New CBS Comedies

Both of these new shows will air on Monday nights on CBS.

How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - sitcom
The story, told through flashbacks from the year 2030, of one man's adventures in dating. This was as good as any of the comedies I've seen so far. Once again, the basic premise seems to spell trouble for longevity, but I'm sure the writers will come up with ways to stretch the story (and your suspension of disbelief) as long as necessary. In any case, the pilot provided what a sitcom should - lots of laughs, relatable characters, and a surprise ending to bring you back for more. One technical note: It looked to me like this show was shot on lower quality video cameras, but I watched a not-final preview copy, so it may be subject to some further color-correction and such. (B+)

Out of Practice (CBS) - sitcom
It looks like this show may have had a recent title changes, as the preview copy I saw had a title card reading, "Flesh & Blood." The new title, "Out of Practice", is an improvement, but it's not enough to make this show hit-worthy. The plot centers on a 30-year old marital counselor, the only member of his family who is not an M.D. . Mom and Dad are divorced, sister is a lesbian, and brother is a prick. A few laughs here and there, but the characters were very cliche'. They tried to turn it sentimental at the end, but I really didn't care about the characters' woes. Some people will probably connect to this show; I didn't. (C)

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