Fall TV: CW’s ‘H8R’ and NBC’s ‘Free Agents’

THE NEW SEASON

Wednesday

●“H8R” (8 p.m. CW) Smarmy entertainment-show host Mario Lopez brings celebrities (such as “Jersey Shore’s” Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi) face-to-face with the anonymous, snarky bloggers and online commenters who’ve said nasty things about them. It’s then up to the celeb and the “hater” to forge a more positive mutual understanding. Ostensibly an anti-bullying effort for the TMZ era, it makes the celebrities look like giant babies. Grade: D

●“Free Agents” (9:30 p.m., NBC) This painfully flat American version of a British comedy stars Hank Azaria as Alex, a newly-divorced and depressed PR agent who unwisely beds another agent at the firm (Kathryn Hahn as Helen). She’s still getting over the death of her impossibly dreamy fiance, whose pictures hang all over her apartment. Hilarity doesn’t quite ensue as Alex and Helen try to keep their affair secret from the usual array of zany colleagues. And I mentioned that it’s set in a PR firm, yes? Snore. Grade: D

— Hank Stuever

See the Sept. 18 Sunday Style section for Hank Stuever’s reviews of all the new fall TV shows.