Richard Pryor's brief 1977 flirtation with television is presented in this three-disc collection featuring his acclaimed TV special with guest stars John Belushi and Maya Angelou and his controversial weekly sketch comedy series that was aborted after only four episodes. Pryor's legendary long-running feud with the NBC censors was not entirely a losing proposition for the funnyman, who liberally spiced his programs with sharp racial commentary and outlandish humor (including an unapologetic use of the "N" word) that was uncommon for primetime in that era, although the network forbid him to use an emasculation sight gag which is presented here in a very rare outtake. Boasting hilarious spoofs--of samurai epics, spaghetti Westerns, and a wicked parody of cannibalistic Ugandan dictator Idi Amin--and a savvy ensemble of young comics, most notably Robin Williams and Sandra Bernhard, the TV episodes may lack the raw energy and intense comic anger which emboldened Pryor's standup performances and classic films, but this was nonetheless a brilliant, daring, and edgy endeavor which often took outlandish risks (such as an extended sketch about the 1920s trial of a black man accused of molesting a white woman, played for burlesque-worthy broad laughs). DVD extras include a pair of deleted scenes with Robin Williams, alternate opening, outtakes, and a Q&A segment with Pryor. A sterling landmark in television comedy, this is highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (P. Hall)
The Richard Pryor Show
Image, 3 discs, 247 min., not rated, DVD: $29.99 July 12, 2004
The Richard Pryor Show
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