Watch NewsRadio

Name: NewsRadio
Genre: Comedy
Released: 1995-03-21
Cast: Dave FoleyStephen RootAndy DickJoe RoganMaura Tierney

TV-14
1995
5 Seasons
7.9 (16,496)

NewsRadio is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from 1995 to 1999. The series is set in the fictional WNYX radio station in New York City and revolves around the eccentric employees who work there. The show was lauded for its witty humor, ensemble cast, and its timely commentary on the media industry. Dave Foley stars as Dave Nelson, the hapless news director who finds himself in constant conflict with the station owner, Jimmy James (played by Stephen Root). Jimmy is a billionaire playboy with a passion for radio, and he often oversteps his boundaries by meddling in the day-to-day operations of the station. Andy Dick plays the role of Matthew Brock, a quirky and socially awkward reporter who often drives his co-workers crazy with his strange behavior. Joe Rogan plays Joe Garrelli, a tech-savvy electrician who is always upgrading the station's equipment and causing trouble for his colleagues. Maura Tierney is the station's ambitious producer, Lisa Miller, who is always looking to score the big interview or story. Vicki Lewis plays the ditzy receptionist, Beth, who is always getting into wacky situations. Khandi Alexander rounds out the ensemble as Catherine Duke, a newswoman who joins the station in the later seasons. Phil Hartman also appears in the first 3 seasons as Bill McNeal, a slick and egotistical anchor who clashes with Dave Nelson. One of the most distinctive elements of NewsRadio is its attention to detail regarding the inner workings of a radio station. From the equipment to the jargon, the show feels authentic and gives the audience a behind-the-scenes look at the radio industry. The show also has a strong sense of continuity, with storylines and character developments carrying over from episode to episode. However, the show's strength lies in its ensemble cast, who have an undeniable chemistry onscreen. The actors play off each other well and create a sense of camaraderie that is infectious. The humor is often irreverent, satirical, and absurd, but it never feels forced or artificial. The show tackled a variety of topics relevant to the industry, from the corporate takeover of media companies to the ethics of journalism. However, the show was never preachy, and the humor always remained at the forefront. NewsRadio was critically acclaimed during its run, and some consider it to be one of the best sitcoms of the '90s. However, the show struggled with ratings and often found itself in NBC's infamous "death slot." Despite this, the show still garnered a dedicated fanbase that appreciated its unique brand of humor. Tragically, the show was cut short due to the untimely death of Phil Hartman in 1998. The show continued for one more season without him, but the absence of his character left a noticeable void in the ensemble. The series ended after its fifth season, leaving fans to wonder what could have been if the show had been given a fair shake. In conclusion, NewsRadio was a hilarious and clever sitcom that explored the world of radio with wit and authenticity. The ensemble cast was exceptional, and their chemistry was undeniable. The show was ahead of its time, and its influence can still be felt in modern sitcoms. If you're a fan of smart humor and ensemble comedy, then NewsRadio is definitely worth your time.

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22. New Hampshire

May 4, 1999

Following Jimmy's departure, the station staff is too despondent to work. Insisting that his absence is only temporary, Dave feels vindicated when Jimmy returns. However, after announcing that he's back just long enough to complete the sale of the station, Jimmy takes Dave aside to complain about being lonely and asks him to move to New Hampshire, too. After insisting that he can spare no one, Dave reconsiders and suggests that Jimmy take Matthew instead. While Matthew suspects some powerful reverse psychology is being employed to get him to accept the offer, Beth, Lisa and Joe all agree that he would never make it outside New York. However, when Jimmy suggests that they all come along, Dave must then keep everyone from defecting. Meanwhile, after Matthew accepts the offer, Lisa decides to follow Jimmy to New Hampshire for the upcoming presidential primary election. In the wake of Lisa's resignation, Dave learns that Beth and Max are going to New Hampshire, too.

