo gallery with rare and never-before-seen photos of the brilliant comedian taken by his wife, Rose. Bonus material also includes footage from an SCTV alumni panel which took place at the Museum of Television & Radio’s William S. Paley Television Festival in 1997.
SCTV (an acronym for Second City Television), began in 1976 as a simple show featuring comedic performers from the famed, improv-oriented Second City Theatre in Toronto. Unbelievable as it seems today, SCTV was the first television show based entirely upon the concept of satirizing the medium of television itself, which enabled the writers and performers – whose on-screen ranks included at various points Harold Ramis, Robin Duke, Tony Rosato and Martin Short – to skewer everything from feature films, promos and commercials to such familiar local television staples as late-night horror movie hosts and the backstage goings-on at the fictional SCTV station itself. Originally created for syndication as a 30 minute show, SCTV was picked up five years later by NBC and ran for two seasons of 90 minute episodes, then moved to Cinemax for a last season of 45 minute episodes.

SCTV Network/90: Volume Three (1981)
For SCTV fanatics, the fun continues with this newest DVD release. As with the first two sets, this five-disc package focuses on the 90-minute NBC shows that initially aired in the early Eighties. Referred to as SCTV Network/90, we get nine of those programs from their third cycle.
DVD ONE:
When I mention SCTV to non-fans, the easiest way to get them to remember it is to mention Bob and Doug McKenzie. Those characters gave the show its greatest fame, a subject at the heart of Great White North Palace (aired October 11, 1981). Rather than simply exploit their popularity, SCTV chose to mock the phenomenon.
Many of the ìNetwork/90î shows featured ìrunnersî. These were ongoing themes or stories that were told sporadically throughout the episode. ìPalaceî presents possibly the most dominant of the runners, as very little addition material appears. We get a couple of advertisement spoofs plus hilarious episodes of ìYou! With Libby Wolfsonî and ìNightline: Melonvilleî, but otherwise itís all connected to the McKenzie craze.
Thatís a daring choice, and one that succeeds terrifically in this fine episode. We get a deft look at the crass exploitation of a fad, and the use of the station regulars works well. I always like the episodes that focus on the alleged ìbehind the scenesî operations of SCTV, and this one fares particularly well as owner Guy Caballero (Joe Flaherty) ruthlessly uses the McKenzies for all theyíre worth. Itís a strong show and a good start to this cycle.
One reason SCTV worked so well was because its creators rarely pandered to the audience. They made shows that amused themselves; if anyone else liked it, that was gravy. Unfortunately, this led to a few examples of self-indulgent sketches, a problem that mars Pre-Teen World Telethon (aired April 23, 1982).
One of the more mediocre episodes, this one lacks any great pieces. Its runner offers some laughs, as we see the youngsters behind a kiddie show run the ìFirst Annual Pre-Teen World Telethon For Pre-Teen Worldî when they lose government funding. I always liked ìPre-Teen Worldî concept, so although this one doesnít ever soar, it presents a fair number of good moments.
However, it also demonstrates my idea that this episode suffers from self-indulgence. At one point, we get a musical performance from the ìRecess Monkeysî, a band of alleged pre-teens played by Rick Moranis, John Candy and Eugene Levy. Though they sing in character and muck up the instrumentation a bit, they actually sound pretty decent ñ much better than weíd expect from kids, and the song itself is catchy. The sequence is cute but feels like an attempt by those involved to get themselves a spot in which to play.
Another sketch suffers from indulgence: Maudlinís Eleven. This parody of the original Oceanís Eleven is a fun concept, and it has some good moments. However, it goes on too long and is just too obscure for something this extended. (I will applaud the amazing production design. Itís amazing what the show did on a regular basis, and here we get cool elements like Bobby Bittmanís car and even a Hofner bass for a stripperís band!)
Overall, ìPre-Teenî remains mediocre. ìThe Adventures of Shake ëní Bakeî exists mostly for its title, as the sketch mostly flops. A newscast that deals with Earl Camembertís (Levy) hyping of a possible kidnapping is funny, and the trailer for ìPrickley Heatî also works. Itís not a bad episode, but it fails to maintain any consistency.
