Spin City

Another one of the few sitcoms on TV I find very funny and quite witty. The cast is packed with talented performers. Now, don't get me wrong, Michael J. Fox was great in the role of Deputy Mayor Mike Flaherty, but Charlie Sheen does just as good a job at replacing the lead role as Deputy Mayor Charlie Crawford. Rarely, do I watch a show where a lead character is replaced by another actor, and that actor is just as good as his/her predecessor. I have nothing against Charlie Sheen, I really appreciate him as an actor. But I was very pessimistic about him filling Fox's shoes. Well, he succeeded with flying colors!

Anyone who has seen "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" (one of my all-time favorites) should be familiar with Alan Ruck--who played Cameron Frye, Ferris's anal retentive best friend. He pretty steals the show as the witty, perverted Stuart Bondek. I guess I would say he's my favorite on the show. He definitely brings in the biggest laughs! That episode was classic where he was hired as a screenwriter for porno films. Every time someone would utter any sort of sexual innuendo, he would jot it down on his typewriter. Ruck is a superbly talented comic actor. His facial expressions alone, which reveal exactly what he's thinking, just make you want to crack up.

Michael Boatman is funny in sort of straight role--which is a very ironic statement, being that he's playing a gay character. He never tries too hard for a laugh, yet knows exactly the right timing and delivery. But I did notice a plot hole, concerning his character. In one episode, he's trying desperately to quit smoking. Yet they never showed him smoking in previous episodes. That should be listed in the "goofs" section.

Richard Kind has the goofiest role as Paul, the bumbling speechwriter. I can't imagine anyone playing the part better than him.

Barry Bostwick is also quite funny as the Mayor. His deadpan delivery makes his dialogue all the more funnier.

I have to admit, sometimes the show gets too farcical and out of control. Virtually all sitcoms suffer from this--the characters end up saying or doing something ironic for a cheap laugh, even if it doesn't make sense.

But even though the show has its share of lame gags, I'm often dying with laughter every episode. As goofy as it gets, as senseless as it gets, "Spin City" never fails to make me laugh. The cast is excellent and the writing is often sharp. There's not much more I can ask for. I hope the show continues to be a success and lasts about five more seasons!

My score: 8 (out of 10)

That's one of the best and most funny sitcoms I've ever seen. Michael J Fox is unbeatable in his part as the Deputy-Mayor of New York. I strongly recommend this sitcom to everybody who like that kind of entertainment.

Spin City works primarily because of great characters and their interactions and chemistry. I haven't seen any of the new Charlie Sheen episodes, but I saw the Michael J. Fox episodes, and they were quite good. I love Barry Bostwick as the mayor, and how he basically acts like a child.

In Michael J. Fox's last episode, everyone started crying, and you could tell they weren't fake tears. They were real. It wasn't because he was leaving because he was tired of the show. It was because he had Parkinsons disease.

I've always liked Michael J. Fox, because I always thought he had a strong screen presence, especially in Back To the Future. He wasn't one of those stuck up guys. He knew he was short and funny. Now he has moved on to animation films like Stuart Little, but I will always remember his goodbyes from Family Ties, up to the emotional goodbye on Spin City, as he ran out on stage, and the camera picked up one last image of him waving to the audience.

I only consider this show great during the Michael J. Fox years. Between those four delicious seasons, political satire and humor were at a peak on television. Fox and his assorted cast of friends and co-workers were exceptional, making this one of the best sitcoms in the history of television. People will disagree, but come on. Friends? Seinfeld? Please!!! In an age where reality TV is becoming a norm, I can always look back to this show in syndication and watch one of the last good shows that hasn't been stretch thinner than a Hollywood actress' waistline. The most underrated actor in the show wasn't even an actor. The lovable rat/dog/wombat "Rags," a scene stealer everytime he was carried onto the screen. All of my favorite episodes have Rags in it, especially the episode when Rags rediscovers his libido and the episode when he brought back to life by Christopher Lloyd. Good stuff all around, and its too bad Fox had to leave the show.

Michael J. Fox is a terrific actor. The supporting cast for this show

were a witty team. However, for some reason the secretary Stacy

was replaced by Heather Locklear. Heather really killed this show,

it was almost dead even by the time MJF left. When she was

added, all the other charactars were pushed to the background

and we hardly ever saw them anymore. Instead, we saw a lot of

Heather interacting with Michael in a strange, contrived way. Then

when Michael J. Fox left, they brought Charlie Sheen in. Charlie

Sheen was all right, but at this point the show was unbearable to

watch because of Locklear's wooden acting abilities and the way

the other cast members (which had dwindled to just four, counting

the Mayor) were shown only once or twice per show. If Locklear had not been brought in and the other cast members

had remained with the show, this show could have survived even

without Fox. This show went off the air in 2002. If you happen to

catch it in reruns, only watch the MJF episodes and the first few

Charlie Sheen episodes, but no more than that.