Mad TV season 5
Season Summary
MADtv: Season Five
Season five of MADtv went without many changes to the cast. The previous year's newcomers, Michael McDonald and Mo Collins, became arguably the most prominent performers on the show. The two successful sketch players kept performing as Stuart and Doreen Larkin while, separately, appeared as their other successful characters and more celebrities.
This was also the last season for Pat Kilbane and Phil LaMarr, who was on the show since it began.
Another highlight of the season was the frequent appearance of Alex Borstein's Ms. Swan, who starred in her own multipart sketch "Swan: The Homecoming." Each sketch featured special celebrity appearances by the likes of Garry Marshall, Mark Hammill, Dennis Hopper, Susan Sarandon, and Tony Shaloub.
For the recent players. Nicole Sullivan would also be the first player to portray the air-headed pop star Britney Spears, who would make frequent appearances in her last two years. Will Sasso dramatically dropped all the weight he had since he began his tenure, which gave him an opportunity to impersonate more celebrities, including James Gandolfini.
A new sketch that would gain notoriety was Reality Check, a fictitious talk show on BET. Aries Spears and Debra Wilson played talk show hosts who complement each others cooking that they would make some attack on another. If a celebrity guest would make an insulting comment, they would give him/her a "Reality Check" where they would individually insult that celebrity, then top it off by saying "I'm through!"
Amongst the most noted guests of the season included former MADtv alum Artie Lange, as well as big name celebs such as Carmen Electra, Catherine O'Hara, George Carlin, Regis Philbin, Alex Borstein's Family Guy co-star Seth Green (as recurring character Mr. Brightling), and Tim Robbins. And, for the first time in a long time, during Seth Green's episode, legendary R&B group Earth, Wind & Fire performed in front of a studio audience.
Opening Montage:
The MADtv logo appears. The theme song, which is performed by the hip-hop group Heavy D & the Boyz, begins. Each member of the repertory cast (followed shortly by the featured cast) are introduced, alphabetically, in the following manner. First, after MADtv logo appears, the screen is totally divided into several multi screen live action color images of one cast member. Then the multi screens are reduced to three live action clips. Next the three live action clips are replaced by one black and white still phote of that cast member. Next his/her name appears in caption over the still black and white photo (which changes two more times). When the last featured cast member is introduced, the music stops and the title sequence ends with the phrase "You are now watching MADtv..."
Cast
Repertory players
- Alex Borstein
- Mo Collins
- Pat Kilbane
- Phil LaMarr
- Michael McDonald
- Will Sasso
- Aries Spears
- Nicole Sullivan
- Debra Wilson
Featured player
Episodes
The fifth season of MADtv aired from September 25, 1999 to May 20, 2000. There was a total of 22 episodes produced for that season. They were as follows:
| Episode | Airing Date | Host/Guest(s) | Sketches | Other notes |
| #501 | September 29, 1999 | Lisa Loeb | The cast of MADtv celebrate five years through a musical number. News anchors Ted Koppel (Pat Kilbane), Diane Sawyer (Mo Collins), and Bernard Shaw (Phil LaMarr) run for their lives in a parody of The Blair Witch Project. Babies get their own T-shirts stamped with scathing insults. Introducing a brand new teen drama called Pretty White Kids with Problems, with the theme song performed by Lisa Loeb. Stuart Larkin (Michael McDonald) is trapped in the well. Go behind the scenes of the new music video for Britney Spears (Nicole Sullivan). Will Sasso and Alex Borstein interview celebs at the Emmys. Tae-bo trainer Billy Blanks (Aries Spears), stars in his own movie. A couple (Aries Spears, Debra Wilson) struggle to tell each other the good news, but it leads to violence. | Season premiere |
