Filmmaking ‘Buddies’ Fails to Hit Mark

ABC’s new “Buddies” is not close to being comedy friendly, its interracial cloddishness teetering on the cutting edge of warmed-over Norman Lear, despite being from the same people responsible for the network’s hit “Home Improvement.”

Dave the black guy (Dave Chappelle) and John the white guy (Christopher Gartin) are young filmmakers and business partners in Chicago. Dave has a girlfriend (Tanya Wright), John a new wife (Paula Cale). Dave’s prejudiced father (Richard Roundtree) opposes his son’s business arrangement with a “white boy.” John’s trashy mother-in-law (Judith Ivey) is initially terrified of Dave.

In the pilot episode that was sent out for review, but which on Monday was yanked in favor of another installment, Dave and John blow an assignment to videotape a wedding, jeopardizing plans by John’s wife to buy a couch. Their attempts to rectify the goof are silly. Dave is rarely funny. John is never funny, proving that, at least in this series, white men can’t joke.

* “Buddies” premieres at 9:30 tonight on ABC (Channels 7, 3).