The Michael Richards Show

Don't listen to the negative Nancy's, this show is fun and at least worth checking out once (plus it won't take you very long being that there are only 8 episodes). Michael Richards is great in this, and not too far off at all from Kramer, which I think was a wise choice not to change what works and makes people laugh about his natural humor. The other characters are okay, and the writing is decent, but it certainly has the feeling of a show that wouldn't be around for very long, and it definitely reminds one of similar shows that didn't take and had a bit of a rushed feeling to them, like Norm Macdonald's show 'Norm', which was fortunate enough to get 3 seasons. Without Kramer Seinfeld would have never hit the stratosphere level that it did, and The Michael Richard's Show showcases some of what made Cosmo Kramer everyone's favorite Seinfeld character and had, and still has, them laughing out loud at his silly, yet brilliant, antics.

A titan of physical comedy and nonsense syllables, Richards does provide what one expects from a comedy: laughs. I was tickled at least a few times (yes, laugh-out-loud funny, not just a smile).

He manages to distance himself almost completely from Kramer which is no mean trick considering he's meant to deliver a similar level of yucks. So, I laughed.

But I also cried. Much of the show just sits there. William Devane enters and, despite his charm, seems like he's accidentally stumbled onto the wrong stage and then just tries to fit in. The Tim Meadows character is even more displaced. Bill Cobbs and Amy Farrington have potential. Mind, this isn't because two actors can act and two can't. They all CAN, but only the last two are remotely integral characters to the show (at least as the premier was written). I'll certainly give it another chance and hope Devane and Meadow's get better lines and plotting.

Michael Richards is a hugely talented comic actor, who stole almost every scene as Cosmo Kramer on "Seinfeld." He is one of the best physical comics out there, and one day I hope he will hit it big in either TV or the movies (hopefully he'll make more comedies like "UHF" and "Unstrung Heroes" and not ones like the hugely disappointing "Trial and Error"). But this show is as lame as can be! And I guess the creators thought it would add flair to assemble one of the biggest ensemble casts in sitcom history. That way Tim Meadows, William Devane and Bill Cobbs can have equal time at wasting their talents. As Robert DeNiro said in "A Bronx Tale," "There's nothing worse than wasted talent." "The Michael Richards Show" is a prime example.

My score: 2 (out of 10)

Watched this recently on YouTube; it was only Richards rehashing his Kramer mannerisms with lousy scripts and a supporting cast that looks like they were held hostage at gunpoint. Richards' "Seinfeld" reputation must have been the only reason this horribly written show made it to air; it seems like two failed pilots would have given NBC a clue as to what they were in for. Awful.

I expected to see a lot more from the series premiere of the Michael Richards show. All of the actors, who are all quite seasoned, did a very shabby job. Especially Mr.Devane. Tim Meadows also didn't give us much in the way of a character, just a lot of meaningless lines. And Mr.Richards himself- I was quite disappointed, he wasn't funny, he tried to be and failed, which is the worst type! To me the writing is one punchline after the other, but the most irritating part of the whole show was the very loud and very untimely laugh tracks. I will continue to watch, praying that it gets better.