letterten 2003-04 fall preview

debuts Tuesday, Sep 9, 8:30pm

premise from	A couple looking forward to having their house and each other to themselves find their plans changed when their three twentysomething children refuse to get their own lives together. Eldest son Todd is engaged to one great girl and having an affair with another and youngest son Tim should be graduating junior college but is instead moving in next door with his mother's tennis partner. Stuck in the middle, overachieving daughter Sara is headed straight for her own emotional breakdown. [NBC link]
stars	John Larroquette ("Night Court," "The John Larroquette Show"), Christine Baranski ("Cybill"), Tyler Francavilla ("Boston Public"), Susan Gibney ("Crossing Jordan"), Jeff Davis, Melanie Deanne Moore
producers	Moses Port, David Guarascio
studio	NBC Studios

opinions
	I've enjoyed John Larroquette in everything he's done, including a turn as a dolt in 1987's "Blind Date" & as a psycho on "The Practice." That being said this feels somewhat like last year's failed "In-Laws." Christine Baranski is excellent as well, but I'm not sure this will fly high.
	Larroquette and Baranski are old pros who can pull laughs even when they're underplaying. It appears, though, that the stars may be stuck in roles that require little more than slow burns and double takes. The supporting cast shows potential, though Melanie Deanne Moore's Megan Mullally impression could get tired in a hurry.

my thoughts on "Happy Family"
	I'm torn. I think it'll run a minimum of 13, but a lot depends on the lead-in, "Whoopi" and the fact that NBC owns this puppy.