Generally, observing a parrot named Larry Bird and lines such as “do you believe in miracles,” one might expect only sports fans would get any sort of enjoyment watching this show.
- Paul Wong
- Meyer wants you inside his brain.<br><br>Courtesy of AP
Surprisingly, this is not the case. NBC, in its ever-continuing search for the missing link between “Friends” and “Will & Grace,” may have stumbled on a hit. Sports aficionados and those who don”t know a thing about the infield fly rule can together watch football legend Dick Butkus call the lead character a candy ass for not making a move on his closest female friend.
Adam Schwartz (Breckin Meyer, “Road Trip”) wants to live out his dream and become a sportscaster. Sadly, the only sportscasters on the show are Fox Sports News” Van Earl Wright and Kevin Frazier, two massive tools who don”t belong anywhere on TV, much less a comedy series.
Adam and his girlfriend, Eve (Maggie Lawson) recently split. Besides the sheer stupidity of having a couple of Adam and Eve, this split actually provides some comedy (unlike other new shows with similar premises, like “The Bob Patterson Show”). Fortunately, Adam has a solid support system. His good friends the Coberts suspiciously resemble the married couple on “Ed,” making jokes about not enough sex and helping their single friends find dates. Adam”s best friend Julie is there for comfort perhaps of the sexual nature later in the series, but that”s looking too far ahead.
Some of the pilot”s jokes are forced. For instance, David Cobert (Bryan Callen, “Mad TV”) suggests Adam look for some hot women under “G for giant rack.” The talented supporting cast, especially Adam”s father and David, shouldn”t be stereotyped to making breast jokes. But most of the show is worthy of laughs. Having a referee call dating “penalties” and Adam”s response to his less than subtle dad (Richard Kline, “Three”s Company”) hiring a “professional companion” for him “maybe for my birthday he”ll get me some crack!” are chuckle-worthy at the least.
With all of the fantasy sequences, the show occasionally brings to mind an “Ally McBeal” for the guys. With a little more effort, the show could be so much more than that. It could be, as ESPN”s Stuart Scott would say, “Silk, satin, so smooth.” Hopefully the show will in time rival “Arli$$” for best athlete cameos.