CBS
"The Class"
What: A couple of decades later, eight former third-grade classmates reunite, and get reacquainted comedically.
Where: Monday, 8 p.m.
When: Sept. 18
Who:
Jason Ritter, Heather Goldenhersh, Jon Bernthal, Jesse Tyler Ferguson,
Lizzy Caplan, Sean Maguire, Lucy Punch, Andrea Anders.
Why: Coming from "Friends" writer-producer David Crane, maybe this sitcom will turn out to be "Friends"-Plus-Two.
How:
Reconnecting thanks to Ethan Haas (Ritter), these grade-school alumni
are in wildly different places in life when he calls to invite them to
his reunion party: Lina Warbler (Goldenhersh) is getting dumped by her
boyfriend; working-class lug Duncan Carmello (Bernthal) is playing a
video game and arguing with his mother, with whom he still lives;
Richie Velch (Ferguson) is about to swallow a bottle of pills, but
willingly scribbles down the party address on the back of his suicide
note. Turns out Ethan has his problems, too: His fiancee breaks up with
him right in the middle of the party he threw for her: She says he's
too nice, and takes her leave. But the eight people (and then some) she
leaves behind are clearly fated to be congregating for laughs and
romance. Judging from its pilot, "The Class" could make the grade.
___
"Smith"
What: Action drama about a crew of big-time criminals who carry out high-stakes heists.
Where: Tuesday, 10 p.m.
When: Sept. 19
Who: Ray Liotta, Virginia Madsen, Simon Baker, Franky G, Amy Smart, Jonny Lee Miller.
Why: Good question. FX's "Thief" and NBC's "Heist" tanked last season.
How:
Bobby Stevens (Liotta) is a family man and office drudge who lives in a
pristine subdivision with his adorable kids and hot wife (Madsen). But,
befitting the generic series title, Bobby has a secret life:
Orchestrating complex, outrageous crimes, like (in the pilot) stealing
Rembrandts from a Pittsburgh art museum. Unfortunately, that
not-very-interesting caper is raggedly conceived. There's room for
improvement. With its intermittently breathless pace and draggy
exposition scenes, the same thing could be said for "Smith."
___
"Jericho"
What: A drama about a small Kansas town isolated from the rest of the world by a mysterious disaster.
Where: Wednesday, 8 p.m.
When: Sept. 20
Who:
Skeet Ulrich, Gerald McRaney, Ashley Scott, Sprague Grayden, Kenneth
Mitchell, Lennie James, Michael Gaston, Erik Knudsen, Pamela Reed.
Why: A pristine hamlet of people living right is fair game to have its virtue put to the test.
How:
Jake Green (Ulrich) is a prodigal son returning to his rural hometown
after many years' absence to take care of a little bit of business with
his father (he needs money). Then he means to beat a hasty exit. But
his timing is lousy. To the west, toward Denver, a mushroom-shaped
cloud rises over the horizon. Suddenly, no TV reception, no radio, no
phones, no electricity. Frightening rumors suggest that not only Denver
may have been wiped out, but Atlanta too. How will the good people of
Jericho deal with their fear of the unknown, with their isolation, with
their lack of ESPN? Will Jake find a new sense of purpose as he pitches
in to get Jericho through this crisis? Will he patch things up with his
scornful father (Gerald McRaney), who is also the town's rock-solid
mayor? "Jericho" depicts an innocent town faced with a fall from grace.
Will that be sufficiently interesting (and not too grim) to keep
viewers coming back every week?
___
"Shark"
What: James Woods plays a lawyer with a shark's bite ... yet a tender heart.
Where: Thursday, 10 p.m.
When: Sept. 21
Who: James Woods, Jeri Ryan, Danielle Panabaker, Sam Page, Sophina Brown, Alexis Cruz, Sarah Carter.
Why: High-energy and ever-animated, James Woods is always fun to watch.
How:
Oddly, Woods dials back his signature hyperactive style, playing
cutthroat lawyer Sebastian Stark with a lighter touch than viewers
might expect from an attorney nicknamed "Shark", and especially one
played by Woods. Even so, Woods is the undisputed focus of the show,
upstaging even curvy Ryan as his boss, the district attorney. Stark
ends up working for her when, after a colorful, successful run as a
high-profile defense attorney, he suffers a crisis of conscience and
agrees to jump the fence, turning prosecutor. He heads up a unit in the
L.A. District Attorney's office assigned to nail rich defendants with
fancy lawyers, the sort of lawyer he used to be. Now playing for the
other side, he drills his team of young (and attractive) assistants
that truth is relative, their job is simply to win, and "justice is
God's problem." So how come at unexpected moments, both in and out of
court, does this shark turn into a pussycat? It might have been more
fun to see him back in the ruthless good old days.