21. Retirement

April 27, 1999

After asking the staff about what they want to do in the future, Jimmy talks about selling everything and moving to a small New England town. But it still comes as a surprise when he claims that he's put the station up for sale so he can move to New Hampshire. And while Dave is sure it's a bluff, Lisa is convinced that Jimmy is serious. As Lisa sets Max to work listening for anything that would hint at the truth about Jimmy's plans, Matthew worries that a new owner would certainly fire him. In an effort to help him find another job, Beth and Joe team up to teach Matthew how to interview. Meanwhile, as Lisa begins making plans for a retirement party that will convince Jimmy to stay, Dave still suspects that all talk of leaving will be forgotten by the following day. As Matthew is prepared for a future as an astronaut, Lisa forges ahead with her plans for a modest retirement party, only to have Beth go overboard with a lavishly produced banquet.

20. Freaky Friday

April 20, 1999

Having agreed to switch jobs for a day, Jimmy goes to work as a reporter at the station while Matthew becomes a tycoon. But as Dave keeps Jimmy from trying to make news that he can then cover, Matthew calls on Joe for help to turn on the computer in his new office. Meanwhile, after Dave bars Max from the breakroom for stealing food, Beth is caught using false names to cash in on a free CD offer. Out of boredom, Jimmy decides to do a little trading in the stock market for Matthew. But Matthew's efforts to do the same in his boss's account cost Jimmy his entire multi-billion dollar fortune. Meanwhile, as Beth tries enlisting the staff in an effort to hide her stolen CD's, Dave keeps Max from eating anywhere at the station. With Dave doing everything he can to keep Jimmy from killing Matthew, Beth resigns herself to the fact that her CD scam is going to send her to jail.

19. Padded Suit

April 13, 1999

Having finally had enough of the staff's lax behavior, Dave wants to set an example by firing someone. As an alternative, Lisa recommends giving them one more chance by asking everyone to submit a written description of their job. After receiving Lisa's forty-page submission, Dave asks for the others at a staff meeting. However, when everyone else falls short, he's still intent on letting someone go. As he and Max turn to Joe for martial arts lessons, a protective suit makes Matthew feel invincible to everything, including Dave's threats. And after deciding that once a year is too limiting, Jimmy sends Beth out to collect all the Mother's Day cards she can find before setting out to make every day one to celebrate mothers. After begging everyone to comply with Dave's request, Lisa is surprised when Jimmy takes to the air to announce his Million Mommas March on Washington, D.C.

18. Ploy

March 9, 1999

When Max announces that he's quitting, Dave is more than happy to let him go. But when Beth claims that it's only because she hasn't given in to Max's request for a date, Jimmy asks Dave to talk him out of leaving. And when confronted about his choice, Max admits it's all a ploy to get Beth in bed. Meanwhile, Joe and Matthew disagree over Lisa's changing her name now that she's married. In order to keep Beth from learning the truth, Max asks Dave for help. To allow Max to save face, Jimmy orders Dave to let the staff see him begging him to stay. But even though Dave complies, Max still bolts. Meanwhile, as Joe insists that Lisa's name has value for her career, Matthew tries coming up with one that's more exciting. With Max gone, Beth is convinced that he wasn't faking it after all. Playing along, Dave doesn't admit to groveling as a way of getting Max to stay. After tracking him down in the men's bathroom, Dave suggests that Max's ploy may be working after all.

17. Wedding

March 2, 1999

As Lisa asks Jimmy to stand in and give her away when her father refuses to attend her wedding, Dave sets out to persuade her not to marry Johnny Johnson. However, Dave's efforts are set back when Johnny asks him to be the best man. And though Lisa admits that marrying Johnny is irrational, she still refuses to reconsider. Meanwhile, as Matthew throws a bachelor party at work, Dave agrees to be the best man, if only to keep the honor from going to Max. Once everyone arrives at Jimmy's estate for the wedding, Dave does his best to move things along to where he can object to the union. But even Dave's pointing out that the groom is a homeless drunk fails to derail the marriage. However, when he and Lisa are pronounced man and wife, Johnny is arrested and taken to jail when the ring he gave her turns out to be stolen. Although Jimmy offers the best lawyers money can buy, Johnny chooses to accept his punishment.

