'Modern' and 'Cougar' live up to expectations

The thing about reviewing a new TV series is that you never know what's going to happen in the episodes you haven't seen yet.

Some shows produce great pilots, but it turns out the producers/writers have exhausted all their good ideas in that first episode.

Sometimes the pilots aren't so great but the shows turn out be good. (I've pointed out more than once in print that I wasn't particularly impressed with the "Friends" pilot and didn't give it much of a recommendation … but I ended up a devoted fan of the show.)

I gave great reviews to both "Modern Family" and "Cougar Town." And, believe it or not, it makes me sort of nervous to give a great review. Because, again, what if Episode 2 stinks?

No such problem with either of those shows. I'm a bigger fan now than I was when they debuted.

"Modern Family" (Wednesdays, 8 p.m., Ch. 4) is genius. It's pretty low-key, for the most part, but this documentary-style comedy about an extended family is hilarious.

In just three episodes, the show has drawn indelible characters who are recognizable, relatable and hilarious. This really is the best new comedy of the year.

Quite frankly, I wasn't thinking "Cougar Town" (Wednesdays, 8:30 p.m., Ch. 4) would end up being one of my favorite new shows. I enjoyed the pilot but mistakenly believed that this was a show for women.

It is, after all, about a 40-ish divorcee (Courteney Cox) who's back on the dating scene.

But, again, this show has great characters. Including great male characters — the son, the ex-husband, the neighbor, the best friend's husband. And, again, it's hilarious.

"Cougar Town" is clearly not a show for everyone. There's plenty of adult (aka risque) content — although it's not as, um, adult as, say, "Two and a Half Men."

But funny makes up for a lot. And "Cougar Town" is very funny.

On the other hand, I worried that I was perhaps too hard on "Hank" (Wednesdays, 7 p.m., Ch. 4). Because I really hated the pilot of this new Kelsey Grammer sitcom.

And I got a couple of e-mails (literally, two e-mails) suggesting that I had indeed been overly critical of the show.

So I watched the next couple of episodes. And decided that, again, the first impression was correct.

True story: A friend was over as I was watching Episode 2 of "Hank."

"Is it just me, or is this really not funny at all?" I asked.

"It's not just you," he replied.

'Nuff said.

FULL-SEASON ORDERS: Well, we've got good news and bad news about this fall's crop of new TV shows.