DVD TWO:
In early 1982, unknown Pia Zadora won a Golden Globe award for ìNew Star in a Motion Pictureî over talent like Kathleen Turner and Elizabeth McGovern. This bizarre choice caused an uproar; folks questioned the veracity of the awards as some thought the fix was in for Zadora. That incident allowed for the set-up to the runner in The Peopleís Global Golden Choice Awards (aired May 1, 1982). We watch SCTVís inferior programming win scads of prizes over better choices Itís an inspired concept that fares nicely, partially because we get to see so many of the ìstation regularsî interact with each other and with impersonated celebrities like Bob Hope (Dave Thomas) and Elizabeth Taylor (Catherine OíHara).
Much of the rest of the show rebounds from the mediocrity of ìTelethonî with a number of good sketches. We get one of the better ìFishiní Musicianî sketches, as we meet Gil Fisherís (Candy) wife Whitey (OíHara) and they take reggae band Third World antique hunting. In a fun continuation of the cycleís first episode, we see the fallout of the ìGWN Palaceî flop; here, the McKenzies get back their show, but with only half the airtime.
If forced to pick a dud, Iíd go with ìThe Merv Griffin Show ñ the Extended Editionî. Reworked versions of films were a novelty in 1982, so this one makes fun of Spielbergís longer cut of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Like the filmís reissue, this one goes on too long and beats a good concept into the ground. Despite that misfire, ìGlobeî stands as a solid show.
SCTV never emphasized topical humor, but it involved enough then-current subjects to mean that the comedyís occasionally difficult to understand for anyone not around during its era. That problem affects 3D Stake From the Heart (aired May 14, 1982), a show that focuses on Francis Coppolaís largely-forgotten bomb One from the Heart. The programís main sketch includes enough funny stuff with Dr. Tongue and Bruno to offer some entertainment, but it relies too much on Heart-related issues to become sufficiently universal.
îStakeî suffers from another negative distinction: it marks the debut of SCTVís running soap opera, ìThe Days of the Weekî. Had ìDaysî existed as a one-off sketch, it might have been a decent little spoof. However, it kept goingÖ and goingÖ and going. Granted, that became part of the gag; it acted as an ongoing parody of the genre. However, ìDaysî consistently provided little return for all the time invested into it. Donít get me wrong – it did have its amusing moments, and I know it has some fans who adore it. Nonetheless, Iíve long considered ìDaysî to be SCTVís biggest flop due to its over-extended run.
Possibly the oddest ñ and most entertaining ñ part of ìHeartî comes from a sketch called ìJust for Funî. Its premise involves a talk show with many very notable names, but the host (Thomas) only wants to discuss babes. Here he chats with Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Aaron Copland, and Betty Friedan. Itís a one-joke sketch, but itís a good one.
We also see the end of the marriage between Tex (Thomas) and Edna Boil (Andrea Martin), as he leaves her in the middle of a commercial. This leads Edna to search for a replacement, with amusing results. Despite that winner, ìHeartî is one of the less exciting episodes.
DVD THREE:
We can tell that no really prominent runner shows up in Pet Peeves/The Happy Wanderers (aired May 21, 1982) since it presents two titles. ìPet Peeves of the Starsî indeed acts as a runner in that those spots pop up occasionally throughout the show; we hear the petty annoyances of Morgan Fairchild, Luciano Pavarotti, Bob Hope, and Elizabeth Taylor. Itís a good bit but not anything amazing.
We do find the debut ìThe Happy Wanderersî, the polka show led by Yosh (Candy) and Stan Schmenge (Levy). Itís a funny concept brought out successfully.
Indeed, this episode comes chock full of good sketches, though not many great ones. On the negative side, we get more ìDays of the Weekî. Actually, that series will continue through the rest of the cycle, so Iíll stop griping now. Otherwise, we get a nice ìDonahueî spoof in which he looks at porn, and the wonderful ìSecond Nose Jobî. One of the better newscasts comes from a ìNightline: Melonvilleî in which a drunken Floyd Robertson (Joe Flaherty) angers Mayor Tommy Shanks (Candy). Outside of ìDaysî, nothing here flops.
Due to their usual refusal to license their songs, Led Zeppelin significantly mar this episode. Itís four or five minutes shorter than normal because some bits had to be removed. We lose the musical performance by Linsk Minyk (Rick Moranis) on the ìWanderersî since he played ìStairway to Heavenî, and an entire ad called ìStairways to Heavenî ñ in which many different acts play that classic ñ also gets the boot. Itís too bad the DVD canít include this stuff, but if they donít have the rights, thereís not much they can do.
