- Network: SHOWTIME
- Series Premiere Date: Mar 30, 2008
Critic Reviews
- Critic score
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- By date
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Vulgar and brazenly racy, it's unlike anything else on TV.
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Her comic style is familiar, but much of Ms. Ullman’s material is fresh and up-to-date.
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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.
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The fantastic Ms. Ullman is as funny as ever, depicting a new slew of characters in sketches that mock the way we are.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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A sharp if uneven Whitmanian sampler.
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Many of the sketches are not funny per se--but some are not meant to be. [28 Mar 2008, p.63]
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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.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 4 out of 10
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Mixed: 2 out of 10
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Negative: 4 out of 10
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allysontApr 14, 2009Not funny, mean spirited, and boring. I was very surprised, I wanted to like it.
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[Anonymous]Apr 21, 2008I just do not find it at all funny....a laugh or two at best.,but I liked her old show characters much better. This show is flat.
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AlP.Apr 11, 2008I wanted to like it, watched first two weeks. This show needs to be put out of it's misery.