| #502 | October 2, 1999 | Busta Rhymes (musical guest) | Promos for FOX's TV shows begin rolling while Mo Collins opens the show. Network PBS hopes to compete against The Sopranos with their own gritty drama, The Tenors. Hallie Kate Eisenberg (Alex Borstein) promotes Pepsi soda in a parody of the product's commercial. Lida (Nicole Sullivan) and Melina (Debra Wilson) get tickets to see Ricky Martin, but have a run-in with skanky slut Rosa (Mo Collins). Parodies of American Pie and Hollywood Squares. Swan: The Homecoming kicks off when Ms. Swan (Alex Borstein) has a trainee (Michael McDonald) watch her store while she's "on vacation." | |
| #503 | October 9, 1999 | Ladies man Rick (Phil LaMarr) recalls a quote from The Book of Rick. Chris Rock (Phil LaMarr) and Gearld Levert (Aries Spears) in a music video of how there are no black actors on TV,a spoof of Rock's There's no sex in the champange room song. On an episode of Politically Incorrect, Bill Maher (Phil LaMarr) discusses sexuality with guests Britney Spears (Nicole Sullivan), Bill Clinton (Will Sasso), Chris Burke (Michael McDonald), and Janeane Garofalo (Alex Borstein. Spishak promotes a game where couples trade insults and slap each other silly. The Stick Chicks go up against a Russian mobster (Will Sasso) disguised as an Orange Julietta employee. Jane Pauley (Alex Borstein) interviews director George Lucas (Will Sasso) about Star Wars. A father (Phil LaMarr) challenges his son (Aries Spears) to a little one-on-one basketball. Bunifa (Debra Wilson) cuts in line to get some fly clothes. | ||
| #504 | October 16. 1999 | Jesse Ventura (Will Sasso) clears the air about some rumors made about him, and introduces his saucy running mate. Now the "Scared Straight" program can be used in places other than prison. Alex Borstein introduces Hoppy Potty, a new pop group from Scandinavia. Rusty Miller (Michael McDonald) works as a peer counselor probing his latest patient (Nicole Sullivan). VH1 goes Behind the Music at how "Party All the Time", the hit song from Eddie Murphy (Aries Spears), became a success. Kenny Rogers (Will Sasso) hosts his own psychic reading show. While at a press conference, Hillary Clinton (Nicole Sullivan) makes some personal observations in her head. An armless masseuse (Pat Kilbane) prepares to perform a massage on a client (Mo Collins). | ||
| #505 | October 23, 1999 | Will Sasso and Aries Spears have been dropped from the cast, but stay on the show as DJ's. Charlton Heston (Pat Kilbane) plays all the parts in his new movie, The Stolen Ruby. Lida (Nicole Sullivan) and Melina (Debra Wilson) are contestants in a beauty pageant. Steven Seagal (Will Sasso) stars in the documentary Buddha or Bust, where he meets the dhali llama. Laughing scaredy-cat Mickey (Michael McDonald) annoys another passenger (Will Sasso) while on a plane. More drama with the Pretty White Kids with Problems. A soon-to-be employee (Phil LaMarr) constantly whines during his interview for a job. | ||
| #506 | October 30, 1999 | Illeana Douglas | Pandemonium breaks out outside of The Today Show's studio as Katie Couric (Nicole Sullivan) interviews Debra Wilson. Guest Illeana Douglas regrets coming into the studios of MADtv as the studio executives and cast members embarass her in the green room. The Vancome Lady (Nicole Sullivan) insults trick-or-treaters. Scandinavian supergroup Hoppy Potty performs a special Halloween song. Richard Simmons (Will Sasso) hopes to make dreams come true for a hapless woman (Nicole Sullivan). Lenny Kravitz (Phil LaMarr) reads stories and performs new songs. | Special Halloween episode |
| #507 | November 6, 1999 | Rebecca Gayheart, Martin Short, Bush | Special 100th episode begins with a musical number and recaps past show clips, and special guest Martin Short thinks he's on Saturday Night Live's 25th aniversary episode. Another episode of I Love Lucy. As Swan: The Homecoming continues, Ms. Swan (Alex Borstein) bothers another passenger (Will Sasso) and frequently calls the stewardess (Nicole Sullivan). On tonight's Entertainment Tonight, Mary Hart (Mo Collins) interviews Rebecca Gayheart and Sean Connery (Pat Kilbane) on the set of their new movie called Blue Heat. Stuart Larkin (Michael McDonald) makes friends with an ape at the zoo. MTV Fanatic invites Will Sasso to meet his idol - and cast member - Nicole Sullivan. | Special 100th episode |
