New York City in the 1980’s brings a lot of nostalgia to mind, and the third season of Taxi would be a marker of that era. The comedy was different, the lifestyle, the clothes and language all brought me to a time of when I had just been brought into the world! This season of course was aired years before my birth, but it still manages to convey a true feeling for that time.
The entire cast is back, Danny DeVito, Tony Danza, Judd Hirsch, Marilu Henner and the zany Andy Kaufman all returning for another outrageous season. The cast must juggle their crazy lives as they try to maintain their taxi service establishment. Watch Tony’s boxing career dwindle, Louie deal with his insane love life, and Latka be Latka. This season has twenty episodes that should keep your Taxi fix in check.
It’s a classic sitcom that has created a lot of our movie star base today. DeVito had the edge that he has lost over the years, and playing a four foot boss requires an insanity few possess. His character has a heart, but it’s never able to come out as he orchestrates an ensemble of different characters.
The key ingredient to a show like this are the wide range of personalities that go from Christopher Lloyd as the repetitive drunk to a foreigner named Latka. The comedy stays in good rhythm and balances out with some drama, but very little. There is always an episode that catches you off guard and made me wonder where sitcoms are going wrong today; with very few exceptions.
For me, the episodes that always stood out were the Latka episodes. These were rare as Kaufman only starred in a few, but when he appeared, the show was all about him, and never went stale. “Latka the Playboy” is an episode where we see the genius character development of this legend in action, where he transitions from the foreigner Latka to an all-American stud. This episode in my opinion is worth the DVD.
As for special features, there are none, and that’s as disappointing as it gets, but it’s a huge flaw that is much needed for closure on a good note. It leaves me wondering what those features might be, and when you release something as classic as Taxi on DVD, you must have bonus footage. Or at least some interviews with these amazing actors reflecting back on what things were like for them when they were filming this show… most likely all getting their first big break! C’mon… that’s gold.
Show Grade: B
DVD Grade: C
Overall Grade: C +
