Romano’s ‘Men of a Certain Age’ original, funny

Once cable channels discover a successful niche, they'd almost always rather run it into the ground than try something new.

That's why you're not likely to see TLC unveil a reality show about a couple with only a moderate amount of children. Or why you shouldn't hold your breath waiting for a Bravo series that straight guys can feel comfortable talking about with their friends.

So why is TNT moving away from its ratings-friendly mix of dramas about stopping, solving or committing crimes?

Two words: Ray Romano.

For his follow-up to the wildly popular "Everybody Loves Raymond," the frequent Mirage headliner has co-created "Men of a Certain Age" (10 p.m. Monday), which looks like nothing else on TNT, and like very little anywhere else on TV.

For starters, it breaks away from the basic cable formula of a recognizable star, someone who sort of looks familiar but you're not sure why, and whoever else will work for whatever money is left over. Romano's best friends are played by Andre Braugher and Scott Bakula, either of whom could have headlined their own series.

Then, there's the fact that in today's TV landscape, "Men" sticks out like Adam Lambert at a meeting of Introverts Anonymous. It's a small, understated slice-of-life drama that's so light on action, it makes "Mad Men" look like a Michael Bay movie.

It's mostly just guys being guys as they approach middle age, and it's refreshing in its simplicity.

Recently separated Joe (Romano), family man Owen (Braugher) and bachelor Terry (Bakula) are lifelong friends who regularly meet for lunch and hikes in the mountains. Any excuse, really, to rib each other and find new and different ways of referring to the others as a certain part of the male anatomy.

And there's not a cop, doctor or lawyer in sight. Joe owns a party supply store, Owen is a car salesman and Terry has an afternoon temp job so he can spend his mornings auditioning for acting roles. Although, as Owen notes, "What was the last show he was on? 'The Hang Out In Bed All Day, I'm a Dick Show'?"

While they're all on the cusp of 50, they're at very different places in their lives. Owen, who has three young kids and health problems from the diabetes he neglects, suffers regular indignities from his father, whom he hopes soon will retire so Owen can take over the family dealership. Terry, who has been so afraid of commitment he doesn't even have a cell phone plan, is beginning to think he has been wrong about not settling down. And Joe, who still hasn't kicked the gambling addiction that broke up his marriage, has been living in a hotel for months -- his favorite hobby has become guessing the temperature during his morning wake-up call -- because he can't face the finality of moving into an apartment.

With the possible exception of an elaborate gag involving a opossum in Monday's premiere, "Men" is full of the kind of small, smile-inducing moments rarely seen on cable as shows struggle to top each other in grittiness or sensationalism.

Not that there's anything wrong with that -- I still haven't fully exhaled from last week's "Sons of Anarchy" finale or from an advance look at tonight's "Dexter" -- it's just that "Men" stands out primarily because it doesn't try to stand out.

It's the little things that will make you chuckle. Joe bragging that he can lose 2 pounds during his morning pee. Joe and Owen comparing all the different creams and ointments they need to make it through the day. Terry dropping in references to the myth of Sisyphus or the quantum mechanics paradox known as Schrodinger's cat. ("You know what that is?" he asks as Owen seems to agree. "No," Owen replies, "but we also don't wanna hear you say what it is.")

The great thing about "Men" is that it doesn't come with any of the distractions that plague TNT's other original series: Kyra Sedgwick's accent on "The Closer," the angelic cutesiness on "Saving Grace," Mark-Paul Gosselaar's crazy hair on the just-canceled "Raising the Bar."

"Men of a Certain Age" is the channel's most complete series yet.

Here's hoping TNT doesn't go out and order a dozen shows just like it.

Christopher Lawrence's Life on the Couch column appears on Sundays. E-mail him at clawrence@ reviewjournal.com.