MADtv: Season Four (1998-1999)

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The Season Four cast of MADtv. (Top Row, Left to Right) Alex Borstein, Pat Kilbane and Phil Lamarr. (Middle Row) Debra Wilson, Will Sasso, and Aries Spears. (Bottom Row) Andrew Bowen, Nicole Sullivan, and Mo Collins. Not pictured: Michael McDonald.

1 Season Summary
2 Opening Montage:
3 Cast
4 Episodes
5 DVD releases
6 External links

[edit] Season Summary

Andrew Bowen, Mo Collins, and Michael McDonald joined the cast in this season. While Bowen impressed with an impression of Keanu Reeves, MADtv's budget at the time could not hold 10 players, so by the end of this season, he left. However, the latter two players were destined to become longtime fixtures on the show. Collins and McDonald would frequently appear in sketches together, among them most notably included the one when they played a psychotic mother/son duo. But even separate, they had the most praise: McDonald played Jewish slob director Marvin Tikvah and overexcited dweeb Rusty Miller; Collins meanwhile portrayed out-there Lorraine Swanson.

Original female players Nicole Sullivan and Debra Wilson introduced new characters: Latina bimbos Lida and Melina, while Wilson introduced Bunifa, a stereotypical portrayal of African-American women. Featured players from last season also made their mark: Alex Borstein frequently appeared as Ms. Swan and Rosie O'Donnell; Pat Kilbane with Coffee Guy and his famed impersonation of Howard Stern; Will Sasso with frequent offbeat impersonations of celebrities such as Bill Clinton, Kenny Rogers, and Steven Seagal; and Aries Spears with more impersonations of popular African American celebrities.

Season 4 was marked by one notable controversy. On April 15, 1999, during the episode when Bret Hart special guest starred as the lieutenant governor to Jesse Ventura (Will Sasso), the WCW wrestler attacked Sasso. This caused controversy to whether or not this was part of the sketch or ad-libbed, until one of the MadTV head writers revealed that the end was entirely real and Sasso did actually bleed.^[1] Hart returned two weeks later to accept Sasso's challenge of an arm-wrestling match.

[edit] Opening Montage:

The MADtv logo. The theme song, which is performed by the hip-hop group Heavy D & the Boyz, begins. Each member of the repertory cast (followed shortly by the featured cast) is introduced alphabetically and silently with their name appearing in caption over a mixture of color still photos in slow motion. The back drop of the title sequence is a busy street in Los Angeles. When the last featured cast member is introduced, the music stops and the title sequence ends with the phrase "You are now watching MADtv..."

[edit] Cast

* Performer was a featured cast member at the start of the season, but was promoted to repertory status mid-season.

[edit] Episodes

The fourth season of MADtv aired from September 12, 1998 to May 22, 1999. There was a total of 22 episodes produced for that season. They were as follows:

