‘Mad TV’ 20th Anniversary Reunion Special Hits The CW In January
If you’re not aSaturday Night Livefan like myself, maybe you found some laughs with the sketch comedy seriesMad TVthat ran on Fox from 1995 to 2009. The show was basically an alternative toSNL, opting for recorded sketch comedy with a live audience instead of a live show, though it never really got the same acclaim or audience. But now fans can take a trip down memory lane with aMad TV20th anniversary special coming in January.
TV Linereports the one-hourMADtv 20th Anniversary Reunionwill air onJanuary 12that 8pm ET/7pm CT, but it won’t be on Fox like the original series was. Instead, since the show is owned by Warner Bros., it will air on The CW.
A slew of cast members from the show will be reunited for what the network describes as “a glamorous award ceremony to honor the series, but in classicMad TVfashion, nothing goes as planned.” Does that mean the cast will be appearing as various characters from the show accepting awards? We’ll have to wait and see.
Famous faces and some forgotten cast members will all be back for the reunion special. The talent roster revealed so far includesFamily GuystarAlex Borstein,NeighborsandThe Mindy ProjectstarIke Barinholtz, Emmy nomineeKeegan-Michael KeyandFuturamastarPhil LaMarr. Other key cast members appearing will beMo Collins, Crista Flanagan, Anjelah Johnson, Nicole Randall Johnson, Artie Lange, Bobby Lee, Michael McDonald, Arden Myrin, Nicole Parker, Eric Price, Will Sasso, Aries Spears, Nicole Sullivan, Stephnie WeirandDebra Wilson.
Surely the more popular characters like Miss Swan (Borstein), the oversized toddler Stuart (McDonald), the hyperactive UBS Guy (LaMarr) will make appearances, but we’re not sure what’s in store. Frankly, I’d like to see Will Sasso back as Randy Newman:
Mad TVwas never a favorite of mine likeSaturday Night Live, but there were some pretty good sketches to come out of the show from time to time. Even cast member Bobby Lee was never sure what the show was trying to be as he toldThe AV Clubin an interview from 2010:
I suppose we’ll have to check out the special in January to see if that will be any good.
