The Critic Series Reboot Is "More Likely Than Not" Happening: Al Jean

Posted in: ABC, Fox, TV | Tagged: The Critic

The Critic Series Reboot Is "More Likely Than Not" Happening: Al Jean

The Critic creator Al Jean (The Simpsons) explained why he, Mike Reiss, Jesse Eisenberg, and star Jon Lovitz are optimistic about a reboot.

Published Tue, 05 May 2026 19:07:08 -0500
by Tom Chang
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Article Summary

• Al Jean says a The Critic reboot is more likely than not, marking his strongest update yet on the revival.
• Jon Lovitz, Mike Reiss, and Al Jean are actively discussing The Critic reboot and possible casting ideas.
• A surprise endorsement from Jesse Eisenberg convinced the team The Critic has strong multigenerational appeal.
• With revivals like King of the Hill and Futurama succeeding, Al Jean sees a clear path for The Critic to return.

Given how many Fox animated shows have either sustained longevity like The Simpsons, American Dad! (Fox and TBS), and Bob's Burgers or ended their run but somehow returned to the cultural zeitgeist for new seasons like King of the Hill (Hulu), Futurama (Comedy Central and Hulu), and Family Guy, it's kind of a headscratcher how the cult classic series The Critic hasn't made a similar return, given its history on ABC and Fox. The series, from longtime The Simpsons mainstays Al Jean and Mike Reiss, is about TV critic Jay Sherman (voiced by Jon Lovitz), who hosts a review show called Coming Attractions that parodies popular films, tied together by his signature catchphrase, "It stinks!" Jean spoke with The Simpsons-themed Four Finger Discount podcast about an update on a potential reboot in the content-starved streaming era.

The Critic Creator Al Jean on Reboot Update and Surprise Endorsement from Jesse Eisenberg

When asked about where The Critic reboot is, "We're closer than ever. Jon Lovitz, Mike Reiss, and me to getting 'The Critic' back," Jean said. "First time I ever said this. I think it's more likely than not that it will happen. Jon is very into it and talking about who we would cast. One of the things that helped us was: Jon was at the 'SNL 50' party and someone walked up to him and said, 'You know, 'The Critic' is the best show ever,' and he goes, 'What do you mean?' 'I love it. I grew up watching it. It was the best. It was Jesse Eisenberg. We realized there is a generation now who loved it. 'King of the Hill' did great as a reboot. 'Futurama' has done great multiple times so I think we're going to."

The Critic premiered on ABC in 1994 and was initially canceled before it landed on Fox in 1995. It enjoyed a brief run for AtomFilms as a web short series in 2000. The supporting cast also included Marty Sherman, Jay's son, voiced by the late Christine Cavanaugh; Margo Sherman, Jay's sister voiced by Nancy Cartwright; Franklin, Jay's father voiced by Gerrit Graham, Eleanor Wigglesworth Sherman, Jay's mother voiced by Judith Ivy; Doris Grossman, Jay's makeup person, voiced by the late Doris Grau; Duke Phillips, media executive voiced by the late Charles Napier; Ardeth, Jay's ex-wife, voiced by Brenda Vaccaro and Rhea Perlman; Alice Tompkins, Jay's girlfriend voiced by Park Overall, and Penny Thompkins, Alice's daughter voiced by Russi Taylor. Rounding the cast were Maurice LaMarche, Nick Jameson, Kath Soucie, and Tress MacNeille voicing various characters and celebrity impersonations along with Cartwright. For more, you can check out the entire interview.

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