| #508 | November 13, 1999 | Artie Lange, Mitch Pileggi | A parody of Fight Club has its members fighting like girls. Lorraine Swanson (Mo Collins) takes too much time to answer a question on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Tovah (Debra Wilson) and Belma (Aries Spears) give Martha Stewart (Mo Collins) a reality check. A kiddie show called Reading Caboose with political intrigue on how John F. Kennedy was killed. The X-Files star Mitch Pileggi is hounded by UBS deliverman Jaq (Phil LaMarr). A virginal couple (Michael McDonald, Nicole Sullivan) run into troubles before intercourse. On today's Inside the Actors Studio, James Lipton (Will Sasso) interviews Andie McDowell (Mo Collins). Artie Lange returns to MADtv to talk to the current cast about life after MADtv. | |
| #509 | November 20, 1999 | Lida (Nicole Sullivan) and Melina (Debra Wilson) force Michael McDonald to do his Stuart Larkin character. Meet the first gay rapper, Def Con 1 (Phil LaMarr). The O'Malley parents (Mo Collins, Michael McDonald) continue to bother their daughter Mimi (Nicole Sullivan) with their naked bodies. Will Sasso and Alex Borstein interview celebrities at the premiere for The World is Not Enough. The son Dolemite (Aries Spears) matches wits with Blackbelt Jones (Phil LaMarr), who has taken his pimp cane. Antonia (Nicole Sullivan) tries her hand at pottery, and falls in love with her teacher (Pat Kilbane). | Special Thanksgiving episode | |
| #510 | November 27, 1999 | Aries Spears invites an audience member to come on stage and partake in a sketch with him. Melanie Griffith (Nicole Sullivan) and Antonio Banderas (Pat Kilbane) are interviewed. Lida (Nicole Sullivan) and Melina (Debra Wilson) accost Ricky Martin (Nelson Ascencio) in his apartment. A spoof of Martial Law. Dateline takes a look at a new urban teen drama in the style of Dawson's Creek. The GAP troll (Alex Borstein) breaks in a new trainee. A Spanish talk show called Buenos Aries, San Diego has its hosts and guests speaking a mix of Spanish and English. No one is able to keep a straight face during the taping of a medical drama. | ||
| #511 | December 11, 1999 | Blondie (musical guest) | A parody of Mariah Carey's "Loverboy" is interrupted TRL-style by fans who think Carey has gone crazy. Blondie performs, then lead singer Deborah Harry plays the owner of a mini mart who must tend to the Larkins. An elderly couple (Pat Kilbane, Nicole Sullivan) try to hang up their Christmas decorations. Darlene McBride (Nicole Sullivan) records a racist Christmas album. William Shatner (Will Sasso) shows various brushes of death involving comedian Martin Lawrence (Aries Spears). | Special Christmas episode |
| #512 | January 8, 2000 | 98 Degrees | Steven Seagal "ushers" in the new millennium. FOX plugs a refreshingly new show about a teenage president (Alex Borstein) Two African-American comediennes (Aries Spears, Debra Wilson) host a talk show called Reality Check, in which mogul Donald Trump (Pat Kilbane) is interviewed. Monica Lewinsky (Alex Borstein) frequently gets hounded over her scandal while promoting handbags. Will Sasso and Alex Borstein attend the Billboard Music Awards and interview celebrities. Lorraine (Mo Collins) goes to a second-hand gift shop. TRL premieres a new musical video with 98 Degrees and The Three Tenors. Judith (Nicole Sullivan) and Clyde (Michael McDonald) insult little league baseball players. | The man yelling "MADtv! MADtv!" during Alex Borstein and Will Sasso's red carpet interviews at the Billboard Music Awards is actually Alex's husband Jackson Douglas. |
| #513 | January 15, 2000 | David Crosby (Will Sasso) reveals that he has fathered the baby of Melissa Etheridge (Mo Collins). A parody of Lou Bega's "Mambo #5" with Bill Clinton (Will Sasso). A board game based on the movie Angela's Ashes. An alien (Pat Kilbane) disguised as a human runs for president. Marvin Tikvah (Michael McDonald) meets an old flame (Mo Collins) at a yoga class. Kenny Rogers (Will Sasso) and Dolly Parton (Alex Borstein star in a Broadway version of Grease. Three teens (Pat Kilbane, Will Sasso, Aries Spears) have a wild night out. Jennifer Love Hewitt (Brooke Totman) makes the "mistake of her life" in a parody of Time of Your Life. Two oddball individuals (Aries Spears, Will Sasso) are able to calm a baby down. Pamela Anderson (Mo Collins) promotes a new show called Tactical Intelligence Team. Fictional band Friedo O'Keefe (Alex Borstein, Mo Collins) perform live. | ||
