I am – Hercules!!

How to tell the good new sitcoms from the bad?

Fox makes it easy!

Their inspired ones (“The Tick,” “Undeclared,” “Futurama”) have little use for soundtrack laughter.

Their insipid ones (“That ‘80s Show,” “Titus”) rely on laughtracks.

(Yeah, I know, the laughtrack shows are technically filmed before a live audience. But TV’s not-very-well-kept dirty little secret is canned laughter is employed by all the “live audience” shows. By some, of course, more than others.)

You say you didn’t like the live-action “Tick”? Conan O’Brien, the guy who gave Triumph and Pimpbot and Preparation H Raymond and the Masturbating Bear jobs, loves “The Tick”!! Did you see the Tick combat that vending machine in the pilot? Did you see Destroyo torment Captain Liberty behind plexiglass walls last week? Do you get this whole “entertainment” concept?

For Herc, the Destroyo episode instantly elevated “The Tick” above “Friends” and “Undeclared” and every other half-hour comedy currently leaking new episodes onto the airwaves. It makes Herc kinda crazy and sick that we get no more fresh “Tick” while “Arli$$” soldiers on with another 13-ep order from HBO. Makes you want to fall to bended knee and give thanks for the great TV that does find an audience, yes?

Well, nobody got “Police Squad!” either, until they stuck it on a big screen and made mallrats pay for it. Here’s hoping the Tick’s next adventure involves popcorn and THX.

The “Tick” finale airs at 8:30 p.m., opposite a monstrously unfunny (and studio-audience-utilizing) “Will & Grace” repeat right after “Friends.”

Bandwidth. Fish tanks. Spoon.

I am – Hercules!!

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