Episode	Airing Date	Host/Guest(s)	Sketches	Other notes
#401	September 12, 1998	Vivica A. Fox, Usher	Ms. Swan (Alex Borstein) opens the show with a joke. A spoof of There's Something About Mary focuses on the romance between Bill Clinton (Will Sasso) and Monica Lewinsky (Alex Borstein). Keanu Reeves (Andrew Bowen) teaches students how to be an actor like him. Al Gore (Pat Kilbane) teaches sex tips to a couple in bed. CNN frequently interrupts a TV show for an important newsstand bulleting by Bernard Shaw (Phil LaMarr). A man (Will Sasso) calling a sex line accidentally calls Ms. Swan (Alex Borstein). MADtv vies for Emmy consideration with a sketch featuring Sonny Bono's widow Mary (Alex Borstein) and Cher (Mo Collins) settling their differences through song. A jock (Aries Spears) isn't too thrilled to have superexcited nerd Rusty Miller (Michael McDonald) as his dorm mate. Vivica A. Fox is a guest on Funky Walker, Dirty Talker.
#402	September 19, 1998	Jane Krakowski	Howard Stern (Pat Kilbane) looks at the new and old cast. Siegfried (Pat Kilbane) & Roy (Michael McDonald) battle crime and fear of women in a new crime drama. Egg-Beaters newest product, Meat-Beaters, has implications of masturbation. Obese Jewish guy Marvin Tikvah (Michael McDonald) tries working out. JCPenny promotes kids clothes that protect them from school shootings. Kenny Rogers (Will Sasso) and James Brown Jr. (Aries Spears) host a cooking show. Nicolas Cage (Andrew Bowen) introduces a vintage superhero show called Rocket Revengers. A randy senior citizen (Michael McDonald) goes over his story on how he survived the crash of the Titanic.
#403	September 26, 1998		Steven Seagal (Will Sasso) goes around America and kicks the crap out of people. A fake commercial for a retirement home uses virtual reality machines on their patients. An old lady (Mo Collins) spends a long time at a yard sale. Chris Rock (Phil LaMarr) demands funnier material in an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show. Spishak promotes a cereal bowl that also works as a pasta bowl. A hyperactive kid with the body of an adult (Michael McDonald) gets lost.
#404	October 3, 1998		Beverly Hills 90210 and Halloween: H20 merge into a parody. Mark McGwire (Will Sasso) and Sammy Sosa (Phil LaMarr) dance with each other for the entire show. A parody of He Got Game has Denzel Washington (Aries Spears) playing it not-so-straight. A young kid continuously hits his stepdad (Pat Kilbane) in his crotch. A lot of havoc ensues at a hotel lobby where everyone says "Sir" or "Ma'am." The Donny & Marie Show is looking to take new directions. The daughter (Alex Borstein) asks her mother (Mo Collins) for advice, even during the most inopportune times. Magic Johnson (Aries Spears) and Tommy Davidson (Phil LaMarr) star in a parody of trial shows. Bill Cosby (Aries Spears) is still promoting Jell-O pudding.
#405	October 12, 1998	Gary Coleman, Kevin Sorbo	Ms. Swan (Alex Borstein) gets hypnotized. Debra Wilson promotes a product for keeping women's nether regions fresh. Monica Lewinsky appears on "Talking American." Trina (Mo Collins) goes to a baby shower. Rosie O'Donnell (Alex Borstein) interviews Kevin Sorbo on the set of his sitcom, Oh, Hercules. Gary Coleman plays a police negotiator in a parody of The Negotiator, co-starring Eddie Murphy (Aries Spears) and Keanu Reeves (Andrew Bowen).
#406	October 31, 1998	KISS, Robert Englund	KISS appear in sketches, including one as action figures, one where they must stop Michael Jackson (Phil LaMarr), and another one in where they go out on a date. Kenny Rogers sings duets with Cher (Mo Collins, Björk (Alex Borstein), Marilyn Manson (Pat Kilbane), and Nat King Cole (Phil LaMarr). Robert Englund is brought up about his role in V (TV series) while in a sketch, then becomes entangled in a string of murders around the MADtv set. Stuart Larkin (Michael McDonald) goes trick-or-treating with Antonia (Nicole Sullivan).	Special Halloween episode
