cbs rules of engagement is both bad

CBS' "Rules of Engagement" is both bad comedy and bad commentary

CBS previewed their new comedy, Rules of Engagement, and based on the

Superbowl previews I thought it might be funny. Lots of humorous

material can be found in the relationships between singles, engaged

and married couples. Numerous other comedies on being single and being

married have entertained TV audiences for years. NBC successes like

Friends and Mad About You prove there's plenty that's humorous in both

those situations--enough for 396 episodes over 10 years.

Perhaps Rules isn't meant to be a comedy, but a horror serial. Showing

first how insensitive and impossible domesticate men are and second

how stupid women are to consider relationships with them in the first

place.

The only thing scarier than the show might be its success. Sure,

people are supposed to understand sitcoms are fictional, but how can

the same adults that think Wiley E. Coyote encourages violence in

youngsters not believe Rules might sour the appeal of civilized

societies' greatest building block--marriage? They can't have it both

ways.