Television Chemistry That Works

It’s nothing to build a Wednesday night around, but the premiere of “The Robert Guillaume Show” is reasonably intelligent and reasonably funny. Compared with most sitcoms, that makes it a rousing success.

Airing tonight on ABC, “The Robert Guillaume Show” is getting a tryout in place of the modestly rated “Hooperman,” which has been put on hiatus. The opener finds Guillaume as Edward the divorced marriage counselor, working out of the same Victorian house he shares with his tall tale-telling father (Hank Rolike)--”If I’m lyin’, I’m flyin’ “--and son (Marc Joseph) and daughter (Kelsey Scott).

The niftiest part of co-executive producer Sy Rosen’s script involves Edward’s cranky relationship with his father and his attempts to hire a secretary. One of the applicants shows up with a falcon.

It looks as though Edward will hire no one, until in walks klutzy, neurotic Ann (Wendy Phillips), and it’s chemistry at first sight. Make way for romance.

What’s so striking about Edward and Ann as a couple is that he is black and she is white, still a rare love match for TV. What makes their relationship work initially, however, is that perennial sitcom-star Guillaume and Phillips (who did fine work last season on NBC’s late, great “A Year in the Life”) are credible together. They work.

Edward’s clients are sort of dumb and his comments to them are predictably smart-alecky. But “The Robert Guillaume Show” at least has characters that are likable and a premise with promise.

If I’m lyin’, I’m flyin’.