#407	November 7, 1998		Little Hassan Taylor (Phil LaMarr) performs songs that are racist towards white people. In a pornographic version of Saving Private Ryan, directed by coke-addicted director Harvey Lachien (Aries Spears), two nymphos (Mo Collins, Debra Wilson) "satisfy" troops. Magic Johnson (Aries Spears) hosts Jeopardy!. Marilyn Manson (Pat Kilbane), Stuart Larkin (Michael McDonald) and mother (Mo Collins), and Björk (Alex Borstein) are bachelors in Lowered Expectations. Undergrad "Intensity" (Nicole Sullivan) is smitten with a man (Pat Kilbane) she barely knows in a parody of Felicity. Lida (Nicole Sullivan) and Melina (Debra Wilson) run their own beauty salon... and stuff. Doctors are totally focused in their work that they ignore other patients in the waiting room in a new medical drama. A drunken storyteller (Will Sasso) tells "fractured" fairy tales to children. Reverend Jesse Jackson (Aries Spears) plays psychiatrist to the Clinton family.
#408	November 14, 1998		The Vancome Lady (Nicole Sullivan) hosts her own game show. Bill Clinton (Will Sasso) sells commemorative plates. Michael McCleoud (Will Sasso) and Jasmine Wayne-Wayne (Alex Borstein) sing an annoying song. Rusty Miller (Michael McDonald) goes to the College Bowl. Karl Childers (Pat Kilbane) and Blade (Aries Spears) join forces in a new movie. Antonia (Nicole Sullivan) doesn't deliver the right baby to the mom-to-be (Alex Borstein). Spishak promotes a dance made for fathers.
#409	November 21, 1998		Steven Seagal (Will Sasso) and Jean-Claude Van Damme (Andrew Bowen) must fight for their father in the hard-hitting drama One True Impact. Kenny Rogers (Will Sasso) and James Brown Jr. (Aries Spears) host a Thanksgiving cooking show, where they must cook food for homeless people. A man (Phil LaMarr) becomes obsessed with the good taste of the food he's served that he goes insane. Pat Kilbane goes over his "Snapshot Stories."	Special thanksgiving episode.
#410	December 5, 1998	Shaquille O'Neil	Shaquille O'Neal interrupts a monologue from Mother Love (Aries Spears). The Eracists handle their business in the Middle East. Lethal Weapon cops Riggs (Pat Kilbane) and Murtaugh (Aries Spears) appear at a comedy venue, along with Kenny Rogers (Will Sasso) and his puppet friend Pappy. On an episode of Forgive or Forget, Mother Love (Aries Spears) hopes to reunite Bobby Brown (Phil LaMarr) with Whitney Houston (Debra Wilson). A parody of Meet Joe Black has Brad Pitt (Andrew Bowen) trying to escape the clutches of Della Reese (Debra Wilson). Shaquille O'Neil guest stars in two skits: one where a message to get out of prison is misunderstood, and another where he plays Dennis Rodman's sister on Lowered Expectations. Rick (Phil LaMarr) plays a contestant on The Dating Game, and one of his possible suitors is Ms. Swan (Alex Borstein). A college jock (Andrew Bowen) hosts his own show at his dorm room.
#411	December 12, 1998		A nuclear product is used as Christmas tree lights. Rusty Miller (Michael McDonald) tries to celebrate the holidays even by his lonesome. Ms. Swan (Alex Borstein) goes Christmas shopping at The Sharpest Image. Paul Timberman (Will Sasso) gets in more danger with Christmas tools. Old Man Sasso (Will Sasso) drunkenly reads "Twas the Night Before Christmas" to the kids. A claymation parody of I Know What You Did Last Summer uses Christmas as a background. The Vancome Lady (Nicole Sullivan) insults Adam Sandler (Michael McDonald) in A Vancome Christmas Carol. Magic Johnson (Aries Spears) helps ring in Kwanza, but his illiteracy fails him.	Special Christmas episode
#412	January 9, 1999		A man (Michael McDonald) tries to get nearly everyone to go down on him. Keanu Reeves (Andrew Bowen) and Steven Seagal (Will Sasso) try comedy at a venue. Saturn employers harass a couple. Lounge singer Shaunda (Alex Borstein) sings in a public bathroom. The cops of Lethal Weapon (Pat Kilbane, Aries Spears) perform at a hospital, but are met with lukewarm reception to their over-the-top antics. Babies replace the teens in a parody of Dawson's Creek. The Spishak salesman (Pat Kilbane) promotes a product for quick and easy bris. Ellen DeGeneres (Alex Borstein) questions if Anne Heche (Mo Collins) will stay loyal.
