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.