Musical guest stars became a prominent part of SCTV when they moved to NBC, but none of their efforts ever worked as well as Chariots of Eggs (aired June 5, 1982). Hall and Oates show up here to play ìDid It In a Minuteî and also chat on ìThe Sammy Maudlin Showî. There they interact with director Bobby Bittman (Levy) as they promote their new flick, ìChariots of Eggsî. This leads to a deft parody of both Chariots of Fire and now-forgotten semi-lesbian movie Personal Best. Itís an inspired affair across the board.
On the negative side, we get one of the seriesí odder ñ and more misbegotten ñ sketches with ìMurder in the Cathedralî. This purports to be a NASA production of the TS Eliot work. I guess thatís an intriguing concept, but in reality, the sketch drags miserably and never goes anywhere.
The remaining aspects of ìEggsî all fall solidly in the ìmediocreî category. The episode of ìMrs. Falboís Tiny Townî in prison is pretty decent, and the ìRevengeî TV show gets some laughs. Otherwise, thereís not much that stands out here.
DVD FOUR:
Although SCTV went through a number of cast changes over the years, it stayed stable for its first 24 ìNetwork/90î episodes. Thatís no longer the case once we get to Battle of the PBS Stars (aired July 16, 1982), as it brings in Martin Short to the group. ìStarsî finds Short tossed into the mix actively from the very start, as he pops up in many of the showís sketches.
Rather than ease Short into the show, he gets a lead character for ìI Was a Teenage Communistî. A wonderful spoof of both the Fiftiesí Red Scare as well as the eraís cheesy horror flicks, this one neatly integrates musical guest Dave Edmunds. (Trivia: the song he plays doesnít come from the Fifties, though it might sound like an oldie. It was a then-new composition from a Mr. B. Springsteen of New Jersey.) Short shows no signs of intimidation and blends with the cast immediately.
Unusually, ìStarsî includes additional guests, as Pittsburgh Steelers Joe Greene and Rocky Bleier appear in a couple of sketches. First they spoof enormous meals with the ìBig Dude TV Dinnerî sketch; thatís an odd one since no SCTV cast members appear in it. Then we get ìThe Big Dude and the Kidî, a spoof of ìThe Pittsburgh Steeler and the Kidî, a TV movie spun off from Greeneís hit Coke commercial. Greene and Bleier couldnít act well, but the regular cast ñ with Short in another prominent part ñ make it amusing.
Add ìThe Battle of the PBS Starsî to the list of successful sketches. Back in the Seventies, we got a series called ìBattle of the Network Starsî; TV actors would compete in various fluffy activities. ìPBSî deftly mocks that series and gives us indelible moments like a boxing match between Mr. Rogers and Julia Child.
Itís good stuff, and it illustrates the generally high quality of this episode. A couple of the sketches meander a bit; ìWok on the Wild Sideî isnít a classic by any stretch. Still, the show stays positive most of the time.
Unfortunately, we head back to self-indulgence with Rome, Italian Style (aired October 15, 1982). The title sketch is a lot like ìMaudlinís Elevenî: it offers a great concept but not much else. This parody of Italian flicks rambles badly and feels more like a triumph of production design than anything else. The participants make it look like an old Italian flick, but it usually ainít funny.
A few elements elevate this episode, though. Itís a one-joke sketch, but ìMr. Know-It-All: The Life of Nostradamusî is consistently funny due to an obnoxious performance from Dave Thomas. Itís also amusingly self-referential, as it actually discusses its one-joke nature.
We get our first taste of Shortís Jerry Lewis in ìMartin Scorseseís Jerry Lewis Live on the Champs Elyseesî. Slightly mean-spirited, itís still damned funny, especially when Lewis berates his musical director (Thomas). Another slam of a personality comes via a look at photographer ìNorton Sheeffî. This parodies Norman Seeff, a shutterbug who shot the cast for Life magazine ñ and apparently didnít endear himself to them. This is an obscure reference, but itíll make much more sense for fans who watched the extras from the Volume Two set of DVDs.
Overall, ìItalianî is a spotty episode. The major elements like the title sketch are weak, and the smattering of successes arenít quite enough to make it a good program. Thereís some good stuff here, but not a lot. DVD FIVE:
Finally, we head to The Days of the Week/Street Beef (aired October 22, 1982). Unusually, this one includes no musical guest. However, we get a kindred spirit on board, as Bill Murray guests in many of the sketches. He starts with a winner via an ad for ìDiMaggioís on the Wharfî, a San Francisco restaurant run by Joltiní Joe; strike him out and win a free dinner.
