Oakland Tribune: No more series killing for Cryer

THERE'S a story about Jon Cryer being asked to audition for the role of Chandler Bing for "Friends," but he was doing a play in London at the time.

Cryer did an audition tape, which was lost in the mail.

That story sort of tells it all about Cryer's luck in television. He's starred in so many failed series, he's on the list known as "show killers." See Cryer's name, and there's no need to invest much time in the series.

He's starred in wonderful short-lived series like "The Famous Teddy Z" in 1989 to the horrible "The Trouble with Normal" in 2000. Quality didn't matter. The shows ended up lasting less than a heartbeat on the air.

But maybe it's time for the talented Cryer to shine.

In this funny show, Cryer plays neurotic, newly separated Alan Harper, who arrives on his brother Charlie's (Charlie Sheen) doorstep. Sheen's hilarious as the care free, single jingle writer enjoying his lifestyle.

Charlie, as he points out, gets paid a lot of money to do relatively little. That leaves plenty of time for chasing women, drinking and playing poker with his pals. That all changes when Alan, and later Alan's cute 10-year-old son Jake (Angus T. Jones), move in with Charlie.

Angus does adorable better than any kid actor in recent memory. He's able to combine that quality with a good sense of comic timing that serves this series well.

Rounding out the cast is the always delightful Holland Taylor as Alan and Charlie's smothering socialite mom Evelyn, Melanie Lynskey as kooky Rose, who stalks Charlie after a brief affair, and Marin Hinkle as Alan's estranged wife.

Sheen's proving his comic mettle, giving an impressive showing as slacker Charlie. He's especially good in the scenes involving young Angus. With Cryer, the two set up the best comic pairing since "The Odd Couple."

"Las Vegas"

10 tonight

Channel 11

James Caan says he has a warm place in his heart for Vegas, and an empty pocket to go with it.

"I used to go in a $30,000 car and come home in an $800 bus," Caan says with a devilish twinkle in his eyes as he describes visits to Vegas during his early years. "I was there in my early 20s when I thought it

was smart to gamble."

Now, an older and perhaps wiser Caan has decided it's time to give up gambling and settle down -- in his first regular starring role in a TV series. And that's a very good thing for us.

It's great to see Caan working his magic on the small screen as "Big Ed" Deline, head of security at a high class hotel and casino. He runs his crack team like a mob boss, allowing no one to breach his ultimate authority.

Except, perhaps, his beautiful wife Jillian (Cheryl Ladd) and sexy, rebellious grown daughter Delinda (Molly Sims). In the opening moments, we see Delinda having her way with handsome Danny (Josh Duhamel). The original extremely steamy scene has been cut back for airing, but it still has a lot of skin and pulsating action.

While the adults are engaged, Dad walks in with his entourage. Making matters worse is that Danny is Big Ed's protegee, and the security whiz is unaware that the woman he's in bed with is Big Ed's daughter. He flees like a cockroach when the lights get turned on.

It all goes downhill for Danny after that.

Danny's a Vegas native who uses his local contacts to help him in his diverse tasks, from tracking down a wayward "whale" (big gambler) to exposing a blackjack scam to finding out what a man should give his wife for their 30th wedding anniversary.

Duhamel's an up-and-comer. He's got an easy way about him, and he looks like a natural in the environment. We don't think he'll get an Emmy nod, but he does his job well.

Plenty of lovely ladies hang out, including Marsha Thomason as sleek pit boss Nessa and Vanessa Marcil as conniving Sam Jane. While Sims offers a vapid portrait of a pretty empty woman, Nikki Cox deftly creates an interesting character even with limited screen time as Mary. Cox brings a certain sweetness to all her roles, making us want to know more about Mary, Danny's pal since childhood.

This glitzy ensemble series, which offers a fast and furious insider's look at Vegas, comes from Gary Scott Thompson ("The Fast and the Furious"). There's plenty of eye candy parading past and enough action to make this an enjoyable guilty pleasure.

If you have any questions about TV, you can reach columnist Susan Young by calling (925) 416-4820, e-mail at syoung@angnewspapers.com, or fax at (925) 416-4874.