The Chris Isaak Show
★ 5 · 2001 · 45m · Comedy
Follows a fictionalized version of the life of American rock musician Chris Isaak. The show portrays Isaak and his band members as everyday people with everyday problems.
Episodes
▶1. Freud's DilemmaFrom Showtime:
Chris finds himself dumped by his girlfriend and questions what women really want. On a location shoot for a music video, he is reminded of his ex-girlfriend by Nedra, an attractive, but rigid production accountant on his music video shoot. Nedra seems to have absolutely no interest in Chris when he tries to talk to her, but then every night she does a strip-tease in the hotel room across the alley from his, apparently oblivious to him. Unnerved, Chris consults his psychologist mother (who plays herself in a cameo,) but Dr. Isaak will only tell him to come to terms with his own libido.
Further complicating matters is actress Bai Ling, who co-stars in the video with Chris. She arrives on set with a head full of insecurities and a jealous kick boxer boyfriend. Not that anyone else in the band is doing any better with affairs of the heart. Anson's romance with Jodie, a young horsewoman, fizzles when he finds himself intimidated by the thought that she'll compare him t▶2. FantasiaFrom Showtime:
When Anson is arrested for unpaid parking tickets, Chris catches the eye of the lovely Bonnie, one of the arresting officers. Bonnie gives Chris her number and later, when they go out on a date, Chris finds himself strangely aroused by her stories of life on the beat. But Bonnie has a dark side and Chris soon has second thoughts about pursuing the beauty with the badge.
Meanwhile, Yola is experiencing her own strange attraction for Dr. Morse, the handsome sleep specialist she's seeing for her insomnia.
And Anson, assigned to community service for 37 unpaid parking tickets, is thrilled to find himself rubbing elbows with Bret Michaels, the bad boy lead singer of Poison.▶3. Crimes and PunishmentFrom Showtime:
In an attempt to win favor with his new love interest and duet partner, movie star Minnie Driver, Chris agrees to take care of her English sheepdog, Otto. Unfortunately, Chris forgets Otto's special food. Before he knows it, the pet rabbit, Mr. Whiskers, who belongs to the little girl next door, lies dead and covered in dirt, apparently a victim of the hungry and oversized dog. Desperate, Chris tries to cover for Otto, washing the dirt from the bunny's fur and blow-drying him to make it look as though Mr. Whiskers died of natural causes.
Meanwhile, Chris's manager Yola and his keyboard player Anson are having their own troubles. Yola's got problems in the boardroom when her hot-shot colleague Cody makes her feel old and out of touch. Anson's problems are in the bedroom. His latest girlfriend Carol, is hot, but she's deeply religious and she's wracked by guilt whenever they make love. Anson finds her innocence and tortured spirituality strangely arousing, until he too get▶4. It's the Music, StupidFrom Showtime:
For a long time, Chris has been stalked by Kim, a mousy fan who is so obsessed with him that she camps outside his house and tries to win him over with homemade banana bread. She suddenly disappears, leaving behind only a red tennis shoe. Chris is at first relieved, but then, he begins to worry and hires Ray,a musician-turned-private detective to track her down.
And Kim's disappearance isn't the only mystery. At an auction of celebrity memorabilia, Chris gets into a bidding war with Joe Walsh over a guitar owned by Elvis' sideman Scotty Moore, only to be beaten out by an anonymous phone bidder. Yola is determined to find out who got the guitar, so much so that she sabotages a blossoming relationship with Denver Lane, the antique expert and auctioneer who oversaw the sale.
Anson, meanwhile, is doing some sabotaging of his own. When his father Merrill, a demanding figure who doesn't approve of his music, asks him and his sister Marissa, to play a piece by Brahms at their▶5. The Real MeFrom Showtime:
Chris is initially thrilled when cousin Ordell shows up in town with his new band. His excitement turns to dismay when he discovers that Ordell's new band, Blue Hotel, is a Chris Isaak tribute band. If it was anyone else, Chris would raise hell, but he still feels guilty about his role in a lawn-dart accident that cost Ordell a toe years before. Ordell borrows Chris's clothes and dates his old girlfriends. When Ordell records a cheesy commercial for a fried chicken outlet using one of Chris's songs, Chris finally has to speak up.
Meanwhile, Chris's band members are both intrigued and appalled by their alter-egos in the tribute band. Anson bonds instantly with Deke, his wild-man counterpart in Blue Hotel. And Roly has his eye on the woman who plays Hershel in the band; much to Hershel's consternation. Yola tries to sort everything out, all while struggling with her love-hate relationship with Cody, the young and cocky new manager at the agency.▶6. HurricaneFrom Showtime:
When his band's guitar tech drunkenly passes out backstage, Chris hires Jimmy Vane, an amazing guitar player who used to front a band called the Hurricanes, to replace him. It turns out Jimmy's had a few rough years since Chris last heard him play - substance abuse problems and some time in jail for petty theft - but he swears he's clean now and he does know guitars. Things are okay at first, but soon Chris senses that Jimmy resents his success and Hershel isn't too happy when Jimmy steals the spotlight after being invited on stage to play with Silvertone.
