Customer Reviews

Newsradio - The Complete Fourth Season

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The 1990s were a notoriously bad decade for sitcoms. Hundreds of Seinfeld- and Wayans-wannabes flooded the airwaves and, in general, aside from Seinfeld and Sports Night, few had any originality or staying power. NewsRadio is a glorious exception, a bright and occasionally very biting comedy about the workplace which is kindred to Mary Tyler Moore and Newhart more so than to Just Shoot Me. NewsRadio's laughs came from brilliant observations, recurring gags, well-defined characters and logical but wacky plotlines. It was close in vein to Seinfeld's unsentimentality, but far more vicious: one example is in season 3's Daydream episode, for those who saw it, has all the characters experiencing revealing daydreams. It features a vendor whose dream is to be one of the "gang" at WNYX, but as it turns out is hardly known and barely tolerated. NewsRadio invests more in its characters than do most dramas, and never settles for the half-assed laugh-track banality of its contemporaries. This is why it developed such a following, even if it was a very small percentage of the population.

The fourth season of NewsRadio is once again a triumph. With every season, the show kept building upon itself and getting better. There were notable guest appearances: Jon Lovitz has another guest appearance, this time as a suicide jumper exactly one year before joining the cast. Additionally, a pre-Gilmore Girls Lauren Graham begins a stint in this season as an efficiency expert. There were some departures as well: first, Khandi Alexander left the show, despite the fact that her initially poorly-written character had improved a great deal; and, of course, Phil Hartman was murdered by his wife after this season. The knowledge of this invariably tints the experience of watching this season. Nevertheless, these episodes show Hartman at his imperious best: taking over the office (in Who's the Boss?), getting a butler (in The Secret of Management), and becoming a Bob Roberts-type performer (in The Public Domain). Other highlights: Matthew (Andy Dick) gets fired, Dave (Dave Foley) and Lisa (Maura Tierney) split again and then switch jobs, and then switch again. This doesn't stop Lisa from trying to pick the brain of the station's owner, Mr. James (Stephen Root), with hilarious results. I could go on, but ultimately, this is a sitcom that is better enjoyed the less you know going in. Even so, it rewards multiple viewings, which is surprising since many sitcoms don't even reward single viewings. With the release of this show on DVD, it will likely become more popular than ever, and hopefully take its rightful place in the pantheon of great comedy.

Newsradio is a prime example of a great cast having a great time on a great show.
In a word?
Great.
Its also a fitting tribute to the genius of Phil Hartman, an
amazing actor, comedian & allround good guy who met a tragic end.
Buy them for the memories, remember how funny every cast member was & pay your respects to the unforgettable Phil.
10 Stars out of 5.

Just my favorite show of all time. Unfortunately overlooked by audiences, but it's comedic genious is in every episode which is just so rare in today's comedy arena. Sometimes you miss jokes because you are still laughing from the last joke, which means the episodes have multiple watches. I hope you enjoy!

I just wanted to add to the one's review who did not have information on episode 63.

Episode 63. Look Who's Talking. Dave and Lisa are surprised to learn that Bill is looking into adopting a baby.

Warning: Viewing "NewsRadio" can be addicting. Even watching a few episodes can cause you rush out and by ever available season. Season 3 was one of the best seasons ever (few sitcoms ever have seasons that great) and Season 4 picks up where S3 left off.

The episodes dealing with Matthew getting fired and then asked back is hysterical. If you liked the Space Spoof at the end of Season 3, then you're in luck because Season 4 ends with a Titanic spoof.

Do yourself a favor and own one of the most original, well cast, masterfully written shows to ever air on television. NewsRadio is a must own!

This season is one of the best I've ever seen. I've started watching the show on a regular basis starting with this season premiere's episode, "Jumper". It's sad to also see that this was the last season for Catherine Duke (Khandi Alexander) and at the end of the season Bill McNeill (Phil Hartman) died. However, I really like this season and hopefully it will include some featurette on the 4th season and the 5th season, the reflection on Bill McNeill's life (Phil Hartman) of course.

After Seinfeld this is the funniest American sitcom of all time.

Fans of the show know it hit the skids after losing its news anchors, the divine Khandi Alexander and the stupendous Phil Hartman. Get this today.

It seems like the older I get, the more I long for a smart comedy that might not actually apply to my life, but works with my intellect. Who can't laugh at Jimmy James when he reads from his book "Jimmy James, corporate donkey wrestler", that was translated from English to Japanese, and back into English? Andy Dick, who wasn't heard of before Newsradio and has committed comedic suicide since, has never been more hilarious. I highly recommend this smart comedy for those who consider themselves to be. And don't forget "soon long black car will park in your parking space...war war war."

I love every season of NewsRadio, but some things make this one stand out:

- It lost Khandi Alexander. Her character never really added much to the show.

- Lauren Graham was on for a partial season arc. She was great as Andrea "Plan B," and the other characters played off her beautifully. Matthew's interactions with her and the staff's attempts to conceal Matthew's incompetence from her are comic genius.

- Super Karate Monkey Death Car, my favorite episode, is in this season. Jimmy's readings from his book, Jimmy James, Capitalist Lion Tamer -- after it was translated into Japanese and back to English to become Jimmy James, Macho Business Donkey Wrestler -- are some of the funniest stuff I have ever seen in my life.

I could go on about various aspects of the show and different episodes, but why waste your time? If you're looking at season four, you've seen NewsRadio. If I could only own one season of NewsRadio, this would be it. If you don't have it, get it.

If you liked the first three seasons, you'll love this one too. It's the last season with the amazing Phil Hartman. It's hilarious, especially the Door episode. If you've never heard of News Radio, I highly recommend all of the first four seasons. Very, very funny. Plus I got it for a GREAT price here on Amazon. Definitely worth it.