Jim Belushi And Courtney Thorne-Smith Star In ABC's New Comedy "ACCORDING TO JIM" (9/26/01)
Jim Belushi comes to network television as a loving family man in this contemporary comedy for ABC. Happily married with three kids, Jim is an all American guy's guy -- not quick to admit fault but a softie underneath. He's a contractor in a design firm with his younger, more-educated brother-in-law, Andy, yet he still finds time to hang out with his six-man garage blues band. Jim's wife, Cheryl (Courtney Thorne-Smith, "Ally McBeal," "Melrose Place"), is smart and sophisticated and willingly gave up dating corporate guys for a life with a simpler man who makes her laugh and adores her. She's champagne and strawberries to Jim's beer nuts and bratwurst -- but they're in love. Dana (Kimberly Williams, "Father of the Bride") is Cheryl's sister. A VP in an ad agency, she's single and gorgeous but emotionally short-sighted and self-centered. She gets a lot of first dates, not too many second ones. But she adores her two nieces and her baby nephew -- and she loves verbally sparring with Jim. Cheryl's younger brother, Andy (Larry Joe Campbell, ABC'S "The Trouble with Normal,") is loveably neurotic, an architect in business with Jim who also plays in his band. Andy is Norton to Jim's Ralph Kramden. So that's Jim -- a husband who knows that the key to a good marriage is nodding when your wife talks, as if you're listening. He relates to his kids because he's a big kid himself. And he struggles with the same issues as every other dad -- how to achieve the picket-fence ideal life, yet keep a firm grip on his manhood. In the premiere episode, six-year-old Ruby suffers separation anxiety during her first week of kindergarten and won't let Cheryl leave the classroom. Jim boasts the situation just needs the emotionally strong heart of a dad. But when he finds he doesn't have the willpower to leave Ruby at school in tears, and the teacher insists he leave, Jim comes up with his own questionable solution. He transfers Ruby to a new school where he sits with her all day. To top it all off, he keeps this a secret from Cheryl to protect his pride. "According to Jim" stars Jim Belushi as Jim, Courtney Thorne-Smith as Cheryl, Kimberly Williams as Dana, Larry Joe Campbell as Andy, Taylor Atelian as Ruby and Billi Bruno as Gracie. Executive producers are Suzanne Bukinik, Tracy Newman, Jonathan Stark and Marc Gurvitz. Tracy Newman & Jonathan Stark are also writers. Andy Cadiff directs. From Touchstone Television in association with Brad Grey Television." |
Plots like separation anxiety will keep me riveted to the screen.