Fix: 1980s, Parody
Platforms: Amazon Prime
Amazon Summary:
The manager of a small-time UHF station (which has the lowest ratings in the country) inadvertently hits it big with his strange programming ideas to keep Channel 62 from going down the tubes.
FYA Summary:
George Newman, a hopeless dreamer, can’t hold down a job. When his uncle wins the deed to a near-bankrupt TV station, his aunt insists he hire George as the manager. When George taps mentally-deficient station janitor Stanley Spadowski to host a show, he suddenly has a hit on his hands. Hiring his strange friends to host other shows, U-62 is on its way to the top of the ratings charts…unless the network affiliates can stop them.
While Weird Al’s one feature movie wasn’t a box office hit, it has developed a cult following.
Familiar Faces:
Weird Al Yankovic as George Neuman
A man who lives life in a fantasy world, imagining himself as Indiana Jones, Rambo, Rhett Butler, and Jed Clampett. When he takes over the failing station, he finally finds an outlet for his creativity.
‘Yankovic’ is pronounced with a hard /k/ sound at the end, not a /ch/.
Michael Richards as Stanley Spadowski
A pre-Seinfeld Richards stars as Stanley, the not too bright but very sincere station janitor/TV show host. His bizarre yet relatable philosophy resounds with the viewers and puts the station on map.
Victoria Jackson as Teri
The former SNL star and current right wing nut job plays George’s put-upon girlfriend.
Fran Drescher as Pamela Finklestein
The station’s receptionist and aspiring reporter.
Kevin McCarthy as R.J. Fletcher
The general manager of Channel 8, he’s determined to shut down the upstarts at U-62
David Bowe as Bob
George’s best friend, who’s constantly suffering due to his schemes.
Anthony Geary as Philo
The station’s insane engineer.
Gedde Watanabe as Kuni
Local karate instructor and host of Wheel of Fish.
Couch Sharing Capability: Lesbian Nazi hookers abducted by UFOs and forced into weight loss programs…
This one of those movies you either love or hate. While the whole plot is kind of forced and the 1980s CGI is almost painful to watch, most of the jokes land without fail. Soon, you and your loved one can be randomly spouting lines like ‘Where did you get that lovely spatula?’, ‘Red snapper, very tasty!’ and ‘Don’t you know the Dewey Decimal System?’
You might have to explain to younger friends what ‘UHF’ actually means, and how a lot of TV was free at the time, but you had to adjust the antenna. God, I’m old.
Recommended Level of Inebriation: Blueberry Daiquiri
With Drescher, Jackson, and Richards having three of the most annoying voices in the world, it might not be a bad idea to down one or two.
Use of Your Streaming Subscription: Hey, Kids!
One of those comfort food movies you can let play in the background, and tune in for scenes like Gandhi 2 or Raul’s Wild Kingdom.
YOU’RE SO STUPID!
We published this review during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. This work would not exist without the labor of writers and actors, and we support their goals.
My niece and nephew (ages 13 and 10 respectively) love UHF. Hope for the future, right there.