NBC
"Friday Night Lights"
What: Are you ready for some high school football, and the community that lives for it?
Where: Tuesday, 8 p.m.
When: Oct. 3
Who:
Kyle Chandler, Scott Porter, Gaius Charles, Taylor Kitsch, Connie
Britton, Zach Gilford, Minka Kelly, Aimee Teegarden, Adrianne Palicki,
Jesse Plemons.
Why: Because sports can be a window to the soul, as this show demonstrates better than most.
How:
The small Texas town that the Panthers call home believes everybody,
God included, loves football. Maybe you don't. But you'll still love
"Friday Night Lights." This is the best pilot of the fall season,
breathtaking in how it captures ordinary life set against extraordinary
passions and world-class skill. For the Panthers are the top-ranked
high-school football squad in the nation. And in this first week of
their season, newly appointed head coach Eric Taylor has no choice but
to kick things off with a win. Overall, the ensemble is splendid. But
series star Kyle Chandler is so good he can play Coach Taylor as a
soft-spoken man who holds back a sea of emotions while, at the same
time, Chandler makes sure you share them all. The pilot, like the 2004
feature on which it is based, was directed and written by Peter Berg,
who remains as executive producer. But what of week two and beyond? The
pressure on this series is intense to keep up with a pilot you'll never
forget. As someone tells Taylor on the first episode, "That's the
problem with being this good."
___
"Heroes"
What:
A mind-expanding drama about ordinary people afflicted with
extraordinary gifts in a world that desperately needs their aid.
Where: Monday, 9 p.m.
When: Sept. 25
Who:
Adrian Pasdar, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Milo Ventimiglia, Hayden Panettiere,
Ali Larter, Noah Gray-Cabey, Leonard Roberts, Santiago Cabrera, Tawny
Cypress, Greg Grunberg, Masi Oka.
Why: To explore the
blessings and drawbacks of being different in a population that
embraces sameness, and to thrill the viewer in the process.
How:
A professor in India is researching a theory that human potential can
be supersized by ordinary people born with tiny variations in their
genetic code. He's right. There are ordinary people around the globe
discovering their extraordinary abilities. A Texas high-school
cheerleader finds that nothing, not fire nor falls nor the garbage
disposal in the kitchen sink, can inflict lasting harm. A
drug-addicted artist is driven mad by his ability to paint the future.
A nerdy Tokyo office worker mentally teleports himself to Times Square.
A young male nurse is plagued by vivid dreams that he can fly, but
finds his politician brother scoffs at him. There are many other
characters in this drama that correctly calls itself epic, and, though
none of them knows one another at the outset, their paths begin to
cross. (And cross bad guys pursuing them.) This is a meditative thrill
ride, its many pieces unified by its exhilarating idea. This potential
breakout series could be NBC's "Lost," with the island in this case
planet Earth.
___
"Kidnapped"
What: A
kidnapping specialist tracks down a missing rich kid while he keeps the
FBI buttinskies at bay and the youngster's parents from losing faith.
Where: Wednesday, 10 p.m.
When: Sept. 20
Who: Dana Delany, Timothy Hutton, Jeremy Sisto, Carmen Ejogo, Will Denton, Delroy Lindo.
Why: Kidnapping is a mini-trend this fall. (Fox hopes to nab an audience with "Vanished.")
How:
The Cain family of Manhattan is so wealthy the kids are driven to
school with bodyguards. Unfortunately, the bodyguard for 15-year-old
Leopold isn't quite good enough, and after a bloody shootout en route,
the lad is snatched from his SUV. The Cains enlist the help of
all-too-aptly named Knapp, a self-described specialist whose blunt
style inspires Mrs. Cain to observe, "You're not very good with people,
are you?" "No," he replies. "But I'm good at finding them." Delany and
Hutton play the frantic, if possibly secret-bearing, parents. Lindo
plays the reassuring Special Agent King, whose technique often clashes
with Knapp's. Sisto (riveting as the unstable brother on "Six Feet
Under") is Knapp, assisted by the comely Ejogo. This pair will work the
Cain case throughout this season. Then, if "Kidnapped" is renewed, next
fall they'll face another. In the meantime, could they maybe take a few
lessons from the more satisfyingly soapy "Vanished"?
