It's Garry Shandling's Show
Encyclopedia
It's Garry Shandling's Show is an American sitcom which was initially broadcast on Showtime from 1986
to 1990
. It was created by Garry Shandling
and Alan Zweibel
. The show is notable for its frequent use of breaking the fourth wall
to allow characters to speak directly to the audience. In the UK its format would inspire Sean Hughes
to create Sean's Show
.
, somewhat self-obsessed stand-up comedian, who just happens to be aware he is a TV sitcom character. Garry spends just as much time interacting with the studio audience as he does the regular cast members, offering up opening monologue
s and show-closing summations of the episode's events (much like George Burns
on The Burns and Allen Show). On Garry's show, however, all the supporting characters know they are on a TV show, not just Garry; and the studio audience is often in the storyline. In one episode, Garry invites them to make themselves at home after he leaves the scene (they end up throwing a raucous party); in another, a surprise birthday party for Garry's mother goes awry when the audience's shout of "Surprise!" causes her to have a heart attack. In a memorable episode, Garry moves out of town, with his apartment (and show) taken over by Red Buttons; when Garry tries to return, his friends admit they like Red better.
At the time of the show's production, Garry Shandling actually lived in Sherman Oaks, CA, just like the character on the TV show. His condominium on the show was styled to be just like his real-life condo, down to the room layout and the furnishings.
Storylines were often manipulated by Shandling to create more favorable outcomes, or simply to speed things along (one episode ended years later, for example). On America's presidential election night in 1988, Showtime presented a live episode wherein Shandling brought in Soul Train
host Don Cornelius
to incorrectly announce that Michael Dukakis
had soundly defeated George H. W. Bush
.
The show's bouncy, well-remembered theme song was "This is the Theme to Garry's Show", sung by Los Angeles musician Bill Lynch. The song's lyrics are self-referencing, explaining how the song came to be ("Garry called me up and asked if I would write his theme song") and asking what the listener thinks of it.
Considered a critical and niche
success, It's Garry Shandling's Show ran 72 episodes and was on the air for four seasons (1986–1990). The show was later picked up by Fox Broadcasting Company
from 1988 to 1990 as part of its Sunday night lineup; Fox began airing the show from the beginning, but due to longer seasons for network shows versus cable
, had caught up by the time the show left Fox in March 1990. New episodes continued for a few months thereafter on Showtime. The show introduced much of the country to Shandling and paved the way for his more successful run as late-night talk show host Larry Sanders on HBO's The Larry Sanders Show
.
While fighting ovarian cancer
, Gilda Radner
guest-starred as herself on the show in 1988 in what would be her final television appearance. When Shandling asked her why she had not been seen on television for a while, Radner replied, "Oh, I had cancer. What did you have?"
were the executive producers of the show.
Seasons 1 and 2 of the show were aired in the UK on BBC2 over three series from 1987 to 1990. The airdates did not follow the original episode sequence. An initial season of 10 episodes aired on Sunday nights at 18:50 BST from 5 July-20 September 1987. Two further episodes were aired on 19 November and 3 December, 1987. A second season of 8 episodes, drawn from the end of series 1 and the beginning of series 2 was shown on Tuesday nights at around 22:20 BST from 31 May-2 August 1988. A Christmas special was shown on Christmas Eve 1989, preceding a third and final season, returned to Sunday nights at 18:10 GMT, which ran 18 February-15 April 1990.
for Funniest Male Performance in a Comedy Series-Cable or Syndicated, and an award for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy in 1988 from the Television Critics Association
.
released It's Garry Shandling's Show: The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1. The 16-disc set features extensive bonus features including featurettes, commentaries and outtakes. Time praised the set's release, writing "As self-referential comedies went, you never meta
better one", while Entertainment Weekly
named it one of the best TV on DVD releases of 2009.
The first season of the series was released as a stand-alone title in America in April 2010, and the first two seasons have been released in the United Kingdom by Fabulous Films (which owns the distribution rights to many of Shout! Factory's releases) with the US sets' extras ported in their entirety.
1986 in television
The year 1986 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1986.For the American network television schedule, please see 1986-87 American network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:*September 6 –...
to 1990
1990 in television
For the American TV schedule, see: 1990-91 United States network television schedule.The year 1990 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1990.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
. It was created by Garry Shandling
Garry Shandling
Garry Emmanuel Shandling is an American comedian, actor and writer. He is best known for his work in It's Garry Shandling's Show and The Larry Sanders Show....
and Alan Zweibel
Alan Zweibel
Alan Zweibel is an American producer and writer who has worked on such productions as Saturday Night Live, PBS' Great Performances, and It's Garry Shandling's Show.-Early life:...
