Frank TV

If you're like most of America then you watch TBS (Turner Broadcasting Station) every once in awhile or at least you know where it is on the television dial (I know televisions no longer have dials but stay with me). TBS is best known for broadcasting every single Atlanta Braves game (Ted Turner owns the Braves and TBS among others) and reruns of some really great shows and some really crappy shows. What TBS is not known for its original programming but that is all going to change.

Frank TV is the latest offering of the semi-live comedic sketch show, a cross between MadTV and Saturday Night Live if you will. Frank TV stars standup comedian and master impressionist Frank Caliendo. If the name doesn't sound familiar that's probably because the last great impressionist to have any amount of fame was Rich Little back in the 1980s. Although Frank Caliendo isn't a household name just yet, you would probably recognize his face from the work he did on MadTV or FOX NFL Sunday.

Frank TV will consist of comedian Frank Caliendo performing sketch comedy while impersonating famous people. Besides many former Presidents, some of the celebrities that Caliendo impersonates are: Dr. Phil, Christopher Walken, Jim Carrey, and Scooby Doo just to name a few. Frank Caliendo does well over thirty impressions with varying degrees of success.

Frank TV, which airs on TBS starting November 20, 2007, is already garnering a lot of buzz thanks to Caliendo's talent but mostly due to the heavy rotation of Frank TV advertising on TBS. If you're trying to sit and enjoy a Braves game the constant Frank TV adverts are most annoying. If you can't wait till November to see Frank TV then you can log on to the TBS website and see exclusive clips from the unaired pilot.

Out of morbid curiosity I did just that. I went to the TBS website to see a clip of the show. The clip was called Seinfeld 2007 and it is a sketch of what Seinfeld would be like twenty years into the future. Here is a breakdown of the clip. The voice over is pretty bad, I assume that it's supposed to sound like the gentleman that reads for film trailers. The set looks spot on and Caliendo looks enough like George Costanza and Jerry Seinfeld. The impression isn't great but I've certainly seen worse. His Kramer impression is actually quite good. The sketch its self is mundane and bland. There are three problems with this show 1) he plays every single character. 2) His robust frame is distracting when playing a slim character such as Jerry Sienfeld, and 3) it just isn't funny

Frank Caliendo certainly seems talented as far as impressions go, but based on the commercials and the clip Seinfeld 2007, Frank TV just isn't worth my time.