Love Hates

When a UPN sitcom gets fulsome praise - meaning, given that it's UPN, any - you have to start wondering about it. When people came out of the up-fronts hailing Everybody Hates Chris, I had conflicting emotions. Mostly they were varieties of "UPN has a good sitcom?" and "I hope they don't screw this up."

They didn't screw it up, and UPN has a bona fide sitcom success.

Finally.

It's not that the show is particularly groundbreaking. The set-up is actually pretty traditional, not that far off from the likes of The Wonder Years: family, school, the neighborhood, and the times are all recounted through the eyes of a 13 year old kid.

But it's the way the story gets told - with a deft mix of realism and humor - that makes the show stand out. Halfway through the pilot a bully uses the N-word, which is pretty unheard of in a sitcom. But the way the reaction to this is handled, it becomes a successful comedic moment (if a little painful given the pummeling to come).

There's also a good sense of when not to fall into sitcom conventions. For example, when Chris eats part of his dad's dinner, a regular sitcom would play up the aftermath. Here, there's a pretty good visual and a follow-up that actually makes sense rather than screaming and a fat joke at the dad's expense.

While most of the acting kudos are going to the actor playing Chris, his parents are played very well, too.

Watch this show!