Roger's TTO Review Of The Week

REVIEW OF "TRACEY TAKES ON...": SECRETS Feb. 17, 1997

by Roger Reini (rreini@wwnet.com)

This week, "Tracey Takes On..." examined secrets. The results were ... revealing.

It's hard to get a hold of this episode. Each sketch had some very fine moments, but the overall combination was somewhat offbeat.

There were only two long sketches this week. One featured Linda and her adopted daughter Marmalade, who is expecting. During the course of the sketch, we learn the truth about Marmalade's birth parents. The other featured Janie and her psychiatrist (Ron Perlman). She confesses her secret desire to be spanked. We also get to see her husband for the first time (I wasn't impressed).

Short bits: Kay tells about the time she briefly had a pet bird (and how Mother reacted to it); Chic talks about the secrets of his fares; HRH meets Salman Rushdie but talks mainly about Madonna; Fern and Jovie (Julie Kavner) discuss secrets they've kept from their husbands; Rayleen tells us that she was a bit of a hermaphrodite at birth (look that word up for yourselves <g>); and Birdie shows us the surprise she has waiting for the Feds when they come a-knockin'.

Gags? There were plenty, though it's hard to write about them since they might give away too much. But I think I can safely tell you about Kay's bird, who was able to imitate her voice and tell Mother to take her medications -- powerful diuretics -- which made Mother lose 22 pounds in 9 minutes. I can also tell you about Janie's husband Gregor, who's a bit of a cold fish. And I can tell you that the Fern/Jovie conversation was typical Fern and Jovie, meaning that it was pretty darn good.

I give this episode 3 1/4 stars. This might improve after a repeat viewing.

NEXT WEEK: Childhood.

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(***)

02/08/97 - Roger reviews "Tracey Takes On...": LAS VEGAS(****)