UPN Comedy ‘One on One’ Takes the Low Road

The largely promising fall prime-time season is off to a minimalist start tonight with the UPN premiere of “One on One,” another of those contemporary broad comedies that exhume rotted-through old stereotypes by defining African American males by their sexual appetites.

Created by Eunetta T. Boone, it centers on heavily libidinous divorced sportscaster Flex Washington (Flex Alexander) and his wisecracking, highly sexualized 14-year-old daughter, Breanna (Kyla Pratt), who has become his responsibility now that his ex-wife has taken a job out of the country. He’s emotionally unsuited for the role, his guy impulses tonight superceding his love for his daughter.

“One on One” is wedged into UPN’s Monday night black comedy ghetto at 8:30, making it highly accessible to young kids. Beyond being oppressively witless, the premiere has the man-child Flex slobbering over every attractive female he encounters, and the admiration being mutual, one of these lookers even scrawling her phone number on his bare chest in lipstick.

The social urge is just as intense in Flex’s clownish little pal, Duane (Kelly Perine), who worries that’s Breanna’s arrival will interfere with their action: “We’re in our sexual prime, and that little girl’s gonna bust up our flow.”

Much of the suggestive interplay takes place in front of Breanna. Unaware Breanna is listening, Flex whispers into the phone to his girlfriend: “When my daughter’s in town, my pants aren’t down.”

Breanna: “I’m behind yo back, and all your pickup lines are wack.” In the idiom of this comedy, Breanna is a 14-year-old with attitude.

In most cases, Flex’s instincts fall short of paternal. When Breanna frustrates him by hanging around after his new girlfriend shows up, he tells her: “You know what a buddy would do for a buddy who got a date? She just go!”

Just going is an appealing option. “Amos ‘n’ Andy” is looking better and better.

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“One on One” premieres tonight at 8:30. The network has rated it TV-PG (may be unsuitable for young children).