SCTV Network 90: Vol. 1 (1981)

Disc 1 explains that SCTV Network 90 is not the original SCTV series on Friday nights, it is a longer 90-minute spinoff, repurposing selected original sketches until enough new material could be created to fill the longer, more family-oriented timeslot on Sunday nights. Unless you are caught up in a haze of nostalgia and think every whiff of comedy here is stellar stuff, I think you have to agree that some of this material is cheesy, leaden, and tone-deaf. But that's OK, because I would rather see an entire series, warts with beauty marks, than a limited selection of sketches that somehow miss the best material that SCTV's loyal fans remember. I'll leave you to determine which parts you think are best, but I enjoyed every flash of genius shown by this comedy troupe. Rick Moranis is 28 years old (but looks 18) and Eugene Levy is around 38 (but looks 28). Andrea Martin is a hoot as Edith Prickley. The hosers on Great White North are pretty lame and can only get better. Enjoy! 2.5 stars. (5-30-2017)