Sam Simon Movies
TV writer and producer Sam Simon is perhaps best known as one of the original creators of the landmark animated series The Simpsons. A veteran of the writer's room, Simon began his career writing and producing shows like Cheers, Taxi, and Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids. When The Simpsons debuted in 1989, the show proved to be a huge success, but even as he continued writing and producing the series, Simon continued to take on new projects. He wrote, produced, and even directed the The George Carlin Show and The Drew Carey Show, but The Simpsons would remain important in Simon's career, and he would eventually take home eight Emmys for his work with the series. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide- 2004
The ninth and final season of The Drew Carey Show was what is known in show business as a "burnoff". Though contractually committed to keep the series on the air until the Summer of 2004 and to approve a budget of $3 million per episode, ABC was unable to justify these conditions as the series' ratings continued to fall. Thus, Season Nine began not in the fall of 2003 as was customary, but instead snuck onto the scene on June 2, 2004, traditionally one of the lowest-rated playdates. The season's 28 episodes were subsequently seen on a two-per-week basis for the next fourteen weeks, until ABC was finally allowed to pull the plug on September 9. As a result, while the final season lost money for the network, it lost far less than would have happened had ABC scuttled the season entirely or left the remaining episodes on the shelf. (Don't you just love "inside baseball" talk like this?) The season was supposed to have begun just after the breakup of the extremely brief marriage between Drew Carey (playing himself) and his Southern-fried bride Lily, an emotional setback compounded by the death of Drew's dad George (Stanley Anderson) in a freak accident, and further exacerbated by George's disastrous military-style funeral. However, ABC chose to run the season's episodes out of sequence, confusing one and all. Even so, viewers quickly glommed to the fact that a romance had developed between Drew and his lifelong friend Kellie (Cynthia Watros), who subsequenlty announces her pregnancy, leading to the anticpated story complications and the introduction of Kellie's obnoxious parents Don (Michael Gross) and Annette (Susan Sullivan). At the same time, Drew has become surrogate father to his nephew Gus (who has miraculously reached the age of five after only three years, and is now played by Matthew Josten), thanks to the fact that Drew's brother Steve has deserted his wife Mimi (Kathy Kinney) and skeedaddled to Sri Lanka. Though Steve would make an unexpected reappearance in the form of onetime series regular John Carroll Lynch, Mimi would ultimately find lasting happiness from a wholly unanticipated source! The series ends as "NeverendingStore", the dot.com where Drew works, goes bankrupt, whereupon Drew attempts to revive his former place of employment, Winfred-Louder, with himself in charge. To this end, Drew seeks the help of his ex-boss Mr. Wick (welcome back, Craig Ferguson), now fabulously wealthy thanks to his marriage to the daughter of a Christian-broadcasting mogul. Though these plans typically go nowhere, there's a happy ending of sorts as Drew and Kellie prepare to get married--as quickly as possible, inasmuch as Kellie has already gone into labor! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Drew Carey, Diedrich Bader, (more)
- 2004
Originally telecast in tandem with "The Passion of the Wick", this aptly titled episode marks the series finale of The Drew Carey Show. At virtually the same moment that she agrees to marry Drew (Drew Carey), Kellie (Cynthia Watros) goes into labor. Racing against time so that Kellie's son won't be born a bastard, Drew hastily arranges a hospital-room wedding, then seeks high and low for a priest to perform the ceremony. Unfortunately, the only priest available is currently administering the Last Rites to a dying patient--and he isn't about to be distracted by anything as mundane as marriage until the aforementioned patient expires! In the tradition of Seinfeld, this climactic episode goes full circle by repeating the final gag of the very first episode--just before the "fourth wall" is smashed for the umpteenth time, and the Drew Carey Show cast streams out of the studio to greet their many fans. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2004
Still acting as surrogate father after the curious disappearance of his brother Steve, Drew (Drew Carey) gives his nephew Gus (Matthew Josten) a swell present: namely, a woodburning set. Alas, it isn't long before Mimi's house goes up in flames--and of course, Mimi (Kathy Kinney) blames Drew for providing Gus with the means of destruction. Meanwhile, Oswald (Diedrich Bader) goes into the change-machine business, sublimely ignorant of the fact that he'll never make a dime no matter how many dimes pass through his hands. This episode originally aired back to back with "Liar, Liar, House on Fire". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2004
