Roger EbertandGene Siskelare often considered to be among the top tier of film critics, particularly their TV seriesAt The Movies(originally known asSiskel & Ebert & the Movies). The duo were known for theirscathing sense of humorwhen it came to their reviews, along with their famous “Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down” system (long before Rotten Tomatoes was a thing). In all that time, Ebert and Siskel never reviewed a television series — except for one major occasion. That review was for the short-lived animated seriesThe Critic,which was ironically about a movie critic’s life.
Created byAl JeanandMike Reiss,The Criticfollows New York movie critic Jay Sherman (Jon Lovitz). Much like Siskel and Ebert, Sherman hosted his own television series where he delivered takedowns of movies — most of them parodies of popular or classic films. He even had his own catchphrase: “It stinks!” Butwhat did Siskel and Ebert think of the show?The answer’s a bit complicated.
It Took Siskel and Ebert Time To Warm Up to ‘The Critic’
Siskel and Ebertwould review the first three episodesofThe Critic,and their initial reactions were mixed. Siskel felt thatThe Critichad far fewer memorable characters thanThe Simpsons, which Jean and Reiss previously worked on. Ebert, on the other hand, felt that the show should focus on Jay’s job rather than his personal life. But the mix of Jay’s personal and professional life is what makesThe Criticsuch a great watch. His interactions with his friends led Jean and Reiss to provide commentary on Hollywood, and he was a single father — a rarity in a sitcom, let alone an animated one.
Once Season 1 ofThe Criticfound its groove, Ebert would eventuallywrite a glowing reviewon his website.He thoroughly enjoyed it, saying that it was “impossible” not to like Jay, while praising executive producerJames L. Brooks' work in balancing the show’s humor with character development. Ebert even delivered one of his signature witty observations regarding the pilot, which opens with a beautiful actress turning on Jay after he negatively reviews one of her movies: “In real life (in my experience of it, anyway), critics are never offered bribes for good reviews, and never wind up in bed with movie stars.”
It might have taken Siskel and Ebert a while to warm up toThe Critic,but no one could have predicted thatthe duo would actually guest star on the series. In the Season 2 episode “Siskel & Ebert & Jay & Alice,” Jay gets invited to the Academy Awards alongside a select group of critics that includes Siskel and Ebert. But Siskel and Ebert get into a fight on the trip back, and eventually split up; Jay tries to partner with both of them before seeing how much they miss each other, and decides to repair their friendship. Siskel and Ebert fully lean into the humor ofThe Critic, riffing on the fact that Jay ripped off the climax ofSleepless in Seattleto bring them together. It’s no wonder Jean and Reiss consider this to beone of their favorite episodesofThe Critic.
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Totally rad thumbs up.
30 Years Later, ‘The Critic’ Has Become a Classic
The Criticweathered some rough storms during its brief run; it moved from ABC to Fox, and a crossover withThe Simpsonsled to series creatorMatt Groeningdenouncing said episode. It was cancelled after two seasonsbutearned a reappraisal years later. Even its cast loved it!Maurice LaMarche, who provided a multitude of voices forThe Critic, says that it andPinky and the Brainweretwo of his favorite projects. Lovitz had a similar reactionwhen conducting an interviewcelebratingThe Critic’s 30th anniversary:
It’s very flattering, but at the same time, it’s frustrating, because I wish the show would have kept going. It was a hit show, and they just canceled it. So it’s one of those regrets, like: What would five years’ worth of shows that should have been, instead of just 23 [episodes], look like? I’ve been trying to do it again ever since, and they tell me it’s complicated.
The Critic, along with Siskel and Ebert’s work, helped shed light on how film criticism really worked. It’s rather fitting that it was the only TV show they ever reviewed and guest-starred in.
The Criticis available to stream on Tubi in the U.S.
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The Critic
