New sitcoms this fall

Brian Lowry has a rather insightful piece currently up at Variety.com about what's wrong with the American sitcom. Though this list could stretch for several pages, he hits on a key problem: No comedians.

No longer is network sitcom land a happy home for rising comedians. As Lowry put it, "The high point stretched from Bill Cosby to its peak in the 1990s, when Roseanne, Tim Allen, Jerry Seinfeld, Paul Reiser, Garry Shandling, Brett Butler, Bob Saget, Drew Carey and Martin Lawrence all starred in long-running comedies."

You may not like all of those (and I surely don't), but you have to admit it's an impressive roster. With this deficit in mind, here's a look at some of the big sitcom titles coming to your TV this fall.

NBC

NBC is making a strong push to bring back Wednesday nights for sitcom land with the pairing of "30 Rock" and "Twenty Good Years" back to back from 8 to 9.

Though the premise for "30 Rock" sounds too familiar to another NBC offering "Studio 60" - a behind-the-scenes look at a "Saturday Night Live"-type show - my money is still on this one doing well. It's in good hands with the very talented Tina Fey starring and writing, and she will be joined on screen by Rachel Dratch, Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan.

I had hope for "Twenty Good Years," given its two leads, but the early word from Herc at AICN (who I always trust) is that this one will just stink. It's a shame, given Jeffrey Tambor and John Lithgow star as two aging best friends who vow to live their remaining years to the fullest. Heather Burns and Jake Sandvig round out the cast.

Coming later will be "Andy Barker, P.I.," a second stab at sitcom work by Andy Richter. And, eventually, we will finally get new episodes of Scrubs, hopefully in its usual doubled-up format.

ABC

ABC seems to be making the strongest comedy push this fall, so I wish them well.

The biggest buzz surrounds "Ugly Betty," which if I'm not mistaken will take the 8 to 9 slot on Fridays. Executive produced by (but unfortunately not starring) Salma Hayek, this one focuses on "Ugly" Betty Suarez (America Ferrera), a rather plump, unstylish girl from Queens trying to swim with the sharks at a high-fashion magazine. Given the "surprising" success of "The Devil Wears Prada" this summer, look for this to do very well, even in the graveyard that is Friday night. Eric Mabius and Vanessa Williams round out the cast.

In other ABC offerings, Peter Cambor and Jennifer Westfeldt play an unexpecting couple in "Notes from the Underbelly" at 8:30 on Thursdays. Hilarity hopefully ensues as they first try to keep it a secret, then field often-unwanted advice from friends and family.

Preceding that in what I guess will be known as "young couples' hour" will be "Big Day," in which the whole season focuses on one couple's wedding day (maybe I'm wrong, but aren't you dooming yourself to just one season with this rather silly premise?) Marla Sokoloff from "The Practice" and Josh Cooke are our young heroes, and Wendie Malick and Kurt Fuller round out the cast.

One last fairly promising title from ABC is "The Knights of Prosperity" (silly title winner), in which a group of unlikely bandits conspire to break into Mick Jagger's swank New York City apartment. Not sure when this one will be scheduled or if Sir Mick will make an appearance, but I like this premise and Donal Logue is involved somehow, so I'll tune in.

RIP: In what could only be described as mercy killings, ABC has pulled the plug on "Hope & Faith"and "Freddie."

CBS

CBS is turning to a familiar name for a new offering in its Monday night sitcom bloc. Coming at 8 this fall will be "The Class," an ensemble comedy from "Friends" co-creator David Crane about a group of 20-something friends who met in the third grade and reunite 20 years later at a party.

If this sounds like a shameless ploy to re-create the "Friends" formula, it certainly is. It has five unknown (for now) stars - Andrea Anders, Jon Bernthal, Lizzy Caplan, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Heather Goldenhersh. This one should be a big hit with everyone in the world except me.

Coming later in the season but still unscheduled, Seinfeld's Puddy (the always-welcome Patrick Warburton) will star in "Rules of Engagement," about relationships in New York City.

RIP: "Courting Alex" and "Out of Practice." I couldn't tell you the first thing about either of these.

FOX

Fox has two major sitcom offerings this fall, led by "Til Death," which will see if Brad Garrett's schtick can sustain a show Thursdays at 8 (my money's on yes, but I won't be watching.) Garrett and Joely Fisher play a middle-aged couple who find they have new neighbors in newlyweds played by Eddie Kaye Thomas and Kat Foster. I'm sure many enlightening life lessons will ensue, if you really need any.

Following "Til Death" will be "Happy Hour," which just sounds dreadful. As far as I can tell, it's about a small-town dude who moves to the big city, loses his girl and falls in with a smooth operator in need of a roommate. If that tired premise doesn't turn you off, you can tune in to see stars John Sloan, Lex Medlin, Nat Faxon, Jamie Denbo, Beth Lacke and Brooke D'Orsay.

Seth MacFarlane of "Family Guy" and "American Dad" will surely keep the jokes flying fast and furious when he takes a stab at a live-action sitcom, "The Winner," not yet scheduled.

RIP: The death knell for "The Bernie Mac Show" began sounding a few years ago, but it finally rang true last spring. Though it was a bit preachy at times, I always liked the Mac's delivery, and the kids were all very funny. You will be missed, Mr. Mac.

The CW

I'm afraid I have nothing but enmity for the CW when it comes to comedy, given how shoddily they're treating "Everybody Hates Chris." I'll still tune each week, but moving this one to 7:30 Sundays, where it will surely get murdered by NFL football, is unforgivable.

Even worse, "Chris" has the ignominity of lauching the CW's new comedy bloc I can only call "ghetto night." The only new entry in the dreadful lineup that follows "Chris" is "The Game," which purports to go "behind the scenes" of a NFL team with the girlfriend of a third-string wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers. It stars Pooch Hall, Coby Bell, Tia Mowry and Hosea Chanchez.

Well, there it is. I'll definitely be tuning in for "30 Rock," probably tuning in for "Ugly Betty" and maybe tuning in for a few others. Feel free to let me know what you think about the state of sitcom TV.