starrdom26 So yesterday afternoon I was looking at a blog about faces that are begging to be punched, and while I didn't think too much of it at the time, I kept coming back to it later that night as I watched the latest (and my first) episode of TBS's sh*t factory otherwise known as "My Boys." With the exception of Gaffigan, who gets a pass because I like his stand-up and he seems to be the only actor on the show who isn't as awkward as a boner-afflicted 14-year-old at a jr high dance, there isn't one person on My Boys who does not, within the first 30 seconds of being on screen, make me want to punch a wall or kick a dog (and i love dogs).I'm guessing that the guy who plays the loudmouth jackass is probably a monk or a stenographer in real life, because he sure as hell doesn't know the first thing about being a genuine loudmouth or delivering his lines in a way that doesn't sound like he's repeating testimony. "I can make a shirt sure i can i am like a fashion god and i could make a shirt i am like a fashion god." Jesus man, put some air under that sh*t.I won't go into the rest of the actors individually, but suffice to say they are played by only moderately better androids. And as far as that "strained" relationship between the bald guy and the black friend, the only thing strained was the inner wall of my colon, which was pushed to new limits each time they exchanged mistimed, campy glances.This is not to say that the writing is good and the actors are bad. Not at all. The writing is the worst part of it, in fact, though the writers did accomplish several feats I had previously assumed were mutually exclusive: they made the plot over-the-top yet unimaginative, the dialogue simple-minded yet smug, and the punchlines clichéd yet unfamiliar (clichés are clichés because at some point there were funny, but the ones in My Boys lacked any vestige of humor).It was as if someone took the worst sitcoms of all time, put them in a computer, and had the computer spit out what it thought a sitcom should be. I was honestly expecting one of the actors to spontaneously launch into a monologue from She's the Sheriff.The lack of a laugh track only amplifies the awkward terribleness of this show. But I don't suggest adding one now, as it would be unrealistic. Perhaps the sound of people spitting blood or throwing up would be a better fit. Is there a sound for people simultaneously punching themselves in the throat?

leon999 The funniest thing about this show is the idea that anyone brighter than a toaster oven would be concerned about "spoilers." What? One of the guys hits on some chick, somewhere, maybe in a bar? There may be a Cubbies joke this week? Somebody mentions the El? We drive by a bar that's named something vaguely Irishy? Mayor Daley drops by to explain that the phrase "poker with P.J." represents nothing more than a desire to be just friends? Bobby Ewing steps out of the Millennium Park showers? Darth Vader is Princess Leia's father too? The Walrus was Paul? What on earth can possibly be spoiled in this predictable mess?!?!

liquidcelluloid-1 Network: TBS; Genre: Romantic Comedy; Content Rating: TV-14 (for occasionally strong language and suggested sex); Perspective: Contemporary (season 1 - 4); Seasons Reviewed: season 1 In a sense, I have to feel for "My Boys". It isn't easy trying to put together an urban romantic comedy with the genre pretty much already perfected by "Sex and the City". Not to mention the frustrating reality that viewers come to these shows with their own relationship baggage and selfishly demands that these shows conform to their own personal experience. Even with this uphill climb TBS's (the sister station of TNT, Ted Turner's station that dreams to be FX) scripted comedy attempt doesn't hold water. Any slack I've given the show gets strained as episode after episode goes by without a single, solitary laugh.PJ (Jordana Spiro, who despite her inexperience looks and sounds the part quite well) is a sports writer, adamant Chicago baseball fan and the glamorous Hollywood version of a tomboy. Her best friends are 5 guys - her roommate Brenden (Reid Scott), loudmouth Mike (Jamie Kaler), meek Kenny (Michael Bunin), ex-boyfriend and co-worker Bobby (Kyle Howard, "Related") and kept married man brother Andy (Jim Gaffigan). Let's start with these characters. They are oddly likable and that likability keeps the show watchable (which is more than I can say for TBS's other "10 Items or Less" or "The Real Gilligan's Island"). And in a sense they act like real guys. A smoothed over sitcom version of real guys but still a welcome change from the cheating, scheming sex-obsessed pigs of most TV.But a winning personality aside, the acting is awkward all around. "Boys" is a first time effort for creator Betsy Thomas as well as most of the leads. It shows. The chemistry feels manufactured, nobody feels comfortable, and while that can be chalked up to Freshman season kinks the idiotic amateur-hour characterizations cannot. We know that Kenny is the pathetic one because he's bald. We know that Brendan is the cool one because he is never seen without a T-shirt or jacket with Led Zepplin, Black Sabbath or The Ramones blazed across it. The only name in the cast, Gaffigan, is handcuffed in the corny I'm-funny-because-I'm-not-funny role. Let's not forget the only female influence in PJ's life, Stephanie (Kellee Stewart), as the requisite "strut your stuff" girly girl. This is the type of character you see and just know the phrase "how long has it been?" is about to come out of her mouth. There is a half-way descent character somewhere in "Trout" and the show almost squeezes a laugh out of him in an episode about an exclusive club called "the Streisand" (said in hushed tones) that works best because it most successfully manages to pilfer from "Seinfeld" and "Sex and the City". Both of which you can catch in reruns on TBS.The show's creative ace-in-the-hole is PJ, the reality that Spiro brings to the character and the simple potential of a tomboy - something that we just rarely see on TV in a real way. PJ could have an identity crisis, conflicted between her a love of guy things and uncomfortable with the mores of femininity required to date guys - or maybe she can't date at all. The show could strike a blow against the "men and women can't be friends" myth that has been allowed to grow long since "When Harry Met Sally". But all the show can think to do is have PJ's boyfriends get jealous of her time with the guys. As for that "When Harry Met Sally" myth, let's just say the season finale is a big disappointment. "My Boys" may not have a typical sitcom laugh track, but it is so riddled with sitcom beats, tones and clichés that it might as well. The writing is flat-out awful. If I hear one more baseball metaphor about how PJ and the guys make such a great team I'm going to throw up. Those annoyed by Carrie Bradshaw's ability to turn everything under the sun into a relationship metaphor will go nuts with all of PJ's lame life-through-baseball narration. And it's not that I didn't want to be taken back to that "Sex and the City" magic, because I did. But the show fails to be either wondrously romantic or critically insightful and it sure isn't funny."My Boys" is brought to you by match.com "Boys" itself is like a match.com ad perpetuating the idea that everyone finds somebody and there is little more to life than dating and sports. PJ's got it all - brains, looks, IQ - she just needs a little Guy-Q. Good God. Thank you, Dr. Phil, I just threw up again.* ½ / 4

laangel464 I don't know what this guy was talking about...but i love this show.Maybe it's because i can relate to it more than some people. I love Chicago, the cubs, and i'm a lot like PJ in a someways. I have guy friends just like her and they can be that crazy sometimes.Also, i see this show as a more down to earth, get real type of show. The characters are just like someone you could meet on the street without it being a "reality" show. But it's enough of a sitcom that when you sit down and watch it you don't get depressed like when you watch those CSI shows.I wouldn't say this show is the BEST SHOW of all time because it's not, but for a good witty comedy that I enjoy watching it gets an A plus. I'm glad TBS picked it up for another season, i'm def. looking forward to it.