TVSquad

I didn't want to like Rules of Engagement. I like The New Adventures of Old Christine, and I thought that if I watched and liked Rules of Engagement (which has pushed Old Christine to the back burner at CBS for now) it would be like endorsing that show over Old Christine. It would almost be like cheating on Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and I did that once before years ago and she has never forgiven me.

But this past Monday I found myself wanting to watch a comedy at 9:30, so I turned it on. You know what? It's actually a good show.

(S01E01) Take 'Til Death. Add Dennis Finch. Stir.

That's Rules of Engagement in a nutshell. And the result of the mix isn't particularly funny.

CBS is really promoting Rules of Engagement, the new comedy starring David Spade and Patrick Warburton. It seems like they're running an ad for the show on every other TV show that they have. But will this show be a success, or be just another midseason sitcom that gets pulled quickly?

I haven't seen the show yet, but the cast is funny. Both Spade and Warburton are funny no matter what they're in (I have no opinion of Oliver Hudson - not even sure if I've ever seen him in anything before). Warburton was funny in Seinfeld and The Tick, and Spade...well, a lot of people hate him, but I think he's a riot. Sure, he does one thing (horny, slightly sleazy guy with quirks), but he does it really well. Just Shoot Me wouldn't have been the same without his character, and I actually think that he's the reason 8 Simple Rules lasted so long after John Ritter passed away. The dynamic of the show changed and was actually improved somehow after Spade (and James Garner) were brought on board.

So will Rules of Engagement be a surprise hit, or will be just fade away into oblivion? (I guess there's a third option, the Yes, Dear option, where a show no one seems to watch or talk about somehow stays around for 25 years).

CBS is making room for a new comedy called Rules of Engagement, which is produced by Adam Sandler. Starting February 5th, Rules will have the 9:30 pm timeslot on Monday nights. That's a coveted spot for a comedy, with top-rated Two and a Half Men as a lead-in. The premiere is also the day after CBS airs the Super Bowl, which means you can expect to see a lot of Rules promos during the game.

Rules stars David Spade, Oliver Hudson (Dawson's Creek) and Patrick Warburton ("Puddy" from Seinfeld). It's about two couples and a single guy who "navigate the jungles of dating, engagement and marriage." Moving it into the 9:30 pm slot during sweeps is a vote of confidence on CBS' part.

The move displaces The New Adventures of Old Christine, which be on a brief hiatus in February (they're pulling it for sweeps!). Old Christine will slide into the 8:30 pm slot after March 5th, when The Class finale airs. And it looks like the series finale of King of Queens will air May 21- but that's not definite.