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Let's not.
Funny man in a sitcom that comes out of a box
By Ethan Alter
As entertainers go, Hank Azaria seems a natural choice to headline his own television show, "Imagine That," which airs its second episode tonight on NBC.
Azaria is certainly a step up from Emeril Lagasse, whose laugh-free sitcom occupied NBC's Tuesday 8 p.m. slot before the network mercifully bammed it into oblivion.
Azaria certainly deserves a chance. He has been one of Hollywood's ace scene-stealers since the early '90s, though he's probably best known for his work on "The Simpsons," where he voices many of Springfield's supporting residents, including Apu and Moe.
Because of his talent for disguise, Azaria has never really had the opportunity to prove that he can play a regular Joe and still make people laugh.
"Imagine That" might have been that chance.
It is not.
As it turns out, the funniest moment in the otherwise lifeless first episode of "Imagine That" is not the one in which the actor dons an accent and a wig.
It's a scene where Azaria's character, Josh, is struggling to explain to a marriage counselor, whom he and his wife are seeing, exactly what is on his mind.
"Here's what I'm thinking," he starts, then breaks off and looks around the room, which happens to be decorated with wall-to-wall images of panthers. After a beat, he blurts out in frustration,"What's with all the panthers?"
Okay, so that line isn't on the level of "Friends." It's not even on the level of "Becker." But it is the one and only joke in the entire show that causes a viewer to emit a sound resembling laughter. The laugh comes not from the line but rather from Azaria's dead-on delivery.
Except for that moment there's nothing else to recommend the debut. Through most of it, one sits there wondering how such a genuinely funny actor could produce a show that's so genuinely dull.
While it may not be a belly flop of "Bob Patterson"-sized proportions, "Imagine That" represents yet another drop in the large bucket of sitcom mediocrity.
Everything about the show is generic, as if it were put together by a committee slavishly following a checklist of requisite sitcom conventions.
There's the "hilarious" premise: A writer for a sketch comedy show incorporates material from his own life into his skits.
There's the "unique" twist: He previews his work in Walter Mitty-esque fantasy segments.
There's the loving, if somewhat uptight spouse, played here by the zombie-like Jayne Brook.
Then we have the gang of "wacky" co-workers, including "Married With Children's" Katey Segal.
And of course there's the put-upon main character himself, who faces life armed with a punchline to suit every occasion.
Azaria gives his all to the role, somehow dredging up the energy to deliver even his worst lines with enthusiasm. Yet it isn't enough to distract from the lame writing and annoying supporting cast.
Still, he shouldn't worry too much about the show having a negative impact on his career. Considering its time slot opposite such ratings winners as "JAG," "Gilmore Girls" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," the show will most likely not even be remembered a month from now.
The fact that NBC dumped it on the air with little promotion indicates that they've more or less written it off as a failure.
This raises the question of what audience they were hoping to attract in the first place, if they were expecting any.
People who feel that "Frasier" is too experimental?
It's not as if NBC has completely lost the knack for creating quality sitcoms; after all, its other new Tuesday night comedy, "Scrubs," is one of the freshest, funniest half-hours on television right now. That show's continuing success in its 9:30 time slot, up against "24," "Smallville" and "NYPD Blue," is just another indication that smart, well-written comedy can and will attract viewers no matter what the competition is.
There's probably a sizable audience hungry for a Tuesday at 8 p.m. sitcom as well, but a sub-average rehash like "Imagine That" is never going to satisfy it.
January 15, 2002 © 2002 Media Life
-Ethan Alter is a New York writer.
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