''Mad About You'' is an American television

sitcom A sitcom, a Portmanteau, portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troup ...

starring Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt as a married couple in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...

. It initially aired on NBC from September 23, 1992, to May 24, 1999, winning numerous awards including four

Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

s and twelve

Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...

s. On March 6, 2019, a limited series revival was picked up by Spectrum Originals for 12 episodes.

Plot

The series focuses mainly on newlyweds Paul Buchman, a documentary filmmaker, and Jamie Stemple Buchman, a

public relations Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing and disseminating information from an individual or an organization (such as a business, government agency, or a nonprofit organization) to the public in order to influence their perception. ...

specialist, as they deal with everything from humorous daily minutiae to major struggles. Near the end of the show's run, they have a baby daughter, whom they name Mabel. They live in

Greenwich Village Greenwich Village ( , , ) is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street to the north, Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the south, and the Hudson River to the west. Greenwich Village ...

Lower Manhattan Lower Manhattan (also known as Downtown Manhattan or Downtown New York) is the southernmost part of Manhattan, the central borough for business, culture, and government in New York City, which is the most populated city in the United States with ...

. The 2019 limited series focuses on Paul and Jamie as empty nesters as Mabel starts college at

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, ...

, five blocks away.

Production

Helen Hunt and Paul Reiser were paid $1 million per episode for the last season (with their contracts calling for them to be paid equally). However, ratings fell sharply that year as the series was shuffled away from its Tuesday slot to prop up a fledgling Monday night line-up of comedies on NBC. The show's theme song, "Final Frontier", was composed by Reiser and Don Was. It was originally performed by Andrew Gold, but a version performed by

Anita Baker Anita Denise Baker (born January 26, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter. She is one of the most popular singers of soulful ballads, especially renowned for her work during the height of the quiet storm Quiet storm is a radio format and ge ...

made its debut in Season 5, Episode 13, though it was not so credited until Season 5, Episode 18. Baker's rendering was used in 18 episodes of the last three seasons, and appears on the show's soundtrack album. Gold's version is also available on the collection ''Thank You for Being a Friend: The Best of Andrew Gold''. Exterior views of buildings were filmed in

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the List of co ...

. Paul and Jamie's New York City Apartment was located at 5th Avenue and 12th Street. The

Old Town Bar and Restaurant The Old Town Bar and Restaurant is a noted bar and restaurant located between Park Avenue and Broadway at 45 E. 18th Street in the Flatiron District, Manhattan in New York City, one block north of Union Square. Originally a German establishment ca ...

on 45 E. 18th Street was used for the fictional ''Riff's Restaurant'' in the series.

Revival

In April 2018, it was announced that

Sony Pictures Television Sony Pictures Television Inc. (abbreviated as SPT) is an American television production and distribution studio. Based at the Sony Pictures Studios complex in Culver City, it is a division of Sony Entertainment's unit Sony Pictures Enterta ...

would revive the show with the two lead actors reprising their roles, though Reiser expressed doubt about it in July 2018. In September 2018, Reiser stated that the revival was still on the table, but that "the studio needs to figure out if they know how to do it." On March 6, 2019, the series was revived for an eighth season by Spectrum Originals, described as a 12-episode limited series, with Reiser and Hunt confirmed to reprise their roles. On September 5, 2019, it was announced that the first six episodes of the revival would premiere on November 20, 2019, and another six episodes would be released on December 18, 2019. The series is available in a traditional manner in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tota ...

, with its episodes airing on the CTV Comedy Channel. Many of the main and recurring cast members reprised their roles for the revival. The most notable former main cast member not to reprise her role was Leila Kenzle, who played Jamie's best friend, Fran Devanow. Kenzle retired from acting in 2003 and became a psychotherapist. Fran's husband, Mark, does return in the revival, but the character is now remarried.

Cast and characters

Original run (1992–1999)

Main * Paul Reiser as Paul Buchman, a filmmaker. After attending the

Film School, he struggled for recognition before finally succeeding in filmmaking in New York City. He and his family reside near Union Square, on lower Fifth Avenue. * Helen Hunt as Jamie Buchman (née Stemple, born February 19, 1963), the younger daughter of Gus and Theresa Stemple. Although in several episodes, Jamie's birthdate is portrayed as November 11 and also February 11. On moving to New York, she took a job at Farrer-Gantz Public Relations, eventually rising to the position of Regional Vice President. After leaving Farrer-Gantz to continue her education, Jamie started her own public relations firm, which was eventually consolidated into City Hall's press department, under Director of Communications Lance Brockwell. When Brockwell set his sights on the Mayor's mansion, he selected Jamie as his campaign manager. After seven boyfriends at

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...

