Email
Print
Romano co-created, stars in new drama about guys
TNT
Ray Romano, left, and Scott Bakula play two of the three guys in the new TNT show ''Men of a Certain Age.''
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: December 21, 2009
There's a scene in "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" in which the gruff, woolly mammoth Manny is having buddy issues with Diego, his saber tooth tiger pal.
Manny (Ray Romano) explains to his wooly mammoth wife that it's not easy to work it out because guys don't talk about their feelings. Instead, they just punch each other on the shoulder.
It's a kid's animated movie played for laughs, but that guy thing rings true, especially coming from Romano's voice. For years he played the inept, communication-challenged hubby on the hit sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond."
That's why it's so odd to see him get touchy-feeling and darkly depressed on "Men of a Certain Age," a new TNT drama that airs at 10 tonight on TNT. It debuted three weeks ago to good reviews and strong ratings.
Romano, a former stand-up comic, plays Joe, a divorced, gambling addicted, sad sack owner of a party supply store. The irony here is that he is not the life of the party and his life is not a party.
Joe is facing a certain age (50) with two buddies whose lives also have not lived up to their dreams. Scott Bakula is laid-back Terry, a skirt-chasing bachelor and mostly unemployed actor still looking for that break. Andre Braugher is uptight Owen, married with children and stuck as an under-appreciated car salesman in his overbearing father's dealership.
They do more than just punch shoulders. They hash out their hard luck stories and busted ambitions over coffee in diners and while cruising around in the car or over beers. It's refreshing to see these manly men talking about feelings – even if that plays against the stereotypical male behavior.
Romano, who co-created the drama, still slips in some humorous moments, but there's tense drama as well. The second episode was better than the first. The theme song is The Beach Boys' "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)" which fits with the melancholy theme of men who didn't grow up to be what they wanted to be.
CHANNEL FLIPPING: On the third new episode "The Closer" at 9 tonight on TNT, Police Detective Brenda (Kyra Sedgwick) tangles with her nemesis Capt. Raydor (wickedly played by Mary McDonnell). This is the last of three new episodes that were popped in December to help launch "Men of a Certain Age" which follows at 10 p.m.
GO GAITHER: Tampa tenor Phillip Nitz, a member of The Voices of Lee a cappella group, will find out tonight if America has voted his group the winner on NBC's "The Sing-Off" at 8 p.m.
Nitz is a Gaither High School graduate and former youth leader at University Church of God now in the Lee University glee club from Cleveland, Tenn. Nick Lachey hosts the live finale in which viewer votes decide which a cappella group wins a $100,000 prize and a recording contract.
MORE EMMYS: Investigative reporter Doug Smith, of WTVT, Channel 13, was among the recent regional Emmy winners, along with Fox 13 staffers Lisa Blegen and Craig Davisson.
Also winning an Emmy for feature work was Kathryn Simmons and Angel Camuy of Bay News 9.
Over the past two weeks, I have been reporting Emmy wins from the Tampa area and this concludes the list (see TBO.com for other wins). Entries were down this tight economy as some stations in Florida didn't cover the hefty entry fees.
Tune in Tonight: "World Chocolate Championship," 10 p.m., TLC
Nineteen of the best chocolatiers in the world assemble in Paris to compete for the title of World Chocolate Master.
TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online ©2010 Media General Communications Holdings, LLC. A Media General company. | Member Agreement | Privacy Statement | Work With Us
| * To: | |
| Your Name: | |
| Your Email Address: | |
| Personal Message [optional]: | |