Murray also makes a Graduate-style turn in this episodeís ìDays of the Weekî and plays a major part in the showís main runner: Caballeroís programming changes and the ìStreet Beefî program with Johnny LaRue (Candy). LaRue meets hoodlum Donny (Murray) at a bar and picks him up as a bodyguard. Itís fun to see LaRue finally turn the tables on Caballero, and it creates a true sense of continuity throughout the episode.
Otherwise, this is a pretty average show. On the positive side, thereís an ambitious and clever spoof of movie serials that takes some cues from Raiders of the Lost Ark but goes down strange alleys. ìCarlís Cutsî presents a great spoof of Deliverance, and ìHow Nosy the Short-Haired Terrier Dog Got His Nameî is a weird but hilarious ìAfterschool Specialî parody. A couple of the sketches fall flat, and not much of it really soars, but itís a generally decent show.
Fans didnít know it at the time, but the end of Cycle Three would mark the end of an era. After ìDays/Beefî, three cast members formally left: Moranis, OíHara and Thomas. OíHara did a couple of return appearances as a guest, but I donít think Moranis or Thomas ever returned to the show in any capacity.
But all of thatís an issue for the next set of DVDs. Volume Three presents a high level of good comedy. I must admit itís not quite up to the standards of the first two sets, as a few more duds creep into the mix here. Nonetheless, average SCTV beats the best work done by almost everybody else, and thereís a lot to enjoy in this package.
The DVD Grades: Picture C+/ Audio C-/ Bonus B-
SCTV Network/90 appears in an aspect ratio of 1.33:1 on these single-sided, double-layered DVDs; due to those dimensions, the image has not been enhanced for 16X9 televisions. Donít expect any revelations, as picture quality remained consistent with the prior two sets.
Consistently erratic, I should say. At times, the sketches could look absolutely terrific. Witness some of the bright and vibrant outdoors shots from the ìCarlís Cutsî Deliverance parody. On the other hand, matters occasionally became really fuzzy and muddy, such as during parts of ìMaudlinís Elevenî. Volume One was erratic partially because it includes a lot of older footage, but thatís not the case here. Variable production values caused the mix of problems.
For the most part, the shows remained somewhat loose and indistinct much of the time, especially in wider shots. They usually were acceptably defined, despite some really blurry moments like ìElevenî. Some moirÈ effects and jagged edges cropped up at times, and some edge enhancement marred parts of the production. Source flaws appeared as well, mainly through some occasional video interference and pixelization. A few examples of specks also popped up for filmed footage. However, these stayed minor and infrequent.
Colors varied but seemed fairly solid. At times the hues came across as surprisingly vibrant and dynamic, though these elements didnít appear consistent. Sometimes the tones became a bit muddy and flat. Overall, though, the colors provided some of the transferís best elements. Black levels actually came across acceptably well, as they looked moderately deep, but shadow detail was somewhat thick and excessively opaque. Ultimately, SCTV provided a pretty spotty image, but given the source material, I thought the DVD replicated the show in an acceptable manner.
I felt the same about the monaural soundtrack of SCTV. Actually, the whole thing didnít present single-channel audio, as some brief moments blossomed into stereo. This occurred for the music at the very end of ìFishiní Musicianî sketches. I believe this occurred due to rights issues; I think the stereo music represented pieces replaced from the original shows. Otherwise, I noticed no signs of sound from the side speakers.
Intentional sound, at least, as I sometimes heard bleed-through to the sides. Speech and other information occasionally spread unnaturally to the right or left speakers. This clearly wasnít meant to work that way. In addition, some audio interference created a few pops and noises that appeared in the sides and created distractions.
Nonetheless, the audio remained acceptable for an older show like this. Dialogue appeared acceptably distinct and accurate; occasional examples of edginess occurred, but no problems related to intelligibility happened. Effects were similarly flat and insubstantial, but they didnít suffer from any distortion and they appeared perfectly adequate.
The music offered erratic quality. The shows used a mix of cues that sometimes sounded pretty robust and lively, but on other occasions they came across as somewhat tinny and lackluster, but occasionally the tunes appeared more robust and full. Somewhat surprisingly, a few of the numbers from musical guests sounded blah. Prior discs presented reasonably dynamic tunes, but here they were a bit on the dull side. Some hiss appeared in addition to the various pops and interference I already mentioned. The audio was decent given its age and source, but I thought the distractions and weaker music meant Volume Three offered slightly inferior audio than on the prior set.
