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From Tim Goodman; Examiner Television Critic:

ABC dishes up two promising sitcoms

In what has to be the biggest surprise of the midseason, a show with unquestionably the worst title -- "Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place" -- turns out to be pretty funny, with more than a little potential.

On top of that, ABC may have found the male replacement for Roseanne in "That's Life."

In fact, ABC has both of these shows and, with a little nurturing, could turn them into something special.

[stuff deleted about 'That's Life']

"Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place" (9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Ch. 7) is exactly the show "House Rules" on NBC wants to be, but isn't. "Two Guys" is surprisingly fresh and funny, with enough witty one-liners to fill two other shows. In a year when we've seen some of the worst sitcoms in ages, this show comes as a shocker.

Granted, it's not "Ally McBeal" or "NewsRadio" just yet, but it's produced by the "Mad About You" folks and, in two episodes, stands out strong.

Here's a show that overcomes yet another lame premise: Three people who went to school together live in the same apartment building. Pete (Richard Ruccolo) is the sorta-good-guy who, as a graduate student in architecture, is just a tad anal. He wants everything in life to have a purpose. His best friend and roommate, Berg (Ryan Reynolds), is a graduate student in philosophy and has been coasting through life -- with great luck. Upstairs neighbor and college friend Sharon (Traylor Howard from "Boston Common") has her life together as a successful, hard-nosed sales rep for a chemical company.

She hates the idea of killing the environment, but she likes the money.

Pete and Berg work at Beacon Street Pizzeria in Boston, where they make just enough to eat pizza and scrape by like the students they are. To make a little extra, Berg volunteers as a guinea pig for pharmaceutical companies.

The writing here is sharp and alive. Reynolds in particular is wonderful as Berg, the space cadet. Ruccolo also does a nice job of not being the typical "normal" guy -- bringing confusion and a little devilishness to his role. Howard is also superb as a snappish woman who is not a people person.

Oddly, David Ogden Stiers has decided to play an out-of-it teacher who hangs out at the pizza place telling lies -- culled from movie and TV plots -- about his life. Seems like slumming, but he's fine in the role.

For such a thin premise -- two guys and a girl hanging out at a pizza place -- there is enormous payoff. These characters are remarkably well drawn and could overcome the obstacle of having nothing to do but eat pizza. Perhaps the producers will take them out of the pizza joint -- à la "Seinfeld" -- and let them get outside and breathe.

It's a lousy name for a show, but somehow the cast manages to make this quite the surprise. It will need time to develop but should fit well following "Drew Carey." The show gets a real boost from Reynolds, who can take a weak idea -- testing out running shoes that talk to you -- and turn it into a fruitful comic premise. He can even make spacing out on asthma medicine pretty hilarious.

Here's hoping that ABC may have found a couple of gems late in the season to turn around TV's recent track record with sitcoms.

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