TV series
It stinks!
Jay Sherman is a TV movie critic who is forced to review the most pathetic films which he always rates as "It stinks." In addition to the film parodies, the show also deals with his personal life: working for a tyrannical media mogul boss, his lovelife and his family.
Streaming, rental and purchase options
Checked Sep 3, 2026
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Jay Sherman is a TV movie critic who is forced to review the most pathetic films which he always rates as "It stinks." In addition to the film parodies, the show also deals with his personal life: working for a tyrannical media mogul boss, his lovelife and his family.
Choose an episode, then use the watch options above for the show.
Episode 1
Film critic Jay Sherman falls in love with actress Valerie Fox. Jay's family and friends worry that Valerie is using him to get a good movie review. Does she truly care for him?
Directed by Rich MooreWritten by Al Jean, Mike ReissGuest stars Jennifer Lien, Brenda Vaccaro, Margaret Cho, Gene Shalit
Episode 2
Marty invites his Jay to career day at his school where Marty develops a crush on a Cuban girl named Carmen. They go on a date but when Carmen decides to fly back to Cuba, Marty follows her and Jay must get his son back.
Directed by Alan SmartWritten by Max Pross, Tom GammillGuest stars Brenda Vaccaro, Tress MacNeille, Gene Shalit
Episode 3
Jay is considered to be one of the most unpopular men on Earth (ranking even worse than Adolph Hitler) so Duke attempts to spruce up the show to get more people interested. When this doesn't work, Jay decides to soften his image by going on the "Geraldo Show" with his mother but Jay gets an even worse reputation when his mother embarrasses him to the point where he tells her to "shut up".
Directed by Bret HaalandWritten by Al Jean, Mike ReissGuest stars Geraldo Rivera, Dan Castellaneta
Episode 4
Jay, noticing everyone in New York has a fiancee except him, begins to feel unloved. Things change when he goes to review the movie, Indecent Proposal II, and falls in love with the projectionist screening the movie. They arrange a date at her house where she is revealed to have an obsession with Jay to the point where she kidnaps him and ties him to a bed holding him hostage.
Directed by Dan JeupWritten by Steven LevitanGuest stars Pamela Reed, Brenda Vaccaro
Episode 5
Eleanor is determined to have her daughter, Margo, attend the annual debutantes ball as it is a tradition in her family. When Margo is reluctantly forced into it, Jay decides to accompany her. Meanwhile, Jay competes in his time slot against children's idol Humphrey the Hippo.
Directed by Lauren MacMullanWritten by Nell ScovellGuest stars Tress MacNeille
Episode 6
Jay celebrates his 1000th episode but the episode is less than successful. Ratings get worse so Jay seeks image consultant, Adolph Hitmaker, for advice. The advice is unsuccessful and Jay is fired. Jay gets a new job on a show which teaches English for cab drivers but Jay is unhappy so he decides to win himself another Pulitzer Prize.
Directed by Brian Sheesley, Dan JeupWritten by Tom BradyGuest stars Tress MacNeille, Jimmy Breslin, Adam West, Phil Hartman
Episode 7
Jay befriends his make-up lady Doris after they attend a musical adaptation of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and thinks that she may be the mother who gave him up for adoption years ago.
Directed by Alan SmartWritten by Steve Tompkins
Episode 8
When the studio catches fire during Jay's show, he collapses and must be rescued from the fire by Doris. When the news reports Jay's being rescued, he gets a reputation as being a wimp so he tries to prove his manliness by running in the New York marathon which tends to be more tiresome than it seems.
Directed by Susie DietterWritten by Judd ApatowGuest stars Bob Costas
Episode 9
Jay is offered to write the screenplay for a new movie, Ghostchasers III, so he takes a break from his show to go to L.A. to write the new movie and experience Hollywood life but the movie producer isn't satisfied with Jay's script.
Directed by Bret HaalandWritten by Steven LevitanGuest stars Rod Steiger, Billy Crystal, Michael Carrington
Episode 10
Jay's boss, Duke, has just made a new invention, "Phillips-o-Vision" which alters movies to make them more "like-able". Jay is disgusted with Duke's invention but when Duke is discovered to have a fatal disease, Jay must find a cure for Duke's ailment.
Directed by Dan JeupWritten by Jon VittiGuest stars Rod McKuen
Episode 11
After Marty fails to win an event at his school field day, he is feeling very low so Jay tries to improve his self-confidence by getting him interested in playing guitar and putting him in the school talent show. Meanwhile, Them Magazine names Jay "the wittiest man alive" so Duke offers to pay everyone who doesn't laugh at Jay's show $100 which doesn't go over very well.
Directed by Lauren MacMullanWritten by Ken KeelerGuest stars Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Steve Allen, Brenda Vaccaro, Tress MacNeille
Episode 12
After refusing to plug chewing tobacco on his show, Jay quits his job and becomes a truck driver.
Directed by Alan SmartWritten by Steve TompkinsGuest stars Rex Reed, Tress MacNeille
Episode 13
"A Pig-Boy and His Dog" is the 13th episode of The Critic. This was the final episode to air on ABC.
Directed by Bret HaalandWritten by Patric M. VerroneGuest stars Michael Carrington
Episode information updated Sep 14, 2026
Jon LovitzJay Sherman (voice)
Christine CavanaughMarty Sherman (voice)
Park OverallAlice Tompkins (voice)
Russi TaylorPenny Tompkins (voice)
Charles NapierDuke Phillips (voice)
Judith IveyEleanor Sherman (voice)
Gerrit GrahamFranklin Sherman (voice)
Nancy CartwrightMargo Sherman (voice)
ABCUnited States
FOXUnited States
Gracie FilmsUnited States
Film RomanUnited States
Columbia Pictures TelevisionUnited StatesMore shows like The Critic.
