The Powers That Be (1992–1993) User Reviews

wonderfully fresh and funny

[shoobeegirl · 9/10 · 10 January 2007]

I looked so forward to watching this program each week. It was such a disappointment when it was canceled. The cast was wonderful and sharp. It is one of the funniest sitcoms I have ever seen. It's a shame it isn't available on video. I have commented on it often through the years to people. It makes me think of another sitcom that didn't play long either "Alls Fair". That is my first memory of Michael Keaton who was extremely funny in it. It can also be compared with "Spin City". There are so many ideas and angles that can be used in a political comedy. This one could easily have been as popular as "Seinfeld". Here's hoping I will see this in reruns on on video soon.

It could have ran on for years!

[Sylviastel · 8/10 · 26 March 2007]

The network powers don't know a good thing if it came and bit them in the behind. Anyway, the main character is played by the wonderful John Forsythe who is a Washington Politician. He is married to the equally wonderful Holland Taylor who is so brilliant as his wife. David Hyde Pierce was here before his life changing role on Frasier. Robin Bartlett played the politician's illegitimate adult daughter. Joseph Gordon Leavitt was here before playing an alien on Third Rock from the Sun. The show had a solid cast, writing, and a good future but I guess networks don't care about quality as so much as the age of it's viewers. I remember this show and think it would have lasted given the opportunity but I guess network executives are smarter than the general public.

The best political sitcom

[rimjak · 19 August 2004]

What can one say about a solid (and short lived) political sitcom that has John Forsythe in a great comeback vehicle, Holland Taylor in her best TV role ever, as well as a pre-'Frasier' David Hyde Pierce doing his schtick before Niles was born? I'd say it's one of the best shows ever, even if it only lasted a handful of episodes. It also features Joseph Gordon Levitt (3rd Rock From the Sun) as well as a great comic turn by Elizabeth Berridge (who plays Charlotte, the family's long-suffering maid). Lots of good, smart, funny stuff here...and still no one watched. Perhaps it was the Saturday time slot that did it in. Then again, dumb usually hits big, so it's no wonder this didn't make it...

One hilarious show

[cholbird · 10/10 · 2 August 2006]

This was one of the funniest TV shows, ever. My husband and I loved it. When we found out it was going to be cancelled, I did something I had never done before, I called NBC to protest the cancellation. I was told that they had hoped it would succeed and tried a 2nd season but the viewership still did not improve. I told them I thought they should give it one more season and put it in a better time slot. I compare the loss of this show to the loss of "Arrested Development", another great show that middle America couldn't get it's mind around. I also would like to see "The Power that Be" again, its been 13 years since it ended. I hope NBC comes out with the DVD.

Funniest Show Ever

[Sandman-68 · 10/10 · 1 February 2008]

"The Powers That Be", like almost all of the best shows on TV, was cancelled after a VERY brief run, two seasons. It was thoroughly delightful, and the funniest show I have ever seen on TV, in movies, on stage, or anywhere else.

This show introduced me to David Hyde Pierce.

This is the spoiler: He created a character whose inhibited wimpishness previewed Niles Crane, and was possibly even funnier than Niles.

Senator Powers' fumbling idiocy, his wife's management of her husband and everything else in sight, his mistress' unabashed frankness, his weasly assistant (who suffered, as I recall, from Tourette's Syndrome, are only a few of the sterling items that made this show such a treat. The Senator's bastard daughter was at least as funny as his other daughter, with her anorexic diffidence.

Go -- go now -- run, don't walk -- to http://www.tvshowsondvd.com, and vote for The Powers That Be. Vote early and often.

A shame it was cancelled...

[methenovelist · 10/10 · 20 July 2018]

I actually think this was a very good, funny, and sharp sitcom. The cast was brilliant, and the writing was interesting and witty. It's a shame the show was cancelled and it's hard to find full episodes anymore. The only good thing I can think of that happened because of the unfortunate cancellation is the fact that David Hyde Pierce went on to play Dr. Niles Crane of "Frasier" later that year, thus giving us 11 years of greatness. However, I am still sad "The Powers That Be" never got a fair run, and I wish there was a way to still watch all of the episodes cleanly. Bring back the gems! Release a DVD??

Any plans to release a DVD?

[hevdd · 10/10 · 22 January 2008]

So many sitcoms aren't funny, are merely mildly amusing, are have weak or improbable story lines. Many years ago, I caught a few episodes of The Powers That Be. Loved it! It meant that I had to stay up late because it was on in the early hours of the morning and my video recorder was broken but it was well worth it.

Loved David Hyde Pierce. It seemed a perfect vehicle to showcase his particular talents and I found the rest of the cast a joy to watch. I was glad to find DHP again in Frasier and in the occasional stand up event on TV.

I'd dearly love to see all of the episodes made. Any plans to release a DVD? Anyone have any ideas?

"Smart, Witty, Funny!"

[niranka-delanerolle · 10/10 · 21 March 2008]

I agree with everyone in that this show was very funny not to mention very smart and witty. The funny thing is, I remember watching the show a long time ago with my family when I was about eleven or twelve years old and it was so hilarious that I found myself wondering about that show just the other day when I was watching a rerun of Frasier. I had since long forgotten the name of the show but was compelled to look it up on the internet. I agree that this show should have never been cancelled. However, the network should consider airing the episodes and also releasing it on DVD. I don't buy a lot of videos but this one would be worthwhile. A lot of very smart comedic shows get cancelled. A notable one would be "Arrested Development"- what a shame that was. Just when I had faith in great television again, they go and cancel a show that was finally worthy of being on TV. Now all we're left with is literally garbage. At least I have "The Office" to look forward to.

RELEASE !!!!!

