An immutable law of the universe, revealed

Call it the "NBC Law of Inverse Comic Proportionality." I don't know why it should be true, but it is. If NBC advertises a new sitcom, and the commercial makes you laugh--not smile, or grunt, but really laugh--the show will prove to be terrible. On the other hand, if the commercials for that new show really stink, the show will be good. I first noticed this law in regards to "Frasier" ten years or so ago. Recently, it has applied to "Scrubs" and "Will & Grace" (though that show got meaner and I wearied of it) and now "Hidden Hills." Of course, all these shows have too much sexual content, and they have their appeals to the lowest common denominator at times. But there is an intelligence about Scrubs in particular that is intelligent, and Hidden Hills has at least the potential for dealing with things that are both funny and part of life. Last night's show was about jealousy and lust, for instance, and neither concept came out looking very good.