Snap judgment: 'What About Brian'

Maybe it’s just that going through Grey’s Anatomy withdrawal put me in a cranky mood, but I had a hard time differentiating last night’s premiere of What About Brian from a Pottery Barn ad. Nearly every scene was a study in fetching home furnishings, and the characters all looked super-purdy sitting out on that sun-kissed deck toasting to friendship and life and whatnot, but with so many overly familiar story arcs — nice guy falls for arrogant best friend’s girlfriend; couple with kids can’t find time for sex; ”wacky” new girlfriend acts out in ways you’d only ever see on TV — I’m surprised the soundtrack didn’t include the 2001 Sunshine Anderson hit, ”Heard It All Before.” That’s not to say I didn’t get one whopper of a surprise from Brian, though: For weeks, I’ve been watching promos for the ABC drama and foolishly thinking its lead female character was portrayed by Melrose Place vet Daphne Zuniga (pictured, left). Bzzzt! This show’s not interesting enough to give its leading man a love interest 10 years his senior. Instead, it’s Zuniga doppelganger Sarah Lancaster (of Everwood fame; pictured, right) who’s torn between two lovers. Despite the fact that Brian is exec-produced by nearly infallible J.J. Abrams (Lost, Alias, Felicity), I’m not sure I can handle coming back for a second helping of Brian in its regular 10 p.m. Monday timeslot. How about you?

addCredit(“Daphne Zuniga: Peter Stranks; Sarah Lancaster: Galer Adler”)