___
"Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip"
What: A buddy dramedy in the posh trappings of a big-time network TV show.
Where: Monday, 10 p.m.
When: Sept. 18
Who:
For starters, creator Aaron Sorkin in this follow-up to his
presidential masterpiece "The West Wing." Plus "West Wing" alum Bradley
Whitford co-starring with Matthew Perry as comedy writers hired to be
replacement producers for a late-night sketch-comedy series. Amanda
Peet is the network exec whose future depends on their success.
Why: Sorkin wanted to write about network TV, and NBC wanted him to write whatever he wanted.
How:
A richly produced hour with a large ensemble cast on the order of "The
West Wing," this series risks paling in comparison to Sorkin's prior
effort. The issues of the White House are inherently more dramatic than
a live late-night series, one that differs from "SNL" principally in
that it airs from Hollywood (not New York), on Fridays (not Saturdays),
and on the National Broadcasting System (not the National Broadcasting
Company). The pilot episode is preoccupied with establishing how this
pair of brilliant bad boys gets lured back to run the show they had
been fired from years before. But what next, when Nielsen ratings,
rather than the fate of the world, are what's at stake each week? Will
the audience care? On the other hand, never underestimate the
brilliantly literate, inventive Sorkin. Besides, the chemistry between
Perry and Whitford is obvious. This combination might suffice, even
without the Oval Office.
___
"30 Rock"
What: A zany comedy with an inside look at the workings of a New York-based NBC series not unlike "Saturday Night Live."
Where: Wednesday, 8:30 p.m.
When: Oct. 11
Who:
Tina Fey, a recent "Saturday Night Light" grad, created it as well as
stars (as head writer of "The Girlie Show," a sketch-comedy series).
Alec Baldwin and "SNL" alum Tracy Morgan co-star.
Why: Just to
make viewers wonder why NBC chose this show for fall along with another
new series, "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," that both seem inspired by
"SNL."
How: Remarkably, refreshingly screwball as it renders
moot any initial misgivings. Even the GE Trivection Oven product plug
by Baldwin (who plays a too-smooth-to-be-sane executive) is fun. Fey's
character is the anxious, grounded-in-reality straight gal, surrounded
by loons like Baldwin's meddling GE boss (who introduces himself at one
point as Vice President of East Coast Television and Microwave Oven
Programming). It is he who insists on hiring Tracy Morgan's character,
a certifiably insane comedian, as the needed ingredient for a show he
describes as "missing that third kind of heat." As a send-up of the
silliness of network TV behind the scenes, "30 Rock" is sure to cook.
___
"Twenty Good Years"
What: "The Odd Couple" rejiggered for John Lithgow and Jeffrey Tambor.
Where: Wednesday, 8 p.m.
When: Oct. 4
Who: Lithgow and Tambor play mismatched, often squabbling friends for life, which they realize may not be all that much longer.
Why:
"Seize the day" is a motto worth embracing for two chaps who figure
they've only got, as the title says, 20 good years left.
How:
But "Seize the remote" might be more appropriate from the viewer's
standpoint. Surely there's something funnier to switch to than this
warmed-over shtick. The warnings are there from the first scene, when,
in a fractious game of racquetball, Lithgow gets whacked on the arm,
then returns fire on Tambor right in the crotch. "And such a tiny
target," Lithgow cackles. On the series, Tambor is a painfully
reflective, indecisive judge, while Lithgow plays an impulsive,
loudmouth surgeon who, at 60, has been forced into retirement, and
forced into self-reflection. "Starting tonight," he tells his timid
pal, "we live life to the brim! Are we tigers or are we titmice?" The
final bit of predictability: Lithgow's thrice-divorced doctor is
financially strapped, so he moves in with Tambor's long-widowed judge.
What does it all add up to? Nothing close to 20 good minutes.
ABC
"Brothers & Sisters"
What: Conflicted and in-conflict adult siblings populate this family drama.
Where: Sunday, 10 p.m.
When: Sept. 24
Who:
Calista Flockhart, Rachel Griffiths, Sally Field, Ron Rifkin, Patricia
Wettig, Balthazar Getty, Dave Annable, Matthew Rhys, John
Pyper-Ferguson, Tom Skerritt and Sarah Jane Morris.
Why: Because it's time to let Calista Flockhart move beyond "Ally McBeal."
How:
An impressive cast and a seriousness of purpose recommend this series.
Behind-the-scenes production turmoil introduces some doubt. All of
which is beside the point: It was unavailable for preview.
