Television reruns may be eternal, but the people who made them certainly aren't. That's why, even when we know better, we never cease to be amazed that the cute little kid whose adventures went off the air in 1963 has somehow aged forty years. Kim Little didn't even have the status of a regular on "Diagnosis: Murder," the weekly detective drama in which all of Dr. Mark Sloan's close personal friends and most of the patients at Community General Hospital wound up being (a) murderers and/or (b) murder victims. Even Benjamin Matlock, attorney-at-law for mostly innocent defendants facing murder charges, wanted to know why everyone who went anywhere near Community General DIED! Kim Little played Nurse Susan Hilliard, the girlfriend of Dr. Jesse Travis, who cried her heart out when folks in the intensive care unit dropped dead on her. Like every other Hollywood actor, Little was concerned that her day job would inevitably be cancelled and then what would she do? Sure enough, CBS dropped the show in 2001 and Little got to work making a zany indie: "Jane White Is Sick And Twisted."

Nearly every role in "Jane White" is played by an out-of-work television actor and the press kit invites you to use the film as a drinking game: drink whenever an old show is referenced. Going back to 1969's "The Brady Bunch," you can drink to Maureen McCormick (Marcia then, Nancy now). From the year 1979, "Knots Landing's" Ted ("Gary") Shackelford and Michelle ("Anne") Phillips are NOW Eddie and June. For fans of 1987's "Star Trek: Tng," there's Wil Wheaton as Dick Smith. Also from 1987, there's the ubiquitous Dustin Diamond, who played Screech on "Saved By The Bell" for twelve long years, three times the average high school stay. Here, he's Simone, who wears dresses and makes in-jokes about vintage television. Then there's Alley Mills, who played a straight mom on 1988's "The Wonder Years," a gay mom on the WB's "Popular" and now she’s Jane’s agoraphobic mom. From the same series, Danica ("Winnie") McKellar, an indie filmmaker in her own right, turns up as Tiffany. The list goes on and on, with comedy veterans in abundance, for "Jane White," written and directed by David Michael Latt, is meant to be a sick and twisted screwball comedy for the 21st century.

Kim Little, who looks nothing like an Angel of Mercy here, thinks she's the love child of an over-the-top talk show host played by David ("Squiggy") Lander. Mixed in with the plot is some stuff about a serial killer (played by character actor Mickey Jones, who used to be a drummer with Kenny Rogers and the First Edition). Somehow, the identity of Wil Wheaton as Dick Smith gets mixed up with this tough mean hombre. "Jane White Is Sick And Twisted" is best watched late at night with goofball friends and plenty of popcorn. You can see it that way in the privacy of your own living room with the DVD in current release by MTI Home Video.

© 2003 - Monica Sullivan - Air Date: 6/25/03