"The State" (1993) TV series 1993-1995

Creators:

Kevin Allison
Jonathan K. Bendis
Michael Ian Black
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | unknown

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Each episode contains 30 minutes of extremely bizarre and funny sketch comedy performed by THE STATE, an 11 member sketch comedy troupe who wrote and starred in various sketches seen throughout the program.

Plot Keywords:

Sketch Comedy | Actor Playing Multiple Roles

Cast

Kevin Allison	...	Various (29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Michael Ian Black	...	Various (29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Robert Ben Garant	...	Various (29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Todd Holoubek	...	Various (29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Michael Patrick Jann	...	Various (29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Kerri Kenney	...	Various (29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Thomas Lennon	...	Various (29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Joe Lo Truglio	...	Various (29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Ken Marino	...	Various (29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Michael Showalter	...	Various (29 episodes, 1993-1995)
David Wain	...	Various (29 episodes, 1993-1995)

Series Directed by
Michael Patrick Jann		(29 episodes, 1993-1995)
David Wain		(29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Mark Gentile		(15 episodes, 1993-1995)
Michael Dimich		(13 episodes, 1994-1995)

Series Writing credits
Kevin Allison		(29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Jonathan K. Bendis		(29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Michael Ian Black		(29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Robert Ben Garant		(29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Todd Holoubek		(29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Michael Patrick Jann		(29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Kerri Kenney		(29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Thomas Lennon		(29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Joe Lo Truglio		(29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Ken Marino		(29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Michael Showalter		(29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Steven Starr		(29 episodes, 1993-1995)
David Wain		(29 episodes, 1993-1995)

Series Produced by
Jonathan K. Bendis	....	co-producer (29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Eileen Katz	....	executive producer (29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Steven Starr	....	co-producer (29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Mark Perez	....	segment producer / supervising producer (28 episodes, 1993-1995)
Jim Sharp	....	producer (28 episodes, 1993-1995)
Jody O'Neil	....	segment producer (13 episodes, 1995)
Carol Eng	....	coordinating producer (8 episodes, 1993-1994)
Todd Stevens	....	segment producer (7 episodes, 1994)
Shelley Urick	....	segment producer (7 episodes, 1995)
Darren Wiseman	....	segment producer (7 episodes, 1995)
Rich Goldman	....	coordinating producer (6 episodes, 1995)

Series Original Music by
Theodore Shapiro		(29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Craig Wedren		(16 episodes, 1993-1994)

Series Cinematography by
Jeff Muhlstock		(2 episodes, 1994-1995)

Series Film Editing by
David Wain		(1 episode)
Karl Woitach		(unknown episodes)
David Zieff		(unknown episodes)

Series Set Decoration by
Jacqueline Jacobson Scarfo		(5 episodes, 1993-1995)

Series Costume Design by
Carolee Fisher		(2 episodes, 1993-1994)
Jana Rosenblatt		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Mark Perez	....	post-production supervisor (16 episodes, 1993-1994)
Rosadel Varela	....	post-production supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Wain	....	second unit director (29 episodes, 1993-1995)

Series Art Department
James Clement Cook	....	carpenter (5 episodes, 1993-1995)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Rafael Latorre	....	lighting technician (28 episodes, 1993-1995)
Sid Curtis	....	lighting technician (5 episodes, 1993-1995)
Philip J. Martinez	....	best boy electric / gaffer: second unit / ... (3 episodes, 1994-1995)

Series Animation Department
Joe Lo Truglio	....	animator (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Carey Bennett	....	assistant costume designer (unknown episodes)
Kerrie Karcewski	....	costume buyer (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Craig Wedren	....	composer: theme music (29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Eli Janney	....	composer: theme music (28 episodes, 1993-1995)

Series Other crew
Jonathan K. Bendis	....	opening titles (29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Michael Patrick Jann	....	opening titles (29 episodes, 1993-1995)
Jeff Baumgardner	....	intern (13 episodes, 1995)
Jeff Mandell	....	production assistant (7 episodes, 1994)
Kurt Fitzpatrick	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Kerrie Karcewski	....	stitcher (unknown episodes)
Darren Wiseman	....	location manager (unknown episodes)

Distributors

• Music Television (MTV) (1994) (USA) (TV)
• Sony Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

The State: Full Frontal Comedy (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Trivia:

The cast was extremely reluctant to write material for recurring characters, but pressure from the network forced them to do so. When the character of Doug and his catch phrase "I'm outta heeeere..." began to catch on, Michael Showalter, who played and created Doug, conceptualized the second season sketch in which Doug gets annoyed by everyone finding his rebellious slogan charming.

Quotes:

Doug: I'm Doug. I think tying shoes is for sissies.
Captain Monterey Jack: Hey Doug, if I want to hear foul language I'll go home, I'll turn on Marky Mark and The Funny Bunch.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Comedy Central Presents: My First Time (#12.9)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

You Always Give Me a Boner

I love these guys!

All of their projects ("Viva Variety," "Wet Hot American Summer," "Reno 911!") are brilliantly bizarre (the "Trainspotting" bit in WHAS is classic). The State is where it all began so where's the DVD? MTV needs to give me what's needed so I can show my friends why I quote "I'm Doug, and I'm outta heeeeere" and "It ain't no sofa, it ain't no couch. It's a LOVE SEAT, aw yeah!". Better, run them on Comedy Central with "Just Say Julie," the other great, lost MTV skit show.

And remember the commercials MTV ran for it? The station rolled with the negative reviews the show received ("Significantly less than sporadically funny," Entertainment Weekly), quoting them while showing the cast, despondent. When the commercials for the show are just as memorable as the show itself, one wonders why the suits at MTV are just sitting on this. Surely at least one executive there loved this show when it aired.