Hot in Cleveland

I read the glowing reviews for "Hot in Cleveland," TV Land's first sitcom, but I didn't want to watch it. Why would I, an American male during the week of the World Cup, the U.S. Open, the NBA finals, and the grand opening of Harry Potter World, want to watch a sitcom about three middle aged women in Cleveland?

However, I was visiting my 80 year-old parents, who were determined to record the show for future viewing. They way their home entertainment is configured, that meant "Hot in Cleveland" was the only show I could watch while it was taping. So I did. And I loved it!

The humor was defiantly not cutting edge -- almost every joke compared life in Cleveland to life in Los Angeles. A typical joke had the three women walking into a bar, marveling at people eating and not feeling guilty. The three seasoned sitcom stars -- Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, and Wendy Malick, knew how to wring every ounce of humor from each line. Betty White, star of Saturday Night Live and several commercials, practically stole the show from them playing the elderly caretaker of the house they rent. The show is a classic example of how sitcoms should work, and did work in their glory days.

I give you this glowing review not just to urge you to watch the show, but to use this lessons for your own work. As I've said before -- it's not the idea, it's the execution of the idea that counts. In lesser hands, this material might seem shrill and desperate rather than funny. Also, good acting and directing can make ordinary material great, and great material unforgettable. Never underestimate the value of great interpretive artists.

Finally, don't just follow the trend. "Hot in Cleveland" is a traditional, straightforward sitcom, and may just become the hottest show of the summer. A well done decent idea is better than a poorly executed trendy idea every time.