. The show is notable for its frequent use of breaking the fourth wall
Fourth wall
The fourth wall is the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a traditional three-walled box set in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play...
to allow characters to speak directly to the audience. In the UK its format would inspire Sean Hughes
Sean Hughes (comedian)
Sean Hughes is a British-Irish stand-up comedian, writer and actor.-Career:Hughes was born in London, but spent most of his youth in Firhouse, Dublin...
to create Sean's Show
Sean's Show
Sean's Show was a UK television situation comedy broadcast on Channel 4. Stand-up comedian Sean Hughes co-wrote and starred as a fictionalised version of himself, aware of the fact he was living in a sitcom .It received a nomination for the 1992 British Comedy Award for Best Channel 4...
.
Synopsis
The 30 minute series stars Garry Shandling as, more or less, himself: a neuroticNeurosis
Neurosis is a class of functional mental disorders involving distress but neither delusions nor hallucinations, whereby behavior is not outside socially acceptable norms. It is also known as psychoneurosis or neurotic disorder, and thus those suffering from it are said to be neurotic...
, somewhat self-obsessed stand-up comedian, who just happens to be aware he is a TV sitcom character. Garry spends just as much time interacting with the studio audience as he does the regular cast members, offering up opening monologue
Monologue
In theatre, a monologue is a speech presented by a single character, most often to express their thoughts aloud, though sometimes also to directly address another character or the audience. Monologues are common across the range of dramatic media...
s and show-closing summations of the episode's events (much like George Burns
George Burns
George Burns , born Nathan Birnbaum, was an American comedian, actor, and writer.He was one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, film, radio, television and movies, with and without his wife, Gracie Allen. His arched eyebrow and cigar smoke punctuation became...
on The Burns and Allen Show). On Garry's show, however, all the supporting characters know they are on a TV show, not just Garry; and the studio audience is often in the storyline. In one episode, Garry invites them to make themselves at home after he leaves the scene (they end up throwing a raucous party); in another, a surprise birthday party for Garry's mother goes awry when the audience's shout of "Surprise!" causes her to have a heart attack. In a memorable episode, Garry moves out of town, with his apartment (and show) taken over by Red Buttons; when Garry tries to return, his friends admit they like Red better.
At the time of the show's production, Garry Shandling actually lived in Sherman Oaks, CA, just like the character on the TV show. His condominium on the show was styled to be just like his real-life condo, down to the room layout and the furnishings.
Storylines were often manipulated by Shandling to create more favorable outcomes, or simply to speed things along (one episode ended years later, for example). On America's presidential election night in 1988, Showtime presented a live episode wherein Shandling brought in Soul Train
Soul Train
Soul Train is an American musical variety show that aired in syndication from October 1971 to March 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists, although funk, jazz, disco, and gospel artists have also appeared.As a nod to Soul Trains...
host Don Cornelius
Don Cornelius
Donald Cortez "Don" Cornelius is an American television show host and producer who is best known as the creator of the nationally syndicated dance/music franchise Soul Train, which he hosted from 1971-1993...
to incorrectly announce that Michael Dukakis
Michael Dukakis
Michael Stanley Dukakis served as the 65th and 67th Governor of Massachusetts from 1975–1979 and from 1983–1991, and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988. He was born to Greek immigrants in Brookline, Massachusetts, also the birthplace of John F. Kennedy, and was the longest serving...
had soundly defeated George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
.
The show's bouncy, well-remembered theme song was "This is the Theme to Garry's Show", sung by Los Angeles musician Bill Lynch. The song's lyrics are self-referencing, explaining how the song came to be ("Garry called me up and asked if I would write his theme song") and asking what the listener thinks of it.
