Abby's

It is a solidly constructed sitcom of the family-by-association sort that does the nation the incidental favor of keeping Natalie Morales and Neil Flynn in public view.

It’s not a wildly funny show--I laughed out loud only a handful of times--but the jokes feel less important than the chance to spend time each week in the company of some appealing goofballs. Fortunately, it’s a likable enough group--Morales and Flynn in particular--to compensate for the mild humor.

Abby's is so familiar it makes “Modern Family” look experimental. ... The cast members all click, with an easy chemistry that makes it seem like they’ve been working together for years. ... There’s something to be said for a show that’s made with confidence, that knows what it wants to be, and is about characters who like each other.

The first impression of Abby’s is one as enticingly unrefined as its central setting. Sitcoms are often acquired tastes; this one just so happens to be reminiscent of the rare exception that tasted good from the very first drop. And while it doesn’t have everyone around the bar figured out, the sight of Morales so at home on a show with her name in the title is worth raising a glass to.

The three episodes made available for review have plenty of confidence, and an identity all their own. The problem is, there’s not much humor beyond that wrung from dehydrated, microwaved writing by the solid supporting cast. The vibe works; the jokes are rocky.

While the actors, some of whom trained in the Upright Citizens Brigade sketch comedy group, seem to finding their way in the first two episodes, the cast pulls it all together by the third.

Congenial sitcom set in the great outdoors where everything--even or especially a sitcom--seems just a little bit better.

Abby's doesn't quite show us why it deserves the same kind of attention as ODAAT or any of Schur's other shows. It exists, it's pleasant, and it's good to throw on if you want to turn your brain off for a bit.

Early wobbliness aside, Abby’s is not a show to dismiss. There is so much potential in its creators and cast (Neil Flynn is so good as Fred), and even though its experiment doesn’t seem to have come together quite yet, there is a well-established history of comedies like this that have taken some time to find themselves.

If “Abby’s” is judged purely by modern standards, it may not live long enough to make the necessary adjustments. But if viewers take to its old school charms — and NBC responds with an old school timetable for success — the future looks bright.

Unlike Cheers, the newcomer has inclusiveness going for it. But the writing is no match at all.

Abby's is the latest NBC comedy to premiere with a decent premise, a terrific cast and, at least through the opening episodes sent to critics, almost no actual laughs.

It’s not hard to imagine that Abby’s could become a welcome regular on NBC’s blossoming comedy schedule given its promising cast and crew. But as it stands right now, show just needs some more time, inventive punchlines, and commitment to what makes it different from what’s come before in order to truly get there.