To compete with FOX’s summer lineup, NBC offers
“Come to Papa,” a comedy with a great summer timeslot
(right after “Friends” reruns) and quality acting. The
show stars comedian Tom Papa (“Analyze That”) playing a
news reporter and aspiring comedy writer. Tom juggles career and
wife (Jennifer Aspen, “Vanilla Sky”), who keeps letting
the mailman (former NBA star John Salley) into their house.
The premise is standard comedy fare, but “Come to
Papa” benefits from two characters who quickly grow on
audiences. Tom’s boss Blevin (Steve Carell, “The Daily
Show”) is always good for a laugh, and Tom’s friend
Judah (Robert Patrick Benedict, “Felicity”) is a
youthful presence who avoids acting the too-zany sidekick. If
“Come to Papa” allows Salley to show his charisma and
lets Carell do what he does best, the show has great possibilities.
It’s not revolutionary, but with these characters behind
Papa, it may become a quality comedy. HHH
––Doug Wernert