Considered a critical and niche
Niche market
A niche market is the subset of the market on which a specific product is focusing; therefore the market niche defines the specific product features aimed at satisfying specific market needs, as well as the price range, production quality and the demographics that is intended to impact...
success, It's Garry Shandling's Show ran 72 episodes and was on the air for four seasons (1986–1990). The show was later picked up by Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
from 1988 to 1990 as part of its Sunday night lineup; Fox began airing the show from the beginning, but due to longer seasons for network shows versus cable
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
, had caught up by the time the show left Fox in March 1990. New episodes continued for a few months thereafter on Showtime. The show introduced much of the country to Shandling and paved the way for his more successful run as late-night talk show host Larry Sanders on HBO's The Larry Sanders Show
The Larry Sanders Show
The Larry Sanders Show is a satirical television sitcom that aired from August 1992 to May 1998 on the HBO cable television network in the United States. It starred stand-up comedian Garry Shandling as vain, neurotic talk show host Larry Sanders, and centered on the running of his TV show, and the...
.
Cast
Throughout the series, the cast was divided into the "Starring" cast, whose names were featured in the opening credits; the "Co-Starring" cast and the "Guest Starring" cast, both of which had the actors' names featured in the end credits.Starring
- Garry ShandlingGarry ShandlingGarry Emmanuel Shandling is an American comedian, actor and writer. He is best known for his work in It's Garry Shandling's Show and The Larry Sanders Show....
as Garry Shandling - Immature star/host of the show. Constantly obsessed with his hair. - Geoffrey BlakeGeoffrey Blake (actor)Geoffrey Lewis Blake is an American film and television actor.Blake was born in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Marjorie Myers and Avery Felton Blake. Blake's film credits include Contact, Young Guns, Forrest Gump, and Cast Away...
as Lewis (early season 1) - Garry's ladies' man friend. Dropped from the series after the first run of six episodes. - Molly CheekMolly CheekMolly Cheek is an American actress who played the mother of main character Jim Levenstein in the 1999 film American Pie. She also played Garry's best friend on the television show It's Garry Shandling's Show....
as Nancy Bancroft - Garry's "attractive but nonthreatening platonic neighbor." - Jessica HarperJessica HarperJessica Harper is an American actress and producer, as well as a singer and author of children's music and books.-Early life:...
as Phoebe Bass (season 4) - Garry's girlfriend and eventual wife. - Scott Nemes as Grant Schumacher - Garry's neighbor, teenage son of Pete and Jackie Schumacher.
- Michael TucciMichael TucciMichael Tucci is an American film, TV, and stage actor.-Biography:He played the T-Birds member Sonny LaTierri for the 1978 film version Grease, a role that he is best known for. He portrayed law student Gerald Golden in the TV series The Paper Chase from 1983 to 1986...
as Pete Schumacher - Garry's close friend and neighbor. Father of Grant and husband of Jackie. Very nerdy and clumsy. Leads his son's Cub Scout troop.
Co-starring
- Bernadette Birkett as Jackie Schumacher (mid-season 1 through season 4, recurring guest early season 1) - Garry's neighbor, Pete's wife and Grant's mother.
- Ian BuchananIan BuchananIan Buchanan is a Scottish television actor who appeared on the soap opera All My Children as Dr. Greg Madden.His first major work in the United States was playing the characters Duke Lavery on the soap General Hospital from 1986 to 1989, and Ian McFyfer in series three and four of the comedy...
as Ian McFyfer (mid-season 3 through season 4, recurring guest early season 3) - Nancy's boyfriend and eventual husband. - Barbara CasonBarbara CasonBarbara Cason was an American character actress. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, she began her career appearing in theatre and on local television in Memphis during the 1950s, where she notably co-founded and ran the Front St. Theatre.She relocated to New York City in 1967, becoming active in theatre...
as Ruth Shandling (seasons 2-4, recurring guest season 1) - Garry's elderly mother. - Paul WillsonPaul WillsonPaul Lee Willson is an American actor, most notable for his television work.Willson has played numerous guest characters on a variety of shows including Curb Your Enthusiasm, Boston Public, Caroline in the City, and Star Trek: Voyager...
as Leonard Smith (mid-season 1 through season 4, recurring guest early season 1) - The owner of Garry's condo complex who frequently drops by uninvited so that he can end up on-camera. He is a nuisance to Garry and his friends.
