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A Bizarre Place to Drop Anchor

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Sunday, February 3, 2008

Welcome to the Captain

Mondays at 8:30 p.m. on CBS

Basic story: Josh Flug (Fran Kranz) is ready to head back to the Big Apple after his filmmaking career in Tinseltown has stalled. But he decides to give Hollywood one more shot when an apartment opens up in his buddy Marty's building -- named El Capitan. When he meets an amazingly sweet and stunning girl, Hope (what else?), he commits to living among the wacky residents in the high-rise they fondly call "The Captain."

What it faces: "Dance War" on ABC, "American Gladiators" on NBC and "Prison Break" on Fox.

What you'll love: This single-camera comedy boasts lots of familiar faces: Jeffrey Tambor of "Arrested Development" fame, Chris Klein of "American Pie" film fame, and Raquel Welch of, well, Raquel Welch fame.

What you won't: Cliched character after cliched character. Charlene (Welch) is the seductive siren who wants to lure Josh into her bed within moments of his moving in. Uncle Saul (Tambor) is the longtime resident who pines for Charlene's affections. Marty (Klein) is a serial relationship seeker who has serious commitment problems. And Hope (Joanna Garcia) is the aspiring but absent-minded acupuncturist who keeps leaving needles in her test subjects. Enough already!

Bottom line: With mediocre plots and punch lines (though Al Madrigal is a bright spot as desk clerk Jesus), it remains to be seen just who will want to dine at this "Captain's" table.

-- Debra Leithauser