Strangers with Candy

Jerri Blank is a former prostitute and junkie whore who returns to high school as a 46-year-old freshman at Flatpoint High. Jerri ran away from home and became 'a boozer, a user, and a loser' after dropping out as a teenager, supporting her drug habits through prostitution, stripping, and larceny. She has been to prison several times, the last time because she 'stole the TV'. At home, Jerri's father Guy is comatose, although he seems perfectly capable of amazing feats. Her stepmother Sara is vain and bitter, and stepbrother Derrick is a bullying jock. Jerri tries to do things the right way but always ends up learning the wrong lesson. Her hijinks often involve, either directly or indirectly, neurotic history teacher Chuck Noblet and his secret lover, sensitive art teacher Geoffrey Jellineck.

Directed by Stephen Colbert, Mitch Rouse, Amy Sedaris, Paul Dinello, Strangers with Candy leans on a strong ensemble — Amy Sedaris, Paul Dinello, Stephen Colbert — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The series landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 1999.