In dire need of money for the baby on the way, Drew (Drew Carey) bets heavily on Chained Lighting, a racing greyhound. It would seem to be a sure thing: the dog has been secretly enhanced with super-steroids from the folks at DrugCo. (A funny situation? Episode director Sam Simon didn't think so: In fact, he was so disturbed by the show's cavalier attitude towards animals that he donated his salary to charity). This episode originally aired back-to-back with "Asleep at the Wheel". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2004
Drew (Drew Carey) begins to worry that he is a lousy prospect for fatherhood when his nephew Gus (Matthew Josten) begins actly badly whenever Drew is around--but never, ever at any other time (hence the Warner Bros.-cartoon inspired title of this episode: remember the plot of One Froggy Evening?). Meanwhile, Oswald (Diedrich Bader) and Lewis (Ryan Stiles), impressed by Mimi's romance with a wealthy widower named Gavin, begin scanning the daily obituary columns in search of rich and eligible widows. Originally telecast in tandem with "Baby Makes Stress", this episode is highlighted with a double-entendre line about "wrestling" which was later folded into a popular TV commercial. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2004
The ninth and final season of The Drew Carey Show was what is known in showbiz as a "burnoff", with ABC running the last 28 episodes as quickly as possible to compensate for higher costs and lower ratings. Thus, the season opener, "Drew Hunts Silver Fox", was shown in tandem with the second episode "Eye of the Leopard", just as all of the Season Nine episodes would be telecast back-to-back over a fourteen-week period in the Summer of 2004. The plot of "Silver Fox" finds both Drew (Drew Carey) and Oswald (Diedrich Bader) attempting to marry off their respective mothers Beulah (Marion Ross) and Kim (Adrienne Barbeau) to a wealthy widower named Woody. Unfortunately, Woody turns out to have a lot of "baggage", making him a most unappealing catch indeed. (Incidentally, this episode reveals that Drew's dad George has died, but the actual episode in which this occurs would not be seen for several more weeks). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2004
Mimi (Kathy Kinney) persuades Drew (Drew Carey) to befriend Russell (Currie Graham) and Dean (Sean O'Bryan), a gay couple who happen to be the parents of Gus' only friend in school. Typically, Mimi's motives are more selfish than maternal: Russell and Dean have also been babysitting Gus (Matthew Josten) without charging a fee. Unfortunately, Drew finds himself accused of being the "other man" when the couple suddenly breaks up! This episode originally aired in tandem with "Still Life with Freeloader". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Sensing that Drew (Drew Carey) is disappointed with the first annual NeverendingStore.com bonus (an enlarged clothespin!), Evan (Kyle Howard) ends up giving Drew his old Rolls Royce. Quickly growing weary of having people resent him because they think he's rich, Drew passes the Rolls on to Lewis--who suddenly undergoes a complete personality change, taking on airs and disdaining his old friends as "bus trash". Eventually, Lewis gets his comeuppance at the hands of an unusually vitriolic Kellie (Cynthia Watros). This episode originally aired in tandem with "Two Days of the Condo". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2003
In order to keep his job at the dot.com, Drew (Drew Carey) signs up for a summer computer-programming course. Being partnered with Mimi (Kathy Kinney) in class is tough enough, but things get worse for Drew when he friends try to lure him away from his studies with all sorts of summer-fun activities. Ultimately, Drew must choose between remaining in class or joining his friends on a trip to Florida--a decision that culminates in guilt, disaster and a nasty case of hives. And what's with the talking kittens in Paris during the final scene? This episode was originally telecast back-to-back with "Trainspotting". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Unable to withstand the pressure when Drew (Drew Carey) coaches her for a big karoke contest, Kellie (Cynthia Watros) dumps Drew on the eve of the event. Auditioning for new partners, Drew selects an 11-year-old girl named Madison (Emma Hunton). On the night of the contest, another couple performs the song chosen by Drew, so Madison suggests as a last-minute replacement the romantic standard "Do It To Me One More Time"--which succeeds in making innocent Drew come off as a pedophile! But that's nothing compared to Lewis (Ryan Stiles) and Oswald's rendition of "In the Ghetto", which ends with Oswald (Diedrich Bader) suddenly gushing blood. This episode originally aired in tandem with "Two Girls for Every Boy". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2002