___
"Help Me Help You"
What: Sitcom about a shrink who needs a shrink, and the clients who need him.
Where: Tuesday, 9:30 p.m.
When: Sept. 26
Who: Ted Danson, Jere Burns, Suzy Nakamura, Jim Rash, Charlie Finn, Darlene Hunt.
Why: Nutty people are funny, and terribly relatable.
How:
Long ago, Bob Newhart conducted sitcom group therapy. Judd Hirsch used
to belong to a group (on the sitcom "Dear John"). Now Ted Danson stars
as Dr. Bill Hoffman, a Manhattan psychotherapist who masks his mid-life
crisis while in the company of clients, then unleashes it once the
session is done. Meanwhile, he misses his estranged wife, laps up
praise for his self-help books and tries to stay connected with his
daughter, who, much to his horror, is dating a shrink. This ambitious
single-camera comedy also tracks the out-of-session lives of the
clients, who include a woman whose bluntness alienates everyone around
her, a man who won't accept the fact he's gay and a disgruntled office
worker who jumped out a window and crash-landed on his boss. It's a
funny show. Newhart's Dr. Hartley would approve.
____
"Knights of Prosperity"
What: Lovable goofballs target Mick Jagger's fabulous apartment for a heist.
Where: Tuesday, 9 p.m.
When: Oct. 17
Who: Donal Logue, Lenny Venito, Josh Grisetti, Maz Jobrani, Sofia Vergara, Kevin Michael Richardson.
Why: As an excuse for a cool title like "Let's Rob Mick Jagger," which, sadly, has now been replaced.
How:
Eugene Gurkin (Logue) is swabbing office floors on the overnight shift
when he makes a pivotal decision. It's time to fund his life's fantasy:
a bar with his name on the sign. How to do it? Lift a little wealth off
someone so rich he won't even miss it. Like Mick Jagger, who is
flaunting his lavish New York digs on a TV show Eugene happens to see.
Faster than you can say "gathers no moss," Eugene has recruited an
ill-assorted gang of five, plus a guileless intern expecting college
credit. This single-camera comedy, shot on location, is goofy and
fast-paced. Jagger's cameos are hilarious. And what about those
would-be Robin Hoods? They couldn't steal a glance at a Playboy
centerfold, but they'll steal your heart. And make you laugh too.
___
"Men in Trees"
What:
Physician heal thyself: A Manhattan "relationship coach" finds herself
in a village filled with guys and finds she doesn't know much about men.
Where: Friday, 9 p.m.
When: Previews Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 10 p.m.; premieres Sept. 15
Who: Anne Heche, James Tupper, John Amos, Seana Kofoed, Sarah Strange, Emily Bergl, Derek Richardson, Suleka Mathews.
Why: Calling all romantics and/or past fans of "Northern Exposure"!
How:
Marin Frist (Heche) has a thriving career as a writer and lecturer on
how to find Mr. Right, only to find her own fiance is doing her wrong.
She makes this discovery en route to Elmo, a remote burg in Alaska,
where she's scheduled to make an appearance, and where she finds big,
hearty but chivalrous he-men everywhere she looks (even in the trees).
What she doesn't find are spinning classes and reliable cell-phone
reception. She can't wait to bolt somewhere to mend her broken heart.
Then she realizes she's already stumbled on the right place. The few
women in evidence help clinch her decision: "The ratio is 10-to-1,"
says a sisterly bartender. "We're the ones with the power." Also
persuasive: a sexy fish-and-game biologist (Tupper), who himself may be
suffering from a broken heart. Tiny, fragile Marin is cute as a button
rediscovering herself in this huge, gorgeous setting. As with "Northern
Exposure's" Cicely, Alaska, this is a place viewers may want to form a
relationship with.
___
"The Nine"
What: Two days spent together as hostages is only the beginning for these nine people.
Where: Wednesday, 10 p.m.
When: Oct. 4
Who:
Tim Daly, Scott Wolf, Chi McBride, Lourdes Benedicto, Camille Guaty,
Jessica Collins, Kim Raver, John Billingsley, Dana Davis, Owain Yeoman.
Why: For chance victims of a traumatic encounter, moving beyond it can mean long-running drama.
How:
This handful of strangers just happened to be at a Los Angeles bank
branch when two holdup men took it over. Some 48 hours later, the
gunmen were overpowered and 10 hostages released. One dies. Nine live.
