Entertainment, TV, Television - Navy Times

Slim pickings for fall sitcom season

This is supposed to be the time for comedies to collide.

TV networks typically introduce a dozen or more situation comedies each fall. Each one screams for attention.

But this year? There are only four new ones on the big networks.

NBC, which once had 16 sitcoms, now has four; ABC, which once had 18, has one.

Last fall, the genre was supposed to be rescued by “Back to You.” It had rounded up top talent in actors (Kelsey Grammer, Patricia Heaton), director (James Burrows) and writers. It only lasted a year.

“That show was a pretty traditional, straight-up comedy,” said Abraham Higginbotham, who was one of the “Back to You” writers. Now he’s created “Do Not Disturb” for Fox.

“We’re trying to have fun with a younger cast, fresher faces, (and) a little more irreverent point of view,” he said.

Will it work? Will any comedy work?

People blame all the forces that distract young comedy fans — from reality shows to the Internet to cable’s teen sitcoms. Whatever the reason, networks are scrambling.

“A lot of confidence has left the creative space,” says Kevin Reilly, Fox’s programmer. “I see really talented people coming in very skittish.”

For now, he sees only a few spots where live-action sitcoms have scored. “NBC has a bit of a cohesive thing. ... CBS has somewhat of a cohesive thing.”

For NBC, that’s on Thursdays, with comedies filmed without a studio audience. The network has one new show this fall and will add another in the spring, starring Amy Poehler. “She’s just the ideal talent,” says NBC’s Ben Silverman.

For CBS, that’s Mondays, with traditional sitcoms taped in front of an audience. “We’ve been very, very calculated in building shows and adding shows,” says Nina Tassler.

Now she’s varying that: CBS has a non-studio comedy on Mondays and a pair of comedies on Wednesdays.

Here are the new shows:

• “Worst Week”

A decent chap (Kyle Bornheimer) and his upscale girlfriend (Erinn Hayes) must tell her parents she’s pregnant.

Then things detour in spectacularly bad directions. This is based on a show from England, where class-consciousness adds to the humor. Still, the U.S. version does build to some big laughs.

(9:30 p.m. Mondays, CBS; debuts Sept. 22)

• “Gary Unmarried”

Gary (Jay Mohr) and his ex-wife (Paula Marshall) disagree on almost everything, especially raising their two kids. Mohr and Marshall are likable people and talented pros, making average comedy scenes work.

(8:30 p.m. Wednesdays, CBS; Sept. 24)

• “Do Not Disturb”

Sprawled across a massive set, we see a New York hotel.

The boss (Jerry O’Connell) is a throwback who demands six-inch heels. This is fine with a sexy desk clerk (Molly Stanton), but infuriates the human resources chief (Niecy Nash).

The material here is mixed, but the cast is strong — including Jesse Tyler Ferguson (one of the wonderful “The Class” actors) in a throwaway role.

(9:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Sept. 26)

• “Kath & Kim”

A young woman quickly married, split and moved back in with her mom, who was ready to try some wild living.

The original, Australian version is loud and fairly funny. The U.S. one, which didn’t have a pilot film available, has somehow cast Molly Shannon and Selma Blair, 44 and 36, as mother and daughter.

Also: The CW has turned over its Sundays to an outside company, which scheduled two comedies, with specifics scarce. “Surviving Suburbia” centers on a seemingly ordinary suburban family; it’s 7:30 p.m., starting Nov. 2. “Valentine, Inc.” has a family of Greek gods — Eros, Aphrodite, Hercules, etc. — living undercover in Los Angeles and changing people’s lives; it’s at 8 p.m., starting Sept. 21.