Television history is littered with shows that were "ahead of their time," but The Critic actually feels like it was beamed back from a future where everyone has a Letterboxd account and a Twitter burner. If you grew up in the 90s, you remember the line. It was short. It was punchy. It was delivered with a nasally, theatrical disdain that only Jon Lovitz could muster. "It stinks!" Jay Sherman, the rotund, balding, and perpetually miserable film critic at the center of the show, didn't just review movies; he dissected the rotting corpse of Hollywood commercialism. The catchphrase wasn't just a gag. Honestly, it was a protest. Created by Al Jean and Mike Reiss—the geniuses who helped build the foundation of The Simpsons—the show took a cynical, hyper-literate look at media that feels more relevant in 2026 than it did in 1994.
The Origin of the Stink
The phrase actually has roots in real-life New York theater and film criticism culture. It was a parody of the legendary Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Jay Scott, combined with the flamboyant energy of New York's local TV reviewers. When Jay Sherman shouted "It stinks!" at a screen, he was channeling the collective frustration of every artist forced to watch a big-budget sequel that nobody asked for.
Back then, the show jumped from ABC to FOX, struggling to find its footing because it refused to be a "family" sitcom. It was a show for people who loved movies but hated the industry. The writers packed every frame with sight gags and deep-cut references to Bergman, Hitchcock, and Spielberg. It was dense. You had to pay attention. If you blinked, you missed a parody of Jurassic Park where the dinosaurs were just trying to get their SAG cards.
Why Lovitz Was Irreplaceable
Jon Lovitz brought a specific kind of "lovable loser" energy to Jay Sherman. You kind of felt bad for him, but you also totally understood why his ex-wife hated him. His delivery of the catchphrase was a masterclass in comic timing. It wasn't just the words; it was the way his neck disappeared into his shoulders as he said it.
The catchphrase became a shorthand for the show’s entire philosophy. In an era before Rotten Tomatoes, Jay Sherman was the gatekeeper. He was the one telling the audience that they deserved better than the corporate sludge being pumped into theaters. People often forget that the show was actually quite sweet in its own weird way, focusing on Jay’s relationship with his son, Marty, and his eccentric, wealthy adoptive parents.
The High Art of the Parody
The Critic was famous for its "clips." These were fake movies that Jay had to review, and they were often better than the actual movies coming out at the time. Remember Humphrey Bogart in Ghost? Or Abe Lincoln: Pet Detective? The show predicted the "mash-up" culture of the internet years before it happened.
One of the most biting parodies involved a fictionalized version of Arnold Schwarzenegger. In the world of The Critic, Arnold was constantly starring in movies like McBain (a crossover from The Simpsons) or musicals where he simply screamed his lines. The joke was always the same: Hollywood takes something pure and makes it loud, expensive, and stupid. Jay Sherman was the only one brave enough to point it out.
Why We Are Still Talking About It
We live in a "Everything is Great" or "Everything is Woke" culture now. Nuance is dead on social media. But Jay Sherman represented a third path: the Grumpy Professional. He had standards. When he said something stank, it was because he knew what "good" looked like. He loved Lawrence of Arabia. He worshipped the classics.
Interestingly, the show’s move to FOX led to the famous crossover episode with The Simpsons, titled "A Star Is Burns." Matt Groening actually hated the idea so much he took his name off the credits for that episode. He thought it was just a giant commercial for The Critic. He wasn't entirely wrong, but that episode remains a fan favorite, giving us the iconic "I was saying Boo-urns" moment.
The Digital Revival and Legacy
There was a brief web-series revival in the early 2000s, but it didn't have the same bite. The animation was flash-based and cheap. It lacked the lush, cinematic feel of the original hand-drawn episodes. However, the original two seasons have become a cult staple on streaming services.
If you watch it today, the political jokes are dated (lots of Geraldo Rivera and Dan Quayle riffs), but the media criticism is evergreen. The way the show handled celebrity cameos was also unique. Instead of just having stars play themselves, they often had them play heightened, ridiculous versions of their personas, or they just used incredibly accurate voice doubles to lampoon them.
The Actionable Truth for Content Creators
If you're a writer, filmmaker, or critic today, there is a massive lesson to be learned from Jay Sherman.
- Have a Point of View. Jay wasn't "objective." He was opinionated. In 2026, the most valuable thing you have is your specific, weird perspective. Don't be afraid to say something stinks if it actually does.
- Respect the Audience's Intelligence. The Critic never explained its jokes. It assumed you knew who Orson Welles was. It assumed you had seen The Godfather. When you write for everyone, you write for no one.
- Consistency is King. The catchphrase worked because it was a pillar of the character. It gave the audience a "hook" to hang their hats on.
- Saturation Matters. Part of why the show failed initially was poor scheduling. If you are launching a project, find your niche. The Critic would have been a massive hit if it started on a platform like Netflix or Max today instead of a major broadcast network in the 90s.
To truly appreciate the genius of the show, go back and watch the episode "Siskel & Ebert & Jay & Alice." It is a brutal, hilarious look at the egos of professional critics. It reminds us that at the end of the day, even the harshest critics are just fans who want to be moved by something.
Jay Sherman taught us that it's okay to be picky. It’s okay to want more from our entertainment. And sometimes, the most honest thing you can say about a billion-dollar blockbuster is two simple words.
You know the ones.
Next Steps for the Modern Critic:
Start by revisiting the "A Star is Burns" episode of The Simpsons to see Jay Sherman at his peak. Then, find the DVD or streaming versions of Season 1. Pay close attention to the background art—the caricatures of 90s celebrities are often funnier than the dialogue itself. Finally, apply the "Sherman Standard" to your own media consumption: if you aren't willing to call out the bad, your praise for the good means nothing.