This package includes a mix of extras spread across its five platters. Two episodes present audio commentary. For ìPre-Teen World Telethonî, we hear from cast member Joe Flaherty plus writers Dick Blasucci and Paul Flaherty, while ìRome, Italian Styleî includes remarks from Blasucci and writer Mike Short. For their respective pieces, the participants all sit together and provide running, screen-specific remarks.
The Flaherty/Blasucci/Flaherty conversation is a major disappointment. Very little information pops up along the way. The most interesting note connects to ìPre-Teen Worldî, which Joe states he didnít like; he thought it was too weird to play young kids at their age. Otherwise, the useful material pops up exceedingly infrequently. Instead, mostly the track consists of dead air and laughter. Itís not a good commentary and is barely worth the effort even for die-hard fans like me.
In the Blasucci/Short chat, we donít get a great discussion, but itís easily the better of the pair. They provide general anecdotes about their experiences and also let us know a few details connected to this episodeís sketches. Mostly we hear non-specific remarks, though, as they talk about cast changes and working with the different participants. They repeat a fair amount of information that weíve heard on previous sets, but they make this a reasonably useful piece.
The rest of the extras spread across the various discs. On DVD One, we find SCTV – The Producers, a 29-minute and nine-second featurette. It includes comments from executive producer Andrew Alexander and supervising producer Patrick Whitley, both of whom were interviewed separately. They discuss the seriesí origins, early challenges and evolution of characters and situations, monetary problems and issues finding airtime, the showís time in Edmonton, the eventual move to NBC and related concerns, difficulties holding things together with the changes, and various forms of politics. Inevitably, we hear material related elsewhere, but they present an alternate perspective. That makes the producersí comments intriguing and informative.
Next we go to DVD Twoís Thatís Life with John Candy. The six-minute and 36-second clip comes from the early Eighties and spotlights Candyís career to that point. He chats with an interviewer about his success, his characters, and his family. We also get a look at Candyís rural home and see him there. The piece doesnít provide tons of information, but itís a decent little archival slice.
DVD Three includes only a John Candy Photo Gallery. This presents 52 stills and combines shots from sketches with some behind the scenes snaps. At the end, it focuses on ìVikings and Beekeepersî; that area features shots without Candy in them, which makes them odd additions.
Over on DVD Four, we discover SCTV Remembers, a 24-minute and 57-second program. It includes comments from Catherine OíHara and Martin Short as they sit and chat together with occasional prompting from an off-screen interviewer. They discuss their long history together as well as some of their work and characters. A good amount of information pops up, but even when we donít learn anything, the pair have so much fun together that they make this piece a joy to watch. Itís consistently amusing and entertaining and stands as the highlight of the DVDís extras.
Lastly, DVD Five includes a program called SCTV at the Museum of Television and Radio. An event that took place March 4, 1997, this 69-minute and 59-second piece collects a mix of show personnel for a panel. We see Alexander, Martin Short, OíHara, Dave Thomas, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Robin Duke, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis, and producers Del Close and Bernie Sahlins. They cover the usual mix of subjects like the showís roots, characters, sketches, and general anecdotes. A lot of funny material pops up, but the main attraction comes simply from the presence of so many cast members all in one place. The show remains consistently fun to watch.
Volume Three of SCTV marked some personnel changes, but for the most part, the show still offered the same high-caliber of comedy. Inevitably, a few duds appeared, and the introduction of the much-maligned ñ by me, at least ñ ìDays of the Weekî causes problems, but we continue to find a lot of truly inspired material. The DVDs present picture and audio that can only be described as mediocre, but thereís little than could be done; the problems result from old, cheap source footage. We get a fairly good collection of extras despite one bad audio commentary. Ultimately, I think thereís a lot to love about Volume Three and I definitely recommend it.

SCTV is on the air again
Shout! Factory has a second volume of Canadian Sketch Comedy on the way with SCTV: Volume 2 arriving in October.
SCTV Volume 2 picks up where the first volume left off, presenting nine more 90-minute shows from SCTV’s memorable fourth season. Originally broadcast on NBC in 1981 and 1982, this set contains several of the episodes widely considered to be SCTV’s best. Eugene Levy in “The Jazz Singer” or John Candy as the village idiot in the Russian TV show “Hey Giorgy!” are just two examples of the level of excellence the series achieved throughout this season. “CCCP 1,” “The Godfather,” “Zontar” and “Teacher’s Pet” are some of the inspired wraparounds for these memorable shows.
