HOLLYWOOD — Ask David Kohan and Max Mutchnick whether they were at all ticked off when their sitcom "The Stones" got yanked off CBS's fall schedule in favor of 13 more episodes of the lame, tired "Becker," and they'll say no.
Don't believe it, however.
Oh, the creators and former executive producers of "Will & Grace" will say things like, "It certainly did make it better for us to have the time," Mutchnick told TV critics. But then you find out that, while the show was supposedly being retooled, nothing was changed in the pilot episode — which was shot almost a year ago and airs Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. on Ch. 2.
Frankly, why CBS made that decision — why the network has all but canceled "The Stones" even before it premieres — is somewhat of a mystery. Maybe it's the subject matter — divorce — which certainly doesn't seem all that funny at first glance
Robert Klein and Judith Light ("Who's the Boss?") star as Stan and Barbara Stone. On their 25th anniversary, they announce to their grown children that they're getting a divorce.
Geeky Winston (Jay Baruchel of "Undeclared") doesn't take it well. Slacker Karly (Lindsay Sloane of "Grosse Point") takes it the same way she takes everything — with biting sarcasm.
The kicker is that the family doesn't exactly break up. Dad moves into the room over the garage, Karly moves back home (has to — she's been evicted from her apartment), and the dynamics are, well, odd. And surprisingly funny.
A lot of that has to do with the cast. The four stars are nothing short of great in their parts. But, at least in the first couple of episodes, they also have some snappy dialogue to deliver.
"I think the reason why I'm excited about this show is the same reason I was excited about 'Will & Grace,' " Mutchnick said. "It's like we're tapping into something that exists in the world but hasn't been on television yet. . . . This is a better place for us to go as writers. And the four-person ensemble, it's easier and breezier. There's room to talk about things."
But chances are they won't be talking for long. Not only did CBS postpone "The Stones" from September until March, but it cut the original order of episodes from 13 to nine. Baruchel and Sloane have already signed on to appear in pilots for other networks for next season.
If "The Stones" turns out to be a hit, they're contractually obligated to return. But they've no doubt noticed that CBS isn't exactly committed to "The Stones."
Which is too bad. This show has a lot of potential.
E-mail: pierce@desnews.com