Illustration by Jillian Tamaki

MadTV has always been the poor man's Saturday Night Live, but I still can't help but shed a finger-tracing-down-cheek tear now that it's been canceled. While SNL may be experiencing a creative, critical and popular renaissance (due in no small part to Tina Fey's Sarah Palin impersonations), Fox has finally decided to put MadTV out of its misery.

In its 14 years on the air, MadTV has created some enduring politically incorrect and lovably annoying characters. In honour of the show's unfortunate demise, we present a tribute to our favourite Mad men, women and children from happier times.

With her beehive hairdo and Wisconsin accent, Doreen Larkin (Mo Collins) was the original pitbull-in-lipstick. Her overblushed, overgrown and overprotected son Stuart (Michael McDonald), was the first of many... er, "slow" children MadTV rolled out and poked fun at over the years. Improbably, Doreen and Stuart's trademark exchanges --"What does Mama say?" and "Look what I can do" -- never got old.

According to one sketch, Bunny Swan (better known as Ms. Swan) is from Kuvaria, home of Santa Claus, though she's widely perceived as an Asian-American character. Played by Alex Borstein, Ms. Swan (who was one of MadTV's most popular characters) has trouble understanding other people and tries to mask her confusion with nonsensical answers, a technique which irritates most everyone she meets.

Marvin Tikva could be the original version of American Apparel owner Dov Charney. Michael McDonald plays the overweight Jewish film director, who's oblivious to the fact that his behaviour makes him a walking sexual harassment lawsuit. Marvin's sleazy ways are encapsulated by his penchant for prostitutes, drugs and tacky gold jewelry. He inadvertently surrounds himself with women named Shelley, the inspiration for his stock whine: "Come on Shelley."

Hard-of-hearing, straight-talking Minnesota mom Lorraine is a variation on Mo Collins's Doreen character. This mother, however, likes to wear oversized glasses and favours high-waisted elasticized pants. A serial interrupter and generally clueless, Lorraine has stutter-laughed her way into our hearts.

Vancome Lady is the female equivalent of a used car salesman, complete with a gaudy blazer and an air of fake refinement -- and a surfeit of jokes about sleeping with her boss. She once worked at a cosmetics counter, but spends most of her time insulting people who've started new jobs, since she can't hold one down for long. Her catchphrase, "Tcha you know what?" is what Cher from Clueless would sound like if she grew up on the wrong side of Beverly Hills.

--Vicky Tam