‘Behaving Badly’ Carries Rudeness Too Far
In a way, you have to look at this season’s “Men Behaving Badly” as a work in progress. Or, as a mess in progress, depending on how the NBC comedy strikes you.
While the show is slated for the fall schedule, it will return without two of its three stars. Justine Bateman and Ron Eldard have left the series.
Rob Schneider, who also is series producer, will remain to behave badly. He’ll be joined by new cast members Ken Marino, formerly a member of the sketch-comedy group “The State,” and Jenica Bergere, who has appeared in “Ink” and “The Faculty.”
Schneider himself hasn’t been that happy, charging that his bosses at Carsey-Werner Co. haven’t had the “guts” to let the show live up to its title. Early in the season, he told The New York Daily News that the uncouth comedy “ought to be called ‘Men Behaving Relatively Well.”’
In tonight’s repeat at 8:30, Kevin (Eldard) arranges a blind date for Jamie (Schneider) with Sarah’s (Bateman) demanding boss, Lana (Andrea Bendewald). When they unexpectedly hit it off, Jamie and Lana spend several days having nonstop sex in the boys’ apartment. The result: Jamie feels he’s become a sexual plaything.
If Schneider has his way, one wonders how bad the behavior may get. But what he needs to hear is that many viewers found the rudeness either offensive or downright unfunny.
The show finished 73rd in the Nielsens last year.
Highlights
“High Incident,” ABC at 8: Cool off with this repeat from December in which homeless men pitch in with officers to search for an abandoned baby. Other cops dress up as Santas to nab a jewelry store robber.
“Living Single,” FOX at 8:30: Synclaire and Overton find that their moms and dads’ marriages aren’t as perfect as they’d always thought, which gives Synclaire second thoughts about her upcoming nuptials.
Gladys Knight guest-stars as Overton’s mother. Repeat.
“Turning Point,” ABC at 9: There’s a lot to ponder in “When Children Accuse: Who To Believe,” a report on a California couple who spent 12 years in prison based on their own sons’ lies of sexual abuse. Repeat.
“48 Hours,” CBS at 10: Find out how some people in their 40s and 50s seem to defy growing older. You’ll see that it’s not always natural and that keeping that young look can also be quite expensive. Repeat.
“Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher,” ABC at 10: Guests in the half-hour include Jon Stewart, Pat Boone and MSNBC’s Laura Ingraham. A repeat follows at 10:30.
Cable Calls
“Leadbelly” (1976), AMC at 7:45 p.m. and 1:30 a.m.: Gordon Parks directed this affecting biography of guitarist and singer Huddie Ledbetter (“Rock Island Line,” “Good Night Irene,” “Midnight Special”), a longtime convict in Texas and Louisiana prisons.
Roger E. Mosley stars in the title role with Madge Sinclair in a superb supporting role. This is a must-see for folk and blues fans, who will appreciate the contribution of HiTide Harris, backed by Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee, David Cohen and Dick Rosmimi.
“Hookers at the Point II: Going Out Again,” HBO at 11: The original documentary was a raw and often blatantly exploitive look at Bronx prostitutes. Without being tasteless, I’ll just say that there were unnecessarily long segments that were more about eavesdropping on sex acts than shedding light on the lives of these women.
The sequel was unavailable for review.
Talk Time
“Tonight,” NBC at 11:35: Model Kathy Ireland, Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell (“Kenan & Kel”) and magicians The Pendragons.
“Late Show With David Letterman,” CBS at 11:35: CBS News anchor Dan Rather and Kathy Griffin (“Suddenly Susan”).
“Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher,” ABC at 12:35 a.m.: Lynn Redgrave, Louie Anderson, Laura San Giacomo and writer Richard Brookheiser.
“Late Night With Conan O’Brien,” NBC at 12:35 a.m.: Actor-comedian David Alan Grier and musical guest Sugar Ray.