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TELEVISION; Almost-Famous Film Actor Lee Making His `Name' on NBC Sitcom

Posted on: Tuesday, 20 September 2005, 21:00 CDT

A little comedy premieres tonight: "My Name is Earl."

Those behind the sitcom fear they bear the weight of saving not only the sitcom genre itself but the very network the show appears on.

No pressure, though.

"I'm just doing my job really," star Jason Lee told reporters recently. "I mean, I can't show up on the set every day with that in my mind. It would just be too distracting. All I can do is show up and work and try to make the best show that I can make as an actor."

The single-camera NBC sitcom premiering tonight at 9 on WHDH (Ch. 7) about small-time hood Earl (Lee) on the path to redemption, one wronged person at a time, has basked in positive reviews. The series is also looked upon as the comedy savior for struggling NBC.

This is Lee's first foray into television. The actor is best known for roles in the films of directors Kevin Smith ("Chasing Amy" and "Mallrats") and Cameron Crowe ("Almost Famous" and "Vanilla Sky").

"The only business of television I'm familiar with is this show," Lee said. "It's the only affiliation with TV I've ever had. I'm plenty happy. I like that it's a single-camera show. I'm used to working on films. I like that it feels very much like shooting a film. I was comfortable from day one. I have big dreams definitely. This thing better go. (But) I'm not thinking too far into the future. But there is a lot to consider because of Earl's list. When does he change and how long does that take? It's a slow awakening . . . We have to walk that line of not having it happen too soon but not keeping him too ignorant for too long."

Greg Garcia, executive producer and creator of "Earl," feels he's spent the last several seasons as a punching bag for critics for his last success - "Yes, Dear," still airing on CBS.

"I don't know what's going to happen with this show," Garcia said in a recent conference call with reporters. "I'm certainly not running around saying it's going to be the biggest hit of the season. I'm just doing my job, and I'm going to turn in a good show each week and hopefully people out there respond to it. My job is the same whether they have high expectations or low expectations. My job is to come to work, write scripts and do a show that I'm proud of, and I do that whether the network is in first place or 51st place.""Earl" was a long time in the making. Garcia pitched the show to Fox back in 2003; the network passed.

"They felt that it wasn't a series, and I went off and wrote a script and some people decided it wasn't right for them and that's that. I mean, they pass on things all the time. Most things that get on the air have been passed on by another network."

Now, of course, "Earl" has a home. The question is, for how long?

Source: Boston Herald

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