, she met Paul Buchman at a New York newsstand shortly before Christmas in 1989 by stealing his copy of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' with an implausible excuse. The two married in April 1992. Her difficult relationship with her mother-in-law is an ongoing source of jokes on the show. The character also appeared in the ''Friends'' episode " The One with Two Parts, Part 1". * Maui as Murray, the Buchmans' dog. He was a puppy when Paul found him, and Paul met Jamie while walking him. He sometimes chases what the couple assume is an invisible mouse, and often ends up crashing into the bedroom wall. In a later episode, Jamie discovers that there is indeed a real mouse that Murray has been chasing. In the two-part series finale, ''The Final Frontier,'' adult Mabel says that Murray died when she was six, but she was not told until she was twelve. Twice voted the most popular dog by the readers of ''TV Guide,'' Murray is loyal and endearing while being very laid back and a bit thick-skulled. Maui was originally found in a Castaic, California, animal shelter by noted Hollywood animal trainer

Boone Narr Boone Narr (born January 30, 1948) is an internationally known and respected animal stunt coordinator and one of the most celebrated Hollywood animal trainers. He is founder of the ''Boone's Animals for Hollywood'' animal training facility located i ...

. Maui weighed 58 pounds and was primarily trained by Betty Linn. His first assignments came in TV commercials and as the backup for the top dog in the feature film '' Bingo''. * Anne Ramsay as Lisa Stemple (seasons 1–5; recurring season 7), Jamie's older sister. Lisa has unfathomable psychological issues. Jamie is referred to as "Stella" in a book written by Lisa's therapist: "It was Stella's overprotectiveness that suffocated her ability to relate to others, and tethered her to a lifetime of insecurity and neurosis." After an envious rage, she blames Jamie for all of her problems in an interview with her shrink that becomes a chapter of a book called "Manics." With no place else to go, she does her laundry at Paul's and Jamie's apartment while scavenging through her sister's clothes and food. Every visit from her parents triggers her eating disorder. In between bouts of weirdness, she still cares deeply for Paul and Jamie and is often trusted to house sit for them, usually with unfortunate results. * Leila Kenzle as Fran Devanow (seasons 1–6; guest season 7), Jamie's best friend. She is the regional vice president at Farrer-Gantz Public Relations who hired Jamie as her assistant. Near 1989, Fran quits Farrer-Gantz to spend time with her obnoxious five-year-old son, Ryan, and husband, Mark. Jamie is then promoted to Fran's position. Fran and Mark's relationship lasts 10 years, and their separation shocks Jamie and Paul. After divorcing Mark, Fran returns to her old position at Farrer-Gantz, since Jamie had quit. Eventually, Fran also quits and goes into business with Jamie. In time, Fran and Mark reconcile. The character also appeared in sitcom ''Friends'' (The One With The Two Parts Part One). *

Richard Kind Richard Bruce Kind (born November 22, 1956) is an American actor and comedian, known for his roles as Dr. Mark Devanow in '' Mad About You'' (1992–1999, 2019), Paul Lassiter in ''Spin City'' (1996–2002), Andy in ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'' (200 ...

as Dr. Mark Devanow (season 1; recurring seasons 2–5 & 7), Fran's melodramatic ex-husband, with whom she is on good terms. A former obstetrician, Mark left Fran and their young son because he felt smothered and wanted to see the world. After returning to New York, he converts to Buddhism and works for a grocery store, although ultimately he returns to his old profession. In due course, he wins Fran back. * John Pankow as Ira Buchman (seasons 2–7; recurring season 1), Paul's cousin. He first appears in the episode "The Wedding Affair." Ira is from the Sheepshead Bay section of Brooklyn. He worked for Paul's father, Burt, at Buchman's Sporting Goods. Paul and Ira have a close friendship, but their hidden rivalry came out when Ira took ownership of Buchman's Sporting Goods upon Burt's retirement. Ira made Paul a silent partner in the store due to the mistaken belief that Paul resents his inheriting the store. Ira is a compulsive gambler and often takes Paul with him on Atlantic City junkets without Jamie's knowledge. When he remembers to, Ira attends Gamblers Anonymous meetings. Even so, he frequently appears as loving and supportive towards Paul and Jamie. * Cynthia Harris as Sylvia Buchman (seasons 6–7; recurring seasons 2–5), Paul's mother. Sylvia almost always gives Jamie a hard time, but occasionally does show kindness towards her daughter-in-law. * Louis Zorich as Burt Buchman (seasons 6–7; guest seasons 1–2; recurring seasons 3–5), Paul's father. Burt runs a sporting goods store – until he passes it on to Ira upon retirement. His signature line in the show occurs whenever he visits Paul and Jamie's apartment, exclaiming at the door, "It's me, Burt! Burt Buchman—your father!" * Alyssa and Justin Baric (twins) as Mabel Buchman, Paul and Jamie's daughter. She was finally named when Jamie's overbearing mother proclaimed that "Mothers Always Bring Extra Love", an homage to ''

The Dick Van Dyke Show ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'' is an American television sitcom created by Carl Reiner that initially aired on CBS from October 3, 1961 to June 1, 1966, with a total of 158 half-hour episodes spanning five seasons. It was produced by Calvada Prod ...

'' where Rob and Laura explain Ritchie's middle name. Alyssa and Justin Baric played Mabel from the beginning of season six when Mabel was brought home from the hospital ("Coming Home"). They continued to play the role of Mabel for numerous episodes. Carter and Madison Gale play the role at a later time. In the season six episode "Letters to Mabel," an 18-year-old Mabel is played by Meredith Bishop. In the series finale, a teen Mabel is played by Cara DeLizia, and an adult Mabel is played by

Janeane Garofalo Janeane Marie Garofalo ( ; born September 28, 1964) is an American comedian, actress, and former co-host on the now-defunct Air America Radio's ''The Majority Report''. Garofalo began her career as a stand-up comedian and became a cast member on ...

. Recurring * Jerry Adler as Mr. Wicker, the apartment building superintendent (10 episodes) *

Hank Azaria Henry Albert Azaria ( ; born April 25, 1964) is an American actor, comedian, and writer. He is known for voicing many characters in the animated sitcom ''The Simpsons'' (1989–present), most notably Moe Szyslak, Chief Wiggum, Comic Book Guy, ...

as Nat Ostertag, Jamie and Paul's dog walker (15 episodes) * Robin Bartlett (29 episodes) and Talia Balsam (1 episode) as Debbie Buchman, Paul's sister. *

Patrick Bristow Patrick Bristow (born September 26, 1962) is an American actor, comedian and director. He is best known for playing Peter Barnes on '' Ellen'' (1994-1998), and Patrick on ''The Suite Life of Zack and Cody'' (2005-2008), and for the film '' Pai ...

as Troy, Jamie's scheming office underling (5 episodes) *

Mel Brooks Mel Brooks (born Melvin James Kaminsky; June 28, 1926) is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. With a career spanning over seven decades, he is known as a writer and director of a variety of successful broad farces and parodies. He began ...

as Uncle Phil, Paul's uncle (4 episodes) *

Carol Burnett Carol Creighton Burnett (born April 26, 1933) is an American actress, comedian, singer, and writer. Her groundbreaking comedy variety show '' The Carol Burnett Show'', which originally aired on CBS was one of the first of its kind to be hoste ...

(10 episodes) and Penny Fuller (4 episodes) and Nancy Dussault (1 episode) as Theresa Stemple, Jamie's mother. * Mo Gaffney as Dr. Sheila Kleinman, Jamie and Paul's therapist (13 episodes) *

Jeff Garlin Jeffrey Garlin (born June 5, 1962) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He is best known for playing Murray Goldberg, patriarch of the eponymous family in the ABC sitcom '' The Goldbergs'', and Jeff Greene on the HBO sitcom ''Curb You ...

as Marvin, Ira's employee and semi-pro wrestler (13 episodes) * Judy Geeson as Maggie Conway, British neighbor across the hall (32 episodes) *

Tommy Hinkley Hiram Thomas Hinkley (born May 31, 1960) is an American actor. He made his feature film debut in the comedy ''Back to the Beach'' (1987), and subsequently appeared in the Academy Award-winning short film ''Ray's Male Heterosexual Dance Hall'' (al ...

as Jay Selby, Paul's college friend (13 episodes, season 1 only). The disappearance of Selby is never explained, a fact referred to in season 5, episode 21 ("Guardianhood") *

Lisa Kudrow Lisa Valerie Kudrow ( ; born July 30, 1963) is an American actress, producer, and screenwriter. She rose to fame for her role as Phoebe Buffay in the sitcom ''Friends'' (1994–2004), which has since been named one of the greatest television cha ...

as Ursula Buffay, absent-minded waitress at Riff's (24 episodes). The character also appeared in the sitcom, '' Friends'' (1994-2004), in which Phoebe, a co-lead character played by Kudrow, was written as Ursula's twin sister. *

Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper Thornton (born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. Her career has spanned over 40 years. Her album '' She's So Unusual'' (1983) was the first debut album by a female artist to ach ...

as Marianne Lugasso, Ira's on and off girlfriend/ex-wife (5 episodes) *

Lyle Lovett Lyle Pearce Lovett (born November 1, 1957)Lyle Lovett Pageat Allmusic – Lovett's Genre and Styles. Retrieved February 2, 2007 is an American singer, songwriter, actor and record producer. Active since 1980, he has recorded 13 albums and releas ...

