99 Words About … The desperation of FX’s ‘Partners’
(L-R) Kelsey Grammer as Allen Braddock, Martin Lawrence as Marcus Jackson star in FX's "Partners." (Byron Cohen/FX)
Blame Tyler Perry.
His sitcom “House of Payne” established what’s become known as the 10/90 production model.
A cable channel buys 10 episodes of a new comedy, and pre-established ratings goals, if met, trigger an order for 90 more.
That process has infected FX with old-fashioned sitcoms from Charlie Sheen, George Lopez and, now, Martin Lawrence and Kelsey Grammer.
They star in “Partners” (9 p.m. Monday), an insufferably lame, laugh-tracky, odd-couple-of-lawyers comedy that would be hopeless even by network standards.
The whole thing feels desperate, exhausted and entirely mirth-free.
I can’t imagine anyone wanting 10 episodes, let alone 90.
— CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE
