Out of the park? Nah, but "My Boys" rookie has potential

Oscar Madison had us first. The slovenly oaf of a sportswriter living with his neatnik roommate, contemplating relationships and sex, in "The Odd Couple." Baseball, poker, New York City. Hilarious fun.

Now comes PJ Franklin, the plucky twentysomething sportswriter musing about relationships and sex, while living with a bunch of guy friends — "My Boys" — the name of the new TBS comedy debuting tonight.

Baseball, poker and, this time, Chicago, particularly Wrigley Field. But "My Boys" isn't "The Odd Couple."

PJ (Jordana Spiro) charms. She's pleasing, poised and has a penchant for pizza and poker. She'll talk with her mouth full. She'll throw food at her friends. She coaches softball. We're not entirely sure how good she is as a sportswriter. But she is clearly no ditz.

Her self-doubt surfaces when it comes to dating. So to get her brain around that game and the whole notion of relationships she turns to baseball for some insight.

We hear plenty of baseball metaphor. Certain friends are like great infielders. Dating should have fixed rules or at least a known rule book.

"Baseball players go through a routine as they step up to the plate," she narrates as she primps for a hoped-for booty call. "You knock the dirt off of your cleats. [She freshens breath with gum.] You tighten your glove. [Looks in mirror and smoothes hair]. And you just pray you make contact. [Mr. Hoped-for knocks on the door]."

Here's my metaphor about the show: "My Boys" is about as flat as a hung curveball. The acting's good enough. There's none of that canned laughter. And PJ's narrations about men don't come off as whiny as those delivered by Meredith on "Grey's Anatomy."

But the writing's thin, and the plots are kinda corny. If you're going to take-on dating — or the dynamics of being the only woman with a bunch of guys — give us something juicy or edgy or just totally right-on realistic that makes us sit back and say, Well, then, OK.

Instead we're given an ensemble of characters who aren't entirely foreign from real-life guys (especially in their looks). But doesn't a TV sitcom merit more?

PJ's guy friends, forever at her apartment because she's the one with the handsome poker table, include older brother Andy (Jim Gaffigan), the married nondater; Kenny (Michael Bunin), who's teased for wanting to ask women out "for coffee"; Mike (Jamie Kaler), who can't commit; Bobby (Kyle Howard), her sportswriting rival who can't take it when PJ acts too much like a guy; and Brendan (Reid Scott), her best friend from college who ends up crashing at her apartment.

There's also Stephanie (Kellee Stewart), her "girlier" girlfriend who advises PJ to be more feminine.

So when PJ wants to attract the attention of sportswriter Bobby, she cooks hors d'oeuvres, puts on makeup and dons a "cute" top for one of her poker games.

If it weren't for Spiro, a cross between Katie Holmes and Cameron Diaz (and she's got some of that Diaz comedic talent that's fun to watch), "My Boys" would strike out. Instead, I'll call it fair.

Florangela Davila: 206-464-2916 or fdavila@seattletimes.com