At a time when TV comedy seems split between run-of-the-mill sitcoms and not-really-funny comedy-drama hybrids, there’s something hugely refreshing about “Sherman’s Showcase,” a show that makes you giggle before you realize, “Hey, that’s pretty smart.”
The new IFC series is created by and stars Bashir Salahuddin (“GLOW,” “South Side”) and Diallo Riddle (“Marlon,” “South Side”), who both star. Salahuddin plays Sherman McDaniels, host of a musical variety show called “Sherman’s Showcase,” who greets his viewers by calling them “cats and kittens.”
Presented as segments from an extended infomercial for the “partially completed 23 DVD box set” of the four decades of the show (only $19.99!), “Sherman’s Showcase” is obviously a goofy parody of “Soul Train” and “Solid Gold.”
There are plenty of delectably cheesy scenes of Afro-sporting dancers and the host, inevitably clad in a sparkly blazer, all whooping it up beneath a disco ball on the show’s chintzy set.
So far, so accurate, at least when it comes to the syndicated music shows that aired at non-primetime hours (“Sherman’s Showcase” airs, we’re told, on Saturday mornings).
In the first of the eight episodes, John Legend plays a spoofy version of himself (he’s also one of the executive producers), who takes a brief break from bragging about his “EGOT” status (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony award-winner) to tell infomercial viewers about “Sherman’s Showcase.”
The program was, Legend says, for more than 40 years, a “revolutionary black music, slash dance, slash entertainment program, unlike anything else on TV, except for several other shows.”
Which then leads to an onscreen crawl of shows including, “Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert,” “The Crown (Season 1)”, “True Detective (the last ten minutes of that one episode)” and “Saved By the Bell (the season where they worked at the beach).”
“Sherman’s Showcase” absolutely nails the nostalgic appeal of music programs like “Soul Train.” But Salahuddin and Riddle don’t stop there. The show is overflowing with spot-on spoofs of every sort of pop culture creation, from hard-bitten cop movies to cheerfully huckstering commercials.
Salahuddin and Riddle take advantage of the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s and ‘00s settings, peppering it all with jokes about yesterday’s phenoms-turned-today’s museum pieces (“today’s episode is brought to you by VHS, the future of film, watch movies in your own house for just $200 a tape!”).
“Sherman’s Showcase” is also clever and cutting about the differences between black and white entertainment and culture. Introducing the first episode, in 1972, a crochety announcer informs viewers that “’The John Birch Comedy Hour’ will not be seen today,” so they can present “this Afro-American content.”
In a later episode, Sherman tells viewers he’s been getting flak from network bosses about his show being “too black.” So, he does a commercial for an exciting new collection, “Now That’s What I Call White Music!” featuring hits from David Bowie, One Republic, and the entire “Aja” album, by Steely Dan.
Some episodes are less consistently good, and the season finale doesn’t quite work. But it’s hard to feel anything but delightfully entertained by “Sherman’s Showcase,” and its totally game guest stars (including Tiffany Haddish, Nigel Lythgoe, Morris Day, Quincy Jones, Mario Van Peebles and Natasha Bedingfield).
“Sherman’s Showcase” will make you think. And, unlike a lot of contemporary comedies, it will definitely make you laugh.
“Sherman’s Showcase” premieres at 10 p.m. Wednesday, July 31 on IFC.
-- Kristi Turnquist
kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist
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