Hershel isn't the only one with a rival. Yola is surprised to discover that her formerly chunky college pal Meg, has slimmed down considerably and now uses her newly luscious body to provide inspiration for great songwriters - in short, guys like Chris.
Meanwhile, Anson finds his own form of feminine - if somewhat ghoulish - inspiration in Lisa, the makeup girl at the funeral parlor where he's landed a moonlighting▶7. T & AFrom Showtime:
Chris's public image takes a weird turn when his old girlfriend, comic Caroline Rhea, tells ""The Daily Scoop"" tabloid that Chris was shy about showing his butt when they had sex. Chris tries to set the record straight, but it only gets worse. When he shows Rhea his backside by mooning her over the video phone, she posts the image on the Internet -- turning Chris' behind into a cause celebre. Chris confronts the tabloid reporter, a middle-aged man named Tricia, who promises to fix things, only to manufacture a picture of Chris dressed up like a stereotypical gay leatherman.
Anson, meanwhile, hits up Chris for $2,000 to pay for his girlfriend's medical treatment, neglecting to mention that the treatment is breast enhancement surgery.
And Yola, eager to outshine her rival Cody at a birthday party for Leon, the head of the agency, tells a few white lies to score the loan of an $8,000 dress from a high-end boutique.▶8. Mr. Isaak's OpusFrom Showtime:
Inspired by his surfing pal Doc, a doctor who spends his vacations helping the poor in Latin America, Chris decides he should play a charity gig, not for the usual publicity boost, but for the good of his soul. After Chris rejects several high-profile gigs, Yola tells him about a local Catholic school where Father Ken McCurdy, an old high school friend, is helping to organize a benefit concert to raise money for a new band room. Chris agrees to play the benefit and then brings the band along to meet the kids and play a few tunes.
Meanwhile, Yola's friend Vivian is donating her eggs to an infertile couple and the female hormones she's taking are making her weepy. Yola's hormones are likewise in high gear, especially when she discovers that Father Ken, whom she thought was gay, is anything but, and has things on his mind that would make the Virgin Mary blush.
Anson's got hormone issues as well, namely that despite his best efforts at debauchery, he apparently hasn't mad▶9. TomorrowlandFrom Showtime:
When his boyhood musical idol, trumpeter Jo Jo Burnett dies suddenly after playing with Silvertone, Chris is shocked to learn that he left no friends or family. Determined not to face a similar fate when he grows old, Chris invites his girlfriend Celeste to go on tour with him. It's a fine way of showing his commitment to the relationship, but it is not, as it turns out, a good idea. Especially since being on the bus allows Celeste to catch a glimpse of the groupies and breast-flashing female fans and the juvenile antics of the other musicians.
Meanwhile, Anson, always the party dog of the band, is having his own crisis of faith, sparked by a young woman's observation that his teeth were beginning to yellow. And Yola, who's also decided to come along on the tour, is making a mess of things with her micro-management.▶10. Dancin'From Showtime:
Chris has never been much of a dancer, but when he catches a glimpse of Jenna, the beautiful woman who runs the dance class Hershel and Roly have been attending, he signs up. Unfortunately, instead of getting to know Jenna better, he's partnered with Irene, a severe and unpleasant woman in her 50's who works as a therapist. When Jenna gives him a few quick tips after class, Chris has Fred Astaire fantasies, but those vanish when she asks if, as a favor to her, he would accompany Irene to her daughter's wedding. Chris reluctantly agrees, only to learn later that Irene is really a dominatrix named ""Mistress Livia.""
And Chris isn't the only one who finds himself in a world of kink. When Cody persuades Yola to mentor Lauren, a friend of his from Harvard, he neglects to mention they're sleeping together. Not only that, Yola must listen as Lauren describes, in explicit detail, all of Cody's exotic sexual trick, none of which he employed when he slept with her.
Meanwhile,▶11. The ProfessionalsFrom Showtime:
When a stalker throws a brick through Chris' window, his record company insists he hire a bodyguard at their expense. He's reluctant at first, but eventually he picks Brock Rudman, an intimidating and eminently qualified personal security expert. Brock cramps Chris' style and scares off his friends – Lisa Loeb is visibly disappointed, thinking Chris has succumbed to the worst temptations of being a celebrity – but that's not the only problem. It seams the hired muscle has a broken heart and it falls to Chris to find a way to heal it.
Meanwhile, Anson is swept up in the paranoia and, since the record company won't pay for a bodyguard, he arms himself with a stun gun. And Yola, desperate to look her best for a Billboard magazine ""Women in Music"" feature, has a very bad hair day when she gets tangled in a romantic triangle with her favorite stylists, Maurice and Bridget.▶12. SmackdownFrom Showtime:
When Chris tries to convince Malcolm Gambol, the new VP at his label, to sponsor a major international tour, his pugilistic skills turn out to be as important as his musical ones. The diminutive executive, it seems, is a big fight fan and he wants to spar with Chris, who was once a successful amateur boxer. Chris takes it easy at first, but when Malcolm begins to taunt him, he puts the VP on the canvas. Strangely, that seems to win Malcolm over and he promises Chris the tour. But Chris soon learns that Malcolm doesn't limit his fondness for fisticuffs to the ring.