Upon finding out that Steve (John Carroll Lynch) is cheating on Mimi (Kathy Kinney) with a boozy hairstylist named Gloria (Jeanetta Arnette), Drew (Drew Carey) tries to avert disaster by dating Gloria himself. This puts a crimp in Drew's "real" love life, which at the moment is focused on sexy coworker Karen (Suzanne Cryer). And the results are hardly worth the trouble: Mimi and Steve break up, and Gloria and Karen take turns bitch-slapping Drew. Meanwhile, the store's young owners Scott (Jonathan Mangum) and Evan (Kyle Howard) are on the verge of discovering that "old man" Drew is totally tech-ignorant. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2002
In the conclusion of a two-part story, Drew (Drew Carey) has fallen in love with Dawn (A.J. Langer), whom he met by chance during a bus ride. Now he must gently let down Robin (Lori Laughlin), the girl chosen as his future bride by professional matchmaker Larry. But there's another problem that needs an instant solution: Drew is never permitted a moment alone with Dawn, thanks to her ex-boyfriends who keep hanging around her house (in fact, one of them is still living above her garage!) And what about Kellie (Cynthia Watros), who still hasn't gotten over her high school crush on our hero? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2002
In the first episode of a two-part story, Lord Mercer (Jim Piddock) makes his obnoxious 19-year-old daughter, Milan (Jessica Cauffiel), president of Winfred-Louder, then orders Drew to make certain that the girl fulfills her duties perfectly -- or else. Thus it is that Drew has to cover up all of Milan's messes, especially when she and her boyfriend, D'Artagnan (Jeff Bryan Davis), make violent love in the middle of union negotiations. When Drew breaks up her romance, Milan gets even by consigning our hero to the docks. Hoping to bail Drew out, Kate tries to bring Milan and D'Artagnan back together, but her efforts succeed only in driving Milan (Jessica Cauffiel) to near-suicide. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2002
It's just another one of those days when a bald eagle swoops into Drew's house and trashes the place. Unfortunately, the bird is an endangered species, meaning not only that it cannot be removed, but Drew (Drew Carey) must also protect and coddle the eagle at all costs! The situation worsens when the eagle "captures" and flies off with a dog belonging to Drew's new girlfriend Kathy (Kathy Griffin). Meanwhile, Oswald (Diedrich Bader) and Lewis (Ryan Stiles) are blackmailed by a youngster (Scotty Leavenworth) who threatens to tell the authorities about their house in the park. Amazingly, this episode was virtually unscripted, with the actors ad-libbing their dialogue based on a storyline provided by Julie Ann Larson). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2002
Although by prior agreement ABC was required to retain The Drew Carey Show on its prime time schedule through 2004 at a cost of $3,000,000 per episode, by the fall of 2002 it was obvious that the series' plummeting ratings no longer justified such a long-term commitment. Thus, only 15 of the 27 episodes filmed for the series' eighth season were broadcast before the network yanked the show from its lineup in January of 2003. At this point, ABC had two options: shelve the remaining episodes (and the subsequent ninth season, then in its early production stages) and take a huge financial bath, or "burn off" the 12 leftover episodes during the Summer of 2003, with two episodes shown back-to-back each week for a six-week period. The latter option was exercised, then repeated for the ninth and final season of The Drew Carey Show in the Summer of 2004. Those few viewers tuning into Season Eight had some treats in store for them, most notably the guest appearances of a different A-list musical group at the beginning and end of each episode. Also, there was an influx of new characters, precipitated by the bankruptcy of Winfred-Louder, the Cleveland department store which employed series protagonist Drew Carey (playing himself) and Drew's mortal enemy (and now sister-in-law!) Mimi Bombeck (Kathy Kinney. The store's new owners are a pair of oafish young techno-nerds named Scott (Jonathan Mangum) and Evan (Kyle Howard), who transform the place into a dot.com called "NeverendingStore." At first intending to fire everybody, Scott and Evan keep Drew on because they're amused by "the old man", and also relent and rehire Mimi (Kathy Kinney)--who immediately develops an intense hatred for newly installed keyboard operator Traylor (Kaitlin Olson), who proves so odious that Mimi ends up trying to murder the girl by stuffing her in a paper shredder! Leaving the series this season is longtime regular Christa Miller), whose character, Kate O'Brien, heads to Guam with her new husband, fighter pilot Kirk (Cameron Mathison). Replacing Kate as one of the "gang"--consisting of Drew, Oswald (Diedrich Bader) and Lewis (Ryan Stiles)--is another of Drew's former school pals, Kellie Newmark, played by Cynthia Watros. Though his marriage to Kate has fallen through, Drew stubbornly books a chapel for his wedding--then spends the rest of the season searching for an appropriate bride, with the help of former coworoker and now professional matchmaker Larry Almada (Ian Gomez). After a tentative romance with Kellie comes acropper, Drew settles upon a ditzy Southern belle named Lily (Tammy Lauren), with whom he ultimately marches down the aisle...and then... Although billed as regulars this season, John Carroll Lynch as Drew's brother and Mimi's husband Steve and Craig Ferguson as Drew's ex-boss Mr. Wick appear only sporadically. The reason for Wick's non-appearances are fairly obvious (why should he hang around a place where he's been canned); as for Steve, he abruptly vanishes from view after Mimi catches him in an extramarital affair, one that forces poor Drew to act as surrogate father for his nephew Gus for the duration of the series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Drew Carey, Diedrich Bader, (more)