#413	January 16, 1999		Spishak created a razor with 10 blades. Celine Dion (Nicole Sullivan) helps ring in Martin Luther King Day. Bunifa (Debra Wilson) goes out on a date, then appears as a bachelor in Lowered Expectations. Will (Will Sasso) has a very annoying sister (Alex Borstein) who bothers him at an arcade. Nicole Sullivan goes over her "Snapshot Story." A psycho (Nicole Sullivan) affixiated on murder is a bachelor on Lowered Expectations. Ms. Swan (Alex Borstein) tries to use an automated teller. Charlie Sheen (Andrew Bowen) talks about his drug escapades in an anti-drug commercial. Bill Cosby (Aries Spears) hosts a parody of Kids Say the Darndest Things - with pimps!
#414	January 30, 1999		Antonia (Nicole Sullivan) is a referee for a football game. Adam Sandler (Michael McDonald) and Drew Barrymore (Nicole Sullivan) star in a new movie, The Riverboy. The Vancome Lady (Nicole Sullivan) works as a vendor at a football game. Kenny Rogers (Will Sasso) hosts a Super Bowl halftime show.	Special Super Bowl episode
#415	February 6, 1999	Bret "The Hitman" Hart	Kenny Rogers (Will Sasso) opens the show by expressing his feelings how he's portrayed on the show. Antonia (Nicole Sullivan) plugs her own perfume. Go behind the scenes as Randy Newman (Will Sasso) composes new songs for the new Star Wars movie. Bunifa (Debra Wilson) gets a fast food employee (Nicole Sullivan) fired. Prince (Phil LaMarr) stars in a parody of The Prince of Egypt. Jesse Ventura (Will Sasso) introduces his new lieutenant governor, Bret "The Hitman" Hart. Stuart Larkin (Michael McDonald) goes to the doctor. Pop-Up Video presents a music video from Alanis Morissette (Mo Collins), with curious mentions of what went on during the shoot. Steven Seagal (Will Sasso) and Ice Cube (Aries Spears) star in the third installment of The Odd Couple. Keanu Reeves (Andrew Bowen) is a Lowered Expectations bachelor.
#416	February 13, 1999	Brian McKnight	Rusty Miller (Michael McDonald) opens the show by plugging his college. Magic Johnson (Aries Spears) doesn't fare to well as a teacher. Brian McKnight stars as himself on The Dating Game, where Bunifa (Debra Wilson) is the contestant. Ms. Swan (Alex Borstein) is a thorn in the side at a local cineplex. An episode of Three's Company in Spanish. A Star Wars special edition features more clips of Hans Solo (Pat Kilbane) running from danger. Old Man Sasso (Will Sasso) reads a fractured Valentine's Day tale to the children. Will Sasso trains to get his revenge on Bret "The Hitman" Hart. During the taping of a cooking show, the chef (Nicole Sullivan) broods about her love troubles.	Special Valentine's Day episode
#417	February 20, 1999		Miss Swan (Alex Borstein) opens the show by singing the MADtv theme song. A special McDonalds feast help those who want to look like Ally McBeal. A new Spishak product doesn't fare well for its user (Andrew Bowen), while the wife (Alex Borstein) falls for the salesman (Pat Kilbane). The O'Malley parents (Mo Collins, Michael McDonald) embarrass their daughter (Nicole Sullivan) with their naked bodies. Robin Williams (Pat Kilbane) stars in a variation of Patch Adams. A married couple (Michael McDonald, Nicole Sullivan) struggle to get into their honeymoon suite. Michael Jackson (Phil LaMarr) and Deborah Rowe (Alex Borstein) appear on Change of Heart. The events surrounding John (Michael McDonald) and Patsy Ramsey (Alex Borstein) are recreated as a romantic comedy starring Tom Hanks (Pat Kilbane) and Meg Ryan (Nicole Sullivan). Stepmom II focuses on the attempts to kill the existing mother (Alex Borstein) and replace her with a hotter stepmom (Debra Wilson).
#418	February 27, 1999	Bret "The Hitman" Hart, Michael Buffer, Roddy Piper	Paul Timberman (Will Sasso) gets in more accidents as he promotes the "Lazy Susan." The Vancome Lady (Nicole Sullivan) stars in a parody of Jay-Z's "Hard Knock Life" co-starring rapper Mase (Aries Spears). Lida (Nicole Sullivan) and Melina (Debra Wilson) host their own news show. A welfare board game. Will Sasso goes up against Bret "The Hitman" Hart in an arm wrestling match. Stuart Larkin (Michael McDonald) gets his picture taken. A blaxploitation parody called Son of Dolemite.
