Spin City creators spin out on series' sexual tension

By ANA SAMWAYS

Fortunately, most New York-based comedies have decided to ignore the events of September 11 in their fictional realities, obviously believing it's tricky to squeeze a laugh out of that one. Unfortunately, the creators of Spin City weren't quite so smart in choosing a cliffhanger for the end of the fifth series.

What was intended as an hour-long season finale was split in two here and somehow lost oomph because of it. We had Charlie (Charlie Sheen) hit by a stray bullet on a police-car ride.

Hospitalised because of the resulting graze, Charlie milks the situation for sympathy and Caitlin (Heather Locklear) cancels her holiday with rival love interest (played by Scott Wolf, the short guy from Party of Five). From there it's a case of will-they-or-won't-they get it on.

The decision to replace Hollywood golden boy Michael J. Fox, who's suffering from Parkinson's disease, with the tabloid uber-wideboy Sheen was gutsy but not as gutsy as releasing 22 episodes' worth of sexual tension.

It's certain death. Look at Ross and Rachel from Friends - it's on, it's off, it's on, and it's as tedious on-screen as it is off. But Sheen works because he plays himself - a primetime television version, complete with in-jokes. "I'm not the type of guy who can be friends with a woman," he says, with a straight face.

Said woman (there is only one) is Caitlin. With hair bigger than her hips, she is yet another woman playing it straight while surrounded by thigh-slappingly funny male characters.

But it's not all bad. The dialogue is still sparkling and insensitive. The characters are flawed and fabulous and the subplots are a treat. The odd couple of gay Carter and heterosexual pervert Stuart sound like an old married couple. The doltish press secretary Paul tries to cover the fact that he accidentally shot Charlie, in the face of clear-as-day security camera footage of him playing cowboy.

Then there's the mayor, blissfully devoid of a conscience, taking his old school rival off the streets, giving him a job until he outshines the mayor and, without batting an eyelid, planting his wallet on the guy and calling security.

Overall, the whole programme felt a bit formulaic - line, line, joke, cue laughter - suggesting a nip and tuck at the hands of our local network. The episode ran for just over 19 minutes - well short of the standard 23 - but there were plenty of ads to fill the shortfall.

In the next series, look out for guest appearances from Michael J. Fox, Queen Latifah and Farrah Fawcett - playing a judge and love interest for the mayor, that is, unless they find themselves on a cutting room floor.

There's always another opinion, this one from a family.org website. "The character of Carter receives near constant affirmation of his homosexual lifestyle. Good-natured gay jokes and one-liners fly. Spin City mocks religion, revels in profanity, and finds humour in pornography and illegal drug use. Like Friends, it teaches young fans that sex is an expected part of single life."

* Spin City, TV2, 8 pm