"Upright Citizens Brigade" (1998) TV series 1998-2000

User Rating:

8.7/10   

Creators:

Matt Besser
Amy Poehler
Ian Roberts
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

19 August 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Seriously f**ked up sketch comedy!

Plot:

Agents Adair, Antoine, Colby and Trotter both monitor and create chaos across the universe. The sketches...

Plot Keywords:

Chaos | Drugs | Insanity | Religion | Bomb Squad

Cast

Matt Besser	...	Adair / ... (30 episodes, 1998-2000)
Amy Poehler	...	Colby / ... (30 episodes, 1998-2000)
Ian Roberts	...	Antoine / ... (30 episodes, 1998-2000)
Matt Walsh	...	Trotter / ... (30 episodes, 1998-2000)
Del Close	...	Narrator (30 episodes, 1998-2000)

(more)

Series Directed by
Phil Morrison		(15 episodes, 1998-2000)
Peyton Reed		(12 episodes, 1999-2000)
Adam Bernstein		(7 episodes, 1998-2000)
Jon Schnepp		(2 episodes, 1998)
Clay Tarver		(2 episodes, 1998)
Alex Zamm		(2 episodes, 2000)

Series Writing credits
Matt Besser		(30 episodes, 1998-2000)
Amy Poehler		(30 episodes, 1998-2000)
Ian Roberts		(30 episodes, 1998-2000)
Matt Walsh		(30 episodes, 1998-2000)
Joe Ventura		(4 episodes, 1998)
Armando Díaz		(2 episodes, 1999-2000)
Josh Siegal		(2 episodes, 1999-2000)

Series Produced by
Kent Alterman	....	executive producer (30 episodes, 1998-2000)
Michele Armour	....	producer (20 episodes, 1999-2000)
Phil Morrison	....	consulting producer (10 episodes, 1998)
Emily Wolfe	....	producer (10 episodes, 1998)
Jackie Stolfi	....	associate producer (10 episodes, 1999)
Lisanne McDonald	....	line producer (10 episodes, 2000)

Series Original Music by
Steve Albini		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Mark Juergens		(unknown episodes, 1999-2000)
Joe Klotz		(unknown episodes)
David Zieff		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Matteo De Cosmo		(10 episodes, 2000)
Constance Van Flandern		(unknown episodes)

Series Set Decoration by
Susan Ogu		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
Carey Bennett		(unknown episodes)
Christopher Del Coro		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Jeffrey Rebelo	....	wig designer (23 episodes, 1998-2000)

Series Production Management
Gisellah Harvey	....	production manager (unknown episodes)
Lisa King	....	unit manager (unknown episodes)
Joaquin Diego Prange	....	unit manager (unknown episodes)
Christopher Savage	....	unit production manager (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Rob York	....	first assistant director (10 episodes, 1998)
Chip Signore	....	first assistant director (10 episodes, 2000)
Steven C. Lawrence	....	second second assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Lyle Gamm	....	property master / assistant property master (28 episodes, 1998-2000)
Sherief Elkatsha	....	set dresser (10 episodes, 1998)
James Clauer	....	assistant art director (unknown episodes)
Julie Dubrow	....	props (unknown episodes)
Yvonne Mojica	....	graphics designer (unknown episodes)
Constance Van Flandern	....	property master (unknown episodes)
Gary Wattson	....	set dresser (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Antonio L. Arroyo	....	production sound mixer (unknown episodes)
Mason Gregory	....	boom operator (unknown episodes)
Ken Ishii	....	production sound mixer (unknown episodes)
Jamie Moore	....	boom operator (unknown episodes)
Jeff Pullman	....	production sound mixer (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Neil Ruddy	....	special effects (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Roberto Lopez	....	stunt coordinator / stunt performer (1 episode, 2000)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Edward Read	....	gaffer (17 episodes, 1999-2000)
Cesar Baptista	....	key grip / dolly grip (11 episodes, 1999-2000)
Charles McEntee	....	best boy grip (10 episodes, 2000)
Adam Silver	....	electrician (3 episodes, 1999-2000)
Todd Csernecky	....	electrician (2 episodes, 1998)
Alan Blagg	....	grip (2 episodes, 1999)
Timothy Reilly	....	grip (2 episodes, 1999)
Riad Deeb	....	grip (unknown episodes)
Michael N. Green	....	electrician (unknown episodes)
Patrick R. Heffernan	....	best boy grip (unknown episodes)
Alan Jacobsen	....	rigging gaffer (unknown episodes)
Learan Kahanov	....	gaffer (unknown episodes)
Paul McCarthy	....	grip (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Christopher Del Coro	....	assistant costume designer (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Roger Doran	....	colorist (24 episodes, 1998-2000)
Robert Leaton	....	colorist (5 episodes, 1998-2000)

