bottom line: this comedy on downward mobility might have trouble surviving the current recession.
abc's "hank," inspired partly by the current economic downturn, is not so much a comedy about the
recession or how one adapts to belt-tightening. it is, instead, a more or less traditional family
sitcom that makes only fleeting reference to one family's downward mobility, mostly to establish the
premise.
the show's main strength is the admirable comic acting ability of kelsey grammer and decent
wordsmithing by sitcom veteran tucker cawley. but even with those assets, "hank" comes across as
familiar and formulaic -- something you don't mind watching but wouldn't go out of your way to see.
when sports retail entrepreneur hank pryor loses his job in new york city, the rich and successful
businessman must adapt to a simpler life in river bend, virginia.