Geoff Schumacher

Critics have been praising the new TNT drama “Men of a Certain Age,” starring Ray Romano, Scott Bakula and Andre Braugher. And they would be right — it is a good show. I like that it’s realistically understated. It’s funny, not from the characters cracking one-liners but from the humorous situations that arise in the everyday lives of these three middle-aged men. It’s also deadly serious, slowly revealing the midlife problems that each guy is dealing with, or not dealing with. I also like that it’s a well-written show yet none of the characters is a writer, as is so often the case. Romano owns a party supply store, Bakula is a failed actor who works temp jobs, and Braugher is a car salesman working for his father’s dealership (called “Thoreau Chevrolet”). Romano is separated from his wife and lives in a hotel room. He also has a gambling problem. Braugher’s father is an overbearing jerk who is constantly on his case. He needs to quit but he has too many bills and obligations to just up and quit. He also has health problems. Bakula kind of glides through life in a way that seems a little too carefree. He is supremely frustrated that he hasn’t been able to make a real living as an actor. A Sisyphus theme runs through the show that seems entirely appropriate to modern life. I’ll be watching this show for a while.