Roger's TTO Review Of The Week

"TRACEY TAKES ON...": VEGAS (Feb. 8, 1997)

by Roger Reini (rreini@wwnet.com)

This week, "Tracey Takes On..." took on Las Vegas, and Las Vegas may never be the same.

This episode must have set a record for the most characters portrayed in a single sketch. We saw Timmy Bugge and wife Virginia spending the night in Vegas after their flight to San Francisco was delayed, Fern in the casino, Trevor enjoying a layover, Hope researching the lives of strippers and hookers, Chic doing some cab duty out west, and Linda attempting another career comeback (on her last engagement, she brought down the old MGM Grand -- literally!).

It was amusing and refreshing to see so many of Tracey's characters interact with each other in such an unusual setting. Would you ever expect to see Hope as a dancer in a strip club? Would you ever expect to see TREVOR in the same strip club?!? (He's gay, for those who are not familiar with him) Would you expect to see Chic hustling business for this strip club? (actually, yes I would)

Jokes and gags abound. Consider the resort where Virginia and Timmy were staying: the Old Testament Resort and Casino. There are casinos with circus themes, Roman themes, medieval themes, Egyptian themes, and New York themes; why not a casino with an Old Testament theme? [ASIDE: life will soon be imitating art -- now in the works is a real resort called The Holy Land]. It was very amusing to see Timmy's reactions to the Lapland Lounge (your typical sex club), Chic and Hope conversing in his cab (he thought she was lesbian), and Ruby working with the showgirls at the lounge.

This episode was WAY too short. It could easily have been lengthened to an hour, and the quality would have been just as good. As it is, I can't think of anything wrong with it.

I give this episode 4 stars -- it deserves it. It's that good.

NEXT WEEK: Secrets

01/18/97 - Roger reviews "Tracey Takes On...": SEX(***1/2)

01/25/97 - Roger reviews "Tracey Takes On...": FANTASY(***1/2)

02/02/97 - Roger reviews "Tracey Takes On...": MOTHERS(***)