In Living Color - Season 1

The Complete First Season of the TV Series In Living Color

Unlike the original Saturday Night Live cast, the In Living Color ensemble was undoubtedly ready for prime time. However, the question remained: was prime time ready for In Living Color? This subversively humorous 1990 sketch-comedy series boldly ventured where SNL had been hesitant to tread, particularly in matters of race relations and cultural stereotypes.

Series creator Keenen Ivory Wayans was riding high after his hilarious blaxploitation spoof, I'm Gonna Git Ya Sucka. But In Living Color was even hotter. According to a "Looking Back" segment included in this three-disc set, it took him a year to sell the pilot. He fronted a young, gifted, and mostly black cast, including David Alan Grier, Tommy Davidson, Damon Wayans, Kim Wayans, and T'Keyah "Crystal" Keyman. "James" Carrey and Kelly Coffield were the white Garret Morrises.

Like the first season of SNL, In Living Color played the role of provocateur, with politically incorrect sketches such as "Homeboy Shopping Network," "This Old Box," and "Ted Turner's Very Colorized Classics." Other sketches, such as "Riding Miss Daisy," exhibited a defiant and confrontational attitude. Don King, Mike Tyson, Milli Vanilli, and Arsenio Hall were easy targets, but In Living Color did not spare such icons as Richard Pryor. There was the inevitable Oprah roasting, but also a brilliant Star Trek spoof, "The Wrath of Farrakhan."

Among the first season's breakout characters were Damon Wayans and David Alan Grier's finger-snapping "Men on Film," and Damon's Homey D. Clown. Carrey strut his stuff as "female" bodybuilder Vera DeMilo, while Coffey was a scream as Samantha Kinison and Andrea Dice Clay. While much of the topical humor has dated, sketches such as "Michael Jackson Potato Head" remain timeless.

The joy of revisiting this groundbreaking series lies in watching these fearless and talented performers go all-out and make the most of their unlikely opportunity. The In Living Color ensemble was definitely ready for prime time, and their unapologetic and subversive approach to sketch comedy left an indelible mark on television history.

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