The acerbic persona that Norm MacDonald fashioned for himself on Saturday Night Live became the basis for a sitcom that launched in 1999, with MacDonald starring as Norm Henderson, a crude, socially inappropriate, childish, and obliviously blunt former pro hockey player serving community service time as a social worker in lieu of going to prison after being arrested for gambling and tax evasion. Created by MacDonald and Bruce Helford (The Drew Carey Show), The Norm Show is a workplace sitcom with an especially sarcastic attitude, as MacDonald smirks his way through the usual raft of blithely offensive remarks aimed at both clients and co-workers—especially meek boss Max (Max Wright), who joins the show in the second season, along with Artie Lange as Norm's half-brother and Faith Ford as his parole officer and eventual love interest. Other cast members include Laurie Metcalf and Ian Gomez as Norm's best friends and co-workers, Nikki Cox as a former hooker Norm hires as the office receptionist, and Tommy Smothers, who portrays Norm's racist, bullying father in a pair of episodes. Mostly powered by insensitive humor, the series ran for three seasons total (titled simply Norm after the debut season). Compiling all 54 episodes, DVD extras include eight episode commentaries by MacDonald and Helford, and an episode guide booklet. Not recommended. (S. Axmaker)
The Norm Show: The Complete Series
Shout! Factory, 8 discs, 1,200 min., not rated, DVD: $59.98 Volume 25, Issue 6
The Norm Show: The Complete Series
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