Saunders: CBS leaves crime scene

Saturday, January 21, 2006

HOLLYWOOD - Love Monkey offers a major programming change for CBS.

The cutting edge of music replaces the cutting edge of mutilated bodies in crime dramas.

Based on the best- selling book by Kyle Smith, the low-key drama, which premiered Tuesday night, revolves around Tom Farrell (Tom Cavanagh) a single, thirtysomething New Yorker trying to find success in the rough- and-tumble worlds of music and romance.

Mention Cavanagh and most viewers immediately think of NBC's Ed, which also featured the likable Cavanagh in a similar low-key role.

While Ed offered a small-town leisurely, bowling-alley style aimed at older viewers, Love Monkey is much more hip, geared to the 18-to-49 demographic that CBS has begun to cultivate.

Viewers watching Ed might have heard the Beatles. Love Monkey is more in tune with Green Day.

Music and romantic plots aside, the series will rise or fall on the persona of Cavanagh.

Cavanagh was reminded that Julie Bowen, his Ed co-star now featured on Boston Legal, recently told the press that Cavanagh was a very likable guy, adding she had a crush on him while they were filming Ed.

"Likable" and "lovable" seem to cling to Cavanagh, sort of like "rich" and "arrogant" do to Donald Trump.

"Ten million people will watch an actor doing something that seems nice, thanks to deft writing," Cavanagh says. "You somehow get portrayed as that person. But I will say I think it's better to be considered likable than to be arrogant.

"I don't know about rich. But if people want to say that, I don't think there's anything wrong with that."

While Love Monkey concentrates on the "cutting edge" of today's music, Cavanagh says his personal tastes are eclectic.

"I love the unknown stuff," he says.

Responding to a question about what's in his iPod, Cavanagh replies: "A bit of everything.

"I'm not against putting in a Broadway show tune. I guess the best way to describe it is that I like a good song. I don't care where it comes from or whether it's known or unknown.

"So I have pretty wild musical tastes, which, for me, is a boon since I'm part of a show like this."

Cavanagh admits he's still nervous about how CBS executives view the series, particularly since it offers a major change-of-pace from the network's blood-splattered dramatic lineup. He and executive producer Mark Johnson flew in from New York Tuesday night while the show was premiering.

"We kind of thought we might land here and they (CBS) would say 'You guys don't have to show up (for the press conference.) Thanks for coming. You can head back on Jet Blue.' "

While national Nielsen audience ratings were not sensational, network program executives seemed happy, feeling the series will grow in popularity during its initial eight-week run.

The premiere, a bit too talky at times, concentrated on Tom Farrell's initial ups and downs in the fast-moving music recording business and his relationships with his pals: Shooter (Larenz Tate); Jake (Christopher Wiehl); Mike (Jason Priestly), who's married to Tom's sister, Karen (Katherine LaNasa); and Bran (Judy Greer), Tom's platonic female friend.

Ah, memories of Ed.

Didn't the characters portrayed by Cavanagh and Bowen start out as friends, too? So, do Tom and Bran retain their platonic relationship?

"They'll exist as friends in the first season," Cavanagh says, looking around the room, and then adding, "did CBS notice I said 'first season'?

"But right now this is not Ed Stevens and Carole Vessey."

As the series moves along, viewers will learn that Cavanagh's character (through his narration) is a stubborn purist when it comes to music. He was fired in the premiere because he feels the quality of the music should matter more than its sales potential.

The series title?

In the premiere, pal Bran tells Tom: "You keep looking for the perfect branch," referring to his romantic life.

"You're going to end up one lonely monkey."

Based on the premiere, Love Monkey is better than its obscure title.

Love Monkey

• What is it: Tom Cavanagh stars as a single, thirtysomething New Yorker trying to find success in the rough-and-tumble worlds of music and romance.

• When and where: 9 p.m. Tuesdays, CBS 4

Dusty Saunders is the broadcasting critic. saunders@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-892-5137