The Critic is an American prime time animated series created by writing partners Al Jean and Mike Reiss, who had previously worked as writers and showrunners on The Simpsons. The show follows the life of a 36-year-old film critic from New York named Jay Sherman, voiced by Jon Lovitz. 23 episodes were produced, first broadcast on ABC in 1994 and finishing its original run on Fox in 1995.
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Best Episodes of The Critic
Siskel & Ebert & Jay & Alice
S2 Ep2
8.1
12th Mar 1995
After Jay attends the Academy Awards, Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert break up and each rope Jay to be their new partner.
Every Doris Has Her Day
S1 Ep7
7.9
1st Jun 1994
Jay befriends his make-up lady Doris after they attend a musical adaptation of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and thinks that she may be the mother who gave him up for adoption years ago.
Dr. Jay
S1 Ep10
7.8
29th Jun 1994
Jay's boss, Duke, has just made a new invention, "Phillips-o-Vision" which alters movies to make them more "like-able". Jay is disgusted with Duke's invention but when Duke is discovered to have a fatal disease, Jay must find a cure for Duke's ailment.
Eyes on the Prize
S1 Ep6
7.6
2nd Mar 1994
Jay celebrates his 1000th episode but the episode is less than successful. Ratings get worse so Jay seeks image consultant, Adolph Hitmaker, for advice. The advice is unsuccessful and Jay is fired. Jay gets a new job on a show which teaches English for cab drivers but Jay is unhappy so he decides to win himself another Pulitzer Prize.
Sherman, Woman and Child
S2 Ep1
7.6
5th Mar 1995
Jay's ratings are not doing very well and Duke is about to fire him so Jay is feeling depressed. His feelings become better when he meets a new girlfriend named Alice and her daughter Penny. Alice gives Jay tips on how to improve his show and her advice works. Jay wants to get to know Alice better but discovers she has a boyfriend whom she wants to reject but can't.
All the Duke's Men
S2 Ep6
7.6
23rd Apr 1995
When Jay helps Marty become class president, Duke decides to have Jay help him become US President.
Lady Hawke
S2 Ep3
7.5
19th Mar 1995
When Jeremy Hawke's sister, Olivia Newton Hawke, visits New York, Jay meets her and is smitten with her which puts his relationship with Alice on the line when she begins to feel left out. So Jay then must decide who he really loves.
Worst Episodes of The Critic
I Can't Believe It's a Clip Show
S2 Ep10
5.9
21st May 1995
Jay is hosting his 10th anniversary show held at Carnegie Hall where he showcases a number of movie clips from old episodes such as Jurassic Park 2, Every Which Way but Lucid, and Rabbi P.I. The show is later held hostage by a number of terrorists who threaten to blow the place up with a bomb tied to Jay's waist. Fortunately, everybody is eventually rescued by Milton Berle.
From Chunk to Hunk
S2 Ep5
6.5
2nd Apr 1995
Jay and Marty begin to feel a little big so they enroll in a weight loss camp. Marty loses a remarkable amount of weight which makes him feel more self- confident but when he is placed as the star in a school play, he doesn't feel his skinny self is right for him. Meanwhile, Jay receives a death threat from Belgian actor Jean Paul Le Pope whose movie he panned.
Dukerella
S2 Ep9
7.1
14th May 1995
Alice's sister, Miranda, comes to visit them which Alice is not comfortable with. Miranda must find work in New York so she joins "Mattress in an Hour" delivering mattresses. When everybody attends a party held by Duke, Miranda falls in love with Duke but is shy because of a wrinkle. She runs out on Duke at midnight and Duke must find the woman who fits her slipper. When it turns out to be Doris, Jay must get Duke and Miranda reunited.
Sherman of Arabia
S2 Ep7
7.1
30th Apr 1995
At Marty's slumber party, Jay is asked to tell his story in which he got caught up in the Gulf War. Jay tells how he was attending an Iraqi film festival and eventually was thrown in jail where he escaped and lead a troop of men across the desert.
A Day at the Races and a Night at the Opera
S1 Ep11
7.3
6th Jul 1994
After Marty fails to win an event at his school field day, he is feeling very low so Jay tries to improve his self-confidence by getting him interested in playing guitar and putting him in the school talent show. Meanwhile, Them Magazine names Jay "the wittiest man alive" so Duke offers to pay everyone who doesn't laugh at Jay's show $100 which doesn't go over very well.