16. Wino

February 23, 1999

During an encounter with a violent beggar, Matthew is saved by Jimmy's archrival, Johnny Johnson. Though Jimmy made sure he was penniless following the attempt to gain control of the company, Johnny is still determined to make good on his promise to marry Lisa. But, while everyone else is convinced that it's Lisa he wants, Joe is certain that Johnny has other motives in mind. While disappointed to learn that he didn't completely crush Johnny, Jimmy offers to help him in his quest for Lisa. And when Joe accuses him of plotting to destroy Jimmy's empire, Johnny makes it clear that he isn't a threat. However, after helping to get Johnny cleaned up, Jimmy enlists Lisa in another effort to break him. And though she tries, Lisa cannot resist Johnny's charms. Realizing that she's too weak to say no, Dave agrees to deliver Lisa's refusal to Johnny. With Joe continuing to carefully guard Jimmy's interests, Johnny insists on hearing Lisa turn him down in person.

15. Assistant

February 16, 1999

As Jimmy prepares to meet with a young computer genius about a new business venture, he asks Dave to join them in order to make the atmosphere less intimidating. However, when the longhaired Erik Stark arrives, Jimmy orders Dave to get rid of him at once. When pressed for a reason, Jimmy admits to an irrational fear of men with long hair as the result of a thirty-year-old incident in which some hippies beat him up. Meanwhile, as Lisa is training her new dog, Beth and Max conspire to break almost all of Daisy's good habits. When Joe recommends hypnotism, Jimmy allows himself to be taken back in time to face his fears. With Matthew at his side, he makes his way through the office, circa 1968. However, when Matthew becomes a problem, Jimmy demands that he be removed from the hypnotic state, leaving him to go on alone. Meanwhile, after ruining Daisy's highly regimented diet, Beth and Max try to change her name.

14. Hair

February 9, 1999

In an effort to immortalize himself, Jimmy announces that he's putting up the world's tallest building -- a pair of office towers in the shape of his initials. But his plan faces a setback when Lisa reveals that he'll need the approval of the city's Landmark's Preservation Bureau. Meanwhile, not even a party can keep Matthew from getting depressed on his thirtieth birthday. As a result, he rebels by becoming an authentic British punk rocker. Once Lisa breaks the story of his plans on the air, the public outcry against Jimmy's project is immediate and harsh. As a result, the city revokes its permits, forcing him to abandon the project. Meanwhile, as Matthew delves deeper into his new punk persona, Dave employs some reverse psychology in hopes of getting him back to work. In an effort to restore Jimmy's dream of a legacy, Lisa proposes everything from building a bridge to creating theme park.

13. Towers

February 2, 1999

When they both find themselves looking at the same apartment, Dave and Lisa each ask for a personal reference from their boss. Unable to make up his mind, Jimmy turns to the staff for their advice. But even Dave and Lisa's courting Matthew's vote by submitting to a series of questions fails to break the deadlock. Meanwhile, Jimmy gives Joe one day to improve the station's shabby Internet web page. In order to aid in their decision, the staff asks to see the apartment for themselves. While it doesn't help with the choice between Dave and Lisa, it does inspire Max to want the apartment for himself. And after persuading the landlady to accept just one more application, Max joins Dave and Lisa in their race. Meanwhile, Joe casts Beth, Matthew and Max in an outrageous soap opera to boost the visibility of WNYX's website. After giving each of the candidates a chance to state their views, Jimmy is prepared to let the rest of the staff choose which one gets the apartment.

12. Apartment

January 12, 1999

When her contract reveals that she's entitled to an assistant, Lisa hires the lovely Foxy Jones. After getting one look at Foxy, Joe cannot keep from trying to get a date, forcing Lisa to seek Dave's help. But when he intervenes, Lisa suddenly sees that Dave and Foxy are also developing a liking for one another. Meanwhile, when Max complains about the ladies room having a couch, Jimmy installs one in the men's room, too. Yet, after Matthew and Max are both dissatisfied with a love seat, Jimmy converts their bathroom into a plush private club. As Foxy and Dave's attraction to one another grows, Lisa finds that she's getting virtually no work out of her new assistant. Unwilling to be pushed aside, Joe continues to court Foxy. But when she makes it clear that she's interested in Dave, Joe admits defeat. In retaliation for being banned from the women's lounge, Matthew imposes a similar ban on Beth when she wants to use the new men's room.

