College grads clash with the real world on predictable Fox sitcoms

From the DO: 3/31/06

Two mid-season replacement sitcoms on Fox address the biggest fears faced by new college graduates. On "Free Ride," the recent grad has no plan for his future so he moves back home with his parents, and "The Loop" deals with trying to balance job responsibility while still partying like a bleary-eyed senior. Both shows are full of clichéd characters and predictable scenarios, but lack any laughs.

In "Free Ride," Nate (Josh Dean) has no idea what he wants to do after getting his degree, so he moves back to Missouri to live with his parents. He begrudgingly befriends David Lee Roth clone Mark Dove (Dave Sheridan) and develops a fast crush on Amber (Erin Cahill), a bank teller he knew in high school who is now engaged.

There is plenty of predictable motivation for Nate to pull together a plan to move out of Missouri. His parents, who changed the lock on the front door, argue all the time when they aren't having the sex night their marriage therapist recommends. Nate's room has been converted into a home gym, so he needs to sleep on an air mattress in the garage. His only friend in town is known as "the guy who chugged motor oil." Yet Nate is drawn to Amber and wants to stay in town until she gets married. His father, angry that Nate turned down a job offer, tries to convince him that "a crappy job is the foundation of a good life."

"That job was a part of my major, and I'm not that majorly into it anymore," Nate says. "The good news is that I know what I don't want to do."

Sam (Bret Harrison), the hero on "The Loop," has the opposite problem. Hired as an airline executive right out of college based on his thesis, he is passionate about his job. But he also wants to go out drinking with his three roommates: his stoner brother Sully, ditzy bartender Lizzy and long-time crush Piper. His nighttime antics with his friends often threaten his daytime responsibilities at the airline.

The characters are one-dimensional. Sully plays almost the same irritating role that Dove does on "Free Ride." He is immature, lazy and constantly plays pranks on his younger brother. Piper is clueless about Sam's feelings for her and continues to date her blind spot, as an unnecessary graphic tells the audience while the word "douche" is sung. At work, Sam faces a sexually harassing female executive, Meryl (Mimi Rogers), and a boss who constantly threatens to fire him. When Sam must decide between a work obligation and meeting the girl he's dating at the airport, he tells his roommates he has decided to go for the girl.

"I'm gonna risk getting fired because I don't want to be 24, buried in work and putting my job above everything else in my life," he says.

Job security should actually be a concern, because a quick cancellation is as predictable as the two programs.