(2 episodes) * Gates McFadden as Allison Rourke, Paul Buchman's boss (4 episodes) * Larry Miller as Lou Bonaparte (5 episodes) *

Carroll O'Connor John Carroll O'Connor (August 2, 1924 – June 21, 2001) was an American actor, producer, and director whose television career spanned over four decades. He became a lifelong member of the Actors Studio in 1971. O'Connor found widespread fame a ...

(4 episodes) and

John Karlen John Karlen (born John Adam Karlewicz; May 28, 1933 – January 22, 2020) was an American character actor who played multiple roles on the ABC serial ''Dark Shadows'' on and off from 1967 to 1971. In 1971, Karlen starred as the male lead in '' ...

(3 episodes) and

Paul Dooley Paul Dooley (born Paul Brown; February 22, 1928) is an American character actor, writer and comedian. He is known for his roles in '' Breaking Away'', '' Sixteen Candles'', and ''Popeye''. Early life Dooley was born Paul Brown on February 22, ...

(1 episode) as Gus Stemple, Jamie's father *

George O. Petrie George O. Petrie (November 16, 1912 – November 16, 1997) was an American radio and television actor. Early years Petrie was born on November 16, 1912, in New Haven, Connecticut.DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biograph ...

as Sid, Paul's film editor colleague (10 episodes) * Suzie Plakson as Dr. Joan Golfinos, Debbie Buchman's life partner (and Jamie's Ob/Gyn for a while) (18 episodes) *

Alan Ruck Alan Douglas Ruck (born July 1, 1956) is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Cameron Frye, Ferris Bueller's best friend, in John Hughes's film '' Ferris Bueller's Day Off'' (1986); Stuart Bondek, a lecherous, power-hungry member o ...

as Lance Brockwell (4 episodes) *

Eric Stoltz Eric Cameron Stoltz (born September 30, 1961) is an American actor, director and producer. He played the role of Rocky Dennis in the biographical drama film ''Mask'', which earned him the nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Suppor ...

as Alan Tofsky, Jamie's ex-boyfriend (6 episodes) * Paxton Whitehead as Maggie's first and third husband Hal (9 episodes) * Jim Piddock as Maggie's second husband Hal (7 episodes) * Steven Wright as Warren Mermelman (5 episodes) Notable guest stars *

Andre Agassi Andre Kirk Agassi ( ; born April 29, 1970) is an American former world No. 1 tennis player. He is an eight-time major champion and an Olympic gold medalist, as well as a runner-up in seven other majors. Agassi is the second of five men to ac ...

(season 2, episode 15) *

Ed Asner Eddie Asner (; November 15, 1929 – August 29, 2021) was an American actor and former president of the Screen Actors Guild. He is best remembered for portraying Lou Grant during the 1970s and early 1980s, on both '' The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' ...

(2 episodes) *

John Astin John Allen Astin (born March 30, 1930) is an American actor and director who has appeared in numerous stage, television and film roles. He is best known for starring in '' The Addams Family'' (1964–1966), as patriarch Gomez Addams, reprising ...

(season 2, episode 23) * Kevin Bacon (season 5, episode 7) * Lewis Black (season 6, episode 7) *

Christie Brinkley Christie Lee Brinkley (née Hudson; born February 2, 1954) is an American model, actress, and entrepreneur. Brinkley gained worldwide fame with her appearances in '' Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues'', ultimately appearing on an unprecedented ...

(season 2, episode 15) *

Garth Brooks Troyal Garth Brooks (born February 7, 1962) is an American country music singer and songwriter. His integration of pop and rock elements into the country genre has earned him popularity, particularly in the United States with success on the co ...

(season 2, episode 23) * Michael Buffer (season 7, episode 17) *

Steve Buscemi Steven Vincent Buscemi ( ,As stated in interviews by Buscemi himself, some may insist that his pronunciation of his own name is "wrong" because it does not match the original Italian pronunciation as well. It is not uncommon for people to pronou ...

(season 1, episode 7) *

Sid Caesar Isaac Sidney Caesar (September 8, 1922 – February 12, 2014) was an American comic actor, comedian and writer. With a career spanning 60 years, he was best known for two pioneering 1950s live television series: ''Your Show of Shows'' (1950� ...

(season 5, episode 15) *

James Cameron James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker. A major figure in the post- New Hollywood era, he is considered one of the industry's most innovative filmmakers, regularly pushing the boundaries of cinematic capability ...

