"Frank TV" Review: A True Talent Showcase

If you only know Frank Caliendo from his DirecTV commercials or his segments on “FOX NFL Sunday,” then you’ve only scratched the surface of his talent.

Fortunately, TBS has given Caliendo his own showcase and he makes the most of it…

“Frank TV” is a half-hour late night sketch show that features Caliendo in a variety of skits doing impersonations of everyone from President Bush to James Gandolfini.

In the premiere, he plays Bill Clinton, Al Gore, David Letterman and even Yoda. And in an almost surreal (but funny) animated sketch he plays several characters at a Congressional hearing where Batman accuses Superman of doing steroids.

And don’t despair. John Madden shows up in the second episode as he searches for a quarterback to replace Brett Favre in his heart.

Caliendo is joined by new cast members Freddy Lockhart and Mike MacRae, who does an unbelievable Alec Guiness impersonation.

But it’s the Election Day special where MacRae and Lockhart really shine as Lockhart plays Barack Obama and MacRae does a dead-on Tom Brokaw in a hilarious skit where Brokaw clones himself to save journalistic integrity.

My only beef with the show is that Caliendo’s introductions of the sketches in front of a studio audience fall flat. But since the rest of the show is hilarious, you can look over them…

“Frank TV” airs Tuesdays at 11 p.m. on TBS…

Photo Credits: Karen Neal/TBS & Mark Hill/TBS