Review With Forrest MacNeil is a show that reviews life itself. This tends to go poorly, for both Forrest and everyone around him. Here’s just a sampling of the familiar faces you’ll find trapped in the vortex of Forrest MacNeil’s poor decisions.
Alison Tolman
Tolman kicked off the second season in style as Marissa, a nurse who’s stealing prescriptions on the sly and who foolishly develops a thing for Forrest… right as he learns that his next review is on what it’s like to commit blackmail. We won’t ruin how that ends, but suffice to say, she’s likely better off back in Fargo than dating Forrest MacNeil.
Fred Willard
As Forrest’s adorable Grandmaster Flash-loving father-in-law, Willard plays a generous, kind man who seems to genuinely love his son-in-law and really just wants his daughter and her loving husband to get back together. Which is abruptly torpedoed because he forgets to check his safety harness while being launched into space, and is brutally killed during liftoff. Forrest’s luck is no better than his judgement.
James Urbaniak
The voice of Doctor Venture here plays what amounts to the devil on Forrest’s shoulder, the show’s producer Grant. Grant’s utter lack of shame and disinterest in Forrest’s health and well-being often manifests itself in making Forrest hurt himself in all sorts of horrible ways, usually by comparing whatever trivial thing Forrest is about to do to the discovery of penicillin, whether it’s eating 15 pancakes or insisting on getting the shot right when Forrest needs to choose between reconciling with his wife and keeping his dream job. Which makes it more than a little disturbing that it’s Grant currently hunting for the missing Forrest.
Lance Bass
Hey, remember when Lance Bass tried to be the first boy-band singer in space? Review does, and when Forrest books a private space flight, Bass turns out to be part of the crew, giving it a second shot thanks to private sponsors. Who, thanks to a mission tragedy, he has to give shout-outs to while a corpse floats in front of him.
Jason Mantzoukas
In a role we’re not entirely sure isn’t Raffi from The League having a cameo, Mantzoukas plays a stranger Forrest, in a fit of road rage, antagonizes into a “smash-off,” destroying his own car while Forrest gets caught up in the moment and… uh, destroys the car of his unpaid intern. Once Forrest comes to his senses, they try to escape, only for Mantzoukas to give chase and… er, skid off a cliff, making him the second accidental death Forrest causes in the space of two episodes.
Ashley Tisdale
Forrest is challenged to boff a celebrity and, still reeling from his divorce, goes about it the worst way possible. Namely, he spends $70,000 to book a charity dinner date with Disney Channel star Ashley Tisdale, and then attempts to awkwardly flirt her into the sack.
Fortunately for all involved, after the creepiest backrub in human history, Tisdale “thanks” him for his donation and escapes. Forrest does manage to get his celebrity sex story, though… by seducing a grieving widow.
Emo Phillips
The beloved stand-up and wood-shop teacher has a brief, but memorable, role, where he helps Forrest escape a mental-health ward, which he’s been committed to while attempting to review “there all is aching.”
And, Forrest’s decision-making skills being what they are, he believes Forrest has ordered him to kill Ms. Penny. We’ve yet to see how that wound up… but we’ve little doubt Forrest will soon be reviewing Being Accessory to A Murder. His luck would have nothing less.
(Via Comedy Central)
