There's a feeling among those who run TV networks (ABC in particular) that the traditional sitcom is dead.
It's true that the traditional half-hour comedy that's presented more or less like a play in front of a studio audience hasn't exactly been hugely successful for the past several seasons. When hugely successful sitcoms (at NBC in particular) such as "Friends," "Frasier" and "Seinfeld" departed, there were none to replace them.
So the Big Push at some networks (ABC and NBC in particular) is to move away from traditional sitcoms in favor of filmed half-hour comedies, shot on location with a single camera and no studio audience.
There are some hilarious filmed comedies, including "Scrubs," "My Name is Earl" and "The Office." (Interestingly, none of those is a breakout hit. The season premieres of "Earl" and "Office" finished a weak third to "Survivor" and a "Grey's Anatomy" repeat last week.)
But simply shooting a comedy on location doesn't make it any funnier, as is painfully obvious with ABC's "Help Me Help You," which premieres tonight at 8:30 on Ch. 4.
Ted Danson ("Cheers") stars as Dr. Bill Hoffman, a successful therapist whose life has fallen apart. His wife (guest star Jane Kaczmarek of "Malcolm in the Middle") has thrown him out and his daughter is dating a guy who's Bill's contemporary.
The show revolves around Bill and his group-therapy patients: Dave (Charlie Finn), who has just tried to kill himself; Jonathan (Jim Rash), who is so closeted even he doesn't know he's gay; Inger (Suzy Nakamura), who is rich, successful and completely lacking in social skills; Darlene (Darlene Hunt), who is totally messed up; and Michael (Jere Burns), who has anger-management issues.
There are some funny moments (most involving Finn and Nakamura) but overall "Help Me" needs a lot of help. When a half-hour comedy drags in its first half hour, that's not a good sign.
Yet there seems to be a feeling among the writers, producers, stars and even network executives that the format will cure all the sitcom's ills.
ABC Entertainment president Steve McPherson acknowledged that TV comedies in general have struggled, adding, "We feel like the same old, same old is not working. The traditional ... three-camera sitcom just didn't seem to be breaking out at all." (ABC has two filmed comedies on its fall schedule and three waiting as midseason replacements. Traditional sitcoms "According to Jim" and "George Lopez" will return after "Dancing with the Stars" wraps up its current season.)
Danson said he's "really looking forward to this because the three-camera is much more theatrical."
Executive producer Alex Reid insisted, "You can create edgier, more flawed characters in single-camera because the audience is more willing to go along on the ride. ... You can create more lifelike characters."
And executive producer Jennifer Konner suggested the format is more forgiving. "Our first TV job was for Judd Apatow ('Undeclared'), and he used to always say in single-camera, if a joke doesn't work, then it's the dramatic moment," she said.
OK, but too many dramatic moments do not a comedy make.
Danson acknowledged comedy is "all about the writing," and he's right. Which is why a traditional sitcom like CBS's new "The Class" is hilarious, and a filmed comedy like "Help Me Help You" is, well, a bore.
It's all about the writing.
E-mail: pierce@desnews.com