11. Stinkbutt

January 5, 1999

After Beth persuades the building supervisor to let all the tenants paint corporate murals in the lobby, Dave gives her the day off to finish the one for WNYX. As Beth enlists Joe to help, Jimmy arrives at work with his new personal security consultant, Jack Frost, who Max immediately recognizes as the imposter who once took out his appendix in an emergency operation. Meanwhile, Lisa is irritated when Matthew starts dressing just like her. Despite Max's warnings, neither Dave nor Jimmy see anything unusual about Jack. As Max sets out to get revenge on his own, Beth and Joe argue over just what the office's mural should look like. However, once they are done, it's left to Dave to defend their work from the building supervisor's angry attack. Meanwhile, in an effort to get Jimmy to listen, Max tells him of the appendectomy Jack performed almost eight years ago and recounts other instances where he pretended to be someone he's not.

10. Spooky Rapping Crypt

December 15, 1998

To boost employee morale, Jimmy wants to create a profit sharing plan at the station. However, when Beth beats him to the punch and asks for one herself, Jimmy decides he cannot give in to her demands, even though he just had the same idea himself. Meanwhile, following his first session with a therapist, Matthew accuses Lisa of ritual satanic abuse. Though Beth offers to negotiate, Jimmy declares he will bury her. And when Dave is unable to reveal the truth behind their boss's hard line stance, Beth decides she has no other alternative but to quit. Seeing Jimmy despondent over her leaving, Dave suggests simply telling Beth the truth about his plans. But Jimmy still won't give in for fear of appearing weak. Meanwhile, even though the evidence of Lisa's satanic connections are just Halloween decorations, Joe encourages Matthew to torment her anyway.

9. Boston

December 9, 1998

As Dave prepares an inspirational videotape as a favor to his old high school English teacher, Max points out that Lisa has a speech impediment. And it's only after he offers to help correct it that Lisa discovers everyone else agrees he's right. While helping tape Dave's speech, Joe listens as he encourages Mr. Thernstrom's students to set high goals. Pointing to his own disastrous experience in college, Joe asks Dave to not repeat his mistakes and to tell the students to aim low. Meanwhile, a suspected case of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome sidelines Beth. As he works on Lisa's speech problem, it doesn't take long for Max's efforts to bring back a working class Boston accent that she's successfully hidden for many years. Though her colleagues at the radio station have a field day making fun of her, Lisa proudly embraces her working class background. But once Jimmy hears her on the air, he decides to take matters into his own hands.

8. Clash of the Titans

November 24, 1998

As Johnny is starting to celebrate his successful takeover of the James corporate empire, Jimmy prepares to mount a defense in the D.B. Cooper hijacking trial. With the case looking grim, even Dave sees that he'll probably be working for Johnny soon. However, when Jimmy reveals the identity of the real D.B. Cooper, actor Adam West comes forward to accept responsibility for the nearly three decades old crime. Back at the station, Jimmy discovers that Board of Directors has made Johnny the new CEO. Realizing that he's lost the battle to control the business, Jimmy agrees to leave, accepting ownership of a string of failing Internet cafes long with his choice of one employee. In a last ditch effort to see the business restored to its rightful owner, Lisa offers to marry Johnny if only he'll return the company to Jimmy. But after Johnny turns his own charms on Lisa, Joe challenges him to a fight to the finish, only to have his efforts undermined when Matthew backs him up.

7. The Lam

November 11, 1998

As Dave is being grilled by the FBI as to Jimmy's whereabouts, Johnny Johnson continues endearing himself to the rest of the station's staff. Recognizing his evil intentions, Dave asks Lisa for help, only to find that she, too, has fallen under Johnny's spell. Meanwhile, a phone call reveals that Jimmy is hiding at Dave's boyhood home in Wisconsin. And when Jimmy orders Dave to get the green duffel bag that could implicate him in he D.B. Cooper hijacking, Lisa insists on using her seductive ways to get it. While Dave has his doubts, he has no choice but to accept her offer. But instead of getting the bag, Lisa is stunned when Johnny asks her to get married. Despite knowing that he's evil, Lisa cannot decide what to do about Johnny's proposal. As everyone else urges her to accept, Dave turns to Johnny to warn him to keep away from Lisa. Meanwhile, Johnny sends Matthew in an assignment to find Jimmy.