Marathon Mensch
S1 Ep8
7.3
8th Jun 1994
When the studio catches fire during Jay's show, he collapses and must be rescued from the fire by Doris. When the news reports Jay's being rescued, he gets a reputation as being a wimp so he tries to prove his manliness by running in the New York marathon which tends to be more tiresome than it seems.
Dial 'M' For Mother
S1 Ep3
7.3
16th Feb 1994
Jay is considered to be one of the most unpopular men on Earth (ranking even worse than Adolph Hitler) so Duke attempts to spruce up the show to get more people interested. When this doesn't work, Jay decides to soften his image by going on the "Geraldo Show" with his mother but Jay gets an even worse reputation when his mother embarrasses him to the point where he tells her to "shut up".
The Critic Episode Guide
Pilot
S1 Ep1
7.4
26th Jan 1994
Film critic Jay Sherman falls in love with actress Valerie Fox. Jay's family and friends worry that Valerie is using him to get a good movie review. Does she truly care for him?
Marty's First Date
S1 Ep2
7.4
2nd Feb 1994
Marty invites his Jay to career day at his school where Marty develops a crush on a Cuban girl named Carmen. They go on a date but when Carmen decides to fly back to Cuba, Marty follows her and Jay must get his son back.
Dial 'M' For Mother
S1 Ep3
7.3
16th Feb 1994
Jay is considered to be one of the most unpopular men on Earth (ranking even worse than Adolph Hitler) so Duke attempts to spruce up the show to get more people interested. When this doesn't work, Jay decides to soften his image by going on the "Geraldo Show" with his mother but Jay gets an even worse reputation when his mother embarrasses him to the point where he tells her to "shut up".
Miserable
S1 Ep4
7.5
16th Feb 1994
Jay, noticing everyone in New York has a fiancee except him, begins to feel unloved. Things change when he goes to review the movie, Indecent Proposal II, and falls in love with the projectionist screening the movie. They arrange a date at her house where she is revealed to have an obsession with Jay to the point where she kidnaps him and ties him to a bed holding him hostage.
A Little Deb Will Do You
S1 Ep5
7.4
23rd Feb 1994
Eleanor is determined to have her daughter, Margo, attend the annual debutantes ball as it is a tradition in her family. When Margo is reluctantly forced into it, Jay decides to accompany her. Meanwhile, Jay competes in his time slot against children's idol Humphrey the Hippo.
Eyes on the Prize
S1 Ep6
7.6
2nd Mar 1994
Jay celebrates his 1000th episode but the episode is less than successful. Ratings get worse so Jay seeks image consultant, Adolph Hitmaker, for advice. The advice is unsuccessful and Jay is fired. Jay gets a new job on a show which teaches English for cab drivers but Jay is unhappy so he decides to win himself another Pulitzer Prize.
Every Doris Has Her Day
S1 Ep7
7.9
1st Jun 1994
Jay befriends his make-up lady Doris after they attend a musical adaptation of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and thinks that she may be the mother who gave him up for adoption years ago.
Marathon Mensch
S1 Ep8
7.3
8th Jun 1994
When the studio catches fire during Jay's show, he collapses and must be rescued from the fire by Doris. When the news reports Jay's being rescued, he gets a reputation as being a wimp so he tries to prove his manliness by running in the New York marathon which tends to be more tiresome than it seems.
L.A. Jay
S1 Ep9
7.4
22nd Jun 1994
Jay is offered to write the screenplay for a new movie, Ghostchasers III, so he takes a break from his show to go to L.A. to write the new movie and experience Hollywood life but the movie producer isn't satisfied with Jay's script.
Dr. Jay
S1 Ep10
7.8
29th Jun 1994
Jay's boss, Duke, has just made a new invention, "Phillips-o-Vision" which alters movies to make them more "like-able". Jay is disgusted with Duke's invention but when Duke is discovered to have a fatal disease, Jay must find a cure for Duke's ailment.
A Day at the Races and a Night at the Opera
S1 Ep11
7.3
6th Jul 1994
After Marty fails to win an event at his school field day, he is feeling very low so Jay tries to improve his self-confidence by getting him interested in playing guitar and putting him in the school talent show. Meanwhile, Them Magazine names Jay "the wittiest man alive" so Duke offers to pay everyone who doesn't laugh at Jay's show $100 which doesn't go over very well.
Uneasy Rider
S1 Ep12
7.4
13th Jul 1994
After refusing to plug chewing tobacco on his show, Jay quits his job and becomes a truck driver.
A Pig-Boy and His Dog
S1 Ep13
7.5
20th Jul 1994
"A Pig-Boy and His Dog" is the 13th episode of The Critic. This was the final episode to air on ABC.
