Bobby, who is appearing in a one man play, is fired up about a ruthless theater critic who has been writing scathing reviews. Bobby writes an angry letter to the critic, but throws it away without sending it, having already felt better for venting his anger. Predictably, Louie fishes it out of the trash and mails it, and it gets printed in the newspaper. Bobby is soon getting cheers from actors all over the city, but gets worried when he learns that the critic himself is going to be at Bobby's play. After the play, the critic finds Bobby and hands him a wonderful review of his performance. Bobby is overcome until the critic says he's not going to print it, because rather than a scathing review which would seem like sour grapes or a good review that would boost his career, not submitting a review will leave Bobby in obscurity and the critic will have his vengeance.
Misdirection-heavy episode delivers 33 jokes in tight 18-minute package despite middling impact scores.
Directed by James Burrows · Written by Barry Kemp
WAR
24.8
Wins Above Replacement
“Bobby And The Critic” ranks #81 of 114 Taxi episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 74.9 — Great. The episode packs 33 scored jokes at 1.8 per minute, averaging 6.9 on craft and 6.6 on impact, with Bobby landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Latka: What do you mean, insufficient? This is a beautiful fly swatter. It has a nice handle, good balance. You could take it anywhere.
Latka: It's a very sensitive fly swatter. You have to treat it with respect.
Latka Absurdist Misdirection ★ Rewatch Bobby: Did you like the play?
John Bowman: Like it? Bobby, that play made death seem preferable.
Jim: Hi, I'm Jim Ignatowski. Nice to meet you, Carbuncle.
John Bowman: It's Bowman. John Bowman.
Jim: Oh, sorry. Nice to meet you, John Carbuncle.
Jim Misdirection Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Bobby: You know, there's a famous quote about free speech: you can't shout 'fire' in a crowded theater.
Bobby: But you CAN shout 'Jennifer Connelly' in a crowded theater. Everyone will just assume she's performing.
Bobby Wordplay/Pun Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Louie: 90 minutes? That's a long time to watch something go bad under the lights. You'll be like ham in a window.
Louie Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch All Jokes — 33 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Louie: 90 minutes? That's a long time to watch something go bad under the lights. You'll be like ham in a window.
Louie Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Louie De Palma: Nobody ever wins those contests. You know why? Because they don't want anybody to win. It's a scam.
Alex Reiger: Come on, Louie, somebody has to win.
Louie De Palma: Yeah, sure. Their cousin. Their nephew. Some guy in Des Moines who doesn't even exist.
Latka Misdirection Character Comedy Latka: I won the lottery! I'm a rich man!
Louie: You won the lottery? Let me see that ticket.
Latka: Here it is.
Louie: This says you won a fly swatter.
Latka: Yes! A fly swatter! I'm rich!
Latka Misdirection Absurdist ★ Rewatch Latka: What do you mean, insufficient? This is a beautiful fly swatter. It has a nice handle, good balance. You could take it anywhere.
Latka: It's a very sensitive fly swatter. You have to treat it with respect.
Latka Absurdist Misdirection ★ Rewatch Jim: Did anyone read that story about the woman who had a cat's head in her mouth?
Bobby: How is that possible?
Jim: I don't know, but apparently she swallowed.
Jim Absurdist Misdirection ★ Rewatch Jim: You know, I was reading about this study where they found that if you eat nothing but cabbage for a month, you can actually fly.
Bobby:
Louie:
Elaine:
Tony:
Latka:
Alex:
Bobby: Listen to this: 'Even if this production were bombed by the Air Force, it couldn't be destroyed enough.'
Bobby Observational Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Tony: A cannon review? I want to see the cannon!
Tony Deadpan/Understatement Misdirection Bobby: You know, there's a famous quote about free speech: you can't shout 'fire' in a crowded theater.
Bobby: But you CAN shout 'Jennifer Connelly' in a crowded theater. Everyone will just assume she's performing.
Bobby Wordplay/Pun Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Bobby: Dear Sir, You are an idiot.
Alex: Bobby, you can't send that. It's too harsh.
Bobby: What do you suggest?
Alex: How about: 'Dear Sir, While I respect your opinion, I feel you may have missed the point of my performance.'
Bobby: That's too nice.
Alex: Well, you could say: 'Dear Sir, You are an idiot, but a well-intentioned one.'
Alex Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Bobby: I need a strong adjective for my angry letter. Something really powerful.
Elaine: How about 'purple'?
Bobby: Purple? That's not even an adjective that expresses anger.
Elaine: Well, it's a color.
