This late-night sketch-comedy show was based on the humour of the long-running MAD magazine.
There were impersonations, fake commercials, mock movie trailers, and even Spy vs. Spy segments.
Despite stumbling ratings, Mad TV developed a passionate cult following and was nominated for numerous awards, including 43 Primetime Emmy Awards, five of which it won.
The FOX show competed with Saturday Night Live in its time slot, but was aimed at a younger adult audience. FOX made little effort to promote the show and continually cut the series’ budget.
The recurring character of Stuart Larkin (portrayed by Michael McDonald, the show’s longest-running cast member) became a cultural phenomenon in the US.
A mischievous and overly confident child known for his catchphrase, “Look what I can do!” Stuart’s recurring sketches on Mad TV showcased his exaggerated behaviour and humorous interactions with his family.
The character became so popular that he even appeared in a series of commercials for a major soft drink brand.
Alex Borstein appeared in 44 sketches as the popular recurring character of Bunny Swan (better known as Ms Swan), an immigrant nail salon owner and manicurist with a strong, exaggerated accent who annoyed others by not being able to answer simple questions.
Many of the show’s recurring characters were parodies of celebrities, such as Will Sasso’s portrayal of singer Randy Newman and Aries Spears’s portrayal of Bill Cosby.
Debra Wilson and Spears frequently appeared on the show as married singers Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown, who they portrayed as drug-addled, frantic, and “ghetto”.
The final FOX episode aired on Saturday 16 May 2009, but a resurrected Mad TV returned seven years later in July 2016 on the CW Network for a season of eight new episodes.
The show’s new cast members were Carlie Craig, Chelsea Davison, Jeremy D. Howard, Amir K, Lyric Lewis, Piotr Michael, Michelle Ortiz and Adam Ray.
The revisited series received mostly negative reviews from critics, saying it largely failed to recapture any of the original show’s old spark.
Michael McDonald
Debra Wilson
Aries Spears
Bobby Lee
Mo Collins
Nicole Sullivan
Alex Borstein
Will Sasso
Stephnie Weir
Frank Caliendo
Nicole Parker
Phil LaMarr
Ike Barinholtz
Keegan-Michael Key
Jordan Peele
Crista Flanagan
Arden Myrin
Pat Kilbane
Ron Pederson
Mary Scheer
Paul Vogt
Daniele Gaither
David Herman
Artie Lange
Josh Meyers
Bryan Callen
Orlando Jones
Andy Daly
Frank Caeti
Nicole Randall Johnson
Nelson Ascencio
Christian Duguay
Johnny A. Sanchez
Andrew Bowen
Chris Hogan
Craig Anton
Lisa Arch
Ramon Hamilton
Noel William Berman
Kathryn Fiore
Gillian Vigman
Erica Ash
Eric Price
Taran Killam
Matt Braunger
Lauren Pritchard
Tim Conlon
Michael Hitchcock
Jill-Michele Meleán
Ty Donaldson
Paul Vato
Dan Oster
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The FOX show competed with Saturday Night Live in its time slot, but was aimed at a younger adult audience. FOX made little effort to promote the show and continually cut the series’ budget.
Many of the show’s recurring characters were parodies of celebrities, such as Will Sasso’s portrayal of singer Randy Newman and Aries Spears’s portrayal of Bill Cosby.