- 2002
Listening in on a police scanner, Drew (Drew Carey) hears of a disturbance at the Warsaw Tavern. Rushing to his favorite watering hole, Drew meets sexy female cop Marlo Kelly (Jenny McCarthy), who happens to be just in the right mood to date unattractive guys. Unfortunately, not only do Marlo's cats and cigarettes cause Drew to become allergic, but her extremely violent on-the-job behavior makes him worry about the consequences of breaking up with her! Ultimately, the break is made and Marlo vows revenge...but it is poor Lewis (Ryan Stiles) who, in his well-meaning efforts to allow Oswald (Diedrich Bader) "alone time" with new girlfriend Colleen (Dulcy Rogers), bears the brunt of the lady cop's wrath! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2002
Drew (Drew Carey) is invited to Spain for Milan Mercer's (Jessica Cauffiel) 20th birthday party, replete with supermodel guests. Unfortunately, he must first deal with Lewis and Oswald, who have landed jobs as airport security guards to pay for Oswald's nursing-school tuition. As a result, Oswald ends up in the custody of the security supervisor (and it's not the first time), and ultimately gets sidetracked to Greenland, where he runs afoul of an insanely jealous husband! TV journalists Leslie Sykes and Suzanne Sena appears as themselves. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2002
After striking out with Prospective Bride #1 Bonnie (Amy Farrington), Drew moves on to Prospective Bride #2 Stacey (Ion Overman), talking Kellie (Cynthia Watros) into a double date. Unfortunately, Kellie can't over her own longtime crush on Drew, and her incompatability with her own date Rand (Dublin James) doesn't help matters. Meanwhile, Oswald (Diedrich Bader), tortured with guilt after accidentally knocking out his mother's teeth with a bowling ball, hires an erudite professional thug named Mr. Jericho (Henry Rollins) to beat him up. And Mr. Wick (Craig Ferguson) may have found his true calling in life...as a "muffin boy." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2001
Tom Poston guest stars as Oswald's father Roscoe, recently released from prison after a ten-year stretch. Though Oswald (Diedrich Bader) can't warm up to Roscoe, he does ask his dad to call in a few favors and find a job for the debt-ridden Drew (Drew Carey). As a result, Drew goes to work for a shady real-estate agency, run by a sharpster (Mark Tymchyshyn) who has gotten rich selling radioactive swampland property--the same property, over and over and over. Meanwhile, Mimi (Kathy Kinney) despairs at the prospect that her baby will be born with a tail. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2001
After a night of drunken revelry, Drew (Drew Carey) and the guys leave their "calling cards" on Mimi's lawn, a reckless display of bowel-movement bravado which costs them dearly when the Warsaw Tavern loses its liquor license. Unable to get Mimi (Kathy Kinney) to withdraw her complaint against the tavern, Drew suggests that the Warsaw bartender surreptitiously work around the liquor ban by sneaking beer into the food--the latest in a long and undistinguished line of stupid ideas. Meanwhile, would-be entrepreneurs Lewis (Ryan Stiles) and Oswald (Diedrich Bader) go into the snake-venom business. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2001
Now working as a security guard, Drew (Drew Carey) pines away for Kate (Christa Miller), who has landed a good job at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Asking for a transfer to that popular Cleveland tourist attraction, Drew finds a way to win back Kate's heart when he uncovers a hitherto unknown album of Elvis Presley singing Jewish Folk Songs. He generously allows Kate to take credit for this momentous discovery--and when she characteristically smashes the album to bits, Oswald (Diedrich Bader) comes to the rescue with his "brilliant" Elvis imitation. And, say: Have we mentioned the breakup between Drew and Christine (Wanda Sykes)? Or the fact that Kate's boss is played by former "Monkee" Micky Dolenz? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2001
