REVIEW OF "TRACEY TAKES ON...": Sports March 8, 1998

by Roger Reini (rreini@wwnet.net)

All good things must eventually come to an end, and so it is with the third season of "Tracey Takes On...". This season's final episode (excluding the best-of special) covered sports.

In tonight's long sketches, we saw Ruby doing well with the horses at the track (and an old flame doing not so well), and we saw Janie resume a lifelong struggle with a former school rival who's now a professional rival. Short bits included Linda complaining about foul treatment at a Celebrity Battle of the Sexes competition, Chic telling us about bladder ball, Fern's excuse for avoiding physical activity, Erin's troubles with the San Pedro Capon, HRH's decrying the boring state of tennis as she meets Pete Sampras, and Trevor confessing to cheating in the potato race as a child.

The Ruby sketch came close to being a long sketch and short bit in one. The sketch began as a typical short bit, with Ruby describing her proven system for winning at the races. Then the main story began, with an old flame of hers in trouble with the mob. After a pretty good musical number, the sketch concluded with another short bit. An interesting and effective construction. Janie's sketch had me rooting for her, wanting to triumph over her rival. It's not often that we get to see her in a somewhat sympathetic light.

All in all, not a bad way to wrap up the third season. My only complaint is that I wish the season were longer. But with the fourth season and a possible movie in the works, I can't complain too much.

RATING: 2 bells (equivalent to 3 1/2 stars)

NEXT: The annual best-of special (date TBD) FOURTH SEASON: January 1999

This review is Copyright 1997 R. W. Reini(rreini@wwnet.net)