Several featurettes are on the set including Larger Than Life: The Norman Seeff Photo Sessions, SCTV Remembers, The SCTV Writers and The Juul Haalmeyer Dancers. Also included are photo galleries.
It all arrives on October 19th!
Woo hoo!!!

SCTV on DVD set for release
Johnny LaRue, Edith Prickley, Bob and Doug, Guy Cabellero, Bobby Bittman, Lola Heatherton.
Those memorable characters from the now-iconic SCTV comedy shows of the late 1970s and early ’80s are coming to DVD, with the first of four boxed sets to be released Tuesday, and the remainder over the next year.
SCTV began as a cheesy little syndicated comedy show in a cheesy little Global TV studio in Toronto. And then in 1981 it got picked up by NBC as a late-night companion to Saturday Night Live. But unlike SNL, the Canadian-based show developed more of a cult following, seen as absolutely brilliant by such future comics as a young Conan O’Brien, while network suits of the day scratched their heads in bewilderment.
But over the years just about anyone who has ever watched television can recall a favourite SCTV sketch, whether it was the widely popular McKenzie Brothers or Count Floyd, or more obscure but inspired pop-culture cross-referencing fare like Polynesiantown, NASA’s Mercury III players’ version of Murder in the Cathedral or the cast performing a Chekhov play only to be interrupted by Star Trek’s Chekov beaming onto the set.
Who could ever forget the multi-layered content of the Merv Griffith Show Special Edition, a perverse combination of Merv Griffin, Andy Griffith and Close Encounters of the Third Kind? Or The Midnight Express Special, featuring Wolfman Jack in a blend of the drug-smuggling movie and the old TV music variety show?
One of the first such sketches was a parody of Casablanca with John Candy and Catherine O’Hara in the Bogart-Bergman roles. But it soon morphed into a Bob Hope-Bing Crosby road movie with a dash of Fantasy Island thrown in (with Candy as the diminutive Tattoo!).
Cast members recall the days when the whole production packed up and moved to Edmonton where they wrote and taped some of their most inspired material. The fact that they were in Alberta kept the suits away and allowed them to be creative.
“No executives could really come up there to keep tabs on us because if they left their chairs in L.A. empty too long someone would take them,” says Dave Thomas about the creative freedom they had.
Thomas says NBC became furious at some of the material that got through because they were delivering the episodes at the very last minute with no time for screening. He recalls doing a parody of Al Pacino’s Cruising in which he was a butch chef fist-stuffing a turkey that had its legs spread apart with chains. After that one, the network sent a censor to live full-time in Edmonton.
“At first he was very standoffish and dictatorial, then ultimately he became one of the gang. And then he became a co-conspirator with us!”
Joe Flaherty agrees that the location fuelled their creativity because there weren’t as many distractions as in a larger city, leaving them more time to write and perform the sketches.
“I still remember talking to someone down there about the show, somebody from NBC, and they were saying `Now what coast is Edmonton on?'”
Executive producer Andrew Alexander also recalls how being in Edmonton meant the cast members did their best work 24/7.
“Yeah, there’s no drugs, no managers, no agents, no outside temptations like you have in L.A. and New York.”
At the time, there was the perception of a long-running rivalry with Saturday Night Live. While both shows had strong Canadian roots and both dipped into the Second City theatre casts in Chicago and Toronto for talent, it’s agreed now that there was a vast difference between the two.
SNL was performed live with a studio audience and limited by the cramped facilities of NBC’s famed Studio 8-H in New York. SCTV was taped single-camera-style, like a movie, was able to shoot exteriors and for the most part shied away from timely subject matter, a fortunate decision because most of the DVD material has not been outdated.
“They did have a much more rigorous schedule,” concedes Flaherty. “They had to get that show out every week live, and just in doing that you’re not going to get a chance to get all the quality stuff in that you want to.”
Alexander says it was only in the last 10 years that it became apparent SCTV had found a special place in the annals of TV comedy, right up there with Monty Python. And he attributes that largely to its Canadian sensibility, because its cast members were not only intelligent but steeped in American pop culture by watching it from a distance across the border.
“So there was never any sense of wanting to talk down to the audience,” he says, despite frequent pressure from NBC to try and make the humour acceptable to a wider audience.
Each DVD set includes five discs, the first set offering episodes of the 90-minute NBC shows that began in 1981. Earlier half-hour episodes will be released later. Also included are look-back interviews by the cast, a tribute to the late John Candy, the 1999 SCTV reunion event at the Aspen Comedy Arts Festival, plus commentaries and a 24-page photo booklet.