SCTV (1983)
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Synopsis by Hal Erickson
Now that SCTV has moved up on the hipness chart by matriculating from network to cable television, glitzy talk show host Sammy Maudlin (Joe Flaherty) figures it's time for a makeover of his own. Result: "Maudlin O' the Night," a blatant rip-off of Alan Thicke's syndie chatfest Thicke of the Night. Sammy's first guests are "The Happy Wanderers" -- aka polka kings Stan and Yosh Schmenge -- (Eugene Levy and "special guest star" John Candy), who have likewise modernized their image, performing a new wave-polka version of "Billy Jean" and promoting their new ablum "Power to the Punk People Polka." Elsewhere in this debut episode of SCTV Channel: SCTV station manager Edith Prickley (Andrea Martin) stars in "Prickley Business," a rip-off of Risky Business; "JFK My Way With Steve Roman," featuring John Candy in a "now" version of the Kennedy legend; "The Soren-Weiss Report," with seedy investigative reporters Troy Soren (Martin Short) and Joel Weiss (Levy); and "Moms Dearest," a shocking expose written by the daughter of Moms Mabley. (DVD alert: the sketches featuring John Candy have been removed from the 30-minute syndicated version of this episode.)