Anson, meanwhile, has an amazing new 19-year-old girlfriend named Melissa. Unfortunately for Anson, Melissa turns out to be Kenney's niece and she's got a very protective uncle. And Yola finally gets to meet Cody's parents and discovers that they are anything but the bluebloods he's been making them out to be.▶13. Wages of FearFrom Showtime:
Chris starts to worry when the IRS announces it will be conducting an audit of his tax returns, especially since he's been using a low-rent accountant for years. And when his attempts to charm Greta Prussy, the IRS auditor, are met with cold stares, he figures he's in real trouble.
To further complicate matters, Yola's relationship with Brian, an environmental inventor and activist, is starting to heat up and Chris is beginning to feel just a little bit jealous that his manager is going to have a life in which he plays no part. Yola's colleague Cody, with whom she had a brief fling, also feels pangs of jealousy.
Anson, meanwhile, is getting an altogether different feeling – an itch, courtesy of a rash that has erupted in his nether regions. Panicked, Anson figures he picked up some exotic disease while visiting the family of his new Russian girlfriend, Svetlana.▶14. Lost and FoundFrom Showtime:
After a month in the studio, Chris and the band have finally finished recording the title song for the new David Lynch movie. The next day, the studio burns down, taking with it the master recordings of the new song. Good thing Chris burned a CD version and brought it home. Now, if only he could find it. He tears his place apart and his cousin Ordell, who's also got a track on the same CD, stops by with a dowser, but the CD remains missing. As the clock ticks down to the deadline, it looks like they'll have to record it again. But can they do in four hours what it took four weeks to do the first time?
As the tension rises, Anson is wondering if his new girlfriend Deedee is responsible for the CD's disappearance. After all, she is an obsessive collector who's already got Dave Matthews' old Snapple bottle and Flea's toothbrush, not to mention Alanis' barrette. Yola, meanwhile, is exploring her creative side in a pottery class run by a charismatic and hunky ceramics▶15. StorytimeFrom Showtime:
When Chris tears his hamstring surfing and is confined to a wheelchair, Yola hires a physical therapist to help nurse him back to health. The therapist, a beautiful Chinese woman named Debbie Fung catches Chris' eye, but when he makes a play for her, she ignores him. Maybe it's the rejection, maybe it's the scary old movies he's been watching, but Chris starts to notice that there's something strange about Debbie. First, she won't tell him where she's from. Then he walks in on her while she's practicing Kung Fu. When he discovers another Chinese woman lurking in his garage, Chris is convinced something sinister is going on.
To add to the intrigue, Anson gets wind of the fortune that, according to urban legend, is buried in the secret tunnels under Bimbo's. He heads down to look for it and when Kenney comes along to get his keys back from Anson, the two of them are trapped in the subterranean passages. Hershel, meanwhile, has an idea for a movie, but can't get anyo▶16. Our PlaceFrom Showtime:
Chris is thrown for a loop when Rhonda, the winner of a radio station's 'Win a Date with Chris Isaak' contest seems to be a man in a dress. When Rhonda shows up backstage at Bimbo's just before Chris and the band are to play a live radio broadcast, Chris suspects that he/she is part of a practical joke, but as they get acquainted, Chris discovers that Rhonda is a real fan, both of his music and of vintage rockabilly. At least Rhonda's certainly better company than his old flame Tanya, the DJ who is hosting the broadcast and who keeps asking strangely personal questions during the interview segments.
To further complicate matters, Chris' guest star on the broadcast, Sheryl Crow, still hasn't arrived. Yola tries to manage the crisis without completely neglecting her new boyfriend, Sam, who has given up a chance to see Kathleen Battle in ""Porgy and Bess"" to come to the show.
Anson, meanwhile, invites his classical music snob father to the show and discovers a secret from▶17. Behind the IsaakFrom Showtime:
When VH1's ""Behind the Music"" arrives to do a segment on Chris, the record company sends over Dana, a woman who works in publicity. Knowing that ""Behind the Music"" loves tragedies and stars with feet of clay, Dana is determined to dig up all the dirt on Chris. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be much dirt to dig into. Then Chris meets up with Maria, a photographer who dumped him nine years earlier and who now has an eight-year-old daughter, Chloe. He starts to notice that he has a lot in common with Chloe – they both love to surf, they like old music, they both hate broccoli – and, after doing the math, he comes to the inevitable conclusion that he must be the little girl's father. But what if Dana finds out?
Dana, meanwhile, is getting busy with Anson, whose slovenly habits and sleazy style seem to be a strange sort of turn-on for the classy executive. And Yola is wracked with guilt after her complaints cost Gwen, a deaf-and-blind masseuse, her job.
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