The cast and crew of The Drew Carey Show entered its seventh season with more security and hubris than ever before. Thanks to the series' past excellent ratings performance, the producers and ABC had entered into an agreement whereby the show was "locked" into the network's schedule until the fall of 2004, with a lofty $3,000,000 budget alotted to each episode. Understandably emboldened by this, Drew Carey opens Season Seven with a radical departure from the show's usual format: "Drew's Back-to-School Rock 'n' Roll Comedy Hour", a special filled to overflowing with quickie comedy sketches and rockin' and rollin' musical numbers, featuring guest appearances by the likes of Jenny McCarthy, SHeDAISY, Smash Mouth, Uncle Cracker, Sugar Ray and Peter Frampton. The rest of the series was relatively conventional (at least by Drew Carey Show standards), with the episode "Married to a Mob" making a major technicological breakthrough as the series' first installment filmed in HDTV. Major developments this season include Drew's "graduation" from a mental institute, whereupon he ends up a reluctant bigamist--not only simultaneously wed to both Kate (Christa Miller) and Nicki (Kate Walsh), but also still legally committed to a "gay" union with his boss Mr. Wick (Craig Ferguson), who in the previous season needed to get married in a hurry lest he be deported to England. Extricating himself from this marital melange by the skin of his teeth, Drew launches a new romance with sharp-tongued efficiency expert Christine Watson (Wanda Sykes). Elsewhere, Drew's brother Steve (John Carroll Lynch) and his worst enemy Mimi (Kathy Kinney), now husband and wife, hunker down to the responsibilities of parenting their baby son Gus; Drew's pals Lewis (Ryan Stiles) and Oswald (Diedrich Bader) blithely ignore all manner of municipal ordinances by building their "dream" house in the middle of a city park; and Mr. Wick goes into alcholic rehab, leaving the Winfred-Louder store in the less-than-capable hands of 19-year-old Milan Mercer (Jessica Cauffiel), the irresponsible daughter of new store owner Lord Mercer (Jim Piddock). Though there is no "What's Wrong With This Episode?" this season, viewers are treated to the wildest "Drew Live" episode thus far, with Drew caught in the middle of sinister scheme concocted by John Ratzenberger and Blue Man Group to take over The Drew Carey Show by force! No less breathtaking is the episode "Curse of the Mummy", with Richard Chamberlain showing up in drag as Mr. Wick's mother--a role he'd repeat in a special "Mother's Day" episode wherein the cast's various mommies and grandmommies are portrayed by such TV icons as Marion Ross, Adrienne Barbeau, June Lockhart and Phyllis Diller. Other Season Eight guest stars include baseball greats Bobby Bonds and Jay Johnstone, and longtime TV favorites Henry Winkler, Adam West and Max Gail--the latter two cast as gay lovers! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Drew Carey, Diedrich Bader, (more)
- 2001
Drew's parents Beulah (Marion Ross) and George (Stanley Anderson) allow their personal problems to interfere with a visit to baby Gus. Confessing to Mimi (Kathy Kinney) that George has never satisfied her sexually, Beulah is advised to tell her husband face-to-face--with disastrous results. It falls to sons Drew (Drew Carey) and Steve (John Carroll Lynch) to try to iron out the situation by maneuvering their parents back into the bedroom. Elsewhere, Lewis (Ryan Stiles) and Oswald (Diedrich Bader) enter the Warsaw's Battle of the Bots contest, using a robot with a pronounced homicidal streak! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2001
Thanks to his disastrous double marriage to Kate (Christa Miller) and Nicki --to say nothing of his sham "gay" marriage to boss Mr. Wick (Craig Ferguson)--Drew (Drew Carey) is now known throughout Cleveland as "the impotent sexual bigamist." Though he somehow manages to legally extricate himself from his marital mess, Drew is still in love with Kate and hopes to win her back by mounting a garish public ad campaign, posting declarations of his ardor on the sides of city buses. Unfortunately, thanks to a mixup one of Drew's posters is combined with an anti-child-abuse ad, transforming Kate into a public pariah! Meanwhile, Lewis (Ryan Stiles) and Oswald (Diedrich Bader) try to help Drew by creating a "substitute Kate" (Lesley Fera). The singing group Motorhead and baseball players Bobby Bonds and Jay Johnstone appear as themselves. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2001
A $200,000 prize was originally offered to the viewer(s) who could spot the largest number of deliberate errors in this fourth annual Drew Carey Show "What's Wrong with This Episode?" offerings. The plot revolves around Lewis (Ryan Stiles), who has good reason to worry that he's going to end up in Hell. In an effort to mend his past bad behavior, Lewis turns into a quasi-evangelist, endeavoring to "save" all his friends by mercilessly harrassing them whenever they're on the verge of sinning (or whenever they're not!) As a reward for his good deeds, Lewis is struck by lightning--again and again and again. Meanwhile, Steve (John Carroll Lynch) fills in for Mimi (Kathy Kinney) at the store while she takes care of the baby. (For the record, at least 45 "mistakes" occur in the course of the show, including a wacky vignette in which the main characters are suddenly replaced by African-American TV icons!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
