Comic & puppeteer Marc Weiner created a throwback to the earliest days of children's television with Weinerville, which aired on Nickelodeon from 1993-97, with original episodes produced through 1994.
The basic concept was Weiner serving as host of a combination comedy-variety show that also contained some game show elements and old cartoons that hadn't seen the light of day in years. Weiner also contributed not just his voice but his face to the odd puppets used on the show. Thanks to the magic of videotape, Weiner could interact with some of his puppet alter-egos, including Mayor Dottie and bandleader Cocktail Frank.
Following is a sample episode:
Two seasons were produced, but the series continued in reruns for another three years because it was so popular. When it launched, Weinerville aired four back-to-back episodes on Sundays, but it wasn't long before Nickelodeon realized they had a huge hit on their hands and began airing it weekdays, as well as Saturdays. In hindsight, they gave up on the show way, way too soon. Compared to the product out now, Weinerville would always be welcome.
Rating: A.
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