Remember when sitcoms were more...

Remember when sitcoms were more about the characters than the wacky premise that brought them all together? Yeah, me neither. But I will say this about Twins, WB's stab at opposites-running-a-lingerie-biz: While there was definite overkill on "It's funny because she's only wearing undies" gags in the pilot (good rule of thumb: "Buttpucker" gets less funny every time you say it), I suspect the writers may be able to strike a balance as the season goes on. Mitchie the brains (Roseanne's Sara Gilbert) and Farrah the beauty (Passions' Molly Stanton)do have a light and entertaining chemistry, one that I hope won't be murdered in its sleep by the supercontrived love triangle we've got going on in Episode 1 with Jordan, the supposedly charming new marketing guy. Come on, KoMut, the brains-and-beauty behind Will & Grace; I know you can do better than that. I want to see some of the inventiveness that made W&G pop way back when (and no, that doesn't mean inundating us with guest stars if I want to see Megan Mullally yukking it up with Danny DeVito, I'll check out her talk show next year).

And where, I ask you, would a wacky opposite-twins comedy be without a set of wacky opposite parents? Mrs. Antonio Banderas and Balki Bartokomous' big-city cousin may well be the glue holding this ship together between her mush-mouthed punch lines and his incredulous comebacks, I was rather enjoying myself. And I never thought I'd get the opportunity to say this, but Mark Linn-Baker, we've missed you!Ironically, the line that earned the biggest chuckle from me came from a deadpan Darlene Conner 2.0: "I'm not really a laugher, but I want you to know I think that's funny." Right back atcha, SG.