videorama-759-859391 More so, than anything, it's the characters and their committed performances that make the show work. We really get into their lives at the cab rank. Christopher Lyodd is a classic, Judd Hirsch likable, as so the late unforgotten Jeff Conaway, in more happier times, as well as the impulsive and enterprising Tony Daanza, where it's really groucho old Danny Devito's great acting that steals the show. It is entertaining, and quite funny, and when it is, it's gold sometimes, but it just doesn't stack up the comedy quota. The show's theme is great, and in it's after ending, it's always great to see the human creator, resigning himself, from the office, to take off for the weekend. Still Taxi is very entertaining, where may'be I would of found it more funnier at the time, when I saw it as a kid, or even if I was an adult in that time. Watch it especially for Devito and LYODD. One show especially funny, has Hirsch, developing a gambling addiction. Hey, how many taxi drivers have them?

dcfrench My favorite episode was when Alex got his old dog, Buddy, back from the farm where he had been staying for the past several years.Before Alex went to pick him up, he told everyone at the shop what a great dog he was and all about his great "play dead" trick, where Alex does a Lone Ranger routine before pretending to shoot Buddy. When Alex gets Buddy back to his apartment, he tries over and over to get Buddy to perform the trick, but Buddy has apparently forgotten it. Buddy isn't well and Alex takes him to the vet. After the vet gives Alex the bad news that Buddy doesn't have much longer to live. Alex takes Buddy home and treats him like a king. He even sautes his dog food in a wine sauce. Alex's date one night thinks it is some of Alex's gourmet cooking and helps herself.Then one day Alex brings Buddy into work with him. Everyone wants Alex to do the famous "play dead" trick but he begs off, knowing that Buddy has forgotten it. But finally, under great pressure, especially from Louie, Alex tries one more time. And, you got it, this time Buddy slumps over and collapses on the floor right on cue. But he doesn't get up and you know what happened. Tony is the only one not to figure it out and makes some inappropriate comment. But everyone else slowly circles around Alex and Buddy and tears are welling in everyone's eyes, including mine. Alex chokes when he tries to say something and Nardo tries to comfort him. The camera goes from face to face and then slowly pans down to Buddy, lying lifeless on the floor. But then, lo and behold, Buddy slowly turns his head to the side to look up at the stunned crew standing there shocked and crying.Buddy had done the best "play dead" trick any dog had ever done! I literally jumped out of my chair and shouted something like "I do not believe it!" at the TV. The bastards totally punked me. They had me crying, for God's sake. Sadness turned to shock, to amazement, to anger, to laughter, and then finally to sadness again. Because, after the last break, Alex was sitting alone on the bench at work looking completely lost. He reached his hand into his pocket and pulled out Buddy's empty collar and broke down in tears. And so did I! And that was the end of the best Taxi episode, or any situation comedy episode I have ever seen or probably ever will see.

cckoso I may be overstepping if the intention is to limit comments here to the first season of "Taxi," and if so I apologize, because I propose to speak to the entire run of some 106, 108, (I can't remember the exact number) episodes. I believe it to be the finest work Danny DeVito ever did. I haven't seen everything he's done, but his Louie DePalma surpasses everything else I have seen by orders of magnitude. Similarly, Christopher Lloyd, as Reverend Jim, presents in this series (also of course in my layman's opinion)one of the true works of genius in the history of comedic acting. The late Andy Kaufman (sp?) of course single handedly creates Latka Gravas. Perhaps he was hired to do a character with that name already supplied, but I suspect the rest of the persona was the sole creation of that troubled genius. Given the tours De force of those three it is difficult to write about the rest of the cast and seem properly respectful, but that is unfair, for they all, with the single exception of the actor who plays John, who suffered with a character that paled in the light of all those other supernovas, were at once integral parts of a truly magical ensemble and at the same time individually brilliant. I loved them all, and with my willing suspension of disbelief I am saddened that they are gone, and, even more, that I was never privileged to be a member of that most exclusive society. We may never see the likes of that show again.

movieman_kev The first season of this classic sitcom started off on the ground running as we're introduced to the down-trodden, brow-beaten denizen taxi drivers of the Sunshine Cab Company, the advice giving Alex Reirger (Judd Hirsh), failed boxer Tony Banta (Tony Danza, failed actor Bobby Wheeler (Jeff Conaway), new immigrant, Latka (superbly played by Andy Kaufman) as well as new cab drivers Elaine and John (Marilu Henner and Randall Carver respectively), and cranky, hateful boss Louie De Palma (Dsnny DeVito, in the role of his career). These people are life losers, but the writing is such that they are NEVER treated as such. All of the characters were highly relatable and one couldn't help but feel empathetic to each of them. We're laughing with these guys, not at them. And it's a very funny, poignant show. Guest stars this season included Former Welterweight Champion of the World Carlos Palomino, Tom Selleck, Jeffrey Tambor, Martin Mull, and Suzanne Kent in a very memorable part as Alex's blind date, the overweight self-pitying Angela who would return next season in a surprising way. The first Season of Taxi was a few outstanding shows, a few funny ones, but not a clunker in the bunch. And you have no choice but to love that theme song.My Season 1 grade: A