Martin: The Complete First Season

The show that catapulted then-little-known comedian Martin Lawrence to national prominence caused a sensation when it premiered in August 1992, several weeks before the TV season officially got underway. The early debut turned out to be a canny move by the Fox network: with relatively little to write about, reviewers and columnists lavished attention on Martin and its talented, energetic star. Lawrence played radio personality (and later TV personality) Martin Payne, whose outrageous on-air remarks frequently got him into trouble with listeners—especially his girlfriend, Gina Waters (Tisha Campbell), who lambastes him in the pilot episode, “Beauty and the Beast,” for making comments demeaning to women (a frequent bone of contention on this show). The 27 episodes from the debut season are uneven, but standouts include “Credit Card Blues,” in which Martin and a pal are actually arrested for credit-card fraud, forcing Gina and friends Tommy (Thomas Mikal Ford), Cole (Carl Anthony Payne II), and Pam (Tichina Arnold) to scramble for bail money, and “Checks, Lies, and Videotape,” which guest stars David Alan Grier as flamboyant preacher and con man Leon Lonnie Lane, who fleeces Martin's mom and then finds himself targeted by the justifiably miffed broadcaster. When Martin's writers were really cooking, they turned out some of the best sitcom episodes that aired during the 1992-93 season, but even the weaker entries are watchable thanks to Lawrence's high-energy performances. DVD extras include audio commentary with Lawrence on selected scenes, and a blooper reel. Recommended. (E. Hulse)