The Critic

Though it has a cult following, "The Critic" is most famous for flip-flopping networks. It started on ABC, where it stayed for less than a month then it was canceled and Fox picked it up where it stayed for an entire season, then Comedy Central had it for a few months as part of their Sunday night animation block, then UPN was slated to pick it up but dropped it. Then it got a good run as a series of shorts at Atomfilms.com. Even still, it has retained a cult status.

At the beginning of each episode (just before the opening sequence) there is a scene of Jay in bed asleep. The phone rings or the alarm clock goes off and a different person is on the other end to say something that ruins Jay's morning. For example, in the first episode: "Jay this is your mother, your father and I are taking you out of our will. We feel you already have enough money. Oh yes, and happy birthday."

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Blue Chips/Midnight Cowboy/Reality Bites/The Critic/The Scent of Green Papaya (1994)