“Traffic Light,” from writer-producer Bob Fisher (“Married With Children,” “Wedding Crashers”) tonight joins “Better With You” and “Perfect Couples” in the “Modern Family”-inspired wave of sitcoms that revolve around a trio of diverse couples.
It resembles in concept also “Rules of Engagement,” as it follows a pair of marrieds, a new-ish couple and a blonde single fellow.
Its stars include David Denman (Pam’s ex on “The Office”) and Liza Lampira (hot lab nerd Ivy on “Dollhouse”) as the marrieds.
The pilot is shaky at best but the series does improve with subsequent installments. There aren’t enough laughs to keep me tuning in, but I suspect it could gain a following. It’s certainly garnering better reviews that Mitch Hurwitz’ “Running Wilde,” which it replaces.
… In its favor, it's well cast and often cleverly observant as it adroitly latches on to the technological trends that allow friends today to be constantly and overly in touch. Unfortunately, it's also forced in humor and uncertain in tone. And surely there are some viewers who are tired of watching stunted-adolescent men complain about the women in their lives, particularly when the men are dorky and the women beautiful. …
… the conceit feels shamelessly American. It has the dusty air of something lifted from our current library of tributes to misguided male antics, including but not limited to Judd Apatow movies and shows like “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Men of a Certain Age.” …
… splutters more than a bit when you turn the key, but eventually it gets going. And once it does, the splendid refinishing of a classic make the inevitable bumps much more easily endured. …
… the kind of sitcom that revs from zero to zero with laughter. … The show doesn’t hit a laugh bump until its third episode, “All the Precedent’s Men” (Feb. 22), in which Lisa pushes Mike to accept a lunch date from a “girl buddy” — a woman seeking professional advice. “One of the secrets of our happy marriage is that I have stopped dating,” Mike tells her. Ethan fends off a girlfriend who keeps marking his territory. It gives a glimmer of the show that “Traffic Light” should be — but by the time it airs, viewers will have already made a detour to anywhere else.
… significantly better than most of its comparables. If it’s given the right nurturing and development, and only if, it just might manage to shine. It has a set of distinctive actors, a minimum of punch-line mania, and a script that is occasionally charming. The characters actually have the potential to become three-dimensional. …
… both funny and remarkably realistic. … That it has been able to play in that genre and be funny and believable enough to transcend it is quite the accomplishment. …
… As a traffic cop might say, so far, nothing much to see here, move along. But after a workmanlike pilot, the show begins to hit its groove … manages to elicit periodic laughs from all three of its couplings, though the strategic marital ground war waged between Mike and Lisa will probably resonate best.
9:30 p.m. Tuesday. Fox.
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