By A.J. Livsey

“All About the Andersons,” WB, Friday at 9 p.m.

Telltale quote: “Forty grand for college and he's going to end up a poster boy for butt cream.”

Overview: Anthony Anderson plays, well, Anthony Anderson – an aspiring actor who decides to leave New York City with his young son and move in with his parents in LA. After learning that his old room has been rented out, Anderson is forced to sleep in the garage with Aretha, his dad's prized classic Cadillac.

   The show is based loosely on Anderson's real life, including a scene where his mom pays him to break in her new heels. Anderson struggles to be a good father to Tuga and still pursue his dream of acting, while his dad expects him to give up auditioning and help run the barbershop. 
   Joining the family of four is Dr. George Harvey, the hyperactive second-year resident who's now living in Anderson's room, and Lia, the high school girl next door whose place in the show is unclear and wholly unnecessary.

Verdict: A few feel-good moments between Anderson and his son save the show from sheer idiocy, but otherwise the plot runs out of steam before it makes it out of the starting blocks. 
   The tension between Anderson and his dad is never more than a flash of disappointment, and the attempted comic diversion of a white doctor living with the family is awkward at best. Even without these complications, the series faces sure cancellation in a poorly matched hour with “ Grounded for Life.”

By John Rash

“All About the Andersons,” WB, Friday at 9 p.m.

Comment:  All one needs to know about “All About the Andersons” is that it has two good actors (Anthony Anderson and John Amos) caught in one schizophrenic script. 
   This is perplexing because the writer and actor are one in the same, as the story is a semi-autobiographical look at Anthony Anderson's life. Accordingly the Andersons are only semi-interesting. The generational gap between father and son makes for some genuine moments, but the disingenuous subplot of the son slumbering in the garage because a white med student is renting Anthony's room is but a comic contrivance. 
   But all may not be lost for “All About the Andersons,” as the more father and son can get together in Dad's barbershop, the sharper this comedy becomes. Which is not surprising, given Anthony Anderson's well-received work in last year's surprise movie hit “Barbershop.”