Entertainment
The Best 11 Sketches From 'Sherman's Showcase' Season 1
Though IFC has yet to officially greenlight Sherman's Showcase for Season 2, there's reason to believe the sketch series has a bright future ahead of it. Creators Bashir Salahuddin and Diallo Riddle's other show, Comedy Central's South Side, was recently renewed for a second season, and while it may be on another network, TV executives are clearly happy with the duo's ideas. Hopefully IFC will feel the same about their potential, and another renewal won't be far behind.
Keeping both shows going will also allow Salahuddin and Riddle to keep showing off their range. Whereas South Side is a scripted comedy about two friends fresh out of college, Sherman's Showcase is a Soul Train-esque sketch series featuring musical performances and fake commercials. So far in Season 1, Salahuddin and Riddle have parodied musicians like Prince, The Temptations, Mary J. Blige, and Montell Jordan. Plus, Sherman's Showcase has been widely acclaimed (it boasts a 100 percent Rotten Tomatoes score from critics), with the New Yorker's Emily Nussbaum saying it "celebrates a lost TV genre."
So if Sherman's Showcase doesn't return, it will be quite a surprise. While you wait for confirmation, revisit some of the best Season 1 sketches — with hopefully more to come.
1"Drop It Low (For Jesus)"
After Sherman's Showcase premiered in late July, this clip went viral on Twitter. The sketch starts innocently enough: the singers all wear church robes and explain that the song they're about to sing was taught to them by their childhood pastor ("free Pastor James!").
However, things take a turn when the women remove their robes and start grinding. Choice lyrics include, "'Cause I know I'll be at the pearly gates for sure / I'll be in the number when the trumpet starts to blow / But tonight I gotta drop it low."
2"This Is How He Did It: The Montell Jordan Story"
Damon Wayans Jr. stars in this sketch, which creates a Lifetime movie entirely out of "This Is How We Do It" lyrics.
3"Raise the Roof with Mary J. Blige"
The premise of this sketch is simple: Mary J. Blige only writes good songs when she's sad. In the middle of a happy song she's performing, "Raise the Roof," she receives a text from her boyfriend saying he's leaving her for her sister. The final twist happens at the very end, when Blige tells the camera, "I found out years later that Sherman had sent me that text. He just wanted me to be my best that day. Mary glad."
4"Lady Rap Battle"
Although Lil' Tracy and G-Nah had beef on Twitter, they decide to put it on pause for a rap battle, instead spitting bars that uplift each other. "This has to be the most supportive rap battle I've ever seen," says a confused Sherman.
5"Temptations 11"
This sketch features icons like Gladys Knight, Diana Ross, David Ruffin, Smokey Robinson, and Lionel Richie all planning to rob record executive Berry Gordy's house. It's like the Motown version of Ocean's 11.
6"Blockbuster Video: The Musical"
Common finally receives his EGOT by playing Baron Von Netflix in this Hamilton-style musical about Blockbuster.
7"Time Loop (Official Music Video)"
This faux-music video features spliced together footage from Sherman's unreleased sci-fi film, DARK.XENON, set to a funky tune sung by Ne-Yo.
8"Vicki, Is the Water Warm Enough? by Charade and the Mardi Gras"
Charade is a clear stand-in for Prince in this musical sketch where he performs "Vicki, Is the Water Warm Enough?'" As a YouTube commenter gmailjed1 pointed out, this is similar to the opening lyrics to Prince's song, "Computer Blue."
9"Marina Del Rey (Let’s Spend the Day…) by Skip & Bates"
Skip & Bates have an "adult-oriented sound" which Sherman likes to call "big-ass boat rock" — catchy, huh? Here, the group plays the upbeat song, "Marina Del Rey (Let's Spend the Day)."
10"Now That's What I Call White Music"
It's just like the regular CD series, but with "all the white songs black people f*ck with."
11"Thursday Night by Sofee"
"The network said my show — now get this, cats and kids — they said it's too black!" Sherman says at the start of this sketch. "But since they're paying my salary, I agree with them." As a result, he brings on "disco punk queen" Sofee, who sings a sleepy song called "Thursday Night."
Hopefully Sherman's Showcase will return for Season 2 so there will be even more hilarious sketches to watch over and over.