#419	March 13, 1999	Keri Russell	Cher (Mo Collins) opens the show with her new song. Mike Tyson (Aries Spears) is the new spokesman for GAP clothing. An episode of All in the Family recorded in Spansih. UBS guy Jaq (Phil LaMarr) rents pornography and Teletubbies. Stuart Larkin (Michael McDonald) learns how to play Tee-ball. Aries Spears goes over his day with Michael McDonald in his Snapshot Story. Keri Russell stars in a parody of Felicity with MADtv recurring characters making appearances. A telegram singing couple (Pat Kilbane, Nicole Sullivan) won't leave another couple (Andrew Bowen, Debra Wilson) alone until they've satisfied them. The Eracists allow gays to march in the St. Patrick's Day parade. Desperation Lee (Phil LaMarr), Redd Foxx (Aries Spears), Cocoa Latite (Debra Wilson), and Kenny Rogers (Will Sasso) are the stars of a parody of Armageddon.
#420	March 27, 1999		Ms. Swan (Alex Borstein) opens the show with a magic trick. Fess Weiss (Pat Kilbane) sings a tale about a lumberjack (Will Sasso). Yassir Arafat (Andrew Bowen) promotes party tricks. A man (Pat Kilbane) keeps dry-humping his wife (Alex Borstein). Keith Richards (Pat Kilbane) promotes a new way to get to sleep through the use of drugs. Rusty Miller (Michael McDonald) appears in a commercial for a fast food joint. Catwoman (Debra Wilson) fights the cableman (Aries Spears) to get her cable. Happy Folger (Michael McDonald) embarrasses his daughter at her wedding with a gross story.
#421	April 10, 1999		Andrew Bowen opens the show by inviting Bunifa (Debra Wilson) on stage. Debra Wilson promotes a product that helps stop masturbation. A sitcom about a daughter (Alex Borstein) who loses her boyfriends to her gay dad (Andrew Bowen). Army specialists observe a rubbery man (Pat Kilbane). Coffee addict Stan (Pat Kilbane) is nervous when he sees Janeane Garafalo (Alex Borstein) at a bistro. Kenny Rogers (Will Sasso) offers to check for testicular cancer. Nicolas Cage (Andrew Bowen) unviels another installment of Rocket Revengers. All Tammany (Will Sasso) wants to talk about is Hollywood.
#422	May 1, 1999	Jerry Springer	An episode of Star Trek filmed in Spanish. A VH1 Behind the Music special centers on the lives of the Eracists after Steve (Phil LaMarr) left the group. One out of 10 customers prefer Spishak's new detergent. Jerry Springer stars in a parody of his talk show where he interviews Lida (Nicole Sullivan) and Melina (Debra Wilson), then gets confronted by Bunifa (Debra Wilson) as he leaves the MADtv studio. Rosie O'Donnell (Alex Borstein) interviews shock jock Howard Stern (Pat Kilbane. Lorraine (Mo Collins) takes too long looking at a car. Shaunda (Alex Borstein) performs in a prison.
#423	May 8, 1999		Kenny Rogers (Will Sasso) and James Brown (Aries Spears) open the show. George Jefferson (Phil LaMarr) moves further on up in a parody of The Jeffersons. Ms. Swan (Alex Borstein) stars in a parody of film noirs in which she catches the eye of a private eye (Pat Kilbane). The Aussie Hunter gets mauled by crocodiles, sharks, and cheetahs. An elderly medical employee (Debra Wilson) embarrasses other people by reading their prescriptions out loud. Debra Wilson goes over her Snapshot Story. The Rocket Revengers do battle in Atlantica along with their new member (Aries Spears). A handicapped repairman (Phil LaMarr) mangles around while fixing the apartment of its owner (Nicole Sullivan)
#424	May 15, 1999	Donny Osmond	Stuart Larkin (Michael McDonald) and his mom (Mo Collins) open the show. Parody of Whose Line is It Anyway. A man (Michael McDonald) keeps shushing his girlfriend (Nicole Sullivan). Mo Collins goes over her Snapshot Story. Rusty Miller (Michael McDonald) is ecstatic to meet his idol Donny Osmond on MTV Fanatic. Lorraine (Mo Collins) becomes a problem at a grocery store. Superheroes Falconman (Andrew Bowen) and Birdboy (Phil LaMarr) help control the workplace.
#425	May 22, 1999		Celine Dion (Nicole Sullivan) opens the show with a joke. Spishak promotes a new product for managing ice. The Aussie Hunter gets mauled by gorillas, elephants, and ants. Competitors pass gas during a dance competition. The News at Six gang proclaim a spore attack. Marvin Tikvah (Michael McDonald) recruits the Vancome Lady (Nicole Sullivan).