But they're living different lives. Some are haunted by the experience;
at least one feels euphoric and reborn. One sleeps a lot. Another
can't. Some can't forget. Some are eager to remember. "The Nine"
dispenses with the hostage-taking early in its first episode. The
mission instead is to track the aftereffects on those who were there
(including the perpetrators). The series that follows (only hinted at,
but temptingly, in the pilot) means to map how their lives will remain
intertwined, and how the rest of the world could be excluded.
___
"Six Degrees"
What: Six strangers in Manhattan affect one another's lives.
Where: Thursday, 10 p.m.
When: Sept. 21
Who: Dorian Missick, Hope Davis, Erika Christensen, Bridget Moynahan, Campbell Scott, Jay Hernandez.
Why: The "six degrees of separation" bit makes a dandy narrative gimmick for an ensemble drama.
How:
A pretty girl is running from her past. A beautiful career woman
suspects her fiance is cheating. A man with a gambling problem is drawn
into his brother's criminal racket. A widowed mother grieves for her
journalist husband who was killed covering the war. In the process,
they run into each other because (as a voiceover superfluously tells
us) "Anyone at any time could be the one that changes your life _
forever." Thus, in advance, several seasons' worth of coincidences are
duly justified. What the pilot unfortunately doesn't make clear:
Whether the intertwining stories will be solid enough as drama, or
soapy enough as melodrama, to keep viewers intertwined with the series.
___
"Ugly Betty"
What: Warmhearted, comedic reminder that "beauty is as beauty does."
Where: Thursday, 8 p.m.
When: Sept. 28
Who:
America Ferrera, Eric Mabius, Vanessa Williams, Mark Indelicato, Tony
Plana, Ana Ortiz, Ashley Jensen, William Abadie, Alan Dale, Michael
Urie, Becki Newton.
Why: Everybody roots for the underdog, even when, by the title's own admission, she's a dog.
How:
A college grad with oversized ambition, dreams and optimism, Betty
Suarez is somewhat oversized in her physique, too. Ironic, then, that
she aims to leave Queens and crack Manhattan's fashion industry, where
surface beauty reigns and anything less is taboo. Against all odds,
Betty, sweet, efficient and full of great ideas, proves her mettle to
a fashion magazine's brand-new editor, himself a neophyte who
desperately needs her help to survive in this jungle. It will be them
against the fashion world. "Ugly Betty" is funny and charming, not to
mention lacerating (and eye-popping) in how it depicts the style
obsession. Among the solid cast, Vanessa Williams as the editor's
undermining rival is really a stitch. And as Betty, America Ferrera is
adorable and a fine comedienne. But therein lies the rub: Her main
physical deficit is a mouth full of metal, and braces are a temporary
affliction. Beyond that, she isn't ugly. And she seems far too bright
not to apply a few tricks of her trade on herself, further putting the
concept of the show in doubt. Will the title eventually have to be
modified to something like "Not-Bad-Looking Betty"?
FOX
"Vanished"
What: A senator's lovely young wife disappears. Who took her? Is she in on the crime?
Where: Monday, 9 p.m.
When: Premiered Aug. 21
Who:
Gale Harold, Ming-Na, John Allen Nelson, Joanne Kelly, Rebecca
Gayheart, Margarita Levieva, John Patrick Amedori, Chris Egan, Robert
Hoffman.
Why: Every viewer can understand the pain of losing a
loved one. And if she isn't theirs, most viewers love the prospect of a
wife with a questionable past.
How: Georgia Sen. Collins
(Nelson) is beside himself instead of his wife when she disappears from
under his nose (and 500 others in a hotel ballroom) during a gala
dinner held in her honor. FBI Agent Graham Kelton (Harold) is brought
in to lead the investigation. He and the senator immediately clash.
Adding to the tasty mix: Collins has a rebellious teenage daughter
who's hooked up with a shifty boyfriend. And Sara (Kelly) turns out to
have a suspicious past, plus a previously unknown bond with Collins'
first wife, who hates him. You want more? Al Qaeda might even be part
of the plot! This show makes "Dynasty" look like "Seventh Heaven."
___
"Standoff"
What: A pair of crisis negotiators face the added challenge of negotiating their on-the-job affair.
Where: Tuesday, 8 p.m.
When: Sept. 5
Who: Ron Livingston, Rosemarie DeWitt, Michael Cudlitz, Gina Torres, Raquel Alessi.
Why:
"Sex and the City" fans know Livingston is tough, adorable and just a
little kookie, and, as his brainy, no-nonsense partner, DeWitt is
equally appealing.
