Cast’s Team Effort Pays Off in Gridiron Tale ‘Scrubs’

A stiff upper lip proves more useful than well-developed triceps when Peter Hanley fantasizes about high school gridiron glory but instead ends up riding the bench in “Scrubs,” a Nickelodeon “Sports Theater” presentation that cleverly rambles over well-worn turf while dodging cloying sentimentality.

Michael Malota (“Don Juan DeMarco”) is convincing as nonmuscular Peter, who joins the squad, falling in with a circle of mild-mannered pals. The punishing workouts earn them taunts from buff teammates and little playing time from hard-nosed Coach Spikes (Jim Turner of “Arli$$”). The season seems headed for disaster.

Michael Tollin directs a strong supporting cast featuring Bess Armstrong as every boy’s dream of a football-obsessed mom, Ed Begley Jr. as the sports-skeptical dad and Amanda Bynes (“All That”), perky as the little sister taken to narrating action sequences to the tune of “Drunken Sailor”--sweetly sending up the venerable, hyperdramatic corn of NFL Films.

Peter finds empathy in veteran Wendell Pierce’s Coach Tolbert. But, more importantly, he finds puppy love in the winsome Morgan Kibby, whose Gloria washes out at cheerleading but rebounds to rev up a lethargic pep band.

Ex-49er Ronnie Lott deftly completes a cameo, but what are meant as insightful interludes by the otherwise likable producer Shaquille O’Neal come off as merely distracting, with overlong, platitudinous homilies that would be better kept to a prologue-epilogue.

In Kevin Falls’ teleplay about the delayed rewards of stick-to-it-iveness, it’s not hard to guess who talks Peter out of quitting, or where Coach Spikes ultimately discovers the team’s hero, but “Scrubs” fields a cast that is above-average enough and capable of delivering enough surprises to make this a worthwhile family diversion for Super Bowl eve.

*

* “Scrubs” premieres tonight at 9, repeats Sunday at 2 p.m. on Nickelodeon. The network has rated it TV-Y (suitable for young children).