Series Other crew
Dave Becky	....	creative consultant / series consultant (30 episodes, 1998-2000)
Suzanne McNulty	....	production assistant (10 episodes, 1998)
David Blenk	....	assistant production accountant (10 episodes, 2000)
Del Close	....	mentor (10 episodes, 2000)
Jason Kadlec	....	production assistant (10 episodes, 2000)
Law Tarello	....	production assistant (10 episodes, 2000)
Nikki Borrelli	....	assistant production coordinator (unknown episodes)
David Brotsky	....	assistant location manager (unknown episodes)
Donna Cipriani	....	production accountant (unknown episodes)
Greg Conroy	....	location assistant (unknown episodes)
Trish Gray	....	script coordinator (unknown episodes)
Scott Jacobson	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Lisa King	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Steve Lee	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Rachel Linhart	....	assistant production coordinator (unknown episodes)
Zachary MacDonald	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Dylan Morgan	....	assistant to writer (unknown episodes)
Mary T. Novak	....	assistant to producer (unknown episodes)
Lynn H. Powers	....	location manager (unknown episodes)
Jennifer Quesenbery	....	location scout (unknown episodes)
Demian Resnick	....	location manager (unknown episodes)

Distributors

• Comedy Central

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

New Jersey, USA

Trivia:

Each Season of UCB thus far has a running joke that culminates in the season's final episode. The skits will make passing reference to the running joke in each episode of that season. For example: the first season's running joke was the Titte Brothers, a fictional pair of performers. They appear in the last episode of the first season when they perform a charity concert for the Little Donny Foundation. The second season's joke was Supercool, a highly addictive sugar candy. The second season finale focused on the Supercool smuggling ring headed by the UCB. The third season's running joke was Pro Thunderball, a hyper-violent sport that combines football and baseball. The third season finale is a mock-documentary of the evolution of Pro Thunderball.

Quotes:

Captain Lunatic: [yelling at God while near the "Bucket of Truth"] Ah! All right, I'll look in your damn bucket!
[looks inside, then pulls out]
Captain Lunatic: Don't you think I know that?

Movie Connections:

Spin off A.S.S.S.S.C.A.T.: Improv (2005) (TV)

Excellent!

One of the best sketch comedy shows... well, ever. This show is rarely laugh-out-loud funny -- it's more of a brain- tickle. Some sketches, such as the "ass-pennies" sketch or the "naked chicks room" bit, are actually hysterically funny, but even the ones that aren't exactly *funny* are still an awful lot of fun. There's a pleasure in watching this show that goes far beyond mere funny. As in the Ackroyd/Murray/Belushi era SNL, or Kids in the Hall, the concepts are truly different, and the actors make outrageous characters believable. These sketches reach for something deep inside us, attempting to make us a little uncomfortable, or to make us think a little, even before they look for a laugh. Those who are annoyed or turned off by the show may be looking for simple, cheap laughs. But this show challenges the viewer to think. Sometimes it doesn't work; there are even times when I'm itching to change the channel. But this is the only show I know of that can effectively crack on Frank Lloyd Wright and Alan Greenspan at the same time -- that alone is worth more than all the "Cartman's fat" jokes in the world.

(I understand these actors also do the show live, and indeed at the end of some of the shows we see, apparently via hidden cameras, the actors harassing people in public places, in character and using bits from the show. This crossover into public performance gives the show an exciting spontaneity, and makes for some of the show's funniest, sharpest moment.)