Bee Boy — Wed, 4/11/07 11:54pm

2009?

(It appears I have some obligation to invoke Leno in this space.)

If only we could similarly shame the creators of NBC's Thank God You're Here. I anticipated that show very eagerly, and they fell so far short of its promise. (Granted, I'd eagerly anticipate being catheterized with a garden hose if Dave Foley were involved – I love the man.) It's not wholly unfunny, but it confuses "improvisation" with "being put on the spot" and, worse, violates the one cardinal rule of improv: "yes-and." The recurring cast is constantly trying to steer the guests back onto the script (?) by heading off their creativity and "correcting" their improv. Stranger still, they appear to be mostly improv vets, with Second City and other troupes on their CVs. More heavy-handed network intervention, I guess. What a shame.

I'll keep watching, of course. Even Dave Foley's reaction shots are fantastic. Thankfully, NBC used most of its Awesome Reputation Ruining Ointment on Jeff Goldblum this season, leaving precious little to taint Foley with.