The Drew Carey Show
8:30-9:30pm ABC

STARS: Ryan Stiles, Drew Carey, Christa Miller, Diedrich Bader (l-r)

HIGH CONCEPT: A midwestern Seinfeld.

PREMISE: Four pals in Cleveland find humor in being losers. Only Drew (Carey), an assistant personnel director, cares about getting ahead on the job, but his prospects don't look that bright. His buddies--two guys and a woman--mostly hang out.

THEY SAY: "This is what a guy goes through when he's trying to juggle a life and career and get through the day with a bit of dignity left," says executive producer Bruce Helford. "Usually shows about these things focus on women. We expect to have a heavy male viewership."

WE SAY: Maybe you have to live in Cleveland to understand this one. The jokes in the pilot were flat, and despite obvious attempts at wackiness, the writing was mostly formulaic.

BOTTOM LINE: Carey drew a great time slot between Ellen and Grace Under Fire, but it's got a different brand of humor that may not hold the audience.

WHAT I SAY: Boy, was TV Guide wrong! LoL! Five years later, DCS is going strong... while TV Guide seems to be going "gently down the toilet"...