The Richard Pryor Show (1977)

Starring: Richard Pryor, Allegra Allison, Sandra Bernhard, Tim Reid, Robin Williams, Paul Mooney

More info: IMDb

Plot: Richard Pryor's 1977 comedy special on NBC was so successful that the network offered him a 10-week contract for his own show, but scheduling issues and other production difficulties reduced the schedule to only four shows. Those hours, however, are widely regarded to be among the best of Pryor's career. His mixture of political satire and sharp wit kept guests John Belushi, Maya Angelou, Robin Williams, Sandra Bernhard and more on their toes.

My rating: 2/10

Will I watch it again? NOOOOOOOO!

To quote Luke Skywalker, "What a piece of junk!". Indeed. I was 8 when this show aired and I think I would have laughed my ass off if I had seen it then. I've grown since then and I ain't laughin'. It's rare that I will write up a TV series and I think I will only when I've seen the entire run which means I'll have to get around to BATTLESTAR GALACTICA and LOST at some point. This show lasted 4 episodes. There shouldn't have been even one. This is incredibly unfunny. There's gobs of filler with dance routines and vocal performances. I didn't laugh once. The only sketch I thought was interesting was the one where Pryor goes into a gun shop to buy a gun but every gun he looks at talks to him, eventually changing his mind and leaves. It's a heavy-handed statement for gun control but it is interesting just the same. My main interest in seeing it is because it's got some really early performances by Sandra Bernhard (she needs to have my babies in a BIG way) and Robin Williams. They're not funny, either, but I blame that and the entire show on poor writing. Pryor & co. can be very, very funny but not here. This is just awful.