Recurring guest stars
- Bruno KirbyBruno KirbyBruno Kirby was an American film and television actor. He was perhaps best known for his roles in the Hollywood films City Slickers, When Harry Met Sally..., Good Morning, Vietnam, The Godfather Part II and Donnie Brasco.-Early life:Kirby was born Bruno Giovanni Quidaciolu, Jr. in New York City,...
as Brad Brillnick (seasons 3-4) - Garry's agent. - Richard FancyRichard FancyRichard Fancy is an American actor known for his long recurring role on Seinfeld as publisher Mr. Lippman, Elaine Benes' one-time boss. He appeared on the third and fourth seasons of It's Garry Shandling's Show as network boss Mr. Stravely. He also plays the Priest in the 1991 Film What About...
as Mr. Stravely (seasons 3-4) - network boss. - Roy BrocksmithRoy Brocksmith-Biography:Brocksmith was born in Quincy, Illinois, the son of Vera Marguerite and Otis E. Brocksmith, who was a mechanic. He graduated from Quincy University in 1970. He then moved to New York City where he began a career on Broadway...
as Mr. Guest (seasons 3-4) - Chi Ngo as Kim Moon (seasons 3-4)
- Danny DaytonDanny DaytonDanny Dayton was an American actor and television director. Beginning in the 1950s, he played many roles in film and on TV...
as Mr. Peck (seasons 2-3) - Comedy club owner. - Rob ReinerRob ReinerRobert "Rob" Reiner is an American actor, director, producer, writer, and political activist.As an actor, Reiner first came to national prominence as Archie and Edith Bunker's son-in-law, Michael "Meathead" Stivic, on All in the Family. That role earned him two Emmy Awards during the 1970s...
(seasons 1-3), Tom PettyTom PettyThomas Earl "Tom" Petty is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and was a founding member of the late 1980s supergroup Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. He has also performed under the pseudonyms of Charlie T...
(seasons 2-3), and Martin MullMartin MullMartin Mull is an American actor who has starred in his own television sitcom and acted in prominent films. He is also a comedian, painter, and recording artist...
(seasons 3-4) as themselves
While fighting ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer is a cancerous growth arising from the ovary. Symptoms are frequently very subtle early on and may include: bloating, pelvic pain, difficulty eating and frequent urination, and are easily confused with other illnesses....
, Gilda Radner
Gilda Radner
Gilda Susan Radner was an American comedian and actress, best known as one of the original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, for which she won an Emmy Award in 1978.-Early life:...
guest-starred as herself on the show in 1988 in what would be her final television appearance. When Shandling asked her why she had not been seen on television for a while, Radner replied, "Oh, I had cancer. What did you have?"
Crew
The show was created and written by Garry Shandling and Alan Zweibel. Shandling wrote 15 episodes of the show. Garry, Alan and Garry's manager Brad GreyBrad Grey
Brad Alan Grey is the Chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures, a position he has held since 2005. Under Grey’s leadership, Paramount has finished No.2 in market share in 2008, 2009 and 2010 despite releasing significantly fewer films than its competitors.Since arriving at Paramount in 2005,...
were the executive producers of the show.
Episode info
In the U.S., the show aired on Showtime: the first season aired on Wednesdays and the rest of the series aired on Sundays.| Season | Episodes | Premiere Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 | September 10, 1986 | April 10, 1987 |
| 2 | 17 | October 25, 1987 | March 18, 1988 |
| 3 | 20 | October 21, 1988 | April 21, 1989 |
| 4 | 19 | November 10, 1989 | May 25, 1990 |
Seasons 1 and 2 of the show were aired in the UK on BBC2 over three series from 1987 to 1990. The airdates did not follow the original episode sequence. An initial season of 10 episodes aired on Sunday nights at 18:50 BST from 5 July-20 September 1987. Two further episodes were aired on 19 November and 3 December, 1987. A second season of 8 episodes, drawn from the end of series 1 and the beginning of series 2 was shown on Tuesday nights at around 22:20 BST from 31 May-2 August 1988. A Christmas special was shown on Christmas Eve 1989, preceding a third and final season, returned to Sunday nights at 18:10 GMT, which ran 18 February-15 April 1990.
