THE HUGHLEYS ABC, 8:30-9 PM DEBUTS SEPT. 22
So, how exactly did edgy Chris Rock wind up an executive producer of a family-hour sitcom? ''D.L. Hughley (star, cocreator, and producer of ABC's The Hughleys) wanted to do a show,'' says Rock, who shares a manager with the stand-up. ''I was a big fan of his, so I just kind of volunteered to put my name on it if it would help.''
And did it? ''It didn't hurt,'' admits Hughley (pronounced Hyoog-ly). ''Chris was like my American Express card -- he opened a lot of doors.''
If only assuaging pesky critics were that easy. The show -- which focuses on a lone middle-class black family in a white suburb (one of two comedies plumbing that theme this fall) -- found itself the subject of a mini-controversy during the TV industry's recent press tour. At issue: Is Hughleys' race-based humor stereotypical (particularly a line in the pilot that implies blacks aren't prompt bill payers)? Hughley quickly dismisses such rumblings. ''I'm not trying to be a spokesperson for anybody,'' he says. ''I'm just telling you about my experiences. You could read from the Bible and someone would take offense.''
Surprisingly, Rock -- no slouch at sharp-tongued black humor himself -- isn't entirely comfortable with certain jokes yet remains supportive. ''Saying that [blacks don't pay their bills on time]is a stereotype. But it's D.L.'s show, and I'm behind whatever he wants to do.'' And, as Hughley points out, following Home Improvement -- one of ABC's cushiest slots -- does place it smack-dab in the middle of the you-know-what hour. ''People can try to find ways to put race into it,'' Hughley says. ''But at heart, it's a show about family.''
Might we see this family getting a well-timed (i.e., sweeps) visit from its high-profile producer? ''It's been brought up,'' hedges Rock. ''Let's say we're not ruling it out.'' Now that would be a lethal weapon. BOTTOM LINE A terrifically likable cast (including Elise Neal as Hughley's wife, and Eric Allan Kramer and Marietta DePrima as their neighbors) helps The Hughleys transcend the more self-conscious gags that deal in stereotypes. -- SM
COSTELLO FOX, 8:30-9 PM DEBUTS SEPT. 8
CONCEPT Tough-talking Boston barmaid (stand-up comic Sue Costello, above) cracks wise with down-to-earth truths. Imagine Cheers' Carla with her own show. THE SCOOP If the working-class premise sounds like last season's ABC flop Townies -- well, Costello was offered the lead in that series (Molly Ringwald's part). But, she says, ''I wasn't ready at the time to do it.... [This show] is more rough, more edgy.'' BOTTOM LINE Nice spot (after King of the Hill), but Costello's persona is as abrasive as Hank Hill's sanding machine. (For a more detailed review, turn to page 117.)
BRIMSTONE FOX, 9-10 PM TO BE ANNOUNCED
CONCEPT New York City cop (thirtysomething's Peter Horton, above) kills the man who raped his wife, then gets killed himself and is shipped off to hell. The devil (who, in the pilot, was played by John Glover) gives Horton a chance to redeem himself, sending him back to Earth to recapture 113 sinners who've escaped from hell. THE SCOOP ''I thought if I was going to go back to television, it had to be different than the usual lawyer/doctor thing,'' says Horton. ''We've come up with some cool story ideas: Do dead people who come back from hell get hungry? Can you get colds? Can you have sex? You can have sex and [being dead is] built-in birth control.'' For the record, Horton also said without apparent irony, ''It's a hell of a lot of work.'' BOTTOM LINE If you dig the concept, you'll dig this broodily shot horror show. From here, it looks like holy hokey hooey.
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