My Boys (2006)

If the main character in My Boys — female sportswriter PJ (Jordana Spiro) — were narrating this review, she'd say that using voice-over is like hitting a sacrifice fly on the third out with a runner at first. Which is to say, pointless and confounding. Her constant yapping plays like a bizarro Sex and the City episode in which Carrie Bradshaw gets a job covering the Cubs for the Chicago Sun-Times. And yes, it's alllll in baseball metaphors. (At least Carrie talked about men and shoes.)

Despite all of the pontificating, TBS' comedy shows promise. The setup is simple — tomboy hangs with guy friends — but different enough to mine new territory in the dating-and-relating genre: Her love interest freaks over her direct (and very male) approach to hooking up; the guys plan a secret chick-cruising mission without her. Those boys (five in all) are perfectly charming, if a few too many — though the winning Reid Scott, as PJ's roommate-with-potential, is a keeper — and Spiro brings a regular-girl appeal to a genuinely fresh female character. Her token girlfriend, Stephanie (Kellee Stewart), on the other hand, click-clacks in with an overwhelming dose of floaty dresses and man-snaring advice (''do the hair, make some hors d'oeuvres...'') that only serve to explain why PJ prefers the company of men.

Like baseball itself, My Boys may have played better during the summer. Still, it's a sweet, frothy Tuesday-night alternative that would go down even smoother if the girl would just shut up and play ball.

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