|
Newly-Reviewed Programs
TV on DVD
All Shows: A-Z Index
Advanced Search
2008 Summer Season
2007-08 Midseason
2007 Fall Season
2007 Summer Season
2006-07 Midseason
2006 Fall Season
2006 Summer Season
2005-06 Midseason
2005 Fall Season
Best Of 2007
Best Of 2006
Best Of 2005
How Metascores Are Calculated
Discuss TV In Our Forums
|
Tracey Ullman's State of the Union
SERIES: Showtime, Sunday 10:00p (30 minutes)
Starring
Tracey Ullman
The English comedienne returns to cable television in a sketch-comedy series with Ullman impersonating famous political figures and celebrities.
| GENRE(S): |
Comedy
|
| CREATED BY: |
Tracey Ullman
|
| FIRST AIR DATE: |
March 30, 2008 |
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
91
Christian Science Monitor Gloria Goodale
Vulgar and brazenly racy, it's unlike anything else on TV.
80
The New York Times Alessandra Stanley
Her comic style is familiar, but much of Ms. Ullman’s material is fresh and up-to-date.
80
Variety Brian Lowry
At least within Ullman's cutting overview of America, in fact, it can be reported without reservation that the "State of the Union" is strong.
80
Wall Street Journal Nancy DeWolf Smith
The fantastic Ms. Ullman is as funny as ever, depicting a new slew of characters in sketches that mock the way we are.
80
Boston Globe Matthew Gilbert
The beautifully filmed half-hour comedy, lets Ullman clown around with her face and her voices and her wigs without confining her to too much story line.
80
Philadelphia Inquirer Jonathan Storm
The episodes, each supposedly one day in the life of America, should leave viewers squirming, not just with laughter at the failings they portray, but with anticipation that Ullman and Showtime will hurry up and make some more.
75
USA Today Robert Bianco
Though fun, the opener's skits are too short, and the characters too numerous, for any one joke to register. But give the show a week to settle, and the strengths of Ullman's concept come to the fore.
70
Time James Poniewozik
A sharp if uneven Whitmanian sampler.
70
Hollywood Reporter Barry Garron
It's a showcase for Ullman's remarkable skill, but it is done too fast for the comedy to percolate. We barely have time to figure out who the character is before there's another one. And another. Things are better in succeeding episodes.
70
LA Weekly Robert Abele
As with any sketch show, it’s all ultimately a hit-and-miss affair, but Ullman’s circus-freak virtuosity as a shape shifter-- and director Troy Miller’s rapid-fire pacing--are enough to carry you past the rough spots.
67
Entertainment Weekly Clark Collins
Many of the sketches are not funny per se--but some are not meant to be. [28 Mar 2008, p.63]
63
New York Post Linda Stasi
I don't know why Tracey Ullman's State of the Union isn't funny. Maybe it's just that the whole thing comes across as too jaded, or maybe impersonating and skewering people also requires that the comic walk the fine line between funny and cruel. And honestly, cruel stops well short of knee-slapper.
60
Los Angeles Times Mary McNamara
Not surprisingly, given the scope of the show, some topics are nailed brilliantly--Chanel, the airport security agent, is perhaps among the greatest TV characters in recent history, and the adoption of an American child by an African actress is equally hilarious--while others, like local newscaster Alvarez or the pregnant senior citizen, are flat and trite or flat and weird.
60
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Rob Owen
For all the show's missteps, there's always Ullman's undeniable talent to entertain. Her parodies of women (e.g. Renee Zellweger, playing a movie character who suffers from "chronic narcissistic squint") generally succeed better than her men.
60
New York Magazine John Leonard
Which isn’t to say that State of the Union is merely wicked fun, mean games, and goofy looks. Ullman’s America needs work.
40
TV Guide Matt Roush
We know Ullman has range. What this Union needs is focus.
 The average user rating for this tv show is 6.1 (out of 10) based on 7 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Discuss this tv show in our forums
|
|
GameSpot | GameFAQs | SportsGamer | Metacritic | MP3.com | TV.com
