The BEST episodes of The Critic season 1

Every episode of The Critic season 1, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The Critic season 1!

A down-on-his-luck film critic named Jay Sherman who gets no respect at home or at work, reviews pathetic movies in his spare time.

Last Updated: 3/14/2024Network: FOXStatus: Ended
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Dr. Jay
star
7.85
62 votes

#1 - Dr. Jay

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 6/29/1994

Jay's boss, Duke, has just made a new invention, "Phillips-o-Vision" which alters movies to make them more "like-able". Jay is disgusted with Duke's invention but when Duke is discovered to have a fatal disease, Jay must find a cure for Duke's ailment.

Directors: Dan Jeup
Writer: Jon Vitti
Watch Now:Amazon
Eyes on the Prize
star
7.82
62 votes

#2 - Eyes on the Prize

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 3/2/1994

Jay celebrates his 1000th episode but the episode is less than successful. Ratings get worse so Jay seeks image consultant, Adolph Hitmaker, for advice. The advice is unsuccessful and Jay is fired. Jay gets a new job on a show which teaches English for cab drivers but Jay is unhappy so he decides to win himself another Pulitzer Prize.

Writer: Tom Brady
Watch Now:Amazon
A Pig-Boy and His Dog
star
7.74
54 votes

#3 - A Pig-Boy and His Dog

Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 7/20/1994

Eleanor is bored and feeling depressed with her life so he attempts to become an author and write a book. She writes a children's book called The Fat Little Pig which Jay learns is modeled after him which does not leave him very pleased. Meanwhile, Jay tries to get along with his new pet dog.

Directors: Bret Haaland
A Little Deb Will Do You
star
7.74
61 votes

#4 - A Little Deb Will Do You

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 2/23/1994

Eleanor is determined to have her daughter, Margo, attend the annual debutantes ball as it is a tradition in her family. When Margo is reluctantly forced into it, Jay decides to accompany her. Meanwhile, Jay competes in his time slot against children's idol Humphrey the Hippo.

Directors: L.H. MacMullan
Watch Now:Amazon
L.A. Jay
star
7.71
65 votes

#5 - L.A. Jay

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 6/22/1994

Jay is offered to write the screenplay for a new movie, Ghostchasers III, so he takes a break from his show to go to L.A. to write the new movie and experience Hollywood life but the movie producer isn't satisfied with Jay's script.

Directors: Bret Haaland
Watch Now:Amazon
Marathon Mensch
star
7.65
62 votes

#6 - Marathon Mensch

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 6/8/1994

When the studio catches fire during Jay's show, he collapses and must be rescued from the fire by Doris. When the news reports Jay's being rescued, he gets a reputation as being a wimp so he tries to prove his manliness by running in the New York marathon which tends to be more tiresome than it seems.

Directors: Susie Dietter
Writer: Judd Apatow
Dial 'M' For Mother
star
7.58
76 votes

#7 - Dial 'M' For Mother

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 2/16/1994

Jay is considered to be one of the most unpopular men on Earth (ranking even worse than Adolph Hitler) so Duke attempts to spruce up the show to get more people interested. When this doesn't work, Jay decides to soften his image by going on the "Geraldo Show" with his mother but Jay gets an even worse reputation when his mother embarrasses him to the point where he tells her to "shut up".

Directors: Bret Haaland
Watch Now:Amazon
Pilot
star
7.53
163 votes

#8 - Pilot

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/26/1994

Film critic Jay Sherman falls in love with actress Valerie Fox. Jay's family and friends worry that Valerie is using him to get a good movie review. Does she truly care for him?

Directors: Rich Moore
Watch Now:Amazon
Miserable
star
7.50
96 votes

#9 - Miserable

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 2/16/1994

Jay, noticing everyone in New York has a fiancee except him, begins to feel unloved. Things change when he goes to review the movie, Indecent Proposal II, and falls in love with the projectionist screening the movie. They arrange a date at her house where she is revealed to have an obsession with Jay to the point where she kidnaps him and ties him to a bed holding him hostage.

Directors: Dan Jeup
Watch Now:Amazon
Every Doris Has Her Day
star
7.45
62 votes

#10 - Every Doris Has Her Day

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 6/1/1994

Jay is given two tickets to a new play based on The Hunchback of Notre Dame. He tries to find a date but no woman will go with him so he goes with Doris instead. Surprisingly, Jay and Doris have a good time and their relationship eventually blossoms. One day Doris recalls she has a son she put up for adaption. Jay mentions he is adapted and both start to think they are biological mother and son and must find more evidence.

Watch Now:Amazon
Marty's First Date
star
7.31
85 votes

#11 - Marty's First Date

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 2/2/1994

Marty invites his Jay to career day at his school where Marty develops a crush on a Cuban girl named Carmen. They go on a date but when Carmen decides to fly back to Cuba, Marty follows her and Jay must get his son back.

Directors: Alan Smart
Watch Now:Amazon
Uneasy Rider
star
7.14
57 votes

#12 - Uneasy Rider

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 7/13/1994

Jay is asked by Duke to use his show to promote a new product, "Savvy Indian Chewing Tobacco". Jay doesn't want to promote tobacco so he tears up his contract and quits. He finds a new career in truck driving where he is praised by the other truckers but starts to realize the importance of his other job.

Directors: Alan Smart
Watch Now:Amazon
A Day at the Races and a Night at the Opera
star
7.12
59 votes

#13 - A Day at the Races and a Night at the Opera

Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 7/6/1994

After Marty fails to win an event at his school field day, he is feeling very low so Jay tries to improve his self-confidence by getting him interested in playing guitar and putting him in the school talent show. Meanwhile, Them Magazine names Jay "the wittiest man alive" so Duke offers to pay everyone who doesn't laugh at Jay's show $100 which doesn't go over very well.

Directors: L.H. MacMullan
Writer: Ken Keeler
Watch Now:Amazon