Dennis Leary”s new show “The Job” on ABC Tuesday nights, is thankfully only a half hour long. Television has been saturated with cop shows as of late, and along comes ABC trying to push the limits a little further.
Dennis Leary stars as Mike McNeil there”s a great stereotype: Irish-American policeman playing “Dennis Leary” as a New York City detective whose toughest assignment is himself. His unconventional approach to his job makes him a great cop, but his personal life is completely in shambles. Vices like painkillers, cigarettes and alcohol all keep McNeil searching for a little sanity. You really want to feel for the guy, especially after realizing that, not only does he have a girlfriend (played by Karyn Parsons, “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”), but also a wife and son that he manages to visit occasionally.
However, there really is no character on the show, at least so far, that you can relate with. There are a few likable characters, such as Tommy Manetti (Adam Ferrara), a by-the-book cop, and Leary”s partner “Pip” (Bill Nunn) who”s as whipped as they get.
This show is supposed to be a comedy, but it fails miserably. While there are some funny moments, such as when Leary, chasing a suspect, can”t catch up and falls down wheezing because he”s physically unhealthy. Another seemingly funny spot is when Leary and the other cops extract a confession out of a suspect by making the suspect think that they are beating up his grandmother. Tonight”s episode promises to be a bit more amusing, if only because Elizabeth Hurley is guest starring as herself. Yet, you obviously know that this is a ploy for viewership, she having been written into the script as a date for McNeil by the very “male” Leary.
The only real standout of “The Job” is Adam Ferrara – one of the better young stand-up comics on the comedy circuit. The show would probably work better as an hour show so the supporting cast could get more screen time, and more familiar with the intense lingo that makes up the show.