| #514 | January 29, 2000 | Tim Robbins | Aries Spears appears as Jesse Jackson sans makeup, and talks about minorities in MADtv. On an episode of Blind Date O.J. Simpson (Aries Spears) takes out a woman (Mo Collins) who is deadly afraid of him. An episode of the Rocket Revengers filmed in Excitocolor. An interview with the first African-American country singer (Phil LaMarr). Another installment of Stick Chicks in which Echo (Alex Borstein is the odd woman out. William Shatner (Will Sasso) hosts The Captain Kirk Show with guest Martha Stewart (Mo Collins). Tim Robbins guest appears on "Reading Caboose." | |
| #515 | February 5, 2000 | Todd Bridges, Mark Hammill, Carmen Electra, Mark Hammill, Third Eye Blind (musical guest) | A parody of Being John Malkovich with James Brown (Aries Spears). Lida (Nicole Sullivan) is about to get married, but trouble erupts when skanky slut Rosa (Mo Collins) reveals that she messed around with the soon-to-be-husband (Aries Spears). Todd Bridges stars in one of three ads for a candy bar made for African Americans. Will (Will Sasso) makes a video letter to his girlfriend until his sister (Alex Borstein) makes embarrassing comments about him. Mark Hammill guest stars as the father of Ms. Swan (Alex Borstein) in the latest installment of Swan: The Homecoming. During her driving test, Bunifa (Debra Wilson) gets her teacher (Michael McDonald) in trouble with some gangsters. Carmen Electra is a guest on Funky Walker, Dirty Talker. | |
| #516 | February 12, 2000 | David James Elliott, Regis Philbin, Q-Tip (musical guest) | MADtv executives pressure Regis Philbin into doing a parody of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, and winds up hosting a presidential edition. David James Elliott appears on Reading Caboose as the author of a children's book about the death of Marilyn Monroe. Stuart Larkin (Michael McDonald) goes to the pet shop. A murderer (Michael McDonald) poses as a mannequin. A man (Nelson Ascencio) prepares to kiss a girl. | |
| #517 | February 19, 2000 | Tyra Banks, Seth Green, Earth, Wind & Fire (musical guest) | The hosts of a show (Alex Borstein, Debra Wilson) have rather long last names that their guests (Mo Collins, Brooke Totman) can't pronounce. Rusty Miller (Michael McDonald) plays arcade trivia with another soon-to-be girlfriend (Mo Collins). Seth Green plays a wheelchair-bound boss who pushes employees around with the help of his mother (Alex Borstein). Tyra Banks plays one of many club members who use the names of Disney characters as nicknames. The son of Dolemite (Aries Spears) calls upon legendary funk group Earth Wind & Fire to stop the forces of earth, wind, and fire. | |
| #518 | February 26, 2000 | George Carlin, Tony Shaloub, The Cure (musical guest) | A parody of Malcolm in the Middle with Malcolm X (Aries Spears). Paul Timberman (Will Sasso) keeps getting in accidents thanks to his new product, the Wondertool 2000. Lorraine Swanson (Mo Collins) goes to an all-you-can-eat bar and bothers a waiter (Michael McDonald). Michael McDonald and Nicole Sullivan audition to appear on an episode of Law & Order. Fightin' Ron (Michael McDonald) makes an ass out of himself at a bar. Tony Shaloub appears as a cab driver in the latest installment of Swan: The Homecoming, where he and Ms. Swan (Alex Borstein) share a musical number. George Carlin stars in a parody of Touched By An Angel with atheist beliefs. | |
| #519 | March 18, 2000 | Marc Anthony (musical guest) | Michael McCloud (Will Sasso) and Jasmine Wayne-Wayne (Alex Borstein) open the show with a medley of their most famous songs. Now you can enjoy the atmosphere of movie theaters in your own home courtesy of Spishak. Steven Seagal (Will Sasso) stars in a movie with an entire scene filmed in letterbox format. Charlton Heston (Pat Kilbane) is a guest on Reality Check. A parody of Girl, Interrupted stars former Spice Girl Ginger Spice (Alex Borstein) and Whoopi Goldberg (Debra Wilson). Lost clips of The Wizard of Oz reveal that Dorothy (Mo Collins) was intimate with a slave (Aries Spears). Elvis Presley (Will Sasso) stars in a musical version of Planet of the Apes. Rappers Master P. (Aries Spears) and Mystikal (Debra Wilson) star in a parody of Casablanca. | Special Oscar edition |