How: Crisis-negotiation partners aren't
supposed to be romantically involved, but Matt and Emily went and did
it anyway. Not only is their job performance in jeopardy, so are their
jobs. But for now, when they're not bickering or making out, they put
their full energy into rescuing hostages and saving lives. "Standoff"
is described as a blend of "24" and "Moonlighting," which may be a
stretch. What's indisputable is the chemistry between the two
characters. This standoff is no stalemate. Whatever Matt and Emily are
doing, they hold you hostage.
___
"Justice"
What: A dazzling drama about legal defense at its most sophisticated, pricey and contrived.
Where: Wednesday, 9 p.m.
When: Aug. 30
Who:Victor Garber, Kerr Smith, Eamonn Walker, Rebecca Mader.
Why: Because there are still fresh variations on the legal-drama genre.
How:
Here's a souped-up show about souped-up justice. Ron Trott (Garber)
heads up an L.A. law firm that bows to no one in its use of every tool
available for its rich, high-profile clients, jury consultants, focus
groups, mock jury, simulations. They're all part of trial preparation,
and rivetingly woven into the story. A staple of the talk-show circuit,
Trott is the master of using the media. His team excels in other
specialties: Tom Nicholson (Smith) is the midwestern-born straight
arrow who juries love; Luther Graves (Walker) is gifted at working
political angles; Alden Tuller (Mader) zeroes in on the forensics. No
detail is too small. "When the judge comes in and we all rise," Trott
tells his client on the way to the courtroom, "help us kick our table
up a couple of inches. Gives us better sight line with our jury." From
producer Jerry Bruckheimer, "Justice" has the same slick, fast-paced
production values that distinguish his "CSI" trio, and it portrays the
legal process in a way no series has before: as expensive, carefully
plotted theater. Then, as a bonus, "Justice" adds a truth-telling coda
to reveal whether the client was truly guilty or not; whether justice
was served.
___
"'Til Death"
What: Newlyweds and long-marrieds live next door, but sometimes miles apart.
Where: Thursday, 8 p.m.
When: Sept. 7
Who: Brad Garrett, Joely Fisher, Eddie Kaye, Kat Foster.
Why: Because, almost as much as Garrett's former sitcom co-star Ray Romano, everybody loves Brad.
How:
There's tidiness and purity to this sitcom's design. Garrett and
Fisher, two old pros, play Eddie and Joy, a battleweary couple who,
after 24 years of matrimony, have seen it all. Now they get to see
their past replayed for them by their lovey-dovey new neighbors, Jeff
and Steph (Kaye and Foster). Keeping everything extra-cozy: Both guys
car pool to the high school where Eddie teaches history and Jeff is the
new vice principal. But mostly Eddie sees himself as Jeff's mentor,
offering cynical, sarcastic marital advice like, "Men want to have fun,
and wives want to walk that fun deep into the woods and shoot it dead."
The romantic naif Eddie isn't buying most of it, but the comedy of
"'Til Death" comes from the fact that, much of the time, Jeff is
embracing his misery with Joy voluntarily, and also from the fact
that, sometimes, his bleak assessments are right on the mark.
___
"Happy Hour"
What: A sitcom that leaves you with a bad taste and a headache.
Where: Thursday, 8:30 p.m.
When: Sept. 7
Who: John Sloan, Lex Medlin, Nat Faxon, Jamie Denbo, Beth Lacke, Brooke D'Orsay.
Why: A couple of guys sharing an apartment is supposed to guarantee laughs (even when it doesn't).
How:
Wholesome Henry Beckman (Sloan) has lost his job, his girlfriend and
the apartment they shared. But all is not lost: He finds Larry Cone
(Medlin), whose best friend Brad (Faxon) just moved elsewhere in the
building upon getting engaged to the shrewish Tina (Denbo). Larry, a
brash bon vivant who runs an Internet-sales business, hasn't given up
the fight for Brad's soul. But in Brad's absence, he must mold Henry
into a suitable replacement. He helps land him a job and tries to fix
him up with girls. But mostly he gets Henry plastered. Happy hour is a
sacred rite for Larry: "40 years ago, every man in this country was
half-drunk by sundown," he tells Henry wistfully. "It was a gracious,
golden time, and I want it back. The revolution starts here." Suffice
it to say, the premise-strained "Happy Hour" signals no revolution in
comedy.
Story Tools
Rants + Raves
It might be that there will be some people who agree with his views on the Paris Hilton album
