Fresh Meat: Mr. Sunshine

Mr. Sunshine (ABC, Wednesdays at 9:30) got off to a rough start in its first season, as it temporarily holds the time-slot of the hilarious-despite-a-horrible-title-that-doesn't-accurately-reflect-it Cougar Town (which returns mid-April, so catch up!). Despite a strong premise (people running a multi-purpose sports arena) and a strong cast, the tone and humor of the show has been uneven. Generally, the comedy in the show's first five episodes following the pilot have been largely hit-or-miss, unfortunately with more miss. However, with last night's exceptional seventh episode, it seems like Mr. Sunshine may have finally found its groove.

The show stars Friends' Matthew Perry as Ben Donovan, the manager of the titular Sunshine Center. His primary plot line is his desire to grow from an unhappy narcissist to a more selfless person that can connect with others, following his 40th birthday in the pilot. Although his initial struggles could be difficult for some viewers to relate to (unless you can admit to being a little selfish yourself), his burgeoning relationship with the newly hired boss' son, the socially and professionally inept Roman (played with the right amount of restraint by Nate Torrence), helps draw you in as the two build a comedic rapport.

Roman's mother and the owner of the Sunshine Center is the contently narcissistic, insensitive, and pill-popping Crystal Cohen, played by a clearly-enjoying-herself Allison Janney (The West Wing). Constantly making absurd and offensive comments, Crystal's antics are increasingly ridiculous in the first few episodes, and while this can add to the humor, it also makes it difficult to appreciate her as a real person. However, her character does have a lot of potential and will likely continue to evolve and improve as she becomes a more fleshed-out character, as demonstrated in the most recent episodes.

The cast is rounded out by the delightful Andrea Anders (of the late Better Off Ted) as the Center's head of marketing and James Lesure (Las Vegas) as Alonzo, an extremely genuine and charitable former basketball player. As the show continues to develop, hopefully a fun supporting cast of the other various workers at the Sunshine Center (such as the mascot whom Ben is constantly trying to explain to that he doesn't belong in offices) will emerge, as on other more established comedies like Parks & Recreation and 30 Rock.

Bottom Line: If this show continues to improve and offer episodes like "Celebrity Tennis" that take advantage of the strong cast and premise, then perhaps it can eventually join the current crop of phenomenal sitcoms.