DVD Review: Dr. Katz Professional Therapist - The Complete Series

Dr. Katz Professional Therapist is a very funny series that ran on Comedy Central from 1995 to 1999; however, it may best be known for its animation style known as “Squigglevision,” which series co-creator Tom Snyder invented. This form of computer animation looked very bizarre as all the outlines of animate figures undulated. It takes a few episodes to get used to, but the high comedy quotient makes it worthwhile.

Each episode has a similar formula that combines the professional and personal life of Dr. Katz. He usually saw two patients an episode, and the roster is an impressive who’s-who of comedic talent. They are mostly stand-up comedians whose therapy sessions are a combination of their routines and riffing with Dr. Katz. The roster included famous (Rodney Dangerfield, Garry Shandling, Joan Rivers), the soon-to-be famous (Ray Romano and future Comedy Central stars Dave Chappelle and Jon Stewart), and cult comics (Dom Irerra, Judy Tenuta, and Mitch Hedberg). Occasionally, he has sessions with actors and writers like Julia Louis-Dreyfus, David Duchovny, Ben Stiller, Carrie Fisher, David Mamet, and Harry Shearer.

While the series is a stand-up aficionado’s dream, the biggest laughs come from Dr. Katz’ personal life. Most storylines involve misadventures with his son Ben (H. Jon Benjamin), a twenty-something Gen-X slacker, and/or his mean and aloof secretary Laura (Laura Silverman, who appears on her sister's series, The Sarah Silverman Program), who both have an equal disdain for work. Ben can’t seem to find a job he is interested in. “Daredevil” isn’t listed in the want ads, and no one is looking for what he was good at as a child: wearing his father’s pants, pulled up over his head, and bumping into things. Laura doesn’t like the job she has even though she does whatever she pleases from taking days off to stealing office supplies. Ben at least makes an occasional effort, such as ordering two Vietnamese Pot Belly pigs for breeding, although he forgot to specify the sex, and starting a celebrity limo service even though he has no car or even a charge card to rent one. Ben is smitten with Laura, as he is every woman, and she could not be more obvious that she has no interest, yet he doesn’t take or seem to understand the word “No” as an answer. Dr. Katz also spends time at the local tavern with Stanley (Will Le Bow) and bartender Julie (Julianne Shapiro).

Article Author: El Bicho

El Bicho writes for a number of movie web sites, including Cinema Sentries, which he runs for the geniuses of Forwerd Media. He also occasionally cleans up around here. Follow at twitter.com/ElBicho_CS

Visit El Bicho's author page — El Bicho's Blog