| Season | Episodes | Premiere Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 5 July, 1987 | 20 September, 1987 |
| # | 2 | 19 November, 1987 | 3 December, 1987 |
| 2 | 8 | 31 May 1988 | 2 August 1988 |
| # | 1 | 24 December 1989 | |
| 3 | 8 | 18 February, 1990 | 15 April, 1990 |
Season 1 (1986-1987)
| № | Title | Airdate (U.S.) | Airdate (U.K.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Day Garry Moved In" | Wednesday, September 10, 1986 | Sunday, July 5, 1987, 18:50 |
| 2 | "Grant Gets Broken" | Wednesday, September 17, 1986 | Sunday, July 12, 1987, 18:50 |
| 3 | "Garry Throws a Surprise Party" | Wednesday, September 24, 1986 | Sunday, July 19, 1987, 18:50 |
| 4 | "Foul Ball" | Wednesday, October 1, 1986 | Sunday, July 26, 1987, 18:50 |
| 5 | "The Graduate" | Wednesday, October 8, 1986 | Sunday, August 2, 1987, 18:50 |
| 6 | "It's Garry's Problem, But It's JoJo's Show" | Wednesday, October 15, 1986 | Thursday, November 19, 1987, 22:10 |
| 7 | "Garry Met a Girl Named Maria" | Wednesday, January 23, 1987 | Sunday, August 9, 1987, 18:50 |
| 8 | "Grant's Date" | Wednesday, January 30, 1987 | Sunday, September 13, 1987, 18:50 |
| 9 | "Pete Has an Affair" | Wednesday, February 6, 1987 | Tuesday, May 31, 1988, 22:25 |
| 10 | "Fate" | Wednesday, February 13, 1987 | Sunday, August 16, 1987, 18:50 |
| 11 | "The Morning After" | Wednesday, February 20, 1987 | Sunday, August 23, 1987, 18:50 |
| 12 | "Sarah" | Wednesday, March 6, 1987 | Thursday, December 3, 1987, 22:10 |
| 13 | "Laffie" | Wednesday, March 13, 1987 | Tuesday, June 7, 1988, 22:20 |
| 14 | "Dial L for Laundry" | Wednesday, March 20, 1987 | Tuesday, June 28, 1988, 22:20 |
| 15 | "Dinner with Garry" | Wednesday, April 3, 1987 | Sunday, September 20, 1987, 18:50 |
| 16 | "Force Boxman" | Wednesday, April 10, 1987 | Tuesday, July 5, 1988, 22:20 |
Season 2 (1987-1988)
| № | Title | Airdate (U.S.) | Airdate (U.K.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | "Who's Poppa?" | Sunday, October 25, 1987 | Tuesday, July 12, 1988, 22:20 |
| 18 | "No Baby, No Show" | Sunday, November 6, 1987 | Tuesday, July 19, 1988, 22:20 |
| 19 | "The Fugitive" | Sunday, November 13, 1987 | Tuesday, July 26, 1988, 22:15 |
| 20 | "The Schumakers Go to Hollywood" | Sunday, November 20, 1987 | Tuesday, August 2, 1988, 22:00 |
| 21 | "Nancy Gets Amnesia" | Sunday, November 27, 1987 | Sunday, February 18, 1990, 18:10 |
| 22 | "It's Garry and Anjelica's Show (Part 1)" | Sunday, December 4, 1987 | Sunday, March 18, 1990, 18:10 |
| 23 | "It's Garry and Anjelica's Show (Part 2)" | Sunday, December 11, 1987 | Sunday, March 25, 1990, 18:10 |
| 24 | "It's Garry Shandling's Christmas Show" | Saturday, December 17, 1987 | Sunday, December 24, 1989, 17:05 |
| 25 | "Killer Routine" | Sunday, January 8, 1988 | |
| 26 | "Mr. Sparks" | Sunday, January 15, 1988 | Sunday, February 25, 1990, 18:15 |
| 27 | "The Soccer Show" | Sunday, January 22, 1988 | Sunday, April 15, 1990, 18:25 |
| 28 | "Our Town" | Sunday, January 29, 1988 | Sunday, April 8, 1990, 18:20 |
| 29 | "Save the Planet" | Sunday, February 5, 1988 | |
| 30 | "The Grant Shuffle" | Sunday, February 12, 1988 | |
| 31 | "Go Go Goldblum" | Sunday, March 4, 1988 | |
| 32 | "Garry Falls Down a Hole" | Sunday, March 11, 1988 | Sunday, April 1, 1990, 18:10 |
| 33 | "Mr. Smith Goes to Nam" | Sunday, March 18, 1988 |
Season 3 (1988-1989)
| № | Title | Airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 34 | "Goin' Places" | Sunday, October 21, 1988 |
| 35 | "Pete's Got a Secret" | Sunday, October 28, 1988 |
| 36 | "What's Happening to Me?" | Sunday, November 4, 1988 |
| 37 | "Live Election Show" | Sunday, November 11, 1988 |
| 38 | "The Natural" | Sunday, December 2, 1988 |
| 39 | "Home Sweet Home" | Sunday, December 30, 1988 |
| 40 | "Vegas (Part 1)" | Sunday, January 6, 1989 |
