Season Three

The affable crew of WNYX is at it again in this painfully underseen sitcom. The 1996-97 season is more outlandish and escapes the clichés of the secret romance between reporter Lisa (Maura Tierney) and news director Dave (Dave Foley), the most continuous storyline of the first two seasons. Many of the season's episodes deal with the normalcy of the office environment: performance reviews, the complaint box, budget cuts, the annual Halloween party, and office feuds, most involving the wonderfully smug anchor Bill McNeal (Phil Hartman in what should have been his signature role) and daffy reporter Matthew (Andy Dick, certainly his signature role). However, NewsRadio creator Paul Simms and the writers push the envelope, including placing Bill in a mental ward (meeting patient Jon Lovitz who would fill in for Hartman later), Dave's obsession with an arcade game, Matt's compulsion with his "twin" brother (played by Jon Stewart), and eclectic owner Jimmy James's (Andy Root) brief run for the presidency. The fantasy elements kick in with an episode on daydreaming on an extremely hot day, one in which Jimmy falls into a coma, and an episode that takes place in space! At times, those odd elements don't work and there's not enough moments for Khandi Alexander (as Bill's on-air partner). But make no mistake, the show boasts some of the best moments in '90s sitcom-dom. Perhaps the highlight show has Dave and Bill stuck in a St. Louis airport (and swarmed by Midwest manners, to Bill's chagrin) while Lisa runs the station. Season 3 guest stars include Ben Stiller as a health club jerk, Norm McDonald as Jimmy's lawyer, and James Caan as himself wanting to learn for a role shadowing Bill (but ending up marveling how odd Matthew is). Jerry Seinfeld also stars as himself in a surprisingly unfunny episode, proving good comedies shouldn't have to stoop to stunt casting.