In Search of the Crystal Skull Episode 8: UHF

In this episode of In Search of the Crystal Skull, Patricia and
Arun continue Hidden Gems Month with the 1989 comedy film UHF
co-written and starring actor, musician, and singer "Weird Al"
Yankovic. The movie is about a man named George Newman who is
struggling to find and keep a job alongside his friend Bob.
George's uncle Harvey wins the deed of a run down television
studio called Channel 62 and gets his nephew to work there while
he raises money for a bookie named Big Louie. The station is
struggling with keeping afloat with their new shows until a
dimwitted janitor named Stanley hosts a kids' show called Uncle
Nutsy's Clubhouse and it becomes a bit hit. The competing TV
station, Channel 8, tries its best to take down Channel 62 even
if it means to help Harvey pay him the money he owes to Big Louie
in exchange for the station.   


When the film premiered in theaters, critics bashed the film and
it got overshadowed by bigger blockbusters at the time such as
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Ghostbusters II, Batman,
Honey I Shrunk the Kids, When Harry Met Sally, Lethal Weapon II,
and more. It was pulled out of the theaters one month later and
had a limited release on VHS. It even stilted Weird Al's music
career for two years due to being discouraged of his film's
failure. But due to UHF's VHS tapes being out of print, it became
a major cult classic and a recurring influence on a lot of quick
gags and jokes for Internet reviewers. Currently, it's 61% on
Rotten Tomatoes. What did Patricia and Arun think of the film?