Tracey Takes On...

Tracey Takes On... is an HBO sketch comedy series starring comedienne Tracey Ullman.

In 1993, Ullman returned to television after her hit Fox comedy series, The Tracey Ullman Show was cancelled in 1990, with two comedy specials for HBO. Tracey Ullman Takes On New York and Tracey Ullman: A Class Act, were produced and aired on the cable network. Both received critical praise and awards. In response, HBO approached Ullman and her husband, producer Allan McKeown, about doing a weekly character series for the network. Ullman agreed, and the Takes On series set up production in 1995.

Ullman created and portrayed a wide spectrum of exotic characters for the show, including both men and women, young and old, of a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and sexual orientation. Six characters created for her previous two specials returned for the new series. Only her 'Kay' character would return from The Tracey Ullman Show.

Each week, each episode would focus on, or "take on", a certain subject in which each installment would revolve. Unlike her FOX series where characters would frequently be one-offs, Ullman's new roster of characters (29 in all) would appear repeatedly for the duration of the series.

Guest stars included Hugh Laurie, Tobey Maguire, Giovanni Ribisi, Jon Favreau, Helen Mirren, Billy Connolly, Ron Perlman, Cheech Marin, Alfred Molina, Bradley Whitford, John Stamos, Carlos Mencia, Danny Woodburn, and Huell Howser. Staff included writers Jenji Kohan (creator and writer of "Weeds"), Jerry Belson, Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, Allen Zipper, writer/producer Gail Parent and director Thomas Schlamme. Oscar-winner Mauro Fiore ("Avatar") acted as cinematographer for the series.

In 1998, Ullman released the book, Tracey Takes On....