Fall TV preview: Can Sean Hayes save NBC with ‘Sean Saves the World’?

NBC made some big moves when it comes to their fall schedule this month, opting to really get out of the whole we-produce-niche-comedies-only market to focus more on family comedies, with many of them having a traditional sitcom feel. It’s easy to be cynical and complain about this being more of the same thing that we have seen time and time again, but it is also rather hard to complain about a show that gives us the opportunity to see Sean Hayes again on our TV screen.

The series that we are writing about here is none other than “Sean Saves the World,” which NBC has so much faith in that they are putting it on the former time slot of “The Office,” Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time. Hayes as a single father who came out as gay, and he now has to try and balance his family life with a very demanding job that keeps him away for a good chunk of the day. This photo alone makes it seem as though he will be rather clingy, and we expect this to be the case at times.

NBC does have a history of great multi-camera comedies, so we hope that “Sean Saves the World” can get us back to that. While we don’t necessarily love the bland premise, we all know already thanks to “Will & Grace” that Hayes has great timing and owns the universe when it comes to physical comedy. We also have Echo Kellum on the cast list here, and he was one of our favorite people from this past season of “Ben and Kate.”

It will probably be a few weeks into the season before anyone knows whether or not “Sean Saves the World” is a comedy that is genuinely worth watching, but we do hope that it manages to keep most of the audience until that time. At least it is bringing a little bit of the progressive movement into a traditional format.

What do you think about “Sean Saves the World” based on the trailer: Funny, or too cheesy for its own good? This article is just one slice of what is a giant Fall TV preview pizza, and you can devour even more if you just head on over to the link here.

Photo: NBC