(season 6, episode 23) *

Dan Castellaneta Daniel Louis Castellaneta (; born October 29, 1957) is an American actor, comedian, and writer. He is best known for voicing Homer Simpson on the animated series ''The Simpsons'' (as well as other characters on the show such as Abraham "Grampa" ...

(season 7, episode 10) * William Christopher (season 7, episode 2) * Tim Conway (season 7, episodes 21–22) *

Ellen DeGeneres Ellen Lee DeGeneres ( ; born January 26, 1958) is an American comedian, television host, actress, writer, and producer. She starred in the sitcom '' Ellen'' from 1994 to 1998, which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award for " The Puppy Episode". S ...

(season 6, episode 23) *

(season 1, episode 5) * Nancy Dussault (season 1, episode 5) * Patrick Ewing (season 3, episode 20) * Jamie Farr (season 7, episode 16) * Barbara Feldon (season 1, episode 20) *

(season 7, episodes 21–22) *

Brad Garrett Bradley Henry Gerstenfeld (born April 14, 1960), known professionally as Brad Garrett, is an American actor and stand-up comedian. Possessing a distinctive deep voice, he has appeared in numerous television and film roles in both live-action and ...

(season 4, episode 18) * Marita Geraghty (season 3, episode 10) * Steven Gilborn (Season 5 episode 13) * Rudolph "Rudy" Giuliani (season 3, episode 10) * Al Gore (season 6, episode 10) * Kerri Green (season 1, episode 4) * Seth Green (season 5, episode 21) *

Billy Joel William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, pianist and songwriter. Commonly nicknamed the " Piano Man" after his album and signature song of the same name, he has led a commercially successful career as a solo artist since th ...

(season 7, episode 15) * Bruno Kirby (season 5, episode 9) *

Robert Klein Robert Klein (born February 8, 1942) is an American stand-up comedian, singer, and actor. He is known for his appearances on stage and screen. He has released four standup comedy specials: ''A Child of the 50s'' (1973), ''Mind Over Matter'' (19 ...

(season 7, episode 9) *

Nathan Lane Nathan Lane (born Joseph Lane; February 3, 1956) is an American actor. In a career spanning over 40 years he has been seen on stage and screen in roles both comedic and dramatic. Lane has received numerous awards including three Tony Awards, ...

(season 6, episode 11) * Phil Leeds (season 1, episode 6) *

Eugene Levy Eugene Levy (born December 17, 1946) is a Canadian actor and comedian. From 1976 until 1984, he appeared in the Canadian television sketch comedy series '' SCTV''. He has also appeared in the '' American Pie'' series of films and the Canadian ...

(season 6, episode 22) *

Jerry Lewis Jerry Lewis (born Joseph Levitch; March 16, 1926 – August 20, 2017) was an American comedian, actor, singer, filmmaker and humanitarian. As his contributions to comedy and charity made him a global figure in pop culture, Lewis was nickn ...

(season 1, episode 17) *

Mark McGwire Mark David McGwire (born October 1, 1963), nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball first baseman who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1986 to 2001 for the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Card ...

(season 7, episode 13) *

Michael Moore Michael Francis Moore (born April 23, 1954) is an American filmmaker, author and left-wing activist. His works frequently address the topics of globalization and capitalism. Moore won the 2002 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for ...

(season 5, episode 23) *

Yoko Ono Yoko Ono ( ; ja, 小野洋子, Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking. Ono grew up i ...

(season 4, episode 6) *

Regis Philbin Regis Francis Xavier Philbin (; August 25, 1931 – July 25, 2020)Archived aGhostarchiveand thWayback Machine was an American television presenter, talk show host, game show host, comedian, actor, and singer. Once called "the hardest working ma ...

(season 1, episode 18) *

Sydney Pollack Sydney Irwin Pollack (July 1, 1934 – May 26, 2008) was an American film director, producer and actor. Pollack directed more than 20 films and 10 television shows, acted in over 30 movies or shows and produced over 44 films. For his film '' Out ...

(season 6, episode 13) * Beata Poźniak (season 1, episode 12) * Carl Reiner as Alan Brady (season 3, episode 16) *

Michael Richards Michael Anthony Richards (born July 24, 1949) is an American actor, writer, television producer, and comedian best known for playing Cosmo Kramer on the television sitcom ''Seinfeld''. He began his career as a stand-up comedian, first entering ...

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(season 1, episode 8) *

Alex Rocco Alex Rocco (born Alessandro Federico Petricone Jr.; February 29, 1936 – July 18, 2015) was an American actor. Known for his distinctive, gravelly voice, he was often cast as villains, including Moe Greene in '' The Godfather'' (1972) and his ...

