This year, it seems that almost every new sitcom is a domestic
sitcom, showing us the harrying problems of having a family.
There aren’t a lot of new work-oriented sitcoms, or
friends-hanging-out sitcoms; we’re not seeing teenage
werewolfs or talking cars. Yes, family is hard. Yes, we
get it. You’re going to have to tell us something more than
that to get us to laugh.
HIDDEN HILLS tries to do more than that, in its shot-on-location,
lead-character-narration style. Yes, within those classy trappings,
it also offers us gags about throwing dog poo and getting hit in the
nuts. Not a laugh in the load. No need to waste your valuable
TiVo space on this one. (In fact, you’d be better off without the
TiVo at all. Send it to me! I’ll make sure to fill it up with only
classy stuff.)
While the season premiere of FRASIER wasn’t great, at
least it was better than most of the episodes of the tepid
previous season. Here’s hoping it gets some of its spark back.