| 41 | "Vegas (Part 2)" | Sunday, January 13, 1989 |
| 42 | "Save Mr. Peck's (Part 1)" | Sunday, February 3, 1989 |
| 43 | "Save Mr. Peck's (Part 2)" | Sunday, February 10, 1989 |
| 44 | "Save Mr. Peck's (Part 3)" | Sunday, February 10, 1989 |
| 45 | "Ruth's Place" | Sunday, February 17, 1989 |
| 46 | "Garry Acts Like a Moron" | Sunday, February 24, 1989 |
| 47 | "Kramer vs. Grant" | Sunday, March 3, 1989 |
| 48 | "Grant Goes to the Dogs" | Sunday, March 10, 1989 |
| 49 | "Big Brother" | Sunday, March 17, 1989 |
| 50 | "Going, Going, Gone" | Sunday, March 31, 1989 |
| 51 | "Garry Goes Golfing" | Sunday, April 7, 1989 |
| 52 | "Mum's the Word" | Sunday, April 14, 1989 |
| 53 | "Worry Wart" | Sunday, April 21, 1989 |
Season 4 (1989-1990)
| № | Title | Airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 54 | "First Show of the Fourth Season" | Sunday, November 10, 1989 |
| 55 | "Take My Wife, for Example" | Sunday, November 17, 1989 |
| 56 | "Nathan's Sheer Madness" | Sunday, November 24, 1989 |
| 57 | "SuperGrant" | Sunday, December 1, 1989 |
| 58 | "Dinner at Eddy King's House" | Sunday, December 8, 1989 |
| 59 | "The Proposal" | Sunday, January 12, 1990 |
| 60 | "Firehose" | Sunday, January 19, 1990 |
| 61 | "The Day Howard Moved In" | Sunday, January 26, 1990 |
| 62 | "The Wedding Show" | Sunday, February 9, 1990 |
| 63 | "The Honeymoon Show" | Sunday, February 16, 1990 |
| 64 | "Shandling vs. Mull" | Sunday, March 9, 1990 |
| 65 | "Leonard Gets Metaphysical" | Sunday, March 23, 1990 |
| 66 | "Chester Gets a Show" | Sunday, March 30, 1990 |
| 67 | "My Mother the Wife" | Sunday, April 6, 1990 |
| 68 | "Family Man" | Sunday, April 13, 1990 |
| 69 | "Mad at Brad" | Sunday, May 4, 1990 |
| 70 | "The Last Show" | Sunday, May 11, 1990 |
| 71 | "The Talent Show" | Sunday, May 18, 1990 |
| 72 | "Driving Miss Garry" | Sunday, May 25, 1990 |
Awards and nominations
The show was nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards. It won five CableACE Awards (three for Best Comedy Series and two for Garry Shandling). It won an American Comedy AwardAmerican Comedy Awards
The American Comedy Awards were a group of awards presented annually in the United States from 1987 to 2001 recognizing performances and performers in the field of comedy, with an emphasis on television comedy and comedy films...
for Funniest Male Performance in a Comedy Series-Cable or Syndicated, and an award for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy in 1988 from the Television Critics Association
Television Critics Association
The Television Critics Association is a group of approximately 200 United States and Canadian journalists and columnists who cover television programming...
.
DVD release
On October 20, 2009, Shout! FactoryShout! Factory
Shout! Factory is an entertainment company founded in 2003 that was started by Richard Foos , Bob Emmer and Garson Foos initially as a specialty music label...
released It's Garry Shandling's Show: The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1. The 16-disc set features extensive bonus features including featurettes, commentaries and outtakes. Time praised the set's release, writing "As self-referential comedies went, you never meta
Meta
Meta- , is a prefix used in English to indicate a concept which is an abstraction from another concept, used to complete or add to the latter....
better one", while Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
named it one of the best TV on DVD releases of 2009.
The first season of the series was released as a stand-alone title in America in April 2010, and the first two seasons have been released in the United Kingdom by Fabulous Films (which owns the distribution rights to many of Shout! Factory's releases) with the US sets' extras ported in their entirety.