(season, 5, episode 7) *

Al Roker Albert Lincoln Roker Jr. (born August 20, 1954) is an American weather presenter, journalist, television personality, and author. He is the current weather anchor on NBC's '' Today'', and occasionally co-hosts '' 3rd Hour Today''. He has an ...

(season 3, episode 6) *

Jerry Seinfeld Jerome Allen Seinfeld ( ; born April 29, 1954) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. He is best known for playing a semi-fictionalized version of himself in the sitcom ''Seinfeld'', which he created and wrote with Larr ...

(season 7, episode 1) * Brent Spiner (season 3, episode 15) * Carol Ann Susi (season 1, episode 9) * Wayne Tippit (season 1, episode 11) * Patrick Warburton (season 1, episode 16) *

Bruce Willis Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955) is a retired American actor. He achieved fame with a leading role on the comedy-drama series '' Moonlighting'' (1985–1989) and appeared in over a hundred films, gaining recognition as an action hero ...

(season 5, episode 24) * Randy Savage (season 7, episode 17)

Revival (2019)

Main * Paul Reiser as Paul Buchman * Helen Hunt as Jamie Buchman (''née'' Stemple) * Anne Ramsay as Lisa Stemple, Jamie's older sister * John Pankow as Ira Buchman, Paul's cousin *

Abby Quinn Abby Quinn (born April 14, 1996) is an American actress. Early life and education Quinn was born in Bloomfield, Michigan. She started a bachelor's degree at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, before dropping out to move to Los Angeles ...

as Mabel Buchman, Paul and Jamie's daughter *

as Dr. Mark Devanow * Kecia Lewis as Tonya, Mark's new wife * Antoinette LaVecchia as Lucia Francavella, Ira's girlfriend then fiancée Returning * Cynthia Harris as Sylvia Buchman, Paul's mother * Jeff Garland as Marvin * Jerry Adler as Mr. Wicker *

as Theresa Stemple, Jamie's mother * Mo Gaffney as Dr. Sheila Kleinman, psychiatrist Recurring * Asif Ali as Rishi * Sofia Hasmik as Ashta * Makena Lei Gordon as Shannon * Kimia Bellpoornia as Yasmeen Other *

Cloris Leachman Cloris Leachman (April 30, 1926 – January 27, 2021) was an American actress and comedian whose career spanned nearly eight decades. She won List of awards and nominations received by Cloris Leachman, many accolades, including eight Primetime ...

as Mrs. Mandelbaum, one of Jamie's therapy patients *

Jason Alexander Jay Scott Greenspan (born September 23, 1959), known professionally as Jason Alexander, is an American actor, comedian, host and director. An Emmy and Tony winner, he is best known for his role as George Costanza in the television series ''Se ...

as himself *

Blake Cooper Griffin Blake Cooper Griffin is an American actor. He is best known for his roles on HBO Max's '' Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty'', AMC's '' Preacher,'' TNT's '' Animal Kingdom'', and Ryan Murphy's '' Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer S ...

as Aaron * Omar Adam as Craig * Jennifer Westfeldt as Donna Lawson *

Jean Smart Jean Elizabeth Smart (born September 13, 1951) is an American actress. After beginning her career in regional theater in the Pacific Northwest, she appeared on Broadway in 1981 as Marlene Dietrich in the biographical play '' Piaf''. Smart wa ...

as Chelsea Stevens-Kobolakis * Isaac Cheung as Waiter * Joe Gillette as Vincent Maslin * Christina Marie Karis as Mara Buckland * Dylan Mattina as a New York City pedestrian * Layla Mohammadi as Meg Martin * Thomas Daniel Smith as Mark Buckland

Episodes

Crossovers

''Mad About You'' has had numerous connections to other NBC sitcoms set in New York City, as well as various other programs. '' Friends'' (owned by Warner Bros. Television):

played the recurring role of Ursula, a flaky waitress at Riff's Bar, a local restaurant that Paul and Jamie frequented. Kudrow went on to star in the NBC sitcom ''Friends'', playing the also somewhat flaky character of

Phoebe Buffay Phoebe Buffay is one of the six main characters from the American sitcom, ''Friends''. She is created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman and portrayed by actress Lisa Kudrow. In the series' universe, Phoebe was born on February 16 and is the d ...