6. Jail

November 4, 1998

When Mathew suggests doing a story on the legendary hijacker D.B. Cooper, both Jimmy and Dave are against it. However, when Jimmy is suddenly arrested and charged with the nearly three-decades-old hijacking, one of his managers arrives to oversee the station. Meanwhile, as Beth and Joe make plans to break him out of jail, Lisa's investigation begins to uncover evidence that suggests Jimmy is really D.B. Cooper. As a result, Dave puts Matthew on the story to keep from uncovering evidence that would harm their boss. Upon arriving from his post in Kuala Lampur, Johnny Johnson immediately begins to take charge at WNYX. While Dave is impressed with his ability to charm the staff, Jimmy tells Mathew that he must be fired at once. As Johnny continues to impress, Mathew finally gets around to delivering Jimmy's dire warning. So, as plans for a prison break continue to unfold, Jimmy notes that Johnny is out to take over his entire corporate empire and orders Dave to stop him.

5. Flowers for Matthew

October 28, 1998

To test the effectiveness of a new intelligence drink, Joe uses Matthew as his subject. Though skeptical at first , Dave and Jimmy are surprised when it seems to demonstrate some impressive results. And as Matthew asks for meatier assignments as a result of his newfound intelligence, Jimmy sees some real possibilities for him and Joe to make a lot of money. Meanwhile, tired of listening to Max talk about his lust for Beth, Lisa sets out to get him a date. After Lisa tells her about the crush Max has on her, Beth confronts him. But Max panics at the sudden attention and claims it's Lisa who has a crush on him. And even as Lisa tries to set the record straight, Max cannot bring himself to let Beth know what he really thinks. Meanwhile, as Matthew plows through a complex analysis of the city budget while simultaneously reading four books, Jimmy and Joe lay plans to make a fortune off the smart drink.

4. Noise

October 21, 1998

When a physical indicates that Dave's blood pressure is on the rise, Jimmy worries about what all the stress at work is doing to him. To calm him down, Joe builds Dave a powerful white noise generator. And while skeptical at first, it doesn't take long for Dave to become addicted to the machine's soothing sounds. Meanwhile, as he and Lisa square off over her new on-air history segments, Max asks Beth to make Matthew to stop hating him. After Beth convinces Matthew to treat him with some tender loving care, Max upsets Lisa by going on the air with a history segment of his own. But when Lisa tries to complain, she finds that, because of the white noise machine's effect, Dave doesn't care. After Matthew fails to snap him out of it, Lisa intervenes by removing the generator from Dave's office. However, when he simply follows her around, Lisa's efforts only end up causing problems for everyone else, too.

3. Lucky Burger

October 14, 1998

Having decided that he should have been promoted to replace Bill, Matthew sets out on a campaign to get Max fired. However, when Dave refuses to do anything about it and Matthew enlists Joe in an effort to discredit Max, they discover his resume isn't all that it appears. Meanwhile, Jimmy sends Lisa undercover to expose a restaurant's unsanitary practices. Alerted to the problems with his resume, Dave calls Max in to his office to explain. And after Beth finds him hiding in the men's room, Max explains that no one at any of the stations he worked at remembers him because he used a different name and different persona at each job. Meanwhile, as a result of her hard work at Lucky Burger, Lisa is promoted to assistant manager. So, when Jimmy presses her to finish up her investigation, she claims that all the problems at the restaurant have been fixed. Even as Matthew steps up his campaign to have him fired, Max attempts to create a new identity for his job at WNYX.