| #520 | April 8, 2000 | Creed (musical guest) | Celine Dion (Mo Collins) announces her farewell tour, and her replacement (Alex Borstein). William Shatner (Will Sasso) promotes his own sperm bank. Elvis Presley (Will Sasso) shares fond memories with his bandmates Rudd (Pat Kilbane) and Charlie (Michael McDonald). The Stick Chicks have to deal with a plutonium thief (Will Sasso). A Turkey-born man (Pat Kilbane) owns his own website with creepy clips and a personal. A woman (Nicole Sullivan) interrupts a funeral with her phone calls. A crime drama focuses on two cops, one entirely covered in white (Alex Borstein) and another covered in black (Aries Spears). | |
| #521 | April 15, 2000 | Judge Joe Brown | Luke Perry (Pat Kilbane) and a panel of guests send up a list of one-hit wonders. Jewel (Mo Collins) hosts her own show in an alley full of homeless hobos. Jack Nicholson (Pat Kilbane), Prince (Phil LaMarr), and Steven Seagal (Will Sasso) don't want Eddie Murphy (Aries Spears) to join their slumber party. A Scotsman (Will Sasso) makes lewd discoveries about ancient products at an Antiques Road Show in Cleveland. A handicapped nerd (Brooke Totman) is ecstatic to meet Shania Twain (Mo Collins) on MTV Fanatic. During an after-marriage party, a woman (Brooke Totman) keeps hounding her sister (Mo Collins) and makes out publicly with her own lover (Will Sasso). Allison (Alex Borstein) sings before being promoted to chairsperson. Bunifa (Debra Wilson) appears on trial, with Judge Joe Brown as himself. | |
| #522 | April 29, 2000 | David Arquette, Goo Goo Dolls (musical guest) | David Arquette opens up the show as El Asso Wipo, and stars in a sketch as the leader of a group of unorthodox Bible worshipers. The Sopranos are contestants on Family Feud, hosted by Paulie 'Walnuts' Gualtieri (Michael McDonald). Laughing scaredy-cat Mickey (Michael McDonald) keeps laughing and annoys another patient (Alex Borstein) to a heart attack in the waiting room. Stuart Larkin (Michael McDonald) joins his mom (Mo Collins) at work, and eventually pesters one of her co-workers (Nicole Sullivan). The Ramseys (Alex Borstein, Michael McDonald) host their own talk show, but receive less than enthusiastic remarks from callers. | |
| #523 | May 6, 2000 | Dennis Hopper, Garry Marshall, Susan Sarandon | MADtv executives hire Susan Sarandon as a cast member on the sketch variety show. The guest also appears as a hooker who takes the virginity of Rusty Miller (Michael McDonald) on his 18th birthday. Reporter Sam Donaldson (Pat Kilbane) shows some attempts of murder toward the Kennedy family. Swan: The Homecoming is actually a movie idea by Ms. Swan (Alex Borstein) which she pitches to Garry Marshall; the movie features Susan Sarandon as Ms. Swan and Dennis Hopper as the detective who interrogates her. James Brown (Aries Spears) listens to bedtime stories by his mother (Debra Wilson). Lorraine (Mo Collins) looks at various beds. | |
| #524 | May 13, 2000 | George Carlin, Catherine O'Hara, Tony Shaloub | Will Sasso loses weight, but his new body puts a damper on his schtick, so he gains his weight back. Blaxploitation actress Cocoa Latite (Debra Wilson) promotes a new breakfast cereal comprised of afro hair. In a parody of Laverne & Shirley the sitcom duo (Alex Borstein, Mo Collins) hope to get some play. Aries Spears hosts his own show where he questions Will Sasso and special guest Tony Shaloub about their love lives. Catherine O'Hara plays a divorcee on a blind date at a karaoke bar. George Carlin stars on The Reading Caboose, where he discusses that the Apollo 13 landing didn't happen. | |
| #525 | May 20, 2000 | Tyra Banks | The best sketches of the past season are featured in this episode. Parody of Love Connection. Tyra Banks plays a store manager who gives as good as she gets to cranky customer Bunifa (Debra Wilson), who tries to return worn-out shoes. Antonia (Nicole Sullivan) messes with a guard in the U.K. More mishaps with Paul Timberman (Will Sasso). | Season finale |
Notes
- This was the final season to feature Phil LaMarr and Pat Kilbane. LaMarr's depature would leave Nicole Sullivan and Debra Wilson as the only two original cast members, as the program entered firmly into the 21st century.
- This season also marked marked the introduction of featured players Brooke Totman and MADtv's first Hispanic cast member, Nelson Ascencio. Totman's contract was not renewed for the following season, however, Asencio would be retained.
DVD releases
As of November 2006, there have been no video or DVD release of MADtv Season Five.