, and for a time both series shared the same Thursday night line-up. While not originally intended, the characters of Ursula and Phoebe were later found to be identical twin sisters. In a ''Friends'' episode ("The One With The Two Parts", 1st Season), as part of a night of NBC sitcom crossovers, Jamie and Fran walk into Central Perk and mistake Phoebe for Ursula. Hunt and Kenzle were not identified on screen as Jamie and Fran. In the season three episode "Pandora's Box", Jamie causes a citywide power blackout in New York City, and the effects of the blackout are seen in the ''Friends'' episode, "The One with the Blackout", and there was also a blackout in the episode "Birthday in the Big House" of the short-lived NBC sitcom '' Madman of the People''. All three episodes originally aired during the evening of November 3, 1994, alongside a ''Seinfeld'' episode which did not incorporate the blackout premise. ''

Seinfeld ''Seinfeld'' ( ) is an American television sitcom created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld. It aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, over nine seasons and List of Seinfeld episodes, 180 episodes. It stars Seinfeld as Jerry Seinfeld ( ...

'': In one episode ("The Apartment", 1st Season), Paul, pressured by Jamie, decides to sign over the lease of his old "bachelor pad" to the current tenant who is subleasing. When the tenant is revealed to be

(

) of ''Seinfeld'', Paul asks Kramer "What ever happened to that Jerry guy who used to live there?" ''Seinfeld'', however, twice contradicted this connection, once even featuring a running joke about George's distaste for his fiancée Susan's fondness for watching ''Mad About You''. In the ''Mad About You'' season seven episode "Season Opener", Paul, under the effects of

Viagra Sildenafil, sold under the brand name Viagra, among others, is a medication used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension. It is unclear if it is effective for treating sexual dysfunction in women. It is taken by m ...

, ran into

in the street, who tells Paul to go away. At this point in ''Seinfeld''s chronology, Jerry Seinfeld was supposed to be

in prison ''In Prison'' is a 1915 song by composer Frederick Keel, composed in 1915 in the civilian Ruhleben internment camp on the former racecourse in Berlin where Keel was interned along with other artists and musicians including Edgar Bainton, Ernest ...

. ''

'': Carl Reiner reprised the role of Alan Brady from the 1960s sitcom. The episode made several references to the older show, such as Jamie at one point crying and whining "Oh, Paul!" – a take on

Mary Tyler Moore Mary Tyler Moore (December 29, 1936 – January 25, 2017) was an American actress, producer, and social advocate. She is best known for her roles on ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'' (1961–1966) and ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (1970–1977), which ...

's character Laura Petrie's frequent refrain "Oh, Rob!" – Ten episodes earlier, Paul almost trips over a box and says, "Get me, I'm Dick Van Dyke." '' Style & Substance'': In the 2019 revival ("Real Estate for Beginners", 8th Season),

appeared as Chelsea Stevens-Kobolakis, a controlling, abrasive, short-tempered character that she had previously portrayed in showrunner Peter Tolan's short-lived 1998 series. Paul and Jamie attend a weekend team-building workshop that Chelsea hosts, mistakenly thinking that it's the marriage counseling seminar which is being held in a nearby room.

Nielsen ratings

* 1992–93: #54 (10.18 rating) * 1993–94: #31 (12.69 rating) * 1994–95: #11 (15.2 rating) * 1995–96: #37 (10.8 rating) * 1996–97: #24 (11.0 rating) * 1997–98: #32 (13.4 million viewers) * 1998–99: #85 (9.1 million viewers)

Awards

''Mad About You'' won a

, a

Peabody Award The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Peabody, honor the most powerful, enlightening, and invigorating stories in television, radio, and ...

, a Genesis Award, received five

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series, and was chosen Best Quality Comedy by the Viewers for Quality Television. Helen Hunt won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Comedy Series four years in a row (1996–99).

Media

Soundtrack

In 1997, Atlantic Records released a ''Mad About You'' soundtrack. The soundtrack from and inspired by the sitcom, is composed of fun and sentimental songs and clips from the show. The tracks are organized chronologically marking the milestones of the couple's relationship. The album is bookended by the two versions of Paul Reiser's song "Final Frontier"—the first track is the classic version used in the show's opening, and the last track is Anita Baker's jazzy, full-length rendition, with Reiser on keyboard. The 21 tracks are as follows: # "Final Frontier (TV Theme)" – Andrew Gold/ The Sonora's Tucson Band # "Who I Am" –

Faith Hill Audrey Faith McGraw (; born September 21, 1967), known professionally as Faith Hill, is an American singer and actress. She is one of the most successful country music artists of all time, having sold more than 40 million albums worldwide. Hill ...

# "No Pressure" – Paul Reiser & Helen Hunt # " I've Been Lonely Too Long" – The Young Rascals # "

At Last "At Last" is a song written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren for the musical film ''Sun Valley Serenade'' (1941). Glenn Miller and his orchestra recorded the tune several times, with a 1942 version reaching number two on the US ''Billboard'' po ...

" –

Etta James Jamesetta Hawkins (January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012), known professionally as Etta James, was an American singer who performed in various genres, including gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, rock and roll, and soul. Starting her career in 1954, ...

