NBC's Thank God You're Here Threatens to Bring Quality Back to Network TV

Did anyone catch the NBC show Thank God You're Here Monday night? It was a breath of fresh air amid the nightly airing of reality show garbage and crime dramas. If you're a fan of Whose Line is it Anyway you will enjoy Thank God You're Here. The difference is subtle but sublime. Whose Line is it Anyway basically took the staples of improv theater and translated them to television; comedians and comic actors are given a situation and then are asked to improvise a scene. The difference with Thank God You're Here is that a comedian or comic actor is thrust without any foreknowledge into an improve scene where everybody else is working from a loose script.

The concept of the two episodes broadcast back to back on Monday had actor Dave Foley judging the improv talents of four actors who were each thrust into an improv situation and then were collected together for a final situation where they shared the stage. The highlight of the two shows was watching Wayne Knight-Newman of Seinfeld-deal with his superhero drawers sagging off his butt and the unplanned loss of an antenna. My wife and I were literally in tears from laughing. At the end of the show, Dave Foley announces a "winner" who is given a tacky statue.

Among the actors who showed up on Monday night were, in addition to Wayne Knight, Bryan Cranston from Malcolm in the Middle, Jennifer Coolidge from many of Christopher Guest's mockumentaries, the inimitable Edie McClurg, and Mo'Nique. Each carried themselves quite well in their unique situations. For instance, former SNL star Kevin Nealon had to improvise in a situation where he was a mountain guide. Edie McClurg excelled as a woman who found herself in the office of a marriage counselor having to quickly adjust to the fact that she was having an affair with the gardener. One of the highlights was Mo'Nique finding herself as the co-host of a game show where she had no idea what the rules were.