PLOT-HOLE TO LET

You give me a TV story in which alien worms are controlling humans by burrowing into the base of the neck, I'll go along with it. Bleep, they're aliens; who am I to argue with how they evolved on their homeworld?

But don't ask me to suspend my disbelief when it comes to the mundane. There are certain aspects of life in the Real World that should be reflected in Toobworld.

Sure, you can argue that it's not likely a housewife looking like Ann Miller could have her kitchen split apart so that she could dance on the tops of soup cans. For that matter, you're not likely to find many housewives looking like Ann Miller.

But if you find a decent splainin - say, Sweet the Musical Demon of 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer' was controlling her actions - then, okay, that works for me. There's precedent.

But don't tell me those two sisters in 'What I Like About You' can afford that big NYC apartment without at least two more room-mates!

David Bianculli, the TV critic for the New York Daily News addressed that particular issue in Wednesday's edition of the paper while reviewing 'Four Kings':

'Four Kings' is created by David Kohan and Max Mutchnick, and is about four lifelong friends. The buddies get to prolong their friendship - and arrest their maturity - by moving in together into the lavish apartment that one of them has inherited.

Give that plot twist credit, at least, for explaining one of the unspoken absurdities about comedies set in New York: how so many young twentysomethings can afford so many luxurious living spaces.

It was a major sticking point in regards to the apartment Monica and Rachel shared on 'Friends'. It was several seasons before it was finally revealed that it was rent-stabilized and under the name of Monica's grandmother. But by then, the damage was done. At least in the case of 'Four Kings', they address the issue right away.

But as far as Bianculli was concerned, that was about the only good thing about the show's premise......

Looking for other elements of 'Four Kings' on which to bestow compliments, though, is a more difficult task.

Uh-oh.

BCnU!
Tele-Toby