TV REVIEW : TORTELLIS BOAST A CHEERFUL PEDIGREE

Doesn’t anyone on TV live alone anymore?

In NBC’s new sitcom “The Tortellis,” Loretta Tortelli (Jean Kasem) relocates to Las Vegas and moves in with her divorced sister, Charlotte (Carlene Watkins), and Charlotte’s toddler son, Mark, (Aaron Moffatt). Then Loretta’s estranged husband, Nick (Dan Hedaya) moves in with them. Then Nick’s teen-age son, Anthony (Timothy Williams), moves in, and brings his bride, Annie (Mandy Ingber).

It could be much worse. “The Tortellis” could be unfunny.

“The Tortellis” premieres at 9:30 tonight (on Channels 4, 36 and 39) after “Cheers,” the series it’s spun off from. As it turns out, Nick is the ex-husband of wise-cracking Carla Tortelli of “Cheers,” where tonight Carla tries to help Nick and Loretta patch up their marriage. After tonight, “The Tortellis” will air at 9:30 p.m. Wednesdays.

At first glance, “The Tortellis” is nothing to build an evening around, but does have some cute unorthodox humor, a funny cast and a winner’s pedigree (the executive producers are Patricia Nardo and “Cheers” creators Glen Charles, Les Charles and James Burrows).

After living the life of a slinking, self-indulgent, oft married crumb, Nick resolves to reform--it will be a real stretch--and become the best TV repairman in Las Vegas while Loretta tries to become a singer. He still slinks, but at least he’s nicer.

Nick is a wonderfully offbeat character who’s played to the slimy hilt by Hedaya. Loretta is your basic dumb blonde stereotype, but a funny one, thanks to Kasem. And Watkins retains her usual deft comic timing as Charlotte.

This is one of those sitcoms that seems really terrific until you add up the laughs. Maybe next week.