Louie: I shouldn't send this letter. It's wrong. Bobby trusted me with this.
Louie: But what if she needs to know? What if this changes everything?
Louie: No. No, I can't. I won't betray that trust.
Louie: But... destiny.
Louie Deadpan/Understatement Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Jim: Well, I'm just reporting what happened. A man walked into a bar, ordered a drink, and turned into a chimpanzee. That's the story.
Jim: Look, I don't make the news, I just report it. The chimpanzee ordered another round, left a two-dollar tip, and walked out.
Jim Callback Absurdist ★ Rewatch Callback Jim: Well, what about the cat's feelings?
Jim Deadpan/Understatement Absurdist ★ Rewatch Callback Elaine: You opened Bobby's letter? You sent it without asking him?
Louie: He asked me to mail it.
Elaine: He asked you to mail it, not to open it! That's a violation of his privacy!
Louie: I had to make sure the address was right.
Elaine: That is such a typical excuse. You're just like every other authority figure who thinks they have the right to invade people's privacy in the name of 'helping' them.
Louie: You can't get in here, Wheeler. This cage is made of reinforced steel. Nothing can penetrate it.
Bobby: Oh yeah?
Bobby: *throws a punch through the cage*
Louie: Okay, so maybe it's not reinforced.
Louie Physical/Slapstick Character Comedy Bobby: Louie, I've had it with you! I'm sick of the way you treat people around here. You're a terrible dispatcher and an even worse—
Bobby: Hello? Yes, this is he. Oh, hi Stan!
Bobby: Yeah, of course I remember you. You got me that callback for the Tampax commercial. How are you?
Bobby: You know, I'm starting to realize I've got a lot of good qualities. I'm intelligent, I'm sensitive, I'm compassionate.
Bobby: And now I can add one more thing to that list: I'm incredibly handsome.
Bobby Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Bobby: A movie? A book? A play? A movie? A book? A play?
Bobby Reaction Beat Cringe/Discomfort Tony: Bobby, you gotta have confidence. You're a good driver. You got skills.
Bobby: You really think so?
Tony: Of course! I mean, compared to some of the meatheads around here, you're actually... well, you're definitely better than the worst.
Bobby: Better than the worst?
Tony: Look, you're not the greatest, but you're not terrible. You're... you're somewhere in the middle. Basically.
Latka: Bobby, you were wonderful in the first act!
Bobby: Thank you, Latka! That means a lot coming from you.
Latka: Yes, yes, so wonderful that I must leave now before the second act begins.
Jim: You know, I've seen worse performances of Darwin. In fact, I think Darwin himself was crazier than Bobby's version.
Jim Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Tony: You feel like you're aging on stage?
Bobby: No, I mean literally. The character ages in the play. I start as a 25-year-old and by the third act I'm 67.
Jim: Can I borrow your comb?
Bobby: My comb? Are you kidding? You'll get it all greasy and matted.
Jim: I'll give it back in perfect condition.
Bobby: That's what I'm afraid of.
Bobby Visual Gag Cringe/Discomfort Tony: You know, Bobby, I gotta say, you were really nervous out there.
Bobby: Yeah, well, thanks a lot, Tony.
Tony: No, no, I mean it as a compliment. That nervousness? That's authenticity. That's real emotion.
Tony Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Jim: Hi, I'm Jim Ignatowski. Nice to meet you, Carbuncle.
John Bowman: It's Bowman. John Bowman.
Jim: Oh, sorry. Nice to meet you, John Carbuncle.
Jim Misdirection Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jim: Wait, you want to talk to me?
Bowman: No, I want to talk to Bobby.
Jim: But I'm Jim.
Bowman: Exactly.
Jim Character Comedy Misdirection Bobby: Did you like the play?
John Bowman: Like it? Bobby, that play made death seem preferable.
John Bowman: You see Bobby, anonymity means you start in the worst clubs, then you move up to slightly better clubs, then you get to play the good rooms, then you play the really great venues, and eventually...
Bobby: Eventually what?
John Bowman: Eventually you're performing for yourself in your apartment.
Bowman: I control Bobby's career. I could tell him to stop acting, and he'd have to listen to me.
Bowman: I could tell him to act only in dinner theater productions.
Bowman: I could tell him to act only in his apartment.
Bowman: I could tell him to act only to his own reflection in the mirror.
Bowman Escalation Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Bobby: That's the cruelest thing I've ever seen.
John Bowman: Why, thank you, Bobby.
John Bowman Deadpan/Understatement Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Bobby: Only my opinion of my performance matters.
Tony: You're right. And didn't you say you were terrible?
Tony Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch