Jon Lovitz calls for fans to help bring back The Critic (2025)

March 29th 2025, 2:00pm

Last Updated on March 31, 2025

By and large, the movies that Jay Sherman reviewed on Coming Attractions stunk. But here’s some news that doesn’t: Jon Lovitz is ready to get The Critic back on the air, and he even has the support of one of the show’s creators.

Jon Lovitz took to social media this week to share news that he is ready for The Critic to return, saying that co-creator Al Jean (The Simpsons) is also on board. (Mike Reiss, who co-wrote a number of classic Simpsons episodes with Jean, was also a co-creator.) “Critic Fans!!!! You keep telling me you want it back. I’ve been trying for years! Well, now, creator Al Jean is on board!!! If you want it back, we need your help! Please like this post and spread the word! So we can show the studio, how many people want it!”

If Lovitz is taking a count on how many people want The Critic back, you can count me in that list. I can’t begin to figure out the number of times I’ve watched the show, which, considering it only has 23 episodes over just two seasons, really says something. The show would totally benefit from a revival. Not only would it offer some clever parodies of modern flicks but it could even incorporate today’s business model. Maybe we find Jay Sherman ousted from his job through personnel cuts, forced to review movies that only hit streaming and yelling, “It stinks!” from his couch.

The Critic originally aired from 1994 to 1995, later being revived for a series of webisodes. The show had a rough time during its short run, jumping between ABC and Fox, changing time slots and even failing to capitalize on a Simpsons crossover (season six’s “A Star Is Burns”). But none of this ultimately worked and The Critic would be canceled after two seasons. Now 30 years on, it might be time to bring back Jon Lovitz to reprise one of his all-time great characters.

You can currently stream The Critic on Tubi or pick up the Complete Series on DVD.

Would you be down for a revival of The Critic?

Tags: Jon Lovitz, The Critic (series)

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About the Author

Mathew is an East Coast-based writer and film aficionado who has been working with JoBlo.com periodically since 2006. When he’s not writing, you can find him on Letterboxd or at a local brewery. If he had the time, he would host the most exhaustive The Wonder Years rewatch podcast in the universe.