[ksdilauri · 10/10 · 26 January 2022]

Everybody who loves this prematurely-canceled series wants to own it. It's roundly considered one of the best comedies of the nineties even though it came and went too fast, thanks to sloppy scheduling by the network. (The same thing happened to the excellent, very funny "Five Mrs Buchanans" on CBS--which, unforgivably, has all but disappeared, save for a few posts on YouTube.) I found "Powers" on streaming this week and would buy the episodes in a minute--but they don't appear to be for sale. It's really sad that quality series like these-and, while we're at it, seasons 2-10 of classic, multi-Emmy-winning "Murphy Brown"-are sitting in limbo while absolute garbage is peddled to the public.

Best show, best actors

[oledoch · 10/10 · 3 July 2022]

The best sitcom that should never have been cancelled. I watched this when it first came out and never forgot it. How many shows can you say that about?

The best! I still miss it!

[andrewj-3 · 15 April 1999]

This was a brilliant mix of satire, slapstick, and flat-out silliness. In tone it resembled some British sitcoms more than many American ones--that might have helped it fail (along with its incredibly lousy, undeserved time slot). It should have succeeded; I still find people who remember it and laugh. Fantastic cast, hilarious plots, and educated, witty writing (similar to "Frasier")...I wish one of the cable channels would pick up the episodes and show them again! I'd also be willing to pay for the set of episodes, just don't know where to find them.

Brilliant society comedy - where's the DVD????

[MartinPh · 4 October 2005]

This series was a shining jewel and a white raven amidst an overload of mediocre US sitcoms. Intelligent, witty, and hilariously funny, it contained brilliantly absurd, unforgettable one-liners (like hysterical Caitlyn's desperate observation: "Ventriloquism is tearing this family apart!"). While the wife (Holland Taylor) is obsessively trying to promote the senator's position in society, an ambition constantly undermined by her dysfunctional family, the senator himself (John Forsyth in a fabulous parody on Blake Carrington) is more interested in dallying with his secretary and socializing with his extramarital daughter. Valerie Maheffey as his daughter Caitlyn created one of the funniest comedy characters ever.

I had the presence of mind to tape most episodes when this series aired. But I most sincerely concur with a previous reviewer in wondering why, with so much utter c**p issued on DVD, this is still unavailable. Could somebody please change that?

"The Powers That Be" - A Comedy That Be!!!

[vimbrits · 26 April 2005]

This delightful comedy broad-casted in the 90's, was one of the best comedies since "I Love Lucy". It is a shame to think that it might be lost in the archives forever. How do we convince Columbia Pictures Television (Production) and Sony Pictures Television (Distributors) to release it again? This is an American political delight! Anybody with a suggestion? Who's rubber arm can we twist (",). So many television shows are available on DVD - why not this one? This series will share the the lime light with shows like "The Golden Girls". Margaret, the senator's wife played by Holland Taylor, brings a comical British Aristocracy like flavor to the screen. Something different than the usual shallow comedies that we see these days. This should not be lost to our children. This one of the rare ones!

A great show!

[weesiedoucette · 21 February 2006]

In my opinion, this is one of the funniest shows ever. David Hyde Pierce created one of the most hilarious characters imaginable. The scene in which he "attempted" suicide in the living room by trying to hang himself with the cord on the drapes by typing it around his neck and jumping off the ottoman but merely succeeded in opening the drapes made me laugh until I cried. The on-going play between the senator's wife and the maid was priceless. Peter McNichol really shone in this role - as he always does. The little boy as the "straight man" to all the other comedians was a wonderful touch. The rapid-fire dialog was always witty and kept you on your toes as a listener in order not to miss some jeweled comment. I wish this show could have run for many, many years.

One of the three best TV comedies ever

[svescapekey · 20 December 2005]

In a TV world catering to the lowest common denominator, this show was a giant. It was intelligent humor at its best. While the characters were largely stereotypes and the skits often not original, the delivery was superb. David Hyde Pierce as the mumbling unlikely Congressman was especially wonderful.

I strongly urge Columbia and Sony to make the series available on DVD, I'd buy it and I've never bought a TV show before. Unfortunately, I suspect that the media moguls consider the commercial potential of a re-release in the context of the original shows popularity, so it may be a cold day in hell before "The Powers That Be" are in the store.

Furthermore, in our politically correct world, maybe it's now a violation of the Patriot Act.

WONDERFULLY HUMOROUS SIT-COM

[hero · 18 January 1999]

This was a wonderfully humorous (laugh out loud stuff) sit-com about a senator, his large smart/crazy family, his mistress, his "in" with the new administration---unfortunately being stuck on early Saturday primetime and going insufficiently viewed (I guess), so prematurely cancelled after around 12-15 episodes--check the great cast: JOHN FORSYTH, HOLLAND TAYLOR, DAVID HYDE PIERCE, VALERIE MAFAFFEY, ELIZABETH BERRIDGE, ETC. By all means see it if the opportunity presents itself.

Outsanding Comedy

[leebeads · 7 August 2011]

I have been looking for copies of this wonderful comedy since it's cancellation!

The wonderful cast and characters, and just hysterical writing made this show a winner in my book. Sadly, the public really never had a chance to appreciate it. David Hyde Pierce showed off his star qualities as Theodore and should have won many awards for the performances, long before Niles was an entity.

Clean and creative humor, slapstick, and sometimes just plain silliness made this show refreshing and fun.

Bring back episodes to syndication or DVDs, please!

Eve Gordon is beautiful as Jordan Miller

[prettyface · 25 December 2003]

John Forsythe is Sen. William Powers, he is very lucky to have a very beautiful and talented assistant Eve Gordon as Jordan Miller. Holland Taylor as Margaret Powers acted as the senator wife. But, she can't compare with the beautiful Jordan Miller.