# "That's Marriage?" – Paul Reiser & Helen Hunt # "Ice Cream" –

Sarah McLachlan Sarah Ann McLachlan OC OBC (born January 28, 1968) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. As of 2015, she had sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is '' Surfacing'', for which she won two Grammy Awards (ou ...

# " I Love the Way You Love Me" – Eric Martin # "Nobody Knows Me" –

# "Sneaky Feelings" –

Elvis Costello Declan Patrick MacManus OBE (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer-songwriter and record producer. He has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award in 2020, and has twice been nom ...

# "A Talk in the Park" – Paul Reiser & Helen Hunt # "Love and Forgiveness" –

Julia Fordham Julia Fordham (born 10 August 1962) is a British singer-songwriter. Her professional career started in the early 1980s, under the name "Jules Fordham", as a backing singer for Mari Wilson and Kim Wilde, before signing a recording contract of he ...

# "A Magic Moment" – Paul Reiser & Helen Hunt # "The Things We've Handed Down" – Marc Cohn # "Lullaby for You" – BeBe Winans # "She Crawls Away" –

Hootie & the Blowfish Hootie & the Blowfish are an American soft rock band that were formed in Columbia, South Carolina, in 1986. The band's lineup for most of its existence has been the quartet of Darius Rucker, Mark Bryan, Dean Felber, and Jim Sonefeld. The band ...

# "My First Child" – Nil Lara # " Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)" –

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

# "Baby Girl" – The Tony Rich Project # "Unconditional Love" – Paul Reiser & Helen Hunt # "''Mad About You'' – The Final Frontier" –

Home media

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (abbreviated as SPHE) is the home video distribution division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. Background SPHE is responsible for the distribution of the Sony Pictures l ...

has released the first three seasons of ''Mad About You'' on DVD in Region 1 and 4. The first two seasons were also made available in Region 2. No subsequent seasons were released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. In February 2010,

Shout! Factory Shout! Factory is an American home video and music company founded in 2002 as Retropolis Entertainment. Its video releases include previously released feature films, classic and contemporary television series, animation, live music, and comedy ...

acquired the distribution rights to the remaining seasons of ''Mad About You'' on DVD. They subsequently released seasons 4 and 5 on DVD. On August 27, 2013, it was announced that Mill Creek Entertainment had acquired the rights to various television series from the Sony Pictures library including ''Mad About You''. They subsequently re-released the first and second seasons on DVD on August 5, 2014. Mill Creek released the complete series on a 14-DVD set on May 3, 2016. As of August 1, 2019, the entire series has been available to

Spectrum A spectrum (plural ''spectra'' or ''spectrums'') is a condition that is not limited to a specific set of values but can vary, without gaps, across a continuum. The word was first used scientifically in optics to describe the rainbow of color ...

subscribers as part of the run-up to the premiere of the revival series. On December 8, 2020, the revival season, alongside the original series, was added to

Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video, also known simply as Prime Video, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming and rental service of Amazon offered as a standalone service or as part of Amazon's Prime subscription. The service p ...

Season releases

Best-of releases

Adaptations

A Chilean adaptation under the title ''Loco por ti'' (translated as ''Crazy About You'') aired on TVN during 2004. An Argentine adaptation under the title '' Loco por vos'' (translated as ''Crazy About You'') stylized as ''Loco x vos'' aired on Telefe from September 5 until December 29, 2016. The second season was originally going to air in 2017 but was scrapped later on. A British adaptation under the title ''Loved by You'' aired for two seasons on ITV from 11 March 1997 until 27 August 1998. An Italian adaptation under the title '' Innamorati pazzi'' (''Crazy Lovers'') aired on

Italia 1 Italia 1 (Italian pronunciation ) is an Italian free-to-air television channel on the Mediaset network, owned by MFE - MediaForEurope. It is oriented at both young and adult people. Italia 1 was launched on 3 January 1982 and, originally, was ...

from 1998 until 2003 A Chinese adaptation aired on Dragon TV on January 4, 2016.

References

External links

* *
''Mad About You'' at faqs.org site
{{Charter Communications 1992 American television series debuts 1999 American television series endings 2019 American television series debuts 2019 American television series endings 1990s American romantic comedy television series 1990s American sitcoms 2010s American romantic comedy television series 2010s American sitcoms American television series revived after cancellation Best Musical or Comedy Series Golden Globe winners English-language television shows Friends (1994 TV series) Jewish comedy and humor Television series about Jews and Judaism NBC original programming Peabody Award-winning television programs Primetime Emmy Award-winning television series Television franchises Television series about marriage Television series by Sony Pictures Television Television shows set in Manhattan Spectrum Originals original programming