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It's Garry Shandling's Show is an American television series which was initially broadcast on Showtime from 1986 to 1990. It was created by Garry Shandling and Alan Zweibel. The show is notable for its frequent use of breaking the fourth wall to allow characters to speak directly to the audience. The show also inspired shows such as Malcolm in the Middle and The Bernie Mac Show to break the fourth wall.[citation needed]
[edit] SynopsisThis 30 minute sitcom starred Garry Shandling as, more or less, himself: a neurotic, somewhat self-obsessed stand-up comedian who just happens to be aware he is a TV sitcom character. Garry spends just as much time interacting with the studio audience as he does the regular cast members, offering up opening monologues and show-closing summations of the episode's events (much like George Burns on The Burns and Allen Show). On Garry's show, however, all the supporting characters know they are on a TV show, not just Garry; and the studio audience is often in the storyline. In one episode, Garry invites them to make themselves at home after he leaves the scene (they end up throwing a raucous party); in another, a surprise birthday party for Garry's mother goes awry when the audience's shout of "Surprise!" causes her to have a heart attack. In a memorable episode, Garry moves out of town, with his apartment (and show) taken over by Red Buttons; when Garry tries to return, his friends admit they like Red better. Storylines were often manipulated by Shandling to create more favorable outcomes, or simply to speed things along (one episode ended years later, for example). On America's presidential election night in 1988, Showtime presented a live episode wherein Shandling brought in Soul Train host Don Cornelius to incorrectly announce that Michael Dukakis had soundly defeated George H. W. Bush. The show's bouncy, well-remembered theme song was "This is the Theme to Garry's Show", sung by Los Angeles musician Bill Lynch.[1] The song's lyrics are self-referencing, explaining how the song came to be ("Garry called me up and asked if I would write his theme song") and asking what the listener thinks of it. Considered a critical and niche success[2], It's Garry Shandling's Show ran 72 episodes and was on the air for five years (1986–1990). The show was later picked up by Fox Broadcasting Company from 1988 to 1990 as part of its Sunday night lineup; FOX began airing the show from the beginning, but due to longer seasons for network shows versus cable, had caught up by the time the show left Fox in 1989. It continued for one more year on Showtime. The show introduced much of the country to Shandling and paved the way for his more successful run as late-night talk show host Larry Sanders on HBO's The Larry Sanders Show. [edit] CastThe supporting cast for all four seasons included Molly Cheek as Garry's "platonic friend" Nancy, Michael Tucci, Scott Nemes and Bernadette Birkett as neighbors the Schumachers, Paul Willson as condominium kingpin Leonard Smith, and Barbara Cason as Garry's mother Ruth. From series three, Ian Buchanan played Nancy's boyfriend (and eventually husband) Ian, and Bruno Kirby was Garry's agent Brad Brillnick. In the fourth series Jessica Harper joined the cast as Garry's new girlfriend Phoebe. Other regulars included Roy Brocksmith as Mr. Guest, Richard Fancy as network boss Mr. Stravely, Danny Dayton as comedy club owner Mr. Peck, and Rob Reiner, Martin Mull and Tom Petty as themselves. Jennifer Tilly appeared in a multi-episode arc as another girlfriend, Angelica. While fighting ovarian cancer, Gilda Radner guest-starred as herself on the show in 1988 in what would be her final television appearance. When Shandling asked her why she had not been seen on television for a while, Radner replied, "Oh, I had cancer. What did you have?" [edit] CrewThe show was created and written by Garry Shandling and Alan Zweibel. Shandling wrote 15 episodes of the show. Garry, Alan and Garry's manager Brad Grey were the executive producers of the show. [edit] Episode
[edit] Awards and nominationsThe show was nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards. It won five CableACE Awards (three for Best Comedy Series and two for Garry Shandling). It won an American Comedy Award for Funniest Male Performance in a Comedy Series-Cable or Syndicated, and an award for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy in 1988 from the Television Critics Association. [edit] DVD releaseOn October 20, 2009, Shout! Factory released It's Garry Shandling's Show: The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1. The 16-disc set features extensive bonus features including featurettes, commentaries and outtakes.[3] Time praised the set's release, writing "As self-referential comedies went, you never meta better one."[4]. The first season of the series will be released as a stand-alone title on April 27, 2010.[5] [edit] SyndicationThe show can currently be seen on TV Land Canada. [6] [edit] References
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Categories: 1980s American television series | 1986 television series debuts | 1990 television series endings | 1990s American television series | American television sitcoms | Fox network shows | Metafictional works | Showtime network shows | Television series about television | Television series by CBS Paramount Television | Breaking the Fourth Wall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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