Like all normal, healthy people, my first thought on seeing a show called Men At Work (Seven, 11.40pm) in the schedule was: ''Finally! They've made a television spin-off of the classic 1990 Emilio Estevez-Charlie Sheen movie about heroic-yet-wacky garbage men.''
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You can imagine my disappointment when I discovered it's actually a show about four pals working at a magazine.
Still, I was intrigued, especially given the show was created by Breckin Meyer; I doubt anyone who's seen Rat Race knew Breckin Meyer was capable of creating anything. Also, it airs near midnight, and I've often found that late-night timeslot to be a mine of hidden gold, a repository of classics waiting to be found. In this case, it isn't. But the principle remains sound.
The good news is that, although Men At Work the sitcom isn't about garbage men, it does seem to be under the impression that it's still 1990, so you get a nice period feel. If this show had aired during the '90s, it could've been known as ''that show that's not as good as Friends''. As it is, it'll have to settle for ''that show that's not as good as Two and a Half Men''.
It is shot before a possibly live studio audience, who enliven proceedings throughout by laughing in a somewhat nervous fashion, as if they fear reprisals if they stop even for a second. Or maybe they just feel sorry for the actors. But that would be silly, given the razor-sharp scripts they have to work with. On Tuesday's episode, there is a hilarious plot revolving around the latest craze: texting. Poor old Milo (Danny Masterson, pictured, sporting a beard presumably meant to hide his identity from That '70s Show fans) finds himself being schooled in the art of texting by his colleagues, because apparently Milo is a time traveller from Edwardian times. It's pretty hilarious how the kids these days use abbreviations for things, isn't it, viewers? Uh … viewers?
In the other main plot strand of this episode, Tyler and Gibbs encounter a sex therapist played by Kathy Najimy, who has sex with both of them, sparking a ferocious battle between them to see who is the worst actor. And in a subplot, Neal has a hat. That's pretty much it. But hey, you're up at 11.40, what else are you going to watch? The Glasgow lawn bowls?
Earlier in the evening, there is more uplifting fare, as we Save With Jamie (Ten, 7.30pm).
But save what? Money? Lives? Our sense of self-respect? It's not important. What's important is that we are saving, and the means by which we save in this instance is piri piri pork belly and ''hangover noodles'', which are either noodles that cure a hangover, or noodles that give you one. Whatever you think of the food, it is at least being cooked in a cockney accent.