2. Meet the Max Louis

October 7, 1998

As a result of an exhaustive search, Dave has narrowed the field of highly qualified candidates to replace Bill. But a look through the reject's resumes leads everyone else to settle on Max Louis -- an old friend of Bill's who hasn't been able to hold down a job for the past twenty years. And at the insistence of the staff, Dave consents to give Max a try. Meanwhile, Joe's efforts to protect their computers against the Millennium Bug causes the office's electronic devices to self-destruct. Having been fired so many times in the past has placed a heavy load on Max. Even though he is ready to move on before he can get started, Dave insists that, regardless of what happens, Max isn't about to be fired. Yet, once everyone gets a chance to meet him and they demand he be let go at once, Dave says they will now have to live with their choice and guarantees Max that his job is absolutely safe for the next two weeks.

1. Bill Moves On

September 23, 1998

Following Bill's death from a heart attack, his colleagues at WNYX mourn him at a memorial service. And though everyone agrees that Dave's two hour-plus eulogy was awful, they refuse to admit it to his face. Meanwhile, when Matthew claims that Bill isn't really dead, Lisa disagrees with the decision to humor him for awhile. As the staff shares how they dealt with their grief over Bill's passing, Lisa admits to drinking heavily for a few days and quickly gets a reputation as an alcoholic. Then, in an effort to make up for his poor performance at the memorial service, Dave insists on re-editing his eulogy. And when pressed to give his candid assessment of the speech, Jimmy tries to make Dave feel better by admitting that it was horrible. As former news anchor Catherine Duke arrives from London just in time to miss the funeral, Dave produces envelopes for everyone that Bill left to be opened after his death.

Description

Dave Foley stars as Dave Nelson, the hapless news director who finds himself in constant conflict with the station owner, Jimmy James (played by Stephen Root). Jimmy is a billionaire playboy with a passion for radio, and he often oversteps his boundaries by meddling in the day-to-day operations of the station. Andy Dick plays the role of Matthew Brock, a quirky and socially awkward reporter who often drives his co-workers crazy with his strange behavior.

Joe Rogan plays Joe Garrelli, a tech-savvy electrician who is always upgrading the station's equipment and causing trouble for his colleagues. Maura Tierney is the station's ambitious producer, Lisa Miller, who is always looking to score the big interview or story. Vicki Lewis plays the ditzy receptionist, Beth, who is always getting into wacky situations.

Khandi Alexander rounds out the ensemble as Catherine Duke, a newswoman who joins the station in the later seasons. Phil Hartman also appears in the first 3 seasons as Bill McNeal, a slick and egotistical anchor who clashes with Dave Nelson.

One of the most distinctive elements of NewsRadio is its attention to detail regarding the inner workings of a radio station. From the equipment to the jargon, the show feels authentic and gives the audience a behind-the-scenes look at the radio industry. The show also has a strong sense of continuity, with storylines and character developments carrying over from episode to episode.

However, the show's strength lies in its ensemble cast, who have an undeniable chemistry onscreen. The actors play off each other well and create a sense of camaraderie that is infectious. The humor is often irreverent, satirical, and absurd, but it never feels forced or artificial.

The show tackled a variety of topics relevant to the industry, from the corporate takeover of media companies to the ethics of journalism. However, the show was never preachy, and the humor always remained at the forefront.

NewsRadio was critically acclaimed during its run, and some consider it to be one of the best sitcoms of the '90s. However, the show struggled with ratings and often found itself in NBC's infamous "death slot." Despite this, the show still garnered a dedicated fanbase that appreciated its unique brand of humor.

Tragically, the show was cut short due to the untimely death of Phil Hartman in 1998. The show continued for one more season without him, but the absence of his character left a noticeable void in the ensemble. The series ended after its fifth season, leaving fans to wonder what could have been if the show had been given a fair shake.

In conclusion, NewsRadio was a hilarious and clever sitcom that explored the world of radio with wit and authenticity. The ensemble cast was exceptional, and their chemistry was undeniable. The show was ahead of its time, and its influence can still be felt in modern sitcoms. If you're a fan of smart humor and ensemble comedy, then NewsRadio is definitely worth your time.

NewsRadio is a series that is currently running and has 5 seasons (98 episodes). The series first aired on March 21, 1995.

Where to Watch NewsRadio

NewsRadio is available for streaming on the NBC website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch NewsRadio on demand at Google Play, Apple TV and Pluto TV.